British Riders

Langman
Langman Posts: 178
edited June 2010 in Pro race
Is it just me or does David Harmon go out of his way not to mention British riders and how they are doing, in all other sports we'd have a quick rundown of their progress -but they seem to be ignored.
However give Harmon an Irish rider and he's all over them shouting and singing them over the line....I know he and Kelly are close but he seems to be over egging the love of the Irish to impress Kelly - who to his credit is impartial.
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Comments

  • Team Banana Spokesman
    Team Banana Spokesman Posts: 538
    edited May 2010
    it's just you.

    he seems to be a sky fanboy to me. whenever possible he's saying stuff like this:

    "wiggins.... bradley wiggins here. looking good. look at his smooth style. this is incredible. amazing power. what a rider. and he's still only peaking for the tour. etc. blah blah blah. former track rider. blah blah blah"

    you can guarantee he'll say something like that as soon as the camera moves towards him.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,470
    its probably because other than cavendish/ hammond the brits tend to be sat in the middle of the pack doing nothing.
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  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    gsk82 wrote:
    its probably because other than cavendish/ hammond the brits tend to be sat in the middle of the pack doing nothing.

    Sorry, but that is rubbish.
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  • dulldave
    dulldave Posts: 949
    Langman wrote:
    Is it just me or does David Harmon go out of his way not to mention British riders and how they are doing, in all other sports we'd have a quick rundown of their progress -but they seem to be ignored.
    However give Harmon an Irish rider and he's all over them shouting and singing them over the line....I know he and Kelly are close but he seems to be over egging the love of the Irish to impress Kelly - who to his credit is impartial.

    It's just you. When he sees a Sky shirt the conversation tends to turn to whether that was Wiggins or not. He always gives Wegelius a mention when he spots him. I think he talks about UK riders enough without over doing it. Some people expect him to be totally indifferent to nationality, but that's never going to happen.
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  • wicked
    wicked Posts: 844
    British commentator on a channel for british viewers mentions a british rider? Whatever next! :roll:
    It’s the most beautiful sport in the world but it’s governed by ***ts who have turned it into a crock of ****.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    Langman wrote:
    Is it just me or does David Harmon go out of his way not to mention British riders and how they are doing, in all other sports we'd have a quick rundown of their progress -but they seem to be ignored.
    However give Harmon an Irish rider and he's all over them shouting and singing them over the line....I know he and Kelly are close but he seems to be over egging the love of the Irish to impress Kelly - who to his credit is impartial.

    Given that Harmon is the main commentator, and that his commentary is broadcast to nations well beyond the UK, it's not that surprising.

    Anyway, I think everyone know's Harmon was REALLY very pleased to see Wiggins do so well in the Tour.

    If anything, I find it profusely irritating with UK coverage of non mainstream sports in general, where they ONLY mention the British interest, and nothing else.

    If there's one thing Eurosport does well, is that it keeps the focus on the talent, rather than the nationality.
    _
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    wicked wrote:
    British commentator on a channel for british viewers mentions a british rider? Whatever next! :roll:

    Eurosport is not a channel for British viewers. Harmon's commentary goes all over the world.
  • El Imbatido
    El Imbatido Posts: 144
    Harmon does seem to have a man crush on Evans since he won the worlds and lately it is Richie Porte.
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  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    He got the knock back from sky so only mentions their riders when he really has to.
  • ProBiker
    ProBiker Posts: 74
    El Imbatido wrote:
    Harmon does seem to have a man crush on Evans since he won the worlds and lately it is Richie Porte.

    I noticed that to.

    Harmon : Ohh my god richie porte is amazing/strong/very flexible. Richie will have my babies some day........

    Kelly : Well..... yeah he's not bad..... :roll:
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Eurosport is now available in Australia, Harmon knows it pays to butter up the new market.
  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    I think DH is reasonably even-handed - except when it comes to Evans. He loves Cuddles, that's for sure...
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    pedro118118 wrote:
    I think DH is reasonably even-handed - except when it comes to Evans. He loves Cuddles, that's for sure...

    Former mountain biker, innit
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  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    DaveyL wrote:
    pedro118118 wrote:
    I think DH is reasonably even-handed - except when it comes to Evans. He loves Cuddles, that's for sure...

    Former mountain biker, innit

    That's one of my favourite commentator things, Sherwen is guilty too

    "Former mountain biker = amazing descender"
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

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  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    What did irritate me was DH's daily 'ride of the day', for which he would always nominate Evans.

    Even on the days when Evans lost big chunks of time to Basso (& others), DH would wax lyrical about Evans's performance/grit/courage etc. All well and good, but for the favourite for the GC to lose 2/3/4 mins on key mountain stages and still be deemed 'ride of the day'? How does that work?!
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,712
    Am I the only one that likes Harmon?

    When you consider how good Kelly and him are compared to Phil and Paul it is a chasm.
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  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Harmon is a great commentator. Even when he's filling blank camera shots of some rain drenched finish line you usually get good stuff out of him and Kelly.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Harmon is a great commentator. Even when he's filling blank camera shots of some rain drenched finish line you usually get good stuff out of him and Kelly.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    DaveyL wrote:
    pedro118118 wrote:
    I think DH is reasonably even-handed - except when it comes to Evans. He loves Cuddles, that's for sure...

    Former mountain biker, innit

    That's one of my favourite commentator things, Sherwen is guilty too

    "Former mountain biker = amazing descender"

    What do you mean? Look at Michael Rasmussen.

    Ah.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    Am I the only one that likes Harmon?

    When you consider how good Kelly and him are compared to Phil and Paul it is a chasm.

    I think he's brilliant and the double act with Sean is certaintly the best.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    DaveyL wrote:

    I think he's brilliant and the double act with Sean is certaintly the best.

    It's better than soofering through most of the other options available.

    Harmons rider spotting ability always amazes me.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,867
    harmons best quality is ability to recognize riders from the heli shots which is very handy to pundit geeks like myself...

    him and seans chit chat is bearable and interesting at times


    the trouble with all cycling commentators is they are on air for hours and hours and hours and familiarity breeds contempt... given that those two do ok..

    on an aside Kirby is quite good at playing third man at the tour... despite being painful on his tod or with magnus..at times its like having broken glass pushed into your ears

    I would like to see Magnus and Harmon link up more often as he has a more contemporaneous take on things compared to Sean and would freshen up every ones take..

    this years exceptional giro was reflected in the booth as there was plenty to talk about

    I can hardly watch phil and paul anymore ...seriously its that bad.. I had to watch Kirby at california instead
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  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    iainf72 wrote:
    It's better than soofering through most of the other options available.

    Harmons rider spotting ability always amazes me.

    Beeg toime/majorly
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    I have actually started incorporating "majorly" and "in the last number of..." into my everyday conversartions.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    I like Harmon too. Does a good job with Kelly in tandem. In fact, generally I like Maggy, Ned, Matt R, don't mind Phil and Paul, but they do get a bit much. Think what they do with the resources they have and the feeds they receive is excellent esp when I compare it to football....
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  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,158
    iainf72 wrote:

    Harmons rider spotting ability always amazes me.

    He's generally pretty good, but last year I was watching a race, a Vuelta stage I think, on a feed from Aussie TV (SBS?), and their commentator is a guy called Matt Keenan. Now he is absolutely brilliant at picking out riders.
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  • pedro118118
    pedro118118 Posts: 1,102
    DaveyL wrote:
    I have actually started incorporating "majorly" and "in the last number of..." into my everyday conversartions.

    I don't mind Harmon (compared to Duffers he's a broadcasting God). As for Sean, I see addtional input from him as a bonufication.
  • Langman
    Langman Posts: 178
    DaveyL wrote:
    I have actually started incorporating "majorly" and "in the last number of..." into my everyday conversartions.

    I am going to do the same from now - a majorly good idea.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Langman wrote:
    DaveyL wrote:
    I have actually started incorporating "majorly" and "in the last number of..." into my everyday conversartions.

    I am going to do the same from now - a majorly good idea.

    - as they say in cycling terms.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    DaveyL wrote:
    Langman wrote:
    DaveyL wrote:
    I have actually started incorporating "majorly" and "in the last number of..." into my everyday conversartions.

    I am going to do the same from now - a majorly good idea.

    - as they say in cycling terms.

    And if you do it too much, just knock it back a little bit, find yer own riddum', then get back into it.

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