[Meldrewman]

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ian hyland ian hyland ‏@HylandIan

Did Gary Lineker just say "Canoe believe it just happened?" to the canoeing gold medallists? Please tell me he didn't #olympics

Is this one of the qualities we look for in highly-paid presenters?

[I, Candy]

Originally Posted by Ads

Hugh Porter struggled a bit with the earlier outside events but he is terrific commentating on cycling events in the velodrome. A great mixture of authority and sheer joy on what he's watching.

Do you think so? I was listening to his commentary earlier and his ability to pronounce overseas names (for instance VeneNzuela?) is embarrassingly bad. Not up to the standard I'd expect from the BBC at all I'm afraid.

[brunobrookes]

Lineker has slipped into a form of Partridge many times over the past week.

[degsyhufc]

Originally Posted by Danslink

Clare Balding has stated again and again she's a "facts" kinda gal.

She didn't get the facts right earlier on.

She said tha Roni was the first athlete of the games to retain a gold and Lochte could be the second.
A hour earlier Hoy & Kenny retained their golds.

[Doghouse Riley]

Originally Posted by Meldrewman

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Is this one of the qualities we look for in highly-paid presenters?

It was only a bit of a joke, like the commentaor on the Judo when Gemma Gibbons won her semi-final and was assured of at least a silver medal.

"We've done it on a bike, in the pool, in a boat and now we've done it in our pyjamas!"

[mikw]

Originally Posted by Doghouse Riley

It was only a bit of a joke, like the commentaor on the Judo when Gemma Gibbons won her semi-final and was assured of at least a silver medal.

"We've done it on a bike, in the pool, in a boat and now we've done it in our pyjamas!"

As you say, it's only a joke.

It seems that -thanks to internet forums- we're not allowed to have presenters telling jokes any more.


Luckily not everyone thinks the same. When the canoeing gold happened plenty of people on Facebook posting the joke as a "catch-all" for what happened.

[mikw]

Originally Posted by Ads

Hugh Porter struggled a bit with the earlier outside events but he is terrific commentating on cycling events in the velodrome. A great mixture of authority and sheer joy on what he's watching.

Hugh made a lot of mistakes today, but he's not getting any younger.

However, his commentary on the GB Gold was great.

[FMX569B]

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

She didn't get the facts right earlier on.

She said tha Roni was the first athlete of the games to retain a gold and Lochte could be the second.
A hour earlier Hoy & Kenny retained their golds.

She was referring to the swimming events. There have been numerous athletes who have retained their titles so far but only Roni in the swimming.

[ellie1167]

Originally Posted by degsyhufc

She didn't get the facts right earlier on.

She said tha Roni was the first athlete of the games to retain a gold and Lochte could be the second.
A hour earlier Hoy & Kenny retained their golds.

I'd be pretty certain she was referring to swimming athletes as that was what she was covering and the swim meet is drawing to an end. And if we're digging people about facts then it was Soni not Roni

[footygirl]

Originally Posted by mikw

Hugh made a lot of mistakes today, but he's not getting any younger.

However, his commentary on the GB Gold was great.

Replied to your PM - would be interested to hear your thoughts

[andy614]

Regarding both Matt Baker and especially Clare Balding and the people talking about her covering swimming when it's not her speciality and therefor isn't knowledgeable.......in actual fact Clare Balding has been covering the swimming on the BBC for YEARS which of course most people won;t see cus all they watch is the olympics and not the numerous European and World championships. Clare has been covering this sport for years and over that time has very much developed a wealth of knowledge of the sport and athtetes involved. Everything isn't just done from notes or autoque as if she doesn't really know the first thing about it. Most of what she says comes from her own knowledge of swimming and athletes taking part.

The same for Matt Baker...he's covered the gymnastics for a good few years on the bbc and was a junior gymnast himself.

People need to give these, especially Clare, a bit more credit here and actually look at there involvement prior to these Olympics.

[Doghouse Riley]

Originally Posted by andy614

Regarding both Matt Baker and especially Clare Balding and the people talking about her covering swimming when it's not her speciality and therefor isn't knowledgeable.......in actual fact Clare Balding has been covering the swimming on the BBC for YEARS which of course most people won;t see cus all they watch is the olympics and not the numerous European and World championships. Clare has been covering this sport for years and over that time has very much developed a wealth of knowledge of the sport and athtetes involved. Everything isn't just done from notes or autoque as if she doesn't really know the first thing about it. Most of what she says comes from her own knowledge of swimming and athletes taking part.

The same for Matt Baker...he's covered the gymnastics for a good few years on the bbc and was a junior gymnast himself.

People need to give these, especially Clare, a bit more credit here and actually look at there involvement prior to these Olympics.

Let's not have "feast famine" alternatives eh?

Much of the knowledge that these presenters impart is from a team of researchers. It's the only way to do it. Everything in sport changes rapidly and in all events there are many competitions across the world.
No one says that it's all in the notes and on the auto-cue, she will have some knowledge herself, but it is impossible for presenters to keep up to date with everything and at the same time present the programme.
Few of them are "one man bands" (c'ept Motty of course).

If she didn't need all those notes she has in a bit of an untidy mess in front of her, they wouldn't be there.

Clare is doing a good job on the swimming, but isn't always the case. She's only human. In between races she won't be passing the time of day with Thorpe and Foster, she'll be going carefully through the notes in front of her and reading through what's on the auto-cue if it is relevant and there's time. The comedian Jerry Lewis coined the phrase fifty years ago, "You can't beat carefully rehearsed spontaneity," it applies to every branch of "showbusiness" of which TV is just one.

The less said about Matt Baker, the better.

[penelopesimpson]

Originally Posted by Meldrewman

You've hit the nail on the head - stretched as they are with such a big programme of sports to cover, they are having to reply on too many presenters who are used to an ordered programme, autocues and rehearsals.

Still no excuse, though, for whoever chose some of the poorer ones.

Probably a bit radical, but wouldn't it have been a good move for Sky and ITV to send some sports presenters to the BBC just for the Olympics?

[penelopesimpson]

Originally Posted by andy614

Regarding both Matt Baker and especially Clare Balding and the people talking about her covering swimming when it's not her speciality and therefor isn't knowledgeable.......in actual fact Clare Balding has been covering the swimming on the BBC for YEARS which of course most people won;t see cus all they watch is the olympics and not the numerous European and World championships. Clare has been covering this sport for years and over that time has very much developed a wealth of knowledge of the sport and athtetes involved. Everything isn't just done from notes or autoque as if she doesn't really know the first thing about it. Most of what she says comes from her own knowledge of swimming and athletes taking part.

The same for Matt Baker...he's covered the gymnastics for a good few years on the bbc and was a junior gymnast himself.

People need to give these, especially Clare, a bit more credit here and actually look at there involvement prior to these Olympics.

Well, Matt may have covered the gymnastics but he isn't very good at it!

[Doghouse Riley]

Originally Posted by penelopesimpson

Probably a bit radical, but wouldn't it have been a good move for Sky and ITV to send some sports presenters to the BBC just for the Olympics?

Doubt it, I bet it's "daggers drawn" in sports coverage.

Anyway, I think the BBC believe they have presenters and commentators enough. In a recession, I don't think they should be dragging in more people than necessary, so if some of "those on the payroll" have to cover unfamiliar events because there aren't enough experienced people then I don't mind.
We mainly only comment on here when they say something daft. So not that often given the amount of coverage.
To be honest it's about the only time I take much notice of them. Cram, Edwards and Foster, will get a lot of muting by me next week as they talk far too much.

[atrevers]

It's probably been said already, but I personally couldn't care less who's presenting or providing analysis - with the caveat that I expect them to at least understand the basic rules and nuances of the sports they are discussing. That applies especially to the round up programmes such as those at breakfast time or late evening - it only takes a 1 page crib sheet to give people the basics before they start forming and communicating opinions on performances. If the preparation is not there, then it makes the entire discussion pointless - I've witnessed several examples of this in the last few days, and I expect better from the worlds biggest (and some would say best) broadcaster.

[Meldrewman]

Originally Posted by mikw

As you say, it's only a joke.

It seems that -thanks to internet forums- we're not allowed to have presenters telling jokes any more.


Luckily not everyone thinks the same. When the canoeing gold happened plenty of people on Facebook posting the joke as a "catch-all" for what happened.

My issue wasn't/isn't with the joking - it's with the way in which Gary Lineker seems to have set himself up as punner-in-chief - without the quailty of pun to back that up!

[redvers36]

Originally Posted by Doghouse Riley

The problem for commentators is that they can actually run out of things to say amongst all the notes in front of them, then "the brain takes over" and we know how dangerous that can be.

Like just now, when Clare Balding said; "Steph Proud was ninth fastest, so will miss out on the final, unless someone drops out."

"What are the chances of that happening?"

Actually someone did tonight ( Le Clos) to concentrate on another event...

[redvers36]

Originally Posted by Ads

Hugh Porter struggled a bit with the earlier outside events but he is terrific commentating on cycling events in the velodrome. A great mixture of authority and sheer joy on what he's watching.

I have enjoyed his commnetaries over the years as his love for his sport is infectious. But I think that his grip is now slipping a bit and the road race commentary was of a much lower standard than he would have done in the past.

[Doghouse Riley]

Originally Posted by redvers36

Actually someone did tonight ( Le Clos) to concentrate on another event...

He opted out of a final?

I wouldn't have imagined that.

Which one?

[ftv]

Originally Posted by penelopesimpson

Probably a bit radical, but wouldn't it have been a good move for Sky and ITV to send some sports presenters to the BBC just for the Olympics?

I'm sure Adrian Chiles would be very welcome at the BBC

[davie1924]

On BBC3 before the last 2 Tean GB games some nomark called Jake? (I think) has referred to the Team as "England". And Hansen, the Scot and the vastly over exposed Welshman Savage, haven't the balls to pull him up about it.

[Meldrewman]

Originally Posted by ftv

I'm sure Adrian Chiles would be very welcome at the BBC

Did you forget the emoiticon

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by ftv

I'm sure Adrian Chiles would be very welcome at the BBC

And perhaps ITV would have been good enough to have offered Christine Bleakley to do some of the interviews with members of the visiting public instead of Helen Skelton. I'm sure that the BBC would have jumped at the chance to employ her again,

[lundavra]

Originally Posted by davie1924

On BBC3 before the last 2 Tean GB games some nomark called Jake? (I think) has referred to the Team as "England". And Hansen, the Scot and the vastly over exposed Welshman Savage, haven't the balls to pull him up about it.

If that is the only mistake in many hours of live broadcasting then I think they have done well.