You know, I was all ready to post a scathing cut-down of your points.
Except they are all true.
I still love the Olympics though, regardless of some problems it may have. I do really think there are quite a few “fringe” sports that are having an effect of “watering down” the contest.
‘as it happens’ without waiting several hours and already knowing who won (and BTW, my local PBS station cannot air “BBC World Service” until after the Olympics <grrrr>); and
watch an event without a halfhour segment on somebody’s family/hometown or how the Chinese gymnastics squard has been revamped blah, blah. Simple premise: vaulter vaults - show the score. Next vaulter vaults - show the score. Repeat until finished. Did I ask too much?
I can’t find a schedule - fencing and equestrian is when? Or have I missed them?
What’s the point? I watch the Olympics to see the competition. To wonder who’s going to win. But when you know who’s going to win, the day before the event is broadcast, why watch it?
I’d write NBC a letter explaining to them that their sponsors are not being seen on my teevee, and that thousands or millions of other people aren’t watching their network because they already know the outcome of the events; but I doubt it would do any good. I don’t believe NBC pays attention to what its viewers want. I suppose I could find out who’s advertising during the Games, and write them individually to tell them why I’m not seeing their commercials.
So NBC has ruined the Olympic experience for me by not broadcasting it live. As they’ve screwed up the Olympics since they began covering them. The one sporting event I look forward to, and they destroy the experience.
Maybe I didn’t know better when I was a kid, but I could swear ABC did a much better job at covering the Games.
Excellent ideas on the letters to the advertisers. I’ll check some of the ads and go from there. I’ll be awake all night, might as well start a few now.
And you are correct, ABC did a much better job of coverage. This is worse than I ever expected. There was a quote from an NBC executive - wish I could remember his name and the exact quote - “The Olympics are entertainment, not sports.” This from the network that still runs SNL well past its time. [They do still run SNL, right? I stopped watching that years ago.]
When the IOC feels that the infrastructure and security are acceptable. They’re also looking to (gasp?) make some money while bringing the people of the world together. Can Swaziland bribe and sell $500 event tickets like the United States or the Aussies?
What pisses me off is that NBC won’t disclose the exact broadcast time of each event. I’d watch more events if I didn’t have to sit for a few hours through the synchronized swimming prelims before seeing my event.
Screech- I agree with you completely on #2. Ever since the Sarajevo games , my family has used “up close and personal” as a slang term for ‘wasting time’. At Lillehammer, didn’t Charles Kuralt actually do a 10-minute segment titled “The Tree Outside My Hotel Window”?
This was why I thought the TripleCast that NBC did for the Barcelona games was great (although I was apparently the only one in the country who bought it). I was at home for the summer break and my parents were away on vacation. My college roommate came over with an extra TV and we watched two channels at once for the whole two weeks. No interviews, no childhood stories, no music videos, just sports. Actually getting to watch an entire competition from beginning to end gave me a much better appreciation of events I usually didn’t watch (diving, for example).
Now I’m old and have to hold down a job, so it’s back to nothing but prime-time highlights for me.
I’ll agree with everything except fast-pitch softball. You’ve obviously never watched the sport.
Australia is boring? Are you kidding? This is the only country with wildlife that is not only dangerous, but actively dangerous. Half the fun of watching the triathalon (and c’mon, that is a sprt that deserves to be in the Olympics) is waiting to see if anyone gets bit by a jellyfish.
Great opening ceremony this year, by the way, except that once again we (the USA) look like yahoos at a cheap dude camp with our cheesy cowboy hats.
Except I am watching the Olympics…I just tune out the news regarding the events as best I can. However, the fact that they aren’t even trying to broadcast live–especially considering how many NBC channels there are now–is just plain LAME.
What was profoundly lame was that before they actual begin showing the televised events, there is a 1/2 hour news show that–I kid you not–tells you who won what in the upcoming televised events. Are they MORONS?! Don’t freakin’ tell me that, and don’t be dumb enough to say so right before the event begins! MAN, they suck.
So it’s a 16hr time difference. So? I have a VCR. And, I’d be willing to turn the TV on at 6am to catch a freakin’ LIVE event. Dorks.
I can’t believe they’re not showing it live . That sucks .
Thank you BBC and RTE for showing as much as possible live and giving almost blanket coverage all thru the night on 1 each of their stations to the big O .
There are a lot of sports that are boring but also there are sports that I never look at ( apart from every 4 years ) and really enjoy eg. speed cycling , weightlifting (love the little guys and did you see the women strut their stuff last night ? Fabulous ) , swimming etc
Hey , I’m looking at Pakistan V’s UK play hockey at the mo. and really enjoying it .
For a few weeks every 4 years I become a sport junky and I love it .
Mr. Truth, I agree with most of what you say. In fact, I wasn’t going to watch the Olympics at all this year, until I came home and my SO was watching them. Now, I’m hooked, damn it.
However, I don’t see what the problem is with professional athletes competing. The games are supposed to be about honoring the world’s best athletes. Some professionals will likely fit into that category. Really, what is the big deal? I don’t know.
I think that the culminating moment that I stopped liking the olympics was the “epic saga” of Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. Those were my younger, more formative years… <snicker>
I remember when I was a little kid, watching the ice skating with my family. For some reason, I remember watching the first woman to nail a triple axle in competition. Good stuff.
Then they decided that every athlete should have a quaint story/biopic on them. I don’t care about the humble suburban background of the athlete du jour. Or the accompanying soundtrack. Knowing a little backstory on someone is great, yes, but… it’s like a fricking glurge gallery.
Andygirl just reminded me of another reason that I find myself hopelessly compelled to watch. The Olympics has more scandal than a political campaign. At times, it’s like a soap opera, only with incredibly fit people.
I just Emailed off a complaint to NBC regarding the sheer stupidity of not televising the events live. If you would like to do the same, shuttle off an email to:
Same here, except my roomie and I were watching to see if any sharks snuck in. Might have even helped the times…lord knows I’D want out of that water ASAP.
As for the coverage…this was the first year I honestly didn’t care about the Olympics. I have no desire to watch AT ALL. And the fact that I can see all the winners for that night in the morning Washington Post doens’t help either.
Hello? How far have YOU ventured from Bumf*ck, Idaho?
Barcelona is NOT boring, nor are most of the Olympic locations. I’ll give you Atlanta though. Sorry, I’m trying to be nice here, but that just made NO SENSE at all.
For the rest, I’m with Yojimbo. I become a complete sports addict whenever the Olympics are around, and watch all sorts of sports I usually have no interest in. Like the indoor cycling (nerve wracking!), and mens hockey (we were framed, dammit! That was a clear goal against Malaysia).
Woohoo!! Pieter van den Hoogenband just took gold in the mens 200 meters free stroke. Eat your heart out, Thorpe (he was second)!
Ding ding! Leontien van Moorsel just took gold at the 3 kilometer pursuit! Go Holland!
theuglytruth – well, I’m not sure if your name is true or not. Ugly yes. Truth? Uh…
Commies? Are you from a bad 50’s propaganda film or what? Oh, perhaps you are just trolling. Silly, either way.
Professionals? I guess, since I don’t know, in that sport there are? Most of the competitors are not pros.
Stupid sports? Ballroom dancing is stupid to you? Get your best suit on and go out on a dance floor and even TRY to do what those folks can do. Same for the other “stupid” sports you mentioned. YOU think they are stupid because you do not understand the finesse involved. How easy to mock something you do not fully understand.
Boring locations? Travel much? I suggest, nicely, that you get your computer out of your ass and actually LOOK beyond your own window; the world is rich in it’s diversity and beauty; pity that you are unable to see it.
Bribery is a disgrace. This is the ONLY point I think we agree upon. I’m ashamed that the SLC committee is so highly publicized in this when I’m damn sure it’s been going on for years; however, I STILL am glad it came out about SLC’s participation in this. I want those involved prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I want those who paid and those who benefitted EQUALLY punished!
Too (many) athletes using drugs. Yes, there is a problem with this, but they are found out. And there are issues about recreational and performance drugs. I guess I can’t agree with you until you clarify which issue you are talking about.
