Formula 1, or Tom Daley diving?

[sir_arthur_strebe-grebling]

I've been listening to BBC Radio 5Dead commentary on the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix, but every now and again they interrupt to go to someone in Barcelona, telling us that Tom Daley looks bronzed and fit in his tight trunks, the weather in Barcelona is superb, the diving centre has a nice view of the city in the background, and, oh yes, the judges have given Tom Daley a 7.5 for that one. They then return to the Hungaroring where the commentators say "you've just missed some fantastic action here ..."

What is the point?

[cee-dee]

I thought you'd have realised the luvvies would rather visualise some barely covered young chap rather than a load of sweat soaked blokes swaddled in protective gear smelling of sweat and car fumes?

[al**bear]

Sir A

why not watch the GP on your computer

go on be a Rebel

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

---

@cee-dee wrote:

I thought you'd have realised the luvvies would rather visualise some barely covered young chap rather than a load of sweat soaked blokes swaddled in protective gear smelling of sweat and car fumes?

---

You forgot to mention how talented he is though, CD.  True, his sporting attire is on the skimpy side, but that goes for all the competitors.  I expect the design is to minimise drag, or something.  Much like a car really.

[cee-dee]

Yes, true but when a programme is supposed to be about one thing and they continually interrupt with something completely different it's pretty irritating.

Turning it round, if the programme had been about diving, how would people feel if they kept interrupting with comments about F1 and then saying "Oh, Daley has just made a superb dive but you just missed it"?

[sir_arthur_strebe-grebling]

I later discovered that BBC2 TV broadcast the diving live, at the same time as the F1 was taking place, so there seemed to be no reason for the BBC to put it on the radio at the same time, except that a woman liked commenting on the scenery, Tom Daley's looks and, oh yes, he made a mess of that one and only scored 3.5.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

I wasn't saying it was not irritating, CD.  Just that Tom is considered newsworthy for his talent, not just his looks.  OK, so he came in 6th yesterday, but it was a miracle he was competing at all, due to an arm injury.  Tough to do a handstand at that height and then multiple somersaults before entering the water at warp speed without leaving a ripple when you have that sort of handicap.  And, I don't think he scored as low as 3.5 on any of the 6 dives, Sir A. 

For anyone who missed it, Chiarabini, a young Italian lad, could be one to watch for the future.  And, yes, he does happen to be easy on the eye as well.

[cee-dee]

Tom is newsworthy eh?

So an injured chap (possibly past his best) jumping in to water for a few seconds is more newsworthy than a bloke driving the most technologically advanced vehicle there is for an hour and threequarters and not only that, the British bloke actually won his event when up against the best in the World, he didn't just come 6th.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

Of course Tom is newsworthy.   And he had less than 3 seconds over his 6 dives to perform.  If you've got hrs and hrs (*yawns at the length of the car racing*), there is room for dozens of errors, etc.   And the racing is on for how many w'ends during the season?  Many, is the answer.  So there is hrs and hrs and hrs of footage for fans to watch.  Whereas with the diving, there is only seconds.

In reality, it is hard to compare two sports and say which has more "skill".  Though I don't know anything about how drivers train, I'd be willing to bet the regime for diving is way more intensive and tough on the body, hence the short career-span.  And sports that involve team-work are different from those requiring solo performances.  No instructions from the pits telling another competitor to hang back in order that you can win.   Plus none of the "most technologically advanced" equipment to help out.  Just your body ... doing all the work itself.

So, each to there own, and yes, I'd be miffed if I was watching the tennis and it was repeatedly interrupted by boxing.  But my original point was there is more to diving than some hunky eye candy parading in tight attire.

[cee-dee]

Ah, but the luvvies at the BBC would rather cast their eyes over some barely covered, lithe young chap than some whiskery bloke clad from head to foot in protective clothing.

The point of the matter is that they chose to interrupt the proceedings juuuuuuuust as something "interesting" was happening and for what? An injured failure rather than a winner on top form.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

Could they not have replayed the interesting bit missed while the hrs (... and hrs and hrs) of dull stuff was on?

And given it was radio, the physique and state of dress of the divers was not really of central concern, surely?  

[cee-dee]

They could have waited until Daley had done something spectacular, (like winning) before reporting a fail live?

It was to those watching the proceedings they were commentating/reporting on that would have been eying up the divers.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

But, by definition in sport, you don't know something spectacular is about to happen until it does.  So the British racer could have come 3rd, or 5th, or failed to finish.  Are you saying there should have been no commentary at all until he had won?

[cee-dee]

You're enjoying this aren't you?

No, all I'm saying is they should stick to the programme subject not interrupt with something else.

We leave the programme now and hand you back to COA in the studio.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

---

@cee-dee wrote:

You're enjoying this aren't you?

---

And you're not?  

I agree with you that they should stick to the programme subject.  I disagree that Tom Daley is of interest only for his physique, or that coming 6th in the European Championships represents failure, or that his performance on Sunday is a reliable indicator that he is past his peak.

And we now go back to our live outside broadcast and rejoin our commentator CD.

[cee-dee]

Of course I am. You know I could have an argument in an empty room?

I guess it's escaped you that a lot of the luvvies bat for the other side?

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

No, it hasn't.  And, alongside that, there's a heck of a lot of homophobic stuff throughout the comments on any online news report involving Tom.   He seems to cope with it all pretty well though.

[cee-dee]

The BBC is supposed to be impartial and the presenters/reporters/commentators shouldn't be pushing their own opinions/preferences. They're supposed to do what they're emplyed for and not ram their own agenda in the face of everyone else.

As to adverse comments about Daley and his alleged preferences, he'd be as well either being completely honest or if he doesn't want to do that, desist from anything that invites comment in directions he'd rather not go.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

He's a teenager ... so what you suggest is a big ask.  That said, as far as I'm aware, he handles his public life very maturily.   There will always be those who use every mention of him to push their agenda.  There's little he can do about that.

[cee-dee]

Up and coming stars in all fields manage their new-found fame differently.

Sometimes it leads to "having a good time" to the extent that their expertise suffers. All things involving "fitness" are unpredictable too so time will tell for Daley?