No more Phil and Paul on ITV4

argyllflyer

Crescent for me nails it. Listening to Millar I feel like I'm learning something. With Brian 'Like I Said Earlier' Smith, Maggie 'zzzzz' Backstedt and Sean 'Err... *pregnant pause* yes' Kelly, there's generally not much analysis of the race itself, more a regaling of their own tales that could be from any race, waffling on about Paris-Roubaix in 19-canteen or answering inane questions from the likes of Kirby. With Millar, it just seems so much more insightful. Also he's much improved this year from last.

That said, on Eurosport I really like Matt Stephens either as main commentator or as sidekick. At least he's entertaining, unlike the bulk of the ES pundits.

BelgianBeerGeek

So far, so good with the new team. I think in about ten years David Millar will be up on his 15C churches and bridges, but he's a new boy, so ho hum. That's what I tune in for, but I'm a patient man. The ecclesiastical history of France is important for flip's sake :evil:
Is it a bit wrong to say... Sort of miss Phil and Paul a bit :?

bobmcstuff

I watched ITV's coverage today - very much enjoyed it.

One big difference compared to that oaf Kirby is that when they're not sure who a rider is they say so, as opposed to Kirby who just goes with whichever rider from the team in question is his current favourite (or the only rider whose name he knows).

madden2011

Just seen Phil & Pauls commentary of the Cavendish sprint win, Phil's tone of voice didn't change at all, didnt seem to realise it was Cavendish until he was over the line then comes out with the line that it will have go to the photo.

Maybe its time for Phil to let someone else have a go. I'm glad ITV4 have decided to with Ned & Dave

the_cyclist_of_catan

Today's Boulting colour commentary came up with a new low. Helicopter delivers a long, lingering shot of a church. "There we are ... typical Norman church" says Boulting.

Oy, Boulting, no! You're supposed to tell us about the ruddy church! Phil and Paul might be a bit crap at the actual cycling stuff these days, but Paul would have told us which church it was, when it was built, which bishop the priest reports to, and how many Frenchmen cowered in the crypt during the D-day invasion.

awavey

I started reading Cycling Anthology vol 5 this weekend as the Tour started, as it keeps you in the mood, and chapter 1 is by Ned writing about his switch to commentating races, the 2015 Tour de Yorkshire as it happened, with David Millar and what they go through to prepare and how fits together and is most certainly not as easy as it looks, but Phil was supportive and encouraging of that change, which tied in with some of the tweets he's been sending the last day or so when people have been contacting him complaining about that change.

I think Ned & David are good, I just worry that they might run out of things to say by the 2nd week when the slog of the Tour starts to hit, in Neds previous books he described his process of dealing with the Tour, by escaping to find some peace and quiet, but when you are stuck in a windowless tv truck every day for 6hrs and then you are off to the next stage, and repeat.

Kirby for all his increasingly annoying stage finish histrionics, isnt someone you could ever accuse of runnng out of things to say.

argyllflyer

awavey wrote:

I started reading Cycling Anthology vol 5 this weekend as the Tour started, as it keeps you in the mood, and chapter 1 is by Ned writing about his switch to commentating races, the 2015 Tour de Yorkshire as it happened, with David Millar and what they go through to prepare and how fits together and is most certainly not as easy as it looks, but Phil was supportive and encouraging of that change, which tied in with some of the tweets he's been sending the last day or so when people have been contacting him complaining about that change.

I think Ned & David are good, I just worry that they might run out of things to say by the 2nd week when the slog of the Tour starts to hit, in Neds previous books he described his process of dealing with the Tour, by escaping to find some peace and quiet, but when you are stuck in a windowless tv truck every day for 6hrs and then you are off to the next stage, and repeat.

Kirby for all his increasingly annoying stage finish histrionics, isnt someone you could ever accuse of runnng out of things to say.

Ned has been doing a lot of commentary work in recent months though - he did Romandie and Trentino for the Bike channel and a few of the RCS races - Dubai, Giro definitely and I think Tirreno too, as well as the Tour de Yorkshire and Dauphine for ITV. It's all good practice.

kingstongraham

This new breed think they need to talk about cycling. There's not that much to say for 90% of the race. Chateaux are where it's at. Paul was just reading it out - have the organisers stopped distributing the script?

natrix

I'm quite enjoying Ned & Dave in the commentary box, but missing Ned's interview bits and the stuff he did with Chris Boardman..............

yourpaceormine

The ITV podcast is still pretty entertaining. Same as it ever was reall, with added Holy David and Daniel F.

In the stage 2podcast Ned and David did apologise for their gaffes - David's cliff comment being the best howler. Fair does to them both, they are getting better by the day. Although we do need more Château data.

the_cyclist_of_catan

Is Ned reading my posts? I'm half an hour into today's broadcast and he's given proper rundowns on several chateaux already. Good man!

alanp23

yourpaceormine wrote:

The ITV podcast is still pretty entertaining. Same as it ever was reall, with added Holy David and Daniel F.

In the stage 2podcast Ned and David did apologise for their gaffes - David's cliff comment being the best howler. Fair does to them both, they are getting better by the day. Although we do need more Château data.

Where is the podcast? I've been trying to find it. I subscribe but it hasn't automatically downloaded this year.

dav1d1

alanp23 wrote:

yourpaceormine wrote:

The ITV podcast is still pretty entertaining. Same as it ever was reall, with added Holy David and Daniel F.

In the stage 2podcast Ned and David did apologise for their gaffes - David's cliff comment being the best howler. Fair does to them both, they are getting better by the day. Although we do need more Château data.

Where is the podcast? I've been trying to find it. I subscribe but it hasn't automatically downloaded this year.

Sorry on the podcast app on iPhones copy this link into the + sign on top left https://t.co/HgsOh9VK2u than just subscribe once it's downloaded

joe2008

Millar's insight is great, but Ned is AWFUL, he was much better doing interviews...

Paul & Phil, with Millar giving professional insight would be most welcome.

Gary Imlach is such a good anchor man though, I like Boardman too.

mrb123

The ITV coverage has been superb in my view.

Ned is a really likeable guy and his commentary will only improve. Millar's level of insight is second to none. Plus Imlach must be the best anchorman on TV and Boardman is always worth listening to.

shinyhelmut

Paul & Phil, with Millar giving professional insight would be most welcome

Never let P&P near a microphone again. Ever.

jimmythecuckoo

Its going well for ITV at the moment.

Ned and David are doing really well and getting better as people have said.

The stayed ways of Phil and Paul meant I would always go with ES for my coverage. Its nice to have a choice again.

wallace_and_gromit

I'm thoroughly enjoying Boulting and Millar, though I've only watched highlights so far.

I actually miss P&P's non-commentary bits i.e. the bits when they were just waffling about stuff when nothing was actually happening, but they were getting pretty bad at the actual commentary stuff itself.

Imlach reigns supreme though. No broadcaster does what they do better than Imlach does. What does he do for the rest of the year, though?

le_patron

Wallace and Gromit wrote:

Imlach reigns supreme though. No broadcaster does what they do better than Imlach does. What does he do for the rest of the year, though?

I wondered that. He is consistently excellent. No matter the crisis, Imlach will steer us through.
He has done the Vuelta also.

shazzz

I got very upset at a quiz night in early 90s because of Gary Imlach. Question was 'What sport does Gary Imlach host for Channel 4?" I was delighted - not many people will know this, I thought. Sadly, the answer on the cards was American Football. I've no idea if GA still covers this, or even if C4 still shows it - but Gary has more than one string to his bow...

Agree that he is an excellent anchor. His droll asides are always a highlight.

takethehighroad

Channel 4 haven't shown the NFL for a couple of years, and Imlach hadn't presented it for a while before that (at least 4 years as far as I can remember the coverage)

natrix

I'm mystified by this new rider Thomas Voeckler, who looks just like P&P's 'Little Tommy Voeckler'

takethehighroad

Also, who's wearing the New Zealand Champions Jersey this year? These are the facts the people demand to know!

salsiccia1

How would Phil & Paul have coped with this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/36719488

ic.

Imlach is the best, no doubt about it. I've heard he likes to answer the question "what do you do the rest of the year?" with a little quip about the ironing not doing itself. Covers other bike races these days obviously, but would be great to see him anchor other stuff too.

Loving Ned and David myself, getting better all the time and doing very well through a couple of very boring stages so far.

kingstongraham

I have an inbuilt bias against Millar, but I have been finding him quite dull to listen to.

jimmythecuckoo

His voice may be droll, but I think he has added some insight the to race.

Ned and Dave have some way to go but are definitely less biased or set in their ways than P&P were.

chrisday

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Ned and Dave have some way to go but are definitely less biased or set in their ways than P&P were.

For me, this is the clincher - we're watching a commentary pairing at the very beginning of their career - they're visibly growing and improving over the last year or so, and feel like they're wanting to improve.
With the Chuckle Brothers, we were watching them at the end (well, several years beyond the natural end), and they'd stuck on their one riff for years.

kingstongraham

and in this game, there are no shortcuts to speed up improvement.

Lanterne_Rogue

Thought Ned Boulting did a better job of calling the finish today, for what my opinion's worth. I really wouldn't be surprised if he's playing the highlights back a couple of times in the morning to understand what dose and doesn't work - he's that kind of person, I think.