Commentary on TNT and other WB brands

[Cyivel]

Enjoyed Kirby saying the French get excited when they have a rider doing well, when taking about Veilleux, Brian Smith pointing out he was from the French part of Canada was amusing.

Also both saying Froome was in Yellow and then saying somebody had done the maths for them and it was Dennis in Yellow, not sure how they weren't able to do the Maths involved themselves given they started on the same time and Dennis beat Froome.

 

[argyllflyer]

Kirby's a welcome relief from DQ to be honest, but he boobed big time when he saw sky No 1 at one point from a distance and made a remark about 'Bradley Wiggins' looking good...

 

[Gav McL]

Kirby makes far too many mistakes and doesn’t have the knowledge that his role requires. I should care about this, but don’t. Have always found the bizarre anecdotes amusing and he’s far more entertaining than most of the others.

Once there’s an expert alongside him to correct his errors Kirby is harmless.

 

[The Hitch]

How embarrassing ... for you.

In future leave the commentating to the professionals!

Unfortunately you have now been made to look like a joke, Glad to see Kirby does offer a little something now and again.

Did I say Martin wasn't gonna win the tt? I laughed at Kirby acting like an expert.

This is the guy who asked backsted if Joaquim rodriguez is the little dude who won Flanders. Probably before your time but he was the chief eurosport cheerleader of lance Armstrong on his comeback, Armstrong being the only rider he knew at the time.

If that's your idea of a professional, fair enough.

 

[superconfex]

Did I say Martin wasn't gonna win the tt? I laughed at Kirby acting like an expert.

This is the guy who asked backsted if Joaquim rodriguez is the little dude who won Flanders. Probably before your time but he was the chief eurosport cheerleader of lance Armstrong on his comeback, Armstrong being the only rider he knew at the time.

If that's your idea of a professional, fair enough.

…and Carlton has come on leaps and bounds since then. Once I accepted he was never going to be up to scratch, I’ve found him to be quite entertaining…strange really as I would be fuming if it was any other sport and the commentator made half the mistakes CK made.

 

[Ryongsyong]

Probably before your time but he was the chief eurosport cheerleader of lance Armstrong on his comeback, Armstrong being the only rider he knew at the time.

Actually I remember him even before that, commentating live on DTM and other minor motor racing events on MotorsTV on Sky back in the early 2000s. He's way more calm than he used to be; I remember once there was a fairly large but not terrible accident but nevertheless he sounded like he was about to cry until the driver got out.

Edit: Ooh, I found it on YouTube. Apologies if it's a repost and anyone's seen some of Carton's early work before! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChrPap0sKk4 Get the tissues ready.

That's also why he wasn't super-knowledgeable about cycling to start with; he was more of a motorsport man and just got thrown in the deep end. Cycling's one of the hardest sports to get a grip on and certainly the coverage is often ludicrously difficult to commentate on, considering that it's 2013. He's doing much better now, although I am speaking as someone who watches all my cycling in Japanese live on JSports, so I only see the odd Eurosport clip here and there these days .

 

[Cycle Chic]

Actually I remember him even before that, commentating live on DTM and other minor motor racing events on MotorsTV on Sky back in the early 2000s. He's way more calm than he used to be; I remember once there was a fairly large but not terrible accident but nevertheless he sounded like he was about to cry until the driver got out.

Edit: Ooh, I found it on YouTube. Apologies if it's a repost and anyone's seen some of Carton's early work before! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChrPap0sKk4 Get the tissues ready.

That's also why he wasn't super-knowledgeable about cycling to start with; he was more of a motorsport man and just got thrown in the deep end. Cycling's one of the hardest sports to get a grip on and certainly the coverage is often ludicrously difficult to commentate on, considering that it's 2013. He's doing much better now, although I am speaking as someone who watches all my cycling in Japanese live on JSports, so I only see the odd Eurosport clip here and there these days .

So don't comment then if you don't watch Eurosport - we have to suffer Cartoon Kirby and his idiotic comments. He's an A1 TOOL !!

 

[kottila]

Does the Al Jaazera commentator only speak in single sentences? feels like I'm listening to a PCM-race

edit: wrong thread. was supposed to go in the Dauphine Libere thread, but it almost fits here as well

 

[therealtimshady]

Can eurosport sink any lower??
Yes actually - with the predictable tennis match finishing at about 4pm they spent about 75 minutes *****ing about with highlights and pointless chatter hence the dauphine highlights were cut by 20 minutes

Typical that theh treat cycling fans badly AGAIN and As per usual itv4 for the tour for me then - rant over

 

[Squire]

I think Carlton Kirby had a fairly decent Dauphiné. I don't mind him that much. He doesn't take himself seriously at all, and his crazy anecdotes offer some entertainment. He's also pretty great when the race situation is rather straightforward and exciting. His commentary on Iljo Keisse's Turkey win was a work of commentary genious (you never thought you would see 'genious' and 'Carlton Kirby' in the same sentence, did you? ).

The guy doing Tour de Suisse with Magnus Backstedt is excellent by the way. Rob Hatch, isn't it? Easy enough on the ear, and is very good at identifying riders. When the group gets down to about 20-30 riders, he has a complete grasp of who's there, and not just the national champions and Bradley Wiggins. Very welcoming after suffering through the awful Declan Quigley for the last month. Why oh why wasn't Rob Hatch given the Giro?

 

[Cyivel]

Yes it's Rob Hatch, he is very good.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Only 18 days until the great Dave Harmon returns, welcome back my friend!

 

[kingjr]

Was Rob Hatch the guy who commented MSR for British ESP?

 

[Cyivel]

Was Rob Hatch the guy who commented MSR for British ESP?

That was Backstedt and Quigley.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I think Jimbo from the Guardian would be perfect for Cycling. He is not clueless about cycling as having lived in Italy and speaks good italian as well.

 

[Cyivel]

I think Jimbo from the Guardian would be perfect for Cycling. He is not clueless about cycling as having lived in Italy and speaks good italian as well.

It would make my Mum happy also, well seeing him on TV 20 years ago did at least.

Blimey, Football Italia started over 20 years ago, makes me feel old.

 

[Pulpstar]

Does the Al Jaazera commentator only speak in single sentences? feels like I'm listening to a PCM-race

edit: wrong thread. was supposed to go in the Dauphine Libere thread, but it almost fits here as well

I actually have enjoyed the AJ commentators, who are they though ?

 

[Cyivel]

I actually have enjoyed the AJ commentators, who are they though ?

The commentator kottila was referring to is Matt Keenan who did the Dauphine, the two doing the Tour de Suisse are Rob Hatch and Magnus Backstedt.

 

[JRanton]

It's Kirby and Kelly for the Tour. No Harmon.

The alternative is Phil and Paul. FML.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Saw that tweet.

Thought exactly the same thing.

 

[gooner]

It's Kirby and Kelly for the Tour. No Harmon.

The alternative is Phil and Paul. FML.

I see Mike Smith will now be doing Kirby's job from Paris. He was a good commentator on the Tour for Eurosport back in the Lance era after Duffield left. I don't know why he ever got shifted to the snooker. I guess Robert Hatch is not available now at this notice and so they have to go with Kirby instead.

Disappointing.

 

[Pricey_sky]

I am gutted Dave Harmon isn't coming back in time for the Tour. I guess his projects are taking longer than first thought. Seems as though he will be back for the Vuelta then.

 

[simo1733]

Rob Hatch us nit bad.He is intelligent,knowledgeable and enthuisiastic about cycling.Only thing I din't like is his voice.Sounds like a local radio DJ.

 

[Cyivel]

Mute button it is for The Tour.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Mike Smith ? They cannot be serious. His promotion to snooker was the best thing that ever happened to cycling broadcasting