Luge athlete killed in Whistler during training

[valo403]

I thought I wanted to see it, but after I hit play I turned it off after 2 seconds. It made me queasy just picturing it.

[Diet Water]

Originally Posted by Igottago

I haven't watched it myself, but what does it say about us that most major news stations have been continuously playing this footage? It just seems trivial to do that. Surely they can get the point across about what happened and be respectful to the family by choosing not to show a video of a man horrifically crashing to his death. I swear there's just a lack of respect and decency in our culture these days.

Definitely agree, I have chosen not to watch it and it seems like I am having to constantly pause the TV because of how frequently the clip is being shown. Once really should be more than enough.

[normtwofinger]

I am appalled that CTV showed the crash. I tuned in just as he was starting his run, and I didn't know they were going to show the whole thing. Now I have to live with the image of this in my mind. I'm disgusted that they showed this. What's next, showing gruesome crime photos on CFCN?

[jschick88]

Originally Posted by valo403

I thought I wanted to see it, but after I hit play I turned it off after 2 seconds. It made me queasy just picturing it.

Don't watch it. I feel sick to my stomach after watching this.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Peanut

He was 44th ranked in the world. So, likely wasn't going to medal, but definitely not a fly-by-night competitor either.

Not saying he wasn't good at what he did but he finished the 2008/09 World Cup season 55th out of 62 lugers and that 44th rank came from one race this year.

Last year he finished no better than 42nd in a World Cup event last season with races of about 55 people.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Igottago

I haven't watched it myself, but what does it say about us that most major news stations have been continuously playing this footage? It just seems trivial to do that. Surely they can get the point across about what happened and be respectful to the family by choosing not to show a video of a man horrifically crashing to his death. I swear there's just a lack of respect and decency in our culture these days.

"These days"? You act like this is something new. Welcome to thousands of years of human history.

Netting seems like a good idea. Honestly, you have to ask what kind of moron would design the track the way they did. The way he got tossed into the pillars, I can easily see it happening again. All you have to do is misjudge that turn, hit the wall and go flying.

[Jesse834]

I saw the video over 7 hours ago and I'm still visibly shaking from it. If you don't have to watch it don't watch it. It is the most horrific thing I have ever seen.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

I am appalled that CTV showed the crash. I tuned in just as he was starting his run, and I didn't know they were going to show the whole thing. Now I have to live with the image of this in my mind. I'm disgusted that they showed this. What's next, showing gruesome crime photos on CFCN?

how screwed up is our culture where you can show all the gruesome fake violence you want on network TV like on CSI, or show a real human being dying over and over again, but a naughty word or a nipple slip raises a red flag

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

"These days"? You act like this is something new. Welcome to thousands of years of human history.

Netting seems like a good idea. Honestly, you have to ask what kind of moron would design the track the way they did. The way he got tossed into the pillars, I can easily see it happening again. All you have to do is misjudge that turn, hit the wall and go flying.

Well I can understand back in the days of gladiators and public executions that people wouldn't have an issue viewing this, but I thought we left all that behind. Are we ok with de-volving back to that because we have cameras everywhere, and the internet? Just because something can be shown doesn't mean it should be. This person had a life, has a family, and should be given some respect. His death should'nt be used to fulfill some type of collective morbid curiosity, or to garner shock attention in an attempt to grab ratings.

[metallicat]

I decided to keep watching after CTV warned they were going to show it, and it definitely was hard to watch. It wasn't necessarily what I was expecting, but knowing that you are watching someone lose their life is a difficult thing. Sad day.

[jayswin]

Wow, NBC just opened their coverage by showing the the crash in it's entirety, and in slow motion and then showed the medic doing CPR.

[Icon]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Wow, NBC just opened their coverage by showing the the crash in it's entirety, and in slow motion and then showed the medic doing CPR.

I wish the networks wouldn't treat it like it's sweeps week.

You'd think the idea of the Olympics would MAYBE reinforce some thoughts of mutual respect.

[Jesse834]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Wow, NBC just opened their coverage by showing the the crash in it's entirety, and in slow motion and then showed the medic doing CPR.

[PowerPlayoffs06]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

how screwed up is our culture where you can show all the gruesome fake violence you want on network TV like on CSI, or show a real human being dying over and over again, but a naughty word or a nipple slip raises a red flag

I totally agree there should be more nudity on television.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Wow, NBC just opened their coverage by showing the the crash in it's entirety, and in slow motion and then showed the medic doing CPR.

The first time they showed footage they pulled away before the crash, so I kept watching. Then they cut back and showed the rest in slow-mo. Horrible.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Wow, NBC just opened their coverage by showing the the crash in it's entirety, and in slow motion and then showed the medic doing CPR.

Originally Posted by Icon

Leave it to the american networks to treat it like sweeps week.

You'd think the idea of the Olympics would MAYBE reinforce some thoughts of mutual respect.

CTV did the EXACT same thing on their opener, showing the entire run including the slo-mo for the crash. i hate it when Canadians try to throw stones at Americans from a glass house

[Icon]

I wasn't so much pointing a finger at American Networks as I was pointing a finger to how they do the same thing during their "sweeps week" (which Canada doesn't have). I understand it's news that should be covered but I don't think they need to do a slow-mo breakdown with multi-angle analysis of someone's death. It's not just the US networks, its all of them. (I edited the post)

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

"These days"? You act like this is something new. Welcome to thousands of years of human history.

Netting seems like a good idea. Honestly, you have to ask what kind of moron would design the track the way they did. The way he got tossed into the pillars, I can easily see it happening again. All you have to do is misjudge that turn, hit the wall and go flying.

Definitely. NBC showed a couple other crashes from the last day or two and at least 2 of them resulted in a slider being thrown into the top portion of the same wall he went over. Both of them were a few inches from going over as well. I can't see any way that someone could have thought that a slider getting thrown over that wall was impossible.

[Hemi-Cuda]

actually NBC's coverage was more sensitive than CTV's, since they cut away right before he impacted the pole. CTV showed both the normal speed impact and the slo-mo one

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

actually NBC's coverage was more sensitive than CTV's, since they cut away right before he impacted the pole. CTV showed both the normal speed impact and the slo-mo one

NBC showed a slo-mo of the impact