BBC olympic coverage

Can anyone explain why the Paralympics have to be so long after the Olympics, surely it would be more logical to have them running straight after the main events. They seem to be looked on as "second best"

i put my name forward to be a volunteer but didn't have enough leave from work left and family weddings taking precedence, so had to withdraw my offer (not sure if I would have been accepted anyway). I too felt a bit cheated at missing out on most of the action when I was at work all day, thank goodness for twitter feeds!

I was away in Austria last week and although we had Satellite TV, I watched the Austrian commentary. They had hardly anybody anywhere near a gold medal(Being used to winning Winter gold medals)- and they were laid back but knowledgable about the athletes. One let out a few ironic jokes about 'Team GB' and there was a lot who felt that athletes from other countries - which is what the Olympic Games is all about, were ignored and had to fight against the roars of the crowd. I preferred the Austrian commentary to the BBC, and got more of a feeling that it was a world event.

I am surprised how much I have enjoyed the olympics and the questions it has brought up like the sale of sports fields, which affected my children. My grandchildren have been luckier.

I remember how when I was young we never won anything and I used to get so depressed. But as I never had any intention of doing anything myself in the sporty line I can't think why... but winning things has been lovely.

Did anyone else get infuriated by the commentary and camera work on the modern pentathlon? there were Brits in it, but we only got shown the leader, and eventual second, Mr Chou (sp??) running through the park all on his own. Called Uncle Chou by the rest of the Chinese team - as the commentators repeatedly told us, instead of telling us anything about anyone else - because he was all of 30 . Poor old sod. His legs weren't up to it.

Ah! I didn't know that

Not only those, trishs, but the news that local councils will be able to fix their own criteria for council tax benefit is going to cause some controversy and annoyance.

also.... falseeconomy.org.uk/cuts/sectors/type/sport

I agree with Barrow. What particularly annoys me is that when the News & weather is finally allowed its slot (often at some peculiar non-usual time)they show all the same coverage of the Olympics! The terrible events in Syria and the mind-blowing achievements on Mars get pushed right down the running order and then often get minimal coverage! I'm also concerned about some of the disturbing home news which is being nicely lost because of the games coverage, very convenient for the government. I can't even remember some of these because they have barely been mentioned, but I know that the government's decision to allow non-qualified teaching staff in the schools which have become Academies is one such, and the fact that the much criticised Atos has been granted the contract for assessing the PIPs! I see troubled times ahead when all the Olympic hoo-haa is finally over.

..... and continuing on from my original comment... why do really interesting facts about previous athletes, races, records etc etc, have to be presented with accompanying music and graphics? They are unnecessary, inappropriate, distracting and thoroughly irritating.

Buty why do some of them continue to use the word 'medal' as a verb!! Such as 'he's medaling'. The first time I heard it I wondered what he was meddling in!

gracesmum; that's what we've been saying for a couple of days. Reckon it's one of two things [or a combination of both]. That Gary Lineker isn't the nice chap off screen that he is on and that Ian Thorpe really wants to be at the swimming pool. Gary Lineker didn't do the golf coverage for very long because he didn't get on with Peter Alliss et al. This is only stuff that I've heard third hand so I'm not saying I'm right, though, but the Thorpegate stuff has reinforced it. Although, as Thorpe seems to be on the telly 24/7 he's perhaps a bit tired and grouchy. I do love him, though, and will miss him when the Games are over. Thorpe, Foster [sigh] and Clare won the Independant 'vote' for the best presenters so far. they scored [I think] 9. Matt Baker, who was covering the gymnastics got [get this ] 6.5.

Night all!

Couldn't agree more!( but even I couldn't help but watch Mo!

At last I have found someone else who is not an Olympoholic!
I am patriotic but not a bit sporty , I have a lot of respect for the athletes but with so many repeats of repeats not to mention all the news on TV and radio being totally dominated with sport I am longing for it to be finished!

Am I alone in sensing an atmosphere between Gary Linneker and Ian Thorpe? On 2 occasions Gary has said something and Thorpe has responded quite sharply implying the great G is talking less than wisdom. I like Ian Thorpe and enjoyed his partnership with Mark Foster and Clare Balding, but this is a different atmosphere. I am no particular fan of Gary L, but they are definitely rubbing each other up the wrong way!

I'm not a sports fan but DH is big time and he tries not too bore me but he does LOVE the athletics particularly having been a very good runner in his day (think Chariots of Fire era) so I have been watching the Olympics and trying to get interested but sorry nothing happening for me. Its been a week now - pleeeeeeeeeeese can I watch something else except repeats. I am watching Twenty Twelve all through on BT VIsion which is very funny and my DS has turned into Kay Hope and I have turned into Sally the secretary when chtting on the phone to each other. I didnt enjoy the opening ceremony - not a big fan of musical dancing nurses and minors etc and I am not watching the closing ceremony. How to get DH to go out next Friday night that is the question - or is it perhaps I can get a Ladies night at Wetherspoons organised!!!

Well, her father and brother train/trained racehorses for the Queen so she's a bit on the posh side. I don't think she'd be head girl material, though as she's very self effacing. Her dad trained one of the greatest racehorses ever [Mill Reef] and her Uncle Toby trained a couple of Grand National winners. We've spoken to her on the racetrack but that's nothing unusual because most people in racing are very friendly and approachable, one exception possibly [and surprisingly] being Frankie Dettori. I suppose sometimes something will happen that changes your perception of someone and, for me it was when a favourite racehorse died and, having written to her I got a lovely letter back. She was also very pleased that I'd thanked her for handling the broadcast that day so well [she'd only just started out on the telly]. She's one of those people that I'd put in the bracket of 'I'd be happy to sit in a pub and have a jolly good natter with'.

Apparently it's an acronym for What You See is What you Get - and don't ask me why it isn't WYSIWYG! I'm getting a bit exasperated by all these internet acronyms...

There is something rather 'jolly hockeysticks' about Claire Balding's voice. Too much like a head girl. I bet she was head girl at her school. Now I've dated myself because I don't know whether schools still have head girls when everything is co-educational.
What does WISIWYG mean?

Mishap the tennis has certainly been on today on BBC 3. Fantastic matches with Federer and then Andy Murray and wotsisface. Brilliant, but not as good as the BBC coverage of Wimbledon. You could really tell the difference.

So far the Olympics have been so exciting and almost not enough time to watch it all, we switch from one channel to another, today tennis, sailing, Heptathlon, swimming,and so on, everything else at home gets forgotten!
Some of the coverage appears biased but overall, I am enjoying the commentators, and Clare Balding is delightful. Come on Team GB

our family like Clare B.. she comes across as normal and human ..WISIWYG!

The DGC have all got excited by the Olympics and enjoyed watching all the events and DGD1 is almost bursting with excitement about our trip to Eton Dorney on Monday! Hooray for the Olympics.. just wish they could be done without so much expenditure!

And wasn't he sensational when he took his shirt off in Strictly!

Down girl!!

She doesn't work for the BBC; she's a freelance. They don't have to use her if they don't want to. I'd love Clare to come back full time to racing and I'm hoping she'll join Channel 4 when they take over completely as the BBC have stopped showing horse racing. gracesmum; not an ounce of fat...oooer. And that steely grey hair. Oh my ....