Commentary on TNT and other WB brands

[arvc40]

I find Hatch pretty irritating at times actually. Although compared to Kirby, he's absolutely fine.

Well, cant please everyone. Guess we are all ****ed

 

[willbick]

The problem with the Eurosport comms is that they try to pair a main comm who is an experienced general sport comm with a fairly decent knowledge of cycling with an expert partner - who as well as giving him something to play off can help identify riders and give expert cycling insight. But when it comes to the finish the main comm basically has to call it himself as its all happening quickly and there isnt the chance for them both to contribute. Unfortunately this means that the winner (and other contenders) are often misidentified.

 

[stutue]

Kelly for the win.

Somewhere I've a DVD of him introducing a bike documentary. You can see his eyes move side to side as he reads the autocue and sounds like somebody who has just learnt to read but hasnt learnt about what full-stops and commas are for.

(But...he knows exactly what is going on when he commentates)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Just rewatched the final km, this time with eurosport hd english commentary.
They do lack a lot of knowledge in recognizing riders. Everytime Kelderman was in there they just called him "Belkin" or just ignored him all together (at the finish)

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Commentary on cali stage to Diablo was a ****ing joke. Starting to realise that Matt Stephens goes over the same old cliche comments time and time again.

The smoke he was blowing up Wiggins **** on final climb was extremely irritating.

End result was that Wiggins was dropped. That's not a criticism of Wiggins but it makes the commentary sound stupid.

Stephens quickly becoming another poor commentator.

Harmon wasn't much better for that. His rider of the day in the Aprica 2010 stage? Cadel Evans.

The guy who went deep into the red trying to stay with Basso/Nibali/Scarponi, blew up spectacularly, was made to look like a fool on the descent by David Arroyo (OK, everybody was, but Evans nearly binned it, and he's usually a good descender), and sat on in the group that lost 3 minutes, which he wouldn't have been part of if Vino had been more willing to help Arroyo out.

 

[Hugo87]

Piçarra from portuguese Eurosport saying:

" EBH almost being catched by the main bunch, because he's already well down the second chase group "

EBH was ahead the second chase group with 15 seconds advantage...

 

[BigMac]

Piçarra from portuguese Eurosport saying:

" EBH almost being catched by the main bunch, because he's already well down the second chase group "

EBH was ahead the second chase group with 15 seconds advantage...

This. I was so irritated I wanted to jump inside the TV and slap him.

And then, when Rolland and Pizarro catch him, Paulo Martins says he managed to join the group from behind.

 

[Hugo87]

This. I was so irritated I wanted to jump inside the TV and slap him.

And then, when Rolland and Pizarro catch him, Paulo Martins says he managed to join the group from behind.

It's ridiculous, I usually don't mind when they are talking non sense, but this time I couldn't contain my rage. It was so damn obvious, they even had freaking time gaps on the screen.

 

[arvc40]

Harmon wasn't much better for that. His rider of the day in the Aprica 2010 stage? Cadel Evans.

The guy who went deep into the red trying to stay with Basso/Nibali/Scarponi, blew up spectacularly, was made to look like a fool on the descent by David Arroyo (OK, everybody was, but Evans nearly binned it, and he's usually a good descender), and sat on in the group that lost 3 minutes, which he wouldn't have been part of if Vino had been more willing to help Arroyo out.

Do remember Giro 2011 Mountain TT. Time checks went down whilst Contador was riding. Harmon and kelly where suggesting Contador looked to be struggling all the way up the climb. Shows you how good there perception is because Contador was smashing it as he did the entire 3 weeks.

I have no idea what gave them the impression he was on a bad day. looked good to me.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Do remember Giro 2011 Mountain TT. Time checks went down whilst Contador was riding. Harmon and kelly where suggesting Contador looked to be struggling all the way up the climb. Shows you how good there perception is because Contador was smashing it as he did the entire 3 weeks.

I have no idea what gave them the impression he was on a bad day. looked good to me.

2009 Giro you had the same, they commented on how Menchov looked like he had nothing left to give on the climb, and he must be suffering. Then the time check came in (3rd out of the 4) and he was a minute up, and they were like "whoa, that was why he looked like he had nothing more to give, because he absolutely laid it all out there"

 

[movingtarget]

Kelly for the win.

Somewhere I've a DVD of him introducing a bike documentary. You can see his eyes move side to side as he reads the autocue and sounds like somebody who has just learnt to read but hasnt learnt about what full-stops and commas are for.

(But...he knows exactly what is going on when he commentates)

Agree. Kelly knows the sport backwards even if the delivery is sometimes tortuous. One phrase will never be forgotten. "He has to make the calculation."

 

[argyllflyer]

The updated British Eurosport commentary pairings so far in 2014:

Commentators used for .1, .HC & .WT: Declan Quigley, Carlton Kirby, Rob Hatch, Jonathan Harris-Bass, Matt Stephens
Summarisers used for.1, .HC & .WT: Brian Smith, Matt Stephens, Sean Kelly, Magnus Backstedt, Dan Lloyd, Tony Gibb

Dubai: Quigley & Smith
Oman: Kirby (solo)
Andalucia: Hatch & Stephens
K-B-K: Hatch & Stephens
Le Samyn: Kirby & Smith
Langkawi: Hatch (first week) / Quigley (last few stages) (both solo)
Strade Bianche: Hatch & Smith
Roma Maxima: Quigley & Smith
Paris-Nice: Hatch & Kelly
Tirreno-Adriatico: Quigley & Stephens
Milan-Sanremo: Quigley & Kelly
Catalunia: Kirby & Backstedt
E3 Harelbeke: Quigley & Stephens
Criterium International: Quigley & Stephens
Three Days of De Panne: Kirby & Smith
Tour of Flanders: Kirby & Kelly
Vuelta al Pais Vasco: Kirby & Stephens
Paris-Roubaix: Kirby & Stephens
GP de Denain: Kirby & Lloyd
Tour of the Reservoir: McCrossan & Stephens
Amstel Gold Race: Kirby & Kelly
Fleche Wallonne: Kirby & Lloyd
Tour of Turkey: Kirby & Smith
Liege-Bastogne-Liege: Hatch & Kelly
4 Days of Dunkirk: Quigley & Backstedt
Tour of Azerbaijan: Hatch (solo, stage 1) / Quigley (solo, stage 2) / Harris-Bass (solo, stages 3-4) / Harris-Bass & Gibb (stage 5)
Women's Tour of Britain: Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Giro d'Italia: Hatch & Kelly (with intro from Harris-Bass stage 1 and Andy Smith stages 2&3)
Wiltshire Grand Prix: McCrossan & Stephens
Tour of California: Stephens & Smith
Tour Series R1 (Stoke): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour Series R2 (Barrow-in-Furness): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)
Tour of Norway: Quigley & Backstedt
Lincoln GP: McCrossan & Stephens
Tour Series R3 (Peterborough): Porter & Smith (syndicated - also on ITV4)

Coming Up (from @carltonkirby, @RealStephens, @robhatchtv, @BriSmithy):

World Ports Classic: tbc
Tour des Fjords: Stephens & ???
Criterium du Dauphine: Kirby & Stephens
Tour de France: Kirby & Kelly
Vuelta a Espana: Kirby & Kelly

 

[Non Grimpeur]

Commentating is a hard job. I couldn't do it. However, some of Eurosport's cycling commentary is particularly bad.

Carlton Kirby is not very good. He doesn't seem to have a lot to add to the pictures on the screen. He is very good at telling us how far there is to go in the stage every four or five hundred metres.

For me, Rob Hatch does a good job and has some decent things to say. Kelly on the classics and grand tours is also very interesting. I thought Matt Stephens did a good job on the Tour of California.

Brian Smith is quite well connected and often has some interesting gossip from the peloton. However he spends a lot of time emphasising the team and race sponsors' names. It makes me wonder if he's been paid to do it.

I'm being a bit picky but he also needs to stop talking in cycling jargon so much. Palmares and parcours are well understood by most cycling fans but can be baffling for the casual viewer. What's wrong with past results and route or course?

Still like Europsort's coverage though.

 

[The Hitch]

Hatch "Uran is pretty inept at everything"

I think he meant adept.

Also giro graphics said Scarponi has won 1 stage at the Giro.

 

[mariposa]

Used to like Rob Hatch but his pronunciations are beginning to iritate. For someone who is meant to speak several languages how come all the pronunciations sound the same and all overemphasised?

 

[argyllflyer]

A lot of his general commentary is suppressing his natural accent anyway.

 

[rainman]

Used to like Rob Hatch but his pronunciations are beginning to iritate. For someone who is meant to speak several languages how come all the pronunciations sound the same and all overemphasised?

What, like Bwasson Hoagan? Yes can get a bit irksome after the 50th time.

 

[mariposa]

What, like Bwasson Hoagan? Yes can get a bit irksome after the 50th time.

Yes exactly. Although the Spanish and italian sound alikes are probably my pet hate. Have to say not helped by my other half constantly moaning about it!!! Generally I can filter most of the rubbish spouted.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Used to like Rob Hatch but his pronunciations are beginning to iritate. For someone who is meant to speak several languages how come all the pronunciations sound the same and all overemphasised?

He too often reminds me of the 'Scorchio' sketches on 'The Fast Show'.

 

[scholar]

He too often reminds me of the 'Scorchio' sketches on 'The Fast Show'.

Good call.

 

[GuyIncognito]

What, like Bwasson Hoagan? Yes can get a bit irksome after the 50th time.

Are you sure you spelled that the way he says it? Because that's the correct phonetic spelling. It's Bwasson, not Bow-a-son

 

[rainman]

Are you sure you spelled that the way he says it? Because that's the correct phonetic spelling. It's Bwasson, not Bow-a-son

Spect yorr rite, still irksome tho eh?

 

[GuyIncognito]

Spect yorr rite, still irksome tho eh?

Nottatoll meight

 

[Christian]

Today was the first day that I was able to watch a Giro stage... and Eurosport Germany didn't show it. Instead, they showed women's football and women's tennis. Eurosport 2 and RTBF2 showed the Ports Classic, so I watched that.

But no Giro... what is up with that?

 

[kingjr]

Today was the first day that I was able to watch a Giro stage... and Eurosport Germany didn't show it. Instead, they showed women's football and women's tennis. Eurosport 2 and RTBF2 showed the Ports Classic, so I watched that.

But no Giro... what is up with that?

You can watch it on the Eurosport Player. With commentary too.