Sad about Simoes

It was sad to see the manner in which former technical director, René Simoes, departed office. I still have the greatest respect and admiration for his accomplishments in 1998, and hope Jamaicans still do.

Captain Burrell should try and get the Olympians to be at the next match to motivate the players and supporters. Wins in the next three matches would give Jamaica a chance to advance to the next round.

Even if advancing to the next round does not happen, results in the remaining matches are important to improving the nation's world ranking. Best wishes to Mr Simoes for the future.

- Brian Halsall bmhals2002@yahoo.com United Kingdom, Via Go-Jamaica

Olympic coverage

Now that the Beijing Olympics has ended and all the deserved accolades flow to our athletes, high praise is also due to those who covered the event.

The main reason for the Caribbean mounting its own coverage through Caribbean Media Corporation was to give full prominence for all competing athletes from the region.

Previously, Caribbean athletes who won or earned a place on the medal stand were either ignored or given a passing reference in comparison to their United States or European counterparts.

Although readers, listeners and viewers associated the coverage with reporters, photographers, analysts, commentators and programme hosts, we must also show the pride with which the unseen personnel performed their respective roles.

Hubert Lawrence and Lance Whittaker were outstanding. After the superb coverage of the 2000 Olympics from Australia, their demonstrated knowledge of track and field have not diminished over time.

The accuracy and ease with which they delivered kept them on par, if not, better than most international commentators.

They certainly deserved the remuneration equivalent to any broadcaster who covered this dream Olympics.

- Gladstone Wilson mapletoft@hotmail.com Kingston 5, Via Go-Jamaica

Reality show

I watched the latest reality show on CVM, the b-Mobile Faith Talent Search Original Gospel Song Competition.

What a breath of fresh air! Congratulations CVM. I believe that this is exactly what Jamaica needs right now.

What I saw was something fresh. New idea for a reality show, not the regular old faces that one would expect in a host or judge. I really liked it.

It came across so real, not much glamour and glitter, and gave a slice of what really happens in the real world.

Personally, I am sick and tired of the status quo where it is felt that everything being done on television must have some celebrity, or familiar face.

- Kingston Man