I know the Olympics aren’t over, but I can’t help but contrast the coverage the swimmers and gymnasts have received over that received by the shooters (both guns and archery).
We all know what Phelps, Ledecky, Biles, et al have done, but what have you heard about Rhode, Cogdell, Thrasher, Ellison (Archery).
The first gold was Virginia Thrasher in air rifle. She only got covered because it was the first gold by a US athlete, interview HERE. She missed the small bore rifle final by 2 points.
Ellison and Team USA won a silver medal in archery, and Ellison won a bronze in the individual competition. Did that get any MSM coverage? Or rate a prime time interview? Crickets…
Kim Rhode got a little coverage, because she’s now won a medal in SIX Olympics, but did anyone hear about Carey Cogdell winning the bronze in trap?
I didn’t think so…
HERE is one interview with Kim Rhode.
But the online write up does all it can to minimize Rhode’s achievements, IMHO…
Rhode set all sorts of Olympic longevity benchmarks.
Rhode is the first athlete to win an individual medal at six straight Summer Olympics. Italian luger Armin Zoeggeler has done so in the Winter Games.
Many would argue that a shooter doing this is far less impressive than, say, a gymnast or a swimmer.
(snip)
One can argue Rhode’s accomplishment doesn’t equate to Michael Phelps winning four straight 200m individual medleys, or Usain Bolt’s triple-triple bid, or the long winning streaks of judoka Teddy Riner or wrestlers Saori Yoshida or Kaori Icho.
But at least recognize what it took for Rhode to get here.
The full article is on the NBC Olympics site HERE, just take your BP meds before you read it… sigh
According to some reports, NBC ‘structured’ it’s Olympic coverage to appeal to women, which meant ‘soft’ stories (whatever that is), and grouping the main events, even if delayed to nighttime watching…
In other words, no negative stories, like the hate and discontent with the Israeli athletes, including not being allowed on buses with the Lebanese, having muslim athletes refuse to compete against them, etc. Where is the coverage of that??? Or broader coverage of the Russian doping scandal?
It’s pretty bad when the ‘agenda’ being pushed is more important than actually giving fair coverage to the Olympics.
Sigh…
I suspect the ‘modern’ Olympics have always been political.
More evident now with the instant news cycle.
gfa
NBC progs are very politically correct…nobody cover Lochte being robbed at gunpoint in Rio on NBC or discussed the security lapses.
I underscores why I don’t trust them to report faithfully on anything.
The politically correct news-weasels at NBC could take the fun out of Christmas (and they will, if they get a chance). I’ve spent less time watching this Olympics than I ever have before, simply because the talking heads have taken all the joy out of it.
If they told me it the sun was shining, I’d take a flashlight and an umbrella before I went outdoors.
+1
Suz
Did anyone really expect NBC (or any other media outlet) to do things differently? And they’ll never, EVER make the connection between their “soft”, politically-correct coverage and the abysmally-low ratings the coverage is getting. They simply can’t conceive the notion that their point of view is wrong, so they’ll remain mystified as their ratings spiral downward & the financial losses skyrocket.
Notice too that neither Mullah Obama nor Hil-LIAR-y have said a single word about these people’s Olympic accomplishments. Rather than lower themselves to praise those folks, Mullah Obama keeps on playing golf, with a 13 handicap, making him a fair to middling mediocre player, and Hil-LIAR-y just keeps on lying about anything that comes to her totally fucked up mind.
But, what else can we expect from those tow assholes?
+1
The Olympics have always been used to promote one political agenda or another. Think back to the when USSR competed against the USA – the pressure to win must have been of truly monumental proportions. Reporting on the Olympics was equally poor, with some events such as firearms, as many participant countries outlawed gun ownership entirely, being completely overlooked. Fencing is another good example, although fencing is not a spectator sport unless you know what’s going on and why.
Still, I agree with you that the whole mess has been whitewashed with PC paint and sterilized so as not to offend anyone who isn’t old, white and male. Who cares if the old white men get pissed off? They should have been beaten to death in Milwaukee.
All- Thanks for the comments, MJ it goes back even further… To the 1920s and Douglas MacArthur heading up the USOC… sigh
Posted from my iPhone.
The IOC pushes this world unity crap but does or says nothing when the Israeli athletes are blocked from the bus by the Lebanese.
I only watch because my wife watches