John Inverdale

The quality of coverage has been outstanding, IMO. The slow motion HD replays of the cycling are just stunning. I love it. The pundits are always a mixed bag, but don’t confuse pundits with presenters – you can’t have discipline experts anchoring the prime time coverage, which is why they use (I guess) tried and tested BBC presenters who know the mechanics of presenting sport for the channel (such as Lineker and Humphreys).

Having nominated Jackson, how could I forget about the missing Chuckle Brother triplet, Rob Walker. Over enthusiastic to the point he’s permanently reaching a crescendo. Thankfully the rest of that team has been really good.

I’d also add my (positive) support for the Country file guy doing the gymnastics, and the Aussie guy doing the hockey. The difference is that they comment on the sport they see before them, not what they imagine is unravelling emotionally.

Likewise I think Logan’s doing a good job holding the highlights show together. I kept wondering why their evening show sofa was over run with Americans at the start of the games, but it’s because they actually have an opinion, and are prepared to voice it rather than sit on the fence of banality.

Plus 1 for the gymnastics commentators and pundits. They are excellent.

A few years ago Inverdale (or rather BBC lawyers acting on his behalf) threatened libel action against a website owner for comments made about him on an internet forum. So be careful what you say!

Michael Johnson and Ian Thorpe have been the BBC stars so far. Really pleased that Johnson has continued to stick with British TV as i thought after the disaster of channel 4s coverage of the world championships!

Hugh Porter was a disaster for the mens road race but he has been better on the track….not great but alot better. To be fair to him I think some the cycling events have quite difficult to commentate on because of the lack of informations – like time checks in the RR and also the lack of suitable replays available for key decisions like the Chinese DQ in the womens team sprint etc…its been very murky at times what exactly has been happening.

. Asymmetric bars, ASYMMETRIC bars )

This gets me as well uneven bars my arse .Did they just change the name because thickos didnt know what asymmetric meant ?

I agree with Omars comments about Hugh Porter, he talks alot of bull and his use of cliche after cliche is quite amusing but inforamtion for the road races has been v poor, felt a bit for chris boardman!. I think we’re all in agreement that Micheal Johnson is a legend and i think it was nice to see the footage of them all jumping around when Mo was finishing cos i was doing same thing.

I’d also add my (positive) support for the Country file guy doing the gymnastics

I think he was actually a gymnast so at least he has an insight into the sport itself.

See they’ve stopped asking Amir Khan for any quotes before they showed any boxing as he was giving away all the results before they’d shown the fights!

This gets me as well uneven bars my arse .Did they just change the name because thickos didnt know what asymmetric meant?

[pedant]Maybe they changed the name because they aren’t asymmetric, there are plenty of symmetries. Bars of different heights above the mat sounds a bit long winded so uneven seems a perfectly good description.[/pedant]

And as for all the BBC whinging. Despite the little niggles (and Hugh Porter) I think they are doing fantastically well considering how stretched they are covering every sport as well as all the stories that develop around the action.

And be thankful we don’t have NBC from the USA. They didn’t even show the 100m final live. They chose to time delay it until primetime despite it being a 5pm on a Sunday anyway and everyone obviously finding out the result on Twitter and Facebook. Cretins.

I always think anchor person is not an ‘easy’ job. Regarding Michael Johnson, as said above, the best of the lot by far. Has been for years, annoyed a few of the sprinters in the past I recall.

As to why he is on the BBC rather than NBC etc it might be due to full coverage we give. I heard the 100m final was not shown live in USA and I ws in the USA for part of the 2000 and 2008 Olympics. 2000 in particular was dire coverage, only showing American success. it would say an American had a bronze medal and not mention gold or silver! WHatever the reason, unlikely to be just cash, we are fortunate.

Get Rob Warner in………… 😈

Despite Inverdale I think that the BBC coverage has been pretty good including the red button service and website.

Despite Inverdale I think that the BBC coverage has been pretty good including the red button service and website.

Agreed. The web “catch up” service, with the indexing to jump to your chosen part, has been superb. Very impressed overall.

I do wonder what Warner would have made of Justin Gatlin.

“He’s done more for doping than <insert offensive but amusing comparison here> ………….”

Nothing will beat the tremendous trio – Thorpe, Foster and Balding. Pure comedy genius. Thorpy fluttering his eyes at Foster, Foster having nothing of it (?)’ but sharing secret smiles and winks at Balding when Thorp wasn’t watching. Every time Thorpy made a comment he turned wide eyed to Foster like a little child looking for parent’s approval. It was so sweet! Did he break Foster down or was he just playing hard to get. What was Balding making of it all!

on the whole, I think Auntie has done a pretty good job with anchors succeeding to varying degrees. Surprised that Linekar has looked so much out of his depth though. Where have they hidden Hazel Hyperbole?

I always think anchor person is not an ‘easy’ job.

Jake Humphrey did a post on his F1 blog a while back with a video where they played the feed that he heard in his ear while he was discussing the race with DC and Eddie, introducing VTs and interviewing team principles etc.

It is beyond me how he could concentrate on anything, let alone ask inteligent questions, look interested and think what he was going to say next while all that was going on.

I can’t even watch TV and listen to my wife at the same time! 🙄

Having listened to 5Live this morning i’d happily listen to Inverdale over Victoria Derbyshire.

Whos the guy who does the post athletics race trackside interviews? I think hes a really well informed, decent bloke.

That’s Phil. The athletes always respond well to him, on a first name basis, so he obviously does it a lot. I only know he’s called Phil though.

Phil Jones I think

wondered if this was going to be a thread on him looking p*ssed. every time ive seen him so far his eyes just look either p*ssed or really tired. or is it just me…….

Not just you!

Richie Woodhall is very good on the boxing, although I wonder what non-British fans would make of him – he’s massively pro-Brit. Good technical analysis though and a West Midlands accent that’s easy on the ear.

The guy calling the rowing is a dreadful commentator (although a good fan – He sounds like he really loves rowing). He just cannot call a race without dishing out bogus Corinthian cliches left and right, delivered in a shrill, wee-man’s voice.

Overall coverage has been spot on though.