Frankie Andreu - Yay or Nay?

[Time Cop]

Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts asking questions?

The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just can't seem to come up with a good one.

It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with Beth Ruyak asking Greg LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"

 

[Boyd Speerschne]

Time Cop <[email protected]> wrote in news:3f0ace79_3 @news.chariot.net.au:

> Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts
> asking questions?
>
> The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just
> can't seem to come up with a good one.
>
> It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
> http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
> LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"

>>--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com
>

I think its just that they give him the worst assignments. Like going to the hospital or hotel room
to see how an injured rider is doing. Its hard to work with something like that.

- Boyd S.

 

[Tom Schulenburg]

"Boyd Speerschneider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Time Cop <[email protected]> wrote in news:3f0ace79_3 @news.chariot.net.au:
>
> > Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts
> > asking questions?
> >

<SNIP >
>

> I think its just that they give him the worst assignments. Like going to the hospital or hotel
> room to see how an injured rider is doing. Its hard to work with something like that.
>
> - Boyd S.

I think Frankie's skill as a reporter was summed up last year after the Plateau de Beille stage.
Right after the finish, he went up to Armstrong and asked him "Is this the hardest stage in the
Tour?" Lance seemed stunned for a minute that such a question would come out of a person who had
ridden the Tour so many times. He then replied something to the effect of "Get Real , Ventoux is
MUCH harder!"

If that's the best he can do after such a dramatic stage, no wonder they're sending him to hospitals
and hotel rooms.

-T

P.S. - I thought Frankie had broken ties with USPS, but last time I checked, he was still posting
articles on their web site. What's up with that?

 

[Al]

In article <[email protected]>, usenet- [email protected] says...
> Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts
> asking questions?
>
> The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just
> can't seem to come up with a good one.
>
> It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
> http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
> LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"

Also reminiscent of Mark Spitz's various swimming commentaries... while I believe him to be one of
the more impressive and underrated athletes of the century, his experience didn't evidently amount
to squat when came to meaningful verbal contributions. If memory serves, his recurring theme was
"It's very important that you swim down the *middle* of the lane."

 

[Jeff Jones]

"Time Cop" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
> http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
> LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"
>
That's hilarious! (even with the caveat that it may be out of context.)

Jeff

 

[Jmk]

I'll say Yay....... although I understand what you mean about feeling uncomfortable when Frankie
starts asking questions. In his defense, I did have an opportunity to hear him speak at a cycling
banquet about 18 months ago. He did a presentation with a lap top PC and LCD projector with pictures
of the TdF. It was a good presentation and he shared his experiences in the tour and in racing. He
answered questions until there were no more, and after that he took photos with people. I left the
dinner having learned that he is real nice guy.

Jim

"Time Cop" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts
> asking questions?
>
> The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just
> can't seem to come up with a good one.
>
> It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
> http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
> LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"
>
>
>
> --
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

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Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

 

[Royg]

Yes, I agree. I really think if he took a few stiff drinks before the cameras started rolling, he
might be able to go with the flow and do a decent interview. Otherwise, he keeps coming off stiff,
mechanical, and intense.

"Tom Schulenburg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
>
> "Boyd Speerschneider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Time Cop <[email protected]> wrote in news:3f0ace79_3 @news.chariot.net.au:
> >
> > > Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments
come
> > > on OLN and he starts asking questions?
> > >
>
> <SNIP >
> >
>
> > I think its just that they give him the worst assignments. Like going to the hospital or hotel
> > room to see how an injured rider is doing. Its hard to work with something like that.
> >
> > - Boyd S.
>
> I think Frankie's skill as a reporter was summed up last year after the Plateau de Beille stage.
> Right after the finish, he went up to Armstrong
and
> asked him "Is this the hardest stage in the Tour?" Lance seemed stunned
for
> a minute that such a question would come out of a person who had ridden
the
> Tour so many times. He then replied something to the effect of "Get Real , Ventoux is MUCH
> harder!"
>
> If that's the best he can do after such a dramatic stage, no wonder
they're
> sending him to hospitals and hotel rooms.
>
> -T
>
> P.S. - I thought Frankie had broken ties with USPS, but last time I
checked,
> he was still posting articles on their web site. What's up with that?

 

[Ep]

It was terrible when Frankie asked Tyler if the work that Tyler's trainer was doing was "hocus
pocus." And Tyler's trainer was right there. That was terrible and wrong.

"Time Cop" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts asking
questions?

The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just
can't seem to come up with a good one.

It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"

--
>--------------------------<
Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

 

[Michael McMurra]

Emma, I was watching that segment of the coverage with my kids and they both looked at me and asked
"who this guy asking the dumb questions was"! Ham fisted is a pleasant way to describe F.A.'s
efforts. He also has a tendency to ask a question and without giving the subject a chance to
consider a reply he asks another or a follow up question usualy over-top of the subjects reply. The
usual result is a chaotic interview. Mike

"EP" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> It was terrible when Frankie asked Tyler if the work that Tyler's trainer was doing was "hocus
> pocus." And Tyler's trainer was right there. That was terrible and wrong.
>
>
> "Time Cop" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]... Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's
> segments come on OLN and he starts asking questions?
>
> The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just
> can't seem to come up with a good one.
>
> It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
> http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
> LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"

 

[Marlene Blansha]

In article <[email protected]>, Time Cop <[email protected]> wrote:

> Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts
> asking questions?
>
> The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just
> can't seem to come up with a good one.
>
> It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
> http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
> LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"
>
>

He really is a liability. I think I said somewhere else he has all the on air personality of a
mannequin. He may have been a great cyclist, but he's a bit of a himbo.

 

[Scottw44]

Frankie has access to Lance that is unlike that of any other reporter. Plus he seems like a nice guy
and seems to warm as he gets a few q's in.

IMO, no Frankie=less Lance.

--
scott

[email protected]

 

[Fbicker]

Frankie does a good job with the time given him. 10 sec to interview someone, 10 sec isn't much time
to ask and receive an answer to your question. He needs more time to get into the swing of the
things. I enjoy hearing him explain the tech stuff...

 

[B. Lafferty]

He be much better after popping a Valium.

"Fbicker" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Frankie does a good job with the time given him. 10 sec to interview
someone,
> 10 sec isn't much time to ask and receive an answer to your question. He
needs
> more time to get into the swing of the things. I enjoy hearing him
explain the
> tech stuff...

 

[Nick Burns]

"scottw44" <[email protected] me garbage.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Frankie has access to Lance that is unlike that of any other reporter.
Plus
> he seems like a nice guy and seems to warm as he gets a few q's in.
>
> IMO, no Frankie=less Lance.
> --
> scott
>
> [email protected]

I don't know if less, but certainly less open. The only time I have seen him at ease is when Frankie
is talking to him. Imagine how he would react to certain other ex-cyclists. Greg Lemond asks him,
"So how does it feel to have a chance at beating my virtual Tour record?"

 

[Al]

In article <[email protected]>, scottw44 @bellsouth.stopsendng says...
> Frankie has access to Lance that is unlike that of any other reporter. Plus he seems like a nice
> guy and seems to warm as he gets a few q's in.
>
> IMO, no Frankie=less Lance.

Good observation, but I hope it isn't true. I like to believe that Lance wouldn't disregard the role
OLN plays in U.S. coverage (whomever might be interviewing him, and however much you do or don't
care for it)
- if not for the sake of fostering cycling interest in the U.S. then for the sake of influencing his
own charity work (more face time = more contributions)

 

[John Spann]

Time Cop wrote:
> Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Frankie Andreu's segments come on OLN and he starts
> asking questions?
>
> The guy certainly has experience as a Tour rider, but when it comes to asking a question, he just
> can't seem to come up with a good one.
>
> It reminds me of the 1990 Tour coverage on ABC Sports and "Good Morning America" with
> http://www.icechampions.com/saltlake02/opening/openingcer- emony/o16.jpgBeth Ruyak asking Greg
> LeMond, "How much do those (tri-)bars help?"
>
>
>
> --
>
>>--------------------------<
>
> Posted via cyclingforums.com http://www.cyclingforums.com

Even my wife says, "He may have been a decent rider, but he's a dumbass."

John

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
"Nick Burns" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "scottw44" <[email protected] me garbage.com> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Frankie has access to Lance that is unlike that of any other reporter.
> Plus
> > he seems like a nice guy and seems to warm as he gets a few q's in.
> >
> > IMO, no Frankie=less Lance.
> > --
> > scott
> >
> > [email protected]
>
> I don't know if less, but certainly less open. The only time I have seen him at ease is when
> Frankie is talking to him. Imagine how he would react to certain other ex-cyclists. Greg Lemond
> asks him, "So how does it feel to have a chance at beating my virtual Tour record?"

http://outsideonline.com/outside/features/200306/200306_lance_1.html

One theme of this profile of Lance (and yay to Outside for having every darned article they've ever
published online; I found a profile of Armstrong from about 1994 in their archives) is the extreme
level of loyalty he demands and delivers:

http://outsideonline.com/outside/features/200306/200306_lance_5.html

Sounds like a guy unlikely to open up unless he really trusts the interviewer.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine President, Fabrizio Mazzoleni Fan Club

 

[Ha'Keedohn]

In article <[email protected]>, "jmk" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'll say Yay....... although I understand what you mean about feeling uncomfortable when Frankie
> starts asking questions. In his defense, I did have an opportunity to hear him speak at a cycling
> banquet about 18 months ago. He did a presentation with a lap top PC and LCD projector with
> pictures of the TdF. It was a good presentation and he shared his experiences in the tour and in
> racing. He answered questions until there were no more, and after that he took photos with people.
> I left the dinner having learned that he is real nice guy.

Our club had Frankie speak this past year, and then he did a ride with us. I took my two boys (ages
10 & 12-just starting to race) with me, and they rode along on the ride too. Frankie was
exceptionally friendly with my boys, and took time out during the ride, and at a short stop to come
over and make conversation with them. He answered their questions about bicycle racing, and gave
them the time that many others probably would not have bothered to.

Frankie is a class person in my book.
--
Ha'Keedohn

To finish the race requires a heart that won't quit when the body begs it to... ...Greg Lemond