Brendan Foster accused of being rude about Mo.

You have to understand that the London Marathon gets huge ratings in the UK and very few of those watching are experts on the sport.

A lot don't understand the nature of Mo Farah and quite understandably get upset when after what to them seems like a very impressive performance in his first marathon, you get a commentator seemingly belittling the performance. Although to those of us who understand the sport know that he's saying the truth and not actually being that negative.

But you knew that anyway, you're just enjoying your day because you've suffered a lot of pain and tears over the last couple of years because of Farah.

Thought it was poor commentary. He jumped horses when it became obvious it was not going to work out as planned. I think most people on the board have the same opinion has him but why chose the last few miles to say I told you so.

With all the spiteful, overly critical crap that's printed in the British media, this is what our friends across the pond get their knickers in a twist about? The statement that Mo should stick to the track seems pretty tame compared to...well...everything else I've ever read from the British media about an athlete or celebrity.

To be fair, this is coming from the "fans" who only watch the London Marathon, and the Olympics every four years. The ones for whom the difference between 2:04 and 2:08 is nothing at all.

It was fine that Brenda Foster said that he thought Mo should stick to track. The problem was he said it over and over again ignoring the possibility that other persons might have a different opinion.

...the other opinion being that Mo should stick to the roads?

Brendan did turn a little too critical IMO as well (even if I agree with him). It wasn't the time, and may be born out of frustration (his own for not pursuing the event at the end of his career) for Mo not doing as well as many hoped (perhaps unrealistically), to go "there" (meaning get back to the track) in his first race and only a few miles to the finish, after being relatively upbeat for most of the race. Personally I think Brendan went on and on about silly things anyway (just to fill airtime?), and maybe should have let Paula Radcliffe speak more often as she was the one in the group (Brendan Foster and Steve Cram of three) who actually understood the marathon.

utter rot wrote:

...the other opinion being that Mo should stick to the roads?

Mo says he will run another marathon.

This......

"Personally I think Brendan went on and on about silly things anyway (just to fill airtime?), and maybe should have let Paula Radcliffe speak more often as she was the one in the group (Brendan Foster and Steve Cram of three) who actually understood the marathon."

Have no problem with Brendan's opinion, I think I agree with him and it was more relevant than the usual blithering dithering boring commentary by him and Steve Cram. Paula's great because the BBC always seem to have some sort of agenda to follow and she tends to say it as it is and not talk rubbish.

All I want is Tim Hutchings and Paula Radcliffe commentating, that would be perfect, BBC needs much more impartial, less patronising and more balanced coverage.

People on the Independent comments thing are a bunch of hobbyjoggers, bless em, but I don't think they truly understand why Brendan Foster's frustrated with Mo's situation.

Did anyone watch the Eurosport coverage, ws Tim Hutchings on it, I'm sure it was better?!????

It's because he had to part with $750K+USD for Mo's debut...

#ocl wrote:

It's because he had to part with $750K+USD for Mo's debut...

Foster?

Why?

completely agree. It was the Mo Farah show on BBC but was actually the Wilson Kipsang show

He did seem to say "stick to the track Mo" a couple of times too many...

He did seem to say "stick to the track Mo" a couple of times too many...

I saw one comment that said "Mo didn't deserve the criticism. I did 4:04 in my first marathon and I thought that was great!"

Blither hither wuther wrote:

All I want is Tim Hutchings and Paula Radcliffe commentating, that would be perfect, BBC needs much more impartial, less patronising and more balanced coverage.

The British Broadcasting Company focusing on British athletes?

I agree, it's scandalous. I can't imagine any other nation's national broadcasting company would ever focus on their own athletes more than ones from other countries.

I mean, can you imagine if the media in the USA were biased toward American athletes? I know, it's laughable, it would simply never happen.

Park runner wrote:

He did seem to say "stick to the track Mo" a couple of times too many...

Park runner wrote:

He did seem to say "stick to the track Mo" a couple of times too many...

:)

I listened to the Eurosport commentary while watching the German feed. Worked out well.

The way the BBC go completely over the top in covering British athletes is scandalous. Today, the commentary was focused so much on Farah it was to the extent that it gave a patronising air towards all the other runners, because there was a lack of balance, that is at one point I thought to myself, "Jesus Christ on a bicycle, give Farah a break, there are a whole bunch of other runners that you should be talking about". Obviously, the BBC has a duty to cover British athletes, they do that well, but then that's the thing, quite often like today they overdo it and it gets suffocating to watch/hear. Also, they hype athletes too much and then when things aren't living up to the highest expectations much desperate explaining and justifying of how things have gone soooooo wrong ensues, which ends up in the viewers having to put up with more rubbish being talked by the commentators.

In contrast, Tim Hutchings when on eurosport is refreshingly impartial as he should be, but as a an from the British Isles he knows all about the British athletes and therefore, without a BBC agenda he supports them but doesn't hype them up to nauseating levels.

Keep it real.

He's right. But what's Mo going to do on the track... chase records? There are no track records he's capable of getting, including 3:26.00.