The CBC may do a good job of covering the Olympics and highlighting the spirit of amateur athletics, but clearly it is pushing professional hockey and Wayne Gretzky now.
Yesterday was a day that featured some ugly spills on the ski hills and an unbelievable display of coverage by a Chinese figure skater who braved an incredible fall, and CBC had it all.
But right in the middle of it came clips of the Canadian men's hockey team practising in Mississauga, followed by Gretzky talking to the media about the on-going betting scandal into which he has been dragged by association.
"The focus should be on these athletes who have worked their whole lives to be in these Olympic Games," he said.
It's uncertain whether he was referring to the men's hockey team, of which he is the executive director. He played in the 1998 Olympics and has an understanding of what the Games mean, albeit from a professional perspective.
While hockey is Canada's sport and is arguably CBC's most important staple, the Gretzky factor is being driven by the North American media like some kind of sensational magazine tabloid story.
Is CBC doing its job as a responsible media outlet or is it merely following the pack?
And do the team's line combinations matter at this point? Ron MacLean was all over them as if they were earth-shaking news.
BITS AND SOUNDBITES
Gold-medal coverage by CBC announcer Mark Lee and analysts Barb Underhill and Paul Martini in the final of the pairs freeskate and the fall and recovery of Zhang Dan of China. She landed spread-eagled after being thrown by her partner, but continued bravely after a two-minute break. "I can't imagine they're going to do it," Underhill remarked. When the routine ended, Lee said: "What a comeback! A standing ovation and rightfully so." Martini added: "It's a moment that will probably stay with us for many, many years." ... CBC gave Jeremy Wotherspoon's attempt at redemption in the final of the men's speedskating 500-metre final a big buildup. Even after the Canadian virtually eliminated himself from medal contention with a disappointing opening race, race announcer Steve Armitage said: "Nothing is guaranteed. This is racing. This is ice and those are blades and anything can happen." But Wotherspoon withered again. There weren't any immediate comments from Wotherspoon, leaving viewers guessing ... In the opening day of curling coverage, which is on TSN, the announcing trio of Don Wittman, Mike Harris and Joan McCusker had a solid start. They explained how the Canadian teams may have trouble on the straight ice conditions after normally playing on sheets with swing. The threesome also detailed the struggles of Team Canada's Amy Nixon, who was battling food poisoning and looked as white as the ice ... Skiing analyst Kerrin Lee-Gartner, who battled knee injuries during her career, provided good insight into the possible future of Canada's Allison Forsyth, who tore knee ligaments in a horrific fall in downhill training. Lee-Gartner also noted the course wasn't to blame. It was the "grippy snow." ... Poor Brian Williams. Because of a technical screwup involving the wrong tape being aired from a pre-recorded interview, he was seen in prime time sticking out his tongue a la Gene Simmons of KISS. "Mistakes happen in live television and you move on," he said ... Ellen DeGeneres is doing an Ell-ympics on her show. Sadly, I saw it while switching to NBC.
