The 2008 Paralympics

[Smudge]

Well, that's super - next time you enter a debate how about you come up with something more than empty rhetoric?

[TT Boy]

I've been enjoying the goalball.

[Perm]

Empty rhetoric?

I would've thought you would agree with me, being the proud New Zealander you are. In a sport or event where somebody from our nation wins a gold medal, especially when said gathering happens once every four years and is a collection of the best disabled athletes in the world, it certainly deserves more than two sentences in a news broadcast. I'm not expecting a fully fledged report with a ten minute interview, but some sort of visuals and a decent story would have been nice. We should celebrate the achievements of our athletes, even if they are disabled, for winning a gold medal.

[Somerset]

Originally Posted by Perm

We won a gold medal, there should have been more than two sentences dedicated to it. Should have taken priority over Formula 1 and the US Tennis Open IMO.

The US Open yesterday was the final of the women's event and as one of the four major tournaments in tennis deserved a leading story. Formula One always attracts a reasonable large group of followers and coverage should also have been important for the sports segment. I don't believe the Paralympics should have been given priority over those two events given their importance but do agree that the Paralympics should have received a bit more focus, with perhaps a clip of the event with our gold medalist.

[Perm]

Perhaps 'priority' was the wrong word, but I've always thought that sports in which New Zealanders are competing and doing well should come before things such as tennis, golf and motorsports in the sports bulleting - events we don't usually have participants in, with the odd exception.

[Smudge]

Originally Posted by Perm

Empty rhetoric?

I would've thought you would agree with me, being the proud New Zealander you are.

The irony of someone who goes out of his way to support Bangladesh when playing NZ expecting me to be a "proud NZer" and agree with you is not lost on me, Perm.

I've given several reasons why the Paralympics haven't or shouldn't get the same coverage and you replied with:

I stand by my statement. When a New Zealander wins a gold medal there deserves to be more than two sentences on a news broadcoast.

Good for you. Really in-depth stuff, that.

[Perm]

Originally Posted by Voltman

The irony of someone who goes out of his way to support Bangladesh when playing NZ expecting me to be a "proud NZer" and agree with you is not lost on me, Perm.

The irony was intended, Voltman.

Originally Posted by Voltman

I've given several reasons why the Paralympics haven't or shouldn't get the same coverage and you replied with:

Good for you. Really in-depth stuff, that.

And I responded in another post with more detail, but again the same opinion. Going by the logic in your post, we should only see the gold medalists at the Olympics receive press coverage, for they are the cream of the crop. Everything else is irrelevant, whether it be gold at the Paralympics or at a world athletics meet. C'mon, even you must be able to see where I'm coming from in the fact I would have liked to see more coverage for a New Zealand athlete that won a gold medal, regardless of the fact that she has a disability.

FWIW, point taken about the TVNZ coverage, there is a fair possibility that TV3 may not have had access to any sort of video footage.

[Smudge]

Personally, and I may be crucified for saying this, I find the whole Paralympics a exercise in political correctness. They're not the best athletes in their sport, and they never will be, simply because of their disability. It might be harsh, but that's the way it goes. And that's why I think the coverage was adequate.

[Perm]

If you're of that opinion, then should we also disband rugby teams like the NZ Maori and the Black Ferns?

[Athlai]

Media priority dictates that they show us things we can relate to, that we want to see, the Paralympics isn't something that the greater part of society gives a toss about. You're a Saint Permster but frankly I'm not too fussed about the best basketball team in wheelchairs. While this denies some people a lot of kudos for being amazing individuals considering their circumstances, a lot of things don't get on the news that could do. You'll also notice we often don't put on any third world disasters, not because its anymore or less tragic in reality to anything that happens to the first world, but because we don't relate ourselves to these people. It's all about us buying their stories, not about achievement or tragedy.

[Smudge]

Originally Posted by Perm

If you're of that opinion, then should we also disband rugby teams like the NZ Maori and the Black Ferns?

Well done on comparing like for like, Perm. No, really. The NZ Maori are a team with tradition although I wouldn't cry myself to sleep if they were disbanded as, for all intents and purposes, they're a racially-selected side, and the only reason they get any media coverage is because rugby is NZ's national game. Remember? The sport that you're so desperate to cover for a major newspaper without doing the hard yards of a journalism course inbetween your jaunts to play rugby for some junior Bulgarian provincial team because - ya know - it's all so easy just to waltz into any old job you want.

As for the Black Ferns, why would you disband them? Have I suggested getting rid of women in the Olympics? No. The Black Ferns are the best of their gender in the world. Good enough for me.

[Perm]

I'll repeat what I just said on MSN, you're a douche.

[Smudge]

I thought you said:

Matt says:
wanna check out the Smith family home in Dunedin?
Zac/Perm says:
haha, what?
Matt says:
http://www.robertsonrentals.co.nz/in...&metarefresh=1
Zac/Perm says:
74 London Street?
Matt says:
indeed
Matt says:
years 1991-1997 were spent there
Zac/Perm says:
if I was in Dunedin and working I'd move in
Zac/Perm says:
haha

[Flem274*]

Will I get attacked if I compare your friendship to that of two twelve year old girls?

I'm sure TV 3 would have liked to cover the gold medal more, but due to their stuttering weatherman who takes ten minutes to string a coherent sentence together they simply don't have time.

[NUFAN]

Originally Posted by Voltman

Personally, and I may be crucified for saying this, I find the whole Paralympics a exercise in political correctness. They're not the best athletes in their sport, and they never will be, simply because of their disability. It might be harsh, but that's the way it goes. And that's why I think the coverage was adequate.

They are the best athletes in the world in murder ball.