Seven turns screws on Olyroos

 

By Mark van Aken

 

The Olympics hold a more special place in the hearts and minds of Australian sports fans than pretty much anywhere else in the world. Sure, the Olympics are a big deal all over the world, but we tend to go that extra bit gooier every four years when the summer games roll along even if we have scant regard for the winter version. 

It's with this in mind that football nation is looking to pick itself up off the canvass after Channel 7's sucker punch announcement that there won't be any live coverage of the Olyroos opening game at Beijing '08... despite it being played a day before the games officially begin.

Even when shown on delay they'll be cutting away to an AOC press conference announcing who'll be carrying the flag at the opening ceremony. Read that last sentence again, it isn't a typo. 

The Argentina game sees the reigning gold medallists stacked full of the world's very best players up against Arnie's battlers. You know those mates in the office that don't mind football but will only watch it for big games� this is one of those ones. Can we see it on the Olympic broadcaster? Yes BUT they'll be switching to the swimming in the 75th minute� good luck if it's one-all. Pathetic.

What about the last pool game against the Ivory Coast? Yep, they've got it� only problem it's going to be fused with women's basketball throughout the 90 minutes.

Nobody screws soccer like� yep, we know, we know. This is the channel that strangled the life out of the game domestically throughout the late 90's and early years of this decade and it seems its thirst for football's blood isn't quenched just yet. <!-- D(["mb","u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e u003cpu003eu003cspan langu003d"EN-AU" styleu003d"font-family:Arial"u003eThe Olympics are a big deal here, we get it. Seven say the nature of games coverage is switching and swapping. That works for short run stuff like swimming heats and athletics races - not for football games, or basketball games for that matter; another s the network has ritually pack raped in Olympics past.�u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e u003cpu003eu003cspan langu003d"EN-AU" styleu003d"font-family:Arial"u003eChannel 7 canu0026#39;t handle a whole Olympics on one channel, which is why they engaged SBS for u0026#39;spillu0026#39; coverage, and they are showing a fair slice of football. So if Seven canu0026#39;t or wonu0026#39;t fully cover the Olyroos, why arenu0026#39;t these Aussie games on the traditional football broadcaster? Seven is completely half-pregnant on this. Either Olyroos football rates and they want it on their network or it doesnu0026#39;t and it is dispensable. What they are running with is a disgraceful patch-work quilt.u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e u003cpu003eu003cspan langu003d"EN-AU" styleu003d"font-family:Arial"u003eThe final insult is the choice of commentator. Seven have put up their Rugby man Gordon Bray. We can only assume this is because Kochie has the week off.u003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e u003cpu003eu003cspan styleu003d"font-family:Arial"u003eBray once spoke of that networku0026#39;s poaching of Rugby from the ABC where he was once employed as akin to your wife leaving you. So he, more than most, might understand the king-hit his employer has landed on football fans across the country. For his sake I hope he does the job justice� for the little time that he gets to do it that is.u003c/spanu003eu003cbru003eu003c/pu003e u003cpu003eu003c/pu003eu003c/divu003e ",0] ); //-->

The Olympics are a big deal here, we get it. Seven say the nature of games coverage is switching and swapping. That works for short run stuff like swimming heats and athletics races - not for football games, or basketball games for that matter; another sport the network has paid only lip service to during Olympics past. 

Channel 7 can't handle a whole Olympics on one channel, which is why they engaged SBS for 'spill' coverage, and they are showing a fair slice of football. So if Seven can't or won't fully cover the Olyroos, why aren't these Aussie games on the traditional football broadcaster? Seven is completely half-pregnant on this. Either Olyroos football rates and they want it on their network or it doesn't and it is dispensable. What they are running with is a disgraceful patch-work quilt.

The final insult is the choice of commentator. Seven have put up their Rugby man Gordon Bray. We can only assume this is because Kochie has the week off.

Bray once spoke of that network's poaching of Rugby from the ABC where he was once employed as akin to your wife leaving you. So he, more than most, might understand the king-hit his employer has landed on football fans across the country. For his sake I hope he does the job justice� for the little time that he gets to do it that is.

This has got to be windup...

 

 

And just weeks ago, t***er was "sceptical" about the the presence of "roundball" at the Olympics.  Man, this w**ker has no shame...

 

Knowing t***er's dirty tricks - if he's doing an Olympic football commentry, he'll probably make sure Joseph Romanos is providing "expert analysis."

 

Brendan f**king t***er.

 

 

 

 

I cannot for the life of me understand why on earth they think it more important to (which might I point out about 80% of the country want to see changed anyway!) over the broadcast of a live, competetive and extremely important Football match that actually occurs BEFORE the Olympics officially open!!!

 

w**kers!

 

They once bought the Broadcat Rights for the NSL and for Socceroo Matches prior to the Socceroos defeat to Iran in the World Cup Qualifiers in 1997. When Australia failed to advance to the finals, Channel Seven decided that there was no interest in the sport and that 11:30pm on a Monday night was a great time to show the NSL Match of the Round "uninterrupted and complete", a decision that was seen as the beginning of the end for the NSL and Soccer Australia!

 

 

 

 

 

what would you do? ( and cheating, by saving one and then clubbing him to death with your football boots is not one of the options)

Remember, I'm living in Australia. My IQ's dropped 20 points since I got here.

that option has been awarded a mark (you would have got a bonus mark if you'd seen Muscat off  as well)

 

must admit i was delighted when Timmo rarked him up and he did his sponsor sign kicking last season

Paper's were emailed, ........... strange kind of power within about 40 to 60 hours and countless emails sent to countless 7 email addresses to clog any server and they appear to have given in.

 

Could be an eye opener for the  future .............