TriBiker wrote:

Does anyone get more excited about swimming than Rowdy Gaines? Why is Bob Costas always out of focus? Jennifer Hedger is the hottest sportscaster (sorry America, she's on a Canadian network). Paula Findlay is an even bigger idol of mine. I'm very thankful I can watch field events on a Canadian network - the British system of measurement is completely inferior to the metric system for reporting distances. Also thankful that the Canadian broadcasters give a blurb about everyone in a race, not just Americans or the fastest. Any other observations?

Nauseating Bland Coverage..

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the american commentators over emphasize the "ham" in "buckingham palace" i.e. buckinghammmmm

come on! it's pronounced bucking'm

If you were watching in the US, especially the prime time coverage, you'd think we were the only country who sent a team to the Olympics. NBC is doing their best to apply their human-interest-sob-story template to the Olympics and it's ruining the coverage. I've seen more coverage of parent reactions to performances than I have of the entire Chinese Olympic team, and they're currently leading the medal count. I expect them to focus on the US, but I want to see other countries compete too. This is supposed to be about the best in the world coming together to compete. Instead, it's been about watching Phelp's mom. Who gives a shit?

The free streaming coverage (if you have the right service provider) is much, much better than the normal coverage. I discovered it last night when trying to see the women's triathlon. The women's marathon coverage this morning was good; very exciting race!

Having now watched the US, British, and French coverage (with many years worth of watching Canadian coverage) - it's clear that while the US coverage may be disliked, it's not the worst.

For example, having watched three days of British coverage, the online stuff is awesome and second to none (which, for the most part, the online US stuff is good too). However, the regular BBC 'highlights' coverage is probably worse than the American highlights coverage. Aside from Bolt tonight, it's pure British athletes 100% of the time. Obviously catering to the home crowd, which is fine/cool - but I'd point out that there's an extra million people in town watching for other countries/events. I will say that the British live event commentary is downright awesome however. Hilarious.

Looking at the French coverage, I've got an excellent opportunity to see Ping-Pong, Fencing and Judo. That's it. Gymnastics, most swim events and other major events aren't even acknowledged as existing. The road bike event was shown for a while, until they switched to basketball - France playing. Unless a French athlete is on (and playing ping-pong), and they are going to win - that's all you're going to see. We did however get to see all of Phelp's races, albeit the focus after the race was always on the French athlete - regardless of how they did. Again, on the bright side - I've learned a lot about Fencing and Ping Pong.

My point being - it's not as bad as you think. It could be worse.

(Note, I spend the second half of the week in Germany- it's plausible their coverage is better/worse, we'll see).

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My tiny little slice of the internets: dcrainmaker.com

The best ever Olympic coverage I can remember of was Barcelona 92 (i.e. before Internet live streaming and Co) and was in France. Canal+ (needed to subscribe to that channel to receive a decoder to watch it) did 24/7 during the Olympics and while there was obviously a focus on French athletes, you could actually pretty much watch everything and anything!


Fred.

I think it's cool that Gaines gets so excited, clearly he is very passionate about the sport, as one might expect from a triple gold medalist in the'84 Games. It would be quite cool if Phelps teamed up with him in future coverage.

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

from what I can tell from the first week of US coverage, the only events at the Olympics are swimming, riding your horse around, volleyball (several kinds) and synchronized diving

Agreed, same here in the US. We had a red channel, white channel, and blue channel and the coverage was 24/7.

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Am I missing something here? I thought Metres and centimetres was metric?

Joannne.Malar, much easier on the eyes than rowdy...

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Um.. he's pointing out that imperial measurements suck and that the Brits invented it. The French invented metric.

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2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Coverage in South Africa is awesome.

5 dedicated channels, 4 showing live events and the other providing highlights. Almost feels like there's too much to watch at times.

Then again, we do have grinding poverty, massive unemployment and AIDS, so it's not all moonshine and roses.

NBC has officially brought Olympic coverage down to the level of Kona coverage. At least they don't have Masback doing Kona coverage any longer that was comical.

Who cares who invented either systems I still dont get the point he is making?

What coverage do you have for streaming?

I'm in the UK so I get the best coverage but some very suspect pundits.

Add gymnastics and shooting guns.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

At least you get coverage. Our TSN has had periods where all they do is the same retrospective (The Difference Makers or something like it) and then commercials for over half an hour. Apparently there is nothing good to show sometimes even though NBC and even the other two Canadian networks are showing events.

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Strength coach and post rehab injury specialist. Check out my blog at http://www.paradigmfitnessottawa.com.

If you poke around, you may have been gifted some channels in the PPV section that just show raw feeds all the time. We've been going to them when TSN/CTV get all soft-focus "Won't somebody please think of the parents!" on us. They're around channel 300 on our bell satellite service.

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It sickens me as well, but it must sell to your average joe or jane doe out there who is interested in the stories and not so much the competition.


My random observation would be, Al Michaels sounds drunk half of the time, and Bob Costas interviewing Phelps is cloying and creepy. My 9 year old son even commented on how weird it is.

In all fairness, NBC does have five channels showing live events throughout the day. NBC, NBC Sports, CNBC, MSNBC and Bravo. They're not showing the primetime level stuff during the live broadcasts but you can watch the shit out of everything that's not swimming, gymnastics, and marquee track & field events.

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I would disagree with that. I like weightlifting and their coverage of that has been very spotty, same for judo & wrestling. Coverage of weightlifting in the last Olympics was very good, pretty much showing most of the A pool competitions. This time almost no snatch and just the closing of clean & jerk of the top few lifters. Pretty sure they've only shown some of the weight classes as well.

Track cycling has been spotty too.


They seem to be showing the shit out of the team competitions; soccer, handball, water polo, field hockey & then the equestrian events. Volleyball and beach volleyball seem to be on non-stop.

All the technology, planning, high-tech gear, training, etc, and the safety pin is still the best way to keep a bib number on an athlete??? Helloooo.....?

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"What do you mean your running shoes don't match your bike?"

Forgot to add. In the UK the BBC doesnt have adverts so we get coverage uninterrupted

You've obviously not watched any weightlifting. I've spent a good bit of time in the women's competition convincing my daughter that they really are girls. The one with the mustache and goatee was the hardest :)

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Precisely why I'm voting for Crossfit to replace weightlifting in the Rio Olympics..

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Have very much enjoyed watching the LIVE coverage during the midday here in the US. Was off work a couple of days with sick daughter last week and got to watch some volleyball and indoor cycling LIVE that was way cool.
Similarly, I enjoyed the NBC coverage of the cycling road race early on and women's marathon couple of days ago.

I'll watch the crap on prime-time because I have to. Cable provider wasn't on the "approved" NBC list so no stream for me. I almost always flip the channel when Ryan comes on, or Bob starts rambling, or god help me if Mary Carillo highlights aston-martin convertibles.UGH.

Good for you, that's the way it should feel, it's the Olympics.
Growing up they would devide the screen when showing Track and Field or jump from one event to the other. Like during a 5k or 10k race also showing a long jump or a crucial high jump etc etc. You would sit at home knowing exactly what going on in the stadium at all tome. Good times.

I can understand the mispronunciation of any English city that ends in 'ham, but what baffles me is that the only time an American pronounces the letter "T" in the middle of a word is when saying Wimbleton, and there isn't even one there! It's Wimbledon, with a "d" people!!!!

The NBC coverage is, of course, slanted to appeal to an American, like myself, but I find it unbearable at times. Last night I was watching the finals of the women's vault in gymnastics. The American girl, Maroney, who looks like a miniature Posh Spice, was obviously the clear favorite. But they were going on and on about how much better she was than the rest of the field (is that Tim Daggett doing the commentary?) that I thought they would just award her the gold prior to the competition. I almost wanted her to lose. Alas, she landed on her butt on the final vault and came in second. I did feel bad for her, but that is why they have the event, you actually have to perform on that given day...

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"Honestly, triathlon is a pussified version of duathlon on that final run."- Desert Dude

Enduring Mary Carillo is like watching poop return up into the butt hole. I mean geez NBC must be desperate for on air personalities to let this hack job come back day.....after day.....after day....

Hell, we get my mate Mark Watson doing a lot of the commentating here in NZ. He was a pretty handy triathlete before he retired and got into full time commentating and doing radiosport. Mark is a good friend and long time training partner of Cameron Browns, so knows what he is talking about. For the womens tri (and probably mens too) he had his other good buddy, Hamish Carter helping with the commentating.

While neither of them are that hot in my opinion, they sure do know their stuff.

Just yesterday I heard Mark commentating the mens kayak and canoe. Of one of the slow finishers he said "I think he confused ambition with ability" I roared with laughter in my living room. He'd said the exact same thing over the PA at a race I did, and used it about ME as I exited the water! Ah the good times.......

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

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And that is what I love about Aussie,Kiwi and Brit commentators,they just say itlike it is.It is not disrespectful but just the truth and at that moment that it is funny.Too much PC shit around these days.

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I agree with SuperSquid. NBC seems to think there are no countries besides the US. People must want to watch the parents or yet another Phelps interview more than watching any event. It's reported as a travesty anytime the Americans don't win gold. Bob Costas is creepy looking.

And I hate that they show the Olympics all day long, except from 4 to 8 PM, which are the times I am most available to watch it. I can understand the main channel switching to news and Access Hollywood (since that show must be important), but even the other NBC affiliates don't show Olympics during this time. They switch to poker (side note: I'm surprised this isn't an Olympic sport yet) or other meaningless shows.

& also RSD, V and OLN (and "obviously NBC" yeah!!!!!!!!!! :)).

Edit to add: forgot to mention SN as well showing Olympics here in Canada!

Fred.