No, I'm not talking about cell phones (as distinctive as they are becoming). I'm talking about the opening of the RNC compared to the DNC. As I've maintained on these boards, politics IS my spectator sport of choice. I watched as much coverage of the DNC as I could find, and I'm doing the same with the RNC looking for differences.
The first, obvious difference was the kick-off. The DNC started with Al Gore (who was not only not televised, he was not quoted or talked about afterwards) and with a very somber, down-dragging opening about 9-11 (which, ironically, they said republicans had better not talk about) and Amazing Grace played well but mournfully on a fiddle. The RNC started like Jay Leno, was upbeat and jazzed throughout. We will see how it goes.
This article is by Oliver North about John Kerry. I wanted to put it in before too much time passed. It's pretty much self-explanatory:
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/ollienorth/on20040827.shtml
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Monday, August 30, 2004
Thank you, Greece.
Greece, I am damned proud to share this planet with you. What a spectacular Olympics. The great country of China must actually be opening its eyes wide in wonder how they, despite their size and volume, can follow one of the most amazing games ever put on. I was so enraptured I hardly blogged.
Greece, you should stand up and be proud. You should feel great today (not just because you have your country back after two and a half weeks of eager stampede) and for as long as you dare, I hope you keep that national pride and realize what you have done.
The games were peaceful, they were probably the least scandalous I can recall, they were beautiful, full of stories about SPORTS (what a concept) and I salute you.
I will NOT support your communism, and hope that you awaken from that nightmare (though you may not be communist, your communist party gets too much press and too many votes). I will NOT support China’s communism, though I can’t wait to see the rich culture of their games (and can’t imagine a more secure location for the games than a country of that size and xenophobia). I am sorry you chose to reject the presence of one of our most outstanding, peace-loving citizens though massive protests (of only your communist party, but they were what got worldwide news). But I must in all candor salute your magnificent games. That woman (I can’t pronounce her name, let alone spell it) who made your games possible despite the incredible disarray she inherited so close to the games themselves, should be your national hero.
Greece, you should stand up and be proud. You should feel great today (not just because you have your country back after two and a half weeks of eager stampede) and for as long as you dare, I hope you keep that national pride and realize what you have done.
The games were peaceful, they were probably the least scandalous I can recall, they were beautiful, full of stories about SPORTS (what a concept) and I salute you.
I will NOT support your communism, and hope that you awaken from that nightmare (though you may not be communist, your communist party gets too much press and too many votes). I will NOT support China’s communism, though I can’t wait to see the rich culture of their games (and can’t imagine a more secure location for the games than a country of that size and xenophobia). I am sorry you chose to reject the presence of one of our most outstanding, peace-loving citizens though massive protests (of only your communist party, but they were what got worldwide news). But I must in all candor salute your magnificent games. That woman (I can’t pronounce her name, let alone spell it) who made your games possible despite the incredible disarray she inherited so close to the games themselves, should be your national hero.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
The few Bad Apples
I suppose I really should back off “the media” once in a while. It’s really about a few bad apples. I was watching the Olympics again last night (4 of 26 days done?) and have a few comments:
I absolutely loathe the self-congratulatory, influence-the-judge-or-at-least-the-crowd, presumptuous nature of the fencing “artists” who pump their fists and scream and prance about not when the touch was clear, but when they think they may have lost the point and want to make it look like they’re smarter than everyone else in the room (which backfires, the judges don’t give them the point based on their stupid antics).
However, my point had more to do with the nature of the commentators. We watched fencing, beach volleyball (whoever included that sport should be promoted to demi-god and be given free beer for life), swimming, and gymnastics. All told that means about 10 commentators. Eight of them were reasonable, smart people with a love of their sport, the games, or at least a sense of professionalism. Two of them felt it was their solemn duty to point out every loser and frame every bout as though “look at the disappointment on those faces, to have come so far, to have tried so hard, and to have gotten only Silver.”
Freakin’ bozos. Now, while it is admirable to want to be the best, and to strive for gold, and I AM sure that people recognize the little things they did wrong meant the ultimate goal went to someone else, not only is it the height of rudeness to point out someone else’s suffering, but is it really your job to make the SPECTATORS feel miserable TOO? Aren’t we supposed to be enjoying the games, congratulating the winners, feeling great about the efforts, and appreciating those who actually DID the best job, regardless of where they’re from? I cheer for the home team (and a few personal favorites from other places) and YES I want our guys and gals to come home decorated with gold, but I know my indignation is pure because I didn’t want **** smeared all over our faces by the commentators any more than I wanted derision extolled because WE beat the Aussies in the pool. It didn’t ruin our victory for me, but it took away some of the savor because I had to be embarrassed that these ***holes represent us behind the microphone. How pathetic.
If someone lost with poor grace, that would be one thing. If, however, someone is experiencing a moment of pain because they know their effort was 0.1 seconds too slow, or it was so close the tiny hop-step they took on their dismount meant silver instead of gold, how about letting them feel that pain, letting us sympathize with them, but not trying to out-snide David Spade (which nobody can do anyway) and find the most colorful way to brag to the world that you know what gross thoughts are going through someone else’s mind. They’re out on the floor, ****weed, you’re a loser has-been who is so pathetic as a color commentator nobody can tell why the scores are handed out the way they are and you survive only by making EVERYONE feel miserable. Explain the SPORT ****off, we can ALL see the intensity, the gravity, the emotion on the athletes’ faces. THAT part we understand. The fact that they have to hold a specific position for a certain amount of time, or how their legs are supposed to move, or why a judge might take off a point here or there, or perhaps BOTHER to tell us the starting difficulty score so we understand the final score better.
Blog-rant. Sigh. I may have to turn the sound off next time I watch. I wish there was a "no bozo announcers" channel.
I absolutely loathe the self-congratulatory, influence-the-judge-or-at-least-the-crowd, presumptuous nature of the fencing “artists” who pump their fists and scream and prance about not when the touch was clear, but when they think they may have lost the point and want to make it look like they’re smarter than everyone else in the room (which backfires, the judges don’t give them the point based on their stupid antics).
However, my point had more to do with the nature of the commentators. We watched fencing, beach volleyball (whoever included that sport should be promoted to demi-god and be given free beer for life), swimming, and gymnastics. All told that means about 10 commentators. Eight of them were reasonable, smart people with a love of their sport, the games, or at least a sense of professionalism. Two of them felt it was their solemn duty to point out every loser and frame every bout as though “look at the disappointment on those faces, to have come so far, to have tried so hard, and to have gotten only Silver.”
Freakin’ bozos. Now, while it is admirable to want to be the best, and to strive for gold, and I AM sure that people recognize the little things they did wrong meant the ultimate goal went to someone else, not only is it the height of rudeness to point out someone else’s suffering, but is it really your job to make the SPECTATORS feel miserable TOO? Aren’t we supposed to be enjoying the games, congratulating the winners, feeling great about the efforts, and appreciating those who actually DID the best job, regardless of where they’re from? I cheer for the home team (and a few personal favorites from other places) and YES I want our guys and gals to come home decorated with gold, but I know my indignation is pure because I didn’t want **** smeared all over our faces by the commentators any more than I wanted derision extolled because WE beat the Aussies in the pool. It didn’t ruin our victory for me, but it took away some of the savor because I had to be embarrassed that these ***holes represent us behind the microphone. How pathetic.
If someone lost with poor grace, that would be one thing. If, however, someone is experiencing a moment of pain because they know their effort was 0.1 seconds too slow, or it was so close the tiny hop-step they took on their dismount meant silver instead of gold, how about letting them feel that pain, letting us sympathize with them, but not trying to out-snide David Spade (which nobody can do anyway) and find the most colorful way to brag to the world that you know what gross thoughts are going through someone else’s mind. They’re out on the floor, ****weed, you’re a loser has-been who is so pathetic as a color commentator nobody can tell why the scores are handed out the way they are and you survive only by making EVERYONE feel miserable. Explain the SPORT ****off, we can ALL see the intensity, the gravity, the emotion on the athletes’ faces. THAT part we understand. The fact that they have to hold a specific position for a certain amount of time, or how their legs are supposed to move, or why a judge might take off a point here or there, or perhaps BOTHER to tell us the starting difficulty score so we understand the final score better.
Blog-rant. Sigh. I may have to turn the sound off next time I watch. I wish there was a "no bozo announcers" channel.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
The Olympics
Since the games that were credited in ancient Greece as the First Olympics way back before numbering years itself is creditable, politics have been a part of the Olympics. In those games, the star athlete, as I recall, was killed because the King had suspicions he was getting too celebratory with the Princess. I may have some of my games messed up, but they were originally put on for political expedience (choosing the best, that sort of thing) and even when they restarted in the “modern” era, politics have played almost their own venue at the games. One country boycotting one set of games, another using them as proof of their racial superiority, world wars keeping them from being held at all, bidding wars escalating over who is going to be able to host them, athletes taking the podium and making a political statement in their clothing, attitude or gestures.
I must say, with the notable exception of my own personal Enemy Number One (big-money media) these games have been remarkably a-political as far as the Olympics go. Now, we’re only two full days into the games, so a lot can happen, but my thanks to the countries and athletes participating that the games themselves have been competitive, thrilling to watch, and yet without headline-making scandal.
Yes, two Greek athletes were kicked from the games for what the Olympic Officials call (to my endless amusement) “doping”, and one Iranian refused to play in the games because he drew an Israeli as his first opponent (which, ironically, gives the win to Israel). And yes, though they were stunningly beautiful and an outstanding credit to Greece, the opening ceremony was about 14,527 hours too long. And yes, Bob Costas (who I actually like tolerably well as far as sports casters go) managed to slip in his own personal brand of anti-Americanism (during those very opening ceremonies) because the crowd refused to do so for him. We were, in fact, cheered lustily as we joined the Parade of Nations, but he refused to take it with good grace and attempted to put forward the concept that while Greeks love American athletes, they detest Americans and their political policies, so therefore were proving THEIR superiority by cheering us in stead of booing us because, ostensibly, they can separate politics and games.
This against a backdrop where Hitler used the Olympics to prove their superiority (the first televised games ever, indeed I was taught it the first ever major broadcast of any kind), Palestine took the opportunity of one games to blow up Israeli athletes, first “Western” then “Soviet” countries boycotted each other’s games altogether, black athletes chose to use the Gold and Silver platform for a political statement during the national anthem, I think we can say that (so far, anyway) these games have been all about the sports themselves.
Great rivalries (such as Thorp/Phelps in the pool) and new powers (USA men’s gymnastics first team medal in 20 years – only their second since 1932) are making these games interesting and fun to watch. NBC (though some of the shows they’re trying to advertise are abysmal) has kept its partisan mouth shut (for the most part) and is showing a TON of good coverage, and Greece has been an amazing backdrop.
I look forward to more.
I must say, with the notable exception of my own personal Enemy Number One (big-money media) these games have been remarkably a-political as far as the Olympics go. Now, we’re only two full days into the games, so a lot can happen, but my thanks to the countries and athletes participating that the games themselves have been competitive, thrilling to watch, and yet without headline-making scandal.
Yes, two Greek athletes were kicked from the games for what the Olympic Officials call (to my endless amusement) “doping”, and one Iranian refused to play in the games because he drew an Israeli as his first opponent (which, ironically, gives the win to Israel). And yes, though they were stunningly beautiful and an outstanding credit to Greece, the opening ceremony was about 14,527 hours too long. And yes, Bob Costas (who I actually like tolerably well as far as sports casters go) managed to slip in his own personal brand of anti-Americanism (during those very opening ceremonies) because the crowd refused to do so for him. We were, in fact, cheered lustily as we joined the Parade of Nations, but he refused to take it with good grace and attempted to put forward the concept that while Greeks love American athletes, they detest Americans and their political policies, so therefore were proving THEIR superiority by cheering us in stead of booing us because, ostensibly, they can separate politics and games.
This against a backdrop where Hitler used the Olympics to prove their superiority (the first televised games ever, indeed I was taught it the first ever major broadcast of any kind), Palestine took the opportunity of one games to blow up Israeli athletes, first “Western” then “Soviet” countries boycotted each other’s games altogether, black athletes chose to use the Gold and Silver platform for a political statement during the national anthem, I think we can say that (so far, anyway) these games have been all about the sports themselves.
Great rivalries (such as Thorp/Phelps in the pool) and new powers (USA men’s gymnastics first team medal in 20 years – only their second since 1932) are making these games interesting and fun to watch. NBC (though some of the shows they’re trying to advertise are abysmal) has kept its partisan mouth shut (for the most part) and is showing a TON of good coverage, and Greece has been an amazing backdrop.
I look forward to more.
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