Thu 24 May 2012 | 
Winter Olympics let down by Nine and Foxtel
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Enlarge textThe dumbing down of big sporting events happens when TV networks don't do them the justice they deserve, writes The Finktank.
It seems Eddie McGuire, Nine, and Foxtel have left their Winter Olympics expertise in the locker room [GETTY]
- 18 Comments | Join the discussion
There's been some hullabaloo in the media about Eddie McGuire making a crack about the sexuality of Johnny Weir, an American figure skater, during Nine's Winter Olympics coverage.
This was the offending exchange with comedian Mick Molloy:
"They don't leave anything in the locker room those blokes," said Molloy, referring to Weir's choice of costume, a typically garish figure-skating job.
Cue McGuire to lean forward and guffaw: "They don't leave anything in the closet either, do they?"
Boom tish. Slap your thighs.
But why such an outcry? What did viewers expect from Nine's line up of talent? Insight? Erudition? Expertise?
Nine, a boys' club if ever there is one in TV, has a rich history of using commentators with bugger-all knowledge of what they're asked to cover.
Look at their Vancouver line up of "experts": the aforementioned McGuire; Ken Sutcliffe, who's famous for calling Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek "Tim Verbeek"; Leila McKinnon, wife of David Gyngell; former nude centerfold Cameron Williams; news reporters Damian Ryan and Peter Stefanovic; two swimmers in Grant Hackett and Giaan Rooney; AFL commentator James Brayshaw; NRL compere Andrew Voss; and jacks-of-all-trades Mike McCann, Tony Jones, Tim Gilbert and Tim Sheridan.
The only recognisable Winter Olympics expertise I can identify among the lot is Alisa Camplin, Steven Lee, Steve Bradbury, Jay Onley, Roger White, Carla Zijlstra, Belinda Noonan and Phil Liggett. Eight out of 22 on-air presenters. Hardly overwhelming.
This is the best they could muster?
Well, perhaps we should thank our lucky stars if Foxtel's complementary line up is anything to go by: former Nine talking haircut Steve Liebmann; song torturer Michael Bublé; renowned Aussie Rules boundary rider Tiffany Cherry; failed Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington; do-anything utilities Tracy Holmes, Adam Peacock, Sarah
Jones and James Bracey; and, wait for it, celebrity lesbian Ruby Rose.
I'm still scratching my head at that one. Not an expert among them. What a slap in the face to such a huge and important event.
But worse it's disrespectful to the audience, who deserve better than an Australian network just throwing together whoever's available and hoping nobody notices.
The thing is they have. The game is up. The chattering classes are chattering on Facebook, Twitter, elsewhere on the net, and they don't like it. Australians are getting sick of having big sporting events (the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 2010 Winter Olympics) treated with what I regard as contempt.
The Facebook group "Eddie Mcguire [sic] is ruining the 2010 Winter Olympics coverage" had 200 members late on Thursday. At time of writing, Friday afternoon, it had 4150.
In fact, we're heartily sick of it. A wonderful event of the magnitude and majesty of the Winter Olympics doesn't deserve such dumbing down.
The opportunity to broadcast the Olympics is a privilege to educate, illuminate and inspire, not a chance to pull a big swifty.
Nine and Foxtel just don't seem to grasp that basic concept.
:: For more Fink musings on the big issues in football, check out Half-time Orange on The World Game.
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Comments (18)
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02 May 2010 18:32 AEST
From: Paddington
blog
not working on this blog anymore?
09 Apr 2010 15:46 AEST
From: Wolumla NSW 2550
Immigration
Friday, April 09, 2010 To: Hon Wilson Tuckey MP, Hon Tony Abbott MP. Liberal Party Leader, Hon Kevin Rudd PM, Mike Kelly MP, Parliament House, Canberra, ACT and Australian News Media Dear Mr Tuckey and Mr Tony “Blame Game “Abbott “Wilson Tuckey’s terrorist comments and Tony Abbotts Present “Blame Game” Tactics are nothing more than an attempt to revive the White Australia Policy Again in another format” Wilson Tuckey’s statements, “That people seeking asylum and attempting to im
23 Mar 2010 12:35 AEST
From: Sydney
stuff
forget the big networks - look at ABC's Gerard Wheatley's piece on the Winter Olympics - a very narrow minded view of what are very big sports in other parts of the world.
01 Mar 2010 15:10 AEST
From: waverly
skating fan
I have found it agony constantly being subjected to the negativity of Belinda Noonan's cruel comments which have flowed constantly and relentlously from her poisonous mouth.The beauty of the ice dance can hardly be appreciated with her awful commentary continually interrupting our enjoyment of this magical sport. Heaven help the poor people she coaches! Really is this the best FOXTEL can do!!!
24 Feb 2010 10:39 AEST
From: Toowoomba
50/50 Call
I'm torn but I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one Jesse. While I do agree that the quality of some of the commentators leaves a lot to be desired, the suggestion that sports people are better able to actually front a broadcast doesn't make sense. The journalists are supposed to be trained to do that job, not the sports people. If you really believe what you've written, then surely you need to quit your job immediately as I am unaware of any top level sporting experience on your part that qualifies you to register an opinion.
24 Feb 2010 0:36 AEST
From: Karratha
Eddie McGuire
What an insult for these professional Winter Olypians having Eddie McGuire as a so called expert mommentator. It is on an equal par to having Australias top restuarants judged by a person, whos only qualification is a McDonalds VIP sticker.
22 Feb 2010 22:44 AEST
From: sydney
Totally Agree--Nine's coverage is terrible
Australia deserves better. The viewers deserve better. I would rather watch paint dry then the crap they are showing on TV. Terrible, Terrible. Terrible.
21 Feb 2010 20:44 AEST
From: Sydney
Channel 9
Channel 9 only care about Cricket & Rugby League.
21 Feb 2010 16:00 AEST
From: Sydney
You're wrong..
Jesse you're normally fairly right, but this time you are way off. Why don't you disect this a little bit. Who would you like to call a 1000m race? I know, how about someone who knows how to call with some help and insight from an expert. That seems to be the case in both the skating sports that I'm watching. (I believe there are two skating arenas) What about the Skiing? Same case. I hear a british caller with expert advice from one of the few experts we have. What about the snow boarding. Same thing! So about the presenters. Are you saying Channel Nine should have expert athletes running the studio stuff? Or perhaps they should use the ones they already employ. How else would you do it Jesse? Seriously, you haven't thought this through.
21 Feb 2010 14:49 AEST
From: Melbourne
Eddies homophobic comments
Eddie Maguire is a homophobic idiot & should keep his yobo comments for football...he made a mockery of a beautiful sport and I was VERY OFFENDED.. ..channel 9 stuffed up and he should be made responsible a person in his position shouldve known better..too late damage done ! no use trying to be humble now.... as for Mick ... the POOFTER word was used in a half witted skit..now that is very offensive.....not funny.....stick to what you know...lame comedy!!!! Channel 9 scores a huge coverage and is that the best you can come up with....this is not the Footy Show...lift your game.....
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The Finktank is more of what you've come to expect from Jesse Fink, The World Game's enfant terrible, but with a bent on the big issues in sport. No sport, no personality, no subject, is off limits.
Jesse Fink Jesse Fink is one of Australia's most popular football writers and sports columnists. He is the author of the book 15 Days in June: How Australia Became a Football Nation (Hardie Grant, $29.95) and writes twice a week as "Half-Time Orange" for The World Game and weekly for ESPN Star Sports in Singapore. He lives in Sydney.
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