ManofFewWords
ManofFewWords New Reader
8/21/08 8:43 a.m.

We're a hardcore BMX family so were pretty psyched to see it on National TV. On again tonight at 9pm which should be some great exposure. Anyone going to the grands in Kentucky? It'll be our first trip. My sons are 10 ex, and 6 nov.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/21/08 8:58 a.m.

I was bummed when last night's semis were rained out, but that just gives Bennett more recovery time.

Nashco
Nashco Dork
8/21/08 12:47 p.m.

It's pretty fun to watch, any Olympic competition that goes head to head tends to get heated, and with such short races BMX is definitely no exception. I'm surprised at some of the countries represented, I would have never guessed some of those countries were so big on BMX.

Bryce

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/21/08 1:37 p.m.

Latest BMX news: http://www.nbcolympics.com/cycling/news/newsid=242794.html#bennett+gets+extra+heal+olympic+races

rob_lewis
rob_lewis Dork
8/21/08 1:52 p.m.

I'm just afraid NBC is going to show it at some "odd" time and I'll miss seeing it or recording it. I've been recording it on the DVR in high def, but 8 hours of Olympics fills it up quick!!!

I've been pumped to see it for about a year now. I think it's fantastic. The only thing I'd like to see is a chase camera down the first straight to give the TV viewers an idea of how fast these guys really go.

I remember talking about how cool it would be when I was a kid. (Anyone remember BMX Plus's "BMX Olympics"?) I just can't believe that 20+ years later, it actually happened.

-Rob

-Rob

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/21/08 1:58 p.m.
rob_lewis wrote: I'm just afraid NBC is going to show it at some "odd" time and I'll miss seeing it or recording it.

That's my fear, too. I haven't seen an updated TV schedule from NBC.

DILYSI Dave
DILYSI Dave SuperDork
8/21/08 2:13 p.m.
David S. Wallens wrote:
rob_lewis wrote: I'm just afraid NBC is going to show it at some "odd" time and I'll miss seeing it or recording it.
That's my fear, too. I haven't seen an updated TV schedule from NBC.

+1. I told my wife that if BMX is skipped so that we can see something retarded like Women's handball, I'm going to shoot the TV.

JG Pasterjak
JG Pasterjak Production/Art Director
8/21/08 3:25 p.m.

If you miss anything, nbcolympics.com has an awesome video player and thousands of hours of every sport that got a camera pointed at it. I just watched some of the men's Madison finals. I have no real idea what was going on, but it looked cool.

You have to download a player app, but the quality of the feeds is really, really good. It's worth it.

jg

rob_lewis
rob_lewis Dork
8/21/08 3:27 p.m.

http://www.vintagebmx.com/community/index.php?showtopic=27017606

I knew somebody on VBMX would know.

Sounds like it's going on tonight!!

-Rob

Monkeywrench
Monkeywrench New Reader
8/21/08 4:34 p.m.

Awesome! As a "semi retired" hobbiest street bmxer I can't wait!

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/21/08 10:00 p.m.

Well, that was quick. I guess I expected a three-moto main.

rob_lewis
rob_lewis Dork
8/21/08 10:10 p.m.

Yeah, I expected more coverage. I think the rain screwed it up. I was mad at how little coverage it was at first, but then it hit me that I just watched BMX, a sport I have loved for 20+ years, on NBC in prime time.

I'm surprised (and glad) they even showed it.

-Rob

Monkeywrench
Monkeywrench New Reader
8/21/08 10:16 p.m.

I missed it

rob_lewis
rob_lewis Dork
8/22/08 9:04 a.m.

If you blinked, you missed it. It think it was a total of about 6 minutes of coverage....

I bet you can catch it online, though.

-Rob

DILYSI Dave
DILYSI Dave SuperDork
8/22/08 9:05 a.m.

You mean I weathered through 40 hours of track and field for that? Holy E36 M3 that was disapointing.

Jumps are bigger than they were 20 years ago.

CrackMonkey
CrackMonkey Reader
8/22/08 10:27 a.m.

I was a bit surprised by the carnage. It was like a Spec Miata race out there. Pretty cool.

Nashco
Nashco Dork
8/22/08 1:01 p.m.

Yeah, I don't understand how we get 20 hours of diving and 20 minutes of BMX. Who is so fixated on the diving that we need to watch nearly every competitive diver from preliminaries on through the finals in every freakin' event from platforms to springboards to synchronized diving, but BMX (amongst other interesting events) is a blurb that gets pushed through. Heck, I couldn't believe the equestrian stuff was even shown at all, it got nearly an hour the other day. Not only is it boring, but the horses are doing all the freakin' work and get little credit (seems the opposite of derby racing, where the jockey is put on a lower pedestal than the horse). I DVR'd the BMX stuff, haven't seen the latest yet, no spoilers!

Bryce

rob_lewis
rob_lewis Dork
8/22/08 1:07 p.m.

I think the ultimate for me in stupid Olympics programming was last Saturday (or Sunday) NBC showed, from 9-11 a.m. the women's marathon.

Not parts of it.

Not highlights.

The ENTIRE three hour race.

As far as Diving (or whatever) being more important than BMX. No, I don't agree, but I'm sure there are plenty of sports enthusiasts out there going "Why do they cover BMX instead of XXX?" Hopefully, what they DID show of BMX was exciting enough for Joe Public that it'll get more attention in four years.

-Rob

CrackMonkey
CrackMonkey Reader
8/22/08 2:08 p.m.

Probably not, because they really only showed the finals. Mens and womens, back to back, done in 5 minutes (or so it seemed).

rob_lewis
rob_lewis Dork
8/22/08 2:24 p.m.

Just watched it again on the nbc page and I laughed because the entire video is 5 minutes and 37 seconds long....

-Rob

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
8/22/08 3:19 p.m.

They did show the quarterfinals, but I think the semis were a victim of the weather. I think the format of BMX also hurts its TV-ness. You basically have eight people competing at once, and it's over in about 40 seconds. I guess the track and field equivalent is the 100-yard dash. Bang, run, over. Some more color would have fluffed it up some.

16vCorey
16vCorey Dork
8/22/08 3:53 p.m.
rob_lewis wrote: I'm sure there are plenty of enthusiasts out there going "Why do they cover BMX instead of XXX?" -Rob

That's what I was wondering, why don't they cover Olympic berkeleying?

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