TV Coverage? Athletics Only?

[Leprechaun]

I am sure I saw moans about English v Other Home Nations coverage elsewhere on the forums, but my moan today is about the prioritisation on terrestrial (ie BBC 1, 2 ITV CH4 ) for us peasants.

How on earth could the heats of the 400m on the track have more viewing potential than the mornings swimming finals. We had Foster in the 50 then zilch until 840am when I conceded I would have to go to work. HIghlights and more meaningless chitchat and, with all respect to the 400m runners, nothing more than the exploits of county/regional standard athletes in early rounds.

I am sure someone will remind me that the red interactive button would allow me to access the swimming feed but we dont have that facility.

It was one of the cyclists who suggested (some) of the athletes needed their own village given the size of their egos. When TV shows their every move, however mediocre, it will only fuel this special status. As for the one who got dq for a false start yesterday - no sympathy no excuses. In fact I thought it was fully deserved given their fall from grace. It should be beneath the likes of Cram and Jackson to have to commentate on the current debacle that is British track (Macey is the only one I have seen with the right attitude) and they should be relegated to some minority feed until they have some "highlights" worthy of the term.

Enough - work beckons.

[NotVeryFast]

I don't understand this either. For Manchester 4 years ago they had continuous swimming finals coverage on a main BBC channel, I can't remember if it was BBC1 or BBC2, I think it was BBC1. Was the scheduling different for this games to cause the conflict, or have the additional interactive channels actually made things worse by causing them to dedicate an interactive channel to each sport and use the main channels to switch back and forth?

Sadly, my work colleagues in general think that covering anything other than the athletics is a waste of time. To them, form strokes rank up there with a 10km walk in terms of pointlessness.

[shyfoxcub]

My daughter is away with the school. I promised her I'd record the swimming both yesterday and today - especially the 1500. Up until today I've managed to do this by setting Sky onto the main BBC channel with the interactive screens on the right. I've just arrived home and checked through the DVD and all I've got are a couple of races (partial 1500), a few highlights and the medal ceremonies. I'm not sure my daughter will be too happy to watch todays' races on a 5 X 3" box with no commentary :mad:

[Bogbloke]

What else is really anoying is that I dont think athletics will do that well in terms of medals this commonwealths, but will they get a slating as our swimmers did few years back?

[Gina]

I think a few select athletes that have done well will save the day. Kelly Sotherton and Jessica Ennis in the Heptathlon are currently in 1st and 2nd. Christine Ohuruogu won the womens 400m beating the Olympic and World champion. Lisa Dobrisky won the 1500m and there have been a few other surprise medals. These medals will probably hide the cracks produced by the big GB athletes who have failed at the games and everything will look hunky dory for Athletics.

Oh well we know ho the real athletes are and they were at the pool!

[Bogbloke]

Oh well we know ho the real athletes are and they were at the pool!


AYE!! lol

[mike_lamb]

While I agree that the terrestrial prioritisation was not ideal, it was really great to be able to see every swimmer in every heat live via the multi-screen interactive service.

OK the commentary got a bit repetitive, but how many people could talk for 5 hours a day on swimming for 6 days without it getting repetitive. The underwater shots were stunning, enabling a great debate about Darren Mew's fly kicks.

[Gina]

I suppose you can say that with sports such as athletics and gymnastics that they have so many things going on at one time in the same arena. There are more camera angles, action shots etc to be aired and the general public would be more interested in watching that than one pool. Just a little thought there.

[Haddock]

My daughter is away with the school. I promised her I'd record the swimming both yesterday and today - especially the 1500. Up until today I've managed to do this by setting Sky onto the main BBC channel with the interactive screens on the right. I've just arrived home and checked through the DVD and all I've got are a couple of races (partial 1500), a few highlights and the medal ceremonies. I'm not sure my daughter will be too happy to watch todays' races on a 5 X 3" box with no commentary :mad:

Don't understand this. The finals this morning were on one of the interactive channels so why did you not select it to record. You say DVD so I assume it is not Sky+.If you use the blue button it gives now and next info for the channels.
I am just watching another showing of the finals just now.


PS Swimming review screen 4 at 17:30

As for the coverage on BBC1...........why should it be any different to what they do on Grandstand. Who wants to see horses ages before they race when we are waiting for swimming to come on. It is the same people deciding what we get to see.
Time to get a Freesat system from Sky for 150 pounds and have more control over what you want to watch.

[Leprechaun]

Don't understand this. The finals this morning were on one of the interactive channels so why did you not select it to record.

Dont yet have interactive in the nerve centre (aka kitchen) but next to-be-built PC may yet fulfil this role. But I agree its the way its all headed.

As for the coverage on BBC1...........why should it be any different to what they do on Grandstand. Who wants to see horses ages before they race when we are waiting for swimming to come on. It is the same people deciding what we get to see.


Not fussed about watching the goings on between races (I do cringe when ATHLETICS :aarrgghh: commentators insist on repeating names of starters continuously - and then for each :aarrgghh: false start!!). All I'd like is that the quality performances (swimming cycling rowing etc where we are world class) get lifted up the priorities and we get taken live to where the quality is/are performing!

Regarding watching horses before they race - very very important if you are going to lay a bet (and arent at the meeting!!). Was fascinated to hear about the Aussies being able to bet on the swimming races (I think just outside the pool complex??) Now that would add much more excitement over here! As for mirroring the equine industry's handicappers, could do this with staggered starts or just handicaps similar to golf? Now theres a thought for a new sort of meet....

[Bogbloke]

just watching the commonwealths on tv and they are now blaming the poor performance for athletics this commonwealths on being out of season, they always have excuses for athletics all the time

[Bogbloke]

oh and now injury

[GettingFaster]

Leaves on the line? Wrong kind of snow? Any more suggestions... :p

[Haddock]

The tried and tested excuse.

The swimmers are partying and they can't sleep.

[wendy]

Any more suggestions... :p
Aussie NPD:aarrgghh: :aarrgghh:

[Phil Tanner]

The drug testers have raised the bar?

[Katie]

My mum didn't pack my swimsuit/trainers/tracksuit/lucky cuddly toy?

I'm addicted to the diving!! :)

[Leprechaun]

The bends are clockwise not anticlockwise for the 200m sprinters and the 100m lot have had to run from left to right this time....

[Haddock]

It is interesting they are coming out with similar speak as the swimmers used some years back.
After they missed the batton hand over it was "SPEECHLESS"" "GUTTED"

[Leprechaun]

It is interesting they are coming out with similar speak as the swimmers used some years back.
After they missed the batton hand over it was "SPEECHLESS"" "GUTTED"

Ho ho ho...

When I came into work it was just after Jamaica and Nigeria had both dropped the baton in heat 1. Surely anyone with half a brain would have then "played the percentages", probably even stopping dead to ensure a clean handover between each leg, and hence progression to the next round and almost certain gold in final with two top nations removed??

This is now beyond belief. In the Olympics the sprinters recovered some of their tarnished reputation by winning the relay and one might have guessed they would have done same in Melbourne.

I think BS is needed over there to get a bit of order to it all.

I have nothing against athletics honest, but I just despair when I see where hard-earned cash is being poured in the name of excellence.

[Gina]

The men haven't done very well, but some of the women have. The money isn't totally wasted.

I heard Jade Johnson giving an interview after coming 5th in the long junp final by only 2 cm!!! Watching her at previous meets, I got a vibe off her that I didn't like her. However, she gave a really good interview this morning. The commentator was trying to say it was a good performance considering she was out of the sport a year ago with back injuries. Jade said some pretty honest stuff, she would have been happy with 5th last year, but she was at the CG and 5th wasn't good enough. She wanted to win and she said she should have.

Just looked at an excellent video on the bbc website of the 4x100 relay. Looks like Mark L-F mucked up again!

[Phil Tanner]

Who's the older guy doing athletics analysis in the studio?

[Haddock]

Just watching Clare Balding on Games Today.
Anyone see Steve Ovett throw a wobbly when she tried to compare swimming with athletics.
What he tried to say was that swimmers just go up and down a pool but athletes do everything from running to high jump.

I thought he sounded rather silly.

[rubberduckie]

You have some good young tracktalentcoming up. The standard of t&F comp here is about the same as the mens swimming. Not quite 'fools goild' but close.

The standards of womens swimming for the winners was truly WC. Ditto the diving -every event an Oly or WChamp competing!

But the beauty of Melb 06 is that IT'S ENTERTAINMEN.!!

[Phil Tanner]

That's Steve Ovett!!!??? :eek:

[Haddock]

That's Steve Ovett!!!??? :eek:

Yes the guy who was sitting next to Jonathon Edwards.

[Chris]

Yeh, Steve Ovett was in there most of the week.

He said that about the swimming? ..... idiot!!

Who called him back into service anyway??

[Haddock]

At the end of his rant he said in a somewhat annoyed voice

You can't compare swimming with athletics so DON'T EVEN GO THERE.

Clare was trying to say that Bill Sweetenham had turned round swimming and maybe athletics needed someone like him.

[H2o]

That's Steve Ovett!!!??? :eek:




I think he looks like a bigger version of my garden gnome:aarrgghh:

[Pete]

Steve Ovett was always a bit controversial. I have always liked him because of that. He was always the naughty boy compared to Mr Squeaky Clean (Seb Coe). As for his being on the Grandstand team? He lives in Australia. He apparently is a very good coach.

[Chris]

He lives in Australia.

They can keep him!

A dig at a sport he knows absolutely nothing about will do him no favours. A former British sporting hero .... what a fall from grace!

[Steve]

Steve Ovett was always a bit controversial. I have always liked him because of that. He was always the naughty boy compared to Mr Squeaky Clean (Seb Coe). As for his being on the Grandstand team? He lives in Australia. He apparently is a very good coach.
He's been commentating on the track events for Aussie TV and been great value, I have to say. He didn't go anywhere near Aussie swimming though I have to say...

[rubberduckie]

Steve Ovett lives in beautiful Noosa-like Barry Prime. And he does know his swimming.

[colonelhall]

Hands off the Ovett!

He was absolutely spot on. You cannot begin to compare swimming with athletics. He was right, in that swimmers do train together and go up and down the pool, regardless of their event.
Athletics, on the other hand is far more complex. A shot putter does not train with a marathon runner etc. Within the context of the discussion ie. how hard is it to turn around British Athletics. He made his point.
I understand that he has talented sporting kids and I am sure that he is well aware of what sports facilities are on offer in Australia.
When I visited Down Under, I was astonished at the quality of the in-depth press coverage of swimming. Anyone with half an interest in sport would be well informed about swimming.
There was no implication in his remarks that he was knocking swimming at all.

[Haddock]

Yes swimmers do go up and down the pool training but they do more than that.
They train out of the pool as well doing weight training etc.
While in the pool they also practice starts and turns.
Perhaps if the track athletes took a lesson from the swimmers and as well as running round and round a track they practiced some starts, batton hand overs and even getting in the right lane then England may have won a few more medals.

[colonelhall]

"Yes swimmers do go up and down the pool training but they do more than that.
They train out of the pool as well doing weight training etc."

We know this. The point that was being made was that you cannot compare the two sports in terms of development and support. The athletics commentators, did not pull any punches when it came to criticising the sprinters.

SOmetimes, I think that the contributors to tis thread should 'lighten up' a bit.

[Haddock]

Well I guess I'll have to go away and lighten up.

Bye bye.

[NotVeryFast]

Interesting article here on the state of our athletics vs swimming:
http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article353895.ece
"Clearly, there must be a change at the top of British athletics, a Sweetenham or Keen-style metamorphosis."

[rubberduckie]

Better drugs would help.

[GettingFaster]

Better drugs would help.

Keep taking them, rubberduckie, keep taking them. Perhaps you need to increase your dosage for the desired effect. (Preferably Diazepam, or Tamazepam, or Valium, or maybe even Arsenic would do the trick... :angel: )

[rubberduckie]

I gave my downies to Mark Lewis-Francis.