Saturday, February 16, 2002
From skate debate to hockey debacle
By PERRY LEFKO -- Toronto Sun
All of Canada may need to be reprogrammed to adjust from the skating scandal to the hockey hoopla. After five days of following Skategate play out on TV, it came to an end yesterday, only a few hours before the Canadian men's hockey team took to the ice for its round-robin opener against Sweden, which it lost 5-2.
How convenient for CBC, because it simply wouldn't be able to devote any more live coverage to the skating saga once ice hockey (that's how the game is referred to in the Olympics) began in earnest.
Although viewers may be going through skating withdrawal now, particularly after what happened yesterday.
On the main network and cable channel Newsworld, CBC aired live the pivotal announcement by the International Skating Union and the International Olympic Committee to award David Pelletier and Jamie Sale their overdue gold medals.
Yet, it wasn't just CBC that a made a big deal out of the ISU-IOC decision. CNN aired it live as well.
New IOC president Jacques Rogge made a solid impression in his biggest challenge to date. As Olympic filmmaker/historian Bud Greenspan told CNN:
"He's a different type of man (than predecessor Juan Antonio Samaranch). He gets to the point really quick. When I saw him on (TV), I knew the influence of the IOC had taken a different road."
CNN interviewed its Moscow correspondent, who said Moscowvites feel the judges' decision was "fair and square" and are indignant with the tone of the North American media.
SALE'S MOM CUT OFF
CNN interviewed Sale's mother from Edmonton. Unfortunately the interview ended abruptly because of a feed problem.
CBC broke away from the IOC-ISU announcement for an exclusive interview between studio host Ron MacLean and Canada's chef de mission, Sally Rehorick, and Skate Canada president, Marilyn Chidlow.
MacLean, who has developed a more dogged interviewing style in these Games than he has shown in previous Olympics or on Hockey Night In Canada, asked some insightful questions.
Yet it was Rehorick, a figure-skating authority, who emerged as the star.
In particular, she challenged the ISU and Skate Canada for trying to protect the judges.
"Judging is not a mystery, it's very straight forward," she said. "We can share and improve knowledge of our sport and improve the credibility of our sport."
CBC had the first interview with Sale and Pelletier, though they had to wait for the couple to arrive in the studio.
"Are they running down the hall?" MacLean said to some studio hands live on the air.
BRIEFLY:
Maybe it's because of the hockey tournament, but MacLean has ditched his designer sweaters for a suit and tie. Then again, how could he possibly dress in cashmere when doing his schtick with Don Cherry? ... What's the deal with Cherry telling people in the stands to be quiet when he's doing his Coaches Corner? And, why did they shut up? ... CBC made the right call showing the hockey game and tape-delaying the short program of Canadian ice-dancing duo Victor Kraatz and Shae-Lynn Bourne. It would have been interesting if CBC cut away from the game, but that would have really created a scandal. Even though this is the Olympics, there are some people who would rather watch a blowout hockey game than ice dancing ... Brian Williams works better with Cherry than MacLean, but MacLean provides more tension.
2002 Games News Coverage
