vencio2 wrote:Well I missed anything Jackson had to say because I was watching on playback so was able to fwd through all the chat - a huge time-saving approach (I was fwding through about 30-40 mins I think on some sessions before any action started) and a more pleasureable viewing experience.
I'd like to think that, if Jackson was better, then it's because having someone new on the team is making them feel the need to raise their game. They've seen Brendan pushed out in favour of new blood, so could be one of them next
Brendan gone?!?? I just thought he wasn't doing the indoor stuff while they trialled Paula?
Whatever Jackson was slike at his worst, he at least always contributed a good video segment. Jonathan Edwards is awful, doesn't manage things well, was terrible over the indoor euros, smug and acts like he is better than anybody else. He actually has nothing to contribute, can't wait for the outdoor season and Gabby Logan to boss the studio again.
The biggest frustration for me was on Sunday afternoon when we had interminable interviews and replays of the morning's track session, whilst there were some top quality field events going on in the stadium. The absolute nadir was when they were interviewing Paula and Crammy about an earlier track event. Over Crammy's left shoulder you could see the stadium's big screen and Lavillenie attempting and then celebrating his 6.01 (or it might have been the 6.07). 5 minutes later the BBC showed the vault.
The highlight for me was Jackson describing the GB men's 4x400 squad before the race as 'awesome'. Really???
vencio2 wrote:Well I missed anything Jackson had to say because I was watching on playback so was able to fwd through all the chat - a huge time-saving approach (I was fwding through about 30-40 mins I think on some sessions before any action started) and a more pleasureable viewing experience.
I'd like to think that, if Jackson was better, then it's because having someone new on the team is making them feel the need to raise their game. They've seen Brendan pushed out in favour of new blood, so could be one of them next
Brendan gone?!?? I just thought he wasn't doing the indoor stuff while they trialled Paula?
Whatever Jackson was slike at his worst, he at least always contributed a good video segment. Jonathan Edwards is awful, doesn't manage things well, was terrible over the indoor euros, smug and acts like he is better than anybody else. He actually has nothing to contribute, can't wait for the outdoor season and Gabby Logan to boss the studio again.
I don't understand why the BBC stick with Edwards as a presenter when he was pretty decent as a pundit and commentator. He's not comfortable in this role and he was way out of his depth when he was presenting the World Track Cycling Champs the week before. To be a good presenter, you need to be personable and engaging and Edwards just comes across as being smug and pretentious.
Why is it that threads about commentators always degenerate into rants about how bad people think the BBC pundits are?
I dont know why we have to have so many of them - particularly when for some reason they all seem to have the same viewpoint on everything anyway. I think Jonathan, Denise and Colin are as good as they're ever going to get, and unfortunately won't change much. That means we're stuck with "smug and pretentious" Jonathan Edwards, who "so clearly holds all current horizontal jumpers in raging contempt and fails so badly to hide it" (previous posts have described him so well). I wish someone would tell Colin to think for a moment before he opens his mouth, as he is capable of offering intelligent analysis, but usually just gushes like an airhead and "literally" jumps headfirst into the world of cliche. Denise - I hate to say it - seems to be there primarily to look good and be female.
I would be quite happy to just leave it to Steve Cram and Paul Dickenson. They could have Phil Thing (can't remember his surname) do the trackside interviews, with Michael Johnson replacing him at the championships. He'd be ideal as he is knowledgeable, unflappable and a great communicator.
I'd love better presentation of field events, which the BBC have never been good at, and I've never understood why. It would also be nice if they could present events live, as John G says - so many times you see results on scoreboards in the background for events they haven't screened yet.
I wonder how representative we are though of the general public? Presumably the BBC carries out audience research on their sports coverage, and if so it can't all be as unfavourable as this or they'd have tried something new ages ago. Have to say I tend to record the coverage and watch it later, unless it's a championship, and then fast forward through the talking heads.
I'm glad to see the back of Brendan Foster. I've disliked him ever since he disparaged Paula Radcliffe on RTE years back, yet he's so complimentary to her on the BBC. Really two-faced.
Lastly, I never got to experience John Regis but it seems like he inherited the mantle of David Coleman - 'Ibiyob Adibidod' indeed!
Rog wrote:I'm glad to see the back of Brendan Foster. I've disliked him ever since he disparaged Paula Radcliffe on RTE years back, yet he's so complimentary to her on the BBC. Really two-faced.
What did he say?
And are we sure he's gone too? He never tends to commentate on indoor championships and I'm fairly sure he called the Edinburgh XC.
Rog wrote:I'm glad to see the back of Brendan Foster. I've disliked him ever since he disparaged Paula Radcliffe on RTE years back, yet he's so complimentary to her on the BBC. Really two-faced.
What did he say?
And are we sure he's gone too? He never tends to commentate on indoor championships and I'm fairly sure he called the Edinburgh XC.
Words to the effect of the Irish being lucky to have Sonia O'Sullivan, who had a kick and was a winner, as opposed to the British being stuck with Paula Radcliffe who was going to do all the leading and then get stuffed at the end as she had absolutely no finish. It was all a far cry from the BBC litany about brave Paula's frontrunning!
This was in the context of the 98 Euro Champs btw
Last edited by Rog on Wed Mar 06, 2013 8:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
John G wrote:The biggest frustration for me was on Sunday afternoon when we had interminable interviews and replays of the morning's track session, whilst there were some top quality field events going on in the stadium. The absolute nadir was when they were interviewing Paula and Crammy about an earlier track event. Over Crammy's left shoulder you could see the stadium's big screen and Lavillenie attempting and then celebrating his 6.01 (or it might have been the 6.07). 5 minutes later the BBC showed the vault.
The highlight for me was Jackson describing the GB men's 4x400 squad before the race as 'awesome'. Really???
I have to say BBCs sundays coverage pissed me off. It was overtly more interested in interviews than the athletics. It was ridiculous when they clearly had to keep stopping people talking and switching to the long jump and high jumps because the crowd were obviously going nuts over something. Often they cut events to re-show clips from the moring and cut back. They were all over the place. It was terribly done. Why don't they have interviews after the events are over with a bit of analysis then
Michael Johnson and Denise Lewis were extremely good on the BBC athletics coverage from last year's London Olympics. They spoke with authority and looked good...especially Denise! Michael just might be the best ever.
mrbowie wrote:Michael Johnson and Denise Lewis were extremely good on the BBC athletics coverage from last year's London Olympics. They spoke with authority and looked good...especially Denise! Michael just might be the best ever.
I'm not so sure Denise seemed to have no idea who most of the Heptathlon field are and how they posed a threat to Jessica Ennis because repeating Chernova and Doobrinska over and over
mrbowie wrote:Michael Johnson and Denise Lewis were extremely good on the BBC athletics coverage from last year's London Olympics. They spoke with authority and looked good...especially Denise! Michael just might be the best ever.
I watched London in London and agree, especially about Michael Johnson. He's by far the best American commentator I've ever heard (and one of the best period, or, I suppose, full stop).
Lolo was, at best, average and maybe I'm being kind, because she didn't contribute anything to the action. It's almost like she showed up 5 minutes before airtime. Where was the insight, except when it came to LSU athletes? She referred to athletes as "the girl/guy from Arkansas/Texas, etc." Too much "uh, um, ya know." Too much dead air (Dwight Stones was practically begging Lolo to initiate conversation). Too much emphasis on an athlete's "guts" (they all have guts, Lolo, that's why they're at the indoor national) and little else. Very suspect debut, and again, I'm being kind.
I blame the people in charge. You can't put someone on the air without preparation. This isn't a college TV lab. This is the big leagues, with professional people. It's insulting to those who paid their dues to just elevate Lolo, as though she'd been doing it her entire life.
But this is the same sport/network that employed Carol Lewis for dozens of years, so why should I be surprised? And I like Lewis Johnson, but please, ask a great question every now and then. Track gets such little respect that the powers-that-be could care less about the quality of the telecast.
Lolo seemed unprepared and, as a lot of rookie broadcasters seem to do, was trying to say too much too quickly. I think with some work she could become ok.
On the other hand what is Larry Rawson's excuse? He couldn't count laps, misidentified runners all over the place, had incorrect splits. Speculated on splits incorrectly when they had already been clear. In short, I found him attrocious. He's been at it for years.
Yes, Larry Rawson was typically bad, but that's not breaking any news. Why he keeps getting assignments is beyond me. He corrects himself dozens of times on air. Very poor. Is there such a lack of qualified announcers that the network must keep going to Rawson and trot out Lolo without an ounce of preparation or training? Maybe gh can chime in.
