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From: Bill Hooper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Mon Feb 23, 2004 10:38:18 pm US/Eastern To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Olympic measurements
to: NBC Sports
I hope NBC sportscasters will report this summer's Olympic events in the Olympic units of measurement, and not convert every centimetre to feet and inches.
If I may give an example, the Olympic long jump record is 8.95 metres. All long jump distances at the Olympic games will be measured in, reported in and recorded in metres to two decimal places (or in centimetres to the nearest whole centimeter, which is the same thing). It will only be converted into feet and inches if sports reporters for the US media do so. (The rest of the world uses metres and centimetres so they don't need to convert.)
Using the Olympic record as an example, if that 8.95 m is converted to Ye Olde English units, it is equal to approximately 29 feet 4 and 23/64 inches. Commentators would probably round that to 29 feet 4 and 3/8 inches or more likely to 29 ft. 4 in. (the nearest whole inch) or 29 ft. 4.5 in. (the nearest half inch) or 29 ft 4.4 in. (the nearest tenth). But nothing is simpler than 8.95 m (or 895 cm).
I understand your feeling that the American TV audience is not sufficiently familiar with the metric system to understand how big 8.95 metres is, but let me point out the obvious: Since the record is 8.95 m, if someone jumps 8.97 m he will have beaten the record and if he jumps only 8.92 m he will not. And in any case, a jumper who jumps 8.76 m has beaten a jumper who only goes 8.73 m. Even Joe Sixpack sitting in front of his TV in his underwear is smart enough to understand that. You do not have to convert it to feet and inches to show who beat whom or who beat what record.
In addition, I think you misunderstand the American viewer if you think nobody understands metric. Many of us do (and some of us prefer it). Few people are totally ignorant of it. Those who need help can be helped by one or two references such as "The record is 8.95 metres WHICH IS ALMOST 30 FEET" or "Joseph Slobodnik just jumped 8.98 m, beating the record by 3 cm WHICH IS NOT MUCH MORE THAN AN INCH". (CAPS added for emphasis of the point being made here.)
Surely this is easier to understand than "The record was 29 feet 4 and 3/8 inches. Joe Slobodnik has just jumped 29 feet 5 and 1/2 inches and smashed the old record by ... ??? How the hell much farther is that anyway?"
Please don't "dumb down" the Olympics because you think Americans can't think. Thank you for considering my suggestion.
Regards, Bill Hooper Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA
