I Hate Al Troutlips!

Agreed - the solution -don't watch the recap.... if you can watch or record one of the early airings (I know the live one and the next one are safe) then you get Phil and Paul commentating - though I have to admit I miss Bob Roll.... not enough to put up with Al though....

I don't think anyone likes "Troutlips."

I think I may have had a change of heart about Fishwig. He is a floating commentator/announcer who is called to duty for all sorts of fringe sports. He pops up for such things as Formula 1. Anyway, his job is not to provide expert commentary. His purpose, aside from his voice, is to make the sport more assessible to the average joe.

I think over the years Trautwig has become better. He and Roll's light hearted interplay that is missing from the Ligget-Sherwin team. The sort of joking that goes on in the "enhanced" coverage is no where to be found during the live coverage. Trautwig seems like he is having a good time.

Someone needs to tell Sherwin that Armstrong has retired and he doesn't need to pimp him every five minutes.

Plus Bob Roll can be pretty funny. I liked his description of Wiggins break today. He likened it to pushing a rock up a mountain only to get 10K from the top and have it roll back and flatten him.

bob roll is a good laugh, and very respected. he's not the commentator that phil or paul are...but he's good, and funny.
my wife said the same thing about al; that he is good for the average joe... i think there are better ways to make the sport more easily understood. for one have someone commentate that actually knows the sport! lol!

rockrock513 said:

my wife said the same thing about al; that he is good for the average joe... i think there are better ways to make the sport more easily understood. for one have someone commentate that actually knows the sport! lol!

I've don't understand the philosophy that the average joe can only appreciate a sport if it's dumbed down.

Back when I started watching cycling it was mostly Phil & Paul or Eurosport feeds and it wasn't dumbed down and somehow I figured out what was going on. Of course maybe if you've never raced a bike it is hard to appreciate.

About 3 or 4 years ago I got into watching Formula 1 on Speedtv and have become a big fan. Not dumbed down at all. But apparently dumbing down is SOP if you put it on a network b/c Fox has carried the last several races with the same Speedtv commentators (Varsha, Matchett & Hobbs) and they take pains to "explain" certain things. It's stupid because it just screws up the whole flow of their commentary and any reasonably intelligent person can figure it out on their own anyway.

Now I've got into watching soccer the last couple of years, mostly premier league. I'm hooked and I have little or no appreciation for how the game is played 🙂

rockrock513 said:

bob roll is a good laugh, and very respected. he's not the commentator that phil or paul are...but he's good, and funny.
my wife said the same thing about al; that he is good for the average joe... i think there are better ways to make the sport more easily understood. for one have someone commentate that actually knows the sport! lol!

the problem is al is not a cycling commentator...as in, he is not the minute by minute caller. his position (and quite well chosen) is to bring the tour to as many n00bs as possible. its clear from his dorky bantor and (mostly) unqualified stage picks that he loves his job, and he is doing a great job with it.

bob roll rules your face, and liggit and sherman are the best commentators in the sport. I have listened to the french, german and swedish and i tell you these guys give you more than anyone

I don't mind Al. He's ok. Paul and Phil on the other hand are ok to listen to but 90% of the time they get it wrong and get way too excited. The boys on cycling.tv are very good. Too bad they only do highlights for the TDF.

Growing up near Boston, I used to watch the Celtics play on TV, volume off, and listen to the radio broadcast by Johnny Most. It was like getting two games for the price of one, since Most was calling whatever he wanted to. It was still very entertaining.

I get the same kick out of Phil & Paul. Because of their enthusiasm, in spite of the occasional inaccuracies, and because they seem to be having such a good time.

I did read a year or so ago, I think here, someone saying something about how Paul will repeat Phil's last sentence. I can't not notice that now. Sort of like the Buddhist "try not to think about a purple monkey" thing.

The rest of the Vs. / OLN crew and coverage is better this year than I remember. I'm glad they got rid of some of the goofy spots they did in years past. BTW, whatever happened to that gal? She disappeared right after she changed her hair color and bought a new set of guns.

Nothing against Lance, but I'm glad every other comment isn't related to him or Disco this year.

slcbob1 said:

Growing up near Boston, I used to watch the Celtics play on TV, volume off, and listen to the radio broadcast by Johnny Most. It was like getting two games for the price of one, since Most was calling whatever he wanted to. It was still very entertaining.

I get the same kick out of Phil & Paul. Because of their enthusiasm, in spite of the occasional inaccuracies, and because they seem to be having such a good time.

I did read a year or so ago, I think here, someone saying something about how Paul will repeat Phil's last sentence. I can't not notice that now. Sort of like the Buddhist "try not to think about a purple monkey" thing.

The rest of the Vs. / OLN crew and coverage is better this year than I remember. I'm glad they got rid of some of the goofy spots they did in years past. BTW, whatever happened to that gal? She disappeared right after she changed her hair color and bought a new set of guns.

Bro Deal said:

I think I may have had a change of heart about Fishwig. He is a floating commentator/announcer who is called to duty for all sorts of fringe sports. He pops up for such things as Formula 1. Anyway, his job is not to provide expert commentary. His purpose, aside from his voice, is to make the sport more assessible to the average joe.

Yeah, agreed. My parents don't follow cycling but the like to watch the Tour and for a couple of people who don't know the details, they enjoy Trout.

I don't like him, but it's easy enough to tape the morning show. Sherwin is annoying but I don't mind Phil.

Bro Deal said:

I think I may have had a change of heart about Fishwig. He is a floating commentator/announcer who is called to duty for all sorts of fringe sports. He pops up for such things as Formula 1.

F1 a fringe sport
😕

Tim Lamkin said:

F1 a fringe sport
😕

It is in the U.S. It does not look like there will be a USGP next year.

Bro Deal said:

I think I may have had a change of heart about Fishwig. He is a floating commentator/announcer who is called to duty for all sorts of fringe sports. He pops up for such things as Formula 1. Anyway, his job is not to provide expert commentary. His purpose, aside from his voice, is to make the sport more assessible to the average joe.

I think over the years Trautwig has become better. He and Roll's light hearted interplay that is missing from the Ligget-Sherwin team. The sort of joking that goes on in the "enhanced" coverage is no where to be found during the live coverage. Trautwig seems like he is having a good time.

Someone needs to tell Sherwin that Armstrong has retired and he doesn't need to pimp him every five minutes.

BSSZZZT wrong. The average Joe (or any naive cycling fan) believes whatever, Paul, Phil and Bob say. (pretty much lies, anti-doping apologies, cover-ups and marketing themes)
Bob Roll still wears the double Nike LIVE WRONG bracelets which confirms his compensation structure. Phil & Paul are both on the Pharmstrong financial train with post-race celebrity appearances and fun charity rides.

Al Trautwig presents the only voice of reason on cycling TV. He actaully asks the questions that either embarrass Bob or Robbie Ventura or that they refuse to anwer.

btw: Robbie Ventura (former Mapei & USPO rider) is an utter disgrace too.

Too bad Frankie Andreu won't throw done some honest smack. Just like a pro--he follows his orders and collects his wages.

House Boy, I thought you only trolled on about the doping riders. Give the commentators a break. They have to sell themselves that way to fund their raging crack habits. They don't get the endorsement deals that the riders do.

In your expert medical opinion, do you think my long lost girl went for saline or silicone?

slcbob1 said:

House Boy, I thought you only trolled on about the doping riders. Give the commentators a break. They have to sell themselves that way to fund their raging crack habits. They don't get the endorsement deals that the riders do.

In your expert medical opinion, do you think my long lost girl went for saline or silicone?

Saline.

You are so full of [censored].

Tim Lamkin said:

You are so full of [censored].

You would know [censored]. It becomes you.

Sleeping with your mother is causing so many issues for you.