icarusancalion

Completely uncalled for.

I just watched the NBC coverage kicking Bode Miller when he was down.

You don't do that. You don't slam an athelete because he's not winning, you don't say in your wrap-up that he didn't try, and suggest he's a hypocrite.

This isn't done.

So NBC's pissed because Bode blew off the post-ski "How do you feel about losing so badly?" interviews.

So NBC's pissed that they built him up as the story, and hung their ratings on him (and Michelle Kwan). They even had Bode Miller vs. the Herminator cartoons -- assuming that Bodie Miller and Herman Maier would be the big story.

NBC had their heads up their collective asses and were stuck in 2002: Bode's been performing badly all year. Also 1) Bode has always been erratic, 2) Bode has always been a loose cannon who skips inspections and doesn't do what the coaches say, 3) Bode has been out of shape after taking a break, and 4) Bode has an alcohol problem.

Only one thing has changed from 2002: Bode isn't winning.

They didn't do their homework, and now they're mad at him, lashing out inappropriately because their ratings have tanked. But NBC's ratings mostly stink because the Olympics are happening in Italy and there are 10 gazillion ways to hear the results of the games before NBC has a chance to broadcast them. There's no reason to watch when you already know your favorite didn't win, or you're just watching the performance where you know they did.

They'll be fine come 2010 when the games are in Vancouver, Canada, and they can broadcast them live. They're screwed for the summer games.

In the meantime, Bode's obviously miserable. Have some dignity and honor and leave him alone.




ETA: I note that Nike, the biggest advertiser for the Olympics, built their ad campaign around Bode and then had to pull all but one of their spots. NBC lost money because of this.

That's Nike's dumb move, and NBC had to pay. There's no call to take it out on Bode. It's not his responsibility to ask "what happens to your ad campaign if I don't win?"