Great moments in cycling commentating

[mewmewmew13]

That is something we need to remember on this forum that encompasses many cultures.

We should take our cues from the responses of others, and in this case, our American ethnocentricity keeps many from seeing that what is horrifically offensive to us is seen quite differently elsewhere.

Don't be so quick to attack others..

 

[Anonymous]

What's he supposed to call him instead?
African-American?
As Zinoviev Letter said, coloured isn't quite that shunned a term in Europe as it apparently is in the US.

Are you an idiot too? Um, he isn't American, he's French.

 

[Anonymous]

agreed. That is a major mistake on US coverage - what an idiot.

Thank you, because contrary to the people here defending his usage, he was commentating for an AMERICAN NETWORK. What it means in lower Armenia means ****-all here.

 

[Anonymous]

On top of the fact that Phil is a ****ing idiot regardless.

 

[Chuffy]

Thank you, because contrary to the people here defending his usage, he was commentating for an AMERICAN NETWORK. What it means in lower Armenia means ****-all here.

Really? Don't know about you dear, but I was watching on ITV. Last I looked, that was a British network.

Their stuff goes out on all sorts of channels, they're both British and if you're British, 'coloured' is in no way racist.

But hey, the world revolves around you.

 

[Walkman]

Agreed I love the way Paul screams 'Fabian Cancellara' is a great moment.

Agreed, that is indeed the best part! Earlier there was a great video on Cancellara's "mechanical doping" (arguing in favour of Canc) with a great soundtrack and that clip of Cancellara was included, man that was a kick *** video!

 

[Anonymous]

Really? Don't know about you dear, but I was watching on ITV. Last I looked, that was a British network.

Their stuff goes out on all sorts of channels, they're both British and if you're British, 'coloured' is in no way racist.

But hey, the world revolves around you.

Hey Chuffy, look at his shirt. It has "Versus" on it. That, and I didn't say he was a "racist." I said he is an "idiot." And, contrary to your assertion, he is an idiot. Period.

And contrary to your assertion, I was on a chat with people from Britain who don't agree with your assertion that it isn't offensive. So I guess you Brits need to get your stories straight.

 

[Chuffy]

Hey Chuffy, look at his shirt. It has "Versus" on it.

They change shirts for the to-screen bits. Like I said, their coverage goes out on a number of channels. In the UK, that's ITV. Being in NotAmericastan I don't get to see the Versus shirt and even if I did, it may as well be a brand of breakfast cereal for all it means.

That, and I didn't say he was a "racist." I said he is an "idiot." And, contrary to your assertion, he is an idiot. Period.

You were defending the assertion that what he said was offensive. If splitting hairs amuses you, then by all means carry on. Oh and do please quote my assertion that he isn't an idiot, I'd love to see that.

And contrary to your assertion, I was on a chat with people from Britain who don't agree with your assertion that it isn't offensive. So I guess you Brits need to get your stories straight.

Not everyone will agree, but in the UK the word 'coloured' may be a little quaint, but it sure as hell isn't the 'N' bomb.

 

[William H]

I suspect Phil Liggett's terminology has less to do with him being British, and more to do with him having a home in South Africa, where I believe it is a normal term for someone of mixed race.

 

[Fus087]

LOL at Yohann Gène being called African-American.

Are you an idiot too? Um, he isn't American, he's French.

Hold your horses there.
Guadeloupe is clearly in America. Thus Gène is definitely American, but of course not US-American - the USA don't cover the entire American continent, although some US-Americans tend to forget that.
And Gène's descendants most probably came from Africa.
So, in my book, he is African-American; full-knowingly that the term is normally used only for US citizens.

 

[Anonymous]

They change shirts for the to-screen bits. Like I said, their coverage goes out on a number of channels. In the UK, that's ITV. Being in NotAmericastan I don't get to see the Versus shirt and even if I did, it may as well be a brand of breakfast cereal for all it means.

Well, it means they work for Versus here and they were commentating for the audience here.

You were defending the assertion that what he said was offensive. If splitting hairs amuses you, then by all means carry on. Oh and do please quote my assertion that he isn't an idiot, I'd love to see that.

I'd like to see where I called him a racist first considering you threw out the accusation. In fact, I specifically did not call him a racist because I thing he was being an idiot to not know his audience. Note below, it is considered antiquated for a reason: It was offensive, so not only did he say something idiotic for his US viewers, he said something idiotic for his UK viewers also.

Not everyone will agree, but in the UK the word 'coloured' may be a little quaint, but it sure as hell isn't the 'N' bomb.

Yea, first it wasn't offensive, then to some it is offensive, you can't even keep your story straight. Seems this was more about you taking a jab at me than it was about reality. Go figure.

And it isn't the "N word" here either.

Toodles!

 

[Anonymous]

Hold your horses there.
Guadeloupe is clearly in America. Thus Gène is definitely American, but of course not US-American - the USA don't cover the entire American continent, although some US-Americans tend to forget that.
And Gène's descendants most probably came from Africa.
So, in my book, he is African-American; full-knowingly that the term is normally used only for US citizens.

He is listed as being French, if he is from Guadeloupe, then that is news to me. My mistake.

 

[Fus087]

He is listed as being French, if he is from Guadeloupe, then that is news to me. My mistake.

Fair enough.

 

[this_is_edie]

how about this gem from bicyclingmag editor on twitter:

"When certain riders crashed today, all I could think about is what @hornerakg told me when I asked about karma"

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Hold your horses there.
Guadeloupe is clearly in America. Thus Gène is definitely American, but of course not US-American - the USA don't cover the entire American continent, although some US-Americans tend to forget that.
And Gène's descendants most probably came from Africa.
So, in my book, he is African-American; full-knowingly that the term is normally used only for US citizens.

In which case the more accurate term in my book (and we are basically waving books at each other) would be Afro-Caribbean. Many places in Europe distinguish Afro-American (from the continental mainland where they constitute a minority) from Afro-Caribbean (from the islands where they constitute a majority) for cultural reasons.

It doesn't matter. Phil Liggett is from another generation and using terminology that is not loaded where he comes from but loaded elsewhere, and they've heard it and been offended by it and he didn't realise he was being offensive. It wouldn't be the first time controversy is sparked that way, and it won't be the last either.

 

[Anonymous]

Fair enough.

...and then there's that story on CN front page about him being from Guadeloupe that might have also given me a clue...

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

He is listed as being French, if he is from Guadeloupe, then that is news to me. My mistake.

Guadeloupe is as much a part of France as Hawaii is of the US.

Don't let anyone tell you that Corsica is the only département that has never hosted the Tour: it is also true of Guadeloupe, Mayotte, Réunion, Martinique and French Guiana.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Phil Liggett: "Team Sky are wearing the green bands on their jersey to support the loss of the rainforests"

 

[theswordsman]

I watched the stage on Eurosport, but caught a few minutes of the Phil showwhen I watched video of the finish. I rolled with it when he said the number was miles to go (instead of kilometers), but when they showed Contador with Porte and two Euskaltel riders, he said:

Contador has got his whole team working for him

Honorable mention goes to Carlton Kirby for telling me that you can't fish with what we call trot lines in France, and that they can't bury people underground in the area because of the water

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Hey Chuffy, look at his shirt. It has "Versus" on it. That, and I didn't say he was a "racist." I said he is an "idiot." And, contrary to your assertion, he is an idiot. Period.

And contrary to your assertion, I was on a chat with people from Britain who don't agree with your assertion that it isn't offensive. So I guess you Brits need to get your stories straight.

Look, Phil was an idiot for using a term that is currently offensive in the US on a broadcast for a US network. I'd be the first to agree with you that he's an idiot in general terms. And I'm also in favour of a zero tolerance policy for racist sports commentators.

But on this particular issue it is wrong to say anything implying that Liggett said something racist. In Britain, the term coloured is definitely a bit old fashioned but it carries absolutely no derogatory meaning.

 

[sportzchick]

Phil Liggett: "Team Sky are wearing the green bands on their jersey to support the loss of the rainforests"

I LOL'd

I can take it or leave it with Sherwin BUT I can NEVER get why some don't like Phill....prehaps I never will.

 

[max_powers]

Phil was calling the finish of stage 1, says Philip Gilbert has about 500 meters to go , as he was passing the 150m sign.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Well, Phil today twice called Yohann Gène "colored." Exact quote "The first colored rider in the Tour de France"...twice...if you had a question about whether or not he is an idiot, I think the question has been definitively answered.

omg...that is shocking!

 

[RedheadDane]

There was a bit of a funny moment when the commentator-team tried to say Navardauskas. If I recall correctly one of them managed to call him Navaduskas.

And as Rolf said; We have to learn it!

 

[MartinGT]

I LOL'd

I can take it or leave it with Sherwin BUT I can NEVER get why some don't like Phill....prehaps I never will.

Phil is now cycling's version of Murray Walker. He has lost it and comes out with utter ******** to the annoyance of the people watching.