Best Commentator Awards

sonny73

Enjoying a brew last night and was asked who my favourite commentator was, without hesitating I said Harmon and especially the Harmon - Kelly combo. I don't think you can beat the combination of excitement from Harmon and insight from Kelly.
I also like Harmon's efforts to get the names of riders correct.
So, I know this has been commented on some time ago but still just for a bit of fun I ask you the same question, who is your favourite commentator and commentator combo and why?

RichN95.

Harmon-Kelly for me too. Backstedt and Brian Smith are good too.

A couple of times I've watched races on internet feeds fro Aussie TV. Their guy, Matt Keenen is very good. Stunningly good at picking out riders.

sonny73

Talking of other countries commentators (not that I understand them at all) but there's a couple of chaps on Sporza I think it is, who's enthusiasm is great to listen too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1OngdmB2iw
And the same can be said for the chaps on Spanish tv: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jXvKQ2MVCw

Wheelspinner

Harmon is good. Kelly drives me insane, for two reasons:

1. I know he's Irish, but he really needs to learn how to make a sentence. You know, one that has a point, starts and stops in reasonably logical spots, that kind of thing. As it is right now, whenever he gets going, it's one long ramble, in a monotone that suddenly drifts off into nothing...

2. SOMEBODY please tell Kelly that he is commentating in (what passes for) the English language. The word "classement" is in fact the French term for classification. If my telly wasn't such a lovely thing, I'd have chucked a brick through it by now hearing that word half a dozen times in each of his rambles.

Picky? Moi? Maybe..

RichN95.

Wheelspinner wrote:

2. SOMEBODY please tell Kelly that he is commentating in (what passes for) the English language. The word "classement" is in fact the French term for classification. If my telly wasn't such a lovely thing, I'd have chucked a brick through it by now hearing that word half a dozen times in each of his rambles.

Picky? Moi? Maybe..

I'm assuming you used the 'Moi?' as a deliberate, ironic joke.

inkyfingers

RichN95 wrote:

Wheelspinner wrote:

2. SOMEBODY please tell Kelly that he is commentating in (what passes for) the English language. The word "classement" is in fact the French term for classification. If my telly wasn't such a lovely thing, I'd have chucked a brick through it by now hearing that word half a dozen times in each of his rambles.

Picky? Moi? Maybe..

I'm assuming you used the 'Moi?' as a deliberate, ironic joke.

ju5t1n

Harmon and Kelly for me too, I actually find Sean’s voice very calming.

Brian Smith is good too.

inkyfingers

I like Harmon and Kelly, I always imagine that Sean is supping a pint of Guiness while Harmon is talking...

Can't believe that i'm going to admit this but I don't mind Phil and Paul that much either...maybe because i've grown up with them and they've been the soundtrack to so many memories. Hopefully now LA has retired they will start to talk about him less though as it was starting to grate.

Tom Butcher

Pundit - Kelly for me. I like pretty much all of them to be honest, Brian Smith has really grown on me, big Maggy, Roche in the studio, Gibb etc - but for me Sean Kelly just has that bit of magic.

Commentators - Have to be Harmon. I think we are less well served with cycling commentators than pundits. Phil Liggett - maybe at one time but not now - I know he's serving an American audience but I can't get over the fact everything he says seems to be what he thinks he's expected to say rather than what he really thinks. Paul Sherwen I don't mind so much - I think with a different commentator he'd have some really strong opinions and I'd be interested to see him in the studio with someone like Roche.
Duffield - not now - comedy factor only.
Mike Smith - like him but he lacks the specialist knowledge.
The other guy that did the Tour of Quatar this year - Matt Rendell ? I know some rate him but I found him dull as ditchwater. I'm not sure if he was reading a scripted commentary over the highlights but that's how it came across. Potentially I think he could be good - give him a live race to commentate on and I reckon he'd be much better once he'd relaxed into it a bit.

edit - actually is it Mike Smith - the guy who does the funny anecdotes - I think Mike Smith is someone else isn't he ?

Art Vandelay

I'd put a vote for Matt Keenan. Unmatched ability to identify riders from long range heli shots and an astute reading of tactics. Often left on his tod and I think he would benefit from having another voice alongside. Gary Imlach is great for providing journalistic input.

rick_chasey

Michel Wuyts and Karl Vannieuwkerke

RichN95.

Tom Butcher wrote:

edit - actually is it Mike Smith - the guy who does the funny anecdotes - I think Mike Smith is someone else isn't he ?

I think you mean Carlton Kirby.

Tom Butcher

Yes that's it - had a mental block there - of course Carlton Kirby. Mike Smith is the guy who very occasionally co-commentates with Carlton isn't he.

RichN95.

Tom Butcher wrote:

Yes that's it - had a mental block there - of course Carlton Kirby. Mike Smith is the guy who very occasionally co-commentates with Carlton isn't he.

Mike Smith has done cycling, but I haven't heard him for a while. The Scottish guy who is with Kirby sometimes is Brian Smith.

alex16zx

Wheelspinner wrote:

Harmon is good. Kelly drives me insane, for two reasons:

1. I know he's Irish, but he really needs to learn how to make a sentence. You know, one that has a point, starts and stops in reasonably logical spots, that kind of thing. As it is right now, whenever he gets going, it's one long ramble, in a monotone that suddenly drifts off into nothing...

2. SOMEBODY please tell Kelly that he is commentating in (what passes for) the English language. The word "classement" is in fact the French term for classification. If my telly wasn't such a lovely thing, I'd have chucked a brick through it by now hearing that word half a dozen times in each of his rambles.

Picky? Moi? Maybe..

you'd get on well with my dad! he doesn't follow cycling, but whenever i put one of the GTs on when he is around he can't enjoy it because of Kelly's monotone delivery.

and i am with you on the second point - his use of 'classement' has been driving me mad for the last couple of years.

but it's worth it because he still comes across as very likeable and his insight is great.

Kléber

Classement is a French and Flemish term and it's likely Kelly heard the word for the first time then and just used it ever since. I think I've heard him saying "in the overall" but I could be wrong.

He's getting better. The days of three word sentences are over and Harmon's good at working with him. As a pair they work together very well and Harmon's specialist knowledge is really growing.

Tom Butcher

RichN95 wrote:

Tom Butcher wrote:

Yes that's it - had a mental block there - of course Carlton Kirby. Mike Smith is the guy who very occasionally co-commentates with Carlton isn't he.

Mike Smith has done cycling, but I haven't heard him for a while. The Scottish guy who is with Kirby sometimes is Brian Smith.

Correct - I mentioned BS in the initial post - I just had a momentary mental block over Carlton's name mixing it up with Mike Smith who he has on occasion co-commentated with.

FJS

Michel Wuyts best commentator, Jose de Cauwer best co-commentator.

Sean Kelly and Maarten Ducrot are OK as co-commentators too. I don't really like Harmon or Liggett, they don't seem to address a cycling audience. But then, I do't really like Karl van Nieuwkerke either, and Marts Smeets and Jeroen Blijlevens are awful

Kléber

What's your take on Michael Boogerd? He always struck me as tactically weak, the way he'd usually be in the lead group in the Amstel or Liege but then he'd attack at obvious points or generously lead out the sprint.

rick_chasey

FJS wrote:

Michel Wuyts best commentator, Jose de Cauwer best co-commentator.

Sean Kelly and Maarten Ducrot are OK as co-commentators too. I don't really like Harmon or Liggett, they don't seem to address a cycling audience. But then, I do't really like Karl van Nieuwkerke either, and Marts Smeets and Jeroen Blijlevens are awful

I prefer Vannieuwkerke to de Cauwer - a better sense of occasion.

rick_chasey

Kléber wrote:

What's your take on Michael Boogerd? He always struck me as tactically weak, the way he'd usually be in the lead group in the Amstel or Liege but then he'd attack at obvious points or generously lead out the sprint.

Meh, he's not concise enough for commentary - as with most dutch commentators, he sounds too much like he's sitting in the pub.

calvjones

To be fair to Kelly he does use 'bunch' instead of peloton, although it's far less elegant.

Is he allowed to say 'col' or is it going to be 'the Tourmalet pass'?

carbotanium

Harmon is good ,a nice clear voice

Kelly is good, in that he knows everything but he speaks franglais on occasion and there's the sothern Irish accent to decipher

Brian Smith is good , enthusiastic and knowledgeable . Scottish accent isn't too bad when compared to Kelly .

Carlton Kirby is annoying , laughs too much and the translations he attempts are hideous .

Magnus Backstedt is OK but when with Kirby it turns into two mates trying to be funny

Antony Mc Crossan is OK but he sounds like he's just sat on a hot plate and there's no passion in his commentary

Graham Jones was good on the ToB , obviously knows his stuff .

Hugh Porter is going the Duffield route of senility , The obsession with track this and pursuit that has no place on road commentary .

David Duffield is/was awful . A niche version of Bruce Forsyth but without the talent or the humour

Tony Gibb is boring , comes across as a wanabee

Rob Hayles is good , a bit laidback but knows what he is talking about

Ned Boulting is awful , a nerd trying too hard to be interesting

Chris Boardman is awful , no enthusiasm and a voice to send you to sleep

Stephen Roche is awful , all the riders are useless and his voice is as less clear as an Irish bog .

Wheelspinner

calvjones wrote:

To be fair to Kelly he does use 'bunch' instead of peloton, although it's far less elegant.

Is he allowed to say 'col' or is it going to be 'the Tourmalet pass'?

It comes out more like "boonch" but we get the point.

What he says is excellent - an edited transcript would often be very interesting reading. But the delivery... :roll:

He makes your average Finn sounds positively manic by comparison..

dave milne

Harmon & Kelly for me.

I still have a soft spot for ligget and sherwin but actually they are pretty awful sometimes

I hate Antony McCrossan. His voice is horrible to listen to

P-Jay

Rob Warner

FJS

Rick Chasey wrote:

I prefer Vannieuwkerke to de Cauwer - a better sense of occasion.

They have different roles - De Cauwer a real pundit, analyst, in which role he is without equal, imho; Vannieuwkerke is a journalist-commentator, and OK as such, but not brilliant, sometimes digging imself in tactical cliches (something Mart Smeets does in the extreme). agree that when De Cauwer does commentating, telling what's happening, it's not so good.

mroli

Harmon - like a lot, v good.

Kelly - like, really like the franglais, sometimes he's a bit too soft.

Carlton Kirby is a bit geeky boy who is too loud when he's had a couple of pints.

Magnus Backstedt really like - has some funny sayings.

Graham Jones seems to be straining his voice the entire time. Makes me want to clear my throat.

Hugh Porter - bit of an old duffer that didn't seem to say what was going on on the road.

Ned Boulting - I really like. And Matt Rendell too.

afx237vi

Harmon and Kelly are great. Harmon's enthusiasm and knowledge of the riders, combined with Kelly's ability to read the race. I can understand why some people find Kelly's delivery a bit offputting, but personally I prefer his style to someone who constantly witters away for hours without actually saying anything.

Kirby and Backstedt. Ugh... How sick must Magnus get of constantly correcting Kirby and fake-laughing at his stupid, stupid jokes?

David Duffield. I suppose a bit like Peter Alliss or David Coleman. Entertaining for the casual viewer, but absolutely infuriating for the people who watch on a regular basis. Brilliant in his prime, embarrassing by the end.

Mike Smith. He does snooker nowadays, but he actually wasn't that bad when he did cycling. He sometimes struggled to identify the riders, but he was easy to listen to and you could tell he has real enthusiasm for the sport.

Anthony McCrossan and Brian Smith. Used to really enjoy these two when they were on cycling.tv. They should be given more jobs on Eurosport.

luckao

inkyfingers wrote:

I always imagine that Sean is supping a pint of Guiness while Harmon is talking....

Sigh... me too.

Upon first hearing him, although slightly bemused that Kelly passed as a commentator, his style quickly grew on me. He gives the impression of being so affable. It's a good quality to compliment his knowledge. It's a great duo.

Backstedt's the same. I wish I still drunk coffee.

Not that I could name them, but nobody else really stands out.

rick_chasey

FJS wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

I prefer Vannieuwkerke to de Cauwer - a better sense of occasion.

They have different roles - De Cauwer a real pundit, analyst, in which role he is without equal, imho; Vannieuwkerke is a journalist-commentator, and OK as such, but not brilliant, sometimes digging imself in tactical cliches (something Mart Smeets does in the extreme). agree that when De Cauwer does commentating, telling what's happening, it's not so good.

I guess so. I think Wuyts has the tactical analyses covered, and, well, since the Belgians are not always the most, erm, excitable, then Vannieuwkerke is a breath of fresh air - especially that almost boyish enthusiasm he has for cycling. I don't think he gets into tactical cliche though...


Mart Smeets > I must confess, I am a massive avondetappe fan, even with Mart...