Phil and Paul

[Galic Ho]

Matt keenans voice is so irritating that its pointless listening to him

At least he isn't Phil Liggett. How that old cook maintained a job after his ramblings from South Africa last year is beyond me.

He is beyond pathetic. To sad to poke fun at. Though some of the people I know who watch the Tour are daft at times. They actually repeat ad nauseum the crap Paul and Phil spew out, particularly Paul and act as if that makes them knowledgeable about what is going on.

They really don't like it when I tell them to stop listening to the load of baloney those two feed viewers. That is the one thing Sherwen has going for him. Very solid elocution.

 

[willbick]

Classic Sherwinism today referring to G Thomas

"He forgone...forgove...forgave the tour de france last year".

I think he was trying to summon up 'forsook'!!

 

[MacRoadie]

I agree that someone needs to get Paul a kph/mph calculator or better yet, a printed conversion table.

It doesn't matter how fast they're really going, Paul will have them tooling along at 40 mph.

 

[richard_91]

I agree that someone needs to get Paul a kph/mph calculator or better yet, a printed conversion table.

It doesn't matter how fast they're really going, Paul will have them tooling along at 40 mph.

I think he does it as well to try and make it sound more exciting for the casual/new fans

 

[MacRoadie]

Well, as a result, since the bunch is now routinely riding at 40 mph, Paul has Cavendish sprinting at "close to 50 miles per hour".

I'll give you 47-48 mph on a good day, slight downhill, or with a tail wind, but Paul throws it out there like it's a Tuesday training ride.

 

[ventoux67]

and Gautier was identified as Guimard .....wha..........senile old fool

 

[TheBean]

It is clear to most who have been following the sport for a while that ignoring the issue and pretending it does not exist made the problem worse, much worse.

Phil and Paul were enablers. If they, and others in the media, had questioned instead of enabling the sport would have been able to to address these issues a decade ago instead of today

Though I can totally understand your point of view and it is hard to argue with it, their job description is to promote the sport and to increase ratings for their network. They did that job very well.

As fans of the sport, we want the whole story. The reality, though, in the USA is that the increase in interest and viewership for cycling had more to do with Lance and his come-back story that the sport itself. Phil and Paul, therefore, HAD to play up the story in order to satisfy their job description. So did Bob and the rest of the Vs,/NBCsports crew.

If they had cast aspersions or suggested that Lance was a doping fraud who bullied and intimidated and destroyed the careers of anyone who said otherwise, they, too, would have been left on the side of the road crying about what a meanie Lance is.

In the corporate world (which they are) they marginally talented (which they also are) must make the decision about which gravy-train to hop on. They chose the right one and made out well.

We can begrudge them for it and suggest that they are criminals and demons. Or we can say they showed pretty good business savvy and are living well because of that.

As for getting the whole story, that is where true investigative journalism comes in. Kimmage, etc. did that job pretty well, really. I respect them for their bravery.

 

[Race Radio]

their job description is to promote the sport and to increase ratings for their network. They did that job very well.

They didn't. They built Lance fans, not cycling fans. Ratings collapsed after Wonderboy retired.

 

[T-Nielsen]

May be a lot of topic but perhaps the admins will let it slide a little as there seems no other thread more suited.

What did you guys think of the commentator/reporter/whatever on the motorbike the last couple of stages ?

 

[MacRoadie]

May be a lot of topic but perhaps the admins will let it slide a little as there seems no other thread more suited.

What did you guys think of the commentator/reporter/whatever on the motorbike the last couple of stages ?

I think they need someone who knows at least something about cycling, and how to correctly pronounce "Marseille"..

 

[screaming fist]

how do they pronounce it?

 

[MacRoadie]

how do they pronounce it?

He pronounced it "Mar-Sail".

 

[TheBean]

He pronounced it "Mar-Sail".

Sadly, us Americans are well known for butchering pronunciations of anything outside of our borders.

 

[TheBean]

They didn't. They built Lance fans, not cycling fans. Ratings collapsed after Wonderboy retired.

The ratings are still strong enough to warrant live coverage of every stage, as well as at least two replays per day and other human-interest stories. The TdF coverage dominates about 18 hours per day of NBC Sports Network.

Prior to that (in the '90's), we had one two-hour show per week on "Wide World of Sports" that would try to cram a week's worth of racing into a two hour TV spot. The hosts didn't even understand the basic principles of drafting one iota.

I remember in the 90's, a US sports announcer commenting on a break in the Tour Du Pont saying:

"These three men out front are clearly the strongest in the race, but I can't understand why they are changing the lead so frequently. Maybe they are friends."

Now THAT was some ****-poor coverage!

 

[jens_attacks]

He pronounced it "Mar-Sail".

well that is pretty good. to be honest i expected something "mary-silla"

 

[Boeing]

May be a lot of topic but perhaps the admins will let it slide a little as there seems no other thread more suited.

What did you guys think of the commentator/reporter/whatever on the motorbike the last couple of stages ?

There is no way in hell this guys gets the ear of every director he alleges on the fly with a helmet on at 35 mph on the back of a motor bike. with the language barriers . . He is making shi# up. Pure fiction

He can't even speak Spanish

 

[goggalor]

I think they need someone who knows at least something about cycling, and how to correctly pronounce "Marseille"..

I believe the motoman is Rolf Sørensen (LBL, RVV). I agree his input has been pretty pointless though. He even tried to interview Vandevelde after he crashed today. They should give him a role more like Laurent Jalabert had for France 2.

 

[Boeing]

Did you see NBC brought him in studio to discuss his cheesy YouTube video of part of route?

I like the purposely placed poor timing of his so called live feed. Like this mass production doesn't have enough editors to time the depart and Arrive of each Team int he TTT. Phil has to excuse this guy to go back to the coverage oc Contadors arrival. hahahah ok nice try. Its a fictional narrative at this point.

 

[Boeing]

It is clear to most who have been following the sport for a while that ignoring the issue and pretending it does not exist made the problem worse, much worse.

Phil and Paul were enablers. If they, and others in the media, had questioned instead of enabling the sport would have been able to to address these issues a decade ago instead of today

While I dont disagree with your overall thesis all these years (of which is approaching the ranks of dead horse btw). , the gross context of your first statement has little to do with the commentating of just 2 so called journalists. (and as you know I am no P&P apologist)

it is time to move on. you won yo were right in many many respects. Don't spoil your argument hanging on to dead meat.

BTW FYI I fear you might be getting a bit lazy. There is a certain stylistic prose to your posts here and in your tweets that has many similarities to your other stuff. be careful

Regards

 

[Boeing]

Phil called Cav "Quite a mature young man" today. we couldn t write a script like this for Seinfeld

pure comedy

 

[bikebottles]

Had enough of Paul!

We are so tired of Paul Sherwin. He is arrogant and condescending, looking for ways to put Phil down.

 

[MacRoadie]

The "best" so far was the crash, mid-stage on Sunday. Two separate overhead and street-level camera views, and the boys spend 30 seconds grasping for possible causes, all the while oblivious to the half-dozen team cars parked on the shoulder, the soingeurs lining the road, and the bright white musette bag lying conspicuously centered in the middle of the downed riders.

Only after a break and a replay of the action a minute or so later, did Phil wonder aloud if that wasn't "one of those little bags they get their food and drink in" that might have been the cause.

Once again, you get the feeling some producer had to whisper in Phil's headphones "Um, it's the feed zone Phil...".

 

[Afrank]

The "best" so far was the crash, mid-stage on Sunday. Two separate overhead and street-level camera views, and the boys spend 30 seconds grasping for possible causes, all the while oblivious to the half-dozen team cars parked on the shoulder, the soingeurs lining the road, and the bright white musette bag lying conspicuously centered in the middle of the downed riders.

Only after a break and a replay of the action a minute or so later, did Phil wonder aloud if that wasn't "one of those little bags they get their food and drink in" that might have been the cause.

Once again, you get the feeling some producer had to whisper in Phil's headphones "Um, it's the feed zone Phil...".

I thought that was pretty funny as well. It wasn't even that big a crash and didn't involve any real big name riders and they were going on about it for like 5 minutes.

 

[Tyre Byter]

May be a lot of topic but perhaps the admins will let it slide a little as there seems no other thread more suited.

What did you guys think of the commentator/reporter/whatever on the motorbike the last couple of stages ?

Are we talking about Steve Porino?

I REALLY like his commentary.........................................on alpine skiing.

I think his pieces are a relief from the incessant blather of P & P.
I'm glad NBC is trying out some new talent so we don't wind up with Paul and Bobke 'together forever' when Phil retires. I know I don't have a suitcase of courage big enough, deep enough, and sturdy enough to carry that load!
Their other 'younger' guy, Scott Moninger, I see is nicknamed Iceman. Very apt.

And also OT, but as far as cycling coverage in the US goes, the Tour du Suisse on beIN Sport was GREAT! HD picture with intelligent commentary by Maggie stored on my DVR to watch after work. Oh, and minimal commercials played at normal volume. Beyond awesome......Thanks for treating your subscribers with some respect beIn Sport

 

[MacRoadie]

Their other 'younger' guy, Scott Moninger, I see is nicknamed Iceman. Very apt.

Don't get me started on Moninger. The very fist day, Todd Harris asks Scott if the peloton is now "clean" and Scott jumps right in with the "absolutely" with zero qualifiers.

Hell, even Bobke would only say it's probably "90%" clean...