Petition to ABC/ESPN

[Peggy]

After listening to Terry Gannon talk through Evan's free skate, I think we need to send a petition to ABC/ESPN to have him muzzled. I would like to see the Americans skate without him talking about stuff that has nothing to do with the skater. Doesn't he understand how rude he is???

 

[emma]

can we tell them that we HATE the sky-cam thing too????

 

[katty52]

I'm not a regular poster here I just love to read more then ever but I did e-mail ABC after Nationals and of course I got no response but I told them that the sky cam was a joke and that I felt like we lost connection with all programs because we couldn't see the emotion the skaters was putting into the program. As for the talking I would gladly sign. After listening to Eurosport and watching it on the Russian tv it's such a pleasure to not to have to deal with the chatter. My 2 cents worth.

 

[carebearonacid]

omg i totally agree!!! it is sooooo annoying and even in brian's free skate he was like "for anyone that follows these things brian isnt dating miss france anymore"... no one cares!!! oh my goodness the way they talk through EVERYones skating drives me nuts. i think evan deserves more respect than that... and when i was watching it from another station from outside the US the guy shutup and only said "that was a triple lutz triple toe" then shut his trap... i think acb/espn think that they need to have somone talking at all times to keep an american persons interest but i think not

 

[Eeyora]

How about more skating coverage in general.

 

[Blade1]

can we tell them that we HATE the sky-cam thing too????

The coverage that everyone is watching, is from Russia TV. The actual "feeds" of what we see have all be provided by Russian TV, therefore I don't think its ESPN OR ABC's fault for the skycam. I have to agree, its VERY ANNOYING, and with the coverage on CBC, there are times I'd like to actually see the ENTIRE SKATER rather than just half their body. Especially in the pairs....

I am just happy that we recieved the coverage we did, 2 hours of skating each night all this week. Thank-You CBC - I have to be thankful for that.

 

[brad640]

I want to petition ESPN to fly Dick Button to Moscow in time for the ladies' final. Peter is okay, but Dick is a legendary commentator and he always adds to the competition. I love hearing what he has to say, and I especially love it when someone does well and he goes crazy for them. New commentators like Peter are so nervous about saying the right thing that they forget to watch what's happening on the ice. Then Terry gets nervous that no one is talking and he rushes in to fill the silence with nonsense. When Dick is there he keeps Terry focused on the skating and there is much less blabber.

 

[Doggygirl]

ITA with you and also Carebearon acid!!

I'm not a regular poster here I just love to read more then ever but I did e-mail ABC after Nationals and of course I got no response but I told them that the sky cam was a joke and that I felt like we lost connection with all programs because we couldn't see the emotion the skaters was putting into the program. As for the talking I would gladly sign. After listening to Eurosport and watching it on the Russian tv it's such a pleasure to not to have to deal with the chatter. My 2 cents worth.

The endless babble is even more annoying after experiencing other programming where pretty much the only comments during the skates are about the skates. I too did a HUGE roll eyes over the comment that Yagbert isn't dating Miss France anymore. That's not even worthly of inclusion in a fluff piece!!

DG

 

[Hikaru]

The endless babble is even more annoying after experiencing other programming where pretty much the only comments during the skates are about the skates. I too did a HUGE roll eyes over the comment that Yagbert isn't dating Miss France anymore. That's not even worthly of inclusion in a fluff piece!!

DG

I say bring Paul Wyllie! If you habe got to have someone talking, let it be at least someone that explains and talk about what the skaters are doing on the ice!

 

[childfreegirl]

I second the Wylie motion. I was really missing him last night. Give me his insights on COP instead of Gannon's fluffy comments any day.

 

[Sk8n Mama]

The coverage that everyone is watching, is from Russia TV

Just an FYI: we're stuck with the skycam here, too (Canada). I guess the Russian camerman don't know skating.

 

[RealtorGal]

can we tell them that we HATE the sky-cam thing too????

I agree! However, judging by a previous thread, it appears that many people actually like it. Go figure (no pun intended!)

 

[Tonichelle]

I want to petition ESPN to fly Dick Button to Moscow in time for the ladies' final. Peter is okay, but Dick is a legendary commentator and he always adds to the competition. I love hearing what he has to say, and I especially love it when someone does well and he goes crazy for them. New commentators like Peter are so nervous about saying the right thing that they forget to watch what's happening on the ice. Then Terry gets nervous that no one is talking and he rushes in to fill the silence with nonsense. When Dick is there he keeps Terry focused on the skating and there is much less blabber.

Legendary or not Dick is never fair or balanced in his commentary. Whomever *he* deems worthy of praise he gives even when they play zamboni... I much prefer Peter (can not believe I typed Terry and didn't notice it till just now!) who's mean to everyone LOL


As for Terry, ABC/ESPN put him in there for a reason. To keep talking... telling them to fire/shut him up will go unnoticed...


besides, Terry rules


(you know, if we complain too much on how they do their job, we'll get less coverage, not more)

 

[nicole_l]

I miss Dick.

 

[Frau Muller]

We Want Dick! We Want Dick!

I miss Dick Button so much! What the crap was ABC/ESPN network doing by keeping him out...and not the merest mention of why the INSTITUTION and ICON known as 'Uncle Dick' to all of us was not in Moscow.

What's worse...Christine Brennan was there. Maybe she was cheaper...her ticket's already covered by USA Today?

And what about the CRAPPY Low-Definition TV picture? I had to squint several time, when the picture became so fuzzy. Never was it anything close to sharp, as we see on Eurosport or even the ABC Nationals.

And why 15 minutes of documentary on the life of an everyday Russian family trying to send their kid to hockey classes? Must have been an outtake from ABC's 20/20...cheap to stick it in.

And...if I had one doller for the number of times that Hungarian (not Russian) violinist Edwin Marton's face was shown during the titles & pre-breaks, I'd be a millionaire! Must have been a cheapy video that ABC-ESPN pre-purchased & plugged in.

On the positive side: they didn't show the STOMP! noise-and-funk crap shown as a prelude to this yr's Nationals and last years Dortmund Worlds (as if STOMP relates to Germany).

 

[Hikaru]

I miss Dick Button so much! What the crap was ABC/ESPN network doing by keeping him out...and not the merest mention of why the INSTITUTION and ICON known as 'Uncle Dick' to all of us was not in Moscow.

What's worse...Christine Brennan was there. Maybe she was cheaper...her ticket's already covered by USA Today?

And what about the CRAPPY Low-Definition TV picture? I had to squint several time, when the picture became so fuzzy. Never was it anything close to sharp, as we see on Eurosport or even the ABC Nationals.

And why 15 minutes of documentary on the life of an everyday Russian family trying to send their kid to hockey classes? Must have been an outtake from ABC's 20/20...cheap to stick it in.

And...if I had one doller for the number of times that Hungarian (not Russian) violinist Edwin Marton's face was shown during the titles & pre-breaks, I'd be a millionaire! Must have been a cheapy video that ABC-ESPN pre-purchased & plugged in.

On the positive side: they didn't show the STOMP! noise-and-funk crap shown as a prelude to this yr's Nationals and last years Dortmund Worlds (as if STOMP relates to Germany).

I agree with having Uncle Dick instead of Brennan! enough we have to stand her at the nationals!

OTOH, I don't mind the many takes they had of Edvin Marton! They can put him there as many times as the want

 

[Ravyn Rant]

ITA with you all! I just about blew a gasket when Terry and Kimmie Meissner spent the entirety of Miki Ando's short program blathering on about nothing.
Oddly enough, though, I didn't miss Uncle Dick so much as I missed Paul Wylie.

 

[Oceanguy]

YEAH! Where was Dick?

I can barely stand Peter during his interviews, let alone commentate a major competition. Is there any word on why Dick wasn't there? I have to add also that I hate the entire grand prix and worlds were broadcast on espn rather than ABC! What's up with that??????
AB

 

[Rgirl]

I agree with citing the Kimmie Meisner interview during Miki Ando's SP as being rude and unsportsmanlike. However, as I said in another post, ABC/ESPN probably spent $75 to $100K on the skycam and I can tell you, they're keeping it. If people complain about it, it's a waste of time.

IMO, better to focus on the biggest problems: LACK OF SKATING COVERAGE. Dump the video tours of "here we are in Red Square" that take up five to 10 minutes of every broadcast. Either dump the fluff pieces or cut them to 30 seconds max. (We KNOW Sasha loves fashion and make-up, already! Geez!) and especially DON'T REPEAT THEM!

My biggest beefs are: (a) Show more skaters from different countries; and (b) reduce the chatter during the skates.

I suggest that we suggest, nicely, that ESPN study the CBC and Eurosport styles and learn to emulate them. Now that figure skating is on ESPN, treat it like an ESPN sport, not a ladies tea party. Don't say that last part, it will just make them mad. Well, okay, go ahead, let them know WE'RE MAD AS HELL AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!

We have other options, now, ESPN. Online feeds, international live TV, already those who live near the Canadian border watch CBC. Actually, who we should really e-mail is not ESPN but their advertisers. Too bad I don't know any, except Olay. I cut out all the commercials on my tape, lol.

Rgirl

 

[Mathman]

The advertisers. Well, let's see. One of the sponsored was Hooters restaurants. The ad featured one of the Hooters bimbos and Dick Vitale with a fishing pole.

Another was for a "male enhancement" product. It showed a twerpy guy nibbling on a little tiny sausage (before) and then the same guy full of spit and vinegar dancing with his wife (after).

I'll try to get the addresses to write to.

MM