Paralympic Games 2012

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

"All those who can, stand for the paralympic anthem."

Have they no respect for non-waterproof mascara?

[Loz]

I was still getting over Jon Snow's "A lot of athletes are here by accident..."

[red devil]

Bring back Trevor Nelson, all is forgiven...

[DJKillaQueen]

Why was all the music so miserable?

[Loz]

red devil Wrote:

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> Bring back Trevor Nelson, all is forgiven...

Nothing could be that bad. Not even getting Jessie J back.

[dulwichgirl2]

We want to go but are thrilled here are no tickets iyswim.

[LondonLogCo]

Hmmmmmmmm

How long did you manage of the opening ?

Honestly, I lasted about 10 mins. It was a snorefest

Umbrella?

What's an American song/singer got to do with the Paralympics

I finally keeled over at the breakdancing

However, I'm looking forward to the sports events proper

[red devil]

In theory the 'descriptive' running commentary was a good idea bearing in mind that these games are for people with disabilities, blindness being one. But in reality the commentary was awful.

I got as far as the Dutch team entering the stadium, upon which the camera panned to the crowd, in particular a rather exuberant orange clad Dutch lady supporter, whooping it up big time...the commentator said something along the lines of...

''And there is a rather excited Dutch supporter in the crowd, all dressed in orange, looking like a rather jolly...''...long pause, and then her co-commentator interjected...''orange!''...''yes, orange!'' she concurred...it was at that moment I forgave Trevor Nelson and went off to finish the SuDoko...were the fireworks any good?

[Loz]

red devil Wrote:

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> In theory the 'descriptive' running commentary was

> a good idea bearing in mind that these games are

> for people with disabilities, blindness being one.

> But in reality the commentary was awful.

The 'descriptive' running commentary was only on More4. What you got on Channel 4 was just 'poor' commentary. Has no one told Krishnan Guru-Murthy less is more?

[Applespider]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> Why was all the music so miserable?

Bits of it were quite poignant and sadly all the stuff on the CD is. I was really looking forward to getting hold of the music they used in the Athlete's Parade which was quite fast and dancey. I wanted to use at the gym after dancing to it for most of the parade.

[northlondoner]

Once viewers are taken to the actual sporting venue, the C4 coverage is great. But the pontificating in an anonymous studio - punctuated by the ads - robs it of the sense of international moment, conveyed by the Olympic coverage. The so-so presenting quality doesn;t help. Also, there is no clear sense of when you;re actually watching a live event. The presenter this morning on the main C4 channel threw "live" to a race at the stadium - yet I had seen that same race five minutes earlier on one of the red-button services. Disappointing.

[DJKillaQueen]

I agree North Londoner, and I think C4's lack of experience of covering live events is obvious to see. I was very disappointed to see adverts puntuating the opening ceremony for example. I do not think ITV would have done that. It's an odd one because many of the staff actually at the events, both technical and commentary are the same staff employed by the BBC and other channels to film and commentate on major sporting events. It's just the delivery of that from C4 itself that is poor.

[dulwichgirl2]

Yes all true but isn't it great that the Paralympics are getting the profile of the "warm up ones" as the slogan goes. I am thrilled it is not just seen as an "also event after the real thing" - the tenacity and dedication of these overwhelming athletes are being shown to a massive enthusiastic and thrilled audience. If I were an employer, I would be desperate to employ them - they are demonstrating all the qualities any sensible employer would love to use ina team. I can see several of the ladies especially getting good sponsorship deals and becoming very high profile in their own right. Wonderful result!

[DJKillaQueen]

I absolutely agree with all that DG2, and also think it a terrible shame that the USA on the other hand are showing nothing (and Canada too I believe). I also think that the biggest legacy from any aspect of the games will be the good it does for changing attitudes to the disabled. Just as I went to my first Olympic event I will be going to my first paralympic events this week. More importantly I will be seeing sports I have never been to see and in two cases, sports I've never seen before. In that context you are right, the standard of anything C4 do doesn't really matter. And I'd also say that you can't put a price on what that that means for the image of the disabled either......and I'd be the first to say that my previously negative attitude to the cost of it all has now been reversed.

[Pugwash]

My husband many years ago used to teach sport for disabled people in a social club run by the Southwark Disablement Association which met every Friday at Goodrich School. Unfortunately it closed down as insufficient numbers attending and was not cost effective. It is about time that the Para games were shown on mainstream TV - I was caught up with the excitment of the wheelchair basketball. My kids and grandchildren were so fired up by the Olympics that they got tickets to see the Para games at the Excel Centre ?30 for the 4 of them which also includes travel. They are off to see tabletennis and volleyball (wheelchair) power lifting and one other sport.

The para games are showing that 'disabled' people are equal and to some extent, better in certain areas that their able bodied colleagues.

[OD]

Whilst I beleive that its good that there is some coverage of the Paralympics; C4 are not doing it justice AT ALL.

The commentary is awful, way too many ad breaks, not enough sport is being shown or discussed; which I heard from today will be addressed. As viewers we are not getting the full experience and thats a real shame.

The Paralynpics is as exciting, competetive and inspiring (if not more) as the Olympic games, so should be given the same chance... BBC excelled in their coverage of the Olympics..does anyone know why they didnt cover the Paralympics?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Cos they weren't prepared to pay for it.

Considering the coverage in US and elsewhere, Channel 4 ain't doing that badly.

[El Pibe]

It's not brillian, not terrible.

It certainly makes you appreciate auntioe beeb all the more, so perhaps people will bash it a bit less in future.

NOt to mention be a bit more concerned about the likes of Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson trotting out Murdoch inspired mantras about removing the Beeb's privileged position in our country.

[DJKillaQueen]

I watched the Table Tennis final yesterday on C4, or at least tried to. There was a GB player in the final. We never saw the end of two of the five games because C4 cut to adverts! They were both games the GB player lost. It completely ruined my viewing to the point I thought 'what's the point of watching'.

[OD]

@DJKQ - my thoughts exactly. We also missed the high drama in the velodrome of one of the sprint races where the GB team 'false-started'!! As well as a range of many other events, twists and turns!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Anyone else enjoying 'Last Legs'? Don't think they'd get away with that on the BBC (well, maybe Radio 4).

[Pam50]

Absolutely loving it!! Wish Last Legs could carry on after the games finish! Oh...and have you seen this...

Why did 80,000 people at the Paralympics boo George Osborne?

Because that's all the stadium can hold.

[DJKillaQueen]

Absolutely loved my day at the Excel today with my brother....even though team GB sitting volleyball ladies lost. Totally blown away by the power lifting too....the lady from Nigeria took gold with a 249kg lift!!!!! I can just about manage a bag of shopping!!!

[dulwichgirl2]

Great Djkillaqueen! Sounds like you are still on a high from it!

Channel four is one thing but is it true that NBC isn't covering it at all? Disgraceful. Obama of all people should be ashamed of his country.

[pk]

i'm a bit late to this but to me, i find some of the above to be pretty patronising and ill considered, although i am sure not intentionally offensive

the use of the term 'the disabled' (and similarly 'them') (as in 'i'd be desparate to employ them') as if 'they' are a single homogenous group who should all be lumped together is something that i know e.g. baroness grey-thompson has objected to in recent days.

i doubt that people would be similarly comfortable speaking about other groups who suffer from discrimination in the same way, would people really say e.g. 'the gays'?