Carlton Kirby

poweredbyidris

Not roundabouts today, but the July 14 crowds on the final climb for Carlton

*shudder*

andyp

DeVlaeminck said:

We all have our preferences - for me Hatch is the pick of current commentators - up there with the David Harmon era. Eurosport are doing a good job with cycling coverage - not sure how they improve on the current studio team - I'd like to see a bit more debate which I think Vaughter's has brought to the table but overall it's hard to fault it.

I caught some of the itv coverage in the week and the difference is night and day - honestly feel a group of journalism students could do a better job. Ned Boulting is just unsuited to commentary duties - Eurosport would have got shot of him years ago.

The retention of Kirby suggests your last assertion is bollocks.

tailwindhome

They all should talk half as much.

Pross

tailwindhome said:

They all should talk half as much.

It’s why I like Dan Lloyd, everything feels calmer and more conversational when he’s on and he doesn’t try to pass off a stage as exciting when it’s obvious to everyone watching that isn’t the case.

Lanterne_Rogue

Dan Lloyd - and I mean this in a very positive way - is the one member of the Eurosport crew that would slot in to Test Match Special during a test match (most of the others, to be fair, would be okay in the Twenty20 stuff)

pinno

Dan is informative but lack vigour.
Where's Tintin Smith these days?

pinno

andyp said:

DeVlaeminck said:

We all have our preferences - for me Hatch is the pick of current commentators - up there with the David Harmon era. Eurosport are doing a good job with cycling coverage - not sure how they improve on the current studio team - I'd like to see a bit more debate which I think Vaughter's has brought to the table but overall it's hard to fault it.

I caught some of the itv coverage in the week and the difference is night and day - honestly feel a group of journalism students could do a better job. Ned Boulting is just unsuited to commentary duties - Eurosport would have got shot of him years ago.

The retention of Kirby suggests your last assertion is bollocks.

He's entitled to an opinion.

RichN95.

pinno said:

Dan is informative but lack vigour.
Where's Tintin Smith these days?

He's gone into hiding because people are mistaking him for Huw Edwards.

mrb123

It seems Carlton is now moonlighting as a war correspondent for BBC News...

stage_hunter

Im sure CK is a nice guy, but his commentary (roundabouts excepted) is just one constant stream of speculation.

I know sometimes there isnt a lot to talk about but even his speculation is pretty unimaginative. At least RH tries to engage with the colour commentators and draw other things out of them.

I can see why he has fans though.

pinno

Hatch is in dire need of a weekend of hookers and blow (jobs).

andyp

What a pathetic thing to post.

pinno

andyp said:

What a pathetic thing to post.

I bet you're fun at a party.

prawny

andyp said:

DeVlaeminck said:

We all have our preferences - for me Hatch is the pick of current commentators - up there with the David Harmon era. Eurosport are doing a good job with cycling coverage - not sure how they improve on the current studio team - I'd like to see a bit more debate which I think Vaughter's has brought to the table but overall it's hard to fault it.

I caught some of the itv coverage in the week and the difference is night and day - honestly feel a group of journalism students could do a better job. Ned Boulting is just unsuited to commentary duties - Eurosport would have got shot of him years ago.

The retention of Kirby suggests your last assertion is bollocks.

I don't think Harmon's letting go was anything to do with his commentating...

I like Carlton, he seems like a really nice guy, if I was employing him I think I'd keep him on too, but as Eurosport have done I'd keep him away from the Motorbikes, and I'd probably keep him away from stage finishes in the tour too. I quite like his stage filling stories about old holidays and previous nice dinners.

jimmythecuckoo

With subscriptions and a number of platforms outside of Eurosport to sell, there is no way GCN commentators can say that the Tour is anything other than the best race ever.

As much as they are there to call the race, they are there to sell as well.

I think once you understand that and can take it in your stride there isn't much to complain about with Rob and Carlton.

Pross

jimmythecuckoo said:

With subscriptions and a number of platforms outside of Eurosport to sell, there is no way GCN commentators can say that the Tour is anything other than the best race ever.

As much as they are there to call the race, they are there to sell as well.

I think once you understand that and can take it in your stride there isn't much to complain about with Rob and Carlton.

I understand that and there is still much to complain about with Carlton e.g. accuracy, constantly maining about roundabouts, panicking at the slightest drop of rain in the air, listing every rider in the race as a potential winner (and sometimes even riders who aren't in the race) none of which have any positive bearing on selling the product.

poweredbyidris

jimmythecuckoo said:

With subscriptions and a number of platforms outside of Eurosport to sell, there is no way GCN commentators can say that the Tour is anything other than the best race ever.

As much as they are there to call the race, they are there to sell as well.

I think once you understand that and can take it in your stride there isn't much to complain about with Rob and Carlton.

The problem is that you also need a commentator to commentate, and Carlton barely does that

stage_hunter

Pross said:

jimmythecuckoo said:

With subscriptions and a number of platforms outside of Eurosport to sell, there is no way GCN commentators can say that the Tour is anything other than the best race ever.

As much as they are there to call the race, they are there to sell as well.

I think once you understand that and can take it in your stride there isn't much to complain about with Rob and Carlton.

I understand that and there is still much to complain about with Carlton e.g. accuracy, constantly maining about roundabouts, panicking at the slightest drop of rain in the air, listing every rider in the race as a potential winner (and sometimes even riders who aren't in the race) none of which have any positive bearing on selling the product.

Agreed. At least Hatch brings things out of the colour commentators other than speculation over who is going to win or whether the break will succeed.

As for accuracy- remember Jonas' winning at the UAE tour?

r0bh

Carlton made it into Private Eye's Commentatorballs with "The cards are still being rolled"

kingstongraham

You might as well play "we didn't start the fire" or an old grand national commentary on a loop behind the cycling.

pinno

Flagged ^. Lol.

jimmythecuckoo

poweredbyidris said:

jimmythecuckoo said:

With subscriptions and a number of platforms outside of Eurosport to sell, there is no way GCN commentators can say that the Tour is anything other than the best race ever.

As much as they are there to call the race, they are there to sell as well.

I think once you understand that and can take it in your stride there isn't much to complain about with Rob and Carlton.

The problem is that you also need a commentator to commentate, and Carlton barely does that

Fair point.

bobmcstuff

Why the F was Kiby commentating on the downhill highlights. No idea if he was commentating live but he knows even less about that than he does about road cycling!

Pross

bobmcstuff said:

Why the F was Kiby commentating on the downhill highlights. No idea if he was commentating live but he knows even less about that than he does about road cycling!

“Who put those tree routes there?” “What’s that drone doing there, get it out of there”

ddraver

He wasn't on the live...

(Although as I commented at the time the two that were could have done with a bit of energy)

andyrac

Kirby doing Downhill highlights? WTF
Pinkbike, (yes I know) weren't impressed with either commentary team....though Neethling got some praise, and actually had some enthusiasm.

I'm still not convinced Ric is best suited as a main commentator....but I think he's got time to grow into it.

jimmythecuckoo

Expect the range of CK merch to expand now to include baggy jerseys and full face helmets !

mrb123

The problem with this World Championships is that you just never know where he's going to pop up.

Lanterne_Rogue

I've mostly watched it on the BBC out of convenience. No idea who half the commentators are, but they seem mostly to have been hired for their ability to announce that somebody is a brilliant bike handler in these conditions just as they stack it utterly and predictably, having been well beyond the ragged edge for quite some time.

daniel_b

mrb123 said:

The problem with this World Championships is that you just never know where he's going to pop up.

By luck I have not stumbled on him yet, only a matter of time though I guess.