Eurosport commentary

[Armchair cyclist]

Just tuned in to Eurosport to hear Carlton Kirby call Abner Gonzalez the Peruvian champion. Only to then go into detail about the beautiful star on the Peruvian flag.

And then when looking at the results sheet, refers to Aular by his forename alone, as though he were so well known that that is how we all recognise him.

 

[argyllflyer]

duplicate

 

[argyllflyer]

On Orla, she's been covering cycling on tv for years so not like she has just popped up of late. I like her.

Conversely, my girlfriend and I often have the cycling on in the evening and Kelly popped up for the Giro - she hadn't heard him before "oh that's quite some accent he has!" And that it is.

 

[OnTheRopes]

I feel for the people who can't understand Kelly. It must be hard to decipher his wisdom but he is on the money all of the time.

I can't see how any native English speaker can fail to understand Kelly.
Rob Hatch is very good, has good knowledge in general but his OTT pronunciations do irritate me a bit though he does seem to have toned it down a bit.
Carlton Kirby, well..............
I do like David Millar on ITV, his insight and knowledge are top notch, but the ad breaks are just too much
Gary Imlach, as somebody said, takes me back to the days of that's all we had on a 30 minute show when 10 of those were adverts and another 5 for the bloody competition.
I have no problem with Orla, somebody has to keep the show together.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

I can't see how any native English speaker can fail to understand Kelly.
Rob Hatch is very good, has good knowledge in general but his OTT pronunciations do irritate me a bit though he does seem to have toned it down a bit.
Carlton Kirby, well..............
I do like David Millar on ITV, his insight and knowledge are top notch, but the ad breaks are just too much
Gary Imlach, as somebody said, takes me back to the days of that's all we had on a 30 minute show when 10 of those were adverts and another 5 for the bloody competition.
I have no problem with Orla, somebody has to keep the show together.

My point was there are a lot of people on here whose native language is not English and appreciate that he might be hard to understand at times as he does like to mumble his words. His insights are great and his predictions (Bettiol, Asgreen for the the Ronde, for example) are always worth keeping bearing in mind if you like a long odds bet.

 

[OnTheRopes]

My point was there are a lot of people on here whose native language is not English and appreciate that he might be hard to understand at times as he does like to mumble his words. His insights are great and his predictions (Bettiol, Asgreen for the the Ronde, for example) are always worth keeping bearing in mind if you like a long odds bet.

I understand for non native English speakers it must be difficult, that is true. I think he has mellowed a bit in recent years, in the early days on Eurosport I used to struggle myself at times, or maybe I have grown accustomed.

 

[mrgmyers]

I am involved in a sport well removed from Pro Cycing and on occasion spend time sitting with our commentators. They start commentating at around 10am and are often still at it at9pm or later they have no script, just their notes sometimes 40 or 50 page folders, so even finding the fact relevant to the situation thousands are watching at a moments notice is a work of wonder quite how they manage to keep people entertained is still after 40 years plus a complete mystery to me.

To those out there who seem to think all commentators are "rubbish" and do nothing but spew "babble", I say, do what I did and try in the privacy of your own home! See just how long you can hold a commentary that will not only inform cyclings equivalent of avid trainspotters who know how deep the flange is on a waggon wheel, but to engage the people who with almost no knowledge of cycling its rules regs let alone who the participants are and might well be watching for the first time and see how long you last my best is 10 minutes and no one with half a brain would pay me a cent. As the Poles say "Its easy to stink with full trousers"!!!!!!!

 

[BlueRoads]

I am involved in a sport well removed from Pro Cycing and on occasion spend time sitting with our commentators. They start commentating at around 10am and are often still at it at9pm or later they have no script, just their notes sometimes 40 or 50 page folders, so even finding the fact relevant to the situation thousands are watching at a moments notice is a work of wonder quite how they manage to keep people entertained is still after 40 years plus a complete mystery to me.

To those out there who seem to think all commentators are "rubbish" and do nothing but spew "babble", I say, do what I did and try in the privacy of your own home! See just how long you can hold a commentary that will not only inform cyclings equivalent of avid trainspotters who know how deep the flange is on a waggon wheel, but to engage the people who with almost no knowledge of cycling its rules regs let alone who the participants are and might well be watching for the first time and see how long you last my best is 10 minutes and no one with half a brain would pay me a cent. As the Poles say "Its easy to stink with full trousers"!!!!!!!

For some people it's incredibly hard, others are complete naturals in speaking, speaking, speaking...

Another point is that you usually don't have to commentate cycling on your own - it's usually two commentators, at German Eurosport there are 4 people at the moment for the Giro, for the big races they often have 1 commentator who leads the conversation, two experts who explain, chat, give their expectations and assessments, and one person who points out the "cultural highlights", often translates the interviews (and also cares about social media).
So you cannot just get lost in your monologue, that might be more difficult for some, but it's not like you have to be a single entertainer for hours... Even if it's just two people they can have a conversation. Discuss, ask the other one questions, take a break... I think that should make things much easier, since you have some input and are not in this vaccuum where you don't know what anyone else would say or see in this moment.

 

[dusty red roads]

I've watched some recent Giro stages on SBS livestream, and when the Aussies aren't commentating they use the Eurosport international feed with Matt Stephens and Ned Boulting. Really enjoying them.

 

[the delgados]

I am involved in a sport well removed from Pro Cycing and on occasion spend time sitting with our commentators. They start commentating at around 10am and are often still at it at9pm or later they have no script, just their notes sometimes 40 or 50 page folders, so even finding the fact relevant to the situation thousands are watching at a moments notice is a work of wonder quite how they manage to keep people entertained is still after 40 years plus a complete mystery to me.

To those out there who seem to think all commentators are "rubbish" and do nothing but spew "babble", I say, do what I did and try in the privacy of your own home! See just how long you can hold a commentary that will not only inform cyclings equivalent of avid trainspotters who know how deep the flange is on a waggon wheel, but to engage the people who with almost no knowledge of cycling its rules regs let alone who the participants are and might well be watching for the first time and see how long you last my best is 10 minutes and no one with half a brain would pay me a cent. As the Poles say "Its easy to stink with full trousers"!!!!!!!

Well said.
I'll leave my man CK out of this while adding a quick note to say it never ceases to amaze me the amount of vitriol commentators in general receive from those who probably couldn't get past the intro of a race before running out of interesting things to say; never mind go on and on for hours without a script.

 

[hayneplane]

I have enjoyed the Eurosport coverage but being reliant on recording the stages and watching when back home it has been immensely irritating that on several stages they have messed their EPG timings so badly that the last section of the stage has not been recorded including the entire Zoncolan ascent yesterday.

Fortunately I have discovered a backup plan that anyone in the UK can use which is S4C which is broadcasting every stage from 2pm each day and has always covered the whole stage. The drawback is that commentary is entirely in Welsh but with rider and team names called and onscreen graphics plus knowledge of ID by rider number it’s possible to follow the action fine.

 

[cen]

I really respect how Rob Hatch can fill the dead air and his unrelenting enthusiasm during the whole race.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well said.
I'll leave my man CK out of this while adding a quick note to say it never ceases to amaze me the amount of vitriol commentators in general receive from those who probably couldn't get past the intro of a race before running out of interesting things to say; never mind go on and on for hours without a script.

Of course sometimes commentators have to talk for hours at a time, with not much happening in the actual race. In those situations it's perfectly fine for commentators to talk about stuff like the Rhubarb Triangle, or to cut back to the studio for a quick geology lesson.
It's when something actually happens in the race, and commentators are too busy talking about nothing I get annoyed.

 

[staubsauger]

If Dave Duffield & Leclercq had the same mother language they could've talked 12 hours without running out of interesting anecdotes to tell!

 

[manafana]

I think Kelly enjoys working with Hatch more than he does with your hero.
And/or he's got a grip on the technology and is well into OBS or whatever programme ES is using,

Hes in GCN studios for the Giro recovered from his crash back in Ireland now

 

[EliseeReclus]

Fortunately I have discovered a backup plan that anyone in the UK can use which is S4C which is broadcasting every stage from 2pm each day and has always covered the whole stage. The drawback is that commentary is entirely in Welsh but with rider and team names called and onscreen graphics plus knowledge of ID by rider number it’s possible to follow the action fine.

My internet has been down for the weekend so having the S4C coverage in the UK has been a bit of a lifesaver - though I think the combination of fairly strong South Wales accents combined with the lyrical rhythm of Welsh language leads to some fairly funny pronunciations.

 

[RedheadDane]

If Dave Duffield & Leclercq had the same mother language they could've talked 12 hours without running out of interesting anecdotes to tell!

As long as they have a shared language, not having the same mother language shouldn't be too much of an issue. Magnus Bäckstedt and José Been are doing just fine commentating in English.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

I really respect how Rob Hatch can fill the dead air and his unrelenting enthusiasm during the whole race.

I think he's really come into his own on this Giro and unlike on previous tours he gets a decent break every now and again with Dan Lloyd s and others stepping in. That must help.

 

[Alberto Fishwick]

Think Brian Smith (unless he relocated for pandemic) lives in south west London, at least in season. He has tweeted various rides in that neck of the woods.

South East, I think - Bromley or thereabouts. Would have been Kent before being absorbed by the Great Wen.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Commentator: "Tomorrow is going to be another exciting stage"
Unless Caruso channels his inner Ganna, he aint even Ganna be close.

 

[MTV]

I needed some time to adjust to Kelly - now I think he is great. And funny (half of team in the breakaway - last).

 

[TMP402]

South East, I think - Bromley or thereabouts. Would have been Kent before being absorbed by the Great Wen.

"Greater London" is a means of collecting garbage. Kent is eternal.

 

[perico]

My point was there are a lot of people on here whose native language is not English and appreciate that he might be hard to understand at times as he does like to mumble his words. His insights are great and his predictions (Bettiol, Asgreen for the the Ronde, for example) are always worth keeping bearing in mind if you like a long odds bet.

It took me years to understand Kelly clearly. For American English speakers, his accent is very difficult.

 

[argyllflyer]

For anyone interested, Brian Smith tweeted his home working view.

 

[Wyndbrook]

For anyone interested, Brian Smith tweeted his home working view.

Shame about the image centre left.