 Poster: A snowHead
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The conversation in the office this morning is a colourful one, which has lead to some lively debate. Let's see if it generates anything similar on here....
So, without knocking the achievements, discipline and ability of the competitors, especially in the face of the adversity they suffer, is it really sport? Or, as has been suggested this morning, a politically correct marketing ploy by the BBC, who cannot compete in the open broadcasting market and afford the rights to broadcast 'proper sport'?
Over to you....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'd like to see more of it, but don't seem to be watching at the right time to find it 
Saying that, one of the difficult things for ignorant viewers like me is being able to assess the degree of disability from one competitor to another. Last night I saw an amazing little Chinese girl come 3rd in the S6 - 100m backstroke, she had no arms whereas those that came 1st and 2nd each had 2 arms. I don't know how they assessed that they all had equivalent disabilities, but to me, it made the acheivements of the 1st and 2nd seem less significant somehow.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Did you see the young GB girl swimmer who has a form of dwarfism that won gold. Her interview afterwards was almost worth my license fee alone. The crash in the 5000m and the wacky races antics that followed were superb.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As a "public service", doesn't the BBC have some sort of obligation (moral) to show what disabled people can achieve? And of course it's sport - that is the taking part in competetive physical activity etc etc.
I'm not sure it's a ploy. The cost of screening live sports because of the power of television makes many mainstream events too expensive IMO. How people would wail if the Beeb expended most of their budget on screening sport (football mostly, I suppose) to the further detriment of the quality of the spectrum of programmes they bring to such a diverse audience.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I think the paralympics isn't a ploy and it's definitely sport. I also think, compared to the olympics, the paralympics has awful coverage.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have mixed feelings. I like to think I'd respond to some disability in the way that the paralympians do. At the same time, I find coverage of the events mawkish.
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Anyone seen how Gordon Reid is doing in the tennis?
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I don't see why it's any less sport than what goes on in the regular Olympics. The regular Olympics are not a free for for all, fastest or whatever guy wins. They impose certain restrictions, such as banning use of some drug, and it's the fastest or whatever guy within those restrictions who wins. Paralympics just imposes more restricitons, such as being blind or not having any legs or whatever. And anything has got to more like sport than synchronised diving and the other noddy rubbish in the Olympics. In general, I have much more admiration for the paralympians than for the regular olympians, although the paralympians seen to be well on the way to catching the regular chaps on the cheating front (aided by having so many more ways to cheat).
That doesn't make it good TV, of course; I haven't seen it, didn't twig that it was on the TV, must have a look, but I don't see why it shouldn't be. I'm sure that the BBC's motives in putting it on are business led - it's cheap and worthy - but there's nothing wrong with that, they have to do what they have to do. As for it being PC; I'm not sure that encouraging people to sit on their sofa's and laugh at disabled people trying to do sport is PC, but it's difficult to keep up with what is and what isn't these days.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It is indeed sport. Whether that makes it interesting watching, any more than the ordinary olympics, is another matter and I don't see that it necessarily has to have equal coverage.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Having 13 gold medals for the mens 100m does dilute the value somewhat.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Guvnor, or mens beach volleyball ? 
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I am a reasonable skier, nothing expert but I can get down the mountain. Having tried and failed to keep up with some of our Paralympic Skiers in Villars for the past couple of years believe me it's a sport! Just wait 'till Vancouver 2010 and let's see what our athletes can do. Yours with high hopes!
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You know it makes sense.
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John C, Welcome to 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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FAQ
