Are we ready yet?

[JRMDC]

If television networks were only broadcasting to those who knew something about the sport, then we would have someone better than Billy Packer and **** Vitale doing NCAA basketball. Do you think Al and Bob are really any worse than Howard Cosell, Al Michaels, or Denis Miller doing Monday Night Football? What about the idiot women who do the sideline commentaries during football and basketball games?

Yes, they are worse than Cosell and Michaels, who were very good in their primes. Good point about Packer and Vitale - ooh, didn't think about it till now, but which do I dislike more, Roll or Vitale? Really tough question...

As for sideline people, I find the women and men at the same low level, generally - it's not gender, it's pure quality that is the issue!

 

[JRMDC]

I would modestly propose that the European coverage be made available in the US, on a pay-per-view basis. Personally, I'd love to hear Eddy's commentary (assuming English subtitles, of course...) Perhaps they could make DVD's of Euro based cycling coverage available?

I find it quite odd that Eurosport coverage is not sold on DVD. I did some websearching and I didn't find it available even for European format TV. If someone can point me to a sales venue, I would appreciate it. I think there are ways to get past the NTSC/PAL divide, or whatever the proper acronyms are.

BTW, what languages are used on ES? I have some English-language coverage; do they do multiple languages on multiple channels?

 

[whiteboytrash]

I find it quite odd that Eurosport coverage is not sold on DVD. I did some websearching and I didn't find it available even for European format TV. If someone can point me to a sales venue, I would appreciate it. I think there are ways to get past the NTSC/PAL divide, or whatever the proper acronyms are.

BTW, what languages are used on ES? I have some English-language coverage; do they do multiple languages on multiple channels?

They do loads of langauges and me to I wish they would package up and sell on DVD.............

 

[rejobako]

My pet peeve about OLN's announcers is they can't stop using superlatives. Saturday's time trial was Pereiro's "most amazing time trial ever", which presumes not only that Saturday's time trial was "amazing", but that he had an "amazing" one previously. Anything a winning stage rider does is "incredible" and "unbelievable" even if it's McEwan in a sprint. Stage wins are a significant achievement, but for chrissake, someone's going to win one every day.

 

[DiabloScott]

Without the "cheese" and the marketing dollars, we would have no event to witness like the TDF.

Now that the World Cup and TDF are over, bring on the Vuelta!!!!

I think we're scheduled to get a 60 minute highlight show for the Vuelta again this year - no live coverage, no excitement, no surprises. Barely better than nothing.

 

[azdroptop]

Word.

When they do stuff like that, you can no longer trust them as boradcast journalists.

You just can't.

Every word is now suspect.

I would gather Trek and OMD are paying big money for the coverage....

 

[lwedge]

I think anyone who posts here can handle some real commentators. I suppose, however, that the non-cyclist casual fans might actually like Al (who is the WORST) and Bob.

Personally, I'm getting sick of watching ads for AMD, Trek, etc. thinly disguised as behind the scenes reports.

If I see another engine jump out of a car to track down a quart of Pennzoil I will go insane (ok, more insane).


I actually like Bob Roll's color commentary and I can handle the behind the scene and rider bio segways when the peloton are eating lunch.


lw

 

[goldsbar]

I'm happy we're getting anything at all. The vast majority of "normal" people I speak with find cycling on TV extremely boring. Even I find myself skimming through the flat stages with the DVR on hyper-speed. The only way viewership is going to grow is if Floyd gets cancer AND gets shot in a hunting accident AND wins the tour while still going through chemo (would he get disqualified for EPO use durning chemo - that would be an interesting angle).

As for Al... I was a big baseball/Yankee fan 15 years ago and Al used to appear on air with Tony Kubeck (sp? a baseball legend). He was as cheesy then as ever and Tony almost openly hated him.

 

[lwedge]

I'm happy we're getting anything at all. The vast majority of "normal" people I speak with find cycling on TV extremely boring. Even I find myself skimming through the flat stages with the DVR on hyper-speed. The only way viewership is going to grow is if Floyd gets cancer AND gets shot in a hunting accident AND wins the tour while still going through chemo (would he get disqualified for EPO use durning chemo - that would be an interesting angle).

.

How about hip replacement..... That's it ! We can all call him Ti Landis.

lw

 

[JRMDC]

I'm happy we're getting anything at all. The vast majority of "normal" people I speak with find cycling on TV extremely boring. Even I find myself skimming through the flat stages with the DVR on hyper-speed.

There is an important issue here. One can watch many sports without narrative of any sort because there is continual action that can be understood - a series of sporting events/actions. A swing of the golf club, a pass of a race car, a turn at the end of a swimming lane. Heck, I watched the entire world cup on Univision, and I don't know a word of Spanish (besides GOOOOOOAAAAALLLL ). In cycling, a lot of time can pass by with a break of riders taking turns and a peloton with 4 guys pulling. Thus, cycling ESPECIALLY needs good commentary to carry things along in between events/actions, which are relatively sparse, especially before the last hour in many cases. Which is why Trautwig/Roll are such a particular blight...

Edit: actually, it's more of a GOOOOOOOOOLLLLL, ..., GOOOOOOOOLLLLLLL.

 

[moviekindoflife]

If I see another engine jump out of a car to track down a quart of Pennzoil I will go insane (ok, more insane).

the home depot one was pretty bad also.

and the VW rabbit commercials with the most annoying song ever.

I was almost thankful for a new commercial i hadn't yet seen.

 

[limerickman]

Paul Kimmage in his article in yesterdays Sunday times newspaper - called OLN's TDF coverage "Gee whiz TV".

He said that the coverage never refers to doping - it never refers to cycling issues as such and is full of cliches pedalled (excuse the pun) by a group of commentators.

He said that he might consider selling his soul and doing OLN (if the price was right of course).

 

[Mansmind]

He said that the coverage never refers to doping

If he said that, he's lying. There was some coverage regarding doping, and the OP affair.

He really should get his facts straight about things like that.

 

[helmutRoole2]

If he said that, he's lying. There was some coverage regarding doping, and the OP affair.

He really should get his facts straight about things like that.

Yeah, there was some. They didn't go into details, but it was there.

 

[DiabloScott]

If he said that, he's lying. There was some coverage regarding doping, and the OP affair.

He really should get his facts straight about things like that.

Yup - Kimmage is a liar!

 

[DiabloScott]

the home depot one was pretty bad also.

and the VW rabbit commercials with the most annoying song ever.

I was almost thankful for a new commercial i hadn't yet seen.

That LLBean guy was pretty annoying too.

 

[limerickman]

If he said that, he's lying. There was some coverage regarding doping, and the OP affair.

He really should get his facts straight about things like that.

I don't have OLN : so I can't know if PK is correct or not.

If you say OLN did cover it, then it did.

 

[Mansmind]

I DID see one difference in the advertisements this year, and it's been mentioned before here.

Previously, all the bike ads were predominantly Trek (I'm not a Trek fan). This year, Cervelo had the majority I believe (I AM a Cervelo fan). I suspect due to Basso's suspected success before he was suspended.

 

[tcklyde]

I don't have OLN : so I can't know if PK is correct or not.

If you say OLN did cover it, then it did.

There was some coverage, but fairly limited. Of course, this doesn't surprise me. OLN's financial bootom line depends on promoting an event that people believe is fair. Not in their interest to talk about doping.

 

[limerickman]

There was some coverage, but fairly limited. Of course, this doesn't surprise me. OLN's financial bootom line depends on promoting an event that people believe is fair. Not in their interest to talk about doping.

Eurosport discuss the doping openly - which is a welcome change in policy because during Festina they referred to it "as that issue, which we won't discuss now".

Today it is different. It is opnely discussed. In fact ES quizzed McQuaid yesterday about it. Quite right too.

Maybe Kimmage was comparing and contrasting OLN with ES?