# I pit Americans pitting Olympic television coverage **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 15, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075 "2010-02-15T16:11:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/41 "2010-02-19T21:30:23Z")
> [@slowmovingvehicle](#): > > And does anyone else think her husband was oddly unemotional, considering his wife had _just won a gold medal_? In his defense, I also would have had a hard time showing my true emotions with the camera 2 inches away from my face. That’s why you leave people alone during those moments, so they _can_ show their emotions. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/42 "2010-02-19T22:18:16Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Yup, it happens every two years around the Olympics: message board users everywhere, at least those from the United States, gather together in unity to condemn NBC Olympic television coverage. I’ve got no love for the network, but so much of the criticism is undeserved, IMHO. Word. I’ve become a big Olympics fan in the last decade, and while the coverage has been reliably excellent since 2004, the rants are exactly the same as they always were. People love to bitch. Now, to be fair, the worst parts of Olympics coverage are Figure Skating (and Gymnastics in the summer), and they’re very heavily covered in prime time. But that’s where the audience is. OTOH, NBC has several other hours of coverage every day and several other channels covering the games. If you have cable and a DVR, you should spend less time whining and more time watching. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/43 "2010-02-19T22:36:17Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Word. I’ve become a big Olympics fan in the last decade, and while the coverage has been reliably excellent since 2004, the rants are exactly the same as they always were. People love to bitch. Now, to be fair, the worst parts of Olympics coverage are Figure Skating (and Gymnastics in the summer), and they’re very heavily covered in prime time. But that’s where the audience is. OTOH, NBC has several other hours of coverage every day and several other channels covering the games. If you have cable and a DVR, you should spend less time whining and more time watching. > > –Cliffy Whining is the best reason to watch the Olympics. It makes it more fun for everyone! ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/44 "2010-02-20T02:54:23Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Word. I’ve become a big Olympics fan in the last decade, and while the coverage has been reliably excellent since 2004, the rants are exactly the same as they always were. People love to bitch. Now, to be fair, the worst parts of Olympics coverage are Figure Skating (and Gymnastics in the summer), and they’re very heavily covered in prime time. But that’s where the audience is. OTOH, NBC has several other hours of coverage every day and several other channels covering the games. If you have cable and a DVR, you should spend less time whining and more time watching. > > –Cliffy I certainly understand the complaints from people who are annoyed that NBC tape delays so many events, especially for those of us on the West Coast. People who want to see the key events live ought to be able to do so. However, for me personally, I really don’t have a problem with the way NBC is doing it. I have to work during the day, so I can’t watch TV until I come home in the evening anyway. I’ve been able to avoid news about the Olympic results, so for me everything is a surprise as I’m watching it, just as if it were live. ---
**Author:** ![Maillard\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@Maillard\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maillard_Duck)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/45 "2010-02-20T18:20:24Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’ll also point out a pleasant surprise from last night; during the pairs figure skating, the NBC announcers spent most of their time during the actual performances keeping their yaps shut, and spoke when there was some element of the performance that merited comment. Most of the detailed commentary was reserved for replays. That was nice. I also found this really refreshing. I’m not normally a figure skating watcher – normally, my spectator sport of choice is (American) football. And in the latter sport, the announcers just. will. not. stop. talking. In football, I believe that the network has the color commentator’s grandmother suspended in a cage over a pool teeming with perturbed eels, and with each moment of on-air silence the cage inches inexorably closer to the deadly, eely surface. So the desperate announcers fill the silence with inane, fevered drivel, all in a vain effort to save poor Nana’s ankles. It’s the only possible explanation. So imagine my surprise when I flipped on some men’s figure skating the other day, and all I heard was some music, punctuated occasionally by “triple toe loop coming up…” and other terse commentary from the announcers. I do find a small amount of explanation helpful, since I’m very ignorant of the sport, but I think they got the amount of commentary just about right. Those covering other sports could really learn something from this example. It also seems to me that the amount of commentary has declined relative to previous Olympic figure skating coverage, when the commentators were much chattier. Can any long-time fans confirm or deny this? ---
**Author:** ![SleepyDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@SleepyDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SleepyDuck)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/46 "2010-02-21T04:13:27Z")
OK, some of the whining is, well, just whining, but let’s not gloss over this: > [@Gorsnak](#): > > I thought the biggest criticism was all the tape delay. NBC tape-delayed the opening ceremonies for the west coast. Think about that for a minute. This; and for the actual events, T_H_I\*S!!!11! Jesus Christ on a tortilla, NBC, it is NOT 1984 and the games are NOT taking place in Sarajevo. They are being held in the same time zone I live in, and the internet exists. I have lost count of how many times already I have been spoilered on events that haven’t happened yet (as far as NBC is concerned) because I dared to skim some headlines on the web, just to you know, check on life outside the matrix. And, NBC, as long as I’m here BBQing, I’d like to throw your crappy website (you know the url, I’m not typing it) in to the pit. First of all for all the proprietary intrusive hoops one must jump through to view any videos, and even then it’s a crap-shoot whether that video actually plays. And ultimately, tying all this together, for spoilering me on where Lindsay Vonn placed in the event that hasn’t yet happened on THE SAME FUCKING PAGE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR TV LISTINGS ON. Seriously, if you’re going to insist that the emporer is actually wearing clothes of the finest silks, do not let him slap members of the audience in the face with his exposed dick. So, fuck NBC, and fuck **elmwood** for fucking me for fucking NBC. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/47 "2010-02-21T04:19:53Z")
When I watch sports, including the Olympics, I want them to shut the fuck up and let the sports speak for themselves. I couldn’t care less if (s)he overcame cancer or a big toenail infection to become a world class plate balancer. The fact that (s)he can do it is all I want to see. Whether it’s “oh look at that air that skier got, tsk tsk” or “OH MY GOD HE’S GOT A COMPOUND FRACTURE” the only time I need to hear a voice is when “They just broke the world record,” or “This is Johnny Caloha, from Hawaii, USA!” And I can get both of those from the damn HUD thingie on the TV, so I really don’t need **any** talking when I’m watching sports. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/48 "2010-02-21T04:28:44Z")
On the plus side, I LOVE how many cameras are out there. Wow, I’ve seen some sports in a whole new way, metaphorically and literally. I think the reception problems I had last week were because of Cox. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/49 "2010-02-21T09:06:19Z")
Yeah, I don’t think I can sign on to this rant anymore. Watched both the Mens and Women’s biathlon, and finally learned WTF Nordic Combined was. I think the only sports I HAVEN’T watched at some point was Men’s Luge Pairs (missed it) and pairs figure skating (didn’t watch on purpose). And I’ve seriously watched **AT LEAST** 12 hours of Curling so far. Saw every US match but the Men’s win over Sweden today (it was tough to watch but I did it). Good to see the US teams finally make some clutch shots. Had the opportunity to watch much more but alas there are only 24 hours in a day and my DVR is only so big. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/50 "2010-02-21T10:44:59Z")
If it weren’t for tape delay, I could sign on to the rant… I theoretically could watch the event live and drive home before NBC even gets close to airing it. That they’re not showing anything live on the west coast is just plain stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/51 "2010-02-21T16:39:22Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Yup, it happens every two years around the Olympics: message board users everywhere, at least those from the United States, gather together in unity to condemn NBC Olympic television coverage. I’ve got no love for the network, but so much of the criticism is undeserved, IMHO. Actually, it is deserved. And not just NBC in particular. It’s sports, for pity’s sake. All you need is 5 minutes of clips on the news about who won. You don’t need hours of time showing us an entire football game or people riding snowboards or throwing a ball through a hoop or whacking it with a racket or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/52 "2010-02-21T23:02:00Z")
…in 2030? I mean, this is getting ridiculous! Yeah, it was nice to beat those horrible soviets…but do we still have to watch this? Its getting a bit old. And Mike Eruzione is getting fat! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/53 "2010-02-21T23:58:40Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > ..in 2030? I mean, this is getting ridiculous! Yeah, it was nice to beat those horrible soviets..but do we still have to watch this? Its getting a bit old. > And Mike Eruzione is getting fat! I liked how he didn’t try to cover his bald spot. I was playing high school hockey at the time, so I really enjoyed the look back. Fond memories and shit, yaknowwhati’msayin ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/54 "2010-02-26T18:57:34Z")
[A Canadian’s View of NBC Olympic Coverage](http://www.frumforum.com/a-canadians-view-of-nbc-olympic-coverage) ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/55 "2010-02-28T16:41:27Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > [A Canadian’s View of NBC Olympic Coverage](http://www.frumforum.com/a-canadians-view-of-nbc-olympic-coverage) That was interesting, but it really wasn’t about NBC’s coverage of the Games as much as it was about NBC’s coverage of Canada. I will add that I am pleasantly surprised at the number of medal ceremonies in which there was no American medalist that NBC has shown. The men’s curling ceremony last night - Canada gold, Norway silver, Switzerland(!?! WTF?! _Switzerland?_) bronze - was the longest medal ceremony I’ve ever seen broadcast. As a bit of a hijack, I wish NBC’d do two more things: put a camera on a bobsled for a run (just think it’d be waaaay cool); and do a story about the people who maintain the flags and anthems for the medal ceremonies. I’d love to see the behind-the-scenes stuff: “Bob, what’s Uzbekistan’s national anthem?” “Do you really think it matters?” ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075/56 "2010-02-28T17:07:06Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > ..in 2030? I mean, this is getting ridiculous! Yeah, it was nice to beat those horrible soviets..but do we still have to watch this? Its getting a bit old. Nobody goes “Why do we still have to hear about Jessie Owens in Berlin? It’s getting a bit old.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-americans-pitting-olympic-television-coverage/529075.md?page=2)