Carlton Kirby

nolance · June 2013

I am not a great fan of his and am missing Harmon's commentary but must admit on these long days he isn't doing too bad.The only criticism I would have is he seems to get a bit hyper at 10km to go as if it's the final 200metres.It means by the time he gets to the finale he is screaming like a banshee.

specialgueststar · June 2013

nolance wrote:

I am not a great fan of his and am missing Harmon's commentary but must admit on these long days he isn't doing too bad.The only criticism I would have is he seems to get a bit hyper at 10km to go as if it's the final 200metres.It means by the time he gets to the finale he is screaming like a banshee.

or if he didnt you would be saying he is not passionate enough!

nolance · June 2013

Specialguest-I'm not averse to passion but 10km is a bit premature.

hammerite · June 2013

Agree, he's been pretty good compared to usual. As Pross said on another thread he likes to keep saying "here come the chargers", but apart from that fine.

In my head I I agile Sean Kelly gives him a pep talk on the long drive to the stage finishes.....

(Insert your own Kelly accent) "now Carlton, no talking shite, no questions about what I liked in my musette - we've done that one and get the bloody riders names right".

Although I noticed even Kelly has his own specialist non cycling subject..... The impact of wild boar on the Ardennes countryside.

MrTapir · June 2013

hammerite wrote:

Agree, he's been pretty good compared to usual. As Pross said on another thread he likes to keep saying "here come the chargers", but apart from that fine.

In my head I I agile Sean Kelly gives him a pep talk on the long drive to the stage finishes.....

(Insert your own Kelly accent) "now Carlton, no talking shite, no questions about what I liked in my musette - we've done that one and get the bloody riders names right".

Although I noticed even Kelly has his own specialist non cycling subject..... The impact of wild boar on the Ardennes countryside.

and what to do with a cow.

dolan_driver · June 2013

So far so good for Carlton Kirby. His enthusiam during these long days on air shines through. The over-excited episodes near the stage finishes are entertaining, too. There was nothing wrong with urging on today's stage winner.

Kelly's input in relation to the wild boar problem in Belgium was enlightening!

DD.

Turfle · June 2013

I was stuck with Phil and Paul today, and oh dear lord please never again.

The Irizar/Bakelants mix-up I can understand, but professional commentators shouldn't take 5 minutes to realise that Flecha and Gautier are not De Gendt and Voeckler, and it shouldn't take them longer than a second to know that Chavanel is not Terpstra; those are 6 pretty recognisable riders.

takethehighroad · June 2013

I was fuming that he called it wrong today, but when I heard someone as experienced as Liggett got it wrong too I take it back.

Although it was confusing as I was doing my boy's dinner with about 10k to go and thought something massively interesting had happened he erupted that often

ms_tree · June 2013

I wish CK would realise that less is more and not keep chattering on. I enjoyed the Declan an' Sean show during the Giro so could do with more Sean and less CK.
Then I watched the highlights on ITV4 and couldn't believe P&P were back after the LA business. Yes Paul, no Phil - an hour is more than enough!

specialgueststar · June 2013

nolance wrote:

Specialguest-I'm not averse to passion but 10km is a bit premature.

ha ha fair enough!

squired · July 2013

The only thing I don't like about him is the way he constantly laughs at his own jokes. I always find that to be a rather dodgy trait. Other than that, doing the whole three weeks will be a real test for him.

cougie · July 2013

I think everyone called it wrong - somehow the transponder on the bike had got mixed up between riders.

I still dont think I'd recognise ydays winner...

I had ITV on saturday and ES on Sunday. ES for me was the better commentary.

LutherB · July 2013

he sounded like an over-excited dalek at the finish yesterday

cristoff · July 2013

i thought that Harmon had said on twitter a few months ago he was doing the tour. Am i imagining it?

Kirby annoys with going 'ooooooohhhhhh' every time someone even looks like they are doing something to animate. I must confess though i loved his commentary on Bakelants win, his willing him on over that last 50 metres or so was great.

Richmond Racer · July 2013

cristoff wrote:

i thought that Harmon had said on twitter a few months ago he was doing the tour. Am i imagining it?

Kirby annoys with going 'ooooooohhhhhh' every time someone even looks like they are doing something to animate. I must confess though i loved his commentary on Bakelants win, his willing him on over that last 50 metres or so was great.

Harmon's suffering from depression. So Kirby it is.

campagone · July 2013

its good to hear Mike Smith back on the cycling again, dont know why the replaced him with Kirby in the first place.

afx237vi · July 2013

campagone wrote:

its good to hear Mike Smith back on the cycling again, dont know why the replaced him with Kirby in the first place.

Probably because ES have started showing a lot more snooker in the last 4-5 years.

Le Commentateur · July 2013

cristoff wrote:

i thought that Harmon had said on twitter a few months ago he was doing the tour.

Perhaps, like Wiggins, he means Tour of Britain. :twisted:

argyllflyer · July 2013

Le Commentateur wrote:

cristoff wrote:

i thought that Harmon had said on twitter a few months ago he was doing the tour.

Perhaps, like Wiggins, he means Tour of Britain. :twisted:

Harmon is a big miss, but at least Declan Quigley's nowhere near the mic. I don't claim to be a CK fan, but he's much more listenable on the long shifts than DQ.

I wish DH well in his recovery.

takethehighroad · July 2013

For me I think it goes

David Harmon
Rob Hatch
Carlton Kirby
Phil & Paul Inc
Declan Quigley
Hugh Porter

Anyone else I've missed?

DeadCalm · July 2013

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

For me I think it goes

David Harmon
Rob Hatch
Carlton Kirby
Phil & Paul Inc
Declan Quigley
Hugh Porter

Anyone else I've missed?

Matt Keenan who I'd put below Hatch and above Kirby but otherwise pretty much spot on.

RichN95. · July 2013

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

For me I think it goes

David Harmon
Rob Hatch
Carlton Kirby
Phil & Paul Inc
Declan Quigley
Hugh Porter

Anyone else I've missed?

Simon Brotherton. Probably the best of the lot.

alan_a · July 2013

RichN95 wrote:

TakeTheHighRoad wrote:

For me I think it goes

David Harmon
Rob Hatch
Carlton Kirby
Phil & Paul Inc
Declan Quigley
Hugh Porter

Anyone else I've missed?

Simon Brotherton. Probably the best of the lot.

Hear Here, Simon Brotherton is the best of the lot.

I like Dan Llyod. I'd have him above Carlton.

Likewise the Rendall/Boardman/Imlach trio when they did early shifts on some of the full stage coverage last year, prior to P&P getting onshift for the Americans.

Anthony McCrossan?

takethehighroad · July 2013

Simon Brotherton
David Harmon
Rob Hatch
Ant McCrossan
Carlton Kirby
Phil & Paul Inc
Declan Quigley
Hugh Porter

Not heard much from Matt Keenan so haven't included him

I'm not including Dan Lloyd because he's more of a co-comm/pundit, hence no Sean Kelly, Brian Smith etc. Similarly with the Rendell/Boardman/Imlach shift

But yeah, Brotherton is ace, and really embraces what the Tour means to listeners (most of whom are only listening for the first time)

MrTapir · July 2013

What about Brian Smith? He comes up with some useufl stuff. Or is he a co-commentator and not included. What does Simon Brotherton do (cycling commentary wise), I've only ever heard his football stuff?

scwxx77 · July 2013

I was really impressed from what I heard of Quigley on the Giro. I'd much rather listen to him than Harmon or Kirby.

RichN95. · July 2013

MrTapir wrote:

What about Brian Smith? He comes up with some useufl stuff. Or is he a co-commentator and not included. What does Simon Brotherton do (cycling commentary wise), I've only ever heard his football stuff?

Radio 5 Live Extra. He's also taken over from Hugh Porter for BBC TV so he'll be doing the Worlds.

Pokerface · July 2013

Kirby gets on my t!ts. A lot.

I had to call him out on Twitter earlier in the year when he didn't know who won Milan-San Remo.

And the incident with Bakelants is just a long line of him getting the names of riders wrong. Sure, their graphics were off, but he should have just looked at the rider and known. I mean, that's sort of what he's paid for.

Anyway...

I like Magnus B. also when he does commentary.

afx237vi · July 2013

I was surprised Kelly didn't notice the Irizar / Bakelandts thing. He's usually spot-on with rider IDs.

Was it just the English speaking commentators who got that wrong, or were others caught out too?

hammerite · July 2013

Move Ant McCrossan down that list, he gets on my wick. Always kissing everyone's backside on twitter too!

Brotherton needs to educate his BBC sports colleagues, the sports bloke on Steve Wright/Simon Mayo show pronounced Simon Gerrans name like he was a Frenchman!

Kirby made the same mistake as Phil/Paul, apart from that he's been ok so far.

RichN95. · July 2013

afx237vi wrote:

I was surprised Kelly didn't notice the Irizar / Bakelandts thing. He's usually spot-on with rider IDs.

Was it just the English speaking commentators who got that wrong, or were others caught out too?

Here's some French commentators calling it as Irizar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RWlEjY0PLU

And another set of Frenchies doing the same (and correcting themselves before the end): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s0Lm4LcRxw

Carlton Kirby

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