(I originally posted this on dyestat's college messageboard, but thought it appropriate to post here as well-WM)
Everyone LOVES to pick on Carol, but I can tell you no one in the business works harder than she does in talking to the athletes before a meet to get their current state of fitness and any other insight she can gather. And some of you have disliked her for so long that it's just easier for you to pick on her mistakes rather than judge the totality of what she does.
As I mentioned earlier, it's easier to remember the mistakes than it is the things that are done right. Does Carol occasionally say things she wishes she could take back? Sure, but so do most announcers in the business.
Some recent criticisms:
"Mulvaney's bad racing tactics at the NCAA"...Sorry, but I'm sure if you asked Chris Mulvaney, who, if I recall correctly, was not shy about referring to himself earlier this year as the best collegiate 1500/mile runner, he'd admit that he screwed up for the second year in a row.
"Talking to injured athletes while they were on the track"--Sorry again, but that's good TV hustle and I'm sure it didn't add to the athletes' discomfort.
(Referring to Allyson Felix doing too much too soon)--"When I was sixteen, I made the Olympic team...". In all the years that I've been working with Carol, that may have been the 2nd time that she referred to her own accomplishments, and it was totally appropriate. And her comment about "Felix running too fast" was also appropriate, although probably could have been phrased better. We've all seen cases of high school pheenoms who disappear after a year or two. And in case some of you don't know of Carol's achievements(in addition to being Carl's sister), she was the bronze medalist in the long jump at the 1983 World Championships(and a 2-time NCAA Champ), and was a nationally ranked 100m-hurdler and heptathlete. So, while you may not agree with her analysis of certain events, she's speaking with some experience behind her.
While interviewing Raasin McIntosh at the U.S. Nationals, the winner of the 400-hurdles went into an emotional recounting of the tragic accident involving Bev Kearney and how it affected the Texas team. As McIntosh went on about one of the other individuals who died in the crash , Carol thought to herself, "No one is going to know who she is talking about". As McIntosh finished, Carol said, "And, of course, she was referring to Ilrey Oliver" (who was a a student adviser at the school). That may seem like a small point to her criitcs, but that was a very professional "save".
And how about giving her some props for speaking her mind on issues like the IAAF false start rule or Mo Greene not running the 200 final at the Nationals?
I know this isn't going to stop the "Carol-bashing", but it might help some people become more objective when judging her the next time.
Regards,
Walt Murphy
Self-appointed defender of all things related to TV track (:-)
Everyone LOVES to pick on Carol, but I can tell you no one in the business works harder than she does in talking to the athletes before a meet to get their current state of fitness and any other insight she can gather. And some of you have disliked her for so long that it's just easier for you to pick on her mistakes rather than judge the totality of what she does.
As I mentioned earlier, it's easier to remember the mistakes than it is the things that are done right. Does Carol occasionally say things she wishes she could take back? Sure, but so do most announcers in the business.
Some recent criticisms:
"Mulvaney's bad racing tactics at the NCAA"...Sorry, but I'm sure if you asked Chris Mulvaney, who, if I recall correctly, was not shy about referring to himself earlier this year as the best collegiate 1500/mile runner, he'd admit that he screwed up for the second year in a row.
"Talking to injured athletes while they were on the track"--Sorry again, but that's good TV hustle and I'm sure it didn't add to the athletes' discomfort.
(Referring to Allyson Felix doing too much too soon)--"When I was sixteen, I made the Olympic team...". In all the years that I've been working with Carol, that may have been the 2nd time that she referred to her own accomplishments, and it was totally appropriate. And her comment about "Felix running too fast" was also appropriate, although probably could have been phrased better. We've all seen cases of high school pheenoms who disappear after a year or two. And in case some of you don't know of Carol's achievements(in addition to being Carl's sister), she was the bronze medalist in the long jump at the 1983 World Championships(and a 2-time NCAA Champ), and was a nationally ranked 100m-hurdler and heptathlete. So, while you may not agree with her analysis of certain events, she's speaking with some experience behind her.
While interviewing Raasin McIntosh at the U.S. Nationals, the winner of the 400-hurdles went into an emotional recounting of the tragic accident involving Bev Kearney and how it affected the Texas team. As McIntosh went on about one of the other individuals who died in the crash , Carol thought to herself, "No one is going to know who she is talking about". As McIntosh finished, Carol said, "And, of course, she was referring to Ilrey Oliver" (who was a a student adviser at the school). That may seem like a small point to her criitcs, but that was a very professional "save".
And how about giving her some props for speaking her mind on issues like the IAAF false start rule or Mo Greene not running the 200 final at the Nationals?
I know this isn't going to stop the "Carol-bashing", but it might help some people become more objective when judging her the next time.
Regards,
Walt Murphy
Self-appointed defender of all things related to TV track (:-)
Comment