World Cup has started. I sat down and actually watched my first ‘match’ (see… I even know the lingo) on Saturday. I gotta say, soccer in High Def is very nice to watch. Then, I flipped to regular def and the game looked like I was watching it though a mud puddle. Man, I cannot wait for more High Def programming.
Anyway, I was watching Sweden vs. Trinidad & Tobago. I have to admit that I enjoyed it. However, I did have 2 major problems with ABC’s coverage of the game. Technically, they did a good job. Lots of cameras, good replays, high def (like I mentioned) but they really screwed the pooch in two places.
First, one of the teams involved in this game was Sweden. Half of the stadium was completely decked out in yellow and blue (Swedish flag colors). Unfortunately, ABC did not spend the stoppages in play showing us audience shots of 6 foot blonde Swedish goddesses cheering on their team. This is unconscionable. Isn’t that the whole reason the rest of the world watches Sweden do anything? If Sweden has an advantage in any department, its gotta be in 6 foot blonde goddesses. How you cannot spare the camera time and give the fans at home a little taste of what its like at the World Cup, is just irresponsible.
My second major problem came with the announcing team. Now, they knew the game. They could describe what was happening and explain why certain things were going on. That’s all well and good. But, to me, you absolutely cannot have 2 American guys covering soccer on TV. How they could not have brought in some guy with an Irish, Scottish, or English accent for at least one of the positions in the broadcast team is just plain wrong. I watch soccer once every 4 years. Nobody gives a damn about the MLS (Major League Soccer in the US). If I see any soccer on TV, 100% of the time, the announcing team comes from a country that actually cares about soccer. It just doesn’t sound right coming from someone without an accent. I mean, would you expect there to NOT be someone with a southern accent on a NASCAR broadcast crew? Absolutely not. Hell, I would have settled for the guy from Univision who shouts “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!”. At least there would be some international flavor.
I guess that entire post is a prime example of an American and soccer. The only complaints are hot blonde chicks and foreign guys.
Oh yeah… I think the game ended in tie or something. I wasn’t paying attention.