Follow the yellow line...
The first time I tried to watch hockey on television was a game when Fox featured a glowing puck. I believe they added this to the game to make the puck easier to see for the casual viewer at home. A red glowing puck was kind of cool, until the puck was up against the boards and you could actually see it glow through fans sitting in the stands. Very disturbing. I've not been able to watch hockey on television since.
However, now the tv powers that be have introduced technology to sports viewing that actually ENHANCES the experience. I'm talking about the little yellow line.
I first noticed the line in football. They use it to indicate the line the team needs to cross in order to gain a first down. Very helpful for a girl like me who doesn't always pay THAT close of attention to the game. (That I'm a girl who watches sports as avidly as I do is a shock to many, but I've always been a bit of a shocker). When we went to a live game last season I actually kind of missed the line.
They've made very good use of the line during the Olympics as well. I've seen it used in two scenarios:
- In the swimming and running events when an athlete has been super fast they've used the yellow line to indicate world record pace. It's quite dramatic to see the swimmer in a race against the line. He's reaching over it, his fingers are grazing it, but every race I watched the line won out in the end.
- I've also seen them use the line in the long jump, to indicate the first place jump thus far. This was helpful, because then the butt print in the sand actually meant something to me. For every jumper I watched it meant that she wasn't in first place.
I also like the way that they have been able to assign names and flags to each of the lanes in swimming and running, so when they do the broad shot you can see who's who. In swimming it was really cool when the swimmers would touch the end of the pool and their flags would pop out, making it VERY easy to see who came in first second and third.
Yet another thing to add to my list of challenges I faced in my youth that my children will never have to face... they will always know a world with the yellow line to assist them in their sports viewing. (Well, assuming I ever have children. And if I don't well, then, other people's children.)
However, now the tv powers that be have introduced technology to sports viewing that actually ENHANCES the experience. I'm talking about the little yellow line.
I first noticed the line in football. They use it to indicate the line the team needs to cross in order to gain a first down. Very helpful for a girl like me who doesn't always pay THAT close of attention to the game. (That I'm a girl who watches sports as avidly as I do is a shock to many, but I've always been a bit of a shocker). When we went to a live game last season I actually kind of missed the line.
They've made very good use of the line during the Olympics as well. I've seen it used in two scenarios:
- In the swimming and running events when an athlete has been super fast they've used the yellow line to indicate world record pace. It's quite dramatic to see the swimmer in a race against the line. He's reaching over it, his fingers are grazing it, but every race I watched the line won out in the end.
- I've also seen them use the line in the long jump, to indicate the first place jump thus far. This was helpful, because then the butt print in the sand actually meant something to me. For every jumper I watched it meant that she wasn't in first place.
I also like the way that they have been able to assign names and flags to each of the lanes in swimming and running, so when they do the broad shot you can see who's who. In swimming it was really cool when the swimmers would touch the end of the pool and their flags would pop out, making it VERY easy to see who came in first second and third.
Yet another thing to add to my list of challenges I faced in my youth that my children will never have to face... they will always know a world with the yellow line to assist them in their sports viewing. (Well, assuming I ever have children. And if I don't well, then, other people's children.)
posted by Swankette at 10:03 PM
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