Just a complete failure in capturing one of the greatest achievements in American distance running history.
I loved hearing how emotional she was after the race, but she absolutely cannot do that in that moment. There were extended periods of dead silence because Kara was too busy crying and Lee Diffey failed to improvise. She needed to capture the sheer joy of the moment and then maybe cry later on her commentary.
This is important, these broadcasts live on forever.
i loved hearing how emotional she was after the race - as one should be. i remember my local sports announcer weeping on air when my hometown hockey team won their very first stanley cup. most sports are no different. emotions humanise.
but she absolutely cannot do that in the moment - who the f**k are you to make that call? are you signing her paycheck? is kara showing emotion morally reprehensible? did you even think about the tone of this comment?
...extended periods of dead silence because Kara was too busy crying and Lee Diffey failed to improvise. - ive witnessed championship team sports when the local broadcasters just shut up and let the moment sink in. Lee not improvising may have been a personal choice or the radio in their ear told them to be quiet. not your call to make.
she needed to capture the sheer joy of the moment - i think tears of joy does a remarkably good job when words fail.
this is important, these broadcasts live forever - i laugh every time i read this. i hope others do as well.
"ive witnessed championship team sports when the local broadcasters just shut up and let the moment sink in."
It was not that type of crowd. The crowd wasn't that loud on the broadcast. The stadium is huge. When other commentators do this, usually that crowd is absolutely deafening and the noise speaks for itself. That was not the case here. Actually watch the broadcast.
"she needed to capture the sheer joy of the moment - i think tears of joy does a remarkably good job when words fail."
Nobody is aware she is crying until she starts speaking like 90 seconds later. It was just extended periods of silence. I'm not saying she shouldn't have cried, I'm saying she should have been dead silent. There's nothing wrong with her crying! I loved that she was crying. But there was dead air that was not filled by Diffey and not filled by the crowd. She failed to capture the moment.
Being silent in big moments and letting the crowd noise wash over everyone was one of the signature techniques of Vin Scully, one of the most beloved announcers in any sport.
This is spot on. Laurie Hernandez (Rio Olympic gymnastics team and current commentator) said on social media that NBC asks them to be quiet during big moments so the audience can watch without interference.
Diffey was speaking intermittently.
So it's not like they were doing the "lets be quiet and take it all in" approach. They didn't ask Kara to not speak. She just couldn't speak because she was crying. Crying is fine, silence is not.
Just a complete failure in capturing one of the greatest achievements in American distance running history.
I loved hearing how emotional she was after the race, but she absolutely cannot do that in that moment. There were extended periods of dead silence because Kara was too busy crying and Lee Diffey failed to improvise. She needed to capture the sheer joy of the moment and then maybe cry later on her commentary.
This is important, these broadcasts live on forever.
sometimes less is more in big moments.... just let the crown and the reactions tell the story............. of course we know you just want to b*tch about a woman who is better than you in literally every way possible
She rocks, Americans can't really do great in calling distance races like the British, but she is an exception!
The international feed was phenomenal on Peacock. Glad I wasn't forced to watch the US feed.
I've watched both now and Kara did a phenomenal job. Someone gave high props to the British commentator calling the 10,000 a game of physical chess. Well, Kara called it a game of chess too. Both broadcasts had this sense of urgency to them, conveyed how fast the pace was, and commented on Ethiopian team tactics. Kara gave a lot more attention to Grant Fisher though, noting early on how the projected finish time was pretty much his American record and he can run faster now. And I was impressed that she never forgot about Cheptegei, just hanging out in the back most of the time, relaxed AF, esp under the shadow of Nico's stressed face. She said early on that he always found a way in championship races. I got emotional for both when Grant medaled. Would give Kara props for that as I already knew the result.
Glad I got to see the international feed first cause I was so fixated on Yomif Kejelcha and the Ethiopians got more attention individually on that feed. Snickered when Kara said there was some chatter and scolding now, when the pace slowed down.
Was that the NBC feed? She didn’t call the one I watched on Peacock. Those guys were great!
I thought the Brit on peacock was horrible. Wouldn’t stop with the hyperbole and just pure nonsense. Why can’t they just call the race, instead of insisting that the whole world should be sharing that magnificent race.
What are you talking about? When I watched it on NBC, they started their prime time coverage with the race. They showed the last 4 laps. ONce the race ended, it went back to Mike Tirico so there was no opportunity to watch it somewhere else.
Does Kara also broadcast it live somewhere else? When I watched it live on Peacock, I got the international announcers. Where did you hear Kara live?
It would have helped if they briefly switching cameras to show her crying.
Absolutely. NBC should have done that. They've had no trouble doing it with Rowdy Gaines all week. He was particularly nervous and emotional when Kate Douglass won gold at 200 breaststroke yesterday. She's the superstar who is well known and beloved in swimming circles but it looked like she might end her career without an Olympic gold medal. I've compared her to Femke several times. Fortunately Douglass got it done against the defending Olympic champion yesterday. NBC ran the clip of Rowdy incredibly jittery, then jumping up and down, and finally hugging the co-commentator Elizabeth Beisel.
Goucher is not as established or well known as Rowdy. NBC waited decades before turning the camera around and showing those clips. If Kara has longevity in the role and becomes a name associated with Olympic track coverage they'll do it with her also.
And if they have any sensibility/guts they'll throw out the longevity requirements and show the clip before Paris ends. Before the women's 5000 final would be ideal timing. Not the entirety. Pick the best and most heartwarming 10-15 seconds.
What are you talking about? When I watched it on NBC, they started their prime time coverage with the race. They showed the last 4 laps. ONce the race ended, it went back to Mike Tirico so there was no opportunity to watch it somewhere else.
Does Kara also broadcast it live somewhere else? When I watched it live on Peacock, I got the international announcers. Where did you hear Kara live?
She was live on the NBC networks. I saw it first on the version that carried track and field only, then later I saw the same coverage on the NBC live broadcast that mixed track and field with swimming.
I never had to log in to Peacock. I have YouTube TV. Their morning coverage was the same guy who called Tokyo on Peacock. But when they came back for the night session it was Leigh Diffey throughout, mixed with the standard crew of Paul Swangard and Trey Hardee on field events, Ato Boldon and Sanya Richards-Ross on races through 800, and Kara at 1500 and up.
After the race she clearly choked up. The tears and emootion were evident in her voice. Diffey sensed it and quickly said something, trying to bail her out. I thought that was unnecessary. The American audience and track community understood what she was feeling.
BTW, there was only one commercial break during the live broadcast I watched. I was shocked at only one. And they provided a split screen box.
Just a complete failure in capturing one of the greatest achievements in American distance running history.
I loved hearing how emotional she was after the race, but she absolutely cannot do that in that moment. There were extended periods of dead silence because Kara was too busy crying and Lee Diffey failed to improvise. She needed to capture the sheer joy of the moment and then maybe cry later on her commentary.
This is important, these broadcasts live on forever.
That is why we need Stuart Storey, Tim Hutchings, Steve Cram, Rob WAlker, Gabby Logan, .........et al
The great Rob Walker is doing commentary for NBC Peacock. He did the call on the 10,000 today and he was fabulous (as expected). He talked through the entire race giving great analysis and factoids. Although excited, he withheld using his fabled "cometh the man..." words. I guess he's holding back for a WR.
What are you talking about? When I watched it on NBC, they started their prime time coverage with the race. They showed the last 4 laps. ONce the race ended, it went back to Mike Tirico so there was no opportunity to watch it somewhere else.
Does Kara also broadcast it live somewhere else? When I watched it live on Peacock, I got the international announcers. Where did you hear Kara live?
Rojo if you have satellite or cable then you can view ALL of track on a broadcast. During the live afternoon broadcast for the 10k the national feed showed the entire race with Kara commentating. But the E channel was showing track all day from the overnight (early morning in France) broadcast of deca 100, LJ and SP and the 100 prelim round and the 1st round. in a couple days the E coverage of track switches to USA channel and the 4 added extra feeds off USA channel. No need to pay for Peacock although I do to view while not at home.
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