Commentary on TNT and other WB brands

[JoeD1997]

Today in Itzulia, Quintana rode past the camera on the final climb and Kirby claimed it was Betancur. Kirby is so smart he has invented a time machine to take us all back to 2013 it seems

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re: Re:

Making up facts again: explaining the difficulty of a BotD forming by reference to the increased number of teams. But there are fewer riders, and the same number of teams. 7 teams of 7 this year, 7 teams of 8 from 2014 until last year, and more than 26 teams prior to that.

If you make up facts, and then use them to explain what is happening in the race, it gives the impression that you don't have a clue what is going on.

Except this was also mentioned by Kelly and Stephens - And in fact Stephens a bit of time explaining the changes - But blame Kelly for everything.

Where did I attribute, or even tangentially relate, the comment to Kelly. I typed it before Kelly came on air. What makes you think that I have anything against Kelly?

And why would comments made by Stephens (and Kelly, had he been implicated) not be apposite to mention in a thread about EuroSport commentary, given that he is (they are) part of the EuroSport commentary team.

So which commentator/s were you referring to in your post - And if your post happened before Eurosport came on air ( they covered the whole race ) your post makes no sense.

I remember there was some discussion during the telecast and that Kelly and Stephens surmised having extra teams ( their words ) was a reason why it took 70 kilometres for the break to form.

It was largely Stephens whose comments I was referring to, and whoever he was on air with at the time agreed. I think that it was Kirby, I don't think they ever have Kelly and Kirby on together, as they both fill the same (ex-pro, additional colour and observations to supplement the main commentator) role.

As ES covered the whole race, I have no idea of what you mean by the comments being made before they came on air. You agree with me that the comments were made, you agree (I assume) that the comments were entirely inaccurate, yet you take a very accusatory tone towards me in your first comment. I agree that Stephens was mainly to blame, but this thread is about Eurosport and my comments were about Eurosport, so are valid as a criticism of commentary on Eurosport.

I suspect you are confusing Sean Kelly and Carlton Kirby. Kirby was, I think, commentating throughout: Kelly replaced Stephens in the second chair for the latter part of the race (and after the conversation to which I referred).

 

[Koronin]

I'd still rather have them than most of NBC's commentators.

 

[argyllflyer]

Commentary pairings at Flanders were (approx timings):

Kirby & Kelly - rollout and early km to approx 195k to go
Kirby & Stephens (195km TG - 152km TG)
Stephens & Kelly (152km TG - 76km TG)
Kirby & Stephens (76km TG - 35km TG)
Kirby & Kelly (35km TG - finish)

Matt Stephens does do the main comms role on occasions and he definitely shared the mic with Sean for a middle portion of the race.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re:

Commentary pairings at Flanders were (approx timings):

Kirby & Kelly - rollout and early km to approx 195k to go
Kirby & Stephens (195km TG - 152km TG)
Stephens & Kelly (152km TG - 76km TG)
Kirby & Stephens (76km TG - 35km TG)
Kirby & Kelly (35km TG - finish)

Matt Stephens does do the main comms role on occasions and he definitely shared the mic with Sean for a middle portion of the race.

Thanks for that, I hadn't listened for the whole race. I should have guessed that Kirby would have had a break at some stage. The conversation in question must have occurred during the 195 - 152 section. Still got no idea why yaco weighed in accusing me of "blaming Kelly for everything."

 

[argyllflyer]

duplicate

 

[Cycle Chic]

TALKING HEADS - BEHIND THE SCENES AT EUROSPORT

https://rouleur.cc/editorial/eurosport-behind-scenes-commentary/

What has changed in commentary in the last 20 years? “In the past, there was a fair amount of *** going on. You can’t pitch up ten minutes beforehand and wing this gig: the previous day’s results, road book and weather details need to be printed off and scoured; social media has to be trawled for rider opinions....The bread and butter of commentary is concise and accurate identification of riders

The Kirby Codec: Carlton’s compilation of each racing day’s results, profile, destination, distance, climbs, jersey and other stats. His latest one, from this year’s Giro d’Italia,..

From Essential Surrey and London -
https://www.essentialsurrey.co.uk/celebrity-interview/interview-carlton-kirby-cycling-eurosport-tour-de-france/

And this is what Eurosport expect us to suffer every race.

 

[Cycle Chic]

Alberto Contador becomes a Eurosport commentator

How come Spanish Eurosport can afford to pay Contador and yet UK has Kirby.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto-contador-becomes-a-eurosport-commentator/

 

[Parker]

How come Spanish Eurosport can afford to pay Contador and yet UK has Kirby.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto-contador-becomes-a-eurosport-commentator/

The UK has Sean Kelly. A man of at least equal stature to Contador.

 

[loge1884]

Re:

Are they told to leave as minimal silence as possible?

perhaps one of the visions of eurosport (goes with eurosport in other languages as well) is: There is no value in silence! ....
An ex of mine (she was Korean and a very bright lady) once told me one of the differences between "Eastern" and "Western" culture is the value of words and silence ... if you have nothing meaningful to say, just keep your mouth shut ("Eastern" values) ... doesn't look like this being commonly followed on Korean Chinese or Japanese TV-entertainment channels, but regardless ... I felt a bit offended the moment she told me this, as I was trying to keep a conversation flowing on an evening date, but later, after a thought or two, it opened my eyes a bit ... if silence would not regarded as lack of interest or incompetence, much less crap would be said ....

 

[hrotha]

Alberto Contador becomes a Eurosport commentator

How come Spanish Eurosport can afford to pay Contador and yet UK has Kirby.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto-contador-becomes-a-eurosport-commentator/

I don't have Eurosport but word on the street is that he's turning out to be a surprisingly good commentator, too.

 

[RedheadDane]

Thomas Bay is not having a good day!
Somehow missing the fact that Navardauskas is not starting BP today, and twice refering to Vanendert as an AGR winner...

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

Tro Bro Leon on Eurosport live after Amstel. Not even subjected to no commentary eurosportplayer!!!

 

[Cycle Chic]

OH GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! KIRBYS DOING AMSTEL GOLD

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Aleppo?!!? Has anyone else ever considered that a suitable nickname for Alaphilippe?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Aleppo?!!? Has anyone else ever considered that a suitable nickname for Alaphilippe?

Kirby?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re: Re:

Aleppo?!!? Has anyone else ever considered that a suitable nickname for Alaphilippe?

Kirby?

Who else?

 

[Cycle Chic]

I,ve never heard such waffle - he cant even name a rider when they go off the front, cant name any rider in a breakaway or peloton UNLESS its Valverde, Sagan, Greg van Avermaet, or Gilbert. Hes useless. Today he just repeated every climb to fill up time in which he should be calling the race.

 

[argyllflyer]

duplicate

 

[argyllflyer]

Kirby and Backstedt an odd pairing not often used - MB very quick to correct to Carlton's waffle this week.

 

[yaco]

Kirby can waffle at the best of times, but you are limited when yesterday's coverage was the last 24km's.

 

[argyllflyer]

Any Kirby fans catch him on Le Mans Moto?

 

[yaco]

He's always been excitable at Le Mans - Then again it's a long telecast so gaps to fill.

 

[the delgados]

Alberto Contador becomes a Eurosport commentator

How come Spanish Eurosport can afford to pay Contador and yet UK has Kirby.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto-contador-becomes-a-eurosport-commentator/

Because Carlton Kirby covers multiple disciplines. A jack of all trades, if you will.
Contador can do one.

 

[RedheadDane]

Alberto Contador becomes a Eurosport commentator

How come Spanish Eurosport can afford to pay Contador and yet UK has Kirby.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alberto-contador-becomes-a-eurosport-commentator/

Because Carlton Kirby covers multiple disciplines. A jack of all trades, if you will.
Contador can do one.

Doesn't that kinda prove the point, though? Eurosport UK has to employ a guy who can cover multiple disciplines, whereas Eurosport Spain can employ someone who specialises. Contador's bound to have some inside knowledge from the peloton Kirby can't possibly have.