I guess that must be their reasoning, but the thing is we haven't heard a peep from anyone complaining that Michael Phelps' near-mockery of his sport has been measured entirely in hundreds of meters. Why would it bother anyone if those other sports were announced in proper units? I mean it just seems like based on the success of the swimming measurements they should get the idea, "oh, hey, Americans can handle meters after all". Is there somebody in some office at NBC who really believes that ratings would suffer were the shotput not given in feet and toes?
Maybe they just think they're doing the "right thing" by doing the conversions, and maybe they could be convinced otherwise, if we could find the person who makes those decisions. Do you think? On a side note, am I the only one annoyed when the commentators use "a body length" or "half body length" as a (variable) unit of distance, when "two meters" and "a meter" would do just fine? I mean they keep saying things like "the last five meters of the race," so why not be consistent about it? --- Carleton MacDonald <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > You really wonder what is going through their minds. They don't dumb down > the foot races or the swimming. > > The only thing I can think of is that the latter are even-number distances > (100 m, 400 m, etc.), and converting those to odd wombat measure would look > really strange. But things like shot put are random distances, depending on > the ability of the athlete. So in most cases the distance achieved will not > be a round figure, so it doesn't seem as "dumb" to show it in feet. > > Nonetheless, it gives an entirely misleading indication to the American > public, and makes them think that the Olympics use the measurements they > hold near and dear. Of course, the Olympics does not. > > Carleton > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of Harry Wyeth > Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2008 21:28 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:41589] Olympics > > I told you. NBC is giving track and field--actually field--events in > feet and inches. I just watched womens shot put reporting showing the > shot landing at the 19 m line, and the announcer and the on-screen > display showing feet and inches. Same old...same old.... > > > HARRY WYETH > >
