Camera Work at Football Games

[Wilma]

This was going to be a soap box item, but it fits better under pet peeve.

I do not like the camera work at sports events, especially football games.  The picture that we, the TV viewers get, are more and more NOT on the game.  Take for instance the obscenity up in the stands, otherwise seen as the fat slob, naked from the waist up with his body painted half red and half white.  Now who in their right mind would rather see this than what is happening on the field?  And after closeups of the opposing coaches and the quarterback that isn't on the field at the moment, there is the closeup of the posteriors of the tightends as they wait for the ball to be hiked.  Immediately following this enticing view, my eyes are following the lone player who looks like he is carrying the ball as he runs around the far end while in reality the ball is at the bottom of the pileup at the other side of the field.  How did the ball get there?  I will never know, because I didn't get to see who received the ball from the quarter back.  I want to see the ball.  I want to follow the ball, not the skinny, scantily clad cheerleader on the sidelines.  Or the paunchy, balding ex-players in the commentator's booth, who by the way, are all wearing heavy overcoats.  Are they at the same game as the cheerleaders or is this trick photography?

I know!!  I know that all this extra is to make me feel as if I were at the game in person.  But do you think that if I were at the game that I would be watching the cheerleaders, the fat slob in the stand or the commentators?  Not a chance.  I would be way up in the cheapest seats with my binoculars trying to sort out the defense and offense.  At that distance they all look pretty much alike.

[Diane Amberg]

Tight ends? Did somebody say tightends?

[sixdogsmom]

Wilma, without sounding too much like an 'old duffer' I think there is much to be said about radio commentary. Most of them were experts on their sport or event be it a news breaking event or the rose bowl, you felt like you were there and did not miss out on anything. I will always remember Aurther Godfrey describing the Roosevelt funeral, and the man who described the Hindenburg disaster (heard by myself after the fact), as well as the exciting Friday night fights and the World series. We are missing a lot these days as we are at the mercy of the appetites of just a few. Too bad.

[W. Gray]

In order to see that football at all times, perhaps Fox needs to come up with a gimmick like they did with the NHL hockey puck a few years ago.

I actually liked seeing the blue streak the hockey puck left on the screen; but I guess not very many other people did.