dreadful - men's team foil

[reposte]

I don't know what's more lamentable, the refereeing in the men's teram foil or the commentary by Chambers and his co conspirator.

The Baldini Beaudan bout (eighth bout) featered two uncontested attacks with deception given Beaudan, even after him raising his finger to acknowledge the touch.

Forgive me all British participants, but the speed in which Chambers and the other one malign each exchange of words between the fencers and the ref as "loss of temper" and reminding the viewers of Sanzo's predilection towards flinging masks at judges whenever Sanzo even opens his mouth, even when his opponent's the one disputing a touch, is a dreadful exhibition of emotional stagnation, overdose of British respectibility perhaps?

The footage coverege was appalling. I think they may have lost the centre camera, although the re runs managed that angle alright, which made you lose touch with seventy percent of the entire match.

[sabreur]

I had the German feed, which featured extended laments about the failure of the German men to make the final, but otherwise was pretty good commentary--I posted last night about the swoopy camera that they were using, which may make for an interesting image for someone who is clueless, but is really annoying if you know fencing and are trying to follow the action. They used it in the women's team sabre as well, although sparingly, thank goodness.

On the positive side, the strip lighting was excellent--very easy to see the blades.

I can't speak to the quality of the refereeing in foil, but I didn't think that foil looked like epee. It didn't look like foil pre-new timings, but it didn't look that bad to my sabreur's eye. Some beautiful attacks and counterattacks, parry-ripostes, etc.

MR

[edew]

Yeah, the Eurosport guys want to add some artistic element to the coverage of fencing by adding sweeping shots, overhead shots and all such things. Those of us who see fencing see it in the view of the referee (or fencer), and that's really the best way to see it. It's hard to determine movement when the camera is also moving. Also, since no one ever gets to see fencing from straight above or in a moving view, it's completely pointless to offer such shots.

Look at football and baseball. 90% of the shots are from the standard angles: from centerfield looking at the pitcher's back throwing the ball at the batter. There's rarely an overhead shot, even though they have it available when showing slo-mo replays of a pitch that may have been a strike or not.

Football has the main 50-yard line shot (it actually moves with the flags), and an occasional endzone shot. I remember when MNF had the reverse field shot: the shot of the play from the other side of the field. It was like a major innovation. Still, the primary shot is the from-the-side-50yd-line angle.

Fencing should not suffer from amateur directors who think they're filming a scene from Star Wars, but just stick with what people can best see.

[JEC]

I agree with Eric. The camera coverage from WCSN was excellent, probably better than Eurosport because they stuck with the basic idea.

The next innovation for WCSN would be to follow different teams or individuals throughout poules and DE's, and offer them as different feeds.

[reposte]

Actually, of all the points I raised, the one I'm least concerned about is the one you all took up.
I think that the refereeing was plainly anti Italian. Next time the Itailans scream bloody murder they'll find me much more inclined to listen.
To exonerate myself, let me just say that I object to the Italian school of refereeing and advocate a much classical one, but the directing that took place there was simply out of it.

The equally exasperating point is Chambers and his condescending attitude: Are all Italians noisy? Are they dirty as well? Aren't they gentlemenlike enough for good old Games?
This all coming from a man completely disassociated from anything happening on the strip. Didn't they introduce him as a former head BFA? How on earth... I thought we in Israel had some incompitent characters in top chair but he really is too much.