Olympics coverage

[Pleeplus]

USA just defeated Russia in hockey. 8th round of an overtime shoot-out. Very exciting. The Kings' Quick came up big as did Oshie.

That was a hell of a game! Oshie has ice water in his veins. That was a huge stage for a young kid and he didn't flinch. Quick's last save was fantastic.

 

[Htown Harry]

That was a hell of a game!

+1!

 

[easysurfer]

Kinda difficult to score on a guy named Quick

 

[ziggy29]

USA just defeated Russia in hockey. 8th round of an overtime shoot-out. Very exciting. The Kings' Quick came up big as did Oshie.

Liked the result. But I hate deciding games with shootouts.

 

[arky]

Not a Bob Costas fan. Do enjoy the alpine skiing events. Don't enjoy the subjectively scored events.

 

[Chuckanut]

FYI, According to the WSJ's trusty stopwatch, NBC's nightly prime time Olympics coverage is only about 1/4 action.
Here is the break down:

Commercials 33.1%
Breaks in the action 26.8%
Action 24.4%
Replays 9.3%
Studio 4.1%
Athlete interviews 2.3%

 

[Chuckanut]

Does anybody know when the IOC stopped giving medals to the winning athletes?

Watching the coverage I keep hearing that so-and-so won gold, and the other guy won silver, and some poor loser won bronze. Apparently, they are giving hunks of metal as the prize for winning. Perhaps the IOC is on some type of austerity budget and can no longer afford to get the medals minted. I hope they at least are giving polished ingots and not just lumps of raw ore.

 

[ERD50]

FYI, According to the WSJ's trusty stopwatch, NBC's nightly prime time Olympics coverage is only about 1/4 action.
Here is the break down:

Commercials 33.1%
Breaks in the action 26.8%
Action 24.4%
Replays 9.3%
Studio 4.1%
Athlete interviews 2.3%

How does that compare with pro football?

-ERD50

 

[Chuckanut]

How does that compare with pro football?

-ERD50

No idea. But a comparison to football and baseball would be interesting. When the pitcher shakes off three signs in a row, is that action?

 

[ERD50]

No idea. But a comparison to football and baseball would be interesting. When the pitcher shakes off three signs in a row, is that action?

I was thinking about baseball when I wrote that. I'm about 99% sports-agnostic, but I enjoyed watching baseball when I was younger. People would kid about what a slow game it was, but then I think I read there are only a few minutes of actual play in pro-football? Seems like it - a hike, run, tackle or hike, pass, run/incomplete only takes a few to tens of seconds at a time.

-ERD50

 

[Chuckanut]

Interesting coverage of the skating suits. Maybe we should all give up wearing vented sports clothing.

 

[clifp]

I think soccer has the most continuous action of any of the big popular team sports.
But for this American, I find the lack of scoring to make the game really dull.

 

[HFWR]

Interesting coverage of the skating suits. Maybe we should all give up wearing vented sports clothing.

I'm slow no matter what I wear...

 

[RunningBum]

FYI, According to the WSJ's trusty stopwatch, NBC's nightly prime time Olympics coverage is only about 1/4 action.
Here is the break down:

Commercials 33.1%
Breaks in the action 26.8%
Action 24.4%
Replays 9.3%
Studio 4.1%
Athlete interviews 2.3%

I wonder how this compares with CBC? I've never had a chance to watch CBC so I have no idea how their coverage is. And I wonder if NBC's off-primetime coverage is any different in those numbers. Seems like they cover events more fully without hopping around.

I generally enjoy the coverage. I like the back stories as well as the coverage. I don't mind the USA slant, it's somewhat like your local sports station covering the local college team along with the (other) national powers. I'm seeing a lot of events where the US isn't in contention.

There's just something about the Olympics. For 47.5 months of the year I wouldn't care to watch things like sleds going down between refrigerated walls, but during those 2 weeks I enjoy it.

 

[Meadbh]

I wonder how this compares with CBC? I've never had a chance to watch CBC so I have no idea how their coverage is. And I wonder if NBC's off-primetime coverage is any different in those numbers. Seems like they cover events more fully without hopping around.

Here is a link to today's CBC Olympic schedule. I don't know if it will work for you outside of Canada.

TV listings

I have not been watching on TV, just using the iPad app, so I have not audited the percentages of time spent on different activities. I agree, I like the back stories. I also think it's perfectly legitimate to emphasize your own athletes.

 

[pb4uski]

I think soccer has the most continuous action of any of the big popular team sports.
But for this American, I find the lack of scoring to make the game really dull.

I think ice hockey is more action and more frequent scoring. Soccer is close to baseball IMO. Snooze.

 

[ronin]

Soccer, 20 minutes of continuous turnovers and one shot at goal that misses everything. Then it repeats. I guess it is fun to play. I played water polo but am bored to tears if I try to watch it.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Does anybody know when the IOC stopped giving medals to the winning athletes?

DW asked me yesterday whether they still had medal ceremonies as we've yet to see one. We DO see lots of "features" about athletes and how sad or inspiring their stories are.

 

[H2ODude]

Anyone else think the interviewer, whoever she was, was over the top with Bode Miller after his run? I mean, she kept probing him and probing him on "his emotions" (his brother died earlier in the year) until he started tearing up, and SHE JUST KEPT GOING! Then they filmed him crouching down with others comforting him. I just thought it was way beyond necessary, I mean, give the guy a little privacy. My responses to it would not have been as gentlemanly.

 

[ziggy29]

Anyone else think the interviewer, whoever she was, was over the top with Bode Miller after his run? I mean, she kept probing him and probing him on "his emotions" (his brother died earlier in the year) until he started tearing up, and SHE JUST KEPT GOING! Then they filmed him crouching down with others comforting him. I just thought it was way beyond necessary, I mean, give the guy a little privacy. My responses to it would not have been as gentlemanly.

Yep. DW and I were shaking our heads and "yelling" at her (as if she could hear us). It felt like she was determined to do whatever she could, ask as many difficult personal questions as possible, until she got him to break down. Very unprofessional and not very considerate, IMO.

To be fair, Miller has come to her defense this morning, but still, it wasn't just her, it was NBC overall that allowed it to go a little too far (keeping in mind we were seeing it tape-delayed).

 

[rodi]

I am so frustrated with the coverage - or lack of coverage, of the actual athletes competing.

I lived in Bellingham WA in the early 90's and saw the olympics on CBC. Night and day difference in the coverage by the Canadian channel... More competition footage, less back story, "analysis" and hype by commentators. This was the same year that NBC tried to charge extra for PPV channels to "triple cast"... in case you wanted to actually see the competition. I just watched the competition for free on CBC.

 

[tulak]

I am so frustrated with the coverage - or lack of coverage, of the actual athletes competing.

I lived in Bellingham WA in the early 90's and saw the olympics on CBC. Night and day difference in the coverage by the Canadian channel... More competition footage, less back story, "analysis" and hype by commentators. This was the same year that NBC tried to charge extra for PPV channels to "triple cast"... in case you wanted to actually see the competition. I just watched the competition for free on CBC.

I rarely watch NBC coverage on tv. Instead, I stream the events I want to watch using iPad/AppleTV. The streamed recordings show all the athletes competing without the fluff.

 

[Bikerdude]

Anyone else think the interviewer, whoever she was, was over the top with Bode Miller after his run? I mean, she kept probing him and probing him on "his emotions" (his brother died earlier in the year) until he started tearing up, and SHE JUST KEPT GOING! Then they filmed him crouching down with others comforting him. I just thought it was way beyond necessary, I mean, give the guy a little privacy. My responses to it would not have been as gentlemanly.

Call me a skeptic but I have my doubts about what really transpired on our TV's last night. Keep in mind that literally millions of dollars in endorsements are on the line when an Olympic athlete wins a medal and the public perception of that athlete plays a big part. Some make it big, others not so big.

Then look at the way Bode's wife was miked-up for the entire medal run and the focus of NBC was on her and Bode. She was commenting while he was competing and then consoling him after, all in front of millions of fans. Now to say that Bode Millers stock has risen would be a understatement.

I always question reality when lots of money and big media is involved along with seasoned competitive athletes who live off their fame.

Then again, perhaps I'm just too cynical.

 

[HFWR]

The coverage has been "okay", at least what I've watched. Did not the Bode Miller interview, but reporters should NOT be part of the story...

 

[pb4uski]

Yep. DW and I were shaking our heads and "yelling" at her (as if she could hear us). It felt like she was determined to do whatever she could, ask as many difficult personal questions as possible, until she got him to break down. Very unprofessional and not very considerate, IMO.

To be fair, Miller has come to her defense this morning, but still, it wasn't just her, it was NBC overall that allowed it to go a little too far (keeping in mind we were seeing it tape-delayed).

Same here. 4 adults yelling at the tv to stop hounding the poor guy. Pissed me off.