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Eurosport commentary

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Watching the Men's World's on the weekend on SBS I heard Matt Keenan paired up with an excellent expert commentator who I didn't recognise immediately, that definitely wasn't the usual Robbie McEwen.

It turned out to be Simon Gerrans, and apart from not really having the delivery nailed he was great. No excessive hyperbole, no unnecessary dumbing down, very current knowledge of the riders, I hope he's kept on because he read the race really well.
 
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People probably know by now that I am not the biggest fan of Brian Holm. In this article it is unveiled he has been systematically harrassing the late Chris Anker Sørensen and Rolf Sørensen the past few months because they dared criticise the DQS tactics during the Danish nationals where DQS stupidly let a big group that only included Mikkel Honoré (who back then did not have quite the same star as today) ride into the sunshine when they had the fastest (Michael Mørkøv) and strongest (Kasper Asgreen) riders of the race behind.

Apparently, Holm called Chris Anker the subsequent day and screamed at him for 30 minutes and he did the same to Rolf and kept texting them very aggressively deep into the Tour (he commentated for Eurosport, they for TV2). Holm has allegedly also been taunting Rolf with his alcohol problems that Rolf admitted he was having last fall where it was also announced that he would divorce his wife. A decision they regretted initially but reconfirmed earlier last month.

And then, when you would think he would have let Rolf be a week after Chris Anker's death, he gave him another round because Rolf had dared criticise Remco during the WCRR.

Holm of course cannot see any problems with his behaviour because he isn't threatening Rolf with beating him up or sending the mafia or anything like that - and because they have been friends for years...

 
There was me hoping for Carlton putting on a voice to be his own co-commentator, like Biggie Smalls in Gimme the Loot.

I have no idea who this "Biggie Smalls" person is, nor am I familiar with the film to which you refer.
But I hope the reference is in some way complimentary to my man, CK.
In a way, you could say that Carlton already puts on a co-commentator voice by laughing hysterically at his own jokes, but that's neither here nor there.
The only thing owed to CK is respect.
-fin-
 
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Once we hit a Post-Covid world in 2022 it will be interesting to see how broadcasting teams cover the races - There has been an increasing trend world-wide to have less boots on the ground calling different sports instead relying on using remote locations - It was done by Europort/GCN in which they either used a dedicated studio or the commentators called from their home base - The dedicated remote studio worked OK, however commentating from home was fraught with technical duties and frankly unprofessional - I can see that broadcasting from remote locations will become in vogue, although I hope it's the exception, rather than the rule.
 
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Once we hit a Post-Covid world in 2022 it will be interesting to see how broadcasting teams cover the races - There has been an increasing trend world-wide to have less boots on the ground calling different sports instead relying on using remote locations - It was done by Europort/GCN in which they either used a dedicated studio or the commentators called from their home base - The dedicated remote studio worked OK, however commentating from home was fraught with technical duties and frankly unprofessional - I can see that broadcasting from remote locations will become in vogue, although I hope it's the exception, rather than the rule.

It must be lot less expensive to do it that way. Flights, hotels, Kirby's restaurant tab.
I reckon they'll just send them to the Tour, Paris-Roubaix and, as a treat to get out of the house, The Tour of Britain.
 
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Once we hit a Post-Covid world in 2022 it will be interesting to see how broadcasting teams cover the races - There has been an increasing trend world-wide to have less boots on the ground calling different sports instead relying on using remote locations - It was done by Europort/GCN in which they either used a dedicated studio or the commentators called from their home base - The dedicated remote studio worked OK, however commentating from home was fraught with technical duties and frankly unprofessional - I can see that broadcasting from remote locations will become in vogue, although I hope it's the exception, rather than the rule.

While I agree it often ended up being very unprofessional, at least on German ES, I don't think it has to be at all. The technical possibilities exist and they work fine in other areas; I think it's more that everyone treated this as a temporary solution and neither technics nor commentators were really prepared for this are cared to find solutions. I suppose they were more like "this is all going to change again soon anyway".
Sometimes a real-life get-together has an advantage, but especially thinking about environmental consequences since most flights and travelling for work can be avoided I think they should be. (Same like they should get rid of the 100,000 motos on the roads.)

(I think in football DAZN for instance have been working with remote studios only since their beginning; I once read a description of their very small dark commentating boots, but I don't think they ever had any issues, the commentary is usually better than that of the better paid guys in the stadium.)
 
Once we hit a Post-Covid world in 2022 it will be interesting to see how broadcasting teams cover the races - There has been an increasing trend world-wide to have less boots on the ground calling different sports instead relying on using remote locations - It was done by Europort/GCN in which they either used a dedicated studio or the commentators called from their home base - The dedicated remote studio worked OK, however commentating from home was fraught with technical duties and frankly unprofessional - I can see that broadcasting from remote locations will become in vogue, although I hope it's the exception, rather than the rule.
What are you referring to by dedicated remote studios? Do you mean remote from the races (i.e in Chiswick and Bath for British ES)? As surely that's how they've always done it for most of the calendar year apart from the odd few like the grand tours and maybe a couple of one day races. I'd say it's mostly been ok in the last few months when they've had commentators working from home, but I think for a large part of 2021 that has only really been Rob Hatch and Jose Been due to restrictions of travel set by the governments of either the UK, the Netherlands and Spain.
 
While I agree it often ended up being very unprofessional, at least on German ES, I don't think it has to be at all. The technical possibilities exist and they work fine in other areas; I think it's more that everyone treated this as a temporary solution and neither technics nor commentators were really prepared for this are cared to find solutions. I suppose they were more like "this is all going to change again soon anyway".
Sometimes a real-life get-together has an advantage, but especially thinking about environmental consequences since most flights and travelling for work can be avoided I think they should be. (Same like they should get rid of the 100,000 motos on the roads.)

(I think in football DAZN for instance have been working with remote studios only since their beginning; I once read a description of their very small dark commentating boots, but I don't think they ever had any issues, the commentary is usually better than that of the better paid guys in the stadium.)
Eurosport used to work with a remote studio back in the Migels & Jansch days. There was a container around Jülich or Euskirchen where both would hook up to commentate.
 
What are you referring to by dedicated remote studios? Do you mean remote from the races (i.e in Chiswick and Bath for British ES)? As surely that's how they've always done it for most of the calendar year apart from the odd few like the grand tours and maybe a couple of one day races. I'd say it's mostly been ok in the last few months when they've had commentators working from home, but I think for a large part of 2021 that has only really been Rob Hatch and Jose Been due to restrictions of travel set by the governments of either the UK, the Netherlands and Spain.

I can count around ten occasions this year when one or both of the commentators have had sound issues, whether that being no communication from one commentator, one commentator being unable to communicate with the second commentator or even both commentators being out of action at the same time - It's not good enough when people pay for subscriptions - Note that when they commentate from the studio there are no issues.
 
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Will someone rewoke Hatch's commentating rights? First he claimed that E. Viviani isn't riding at all today, then that Trentin hasn't won anything this year! :mad:

That is incorrect - Hatch actually stated that Trentin has won one race in two years to his co-commentator Docker - Hatch in commentary mentioned that E.Viviani is not on the startlist because he is preparing for the World Track championship starting on Wedesday BUT that A.Viviani is on the startlist.
 
That is incorrect - Hatch actually stated that Trentin has won one race in two years to his co-commentator Docker - E.Viviani is not on the startlist today BUT A.Viviani is on the startlist which was mentioned by Hatch.

  1. First he said that Trentin hasn't won, then he talked about his "one win in (over) two years", clearly referring to his Trofeo Matteotti win two years ago, forgetting that he also won it this year.
  2. E. Viviani wasn't riding in Italy... because he was riding in France. Hatch claimed he wasn't riding at all.
 
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  1. First he said that Trentin hasn't won, then he talked about his "one win in (over) two years", clearly referring to his Trofeo Matteotti win two years ago, forgetting that he also won it this year.
  2. E. Viviani wasn't riding in Italy... because he was riding in France. Hatch claimed he wasn't riding at all.

Hatch in all the Italian races this week has mentioned Trentin's win in the 2021 Trofeo Matteoti, so often, it has become repetitive - The context is that Hatch is applauding Trentin's consistency in this late block of racing and he even referred to his good results in the Autumn Classics - It appears that you have not watched all the Italian races this week, and you misinterpreted his commentary from today.

You are better to sit back, and enjoy the race and the commentary.