Tonight they ran a “special” on the news about how disappointing this year’s Olympic team is. They hit the points I could agree with (childish behavior on the part of some), but then went on to talk about how they were supposed to be such big winners but had fallen so short.
Well, the last time I looked, the U.S. was in second place in the medal count. Sure, there were some medals they “should” have won, but there were some medals they won that they weren’t supposed to win. So, I think it pretty much evens out.
They talked about how brave Sasha Cohen was to come back from her falls early in her program to win silver, but turned right around and said how disappointed the crowd was that she hadn’t won gold (the crowd, or the media?)
I am sick, sick, sick of this attitude about these kids— and that’s what many of them are. Kids in their teens or just barely out. And if any dare to say it’s not about the medals, it’s about having a good time. Woe to them. The media will eat them alive.
I absolutely wish that the U.S. team, as a whole, had exhibited more national pride and “team” attitude. But when the crowds back home (or at least the media representation of the crowd back home) is so critical, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised when athletes don’t give a thought to representing the United States and focus, instead, on endorsements to come at the end of it all.
Okay, that’s my rant for today. I feel a little bit like Andy Rooney.
Atta girl! You are absolutely right on, but I doubt the media will listen. It isn’t news if it is good news, I’ve discovered. So we need more people like you in the world who have a voice to say it like it actually is.
I completely agree about NBC. The Torino Olympics commentators, especially the obnoxious and offensive figure-skating commentators, were just awful and spoiled the experience of watching the Olympics for many of us. I was infuriated at Costas cruelty to Sasha Cohen when he interviewed her on Friday evening. What a swine he is, trying to humiliate her on national TV. I would love to see someone take him on—and I imagine an exchange where he asks one of his idiotic and unkind questions, such as “how did you feel when you fell in your skating program and failed to win a godl medal? And just in case you’ve forgotten, let me show the video clips of your falls for the 500th time.” And the reply I imagine is “My God! I can’t believe you would ask such a stupid and tactless question. Why on earth would you ask that? How would you feel if you were in my shoes? And how does it feel to expose yourself as a tactless moron in front of millions of viewers ? How does it feel to have them all hate you for being so unkind to our beloved figure-skating star—whom we admire especially for her courage in not only getting up, recovering, and finishing her program, but skating gloriously? How does it feel to disappoint millions of viewers who would have liked to see you show some humanity and appreciation for the gifted athletes and artists in the Olympics?” It’s time to put Bob Costas, Dick Buttons, Sandra Bezic, Bob Hammond, Scott Hamilton and all the other wretched NBC commentators in their place.
It never occurred to me that the U.S. had a poor showing at these olympics. That’s not what I saw. I saw many moments of excellence.
I understand the national pride thing with the medals—and some other countries seem more intense about it than the U.S. (I dread to think of the pressure put on South Korean short track skaters). What ticks me off about the NBC commentary on the medal count is the same stupid reporting bias that runs through the whole NBC olympic broadcast, particularly in the studio. NBC is constantly looking for a story line to spin. The Games don’t need spinning, don’t need a compelling storyline, don’t need a drivel gossip story on some athlete in-fighting. I have enjoyed these Games immensely IN SPITE OF the NBC reporting team (the mute button has been an indispensible tool in that end).
Of note, however, is the level, transparent reporting provided by the cross-country/biathlon commentators. Alpine skiing was OK, too.
Kitty, I wouldn’t go so far as to use the strong language you did for it is something like what we are critizing. In writing what you did,and perhaps what I did, we are looking at the commentators from strictly a negative point of view. They all had a difficult job and I listened….there were many positive remarks made as well. I know it is difficult, when you yourself know so much about the sport (such as Scott Hamilton), not to see all the things that went wrong. You are so used to being that critical of yourself. But there were many beautiful performances and those were positively addressed. I think as blog users we need to keep perspective ourselves and listen for the good that is said. I too got irritated with some of their comments so I began listening to see if positive comments were made. There were and it softened my own irritation. There were indeed some unkind things said. I regret those.
I think the comments made about NBC’s coverage of the Olympics is pretty much what I would say about the media in general – not just NBC and not just about the Olympics. Good news isn’t news….kids doing something that the rest of the world can only dream about and watch in awe isn’t news….anything less than gold isn’t news-(terrific accomplishments, but not news)....but two sniveling, whining, unsportsmanlike guys with attitudes that totally go against what the Olympics is all about – that’s news – and isn’t that a shame.
I have been very dissapointed in the coverage of the Olympics this year, but also by the announcers. I agree with you all completely that they have been tearing apart the athletes saying they are doing a horrible job of representing the US, when in fact it is amazing just to go to the Olympics. As an athlete myself, I can say that it is difficult to go out and perform in high pressure and very public situations, of course that is what they do, but they go out and do the best that they can. It’s not like an athlete wakes up in the morning and says, I think I will go out and get last today-or not try at all. Every time they get up to perform, race, or whatever they do they are doing it to the best of their ability. Not only that, but they are doing it for themselves, they are the ones that have been putting in hours and hours of work for this one moment, so why should anyone else have the right to criticize them or their efforts.
I can’t believe the nerve of the likes of Bob Costas.After Tom Brokaw’s interview of Bode Miller, the man actually scolded Bode for his perceived lack of pre race preparations! The same goes for Jim Lampley. After the composite film of the US ski team’s performances he made the offhand comment ” No Bode Miller?” I thought these people were commentators, reporting on the events and athletes, not hired to editorialize and criticize. Perhaps if the media would stop picking their favored competitors, what with all the behind the scenes looks at the athletes and the media hype they would not take it so personally when their favorites fail to live up to expectations. I feel that every one of these Olympic athletes, as well as those who didn’t make the cut at the pre-games trials, should be looked upon as champions in their own right. We are talking World Class Athletes here! So few of us can truly understand the level of commitment and sacrifice required to reach this level of competition, they deserve the same amount of respect, win or lose.
Bob Costas continues to be an idiot. His superiors must be idiots, too, to let him continue. Do they opine that most viewers agree w/ him? or are impressed by his abilities?—what a sad statement on their belief of NBC viewers.
The Games were beautiful, and the athletes did terrifically. Is it so bizarre to imagine the USA not being first in absolutely everything?—are people really that shallow?
Hoorah for the young snowboarder who won a silver—she slipped when she was ahead—big deal. Everyone has slipped at some point. Few win first place—so it’s more important to finish, to do one’s best, and keep trying. Someday we/she may indeed finish first at something. Surely she has learned a lesson, which is more than the esteemed Mr. Costas could ever say.
My last diatribe is reserved for figure skating scoring—it still remains a joke—“name” skaters still are scored higher, depite falls, etc. Shame on them for not judging based on that night’s performance, rather than past per-formance. The Japanese skater was divinely elegant—what a delight to see a deserving skater actually medal—and gold no less!