Thumbs up or down for NBC and it's coverage of the Olympics.

[chelsea0011]

As mush as I love the fact there are so many channels (providing you have digital/HD cable), I just can't see this being a great job. I consider the track and field to be the highlights of the Olympics and they have been given a backseat to the water and sand sports. Even if they have to show most the track and field on tape, they have all but abbreviated the competition to nothing. I laughed at the American female gold in the discus. A huge upset that was all but 5 minutes of competition. And with all the channels why not have the track and field live on the other channels?

[Auggie]

1. Thumbs down. It's boring and trite, even with TIVO

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Thumbs down, and I'm in another country

Showing it all several hours late has pissed me off no end. International competitions should be shown when they happen.

[MaineDem]

3. a BIG THUMB down

I watch live events (either video or the results as they happen) on the net. The delay is pathetic in this day and age.

[miyazaki]

4. Awesome Coverage in Japan

Virtually commercial free, on multiple channels (with cable of course).
Also home viewer participation as you can fax or e-mail your olympic artwork
and the anchors constantly share it live on tv. Its just cool. Huge variety
of event coverage. Of course the Judo got full coverage. Does the US even bother?

[Redbear]

5. Compared to the past - Thumbs up

I've seen more competition, less fluff and "up close and personal."

I would totally do away the studio host position. Just switch from venue to venue.

[Auggie]

9. The studio host position -- a masturbation fantasy for Costas

[Upton]

6. Thumbs down

delayed events and too much red white and blue. There are other athletes in the world.

[DinahMoeHum]

7. Big fat THUMBS DOWN.

Right now, the only way to see anything live is to go to your computer and watch the stream.

And for G*d's sake, SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT MICHAEL PHELPS !!!! Enough already with him!

:thumbsdown::thumbsdown::thumbsdown:


P.S. I hear ESPN is looking to broadcast the Games in 2014(Winter) and 2016 (Summer)

[freestyle]

8. Slightly down.

Swimming coverage has been the best I have seen. I'm biased because I am a swimmer. But, if I never see another minute of beach volleyball, it will be fine. The main problem is that the prime time coverage has been of such a narrow spectrum of sports. Since so much is taped anyway, would it hurt to show some fencing, or sailing, or boxing, or open water swimming, or any of the dozens of sports that are only getting late night or online coverage.

[LisaM]

10. Thumbs DOWN

I live near Canada and get good coverage, so I know.

[jimnasium]

11. As long as they show the SPORTS, it's pretty good

I like the dedicated Basketball and Futbol channels in HD - very nice.
Also, there's a couple of other NBC networks that just show the sports.

Now, the NBC prime-timers... they suck. Just show the sports, dammit!

And really... I like women's beach volleyball just as much as any other dude, but there are other sports out there. Come on, NBC, feature some other sports in prime-time.

[NoGOPZone]

12. Worst. Coverage. Ever. nt

[underpants]

13. Costas as usual is great the rest.... a full review

The worst part has to be Chris Collinsworth interviews. He not only asks really awkward questions but he doesn't realize that the interviewee is not interested in talking about it.

The use of broadcasters from the New York offices (Men's field hockey and badmitton are the two I have caught) goes against every tradition of on-site reporting and journalism.

Their wrap-up show from 5-7 PM is not the worst thing on TV-the Fox News "Red Eye" still takes that title...but only barely. Are they going after the happy hour bar crowd or the young internet crowd?

CNBC once again is being perfectly used for a single event-boxing. PERFECT for the stock market crowd that usually has CNBC on all day anyway. Curling was featured during the winter games (there are almost infinite number of ways to bet on that sport)

Coverage has been too American specific (coverage of a men's gymnast nowhere near medal contention in the all around comes to mind) BUT if you catch it in odd hours (4:30 AM before hitting the gym or when I would be running) you run across some of the lesser known sports -C1 canoeing and racewalking (odd that one). Too much beach volleyball and other events that the result is a forgone conclusion.

OVerall not bad but I would prefer a random flipping around of events. They have not had an deluge of the personal pieces at least not as many as they tend to in the past.

[Awsi Dooger]

14. An uptick by NBC standards

I've been to Olympiads in other countries and their coverage is phenomenal. Wall to wall with very few commercials or commentary. The Spanish networks basically shut down in Barcelona '92 to devote 18+ hours per day to the Olympics. A half hour of nightly news was the sole notable survivor. Coverage in Canada is excellent also.

Overall I'd say NBC is improving, devoting more networks to the Games. You can find something more or less around the clock. Last night, for example, I really enjoyed the 50 km walk. My preference would be less gymnastics, admittedly because I can't relate to that sport at 6-4.

This time the second week was handicapped by the 12 hour time difference and how it impacted track and field suspense. I had to dodge results for 15 hours here in the West with a tape delay.

The irony is NBC was handcuffed by better than expected performance of the USA teams, not enough time to feature them. Virtually every team advanced to the gold medal game, including many that were never shown in prime time. I've been staying up to 6 AM watching volleyball and water polo and soccer, clicking channels right and left.

The biggest joke, IMO, is disgraceful coverage of field events and some track events. ABC used to show something like the high jump round by round. You'd get a feel for every competitor and the mental stress of an event like that. The suspense grew exponentially and it was incredibly dramatic. Now they relegate every field event to a Dwight Stones 2-5 minute package, and everything is predictable. I mean, if they show some unknown pole vaulter early, is he going to miss?

The huge improvement is the late night show, hosted by Mary Carillo this time. Instead of a dismissive juvenile approach like Costas used in '88 when he was sulking at being bypassed for prime time host, Carillo presented everything very well and stayed out of the way. NBC had so much left over footage they used the late night show for bonus coverage instead of a happy talk presentation like the Winter Olympics.

Overall, I'll be sick when the Games end. They are so far superior to any other sporting event it's tough for me to take anything seriously for months.

Luckily, the Ryder Cup is upcoming. That is incredible theater in its own right, but so limited by Olympic standards.

[jakefrep]

15. I'll agree with that...

For my taste there has been too much coverage of gymnastics and not nearly enough of track and field. I think they should have devoted one of their other channels to more complete coverage of track.

I'm lucky to live near enough to Canada to get the CBC's excellent coverage. Plus, when I'm tired of seeing political ads during NBC's coverage, I can always switch to the CBC.

[Jimbo S]

16. Thumbs up

With the multiple channels, I don't think there has been one sport that didn't receive any coverage.

One demerit for beach volleyball. I didn't see the need to broadcast pool play games on NBC primetime. I didn't mind the elimination games on prime time, though. Also, they had all the May-Walsh matches and IIRC only one Youngs-Branaugh match. Same with the men.

If you're a swimming fan, they showed everything. If you're a gymnastics fan, they showed all the elite performers.

Track is my sport. Track has 47 events and NBC reported on the finals of them all, plus many qualifying rounds. Yes, the field events are pre-packaged, but how much time do you really need to report on them? They were brief regarding the American discus thrower, OTOH is one going to sit down for three hours and watch people throwing the discus in real time? As another poster mentioned, maybe their channel. That was tried in 1992 and didn't work. Maybe time to try again, but only in the Western Hemisphere. Women's marathon needed more updates on the American women, and more insight regarding the runners in the lead pack.

[SidDithers]

17. Thumbs down...

not showing the Men's 100m final live was a deal-breaker for me.

Sid