The award for the most ridiculous, self-absorbed, overzealous all sports entertainment network in the world goes to...
ESPN, for the 10th year running.
They have once again proven that outside the 4 major sports, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters, you're really not much of an athlete. Unless you count token consideration of Cael Sanderson and -ahem- Sarah Hughes (don't even get me started on figure skating).
No offense to college athlete of the year Sue Bird (UConn BB) but a certain swimmer from Cal who set at least 6 AR and 1 WR over the short course season would have had my vote.
Anyone else? Natalie Coughlin, female college athlete of the year as awarded by the USMS discussion crew?
-RM
Parents
Former Member
Ion,
I think showing the thrill and pain of racing (primarily the pain) would discourage people from getting invovled in swimming. I think (which may be the problem) triathlons in a way suffer from this, years ago in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon - forgive my failing memory but I believe it was Julie Moss - who was in first place but collapsed just prior to the finish line, she eventually crawled across the finish line but did not win the race. This made for great TV drama, but the general public perception is who are these crazy idiots who push their bodies to that point of complete exhaustion. The vast majority of triathlons are not Ironman distances but shorter races that take most people around 2 to 3 hours to finish, yet when you mention you have done a triathlon/are a triathlete most people think of the Ironman races and that you must be some kind of compulsive fitness freak.
The idea of putting the human intrest story in front of the racing would appeal to the general viewers more. Take for example Gary Hall - fast swimmer sure, so what. But when you put in that he is an insulin dependent diabetic - now all of a sudden you have a whole new audience, maybe diabetics won't take up swimming but at least they won't limit their thinking to the old school thought of being a diabetic you have to limit your physical exercise. Lance Armstrong is another example of this in regards to his battle with cancer - Greg Lemond was the first Amercian to win the Tour de France and up until this year had won the same number of Tours as Lance (3), lets not forget he missed a couple of years because of a hunting accident, but Lance I believe became more famous than Greg after just winning his first Tour because of his overcoming cancer (human intrest side of things rather than the sport). To get more publicity/involvement you need to address areas that are going to make people want to watch, you can go anywhere and watch races (swimmers, runners, bicyclists, boats, cars, dogs, horses...whatever)if all you want to do is watch a race, but the drama and overcoming of obstacles is what is going to get people involved- they need to be able to connect to that person in some way, either by the sport or by personal battles.
Ion,
I think showing the thrill and pain of racing (primarily the pain) would discourage people from getting invovled in swimming. I think (which may be the problem) triathlons in a way suffer from this, years ago in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon - forgive my failing memory but I believe it was Julie Moss - who was in first place but collapsed just prior to the finish line, she eventually crawled across the finish line but did not win the race. This made for great TV drama, but the general public perception is who are these crazy idiots who push their bodies to that point of complete exhaustion. The vast majority of triathlons are not Ironman distances but shorter races that take most people around 2 to 3 hours to finish, yet when you mention you have done a triathlon/are a triathlete most people think of the Ironman races and that you must be some kind of compulsive fitness freak.
The idea of putting the human intrest story in front of the racing would appeal to the general viewers more. Take for example Gary Hall - fast swimmer sure, so what. But when you put in that he is an insulin dependent diabetic - now all of a sudden you have a whole new audience, maybe diabetics won't take up swimming but at least they won't limit their thinking to the old school thought of being a diabetic you have to limit your physical exercise. Lance Armstrong is another example of this in regards to his battle with cancer - Greg Lemond was the first Amercian to win the Tour de France and up until this year had won the same number of Tours as Lance (3), lets not forget he missed a couple of years because of a hunting accident, but Lance I believe became more famous than Greg after just winning his first Tour because of his overcoming cancer (human intrest side of things rather than the sport). To get more publicity/involvement you need to address areas that are going to make people want to watch, you can go anywhere and watch races (swimmers, runners, bicyclists, boats, cars, dogs, horses...whatever)if all you want to do is watch a race, but the drama and overcoming of obstacles is what is going to get people involved- they need to be able to connect to that person in some way, either by the sport or by personal battles.
