Rob Hatch

[lemon cheese cake]

Who is the lead commentator on the Thüringen Tour?

 

[fmk_RoI]

If Jens was wearing hot pants and a half shirt I’d have some comments about that too.

Were men to be routinely judged on their looks the same way women are then perhaps such claims of 'equal opportunity' would be a badge of honour. They're not, it's not.

Were you simply judging Chennaoui's fashion choices you might, just might, be ok. We all judge Blight's fashion choices. I judge Lloyd's choice of branded corporate sweatshirts. But you're not judging the clothes, you are judging the person. You say the clothes make her look thrashy, a pretty loaded word.

You appear to have an issue with the fact that a woman might dare "show her legs", as if we still live in an era where the female body needs to be covered up.

You criticise her for being "painted up", claim that somehow that takes away from her credibility. I would not judge your credibility based on your looks, based on your clothes, based on your make-up choices. What you say is all I need to judge your credibility.

Why is it necessary for you to note that "she's certainly an attractive woman"? Are any of her male colleagues judged by the same metric? No, they are not. (And, as an Irishman, you can away and shite with your need to tell us her accent "is fingers on chalkboard to me.")

You feel a need to tell us that "Like any other hetero male, I find some women attractive. I like women."? That raises all sorts of questions. Serious.

As for "skanks" - do you ever read back what you write? Seriously, try reading back what you write. Calling Chennaoui a skank - and you have, even though you'll deny it - says more about you than her.

You tell us that "she's got more to offer than her looks." Really, it's hard to believe you think that given the way you are judging her looks. But again, in terms of credibility, what the effin' hell have looks got to do with it?

I am glad to see that one comment that basically slut-shamed Chennaoui by comparing her to a hooker - it worked so well for Armstrong with O'Reilly, didn't it? - has been deleted, but frankly this whole discussion sits wrong on a site that only a few days back was drawing attention to the way male cycling fans judge women in the sport on social media forums like Reddit. To be hosting this conversation here makes that article look like a total waste of space.

 

[Netserk]

as if we still live in an era where the female body needs to be covered up.

You think we live in an era where she would be allowed on TV naked? (in this show)

 

[Kaptain Kool]

Amazing how a 100% justifiable thread complaining about Rob Hatch's histrionics has become a thread about the fashion choices of non-Rob Hatches.

 

[fmk_RoI]

WRT Hatch, then. I thought he was totally wrong-footed today. He had prepared for a coronation and wasn't awake to the upset unfolding in front of him. Which, in a way, was actually something of a relief as I doubt if I could have coped with his histrionics today.

On the plus side, he did remember that Wales already had a Giro winner: Nicole Cooke ("Knee-coal Kok", it sounded like, but maybe that's the way they pronounce it in the Valleys, he's the expert on accents).

 

[saunaking]

If Jens was wearing hot pants and a half shirt I’d have some comments about that too.

TBH I hadn’t seen the show but I did check out the replay after posting.
Maybe it’s ok because this is all show biz but it’s not appropriate work attire that’s for sure

 

[red_flanders]

Were men to be routinely judged on their looks the same way women are then perhaps such claims of 'equal opportunity' would be a badge of honour. They're not, it's not.

Were you simply judging Chennaoui's fashion choices you might, just might, be ok. We all judge Blight's fashion choices. I judge Lloyd's choice of branded corporate sweatshirts. But you're not judging the clothes, you are judging the person. You say the clothes make her look thrashy, a pretty loaded word.

You appear to have an issue with the fact that a woman might dare "show her legs", as if we still live in an era where the female body needs to be covered up.

You criticise her for being "painted up", claim that somehow that takes away from her credibility. I would not judge your credibility based on your looks, based on your clothes, based on your make-up choices. What you say is all I need to judge your credibility.

Why is it necessary for you to note that "she's certainly an attractive woman"? Are any of her male colleagues judged by the same metric? No, they are not. (And, as an Irishman, you can away and shite with your need to tell us her accent "is fingers on chalkboard to me.")

You feel a need to tell us that "Like any other hetero male, I find some women attractive. I like women."? That raises all sorts of questions. Serious.

As for "skanks" - do you ever read back what you write? Seriously, try reading back what you write. Calling Chennaoui a skank - and you have, even though you'll deny it - says more about you than her.

You tell us that "she's got more to offer than her looks." Really, it's hard to believe you think that given the way you are judging her looks. But again, in terms of credibility, what the effin' hell have looks got to do with it?

I am glad to see that one comment that basically slut-shamed Chennaoui by comparing her to a hooker - it worked so well for Armstrong with O'Reilly, didn't it? - has been deleted, but frankly this whole discussion sits wrong on a site that only a few days back was drawing attention to the way male cycling fans judge women in the sport on social media forums like Reddit. To be hosting this conversation here makes that article look like a total waste of space.

So you don’t buy what I actually said so you can scold me for what you want or believe I actually think. Good stuff.

Great. Glad you got all that off your chest. Hope you feel better.

 

[Potomac]

But that’s the point —She’s not necessary dressing for men, she’s dressing because it’s what she likes. And the fact that (I think) she’s a much better journalist than her cohorts should trump all that anyways.

She's dressing for an audience, no doubt about it.

 

[Sciatic]

She's dressing for an audience, no doubt about it.

“All the world’s a stage”

 

[tobydawq]

WRT Hatch, then. I thought he was totally wrong-footed today. He had prepared for a coronation and wasn't awake to the upset unfolding in front of him. Which, in a way, was actually something of a relief as I doubt if I could have coped with his histrionics today.

On the plus side, he did remember that Wales already had a Giro winner: Nicole Cooke ("Knee-coal Kok", it sounded like, but maybe that's the way they pronounce it in the Valleys, he's the expert on accents).

It was a bit strange that he didn't manage to calculate what time Thomas needed to finish in but just said that "it looks like it will not be enough", when the time had already passed. A bit too focused on the pathos there.

 

[awavey]

as the Giro is now a foregone conclusion, if you want to remind yourself why actually Rob Hatch isnt half as bad at this commentating lark as this thread makes out, do watch the 3hrs of Ride London Classique on the BBC today for a comparison.

 

[MartinGT]

I don't mind Hatch, but this Giro he's made some big mistakes. Calling out wrong riders, not noticing crashes, little errors etc. Yesterday according to him Thomas had salt on his shorts. He (Thomas) has said numerous times he uses PR Lotion for TT efforts. It was clearly that as nobody else had salt residue on their kit.

Then he sounded like he was about to cry when Rogostomp happened.

 

[MartinGT]

as the Giro is now a foregone conclusion, if you want to remind yourself why actually Rob Hatch isnt half as bad at this commentating lark as this thread makes out, do watch the 3hrs of Ride London Classique on the BBC today for a comparison.

Have they wheeled Hugh Porter out for it?

 

[cellardoor]

I don't mind Hatch, but this Giro he's made some big mistakes. Calling out wrong riders, not noticing crashes, little errors etc. Yesterday according to him Thomas had salt on his shorts. He (Thomas) has said numerous times he uses PR Lotion for TT efforts. It was clearly that as nobody else had salt residue on their kit.

Then he sounded like he was about to cry when Rogostomp happened.

Whilst I'm sure he's made the odd mistake, he's generally better than the rest of the GCN team when it comes to rider identification.

 

[tobydawq]

as the Giro is now a foregone conclusion, if you want to remind yourself why actually Rob Hatch isnt half as bad at this commentating lark as this thread makes out, do watch the 3hrs of Ride London Classique on the BBC today for a comparison.

What do you mean by a foregone conclusion?

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Have they wheeled Hugh Porter out for it?

I've not heard it, by I'd assume from past races on the channel, it's Simon Brotherton

 

[fmk_RoI]

Have they wheeled Hugh Porter out for it?

Wasn't Porter binned shortly after the London Games? There was a bit of a kerfuffle about it at the time, seemingly some folk like having doddering old fools in the comms box. Imagine.

 

[zlev11]

Whilst I'm sure he's made the odd mistake, he's generally better than the rest of the GCN team when it comes to rider identification.

yeah at least he knows who's in the race in the first place, unlike Jens.

 

[awavey]

I've not heard it, by I'd assume from past races on the channel, it's Simon Brotherton

yes its Simon Brotherton whose commentating style is to read out procycling stats and say things like "her teammates are the ones behind in the multi coloured jerseys...".

 

[RedheadDane]

yeah at least he knows who's in the race in the first place, unlike Jens.

Just to clarify; did he not know right from the beginning, or did he lose track of which riders had dropped out?
Or did he right from the beginning lose track of which Jumbo riders had dropped from the startlist before they even started?

 

[zlev11]

Just to clarify; did he not know right from the beginning, or did he lose track of which riders had dropped out?
Or did he right from the beginning lose track of which Jumbo riders had dropped from the startlist before they even started?

he was naming riders who were never in the race, couldn't identify Nico Denz on the front of the peloton after he had already won two stages. couldn't think of guys' names who had been in the breakaway all day. there's probably more things ive erased from my memory.

 

[IndurainsTdF1994]

Rob & the team must be reading this thread. Why would Dan so profusely praise Rob otherwise today? Poor guy.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Rob & the team must be reading this thread. Why would Dan so profusely praise Rob otherwise today? Poor guy.

Guy's a corporate suck-up and does this at the end of each Grand Tour.

He's basically telling us we enjoyed it.

 

[awavey]

Guy's a corporate suck-up and does this at the end of each Grand Tour.

He's basically telling us we enjoyed it.

somebody said the other day their job is pretty much to do that thesedays, to sell it was a great race, so you keep watching/consuming the product

 

[Potomac]

Ughhh....the end of the stage today....Hatch become unbearable.