Millar and Boutling.
Comments
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Enjoyed Millar's analysis of Nibz #Towgate last night0
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[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19687444#p19687444]Richmond Racer 2[/url] wrote:Enjoyed Millar's analysis of Nibz #Towgate last night
I enjoyed that. I think he made a fair point, about coming back to the main field and flying off into the distance to leave one.
Having said that, what about Bouhanni's sticky bottle incident?0 -
I think the main difference between Millar and Boulting is that Boutling will be commentating from an outside perspective. He's always looking at the action going on from an armchair perspective, having to give the info in the same way that a commentator would watching the Grand National.
Whereas Millar is always commentating as if he's sitting on the bike right in the action. It all might sound obvious, but i think its forgotten when watching, but that subtle difference is what makes Millar a few seconds in front of Boulting when commentating. He's always going to be on the ball quicker in that respect while Boulting is fumbling about trying to recognise a certain rider.
That's how the best commentary teams usually work. The main commentator describes what is going on, whereas the 'expert' says why it's going on and what's likely to happen next.
You see it in other sports, e.g. F1 quite often has a commentator & ex driver pairing. e.g. Murray Walker & Martin Brundle. Ben Edwards & David Coulthard.0 -
Martin Brundle is the best commentator on English TV. Outstanding.
Well researched, prepared and knowledgable, handles both types of audiences without irritating either. Funny. Honest, but knows how to eek out the excitement0 -
I enjoy Millar immensely, he gives Ned an easy ride as he can pad and fill quite lengthy gaps. Ned is definitely getting better, his calling of a sprint is improving.0
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The end is nigh for Phil and Paul I reckon.
I so dearly hope you are right.0 -
Above all though they take it all so bloody seriously. It's a bike race commentary not a lecture on the root causes of world poverty - at least Kirby for all his faults realises that it's a sport and something to be enjoyed.
Absolutely spot on, Millar was making the race/racing sound very complicated, casual viewers would be getting very confused.
As regards Kirby, I have always liked him. I think of him as the cycling version of Murray Walker, makes loads of co*k ups , but he has a good voice and can make a difference when the racing becomes a bit quiet.. a typical chatterbox.
Brian Smith doesn't get much of a mention, but seems to a good job
Christ almighty. If this is the intellectual level of UK cycling enthusiasts, I'm gonna switch to darts.0 -
While I am really very happy that there is now so much more coverage of our sport now, the difference in presentation between Eurosport and ITV4 is chalk and cheese.
Yesterday being a crap bank holiday, me and the missus watched the La Vuelta live action on ES and then the highlights on ITV4. I could easily have been convinced it was a different race.
I think Boulting and Millar are a breath of fresh air, Millar especially bringing an insight to GT racing that ES seems to miss altogether.
I am sure that the ES presentation is done on a shoestring as it certainly looks like it, continuity falls apart on nearly all the links. They also need to address the "Itchy and Scratchy" pre and post race pads. Whilst great comedy, Juan Antonio and Ashley just look plain amateurs. Someone needs to tell Juan Antonio to keep his head still, it is so distracting.
I think ITV do a really excellent job, their presentation is slick and thought through. With Ned and Dave I believe they have their presenters through to the end of their rights in 2019 (and hopefully beyond)aztecboy0 -
Interesting as I've just got back from holiday where I had to rely on ITV for Vuelta coverage. Neither my wife or I could believe how poor Boulting is as a commentator. He may have strengths as a presenter but as a commentator he comes across as a complete amateur. Millar I have more time or, I don't think he has the personality for broadcast media but he does at least say what he thinks and comes out with less obvious bullsit than say big Maggy.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0
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If there was a was of muting just Kirby, I'd be perfectly content0
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Interesting as I've just got back from holiday where I had to rely on ITV for Vuelta coverage. Neither my wife or I could believe how poor Boulting is as a commentator. He may have strengths as a presenter but as a commentator he comes across as a complete amateur. Millar I have more time or, I don't think he has the personality for broadcast media but he does at least say what he thinks and comes out with less obvious bullsit than say big Maggy.
Wait until Porter 'commentates' on the ToB and you may just re-appraise that view.......You're the light wiping out my batteries; You're the cream in my airport coffee's.0 -
Interesting as I've just got back from holiday where I had to rely on ITV for Vuelta coverage. Neither my wife or I could believe how poor Boulting is as a commentator. He may have strengths as a presenter but as a commentator he comes across as a complete amateur. Millar I have more time or, I don't think he has the personality for broadcast media but he does at least say what he thinks and comes out with less obvious bullsit than say big Maggy.
Wait until Porter 'commentates' on the ToB and you may just re-appraise that view.......
Jesus. I'd forgotten about that.
You can forget any reasonable level of rider identification, for starters. Unless its Wiggins or Cav (I'd add Swift, but Porter got even that wrong at the Worlds)0 -
In the Tour Series and Elite Road Series races in these parts Porter is used as the main 'professional' commentator while a local enthusiast covers the mobile commentary on the road race and the part of the course Porter can't see on the crits. The local amateur is far better researched and enthusiastic whilst Porter just knows who and what he knows and repeats the same old stuff all the time, usually involving track riders. He even refuses to work with the local guy to pool resources and information. I've got a lot of respect for what he's done for cycle racing in the UK over the years and have a soft spot after he got the crowd cheering me as a junior when I was off the back in a local support race for the pro crits but he's had his time and should bow out.0
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Porter's biggest faux pas is constantly referring to "injections of pace", he's not alone in doing this but it highlights the importance (once you've mastered the art of getting your facts right and accurately describing what you see) of not irritating your audience. It must be difficult to keep comments exciting and fresh without lapsing into repetitive and sometimes unfortunate cliché. A current bugbear is Carlton's apparent confusion between "testing" and "testy", which by the time I've heard it 10 times in a stage makes me feel irritated, bad tempered and somewhat annoyed.
This may be nostalgia talking but the best English speaking commentator I can recall was Dave Saunders, who sounded like he was phoning in urgent reports from the front line (which, in effect, he was).0 -
Hat tip to Ned and Dave
They've really grown into the role and made it there's“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
I agree. The full itv team is doing a good job."Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0
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Yup.
Absolutely no contest, with Eurosport using Kirby for the finale of all the key stages.
Sublime v ridiculous."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Millar is particularly good in the finale, though De Cauwer still has a magic crystal ball no-one else seems to have.0
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Blazing Saddles wrote:Yup.
Absolutely no contest, with Eurosport using Kirby for the finale of all the key stages.
Sublime v ridiculous.
The class act right now is Rob Hatch.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
TailWindHome wrote:Hat tip to Ned and Dave
They've really grown into the role and made it there's
Really enjoyed their commentary this year - really gel well, and seem to have a genuine easy chemistry.
The more I hear of Kirby, the more I really dislike his commentary style, he's like the smashy of cycling commentary, I just spend most of my time wincing.
I did tune in a couple of times to ES, and we delighted to hear Hatch, but then at some indeterminate point Kirby would come in and trash it all - would have been better if they had rotated the commentators to do complete stages imho.
Now Hatch, I do like a lot, I think it was the Tour of California he was working on, and he is superb imho, also like the Scandinavian ex pro - Marcus someone?
ITV4 sadly only showing highlights for the Vuelta, so back to ES, and just hoping it's not Kirby - anyone know?Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
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Magnus Backstedt I would guess. He is good when with good Commentators but tends to get silly when with Kirby.0
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imatfaal wrote:Magnus Backstedt I would guess. He is good when with good Commentators but tends to get silly when with Kirby.
Thankyou, that's the badger!Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 180 -
The way Millar calls the final few K is brilliant. Couple of stages this year where he was pointing things out I'd never have noticed, and he was spot on each time.
They're also a pretty strong comedy duo the rest of the time. Done a great job.
If you've not seen their comedy rest day videos, check them out https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8_Hmd ... C8sG-SfTMA
Really like how ITV does cycling. Good mixture of totally shambolic, yet funny, and dead serious, but funny when it matters.0 -
cgfw201 wrote:The way Millar calls the final few K is brilliant. Couple of stages this year where he was pointing things out I'd never have noticed, and he was spot on each time.
They're also a pretty strong comedy duo the rest of the time. Done a great job.
If you've not seen their comedy rest day videos, check them out https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8_Hmd ... C8sG-SfTMA
Really like how ITV does cycling. Good mixture of totally shambolic, yet funny, and dead serious, but funny when it matters.
Coverage would be better if they did anything on the continent for the first half of the year.
Their coverage is: TdY, Dauphine, TdF, Vuelta.
It's odd.
(I know they just do ASO races, but ASO own more than just those).0 -
They're just the races with significant British interest. (You can add the Tour of Britain to the list - not ASO, obv)Rick Chasey wrote:
Coverage would be better if they did anything on the continent for the first half of the year.
Their coverage is: TdY, Dauphine, TdF, Vuelta.
It's odd.
(I know they just do ASO races, but ASO own more than just those).Twitter: @RichN950 -
As long as Dave stops saying "Peel Offs" all the time we will be fine.0
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jimmythecuckoo wrote:As long as Dave stops saying "Peel Offs" all the time we will be fine.
Compared to Kirby's list of dog words, I think I'll let Millar off on that one.0 -
It's the rider identification thing for me. I want to know who's attacking, not Carlton's guess at who might be attacking or his fanciful choice at who might win.
Yesterday for example, he said Keukeleire had a chance "because the sprint is on cobbles." He was beaten by cobbles specialists Bardet and Yates...0 -
This is the first Tour I've watched only through ITV and I have to say I don't miss Kirby.
Boulting is solid enough and manages to keep chirper through hours of awful flat sprint stages. Millar's insight is great, especially the closing kms. He does seem negative (rightly so perhaps) of any attempt by the GC contenders to do anything before the last 2km of the final climb.
A bit disappointed with the Pippa York contribution. A bit limited. Could be so much more. She needs more air-time and less silly viewer questions.It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
ITV coverage is great, a pleasure to watch and listen to.
It's magical to be able to enjoy the coverage without Kirby The Bufoon ruining it with his infuriating nonsense.0
