Liggett and Sherwen Commentary

[Marva32]

Here's a thought....

Anybody in America remember when we used to get our Tour de France news via 2-month-old "Winning" magazines in the bike shop? Remember when a HUGE leap was the 30-minute recap of the WHOLE TdF on CBS, or Wide World of Sports, or whatever it was?

I agree with the original point, but...... just turn the TV down, and be glad that we can see 50% of every day's stage, 4 times a day.

I remember those days

 

[battery89]

Although PL is making more and more mistakes, he seems less infatuated with Armstrong than Sherwin. Sherwin's commentary is the worst imo. Half the time makes no sense and then tops it off by sucking off Armstrong for a few sentences.

Example: chaingate. Sherwin went all out on AC (continuing a line that you would probably hear from Lance) and Liggett was trying to reason with Sherwin about the incident and also focusing on commentating the race (Voeckler's win, etc). Really was quite disgusting to listen to. Really showcased what I have thought about Sherwin for a long time.

 

[luckyboy]

Saw ITV4's highlights yesterday (sole reason nothing else was on), and it just reminded me of how bad they really are. Phil must've pronounced Voeckler's name like 4 different ways.

Also, after the ad break when you see them both sitting in their matching shirts talking to the camera (answering viewer questions and whatnot), it really looks like they're a gay couple. "Not that there's anything wrong with that"

I just got a month's worth of Eurosport player incase I couldn't get to my nan's house in time for the cycling (she has Sky & I don't)

 

[battery89]

I want to know how much they have been paid by that 'Clean Bottle' guy, they won't shut up about this "amazing" invention when he is seen running alongside the riders. It is such a blatant plug, I hope the broadcasters have got some cash for it too.

Oh this. And also "Easton Wheels". Don't know how many times they've said it now... "There's Hincapie on his Easton Wheels. They supply all of BMC's wheels", etc etc... Such a line (and others) comes out of no where. Incredible.

 

[richwagmn]

Actually, my opinion of Phil went up a few notches. Listen to Tuesday's comments about the AC attack. He took AC's side and even got in a dig at Paul during the stage when Paul said someone had a flat and Phil said everyone should sit up and stop racing.

When LA isn't around, Phil is much more tolerable.

 

[leftover pie]

I am rather looking forward to hearing them as they grow old together, just like a retired couple.

Statler: Hey, Waldorf. Wake up. Here comes the peleton!

Waldorf: Oh, boy! We better synchronize our pacemakers.

 

[BroDeal]

Oh this. And also "Easton Wheels". Don't know how many times they've said it now... "There's Hincapie on his Easton Wheels. They supply all of BMC's wheels", etc etc... Such a line (and others) comes out of no where. Incredible.

Obviously they are getting paid to promote the Clean Bottle and a few other products. Having more advertisers is a good thing. I have often wondered why more cycling related companies do not advertise during Versus' cycling coverage.

It certainly better than the endless Lincoln Navigator and Saab commercials that we have had to endure in the past.

OT: Do those Clean Bottles leak from the bottom?

 

[knewcleardaze]

Obviously they are getting paid to promote the Clean Bottle and a few other products. Having more advertisers is a good thing. I have often wondered why more cycling related companies do not advertise during Versus' cycling coverage.

It certainly better than the endless Lincoln Navigator and Saab commercials that we have had to endure in the past.

OT: Do those Clean Bottles leak from the bottom?

I dunno. I thought they had two tops?

 

[Martin318is]

When LA isn't around, Phil is much more tolerable.

Yes but he has to be in the race but completely outclassed. If you look back at the non-Lance years everybody got compared to what Lance would have done.

 

[Elagabalus]

Just what I suspected! A PnP hate fest!!

 

[Elagabalus]

Obviously they are getting paid to promote the Clean Bottle and a few other products. Having more advertisers is a good thing. I have often wondered why more cycling related companies do not advertise during Versus' cycling coverage.

It certainly better than the endless Lincoln Navigator and Saab commercials that we have had to endure in the past.

OT: Do those Clean Bottles leak from the bottom?

And speaking of advertising what/who is "Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes"?!! There's an old guy at the sprints who manages to get his "Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes" sign front and center every time! Free advertising!! Any "Continentals" know who he is? Does he rent caravans for the TdF? (IIRC he also had one at this years Tour of Flanders). Does he have a web site where I can tell him of his awesomeness? It gives me a laugh every time.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

And speaking of advertising what/who is "Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes"?!! There's an old guy at the sprints who manages to get his "Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes" sign front and center every time! Free advertising!! Any "Continentals" know who he is? Does he rent caravans for the TdF? (IIRC he also had one at this years Tour of Flanders). Does he have a web site where I can tell him of his awesomeness? It gives me a laugh every time.

It's DIRK HOFMAN. One "F".

http://www.dirkhofman.be/

His signs are everywhere during cyclocross season.

 

[Elagabalus]

yeah that was pathetic. Liggit is such a joke. PS is not much better.

They spend about 70% talking about LA -- 20% about evans and wiggans -- 9% about the local castles and 1% about every other ride -- english speaking nation riders that is, non English speaking riders don't exist.

aldo seariously, PL has no idea what he is talking about... lol @ him saying sanchez was a bad descender the other day.

Yes, nobody beats PS when it comes to rattling on about castles-except maybe Carlton Kirby (Live from Paris!) doing exactly the same thing over on Eurosport!!

 

[Elagabalus]

...Remember when a HUGE leap was the 30-minute recap of the WHOLE TdF on CBS ...

Yeah!!! And Phil had to do a VO over John Tesh music!! John fricking Tesh!!! Phil was there in the trenches for us-and this, this is the thanks he gets!! For shame!!

 

[BroDeal]

Here's a thought....

Anybody in America remember when we used to get our Tour de France news via 2-month-old "Winning" magazines in the bike shop? Remember when a HUGE leap was the 30-minute recap of the WHOLE TdF on CBS, or Wide World of Sports, or whatever it was?

Remember back in the day when we did not have rubbers? We had rabbit skins. You had to tie them around yourself with twine and you could not feel anything, but we liked it. This was back when we wore onions on our belt because that was the style of the day. Eventually the onions would rot. The smell would drive the women away, but we liked it. Instead of sending e-mail, we would make our own paper by chopping down a tree and grinding it into sawdust with a rock. After writing our letter in charcoal with a half burned stick, we would give it to a rider on horseback. It would take weeks for the letter to get delivered, but we liked it.

 

[bridgeman]

BroDeal, your ears must still be ringing from the big bang.

 

[Hillavoider]

And speaking of advertising what/who is "Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes"?!! There's an old guy at the sprints who manages to get his "Dirk Hoffman Motorhomes" sign front and center every time! Free advertising!! Any "Continentals" know who he is? Does he rent caravans for the TdF? (IIRC he also had one at this years Tour of Flanders). Does he have a web site where I can tell him of his awesomeness? It gives me a laugh every time.

Dirk Hofman is hilarious, gets his sign in everytime, sucks for people around him when he pulls it out and blocks thier view of the sprint. cunning advertising however.

As for P&P they are annoying as hell when they go on about Lance, but when i think of who else would be good.....nothing.

Some of the things they say are just hilarious however, if Phill didn't have Paul he's be lost somewhere in the north of france still, phil definately has dementia

 

[auscyclefan94]

I watched the replay this morning on VS. Lance WAS in third position during the sprint but then he realized he didn't have enough kick and backed off.

Watch the aerial view, LA is clearly in third then runs out of gas and sits back down.

What do you expect these guys to say? You DO realize the only reason this race is even available on America TV is because LA won seven straight Tours. If you just put all your hatred of LA aside you'd see that.

You could ask 100 people in the US who Contador is and I'd guess maybe 1 person would know. I'm thinking 90% of Americans could tell you who LA is.

Yes he's a total d*ck in his personal life, and might be a d*ck in his professional life but you'd be streaming Eurosport otherwise.

No, that was later in the sprint. lance was way back when the sprint was opened up and Phil was screaming about Lance.

For the tdf, I feel the 30min highlights give me all the happenings of the stage but in the giro, the 30 minute highlights are never enough. I feel I need more which says a lot about the race.

 

[auscyclefan94]

That was pretty crude, rude and uncalled for in my opinion. Phil was pretty much shocked by Paul's response as was I. I couldn't believe he went there on Phil like that. That was quite personal by Paul. I actually felt sorry for Phil.

What was the exact statement? Paul seems to have quite a big ego!

 

[richwagmn]

What was the exact statement? Paul seems to have quite a big ego!

Here it is:

Paul:

"I'm sorry, I've been a professional bike rider, I know when somebody has a mechanical"

Phil: defending alberto

"Yea, but you've never ridden the tour Phil, you've never been in that situation"

Phil:

"Well no I haven't, but I have ridden in other tours though"

Paul:

"Like which?"

Phil:

"The tour of ireland"

Paul:

Laughs..

 

[spanky wanderlust]

i like phil and paul.

i like phil and paul and i think the versus production is overall quite good. much preferable to the general vitriolic tone on here btw.

it's not that i don't notice the *** things they say, or the moronic way they frame virtually every situation, i just don't get all bent out of shape about it. i enjoy the enjoyables, use my own brain, and forget the rest. then i come here, to sift through the mountains of absolute bull**** for meager crumbs of genuine analysis.

in the ways that matter, phil liggett is one of the greatest sports commentators out there. but i will post my opinions about that on a different forum; it won't fly here.

 

[Martin318is]

Dirk Hofman ... cunning advertising however.

I don't know that I would really call that one particular effort cunning. Its a very common tactic across the European season for smaller businesses. Anyone interested in that can have a quick look at one day races such as PR, Amstel, or Fleche, etc They are everywhere

 

[Martin318is]

in the ways that matter, phil liggett is one of the greatest sports commentators out there.

If you were to use 'was' rather than 'is' then I think many would agree with you. You would have to admit that over the last 6 years or so (coinciding with the increased distributino in the US) Phil and Paul have become overly Lance focussed and have tended to hold some questionable points of view.

If they had avoided that, I would still be happy watching them

 

[sashimono]

I gave up on US TDF tv coverage when it was on OLN. It wasn't just Phil and Paul sucking, it was the lame music and endless advertising for crap like bbq contests and Survivor reruns. It was utterly horrific.

Since then I've only followed the tour via live blogs and post-race writeups. I think the first live blog I found was at Daily Peloton. This year I've been enjoying Pelkey at Velonews. I don't miss the tv at all.

 

[Connor Pass]

I think the problem is that the TdF is obviously cycling's showcase event and lots of non-cycling fans tune in to watch coverage who normally wouldn't. I think it's also fair to say that for the countries in which their commentary is being broadcast the viewers are more interested in the Anglophone riders, rather than the likes of Roman Kreuziger, John Gadret or Robert Gesink.