I feel bad about not watching the Olympics. It feels almost un-American. Not only am I not cheering on the US athletes, I'm also not watching 2000 hours of TV programming, which is even more against the ideals of this country. But I just can't get into any of the games or events. Why?1. I'm not that interested in sports, actually. There are two sports that I truly love: tennis and baseball (in that order). So if I were to watch the Olympics, I would suddenly have to become a fan of swimming or volleyball or track and field or weightlifting, and if I don't watch those shows the rest of the year why would I suddenly get an intense interest in them every few years? I have a general "I hope the USA does well" feeling, of course, and I'm glad to hear that Michael Phelps and Dara Torres are doing well, and I hope the U.S. tennis team does well. But I think you really have to be into sports (or the human drama/stories aspect) to watch the Olympics at length.
2. I can't make out the schedule. Seriously, the time delays and blocked programming are a big reason why a lot of TV viewers are rather ticked off at NBC. And I don't have the time or energy to find out when an event I'm interested in is taking place. It's almost as if the Olympics is one of those massive TV shows where you just channel surf and come upon the channel and see if it's something you're interested in. If it's not, you move on. Yeah, you can watch them online, but that just seems like a lot of work.
3. The amount of talking and/or sentimental stories. Beyond the scheduling of NBC's coverage, the other big complaint we hear about the Games is the announcers. Basically it comes down to "the opening ceremonies were wonderful, but why didn't the announcers shut up?!" This extends to the coverage of the events too. It seems that networks can't cover anything nowadays without describing it to death. And let's not forget to wring every drop of emotion out of events by telling the background story of the weightlifter with no arms who was raised in an orphanage. Those athletes are great and I admire them, but I think there's a common sense line that is always crossed whenever these stories are told. Give a basic background on the athlete, maybe an anecdote, and then just get on with the event.
4. There's too much on TV right now as it is. Now, this may seem like an odd thing to say, for two reasons. One, this is the era of DVRs and VCRs and 24 hour programming and online content, and two, there's not much on TV right now because it's summer. Well, the first point I think I answered above. As for the second point, while I agree that there's a lot less new shows during the summer than the fall, there's a hell of a lot more than there used to be. Besides Mad Men, Burn Notice, The Mole, The World Series of Poker, and Swingtown, we also have all of the cool shows on Discovery and The History Channel and Comedy Central and all of the other cable channels. Plus I still have a stack of DVDs on my coffee table I'm working my way through. So there's a lot of stuff out there, and even a guy who writes about TV only has so many hours in a day.
Are you watching The Games? And if not, why not?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
8-11-2008 @ 12:35PM
Allison Solow said...
I'm like you, Bob. I'm not watching either. I've caught a highlight here and there, but generally speaking, I'm not compelled to watch. And there are some of the strangest sports being featured. Badminton? Team handball? How much volleyball can you watch without a rooting interest?
I like sports, but I'm watching more baseball with the Mets-Marlins-Phillies going at it and the Yanks-Rays-Red Sox.
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8-12-2008 @ 9:16PM
Beinta said...
I always make time for the Olympics. I actually believe in the Olympic idea of friendly competition and I do get all misty when I see all the athletes mingling together either at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies or in the Village. If friendships don't form between athletes from different, even hostile countries, then there's no point to these Games.
Every Olympics I hear the same thing, viewers (MEN) want less of the schmaltzy back stories on athletes. To which I say 'shame on you'. How could you not be moved at the story of Oksana Chusovitina? Going back into gymnastics at age 33 to receive proper care for her son Alisher's leukemia? I know every move that Brangelina has made in the past year, once every four years I want to hear about a mother defying the athletic odds for her son. Not to mention that she was absolutely kick ass in what little we got to see of her.
To each his or her own but the Games are a true gift to those of us who appreciate seeing something that manages to transcend a normal sporting event and become a testament to the best aspects of humanity.
8-11-2008 @ 2:13PM
Oreo said...
Too much talking is a huge turn off. I plan on downloading a different countries opening and closing ceremonies and that's it.
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8-13-2008 @ 3:14AM
Brent McKee said...
It's a North American trait. If you watch soccer broadcasts from Britain, you'll note that the announcers tend to let the visuals tell the story. They'll tell you who has the ball but blissfully don't say much more during the action. North American announcers (and I count most Canadian sportscasters in this) tend to treat an event as though they were doing a radio broadcast - over-announcing and describing everything even though we can see it ourselves.
8-11-2008 @ 2:19PM
rick cokely said...
You're right, the Olympics were more watched back in the day before we started inching towards a nearly 24/7 television cycle. With cable debuting shows during the summer and even to some extent the networks doing this, the summer Olympics got a little more competition. For me I just don't watch because I don't have a lot of interest. I mean I will watch if I come across it and it happens to be Gymnastics or something interesting, but I'm not going out of my way to find out when it's on.
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8-11-2008 @ 2:21PM
eugene said...
boycotting.
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8-11-2008 @ 4:03PM
Brandon said...
Seconded. These "Olympics" are a total farce. Shame on the IOC.
8-11-2008 @ 5:34PM
Benjh said...
You guys are a joke, and completely un-informed. What would you say if the world was boycotting American Games, because of the Bush Government?
The best way to empower the people of China is to watch the game. To say we care about this incredible nation and its citizens. With their incredible growth, they need as much support as they can get.
If you care about human rights, help the country get to a point where they're so advanced and economicaly stable it becomes impossible for their government to violate those rights the way they do now.
8-11-2008 @ 10:54PM
eugene said...
says the guy who can make sweeping generalizations based off of ONE word.... president Bush, is this you?
8-11-2008 @ 2:22PM
Jake said...
I am watching the Olympics because it comes once every four years. If it were a yearly event I'd agree more with your post. Also, I could have predicted you would have made this post since you seem to always complain when sporting events override normal tv viewing.
Also, with some sports such as swimming and gymnastics, these normally boring sports take on a different feel when it is country verses country in the most prestigious games on earth. Getting the chance to watch Phelps break world records overrides the Mole and any other show on tv. You are right, there's a lot of tv on right now. But most of it is crap and can wait. Other than Mad Men and Burn Notice (Psych and Monk are being postponed thankfully), there isn't a good tv show on right now. Sure there is plenty to watch, but at the end of the day it's forgettable, mindless junk that can wait till after the Olympics. It's what the DVR is for.
Finally, to your point about sentimental stories, they are actually very short and sweet this year. Not like what you'd see at ESPN or even past Olympics. I think NBC is striking a good balance between world politics, the events themselves, and the athlete stories.
I think the one thing I agree with you about is the schedule. There is just too much stuff to keep track of.
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8-11-2008 @ 5:19PM
Lynn said...
To Jake and other Olympics lovers--I am looking to interview ardent viewers of this year's Olympics for a Los Angeles Times story on how watching the event is different this year. You can reach me at lynn.smith@latimes.com.
Thanks, all!
8-11-2008 @ 2:26PM
Raychel said...
I love the Olympics! I welcome the chance to watch something I might not otherwise see. For example, I caught that women's sabre event where all the medals went to Americans. I had absolutely no idea what was going on but that chick was pumped up. It obviously meant something to her, and that got me excited! Call me an idealist, but I like the idea of "dreams coming true", albeit however brief it is.
:)
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8-11-2008 @ 2:32PM
Ian said...
Liar!
For someone who purports NOT to watch, you know an awful lot about the current broadcasts.
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8-11-2008 @ 4:19PM
mt said...
Ian, he has to search and get his facts right about the Olympic programming to make his point.
8-11-2008 @ 2:33PM
Jake said...
I am watching the Olympics because it comes once every four years. If it were a yearly event I'd agree more with your post. Also, I could have predicted you would have made this post since you seem to always complain when sporting events override normal tv viewing.
Also, with some sports such as swimming and gymnastics, these normally boring sports take on a different feel when it is country verses country in the most prestigious games on earth. Getting the chance to watch Phelps break world records overrides the Mole and any other show on tv. You are right, there's a lot of tv on right now. But most of it is crap and can wait. Other than Mad Men and Burn Notice (Psych and Monk are being postponed thankfully), there isn't a good tv show on right now. Sure there is plenty to watch, but at the end of the day it's forgettable, mindless junk that can wait till after the Olympics. It's what the DVR is for.
Finally, to your point about sentimental stories, they are actually very short and sweet this year. Not like what you'd see at ESPN or even past Olympics. I think NBC is striking a good balance between world politics, the events themselves, and the athlete stories. I think the one thing I agree with you about is the schedule. There is just too much stuff to keep track of.
To Eugene: As for boycotting. I find it funny. Are you planning on getting rid of all your clothes and other products made in China as well? Do you participate in the American economy? Our debt is owned by the Chinese. If you watch Koppel's People's Republic of Capitalism, you'd realize just how intertwined China and the US are. Plus it's senseless to boycott the games when only a few are responsible for the human rights violations. There's over 1.3 billion people that aren't. It's nice to take a stand on an issue, but not watching the Olympics isn't the solution because your viewership isn't even counted.
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8-11-2008 @ 2:40PM
Brian said...
I tell everyone I'm boycotting because of the human rights abuses and totalitarian evil of the Chinese government, but really it's because I find the Olympics so effing boring.
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8-11-2008 @ 2:44PM
Karen said...
Oh my...you are all missing out. I suggest watching some of it and seeing if you feel the same way.
I'm not a sports fan really. I like football, but have no knowledge of most sports. I am LOVING the Olympics. I didn't plan to watch them, but my husband was sick and we had it on for two straight days.
You couldn't watch the Mens Relay Race last night and their incredible victory, smashing the world record by 4 seconds, beating the trash talking French who said they would SMASH the US, the come from behind win and not love it! It was some of the best TV I have EVER seen. Am I a swimming fan? Nope. Not really.
But beach volleyball, fencing and even rowing was interesting to watch. I learned a lot about the sports. The intensity is compelling.
The personal stories are reality TV without all the BS. It is interesting. How can you not care about these people that invested so much into their sport or be interested in the adversity most have had to overcome. You got to be heartless to not be drawn in.
The schedule isn't that hard. Turn it on NBC during prime time and watch until midnight. You can DVR the other stuff. It will still be there.
You really are missing out.
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8-11-2008 @ 2:44PM
chadwick said...
I can understand your reasoning except the last one. There's too much on TV right now as it is? Come on! World Series of Poker? Swingtown? Which I have checked out and will not be renewed is my guess. Oh The Mole. Really? I will agree with you about the TV schedule. Horribly annoying! I do not watch swimming very much at all but I love watching it because the torture and dedication it took them to get there. How impressive it is for our men and women to come out with medals against the best competition in the world. Makes you feel proud to be a American!!! Plus I am one of those people where medals, medals, medals go U.S.A and beat em all kind of guy. You are not un-American but you do not sound very into it perhaps because you simply don't care. You did say you couldn't get into the games and asked why? This is the best response I can give you.
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8-11-2008 @ 2:45PM
Jim said...
I HATE the Olympics. I'm from Atlanta, and I saw firsthand what they did to the "average folk" of my city.
The entire city became a ghost town, except for Olympics people. The public were initially encouraged to go downtown and check everything out, then at the last minute they were told to stay away. Stores that thought they were going to do a huge business ended up having only 2-3 customers for the entire time the Olympics were going. Restaurants and bars were the only places that made any money (provided there were events nearby), and these places came up with every kind of BS "gratuity fee" you can think of, on top of hiking their prices up by 20%. And that's saying nothing about rents, which instantly shot up 10-15% the day the IOC announced that Atlanta was getting the games.
It's hard to get into the "Olympic Spirit" when it seems like every business in your city is busy thinking of ways to screw tourists out of their money.
Besides, it seems like every time I turn the TV on, they're showing some BS "sport" like synchronized swimming. That's not a "sport", that's a lame pastime. Hell, BASEBALL is supposedly getting dropped by the Olympics, and that's one of the few sports that Americans care about, even if baseball IS for old people, Democrats, and women!
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8-11-2008 @ 3:12PM
Mark said...
The Olympics are the only sporting event I watch, and I'm pretty excited to watch them.
To ease from the boring talking and sap stories I just TiVo the events and fast forward any parts I don't want to see. It makes a 5hr program move down to 2hrs.
It sure takes a lot of space on your HD TiVo, so make sure you have an expander...
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