# The NBC Olympics Coverage Pit Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 13, 2004, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656 "2004-08-13T04:21:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/61 "2004-08-14T22:58:30Z")
> [@Boo Boo Foo](#): > > Yesterday, I was able to sink my teeth into a women’s volleyball match between Cuba and Germany which went into a 5th set. Really great coverage. I saw that earlier today. That was good stuff. Any US Dopers know what Telemundo has been focusing on? I flipped by and they were showing soccer, which I have not much interest in. And fencing was on earlier for about ten minutes - just enough for the two Americans to get eliminated. ---
**Author:** ![Ultraviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@Ultraviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ultraviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/62 "2004-08-14T23:52:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > You guys gotta get CBC. Get whatever satellite service you have to. I caught about twenty minutes of coverage this afternoon while I was having lunch at a local eatery, and in those twenty minutes they showed five different sports, zipping back and forth to catch as much action as possible. The quality of the CBC coverage has been great so far, but I have been appalled at the amount of commercials! When I was watching earlier, I swear they were showing two minutes of swimming to two minutes of commercials :mad: ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/63 "2004-08-15T00:03:35Z")
You know, I’m not a huge fan of olympic coverage, usually, but I think you guys are being a bit harsh. So far on NBC today has been a whole ton of diving and gymnastics, with a total of ZERO US competitors in either, and a lot of focusing on the Romanian team. There’s also been a lot of swimming, with a few US competitors, and then two volleyball matches, whcih did include US teams. Meanwhile, MSNBC was rowing, rowing, rowing, rowing. Which I find tedious as hell. And Bravo is about to come on with Badminton, Ping Pong and Field Hockey. So, overall, it’s a lot better than some of you seem to give it credit for. Although still far from perfect? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/64 "2004-08-15T00:49:06Z")
Oooooh. We just beat Norway in Beach Volleyball. Big fucking whoop! Norway doesn’t have any beaches! It’s all rocks and fiords and shit! Yet there the announcers were, leading the huzzahs for Our Side. Bah. ---
**Author:** ![LilyoftheValley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@LilyoftheValley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilyoftheValley)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/65 "2004-08-15T01:06:45Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Any US Dopers know what Telemundo has been focusing on? I flipped by and they were showing soccer, which I have not much interest in. Soccer, boxing, and beach volleyball, I have been told. Of course, you could also check the link I posted above… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/66 "2004-08-15T01:25:14Z")
> [@LilyoftheValley](#): > > Of course, you could also check the link I posted above… 😛 So, **LilyoftheValley** , the Rockies are losing big and I’m about to start channel flipping. What’s on in the Olympics right now? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/67 "2004-08-15T01:32:07Z")
Synchronised diving! Thrillsville. Anyone in the mountain time zone, subtract one hour from that site instead of two. We must be on a time delayed time delay. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/68 "2004-08-15T01:56:58Z")
On a diving-related side-note, what’s with the low-rise Speedos? I’m sitting here, minding my own business, then I’m hit with an eyeful of Australian butt-cleavage! Actually, I’m not really _complaining_… 😃 And I thing CBC’s doing a great job so far, covering a bit of everything, even if they were a bit too chatty during the opening ceremony. I don’t watch NBC coverage anymore, because I hate how they spend 20 minutes interviewing the American guy who came in 47th in an event, and don’t bother to talk about the gold-medal winner. I don’t know if it’s still like that, but the last Olympics were, and it was annoying. I’m sure CBC does the same with the Canadian athletes, but I’ve never really noticed it being quite as bad as with NBC. ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/69 "2004-08-15T02:02:26Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > And fencing was on earlier for about ten minutes - just enough for the two Americans to get eliminated. Ok, that’s just not fair. I watched today on CNBC (just after noon CST), and they showed the Americans getting eliminated, but then they followed up after commercials with the gold medal round, which went to la belle. Of course, the male commentator seemed a bit shady to me, and they never really explained for the laity how right of way works in sabre, so my sister’s fiance was a bit confused about why people were giving touches away to the guy who hit second. But… they did show the gold medal round. And why is it that they can’t put the camera where it can see the director? I mean, it’s a bit confusing when you can’t tell who was _awarded_ the touch until the female commentator tells you what the director said. I mean, how are you supposed to get your panties in a twist about the shitty calls if you can’t see them?!? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/70 "2004-08-15T02:47:55Z")
I think the worst opening ceremonies were the ones in Atlanta. Pick up trucks, football…cheerleaders. I was embarrassed. Damn Georgians. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/71 "2004-08-15T03:03:37Z")
> [@Tenebras](#): > > Ok, that’s just not fair. I watched today on CNBC (just after noon CST), and they showed the Americans getting eliminated, but then they followed up after commercials with the gold medal round, which went to la belle. Did they? They started mentioning the other sports that were coming up and didn’t mention going back to fencing so I figured it was over. If they showed the rest, then my mistake. ---
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/72 "2004-08-15T03:53:55Z")
And “Tom”, I hope you choke on those damned chips while your wife is shoving the salsa up your ass. -lv ---
**Author:** ![The\_Llama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@The\_Llama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Llama)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/73 "2004-08-15T04:16:07Z")
> [@Boo Boo Foo](#): > > When you’re allowed to watch top shelf coverage of Olympic sports without the parochial “Rah Rah Rah our country just won another Gold” kinda commentary, you get the chance to remember what the Olympic ideals are all about. It gets to a point where you want to congratulate every contestant simply for putting on such a wonderful show. I just want to say that this is exactly how it _should_ be and if the fucking announcers would just keep this in mind, I think we would all be enthralled at whatever sport was on. Make it exciting. Be knowledgeable. And above all, make us realize how awesome these people are. They (the athletes) make it look easy, which translates to boring for a lot of people. Too much to ask? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/74 "2004-08-15T04:23:56Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > You know, I’m not a huge fan of olympic coverage, usually, but I think you guys are being a bit harsh. So far on NBC today has been a whole ton of diving and gymnastics, with a total of ZERO US competitors in either, and a lot of focusing on the Romanian team. That’s only because the US gymnastics team wasn’t in that group. Once the US men showed up we saw almost nothing but them, except when they cut away to show a Russian falling off something. The third group coverage focused almost exclusively on the Chinese and Japanese, with a momentary cut to the Ukrainians (but only because their lead athlete was killed in a car accident earlier this year and his widow was there). The final eight were announced and Germany was eighth, which was a surprise to me because based on the coverage who even knew the Germans were competing? The US male sychronised divers were shown even though they had no chance of a medal. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/75 "2004-08-15T05:08:42Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Once the US men showed up we saw almost nothing but them, except when they cut away to show a Russian falling off something. Exactly! I was almost as if the commentators were pointing and laughing. It was absolutely pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/76 "2004-08-17T04:15:31Z")
Thought i’d add a minor one from the MSNBC website. Monday, the United States played the Czech Republic in women’s basketball. Apparently, the MSNBC headline writer never got the memo about the changes in Europe during the 1990s. The [headline](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5721640/) reads: > [@](#): > > Dream Team? U.S. women prove it once again: Big edge in rebounding leads to 80-61 win over Czechoslovakia Hello? Czechoslovakia? No such country, my friend. Hell, according to NBC’s own [country list](http://www.nbcolympics.com/countries/index.html) > [@](#): > > Landlocked in central Europe, the Czech Republic is bordered by Slovakia to the east, Poland to the northeast, Germany to the northwest and west, and Austria to the south. With Slovakia it formed the Republic of Czechoslovakia from October 28, 1918 until January 1, 1993, when the two became independent republics. Maroons! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/77 "2004-08-17T04:53:21Z")
I wish that the NBC graphic superimposed in the lower-right corner over live events (usually the O-rings and the stopwatch) had an alpha-numeric designation identifying the action as a heat (H), quarterfinal (QF), semifinal (SF), or final (F). The letter code could be even more specific: H1 would be the first heat, etc. Similar codes for the game events could be worked out: qualifying game (Q or QG), semifinal game (SFG), etc. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/78 "2004-08-17T06:21:07Z")
Oh, good. They’re showing women’s beach volleyball. AGAIN! Yes, they’re hot women in skimpy bikinis. We get it. But if I wanted softcore porn, I HAVE the internet, thank you! Show something INTERESTING, dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/79 "2004-08-17T08:03:23Z")
Oh my sweet fucking lord is this CRAP! I’ve been exposed to the horror that is American Olympic coverage before-- indeed, I have two friends working for NBC in Athens right now-- but I never had to rely on it as my sole purveyor of the Rings on TV until now. This is mind-boggingly awful, even when you watch the overnight coverage. The two anchor guys for NBC don’t know jack. The actual events focus FAR too much on the American athletes (hello? Melting pot anyone?) even when they ain’t all that good (but even when they ARE that good it’s nice to know something about the competition, y’know?) and I could care less about any hyped athlete who predicts he’ll win dozens of medals. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656/80 "2004-08-17T14:21:42Z")
> [@Barbarian](#): > > …and I could care less about any hyped athlete who predicts he’ll win dozens of medals. If you’re referring to Michael Phelps, it’s not really fair to blame him for the hype. In every interview i’ve seen with him, he does his best to play down the hype about Spitz’s record, etc. I’ve never actually seen Phelps himself predict that he’ll win all those races. Now that he can’t equal Spitz’s record for gold medals, maybe the media will get off his back a bit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nbc-olympics-coverage-pit-thread/259656.md?page=5)