Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

Rick · 10-11-2002, 01:10 PM

About two years ago, during the Baltimore-NY Giants Superbowl, CBS introduced a replay system that opened up a new way of watching football on TV.

They planted a series of cameras around the "rim" of the stadium. With the use of computer technology, the cameras pieced together shots from different angles to allow a rotating eye view of the action on the field... a la 'Matrix'. If you watched the game in the normal sideline angle and see the QB pump his arm a couple of times, and then run down the field, you might say... "What was he thinking, just throw the ball!"... but with the use of the special replay system... the rotating view allowed viewers to see what he was seeing... which was all his receivers were covered, and there was at least thirty yards of open field in front of him... so he ran. That was the last time I saw anything like that on TV for football. It was so cool that you'd think TV networks all over would pick it up. But it is probably really expensive to pay for.

But just think... if that kind of setup were used to televise fencing. Picture the last fencing video you watched... if it was recorded from Eurosport, you were probably treated to three or four replay angles of a certain conversation on the strip. Now think about a replay where the subjects are rotating to the view of the angle behind one of the fencers to see what he saw that prompted his attack... then rotate again to the other fencer's perspective to see what the attack looked like... thereby justifying his parry or counterattack...

Man, I just can't stop thinking about how cool that would be.

Purple Fencer · 10-11-2002, 01:52 PM

Wouldn't we need white FIE trenchcoats, tho?

lochinvar · 10-11-2002, 02:12 PM

I can hear the president now:
"Your attack was not in tempo...Mr. Anderson."

Purple Fencer · 10-11-2002, 02:50 PM

Oh oh oh!!!!! Morpheus could be played by Derek Cotton!!!

achilleus · 10-11-2002, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lochinvar
I can hear the president now:
"Your attack was not in tempo...Mr. Anderson."

Actually, I imagined:

'It seems you lead two lives. In one, you work for a software company, pay your taxes, and help your landlady... take out the garbage.

In the other, you are guilty of covering target, turning shoulders, and corps a corps. Yellow card...Mr. Anderson'

achilleus · 10-11-2002, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Purple Fencer
Oh oh oh!!!!! Morpheus could be played by Derek Cotton!!!

DC ain't cool enough to be Morpheus.

Purple Fencer · 10-11-2002, 03:22 PM

Yeah, but he'd look the part...how about Robbie Carillo (if he was black)?

haggis · 10-11-2002, 03:22 PM

That would be incredibly cool but if you watched it on British Eurosport would you still have to put up with James Chambers' truly terrible commentary? Nobody in The Matrix sounds like James (indeed, nobody anywhere sounds like James when he's commentating!).

The images that kind of filming would give would be so instructive for viewers, both fencers and non-fencers. I'd love to see it done.

achilleus · 10-11-2002, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Purple Fencer
Yeah, but he'd look the part...how about Robbie Carillo (if he was black)?

DC looks nutin' like Furious.

And Robbie is even less cool than DC, and DC isn't cool enough. Sorry, no one but Lawrence, and maybe Yoda, is cool enough to Morpheus.

Purple Fencer · 10-11-2002, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by haggis
[b]That would be incredibly cool but if you watched it on British Eurosport would you still have to put up with James Chambers' truly terrible commentary? Nobody in The Matrix sounds like James (indeed, nobody anywhere sounds like James when he's commentating!).

Is he the guy who sees EVERY SINGLE ACTION as a parry-riposte?

achilleus · 10-11-2002, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Purple Fencer
Is he the guy who sees EVERY SINGLE ACTION as a parry-riposte?

'Watch him, smash the blade aside and bang, put the point on. Oh, it happened so fast, you couldn't even see him take the blade, but I'm sure he found it.'

Yeah that's the guy.

Jason · 10-14-2002, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by haggis
That would be incredibly cool but if you watched it on British Eurosport would you still have to put up with James Chambers' truly terrible commentary?

I can't stand that guy.

Every six seconds he repeats the differences between the weapons.
He's all "Blah blah blah only the torso is target blah blah," and "Blah blah blah whoever hits first blah blah."

When he's covering sabre, it's all, "Well, that certainly looked like attack from the right... oh... no, I guess I'm wrong."
Brilliant.

counter riposte · 10-14-2002, 04:35 PM

When you get in trouble with disillusioned commentary and pi$$ poor directing, just remember the truth. "There is no comment"

haggis · 10-14-2002, 04:55 PM

I know this is getting a little off-thread but who would the Brits on the board like to do the commentary rather than James Chambers. If we get a consensus perhaps we could contact British Eurosport with our suggestions. It may lack some of the hi-tech appeal of multiple cameras but it would certainly make fencing a lot more watchable and easy to understand (it would also stop me from shouting at the TV when James says something stupid/irritating/wrong/clueless).

Jason · 10-15-2002, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by haggis
(it would also stop me from shouting at the TV when James says something stupid/irritating/wrong/clueless).

You must spend a lot of time shouting at the TV.

edew · 10-15-2002, 04:35 PM

Hey, at least you HAVE fencing on TV. If we ever get fencing on US television, we'll have Bob Costas doing five hundred hours of f**king up-close-and-personal bull crap about every friggin' fencer who had something bad happen to them one time in their life.

"Sam Signorelli was burdened by a loss of employment when he chose to go all out and become one of the most feared fencers at Swordplay Fencing Studios...."

"Eric Dew had never felt the sting of rejection that he had felt in the hands of Ed R*******'s refereeing, it must be a real disappointment for Eric...."

"Times are troubling for young Brendan Meyers. He has to take fencing lessons while being home schooled. No other 15-year old has to endure such massive responsbilities..."

Then, cut to commercials infinitum.

Purple Fencer · 10-16-2002, 01:59 PM

LOL!!! Thanks, Eric!

Ed's eyes are punking out, huh?

counter riposte · 10-16-2002, 04:40 PM

Costas would probably be asking about why we like running around with weapons in our hands. Or make commentary that will most likely get him a sabre cut to the head. Wake up Bob!

I see dead people · 10-17-2002, 04:06 AM

FIE is having trouble setting up the cheapest camera for broadcasting. so I wouldn't fantasize that fansy camera too much. not gonna happen.

Rick · 10-18-2002, 10:22 PM

From Matrix... to fencing... to a Brit Commentator... to Bob Costas.

Yep, just exactly how I envisioned this post to evolve. Charles Darwin eat your hear out!

Now... where did I put my beer?