Offtopic: Olympics

Jim Hyla · February 20, 2002, 08:40:57 PM

QuoteHow the heck did Belarus just beat the best team in the world?

I guess just like Clarkson last year, they are not the best team. Quite frankly, although many like to complain about the US, and heaven knows in the past they have deserved it, this year they are looking like they may be the best team. As an aside, I'd have Brett Hull on my team any day.

ugarte · February 20, 2002, 10:39:04 PM

This entire message has been edited out of existence. Sorry, Rich, if you read this before it was edited. I just read your post incorrectly.

rhovorka · February 20, 2002, 11:47:02 PM

Is there anything more intriguing than a flame that has been obliterated? Nope, didn't see it, apple. And sorry for mistakenly upsetting you. I'll be the first to admit that my syntax hasn't been exactly crystal clear lately.

:-)

jtwcornell91 · February 21, 2002, 12:47:53 AM

Okay, so was I the only one who dutifully avoided possible sources of information on the results of the women's curling semifinals in hopes that NBC would show the USA-SUI match, waited around through about an hour of postgame after USA-GER hockey, watched the preview of the upcoming curling coverage, and then was utterly flabbergasted when Jim Lampley [name corrected through the magic of revisionism] revealed the result of the match before NBC showed it? ::yark:: How much brainpower does it take not to blurt out the result of an event you're carrying tape-delayed the same evening?!? ::rolleyes::

If I'm not alone here I encourage others to write to sports@msnbc.com and let them know how much you appreciated that piece of spoilage.

Josh '99 · February 21, 2002, 01:34:30 AM

If you want to talk about idiocy, I think you have to include the fact that their hockey coverage has missed showing more than one goal because they hadn't come back from commercial yet.

rhovorka · February 21, 2002, 01:40:52 AM

Well...Jim McKay is 80 years old. And I'm pretty sure that it wasn't NBC's plan to reveal spoilers of their own broadcast.

Speaking of McKay and spoilers...he was the host of the primetime ABC-TV broadcast that showed the tape-delay of the Miracle game in 1980. It's funny to watch now, because McKay goes out of his way to say that he won't reveal the result for those who didn't know the outcome. Meanwhile the blue-screen behind him shows a wild, flag-waving celebration on the streets of Lake Placid outside the Olympic Center.

The commercial-timing thing isn't just the network's fault. In fact I think there is a rule that they have to drop the puck within 20 seconds of a stoppage. Or something like that. I tend to like the fact that the officials don't give a bleep about any network hoo-hah...speeds up the games. What NBC should've done is what the I've seen networks do for a soccer match...have a rolling sponsorship of a period.

For the most part, I've been very pleased with the NBC coverage. Having 3 networks going throughout the day has been terrific, and you can count on CNBC to be hockey/curling central. Plus the analysts have been top-notch.

jtwcornell91 · February 21, 2002, 02:00:39 AM

Actually, I think it was Jim Lampley; I realized Jim McKay was a lot older and somebody else. ::nut:: Anyway, whatever his name is (the one who was wearing the Canada jacket after the last game), he looks really out of place talking to the hockey people, who are basically ESPN's hockey crew.

melissa · February 21, 2002, 06:29:34 AM

yeah. that guy bothers me. it seems as if he doesn't fit in.

jtwcornell91 · February 21, 2002, 08:40:46 AM

It is Jim Lampley, right?

melissa · February 21, 2002, 08:43:08 AM

If he's the one who looks kinda like a monkey. Am not sure. Am not very knowledgable about announcers and sports broadcasters. He's always the one on the right (behind the desk) during olympic hockey coverage.

Josh '99 · February 21, 2002, 09:02:05 AM

Rich Hovorka '96 wrote:

QuoteThe commercial-timing thing isn't just the network's fault. In fact I think there is a rule that they have to drop the puck within 20 seconds of a stoppage. Or something like that. I tend to like the fact that the officials don't give a bleep about any network hoo-hah...speeds up the games. What NBC should've done is what the I've seen networks do for a soccer match...have a rolling sponsorship of a period.

For the most part, I've been very pleased with the NBC coverage. Having 3 networks going throughout the day has been terrific, and you can count on CNBC to be hockey/curling central. Plus the analysts have been top-notch.

OK, but here's the thing... NBC spent enough money getting the Olympics, and enough time advertising them to us, and has enough staffers working on them (some 3,200 NBC employees in Salt Lake City for the games), that if that rule exists (and I have no reason to doubt it does, and if it does then I think it's a great rule because, as you said, it speeds up the games), they should have been prepared for it. The rolling sponsorships that you mentioned for soccer work very well, and enable the viewer to get into the flow of the game very well, as opposed to having a commercial at nearly every stoppage that cuts into play.

That said, I think by and large, they've done a great job of coverage. While I haven't seen a lot of the events (damn you, job!), I'm pleased with what I've seen. And as Rich said, the hockey analysts have been top-notch. They really did bring in the best in the business, and not a hint of Barry Melrose! :-D

melissa · February 21, 2002, 09:33:52 AM

Hey! I LIKE Barry Melrose! ::twitch:: :-))

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with him?

CowbellGuy · February 21, 2002, 09:46:26 AM

If you can manage to wade through the greasy mullett, he's a pompous, self-righteous ass. All he ever talks about were his glory days in LA (when he couldn't even deliver with the Great One). He's extremely opinionated, and usually wrong.

jason · February 21, 2002, 09:51:18 AM

One of my big gripes is Melrose's involvement with ESPN's coverage of the Frozen Four. Everyone else tries to convey the excitement/uniqueness of college hockey (ok, maybe sometimes the announcers lay it on too thick) while the whole time Melrose seems bored and of the opinion that it's second rate hockey. They can't find someone to do analysis that can express at least a modest amount of enthusiasm for the college game? I'm getting angry now just thinking about it... :-(

melissa · February 21, 2002, 10:17:06 AM

OK. I guess I'm of the minority. i somehow tend to find his coverage of most things hockey entertaining (tho it might simply be the fact that i love hearing him talk - he has the funniest faint canadian accent and silly canadian lingo. he makes me think backwoods hick and for some sily reason i love that!)