How dumb are the folks at Versus/NBC?

[rickshaw]

Consider this

I love to hate Versus / formerly OLN as much as the next guy, but I was pleasantly surprised last night to see the movie "American Fliers" being shown "round about" TdS replay time. Been forever since I saw that so I TiVoed it. Now if they show some real cycling movies, like 'A Sunday in Hell" I might be able to forgive a few things. Might

 

[mulletCobra]

Who the hell is Leopold Trek?

 

[Bala Verde]

I think in one of the earlier Suisse stages they referred to or pronounced Fuglsang as [Fullskank]

 

[rides like a girl]

I have become scream at TV person during the last two races televised on Versus. I read that Paul and Bob were in New York commentating on the video feed of the Dauphine. Since Phil joined Bob on a broadcast of both races one day, I assumed he was in NYC too. Without a radio, they have no idea who the break rider is, they call him ----team rider turning himself inside out... I scream his name as I read the posts on my way to work.

The worst was a couple days ago, Phil mentioned that Cuengo was attacking and it was a Katosha rider uniform. I screamed WTF Phil did he change teams after the start!!!! I would like to have see that nature break!!!

I continue to watch as I need to DVR the stages during the work week. Hard to drive to work and watch an Internet feed... And unless I can find long videos online... I'm stuck...

 

[max_powers]

Amazingly, Bob Roll has improved his commentating so much that I think any further discussion of the job he is doing on air should be in The Clinic. He is still horrible, but a huge improvement over previous years.

Yes Bobke has kicked up a bit. Perhaps since the Vs. channel is now under the same wing (NBC sports) the other US cycling channel, Universal Sports, where their color man, Todd Gogulski, seems smarter and talks better imo. So Roll's head may roll if if NBC sports consolidates it's cycling coverage.

 

[Roude Leiw]

Try to learn luxembourgish ;-)

The comments are actually really good. 2 former pros commenting, Tom Flammang (rode for Cofidis in his time) and Kim Kirchen, who is interesting to listen to when he muses on what side of the road you have to be to be able able to win the Fleche Wallone and so on. Find them quite entertaining if a bit to Schleck happy, but I suppose they have to feed our local folks

 

[avanti]

I agree thatVersus coverage of cycling could be a lot better.

But you have to consider the target viewing population for Versus - that is mostly non-cyclists who have heard of LA but not many other cyclists, don't know the rules (and that applies to many non-raing members of my two cycling clubs), and who drink beer (note all the beer adds). Without those viweres there would be no advertisers, and without advertisers no cycling coverage.

Sometimes I wonder whether the Versus commentators are sitting in an office somehere adding their voiceover to the video.

I inderstand NBC recently acquired Versus so maybe there is hope yet for improved coverage.

 

[UpTheRoad]

I agree thatVersus coverage of cycling could be a lot better.

But you have to consider the target viewing population for Versus - that is mostly non-cyclists who have heard of LA but not many other cyclists, don't know the rules (and that applies to many non-raing members of my two cycling clubs), and who drink beer (note all the beer adds). Without those viweres there would be no advertisers, and without advertisers no cycling coverage.

Sometimes I wonder whether the Versus commentators are sitting in an office somehere adding their voiceover to the video.

I inderstand NBC recently acquired Versus so maybe there is hope yet for improved coverage.

There was some overlap at the end of the Dauphine/start of the TdS and one of the three (I think it was Phil) was calling both races.

They might have been in France with a Swiss feed at the time, but they are definitely not always present at the race.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree thatVersus coverage of cycling could be a lot better.

But you have to consider the target viewing population for Versus - that is mostly non-cyclists who have heard of LA but not many other cyclists, don't know the rules (and that applies to many non-raing members of my two cycling clubs), and who drink beer (note all the beer adds). Without those viweres there would be no advertisers, and without advertisers no cycling coverage.

Sometimes I wonder whether the Versus commentators are sitting in an office somehere adding their voiceover to the video.

I inderstand NBC recently acquired Versus so maybe there is hope yet for improved coverage.

You could have shortened that up by just writing "dumba**es."

 

[Desperate Moments]

What about the embarrassment yesterday during VS's coverage of the last 16K of the TDS stage, when Phil reported that Juan Maricio Soler had been "dropped" on the climb and was losing big chunks of time--as he obviously did not even know that Soler had crashed 46K into the stage and was by then in the hospital! I saw reports of the crash prior to sitting down to watch and was hoping to get some updates on Soler's condition, but I cringed every time his name was mentioned. Only in the last few frames of the hour-long segment did Phil say that they had just learned that Soler had crashed but was ignorant of any of the details.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

Sometimes I wonder whether the Versus commentators are sitting in an office somehere adding their voiceover to the video.

Aside from the Tour de France, this is how most of their cycling coverage is done.

The mistakes do not bother me that much. What is annoying is that for years Phil and Paul have been phoning it in. They do not appear to very knowledgeable about what is going on in the sport. They show up for the broadcast, do their act, and go home. Their act consists of an endless stream of cliches.

I find Bobke to be more listenable than Phil and Paul these days. He is not as smooth but at least he seems like he is trying.

 

[Granville57]

Smarter?

Maybe they're starting to smarten up a bit over at NBC/Versus. (Did I just say that? )

Looks like Todd Gogulski gets to cover the TdF this year.
This is a good thing.

Very excited to be heading to the Tour de France on Tuesday - joining @bobkeroll as analyst for daily primetime show on VS!
http://twitter.com/#!/BiciGoGo/status/83984706764423169

@liam_mchugh will be the host of the show, full of analysis and insight of the day's events.
http://twitter.com/#!/BiciGoGo/status/83985254892843008

 

[rides like a girl]

Maybe they're starting to smarten up a bit over at NBC/Versus. (Did I just say that? )

Looks like Todd Gogulski gets to cover the TdF this year.
This is a good thing.

A small ray of hope for us!

 

[CatsNK]

That is great!!! Gogo is terrific - I love his commentary. Hopefully he'll rub off on the Vs commentators, not the other way around...

 

[diorgen]

I can't stand that Gogolski guy, his ridiculous California accent is so grating

 

[rides like a girl]

I just read a news release from NBC.

Looks like NBC is changing things up for the broadcast. They will air a 90 minute show on Saturday, stage 1 and Sunday, stage 2 in addition to the Versus shows. Looks like it is from 2 pm ET for stage 1 and 3 pm ET for stage 2.

In addition to adding Gogulski, NBC also added Liam McHugh from their NHL shows to be in studio with Bobke in the evening broadcast. They will also do pre-race bits. Craig Hummer is a reporter in the field...

Also read they will have an App for Apple and Droid.

 

[Granville57]

Looks like NBC is changing things up for the broadcast. They will air a 90 minute show on Saturday, stage 1 and Sunday, stage 2 in addition to the Versus shows. Looks like it is from 2 pm ET for stage 1 and 3 pm ET for stage 2.

Yes, but that is in addition to the live broadcast every day at 8:00am (EST?).
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43440907/ns/sports/


Now, you won't find a more ardent critic of Versus than myself but I wholeheartedly acknowledge that the quality of the video streaming for the Tour of California was by far the most exceptional that I've come across online. It's probably a safe bet that the "All Access" online TdF streaming package will be state-of-the-art as well.

I hope this is indicative of the level of production they'll be bringing to the TdF coverage in general. If this is something that can come out of the recent merger with NBC, then all the better for the fans.

I'm psyched that Todd will be on the air for this. He's the real deal. He knows the sport inside and out; he doesn't play favorites; he has never shown any of the typical on-air politics of the usual Versus crew; he is not a collection of pre-packed one-liners; and he still maintains a youthful enthusiasm for the sport.

Todd possess the one quality I look for the most in a race commentator:
He comes across as the type of guy I would want to go on a ride with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Gogulski

 

[rides like a girl]

I hope the addition of Todd will make the broadcast better. I enjoyed his work on the Giro. I hope he can get his words in and doesn't allow Bob to hog the microphone...I am hopeful in this revamp!

Sometimes I feel like shouting like "RoboLance" in "Days of our Lance" STFU Bob Roll!!!

 

[gustienordic]

Did anyone watch the tour preview show? I watched it hoping (maybe praying) that it would be interesting. What did it entail? 20 minutes about Contador vs Schleck (almost entirely about the dropped chain) another 20 minutes about Cavendish and Farrar, and then they talked about Hincapie. Maybe 2 minutes was devoted to contenders while Sammy Sanchez and JVDB weren't even mentioned. Apparently the results are going to look like this:

1. AS
2. AC
3. Levi
4. Basso
5. Horner
6. Vino
7. Christian VDV
8. Kloden
9. Evans
10. Hincapie (they've been guessing he's going to ride as a GC contender for years, maybe this will be the one)

 

[andrebetz]

I hope the addition of Todd will make the broadcast better. I enjoyed his work on the Giro. I hope he can get his words in and doesn't allow Bob to hog the microphone...I am hopeful in this revamp!

Sometimes I feel like shouting like "RoboLance" in "Days of our Lance" STFU Bob Roll!!!

Totally agree. He actually made the giro more interesting for me.

 

[andrebetz]

Oh and what's with the helicopter sound effects. They do not have a microphone transmitting via microwave to the ground just so we can hear rotor blades.

 

[CatsNK]

+1. Fingers crossed that this makes the Vs broadcasts palatable this time around. And Todd does public rides - if you follow him on twitter he announces them there.

Yes, but that is in addition to the live broadcast every day at 8:00am (EST?).
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43440907/ns/sports/

I'm psyched that Todd will be on the air for this. He's the real deal. He knows the sport inside and out; he doesn't play favorites; he has never shown any of the typical on-air politics of the usual Versus crew; he is not a collection of pre-packed one-liners; and he still maintains a youthful enthusiasm for the sport.

Todd possess the one quality I look for the most in a race commentator:
He comes across as the type of guy I would want to go on a ride with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Gogulski

 

[Granville57]

Oh and what's with the helicopter sound effects. They do not have a microphone transmitting via microwave to the ground just so we can hear rotor blades.

Don't even get me started!
http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=12845

 

[rides like a girl]

I love to hate Versus / formerly OLN as much as the next guy, but I was pleasantly surprised last night to see the movie "American Fliers" being shown "round about" TdS replay time. Been forever since I saw that so I TiVoed it. Now if they show some real cycling movies, like 'A Sunday in Hell" I might be able to forgive a few things. Might

Just finished watching American Flyers too this evening. Amazing looking at the bike technology of 1985. Have not seen this in sooo long! Healthy dose of cheese in it..

 

[Granville57]

Just finished watching American Flyers too this evening. Amazing looking at the bike technology of 1985. Have not seen this in sooo long! Healthy dose of cheese in it..

And a healthy dose of steel, too!