Vugraph "technical" (?!?!?) comments

[Cascade]

Can any yellow comment as an commentator? Or any Star player?

Any Yellow has the privilege to comment at a vugraph table without being ungagged.

 

However it would not be normal for a Yellow to comment without being invited to commentate. There might be occasional exception circumstances where a non-invited Yellow might comment at a vugraph table. And may a few times where a Yellow misdirects his chat to the vugraph table since he is automatically enabled :D

[Chamaco]

For those who want to complain: I think you should try it. In fact offer your services to 5th Chair and, IMVHO, you will soon change your tune.

I will speak only for my self, obviously :D

 

1) I know what it means to be a volunteer.

I have volunteered for free and stoill do in activities where I am skilled.

I volunteered for BBO Italy for things I can help to: translating things from english to italian and vice versa.

Also, I am a Chess Master and have devoted for free MUCH of my chess mentoring time during the last 15 years both online and live (obviously not on BBO ;) ).

 

2) when I mentor, my questions at the end of the session is to receive by the pupils/audience comments and suggestions on how to do the explanations. I am happy of feedback, it helps to improve my level of mentoring.

 

3) Speaking of commentators.

I had to say that *for some specific commentators*, who I have happened to see quite often in the competitions I watched, the level was not up to the level that I was used to at the beginning of BBO.

I have to say that they are not many, so in a sense, I understand that some posts replied in this thread (e.g. Rado's post, and a few others) listing several of the wonderful commentators we have on BBO Vugraph.

Still, I did not think it was nice and proper to mention the names I referred to, so I simply described what kind of comments I like and what not.

This is feedback, I believe.

It is also criticism in a sense, but not destructive, since it is suggested the lines for improvement.

 

5) The lines I would like to see improved is specifically when some experts seem to get bored of the hand.

This never happens with some commentators (the ones I like).

Others, when dummy goes down, sometimes just comment: "A dull parttscore for E-W" and then turn to some jokes publicly with friends, when many more technical comments could be added, which may seem superfluous and obvious to an expert but not to lesser players.

 

6) if a commentators does not speak in depth of the hand because he has not the technical skills to do it under pressure, I have no problem with it.

What I find frustrating is when expert - who have indeed such skills - do not do it.

Ben (Inquiry) suggested in one post that sometimes one has the impression that only when there is a possibilityt of a truiple progressive 7-ways squeeze do they find the hand challenging enough to enter the discussion of the play of the hand.

I agree with him.

Much of the times it would possible in a "boring " hand to discuss typical card combinations or falsecards.

A non expert would have trouble to do it, and this is not a problem for me.

But I find extremely pleasant when experts, during dull phases, make such comments on fundamental card play techniques.

 

7) I think feed back is the key to improvement, as long as it is expressed properly. If the policy should be that if I do not like some commentators'style, I should just shut up just because they do it for free, I do not like it. I still believe that a proper and polite feedback should be allowed.

Nevertheless I will accept to shut my mouth if that's how things are supposed to be...:)

 

8) Finally, I repeat, these are ONLY expectations, NOT requirements. This all is for free and thankful for it. Commentators may obviously ignore or not the feedback.

I just thought it was right to let them know what some part of the audience like (as well I am glad that other posters have expressed their own opinion different from mine). I hope I was not wrong... :D

[slothy]

Dear Chamaco et Rest Of Ze Wurld,

 

Before i continue where i left off....

 

For those who want to complain: I think you should try it. In fact offer your services to 5th Chair and, IMVHO, you will soon change your tune.

Just to clear a minor point up....In case you thought i was referring to you (which i wholeheatedly was hee hee ..just joking) i would classify you quite unashamedly as

 

...and others just wanting to point out nicely and diplomatically recommendations for improvement of what they see as not up to scratch.

 

If this description, Chamaco, in any way undermines your macho, "bash-'em-over-the head" credibility in the forum please send me a Personal Message and i will make a point of re-highlighting it in red :P :D jajaja

 

My main irritation was with other people (not necessarily in this thread), and for them to remain nameless, who, I believe, express themselves in such a way that they think they know better and have answers for everything and ooze a sense of superciliousness that makes me wanna projectile vomit. (I dont do so only because i have a new monitor and my stock of screen-wipes is running low.) I don't care whether it is their command of English or otherwise which they use as an excuse: there is a way of discussing and projecting criticism (and vomit hee hee) in such a way that it gets listened to by those who may gain by doing so and, frankly, there are other ways in which it, quite justifiably, gets ignored by the 'powers-that-be' as it comes over as offensive, ill-thought-out and more about having one's own voice heard rather then about having what one wrote actioned.

 

Anyway, that my gripe for the day. (well, it ain't over yet, so who knows?)

 

As you started the thread, you may have thought i was directing that particular comment at you. I wasn't. (that doesnt mean that in a future thread my opinion may change :lol: )

 

Anyway, back to the battle-field..

 

Uff my lunch-break at work :P(( STILL havent posted what i wanted to write but just wanted to clear that up :D

 

Alex

[Chamaco]

Dear Chamaco et Rest Of Ze Wurld,

 

Before i continue where i left off....

 

For those who want to complain: I think you should try it. In fact offer your services to 5th Chair and, IMVHO, you will soon change your tune.

Just to clear a minor point up....In case you thought i was referring to you (which i wholeheatedly was hee hee ..just joking) i would classify you quite unashamedly as

 

...and others just wanting to point out nicely and diplomatically recommendations for improvement of what they see as not up to scratch.

 

If this description, Chamaco, in any way undermines your macho, "bash-'em-over-the head" credibility in the forum please send me a Personal Message and i will make a point of re-highlighting it in red :D :D jajaja

 

My main irritation was with other people (not necessarily in this thread), and for them to remain nameless, who, I believe, express themselves in such a way that they think they know better and have answers for everything and ooze a sense of superciliousness that makes me wanna projectile vomit. (I dont do so only because i have a new monitor and my stock of screen-wipes is running low.) I don't care whether it is their command of English or otherwise which they use as an excuse: there is a way of discussing and projecting criticism (and vomit hee hee) in such a way that it gets listened to by those who may gain by doing so and, frankly, there are other ways in which it, quite justifiably, gets ignored by the 'powers-that-be' as it comes over as offensive, ill-thought-out and more about having one's own voice heard rather then about having what one wrote actioned.

 

Anyway, that my gripe for the day. (well, it ain't over yet, so who knows?)

 

As you started the thread, you may have thought i was directing that particular comment at you. I wasn't. (that doesnt mean that in a future thread my opinion may change :lol: )

 

Anyway, back to the battle-field..

 

Uff my lunch-break at work :P(( STILL havent posted what i wanted to write but just wanted to clear that up :D

 

Alex

LOL @ Slothy !!! :D

So much for all my attempts to be mistaken for the bloodthirsty Sandokan, the Tiger of Mompracem !! :P

[JRG]

Hi Guys & Gals,

 

I feel i have an insatiable itch to comment here :).

(snip)

Has this got something to do with your nickname? :D

[rigour6]

As a person who has done commentary at sporting events, it's not as easy as it looks, I agree.

 

I think the major cause is that for some of these commentators, it seems obvious the sort of comments Fred makes. They aren't even thinking about the kinds of things most of us average (or worse) players are. So it's hard to know how to dumb it down without having people say well gosh, I knew that!

 

Personally, I am dumb and so the dumber down they can dumb it down the more I get out of it. But I also enjoy just the playful banter.

 

Amazingly enough, I watch the Vugraph for the games, not the commentators. :)

 

Fred spoiled us though, because he's the best.

[Chamaco]

As a person who has done commentary at sporting events, it's not as easy as it looks, I agree.

 

I think the major cause is that for some of these commentators, it seems obvious the sort of comments Fred makes.  They aren't even thinking about the kinds of things most of us average (or worse) players are.  So it's hard to know how to dumb it down without having people say well gosh, I knew that!

 

Personally, I am dumb and so the dumber down they can dumb it down the more I get out of it.  But I also enjoy just the playful banter. 

 

Amazingly enough, I watch the Vugraph for the games, not the commentators.  :blink:

 

Fred spoiled us though, because he's the best.

First of all, welcome to the BB Forum rigour (it seems to me this is your first post ? if not, ignore my welcome :( ).

 

Secondly, I agree with your points: most probably some commentators cannot fully understand the needs of several mid-low level players, because their level is far superior.

 

So the main meaning of this thread was, in a way, to serve as a reminder, that there is nothing wrong lowering the comments level down to apparently trivial points, *as long as the comments is technical and not a talk show dealing much rather of cokes or football or people's socks rather than bridge* :-) (yes, there have been SEVERAL recent sessions where the above were the most popular topics rather than bridge and every hand was just dismissed quickly as probably too easy to comment upon;

and I will repeat here that, IMO - joking is a nice way to entertain audience, but not when it is done for over 80% of the playing time)

 

And yes, Fred definitely spoiled us :-) but there are indeed some commentators who stick to the technical details without being boring.

Praise to them ! :-)

[flytoox]

I think you underestimate the parochial natural of the users. There are many many people who want to watch their own country play.

 

I field many questions like "When are Turkey on vugraph?", "Is the Sweden Demark game on tonight?" etc etc

Cannot agree more. I was hoping China's match would be lived all the time:)