Summer Olympics: Beijing, China

[Missyboxers]

All sports commentators are just windbags, they can't have dead air, so they just talk and stupid stuff just spews out. There are 2 that cover Florida football games that I have to mute the tv they are so ridiculous and they are also negative. It seems like all the commentators focus on the negative. Like when Katie Hoff won the silver and they asked her something about not winning the gold and she replied she thought she had done pretty well.

And while I like Phelps and applaud his athleticism, his wins, his aplomp under pressure both in the pool and in front of the cameras, it's getting ridiculous with his coverage. You'd think the man found a cure for cancer, AIDS and the energy crisis, all in one fell swoop.

Definitely agree about the commentators. Andrea Kremer in particular is driving me insane-- critical and negative questions to the female swimmers, and meanwhile, she fawns over the men (okay, except maybe Brendan Hansen) like a hormonal teenager.

The Phelps coverage is excessive, but I don't mind it all that much because the swimming events are my favorites, and if that's what it takes to get them on TV, then I'll take it. What is getting tiresome is the wire-to-wire coverage of the Chinese teams. When I said that I wanted to see athletes from other countries, I meant all of the other countries, not just China. And I'm fine with seeing the performances when they are our main rivals, but I really don't need to see them presenting themselves to the judges and the like. That's just excessive.

And whoever mentioned upthread the invasiveness of the camera crews, I agree with that wholeheartedly. When teams are huddled together, give them their privacy. I felt awkward watching that.

[football_chick]

I wrote to CBC to see if they would be reairing the Opening Ceremonies and here is their response

Thank you for your email.

Unfortunately, we will not be repeating the Opening Ceremony, and CBC does not have rights to make video copies of any Beijing 2008 Olympic
Games coverage.

Thanks again for your email. We hope you will enjoy the remainder of
BEIJING 2008: THE OLYMPIC GAMES on CBC.

Best regards,
CBC Audience Relations
Olympic Unit

I should reply back and tell them that I'll just watch it on NBC then

[VanJagSol]

What did Mark Spitz say? I missed it.

He is crying because no one invited him to Beijing to see his record possibly get broken. He has to watch in on TV anonymously or something like that.

I was annoyed with them talking during the ceremony too. I wish that they would sing/mouth the words more at least. Be proud!! Like the Chinese men and women gymnasts did. Myself, I would be crying but at least there was some emotion.

[CrossingGuard]

I felt bad for Alicia. Especially after the floor routine and she went off by herself for a second. She was sitting there with her head in her hands trying not to cry and the damn camera had to be right in her face. Leave the girl alone for a minute. I didn't see the interview, CrossingGuard, but that has to be the stupidest question. What is she supposed to say? I feel great? It's like the reporters who interview people who have been in disasters or had relatives killed and ask "How are you feeling right now?"

It was during the late night airing on NBC. First they showed Andrea's interview with Alicia alone, where should wouldn't stop badgering the girl about her deductions. And then they aired Andrea's interview with all the girls. And this time, she didn't ask Alicia about her deductions, she asked the other girls. Oh my god, I felt horrible for Alicia.

I still firmly believe that Team USA still would have lost even without the mistakes. Alicia fell on the beam (.8, I think), fell on the floor (.8), stepped out of the boundary (.1), and then Shawn and Nastia both stepped out of the boundary (.2). That's a total of 1.9 in deductions. China beat the girls by 2.3 points. China was a great team, and Team USA should feel proud for coming a close second to them.

i thought it was uncalled for. why do reporters concentrate only on the negative. The girls just won your country a silver medal.

i am also sick of the michael phelps thing because of the reporters. it seems to me that more than half of the olympic medals are up for grabs in swimming, it's a little too much

I am also. I still like Phelps and I'll always root for him in a race, but I wish the commentators would just shut up.

[jacobson00]

i don't like the fact that NBC is making the olympic a USA vs China thing. Even in the gymnastic we barely saw teh roumanians or russians.
well i can't wait for track and field.

[FireWoman]

Me either. I like Bela, but I find him extremely hard to understand. His wife sure seems wonderful. I bet the girls she coaches love her.

What did Mark Spitz say? I missed it.

I guess I am used to Bela, hehe.. I worked with a lot of people that had thick accents.

as for Spitz:

Mark Spitz is miffed at Beijing snub | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

there is the link from earlier in the thread... he is saying that he should have been invited to the games to see his record broken.. and he wasn't and why should he have to go to the games on his own and have no one know he was even there. etc etc etc...

Again, hes sounding like a baby.. he could have said I wish him (phelps) luck, I wish the US Swim Team Luck, in fact I with the whole US Olympic team luck.. But no it was all about him. I lost some respect for him after that outburst.

[fluff]

The problem I have with the Phelps coverage is that I don't find him a very compelling character, so to see so much focus on him is rather dull.
That's not to say I don't appreciate his talent, but stories about him being the most decorated medalist ever irritate me because they never seem to include the fact that even a swimmer specializing in a single stroke could potentially win half a dozen medals in any one Olympics.
If you're a marathon runner it's unlikely you'll be around long enough and at the top of your game long enough to win more than three gold medals.

I think it would have been fitting for Spitz to have been there to witness the possible breaking of his record.
I'm less bothered by his supposed snub than I am by the withdrawal of Joey Cheek's visa.

[Mariner]

I heard a radio interview with Mark Spitz two weeks ago in which he basically just dismissed the topic of Michael Phelps and insisted on talking about botox for 10 minutes. He apparently is a botox salesman. After listening to that, I decided he was a huge egomaniac and not very gracious or pleasant. He could have gone to China if he'd wanted to. He just wanted people to fawn over him.

[Lois Lane]

Has anyone else noticed that even at the prime events, there are plenty of seats visible in the crowd? I was looking at Mr. Lane and saying, "Gees, if we got ourselves to Beijing, we could probably get tickets to any event--even the gymnastics and swimming finals." China has what--1.3 billon people or so? Gees, just start giving the tickets away that didn't sell and fill up the seats!

[FireWoman]

I heard a radio interview with Mark Spitz two weeks ago in which he basically just dismissed the topic of Michael Phelps and insisted on talking about botox for 10 minutes. He apparently is a botox salesman. After listening to that, I decided he was a huge egomaniac and not very gracious or pleasant. He could have gone to China if he'd wanted to. He just wanted people to fawn over him.

Wow, such a peach isn't he. Male Diva I tell ya.

He will not let anyone think of Phelps on his own.. he always has to toss in a "Phelps is just like me" or "Phelps reminds me of myself" when he's talking about the games.

Now more then ever i hope he breaks Spitz's record. I recell that a few months ago he mentioned in a radio interview that he no longer has his mustache because it looked 'too gay' again, way to class it up there Mark.

Botox.. lol thats kinda funny. Last I heard he was a motivational speaker or some type.

Has anyone else noticed that even at the prime events, there are plenty of seats visible in the crowd? I was looking at Mr. Lane and saying, "Gees, if we got ourselves to Beijing, we could probably get tickets to any event--even the gymnastics and swimming finals." China has what--1.3 billon people or so? Gees, just start giving the tickets away that didn't sell and fill up the seats!

I know they will not seat in places where you can't see or there needs to be TV/Boradcast/Production equpt. I noticed in the Cube that the Diving half was empty but the swiming side was packed.