Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
15 October 2010
10:2075094But did anybody watch any of it?? Was anybody interested in it at all??
It rambled on all day long on our BBC television channels, oceans and oceans of coverage for 11 or more days, all at huge expense and all consuming great chunks of your licence fee. What we saw were obscure sports, like hockey etc, playing their games to rows and rows of empty blue stadium seats..what on earth made the BBC think any of this was worth covering. Yet all day long we had ever interchanging presenters, with added 'expert' panellists ( 'scuse me while I stifle a yawn at this point), on our livingroom Tv's and yes all day it went on, and of course at even further expense to us put-upon taxpayers. The presenters and 'experts' (neither come cheap) were on a nice little earner!
Dont get me wrong...Im a sports fan. Glued to the box during the sure fire winning World Cup was I, but not for this. First of all the Commonwealth has no real significance on the world stage in any shape or form anymore, and less so as a configuration for sports..a few countries win the medals and the rest just turn up.
At the end of the whole dreary affair they presented the flag of continuance to Glasgow who are up next on the list to do the thing.
So Glasgow and Scotland will lose shedloads of money and the gobsmackingly dopey BBC will cover it ad nauseum again to rows and rows of yet more empty seats, and yet more empty livingroom armchairs.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
15 October 2010
10:2475096I did not notice they were even on. But then that was the same for the Olympics and I was wondering what all the St Georges flags were about during the world cup (found out that was one because I asked someone about the flags)...
Sport for me is THE big bore.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
15 October 2010
11:3075102didn't even watch any of the highlights, i think the bbc show it as they have lost so much serious sport and the commonwealth games are very cheap to screen.
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
15 October 2010
11:3375105Maybe they`re getting too much licence money?
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
15 October 2010
14:2275121Caught a bit the other day but before that didn't know they were on.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
15 October 2010
14:3875124Quite right, PaulB, the Common Wealth means nothing, and the name is deceiving. It is a family occasion, really, I mean 'the family'!
The name Common Wealth had some meaning in the first half of the 16th century with the Church reform in England, but was never put into practice. The money and silver plates from the monasteries went to the king and his top allies, such as Thomas Cromwell, and the people who depended on monastery economy, including many sick and ill people, were tossed out on the street or laid redundant.
A common wealth would mean a common sharing of wealth, and not a family occasion, such as Henry VIII made it
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
15 October 2010
18:2975137As we can see the oul CommonWealth Games failed to raise a heart murmer of enthusiasm, failed to raise a glimmer of excitement amongst the great unwashed....either here in the UK or globally. I myself am one of those great unwashed..well I wash at Christmas to give those close to me a treat, who could ask for more than that!
but I didnt either tune in or turn on.
But what irks me most is the way the BBC are spending our money. Clearly market research would tell you that saturation coverage at great expense for such an event isnt called for....not anymore.
Gosh do they know how to waste money. Huge executive salaries, over-inflated salaries to their so called stars...who can forget Jonathan Ross and the 12 million, and yet they the BBC ask for more money from the beleagured taxpayer.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,706
15 October 2010
19:0675145Paul you are wrong about the significance of the Commonwealth Games, for many of the sports that are featured it is the closest they get to a World Championship so for them it is a big deal.
The problem in Delhi was not a lack of interest in the games but smotheringly over zealous security which meant many people struggled to get in to the stadia.
Some of the competition was devalued due to high profile athletes not turning up, but overall the level of competition was high with some great and memorable moments (India winning the women's 4x400m gold, India v Pakistan in the Hockey, the Kenyans destroying the field in numerous long distance races, David Millar winning gold in the cycling time trial, Daly and Brick winning gold in the pairs diving and so on). The Opening and Closing Ceremonies were truly spectacular and a great credit to the Indian people.
It was great that the BBC covered it, though maybe they went a bit too far in terms of staff etc.
Clearly a number of our posters have little or no idea what the Commonwealth of Nations (currently 54 members) is all about - I suggest you have a read of this
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
15 October 2010
19:2275146Ross, I will read through the links, there is a lot to go through, it will take time. Presently I' writing an article on unhealthy fast-food diets and sugary drinks, to edit on the Web may-be tomorrow.
But concerning sport competitions, there are so many of them, and so many kinds of sport, that I think the ancient Greeks were more practical by far, with a relatively limited number of competitions, with less individual kinds of sport, and more exciting.
But with e.u., efta, u.n., world trade agreements, charitees, globalisation, as well as the world cup and the European cup, and the cricket opens and tennis tornees at Wimbledon, and grey-hound pushing and car-racing and ... so much more ... the commonwealth games just seem ... superfluous! As many empty seats probably attested to!
I mean, there were may-be more athletes (and BBC commentaters) than spectators, or nearly!
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,883
15 October 2010
19:2475147All I will say is I dislike sport so found the BBC coverage way over the top. Why the BBC assume that the British public want sport saturation whenever there is a major? event beats me. Speaking for myself I would much prefer to watch almost anything else.
Will there be anything else on TV when the 2012 lot start or do I have to go into TV hibernation.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
15 October 2010
19:2675148You might as well bury the TV in the garden, Jan!
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
16 October 2010
08:2775179There are 2 strands to my reply
1; On the issue of the games, sadly the winners of staging the event had poor publicty about how sad safe, and how prepared they were to stage the event, certainly appeared very laid back in there preperation for the event, but thats there usual way of working.
On the event itself I did watch some of it and enjoyed some realy good events such as(table tennis, badminton, boxng, and athletics.)
So the stands were empty because probably some of the poor adverts being put out about the organisation.
Was the event worth it?
Well many British and other athletes that did take part thought so.
The second strand is that of sport on TV in general
For non sport lovers like barryw and others It must be a pain so much ie footy live,
boxng,( two flies racing up a wall lol) seems to be 24 hour over the weekend.
I'm a sports lover, but it must be a pain to those that are not.
by the way Dover at home today see you all at crabble 3pm
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
16 October 2010
08:4775182I love horse racing and wish there was more of it on telly, and I loathe soaps and pseud-docs like "watchdog" appears to be: tabloid telly cloaked in a transparent veneer of social responsibility - so we can't please everyone!! My Old Man loves the athletics and was very pleased it was on - I am just glad telly isn'y my "thing" as I would have been bored even more witless than usual! Give me the radio and a day at the races anytime!
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
16 October 2010
11:3975204I've enjoyed watching the Commonweath Games occasionally on the Big Screen in Dover, there have been quite a few spectators viewing in Market Square
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
16 October 2010
16:0775218Ah now Barry W-S yer pullin' me leg!
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
16 October 2010
18:0275222paulb
the few times watched a few races on big screen there were a few others watchng
couldnt find the volume switch lol
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 October 2010
19:5975247the screen is till the best place to find out what's on in east kent.
saves money on advertising for the various councils and various voluntary bodies.
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
17 October 2010
15:2375292PaulB there were, Promise
Guest 690- Registered: 10 Oct 2009
- Posts: 4,150
17 October 2010
15:3175294The trouble is though Howard, you`ll have to stand and watch all the other crap that goes with it, as well as have an awful lot of patience to wait for the info you`re after. I reckon on fly poster`s at strategic location`s. I`ve said it over many times, people just aren`t interested in that big screen, it`s an absolute waste of time and money.
Tell them that I came, and no one answered.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
17 October 2010
16:3575303On the big screen, It can be put to good use.
It's up to the owners to use it to its full potential
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
