Complain to CBS about US Open Coverage

_mats_

Rookie
here is mine

Dear Sirs -

I am writing to you in order to note what happened at the Award Ceremony of the 2009 US. Open final.

I am deeply saddened by the way that Juan Martin Del Potro was shunned from the microphone by Dick Enberg when he only requested to say a few words in Spanish, having to ask twice for that.

I also noted that Caroline Wozniacki lost the Championship and was allowed plenty of time to express herself in English, Polish and Danish.

I would really appreciate it since this means a lot to me as I am sure it meant to a lot of people.

Tennis is, by nature, an international sport, and after putting a great show for all of us to see this shocked me deeply.

Thanks in advance
 

r2473

G.O.A.T.
"Can I please say a few words in Spanish"

The first time he asked, Dick actually said no. He had to ask again and Dick reluctantly said, "Alright, but be quick about it".

The man just won the US Open against the greatest player ever who has a 5 year 40 match streak at the Open. He wants to thank his family and friends, but unfortunately a great episode of "some ****" is up next, so we just don't have time.

I agree. Disgraceful.
 

MasturB

Legend
CBS. They are the ones that controlled how long they would show the ceremony.

Yea, last year's ceremony when Roger won was like 2 minutes, and the year before that against Djokovic, the ceremony was like 3 minutes cause they had to cut to 60 minutes.

CBS IS A JOKE.
 

Deuce

Banned
"Can I please say a few words in Spanish"

The first time he asked, Dick actually said no. He had to ask again and Dick reluctantly said, "Alright, but be quick about it".

The man just won the US Open against the greatest player ever who has a 5 year 40 match streak at the Open. He wants to thank his family and friends, but unfortunately a great episode of "some ****" is up next, so we just don't have time.

I agree. Disgraceful.

here is mine

Dear Sirs -

I am writing to you in order to note what happened at the Award Ceremony of the 2009 US. Open final.

I am deeply saddened by the way that Juan Martin Del Potro was shunned from the microphone by Dick Enberg when he only requested to say a few words in Spanish, having to ask twice for that.

I also noted that Caroline Wozniacki lost the Championship and was allowed plenty of time to express herself in English, Polish and Danish.

I would really appreciate it since this means a lot to me as I am sure it meant to a lot of people.

Tennis is, by nature, an international sport, and after putting a great show for all of us to see this shocked me deeply.

Thanks in advance

Good comments, guys.
I totally agree with you both.
 
It's disgraceful. It's embarrassing to CBS and the US Open, but worse, I'm embarrassed because this is my country's biggest tennis tournament, and the biggest stage. It makes the US look bad in general.
 

leonidas1982

Hall of Fame
Agreed. It makes us look petty and non-tolerant of foreigners--this is not the case of course but it can only feed into the stereotype. And the look that Enberg gave when the champion was pleading to speak in his native tongue--how disgusting. US Open is known for cringe-inducing moments; I can't find a word or phrase to describe what happened this evening.
 

rommil

Legend
If they didn't show Juan's speech in Spanish then that's a tragedy because he started getting emotional and cried again. It was a pretty good atmosphere.
 

Deuce

Banned
One of these days, I hope that the winner, when being disrespectfully rushed, simply says "Screw your damned TV schedule - I've waited all my life for this..." and simply grabs the microphone out of the announcer's hand, and talks as long as he/she wishes.

Hell - it's THEIR moment.
 

JavierLW

Hall of Fame
oh, i thought we were talking about the "disrespect" by Dick....because i don't know if CBS has anything to do with the hiring/firing of commentators, do they?

Well, we probably wont know this, but I get the impression that Dick was probably being rushed by execs in his microphone during the presentation.

Because it's hard to believe that he really intended to make himself look like a complete @ss on national TV.

But still, he sort of stumbled thru it and didnt handle it with any class so that kind of sucks. Im sure it was more of an inability to handle the difficult moment then anything.

It's sort of ironic because I think had it been given the time it deserved, that would of looked far better for Lexus and whatever company issued that check (I dont even remember). The way it was presented, it was like "geez, who cares about a car???".

If they would of let him talk right away, Im sure he would of acted like he appreciated the other stuff because those are normal for that ceremony. Telling the CHAMPION that there isnt time for them to talk is not.
 
B

bhallic24

Guest
Agreed. It makes us look petty and non-tolerant of foreigners--this is not the case of course but it can only feed into the stereotype. And the look that Enberg gave when the champion was pleading to speak in his native tongue--how disgusting. US Open is known for cringe-inducing moments; I can't find a word or phrase to describe what happened this evening.

yea i definitely cringed when he gave him that condescending look. It was almost as if Dick was saying "What you can't speak well enough in English to express yourself?". God that was aweful and the man was about to cry right there. You bet if it was FEderer or Roddick that won, they'd get like 10 minutes to say whatever they want and thank everybody from their families to the ballboys to the janitors. It was a disgrace I agree. I woulda been sooooo soooo pissed if I were Delpo. Glad he didn't Serena the situation.

And in the nights leading up to the womens final. When Pam Shriver interviewd Wozniaki, the way she said Wickmayer's name was disgusting as well. It was almost as if she was announcing that Wozniaki's next opponent was Adolph Hitler.
 

dParis

Hall of Fame
It's disgraceful. It's embarrassing to CBS and the US Open, but worse, I'm embarrassed because this is my country's biggest tennis tournament, and the biggest stage. It makes the US look bad in general.
Almost verbatim of what I sent to CBS. I never send my opinion or complaints to TV networks or circuses, but why bother bidding for and carrying the tournament if you can't give it proper closure?

Thanks for the link, Javier.
 
Here is my complaint to CBS

The awards ceremony for the Mens Final of the US Open was a disgrace. Mr.Enberg was unprepared to interview Federer, not even offering a question. The sponsors and Federer had more time to speak than the champion, Mr.DelPotro. And spending so much time describing the price money, bonus money, and Lexus that he won is uncalled for in this economic recession. Tennis is an international sport. Del Potro was not allotted time to speak to his countrymen in his native language. The tennis forums (which are international) are ripping this awards ceremony (justly) as being an example of the American way. This was not acceptable.
 

rommil

Legend
The crowd at the Open didn't hear and realize that del Potro asked to speak in Spanish twice. The audio in the stadium was low, del Potro speaks in a low tone and of course everybody was cheering. If the crowd heard and realized what was going on, there would have been definite booing at Enberg who will look like the bad guy here but in a country of capitalism and commercialism where money is king, it's always like Enberg says," a few words from our sponsors". It almost the same exact reason why they did not suspend Serena. Money.
 
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gashandburn

New User
thank you for the link. it was embarrassing for him to be rushed like that. you could see how much it meant to him to be able to say the 2 sentences in Spanish. i'm sure he would have liked to say more than that. it's sad he had to beg and basically try to take the microphone from Enberg.
 

heycal

Hall of Fame
One of these days, I hope that the winner, when being disrespectfully rushed, simply says "Screw your damned TV schedule - I've waited all my life for this..." and simply grabs the microphone out of the announcer's hand, and talks as long as he/she wishes.

Hell - it's THEIR moment.

Are you STILL banned? What did you do?
 

heycal

Hall of Fame
My letter to CBS

Since everyone is suggesting we write to CBS over this issue, here is what I sent to a miss Leslie Wade at the network:

I hope you folks ignore any complaints you got from viewers upset that Del Potro had to ask twice to speak in Spanish. I think your instinct in wanting to prevent that nonsense was correct. Perhaps in the future you could tell players to remember that this is an American tournament broadcast by an American network in English, and to please be respectful of that.

Best wishes,
Talk Tennis's heycal
 

rommil

Legend
Since everyone is suggesting we write to CBS over this issue, here is what I sent to a miss Leslie Wade at the network:

I hope you folks ignore any complaints you got from viewers upset that Del Potro had to ask twice to speak in Spanish. I think your instinct in wanting to prevent that nonsense was correct. Perhaps in the future you could tell players to remember that this is an American tournament broadcast by an American network in English, and to please be respectful of that.

Best wishes,
Talk Tennis's heycal

Leslie Wade said your free Spanish Rosetta Stone is on its way to you courtesy of CBS.
 

heycal

Hall of Fame
One of these days, I hope that the winner, when being disrespectfully rushed, simply says "Screw your damned TV schedule - I've waited all my life for this..." and simply grabs the microphone out of the announcer's hand, and talks as long as he/she wishes.

This was a lousy post, but I don't know if you deserve to be banned for it.

Ole Deuce has been sidelined quite awhile now. Anyone know what got him booted?
 

Baikalic

Semi-Pro
Leslie Wade said your free Spanish Rosetta Stone is on its way to you courtesy of CBS.

HAHAHA.

heycal is keeping his supremacist agenda alive in the Pro Match results forum also, if anyone wants to have a laugh peruse the last few pages of the "CBS classless trophy presentation" thread there.

either that or this guy is a new breed of CBS-troll/CBStard.
 

heycal

Hall of Fame
HAHAHA.

heycal is keeping his supremacist agenda alive in the Pro Match results forum also, if anyone wants to have a laugh peruse the last few pages of the "CBS classless trophy presentation" thread there.

either that or this guy is a new breed of CBS-troll/CBStard.

Which is lower, your IQ or the number of days you've been a member of this forum?

Another newbie nitwit.
 

Lefty5

Hall of Fame
All this is peanuts compared to the disgusting amount of hours devoted to Serena, Maria, and Andy. According to CBS, there are no other players on tour worth watching.
 

Baikalic

Semi-Pro
Which is lower, your IQ or the number of days you've been a member of this forum?

Another newbie nitwit.

Nice, once again substituting insults for a coherent argument.

Which is higher, how many days you've been a member of this forum, or how many times you've failed? A Hall of Famer like you is an embarassment.
 

Tsonga#1fan

Semi-Pro
Who cares! The match was running long and I am sure CBS wanted to get to their prime time line-up. As poor as tennis' rating have become, I wouldn't be complaining too much. Just feel fortunate for what TV coverage that is provided. I don't give a damn what any winner has to say anyway. Read it in the newspaper the next day.
 

THUNDERVOLLEY

G.O.A.T.
All this is peanuts compared to the disgusting amount of hours devoted to Serena, Maria, and Andy. According to CBS, there are no other players on tour worth watching.

For U.S. audiences, they are among the main draws (Serena far above the others, according to how her past finals usually rated), therefore they will dominate TV schedules.
 
S

srinrajesh

Guest
"Can I please say a few words in Spanish"

The first time he asked, Dick actually said no. He had to ask again and Dick reluctantly said, "Alright, but be quick about it".

The man just won the US Open against the greatest player ever who has a 5 year 40 match streak at the Open. He wants to thank his family and friends, but unfortunately a great episode of "some ****" is up next, so we just don't have time.

I agree. Disgraceful.

Yup .. I was horrified when i saw it happen.. You just dont treat the mens winner in that manner ... I have no doubt that wouldnt happen if it was a seasoned pro like federer.
 

heycal

Hall of Fame
Yup .. I was horrified when i saw it happen.. You just dont treat the mens winner in that manner ... I have no doubt that wouldnt happen if it was a seasoned pro like federer.

A seasoned pro like Federer would never have made such a rude request.
Hey, is it okay if I bore 99 percent of your viewers so I can speak in tongues for a while?"
 
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