Irritating Olympic Commentating and other complaints

[daylily]

I've been watching prime-time NBC coverage of the Olympics and the commentators are driving me crazy! Last night was women's gymnastics and they were saying the most inane things and repeating themselves. *Three* times I heard the comment about how the Romanians like to do a clean routine without any risks. I can't remember anything else specific, but Elfie and her side-kick were pretty annoying.

Also, the only gymnasts they really showed were the Americans, the Romanians and the Chinese. Granted, they did show one routine by someone from the Ukraine (and she fell off the aparatus) and two Australian gymnasts--(that poor girl with her 8.7 score, she didn't deserve such a low score and it looked like the coach was yelling at her after). Eight teams go into the team finals and I would love to see what the Canadians and some of the other teams are doing. But no. During the Chinese team's rotations, we knew there were three other teams competing, but we only got the merest glimpse of the Australians and no word at all about who else was on the floor. I assume that if a country can get together a team good enough to go to the Olympics, they're worth watching!

And in swimming it's Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps.

[JesseMomme]

I've only been watching the Olympics with a half an eye, but the drone of the commentator guy during the gymnastics was making me nuts!!

[MamaBug]

I totally agree. I would have liked to see the other teams as well. And I thought I read somewhere that Shannon Miller was going to be a commentator for the womens gymnastics? And I must aske WHO is Elfie??? Has she been to the Olympics?

I too am sick of hearing about Michael Phelps, the poor kid is only 19 and he must have so much pressure on him to win, he is swimming in 18 races I believe. I am exhausted just thinking about that!

[daylily]

Elfie is Elfie Schlagel (I may have spelled that wrong) and she's been commentating women's gymnastics for ages. I'm pretty sure she used to be a gymnast herself--maybe for Canada? She has a bit of a Canadian accent.

They did show Shannon Miller, briefly. She is doing some sort of commentating, but not for NBC, apparently. I hardly recognized her--her hair was dark and she had these huge hoop earrings.

I wish the American gymnasts wouldn't coat themselves with glitter the way they do. Oh well. That's a small matter.

[EFmom]

ITA. I hate the NBC coverage this time and every time. I hate all the hype and extra pressure they put on certain "darling" athletes but not on others.

I hate the way they zero in on sad stories and repeat them ad nausem--anybody remember Dan Jansen? Leave these people alone. All those stupid "up close and personal" interviews they do with athletes, their families, their neighbors, their pets and their auto mechanics drive me insane. Show the sports! I would rather see Greenland v. Monaco play in the badminton qualifiers than listen to these stupid interviews.

On the bright side, during the summer Olympics, we are not subjected to the inane, sexist blather of Dick Button. Many years ago, he came into the ER where my FIL was a resident to have a cut stitched up. Sometimes when he is commentating, I find myself fantasizing about FIL stitching his lips together...

[kofduke]

Anyone watch men's gymnastics last night? Word is it was a new format - 3 up, and 3 scores count. If they said it once, they said it 200 times.

[RowansDad]

I'm actually pretty satisified with NBC's coverage. There is no turning back from the hype stuff. Major media outlets have done that to everything.

Also, the time difference makes it pretty difficuilt to keep dated coverage during evening coverage "fresh", hence the need for NBC to gras at the hyping and inane soft stories.

However, through its use of MSNBC, Bravo, CNBC, Telemundo and USA Network, we've been able to watch a good bit of softball (The Boss use to play in HS, I of course played for the bar I use to hang out in), volleyball etc etc. Currently dropped down from the home office to catch some Aussies and Italians smacking each other around in water polo.

If you haven't already, check out this site:
http://www.nbcolympics.com/index.html

[Dragonfly]

It would really be nice if they would show more teams in gymnastics, but I think they're doing the best they can with limited time. At least they aren't doing "Olympic moments" every other second as they did with the Winter Olympics last time around. I want to see the action, not a soap opera.

One thing that did really tick me off last night was when they actually showed the medal results for men's gymnastics well over an hour before they broadcasted the competition. Nothing like knowing who wins before you get to see the game. :

[RowansDad]

BTW, now Ms. Garciapara and the US women's soccer team is taking on the Aussies and can be seen on MSNBC.

[librarymom]

Originally Posted by RowansDad

However, through its use of MSNBC, Bravo, CNBC, Telemundo and USA Network, we've been able to watch a good bit of softball (The Boss use to play in HS, I of course played for the bar I use to hang out in), volleyball etc etc.

Did you catch the game today, RD? That Jenny Finch is awesome !! I am really looking forward to these games.

[Benjismom]

I was a competitive gymnast and I go completely mental with the gymnastics coverage every four years. If they're not commenting on the Romanians' risk-aversion they're talking about how important it is to stick the landing. ARGHHHH!!!! A major break on the landing is exactly the same points off as a major break elsewhere in the routine. True, it is the final impression a gymnast leaves but enough already!

Feels good to get that off my chest (my family won't listen anymore)

Beth, DS (4), DD (18 mos.)

[Fianna]

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who is completely annoyed by most of the commentating. What drives me completely nuts is when they shove the microphone in the face of an athlete who has either just won really big or who has had a totally disappointing loss and ask, "So, how do you feel?" Uh. Is that the best you could possibly do?

[MamaBug]

I agree Fianna, when the went up to the girl swimmer last night, her name evades me at this moment and asked how bad she felt about only winning silver, she was like " HEY! I won a silver medal at the OLYMPICS!!! I am pretty freaking excited!" I was glad she said it that way.

I cannot STAND Dick Button, when are they going to get rid of that guy.

I also agree that I was so tired of hearing the 3 up 3 count and they must stick the landing, duh!!!

I am going to have to tell my dh what other channels are showing things, we have been looking for other events, like water polo and badmitton and softball, so thanks for the heads up!

[JessicaS]

I notice in some events (like swimming which is generally quick :LOL) they show events which may not even have Americans competing but gymnastics you don't really see many different teams.

But they are sure to show you the guy who falls off the bar 8 billion times...geez!! Leave him alone!!

[thistle]

Hey - I'll tell you where to stick your landing!

I agree- really annoying. I have ben watching some even though we are a no TV family. Have enjoyed it a bit. Don't think I could watch it for 2 weeks though!!!!!!!!!

I wish they would do more "travelouge" type stuff. That was what we wanted to watch it for in part. DH spent a semester in Greece ansd he still talks about it quite a bit.

thistle

[daylily]

I was annoyed, the other night, at their snide comments about some of the women gymnasts. They said something about Svetlana Khorkino modeling for magazines that "aren't in the best taste." So what? She's 25 for goodness' sake! And the bit about the Romanian gymnasts who posed nude, with footage of Romanian gymnasts looking either sullen or slutty.

I do like Australia's Ian Thorpe, so the excessive coverage of him is fine by me!

[sunmoonstars]

I have the luxery of having Ultimate TV (Tivo) with longer recording hours - techie hubby! (I think we would still have DirectTv, Cable Internet and up to date computers if we were living in my parent's old camper trailer and eating dirt! LOL!)

Anyway..... I watch what I want and fast forward over the rest! The only thing is I can't go online and see who won before I get a chance to watch it. I did watch the Men's All Around in Real Time yesterday, just cuz I wanted to see it. (COme to find out DH already knew who won cuz he saw it online... but he didn't tell me!) My favorite part was the guy who was talking about the "crazy" vault that Marion Dragonlescu was doing and said, "I had to get out a dictionary to look up more adjectives to describe how hard this vault is because I keep saying the same thing over." And then, all he said was "hard, difficult and Crazy" - yea, like he really got out a dictionary! LOL!!!

I do like having the other stations so you can watch more - but I'm getting annoyed with a description saying there will be "tennis and equestrian" and when I watch it it is only one really long tennis match - Andy Roddick, of course - but they never showed Equestrian, and that's what I wanted to see.

Ok - long story! But, thats my two cents

[BayouMomof3]

I agree! It's very annoying.

While I haven't watched as much as I had hoped , last night we were watching when the american guy didn't "STICK the landing!" and fell. Good gravy - did they go ON and ON and ON or what about how devastating it was and how he had "blown it". "well, there went his chance at gold!" and they kept zooming in on him like they wanted to capture some emotion from him. I felt so bad for him and wanted to just scream for those guys to SHUT UP!! I'm sure that guy wanted to cry or scream or whatever but PRIVATELY, you know?? UGH!

[journeymom]

BayouMomof3, I think you're referring to Paul Hamm.

Oh my gosh. I do think that was pretty exciting. He fell on his butt and skidded into the judges table of all things. I felt just dreadful for him and was shouting at the tv, too. The idiot camera person gets right there in his face; the poor guy has to get dressed in front of the camera. I'm sure he wanted to throw chairs or bawl his eyes out. Then when he went through his high bar and "stuck it" so thoroughly at the end, WOW, dh and I were hooting and hollering for him. I was caught up in the excitement.

But I also felt really bad for the Korean guy who also did such a spectacular job, and was in line for the gold after Hamm fell on his butt. The Korean guy won silver in Australia, and really wanted the gold. In the paper today the Korean coach was so- sportsman-like about it. He said that based upon the flaws Hamm made in his vault, aside from falling on his butt, he was graded too high. He counted off where Paul Hamm made mistakes and subtracted tenths of a point, and if he'd been properly scored (the Korean coach says) he wouldn't have had enough points for the gold even though he did such a flawless job on the high bar. And the Korean gymnast would have the gold. But then the coach simple said though they disagree, they accept what the judges decided.

Look at me.

One complaint. I tried to find when or where either the Iraqi or the Afghani soccer teams played, and couldn't find them. Maybe they already played? Or not yet? I thought it would be cool to see them.

[ja mama]

I have to say I've been tired hearing about "the Thorpedo" even though I love watching him.