NBC Olympic coverage just plain sucks

[Hokie]

Tonight's coverage is the epitome. Now that the track and field events are nearing a climax with the decathlon final and a bunch of other important events happening what do we get? We get non-stop exhibition gymnastics. Thanks Kostas, thanks NBC.

[soothsayer]

1. Olympic coverage ALWAYS blows. Not sure why, but it does each and

every time. Winter, too.

[otohara]

2. better on MSNBC and CNBC

primetime stuff is canned all American


Earlier today - Argentina vs Italy - mens soccer was pure Eye Candy

[Hokie]

4. The cable coverage sucks too

NBC keeps moving the Olympics around all day to help boost the ratings of their pathetic cable channels like Bravo. It is obvious what they are trying to do. Do they think we are idiots? Oh yeah, I forgot, about 40% of us are idiots. Just check the polls.

[Catch22Dem]

3. Gymnastics sells

It's what people want to see.

I just made the same comment to my wife though. Imagine if you were competing in the competition of your life and the network execs preempted you with gymnastics that doesn't "count" for anything.

[Awsi Dooger]

5. NBC's primetime lineup is designed for ratings only

So you get flooded with gymnastics in summer and figure skating in winter.

The decathlon coverage on primetime is a farce, one quick peek at the next to last event then I'm sure we'll get the 1500 later tonight. The earlier events we're probably on MSNBC or CNBC, but this year I can't watch all day and night.

[AngryAmish]

6. Watch boxing

Teddy Atlas knows more about boxing than any other commentator in boxing.

If you are not a boxing fan, let me explain. Boxing is the supreme athletic event - especially at the professional level. If you doubt it go do it. I have played many sports and none of them tax a person like boxing AND the other guy is trying to knock you out.

Amateur boxing is about scoring and not trying to hurt the other guy. Or at least that is what it is according to the rules. But you must still impose your will on the other guy and you must hurt them. Any guy (Dan Dierdorf) can give a blow-by-blow. But the spirit of the sport is violence. And Teddy Atlas can communicate that difference. Plus he does not speak really well, but can really articulate why certain principles in boxing, such as distance, timing etc are important.

[Awsi Dooger]

11. I saw the American upset the Russian today

Controlled the bout from the outset with excellent tactics and superior hand speed, as Teddy Atlas described. Atlas is terrific on boxing. I'd like to see him reunited with Max Kellerman.

But I'm not thrilled with the 2 minute rounds and especially the scoring system, necessitated by the Roy Jones farce.

NBC completely ignores boxing on primetime, although we'll probably get some gold medal bouts involving Americans there. And anyone who remembers the ABC treatment of boxing from '76 and '84 knows it was a highlight of their coverage, making a star of Sugar Ray Leonard, for example.

[AngryAmish]

18. Yeah - Where the f is RJJ's gold

It was proven, felonies went down in S. Korea, that his fight was fixed. RJJ knocked him silly two or three times.

Junior was the greatest fighter of my generation. Too bad he just lost.

[PVnRT]

16. Atlas is incredible

His speech belies just how much he knows about this sport. I love watching the boxing coverage, it's been the best so far.

[AngryAmish]

17. Atlas trained world champions

At I think 3 weight classes. I have watched the sport for 26 of my 35 years. Particpated for a little while too (I was awful but willing.)

Atlas has taught me more of the game than anyone else.

The coverage is the best so far, because it has 2 real pros who know everything about the game, calling the fights.

Anotherthing, the fights are called fights, not "bouts" or "contests". A fight is a fight.

[PVnRT]

19. I agree

I've learned shitloads from Atlas so far. Been reading his stuff online at NBC's site as well, it's pretty good too. The guy did his homework, not just on the US boxers, but on all of them.

[kariatari]

7. All I wanted to see was some friggin' softball.

And you'd think that with a pitcher like Jennie Finch, that wouldn't have been too much to ask. I guess the softballers will just have to take a cue from the sand volleyball players and sport bikinis if they want any coverage.

[AngryAmish]

8. That sounds painful

Plus, I'm afraid Ms. Finch would hurt me.

[Doohickie]

9. I love the olympic games

But I haven't seen any yet because every time I channel surf by, they're doing yet ANOTHER profile of some athlete or another.....

[Dookus]

10. You've seen that this year?

I haven't seen a SINGLE profile.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. Well, they did mention a few things about Rulon Gardner in the

buildup to the Greco-Roman wrestling competition. But on the whole, we haven't been getting all those soft-focus "heartwarming" stories.

[Dookus]

13. Yeah

I just saw the Gardner piece. Short and interesting, and it was literally the first athlete profile I've seen.

I think they're doing a MUCH better job this year than in previous years.

[PVnRT]

14. Just prime-time coverage

The other networks aren't doing the profiles, thankfully.

[theoceansnerves]

15. everything is on the cable channels

cnbc, msnbc, usa and bravo.
i mean come on, how can you say it sucks when they had live coverage of all the badminton and table tennis quarter and semi finals and gold medal finals (i'm being serious.)

[Hokie]

20. The prime time coverage sucks, cable much better

I will give NBC kudos for showing the live coverage on cable and a lot of it. Yes, the boxing coverage has been great.

My beef is that instead of dedicating coverage to 2 or 3 channels they keep moving it around in an obvious attempt to inflate the ratings of all the channels.

I guess I should be happy it is free and not pay per view?