BWF: get with the program

Yup, the SC was definitely blocked in Canada. Mind you, all SSP and SS YouTube live streaming have been allowed.

 

BadmintonWorld.tv did give the Sudirman Cup blocking list at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA7ZcagI0frDVotzM0PW2X51H7akVDUb7

 

Yep that was the list, thought it was 10 but it's 10 +1 ...

 

During the world championships I observed a couple of problems that need to be readdressed by BWF.

Firstly just a small point on service faults. I noticed there was a raised effort/clamp down on serves above the "waist". That is a good thing but it just did not work properly.
Here is an example why:
I watched one match bo/mo v prat/sap the service judge rightly gave a lot of service faults and at stretch gave 3 in a row i think. There were complaints by players every time and it just felt a bit wrong to carry on doing it as both a spectator and obviously as a service judge because he went a bit quiet after that not calling their service faults. So no consistency at all.
The way I see it, they do need to clamp down hard on this but not before they have a more solid rule in place as to where you can serve from(rather than imaginary line) giving more confidence to the service judge, more confidence from players in the service judge and clear cut for the fans. Clamping down the way it is at the moment is not really working for the players or the fans or the service judge.



Secondly constant play "time wasting" rule in between points. They were really pushing this heavily in the WC13, again bo/mo red for this.
Ok so why is this rule in place? I can think of two reasons:
As a fan watching an event like men's doubles it can be pretty tactical, all about first 3 shots. When you add this to massive delays in between points this can get pretty tedious to watch sometimes. It is certainly not very viewer friendly. So I totally understand in this case when they are just messing about for trick(bo/mo)

second reason - is when the rule just does not work and harms the game and the viewing pleasure. To explain there where numerous singles matches where they would not let them towel down and constantly trying to rush the players on to serve when both have just played a massive point.
why? - they want fitness to be a massive part of who wins or loses. No delays in between points means a big part of a players tactics will be to really try and exhaust your opponent so they can't recover for next couple points. I think this as a concept is wrong to me it encourages more defensive boring games and fitness takes precedence over skill, unneeded for an already extremely demanding physically, sport. In the MS final umpire was pushing them on play, play. It was totally outwith the flow IMO and did not work. The fans have came/tuned into watch a big event and have nothing against the players taking a bit of time in between points in really intensive long games where both are exhausted. The players take a bit of time in between points in these situation specifically only builds tension for fans and lets the player keep standard high also. I mean c'mon over a 1h30 minute super intensive match and you get 7 minute of breaks and yet they pushing constant play in between. It doesn't work! Is it even safe? even LCW couldn't handle it!

 

In addition to what craigandy posted above, why are players in tennis given so much time to towel down in between points and it seems so absurd for badminton players? As a player myself, I find it quite difficult to play (to the best of my abilities) when I have sweat dripping down my arms and/or face. I am sure there are professional players who feel the same way too.

Should there also be a "towel kid' in badminton? Yes, it is a small opportunity for players to catch a breather if they are given time to towel down, but what is 5-10 seconds? More often that not, it would prove insignificant to the final outcome.

 

I agree with you here, but I can see BWF's problem. If you introduce towel kids it would not work for doubles, There would be more rest than play.

I think they have got to look at an extra interval for singles. Or even if they had three and longer so at 11 90 seconds and either side at 6 and 16, 60 seconds(no coaches). So per game 3 1/2 minutes and then obviously the 2 minutes at the end. But the players are never allowed to leave the court in between these breaks even when mopped and continuos play then would be a reasonable request!
This would probably just make things a whole load simpler and fairer so the players had the defined breaks rather than one feeling aggrieved that the other is wasting time.

 

One problem with too many intervals though. It will be very difficult to maintain momentum. Any badminton player would know that when you are in a good run of points, you just want to keep going!

 

Again you are right but players can train to play like this and for everyone it is the same. What is happening at the moment is there is not enough rest time in singles so players are flinging themselves on the floor so mop has to come on and the momentum is broken anyways but it all seems underhand instead of legit.
Watch the Jan o v TMN in wc13. TMN was constantly trying tricks to get breaks in play and succeeding. I can see his point he should be given more rest time imo but also I see Jan o's point that he has made him tired and wants the advantage so play. More intervals would just clean the game up so all this didn't or couldn't happen. No expectations from the players to be toweling down etc as they would get fair enough break times.

 

We could have 2 breaks. One at 7 and one at 14. IBL is doing that. And yes, commercialising the sort is very necessary. They should have one "ultimate" tournament(world championships maybe). Promate it like crazy and make sure it is broadcasted on TV. Involve the fans.

The IBL is perhaps the first tournament that aims on bein glamourous. Between matches, fans get a shot at playing with the big guys. There's a prize for fastest smash. BWF could adopt some of these things.

 

Think this should be in this thread too.

BWF have made forward steps kudos to them!! They have decided and implemented instant review technology Hawkeye.

Unfortunately the system has performed less than perfectly being re named "cockeye". The other problem with the system is that the animation projected does not in any way represent the flight of the shuttle before landing, losing the interactive part of Hawkeye with the spectators as well. These 2 points need to be very close to perfect for Hawkeye to justify it's massive cost or any cost, otherwise what is it's selling point???
I hope BWF aren't going to spend many months reasoning with hawkeye and treating them in the way you would encouraging a school child to get things right. Not really a suitable way to deal if they are paying fortunes.

[video=youtube;lTHCwU9rUdY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTHCwU9rUdY[/video]

 

cobalt, why so grumpy? Is it a touch of the gout setting in your old cynical bones, perhaps?

You may be upset by the use of Excel, but I look at the positives that have happened in just a few years.
I can now watch live world badminton in good quality with English commentary. For free. That is certainly not something I could do even a couple years ago.

By all means, keep prompting BWF to keep up the pace and improve even more. Nothing wrong with progress. But at least throw the dog a bone once in a while for what they have achieved for us.

 

lol..... the winter is just beginning...