HBO's Gumbel: Lack of Blacks Makes Olympics 'Look Like a GOP Convention'

Newsbusters.org ^ | 2/16/05 | David Pierre

[Airborne1986]

There were some eye-opening remarks from Bryant Gumbel on the most recent episode of HBO's Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel. According to a transcript posted by a television columnist named Seth Frelich, Gumbel said the following in his closing monologue last week (emphasis mine):

"Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t care about them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying ... Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something’s not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what’s called a kiss-and-cry area, while some panel of subjective judges decides who won ... So if only to hasten the arrival of the day they’re done, when we can move on to March Madness — for God’s sake, let the games begin."

[af_vet_rr]

Besides that, I'm tired of any so-called sport that gets officiated by a "judge."

Just imagine if you applied the scoring to other sporting events - NASCAR for instance - "I really liked the way Richard Petty was getting through the corners so I'm going to give him a two point bonus, but coming off of one of his pit stops he got a little sloppy, and that's an automatic one point deduction". That puts it in perspective.

I will admit though, that there are some that I would be hard-pressed to get rid of - women's figure skating. Dorothy Hamill did it for me.

I would like to combine some sports, such as :

1)Luge + Snowboarding - I really want to see somebody strap a piece of wood to their feet and try to go down the luge/bobsleigh run. Make it a points system - you get one point for every 10 feet you are still upright.

2)Curling and shooting elements of the Biathlon - I'm still not sure how to account for spectator safety in this one.

3)Speedskating and Lacrosse. Again, not sure on spectator safety on this one.

Finally, I would like them to bring back Speed Skiing - if ever there was a sport that was started by somebody uttering the phrase "here, hold my beer and watch this", it would be this sport. 100+mph straight down the side of a mountain.

[RobbyS]

"Sport" simply means a diversion' That which diverts, and makes mirth;pastime." It doesn't even have to be a competition. You insist on a defintion that is not commonly accepted, and I certainly don't.

[radiohead]

Every time I see that movie, I don't know why, but I cry like an idiot.

My son will ask, "Ma, you've seen that movie 10 times, why are you crying?" I don't know. I guess persistence in the face of difficulty just kinda gets to me. (plus, I miss John Candy)

[Shooter1001]

An O.J. who can read!

First thing they say as soon as they get some $$$

'Way day does be keepin dem wat womens et??'

[outofhere2]

Rumours about Brian and this blonde woman were circulating before he even dumped his wife. I heard something the two of them I believe, seen at a hotel. The press was on him and now to build street cred with blacks for his blonde wife, he's going to knock the GOP. What an idiot. Even Katie Couric couldn't stand him.

[SusaninOhio]

Hey Gumbel: Maybe you should MAKE A CONTRIBUTION to help YOUR folks develop their skills so the Olympics won't look like 'a GOP convention'.

Of course since it is apparent that Gumbel hates the fact that he is black (and it is Bush's fault that he is), he won't spend a dime to help lift up any of 'his people'.

What a complete blowhard.

[ADemocratNoMore]

May I suggest, that, in the interest of making nice with Mr. Grumble, we embrace the spirit of affirmative action
in the Olympics and allow Mr. Grumble a slot on the ski jumping team. Just as with his career, what goes up must come down.

[popdonnelly]

Uh, Bryant, there are black athletes who, instead of getting paid to whine, are out competing in winter sports.

[Paperdoll]

Bryant Grumble has a rebellious spirit, and a rebellious spirit refuses to be sublimated.

[w1andsodidwe]

How many blacks in your wonderful Clinton administration?

Well there was Ron Brown, but he didn't survive the administration.

[MattinNJ]

Rice, Powell, Steeele, Blackwell, Swann, etc....vs.....Obama

[Hermann the Cherusker]

The Olympics are retarded.

[discostu]

Accept or don't accept whatever you want. I will never accept any judged event as a sport.

[Milhous]

[hattend]

BTTT

[Heatseeker]

Dear Bryant:

I think you might be suffering from a bit of color blindness there Bryant. Snowblind from looking at the blond locks of your deep-ebony 2nd wife and all. Too bad, because you should have remembered this lady,

Debi Thomas won an Olympic bronze in 1988 at Calgary, and a World Championship in 1986 and, unlike you, actually went on to do something useful with her life - she's an orthopedic surgeon.

[reflecting]

your racism is showing

[gakrak]

Brian Gumbel has always been a racist and bigot. He is a person that the channel switch is automatic every time his ugly face hits my TV. He truly is a moron. Amen.

[i_dont_chat]

Read my tag line.

You can choose to take offense. Or you can choose NOT to take offense.

Your right and your choice! And my right and my choice!

[ZULU]

If Gumbo wants more blacks in the Olympics, he should try recruiting them - and putting his money where his mouth is and financing them.

Blacks are much more evident in summer olympics.

Gumbo is a moron.