It's all nearly over - what am I going to watch now!

louishen · Aug 12, 2012

The closing ceremony for the London Olympics is on tonight

The warm glow of the events is now going to drift away and us Brits are going to have to go back to austerity and the approach of the usual damp autumn days.

But what did you all think?

Did you watch the olympics and how did we do. I've obsessed over the whole think like a born again sports junkie. I have even watched the dessarge (which is basically horse dancing)

Have any of your stereotypes about us up-tight Brits been overturned?

harryb2448 · Aug 12, 2012

Very dangerous question that louishen. Only ask questions when you know the answer lol! However yes the whole show went off quite well and I think that austerity thing is something all countries face after the games.

Take the Sydney Olympic Stadium for example . Used for about ten football, including League and Union, games a year and half a dozen Big Bash T20 games.

orfew · Aug 12, 2012

I very much enjoyed the games. I thought the opening and closing were very well done and did a good job of representing the British. I must admit my favourite part of the closing was seeing various passages of Shakespeare on the "newspapers" which covered the stage and the vehicles.

mrplow · Aug 13, 2012

I'm not into sports in general but since the torch relay started and especially the last two weeks I've been glued to the coverage. It's been spectacular from start to finish. The huge success that TeamGB has had has been the icing on the cake.
This morning (Monday13th) feels like one big hangover.

Even worse.... I've no excuse to avoid the list of jobs mrsplow has waiting for me!

Can't wait for the Paralympics to start

Raz0rEdge · Aug 13, 2012

I'm one of the those US voices irate with the presentation of the Olympic Games on NBC..having a captive audience just gives TV networks all the power to showcase their own content and other random crap as opposed to the athletes and the Games as a whole.

The utterly sporadic coverage of the Olympics (primarily focusing on events where the Americans were doing really well) is just annoying, the rest of the Games were shown as footnotes with 2-5 minute highlight videos..

The IOC does itself and the athletes a disservice by giving all broadcast rights to a single network (at least in the US), they should on principle allow at least 2 separate (unrelated) networks to carry the Games and allow them to compete for viewership by showing the Games and no their own network content (I, for one, don't see ANY show on NBC and with good reason)..

mrplow · Aug 13, 2012

We have just one TV company - the BBC - showing all the coverage. However, we were lucky in that they had 24 High def channels available showing every single part of every single event. As well mirrored coverage of those channels online and then another two channels that, between them, handled 'managed' coverage such as high profile events, highlights and summaries for the day.

Can't fault it to be honest.
Right from the opening ceremony I saw nothing but criticism of the NBC coverage on twitter et al.

You'd think with so many delivery options available they'd have at least given you uncut online options

Raz0rEdge · Aug 13, 2012

mrplow said:
We have just one TV company - the BBC - showing all the coverage. However, we were lucky in that they had 24 High def channels available showing every single part of every single event. As well mirrored coverage of those channels online and then another two channels that, between them, handled 'managed' coverage such as high profile events, highlights and summaries for the day.

Can't fault it to be honest.
Right from the opening ceremony I saw nothing but criticism of the NBC coverage on twitter et al.

You'd think with so many delivery options available they'd have at least given you uncut online options

Wow..we got gipped!

We had the main NBC channel doing their ridiculous coverage, and then on Comcast at least 2 other channels, dedicated to basketball and soccer..

I kid you not when I say that what I watched of the Olympics (8-10:30 PM), I saw all the swimming where Americans were competing, WAY too much beach volleyball, just the Gymnastics where the Super Five (or whatever they are called) were potentially medaling, and a smattering of track and field..

To watch this coverage you'd think the Olympic Games were made up of about 10 or so evens..

pigoo3 · Aug 13, 2012

Raz0rEdge said:
I'm one of the those US voices irate with the presentation of the Olympic Games on NBC..having a captive audience just gives TV networks all the power to showcase their own content and other random crap as opposed to the athletes and the Games as a whole.

The utterly sporadic coverage of the Olympics (primarily focusing on events where the Americans were doing really well) is just annoying, the rest of the Games were shown as footnotes with 2-5 minute highlight videos..

The IOC does itself and the athletes a disservice by giving all broadcast rights to a single network (at least in the US), they should on principle allow at least 2 separate (unrelated) networks to carry the Games and allow them to compete for viewership by showing the Games and no their own network content (I, for one, don't see ANY show on NBC and with good reason)..

WOW...I was about to write the same thing (my exact experiences as well)!!!

I was very very very disappointed in the way NBC handled the broadcasting of the 2012 Olympics!!!

- Nick

IvanLasston · Aug 13, 2012

TIL - Gypped comes from "getting fooled by gypsies" - and is rather racist
Urban Dictionary: gypped

By the way for all the American folks who enjoy cycling - help support my state and watch the Pro Cycling challenge on NBC Sports.
USA Pro Challenge | America's Race

vansmith · Aug 13, 2012

Raz0rEdge said:
The IOC does itself and the athletes a disservice by giving all broadcast rights to a single network (at least in the US), they should on principle allow at least 2 separate (unrelated) networks to carry the Games and allow them to compete for viewership by showing the Games and no their own network content (I, for one, don't see ANY show on NBC and with good reason)..

I get the feeling that exclusive broadcasting rights is universal since it's a great way for the IOC to make money and regulate coverage.

louishen said:
Have any of your stereotypes about us up-tight Brits been overturned?

Not at all. I still see you as drinking tea by a window as you watch the rain and discuss royal matters.

I loved the Olympics this time around. At the same time, I was frustrated with CTV's online coverage. To watch replays of events, you had to go to the "results" page which required me to click on the results to watch a repeat. Thus, I knew the scores of events before I even started watching them. I'm not sure who thought that was a good idea but it was a terrible choice. Here's an example of what I mean:

Screen Shot 2012-08-13 at 12.57.49 PM.png

Great, now I know who won the gold medal in volleyball before I even started watching.

Raz0rEdge · Aug 13, 2012

vansmith said:
I get the feeling that exclusive broadcasting rights is universal since it's a great way for the IOC to make money and regulate coverage.

Yeah that's the sad state of affairs when it comes to most of these things..but somehow I would like the Olympic Games should elevate above other things..but that's probably wishful thinking on my part..

Clueless · Aug 15, 2012

Did anyone get really into sports that they otherwise would not have?

I got really into handball for a while, that really is a great sport, as well as the cycling road race, which makes me regret spending as much time as possible ignoring the tour de france a few weeks before.

mrplow · Aug 15, 2012

Judo, track cycling, beach volleyball. All of it really, don't really watch sports at all but I was utterly transfixed

It's all nearly over - what am I going to watch now!

louishen

harryb2448

orfew

mrplow

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member

mrplow

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member

pigoo3

Well-known member

IvanLasston

vansmith

Senior Member

Raz0rEdge

Well-known member

Clueless

mrplow

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