Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site opus.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!hao!cires!nbires!opus!atkins
From: atkins@opus.UUCP (Brian Atkins)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: American sportscasting sucks!
Message-ID: <670@opus.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-Aug-84 13:45:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.670
Posted: Fri Aug  3 13:45:25 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 5-Aug-84 05:44:13 EDT
References: <361@oddjob.UChicago.UUCP>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
Lines: 71

W.r.t your flame on Kirt Thomas' remark on soviet judges,
look at the major upsets on Olympic history in which an
eastern block athlete was the winner. Then look at the
major examples of bad judging by an eastern judge in the
same time span (judging that was obviously bad, from more
than one nation's viewpoint). Behold! There are an incredible
amount of coincidences, arn't there. I haven't seen any
examples of an American (or British, or Israeli, or French,
or Chinese!, or Japanese, or....) athlete winning an upset
victory due to a bad call from one of the American judges
(or British, etc.).

The same cannot be said of the Soviets. Take 1976 Basketball. 
A dubious call for extra time on the clock (by an
eastern judge, if I'm not mistaken) lead to a Soviet victory. 
Other examples abound.

W.r.t. the Men's Gymnastics, nobody has complained about bad
officiating, not the Chinese or the Japanese (at least I
haven't heard anything, and I watched both the men's compulsories 
and optionals). If I'm not mistaken, we also broke
the Olympic record for team score, it takes more than the
American judge to do that. The U.S won because of the consistent 
high scores that EACH member of the team got. The
Chinese had more 10s, but they had more lower scores as
well. Li Ning and others were perhaps better then any given
American (hence the lineup on the individual medals) but the
Americans where higher overall.

I think if you look well at the examples of bad judging on
the part of Rumania in the woman's Gymnastics, you will find
the Rumanian judge consistently beneath the other judges for
the competition, and consistently above for the Rumanian
team. This is perhaps normal, but not to the extent
displayed here! (I did not watch the woman's competition,
but my wife did. She said there were examples of such
behavior on the part of the Rumania (she was a very good
gymnast in high school). I have heard similar reports from
ABC people and the American woman's coach (a Rumanian
defecter, poor sources but perhaps another possible motivation 
for the Rumanian scores). I in no way attempt to depict
America as being lily white in our international activities,
including sports (which, as I reread this note, I seem to
be).

Thrashing about with a loaded flame thrower has always
pissed me off, especially when the toastees are undeserving
on the accounts listed. If your going to flame American

Broadcasting of the Olympics, nuke 'em where they need nuking, 
like the commentators constant patting on each other's
back about their beautiful, clear and wonderful *ABC SUPER
SLO-MO*. Or Jim McKay's sputtering voice overs. There are
enough examples of ABC's ineptitude for everyone. But DON'T
come on like your flaming broadcasting then pick poor examples 
of American poor sportsmanship to flame America about,
there enough examples of REAL American poor sportsmanship to
go around as well. If an American Olympic audience wants to
cheer a very proud and elated American Gold medal team or
individual, is that bad sportsmanship? Whip out your video
tape of the medal presentation for Men's Gymnastics team
competition, and look at the applause the American audience
gave to the Chinese and Japanese, it was appreciative,
large, and sincer! I agree, the hand shaking done by the
Japanese was an excellent example of TRUE sportsmanship, and
the Audience as well and the Chinese and American team new
it! Incidently, what they did was a breach of Olympic protocol 
(in my opinion good breach, bad protocol).

But what really gets under my skin is a person who can't
flame a poor flame in under 71 lines of text!