Posted by
Brian Peters on Saturday, February 20, 2010 2:38:29 PM
Did you notice dear reader, that the Winter Olympics 2010 are now being held…in Vancouver, Canada? They’re happening right now. You wouldn’t barely know it the way NBC has been covering these once every four years World event. I was psyched up for these Games because they were happening ‘next door’ in Canada which meant, I wouldn’t have to wait for tape delayed broadcasting to see events. But guess what, much of what I get to see is….tape delayed. Oh, USA Network is showing Curling daily…Curling….? I guess the retirees at Boca Del Vista Phase 3 retirement community are enjoying it since they can somewhat relate to the game of Curling.
But there’s a whole lot of other events that have been happening every day, that NBC and it’s affiliated channels should be covering live. But no….two hours in the afternoon on NBC’s main channel, and much of that time we get….sports talking heads talking about the competitors……who cares??!!
NBC’s bland coverage has also affected it’s ‘local’ affiliates when NBC15 out of Mobile, Alabama cut into a men’s cross country ski race to show State politicians whining about other State politicians views on legalized gambling. Who cares???!!
NBC’s coverage has really been lacking, and I’ve had other people comment the same observation.
The other observation I’ve had myself is the snowboarding event, more aptly, the snowboarders themselves. With the immediate backlash against Japan’s Kokubo Kazahiro and his lack of professional attire, it then began filtering into many of the other snowboarders with their attitudes.
While snow boarding akin to skate boarding and many of the participants reflecting the attitude and dress of rap music makers, it gives the sport a bad image. It seemed that the snowboarders, both ‘male and female’, I was going to use ‘men and women’ but that hardly applies to these ‘athletes’. The Olympics are the pinnacle of sporting events, where professionalism and personal sacrifices are the most highest and respected.
While watching the snow boarding events, I began to lose my awe and respect for the competitors as the events progressed. Many of the snow boarders outward body language was reflective of street gang members, anti social, anti authority, disrespectful. The pseudo-gang sign flashing, the style of clothing, and some of the language that was caught/over heard.
After a while, I wondered why we the public, are wasting our time watching them, much less having them even compete on the Olympic level. Before and after their ‘runs’, the attitudes seemed persistent that it was all no big deal, who cares.
If they don’t care, why should we, the public. Snowboarding should be moved back into the “X-Games” realm where it seems to belong, not in the Olympic realm.
Adding a bit of fuel to this thought was the after hours behavior of a U.S. winner Scotty Lago whose embarrassment at being caught, caused him to leave Vancouver early.
Many amateur skier’s tell endless stories of snow boarders on the ski slopes that as well, display the attitudes and mannerisms of gang members/rap music culture.
The Olympic Committee should seriously consider removing snow boarding from the Olympics to such a time that the youth who participate show the respect and attitude of Olympic professionalism.