Thoughts

[jjdoe]

Here's my rant for the night... I really HATE that there is so little skating on TV these days. And in an Olympic year! An hour of men, and hour of ladies, and no pairs or dance. Criminal! (and no downhill skiing on cable??!).  Yet there are many sports channels, some with only one brand. I can't believe there are fewer people watching competitive skating than there are watching fishing and such. I guess skating charges too much, and is harder to find sponsors? I'd guess that more women buy the things advertised than men buy fishing lures and gear!

It's finally sinking in that Lipinski and Weir will be commentating for the Oly games, too. UGH! They aren't bad as announcers, but they both repulse me. Tara was like a spinning pencil on the ice. A little kid with no grace, style, emotion - except that giggly smile and more spins. Her Oly medal was a low point for the sport, for me. Poor Michelle. Everything I loved in skating, but she never got her Oly prize. The pressure seemed too much? And Weir is just too creepy! Marilyn Manson on ice. (I stopped watching Men's about 8 years ago. I don't relate to them like I do the Ladies, whose emotional side gets to me. I do like Pairs and Dance as much as Ladies. And let me insult Asians, too. The best skaters, but I don't feel any emotion in or from their skating. If it's there, it goes right over my cultural head)

And of all things. Formula One racing is the 2nd biggest sport in the world, and niche in the States. I tuned in for qualifying last week for the US GP. This is a big event for this country! What I saw was the last half hour of curling. Yes - CURLING! They showed the first half hour of F1 qualifying - the least interesting part, and skipped the last hour. Then they showed women's curling. I know - one niche sport eclipsing another. But I've never seen curling on TV, outside of the Olympics. I like my sports more on the edge!

[sarahspins]

But I've never seen curling on TV, outside of the Olympics. I like my sports more on the edge!

I've seen curling in person.. I promise it's not any more exciting right in front of you than it is on TV

[ONskater74]

Curling ranks up there with televised chess and 5 pin bowling with preschoolers.

[taka]

When the European championships were in the UK (2012) the BBC showed a highlights show of the event. In Scotland it got moved to a later time slot than the rest of the UK as they wanted to show bowls then instead! At least curling has ice involved!

Skating is either buried on the BBC red button or BBC website only and that is for the world championships only. Everything else is via Eurosport which is a subscription channel. Even on that skating often gets bumped for other sports - Tennis especially.

[AgnesNitt]

I've seen curling in person.. I promise it's not any more exciting right in front of you than it is on TV

I lived in Duluth MN in the 70's, when the US won the Silver Broom. 2 AM and you want to go to a bar after a party? Curling bar's still open and a couple of games on the ice. I never tried it though.

[Qarol]

I thought I was the only one who hated Lipinski. As a skater and now as an announcer. 

[rachelplotkin]

I thought I was the only one who hated Lipinski. As a skater and now as an announcer. 

You are definitely not alone in this.

[PinkLaces]

I thought I was the only one who hated Lipinski. As a skater and now as an announcer. 

I don't like her much either,

[Schmeck]

I was not impressed by Lipinski or Weir as commentators. Wier was too self-absorbed; Lipinski needs to take some lessons in grammar. I think Kwan would have been more eloquent and more knowledgeable. Since Lipinski was a notorious pre-rotator of some of her triple jumps, it was very ironic to hear her pick the skaters' jump techniques apart.

[4711]

as much as Weir creeps me out, he is an improvement over Hamilton.
And Lipinsky over that other lady who seemed to only find her voice as the music started....(but both look just weird...)

I hear you on the coverage though.
Guess it's the World Champion, and nobody gets to watch it.
I was flabberghasted that the Ladies Long was LIVE! And the Hockey game.....

But yeah, you get Bowling....heck, one time I saw what I assume was a rousing game of 'Magic, the Gathering' on ESPN.... over stuff like, uh, horseback riding, soccer, track/field, pretty much anything actively moving, normally viewed as 'popular' in other parts of the world.
Skating is really missing out, they really didn't work the Gracy Gold angle (I do believe that was since last year's Nationals)
Have they gotten too greedy in the hay day with the price to sell the rights?

[ChristyRN]

Lipinski was pretty much a one-and-done. Did not like her skating. It's like a lot of the 15 year old that are being touted as the future. She was hyper-critical of the skaters as I watched today. Couldn't stand it, but at least she wasn't obnoxiously loud over the music and JW wasn't overly excitable like Hamilton was. Although I did like JW's necklace today. 

[4711]

Although I did like JW's necklace today. 

What, not his tiara? 

[Lola]

I'm only getting to the replay of the ladies' free skate from yesterday, and I'm playing it on the NBC app.  Until now, I've been treated to the Eurosport commentators, whom I love (no accounting for taste). 

So I'm a few skaters into this broadcast with Lipinski and Weir, and am really not digging them (again, no accounting for taste).  Their comments border on dismissive, especially of these skaters who are not near the medals, and then it's as if they catch themselves piling on and throw in something neutral or (gasp!) complimentary. 

Here's hoping they get to hear themselves at some point and improve.  They might be around for a while, based on other reviews I've read.