OLN: Is Bob Roll A Hack?



TrekDedicated said:
Don't diss Phil. He is the man, he knows what he is talking about when it comes to cycling. He has an accent. So? His pronunciations are going to be different from yours. And your roots show by not understanding people speak differently...
TrekDedicated said:
I read somewhere that he does it intentionally.




Dedicated. You obviously don't get it. I am dissing Rudy of Atlanta for his intolerance. People do speak differently, including Bob Roll. Read the quote before you knee-jerk a response. Full quote below.



Don't bother to reply. The level of this forum is too low to be involved with.



Rudy said:
Personally I can deal with Bob Roll ok...actually he does provide some very good insight into the sport from time to time.

I do appreciate the fact that he's a Lance fan. Having said that, I wish he would tone down his enthusiam for Lance just a little bit. I'm a Lance's fan too as well, I just don't think it's very appropriate for someone in his position to display that much enthusiam for one rider, albeit it's Lance.

What I can't stand about Bob is his pronounciation of "Tour DAY France" and his unwillingness to change that redneck pronouciation.
 
I didn't scroll through every page to see the entire quote. Lighten up.

I apologize for my attitude towards you. Misunderstanding. My mistake and I apologize again.
 
mmpc001 said:
I think Roll is hilarious and brings a welcome bit of craziness to the Tour. .

If I remember, Bob Roll had a dual role on 7-11 as team enforcer and class clown. More power to him.
 
Feanor said:
Birdman is right on the money Aztec... OLN has tuned down her change in appearance pre 2004 Tour DRAMATICALLY. I'm not certain if this was done because of public sentiment over the change, or if she simply wised up.

Someone in the forum posted an image of her from one of the 2004 pre-race shows sometime in June and I kid you not, it looked as though she turned into a Rave Goth clubbie! Complete with the lacy black blouse and dark eye makeup!

Now that she is wearing the OLN LL Bean sweatshirts/coats/etc her upper body "work" is FAR less noticeable, though still discernable even in the larger frumpy clothes than from last year.

You were correct though and her hair is different... Shorter bob I think...

What I'm trying to decide now is whether the rave look is the real Kirsten off camera, or if she adopted that look for this year to guage opinion about the image change.

For me, I'll always go with the "girl next door" look, and thought she was far more attractive in her more "natural state"

Feanor

I found that picture (easy to find on the web, and it's on roadbikereview.com's forum). I think she looks good that way! I still question any change in her figure, though, as I suspected last year that she may have been packin' under those baggy shirts. It could be the 'marketing and presentation' that you see now. Before, it was a coverup. And as far as implants, pfff, I dunno. Guys are stupid when it comes to that stuff -- we get tricked by padded bras and such very easily (not me, though, I can SPOT this stuff).
 
TrekDedicated said:
Don't diss Phil. QUOTE]
I think Mr. Liggett is starting to lose his mind. Without Paul Sherwen (the Encyclopedia Britannica Ciclista) to correct him, who would have a clue what was going on in the tour.

Bob Roll is a hoot! We all need to lighten up like him.
Bobke is a hack allright - and I hope he doesn't change.
 
I had a meeting this morning and I used alot of Bob's hand gestures whenever I spoke just because it's Friday and I felt comical today. I did the "fingertips touching thrust hands ahead" move, and the "pointing with hand open flat and held sideways" move, and even the "looking like you're sweeping something off an invisible table with the back of your hand" move...

Most people that know me just had a quizzical look as I was standing up there talking and gesturing, but a few people outright started laughing, and one gentlemen said, "he looks to be in a spot of bother" which made me have to pause to compose my laughter :)

Maybe you think Bob is a hack, but I know who I'D rather have with me on a bike ride...

Ok ok, I'd really rather have Kirsten, but the wife... well... you know...

Feanor
 
Feanor said:
I had a meeting this morning and I used alot of Bob's hand gestures whenever I spoke just because it's Friday and I felt comical today. I did the "fingertips touching thrust hands ahead" move, and the "pointing with hand open flat and held sideways" move, and even the "looking like you're sweeping something off an invisible table with the back of your hand" move...

Most people that know me just had a quizzical look as I was standing up there talking and gesturing, but a few people outright started laughing, and one gentlemen said, "he looks to be in a spot of bother" which made me have to pause to compose my laughter :)

Maybe you think Bob is a hack, but I know who I'D rather have with me on a bike ride...

Ok ok, I'd really rather have Kirsten, but the wife... well... you know...

Feanor

You're funny. Hand gestures. hah hah. I guess we've come to expect it from Bob. From the rest of us, I suppose people might think we've lost our marbles. :D
 
mysilver70sekai said:
I need some clarity on an issue. I am really sick of listening to Al Troutwick ask Bob Roll Stupid questions on the Tour de France Coverage on OLN, but i am more sick of listening to Bob's Answers. Does Bob know what he's talking about? Why are they asking him? and Isn't there someone else who is more knowlegable that OLN can hire as the cycling "funnyman"?

I may just be venting, but i can't imagine that i am alone on this one


No kidding. If the show tries to get any cuter next year, they might want to just hire Robin Williams. . . :eek:
 
More insight into Bob Roll and France today:

Ask Bob Roll Q: "What do all the jerseys mean?"
El Bobke: [after explaining the maillot jeune] "... and the polka dot jersey is for the softest French rider."

Art quickly moved on to the next question.

The Robin Williams caricature of Bob, then Phil, was the high point of the OLN booth this year.
 
Cowboyathlete said:
I can handle him better than when Bob Costas covers the Olympics for NBC.
Amen to that. I can't stand Costas, never has anything but praise for everyone, and has a "I am the greatest person in the world, you must obey me" kind of attitude.

I like Bob, he can be a little animated, but I would rather have that that someone with no personality doing the show. What I am getting tired of is all of the commercials on OLN. Lance is the man, but he is in at least 75% of all the commercials during the tour.
 
mmpc001 said:
I think Roll is hilarious and brings a welcome bit of craziness to the Tour. I also think he and Trautwig play off each other quite well. My favorite thing is to watch his hand gestures. He nearly always starts speaking with his hands together - fingertips touching. His other gesticulating rarely fits and it's obvious he's been to see an image consultant. :D More power to Bobke...


I agree with you. Bob brings the funny side to the coverage. And Al, does a good job too..........
 
Hell no! Bob Roll is a classy rider. I raced against Bob Roll from 1982 to 1985 in Northern California when he was an amateur (riding for Neel's Sidi-Turin team and Mug Root Beer) and a first year pro (riding for 7-Eleven). As an amateur I saw him upset and take on the US' best riders (Stetina, Howard, Mount, Boyer etc) which eventually translated into a pro contract. His pro career speaks for itself.

The real question to ask is: Can Bob Roll talk without using his hands?

Bob Ward
 
mysilver70sekai said:
Thanks for clearing that up for me, i had no idea about his credentials...i feel stupid for putting this poll up...
He just reminds me of the american commentators for international soccer, they just talk about stupid stuff the whole time the event is going on and spit out useless facts and take the attention away from the match at hand.
I can respect Bob for being a good racer, but i just can't stand his antics...i guess i'll just have to get over it, and i'll only have to deal with it for another couple weeks.

Thanks again.

Aaron
You shouldn't feel sorry. Your point was extremely valid. This is a forum and your thoughts and opinions count. There are folks out there who will flame you for whatever reason... stick to your guns my man! Believe me no matter how politically correct or cordial you post a thread, there's always someone out there who wants to stroke their ego and shoot you down. It's sad. I'm glad you posted the poll and while the majority here thinks he's not a hack (which is true in one way), there are many more in the "real" world who thinks he's a hack... and that hurts us all as cycling enthusiasts.

While I don't think Bob Roll is a Hack, most people who don't know cycling usually thinks he's a moron. My wife who likes cycling but doesn't know all of the ins and outs, when she first saw him she said,"why does he talk so much with his hands." Then she saw him on a commercial, and she said,"there's that bald guy again..." Hey she doesn't have anything against Bob Roll... not one bit. When I told her his credentials... she's like... that's cool but it still doesn't make him amusing as a commentator.

Bob Roll is not a hack in cycling. But he's a hack as a commentator. In the world of TV it's vein and Bob just doesn't cut it. Ever wonder why coverage is so lame for cycling? With better image and PR maybe we all will benefit...

Nicholas
 
graceful said:
No kidding. If the show tries to get any cuter next year, they might want to just hire Robin Williams. . . :eek:
I hope that never ever happens. Sure Williams can act on the sceens (can he really?) but in person, he's oh so very tiresome. I can't imagine if he and Roll replaced Ligget and Sherwen.

But Williams gets my kudos for being a cycling fan. He even has one of the first Kestrel EMS400 frames with the anniversary gold Campy record gruppo hanging over his fireplace mantle. Of course he doesn't ride it though. He just sticks his butt towards it, shoves his head into the opposing couch, and yells out "Na nu na nu" between his legs. Now if they get normal celebrities to love cycling such as Dudley Moore, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Carrot Head, Andrew Dice Clay... things would be better. Just kidding.

Nicholas
 
mysilver70sekai said:
I need some clarity on an issue. I am really sick of listening to Al Troutwick ask Bob Roll Stupid questions on the Tour de France Coverage on OLN, but i am more sick of listening to Bob's Answers. Does Bob know what he's talking about? Why are they asking him? and Isn't there someone else who is more knowlegable that OLN can hire as the cycling "funnyman"?

I may just be venting, but i can't imagine that i am alone on this one
Well maybe it's just my own personal synicism, but I just love the way he butchers the pronunciation of French, as in "Tour DEE Fraaance"
 
StarryMan said:
You shouldn't feel sorry. Your point was extremely valid. This is a forum and your thoughts and opinions count. There are folks out there who will flame you for whatever reason... stick to your guns my man! Believe me no matter how politically correct or cordial you post a thread, there's always someone out there who wants to stroke their ego and shoot you down. It's sad. I'm glad you posted the poll and while the majority here thinks he's not a hack (which is true in one way), there are many more in the "real" world who thinks he's a hack... and that hurts us all as cycling enthusiasts.

While I don't think Bob Roll is a Hack, most people who don't know cycling usually thinks he's a moron. My wife who likes cycling but doesn't know all of the ins and outs, when she first saw him she said,"why does he talk so much with his hands." Then she saw him on a commercial, and she said,"there's that bald guy again..." Hey she doesn't have anything against Bob Roll... not one bit. When I told her his credentials... she's like... that's cool but it still doesn't make him amusing as a commentator.

Bob Roll is not a hack in cycling. But he's a hack as a commentator. In the world of TV it's vein and Bob just doesn't cut it. Ever wonder why coverage is so lame for cycling? With better image and PR maybe we all will benefit...

Nicholas



Nicholas, did you think that the coverage was that lame? I thought the two couples handled it pretty well.
 
Nah, he is quite knowledgeable about his sport. He just has a different perspective. I kinda like him, but my wife cant stand him. If you can find his Bobke book, read it. It sells for about 400.00 + dollars. I met him in Philly and he seems to be a normal guy. Who defines normal though?



mysilver70sekai said:
I need some clarity on an issue. I am really sick of listening to Al Troutwick ask Bob Roll Stupid questions on the Tour de France Coverage on OLN, but i am more sick of listening to Bob's Answers. Does Bob know what he's talking about? Why are they asking him? and Isn't there someone else who is more knowlegable that OLN can hire as the cycling "funnyman"?

I may just be venting, but i can't imagine that i am alone on this one
 
Bob Roll knows quite a lot about cycling, and probably even more about Lance Armstrong, which is the focus of OLNs coverage. Roll is a close friend and ex-teamate of Lance. Roll is hilarious, add him with the informative and exciting commentry given by P&P and you have great coverage. Trautwig would do great for features, like "Lances 5 Battles Won" but I dont think he should have been doing the evening show with Bobke.
 
wildearth2001 said:
Bob Roll knows quite a lot about cycling, and probably even more about Lance Armstrong, which is the focus of OLNs coverage. Roll is a close friend and ex-teamate of Lance. Roll is hilarious, add him with the informative and exciting commentry given by P&P and you have great coverage. Trautwig would do great for features, like "Lances 5 Battles Won" but I dont think he should have been doing the evening show with Bobke.

I like Bob Roll, I like the sense of humor he adds. I just wish he hadn't teased Chris Carmichael about his belly in the brief interview right before Stage 15. Oh well! I don't care if Carmichael has a belly or not (he does NOT look fat to me), he's my man for standing up against the lowcarb fad nutjobs!
 
Thanks for the support.

...and after watching a majority of the coverage of the tour on OLN, i did soften up to Bob. It was good to have some history about him, i was able to understand more of where he was coming from and i have to admit that some of his commentary was quite interesting.

Peace.
-Aaron


StarryMan said:
You shouldn't feel sorry. Your point was extremely valid. This is a forum and your thoughts and opinions count. There are folks out there who will flame you for whatever reason... stick to your guns my man! Believe me no matter how politically correct or cordial you post a thread, there's always someone out there who wants to stroke their ego and shoot you down. It's sad. I'm glad you posted the poll and while the majority here thinks he's not a hack (which is true in one way), there are many more in the "real" world who thinks he's a hack... and that hurts us all as cycling enthusiasts.

While I don't think Bob Roll is a Hack, most people who don't know cycling usually thinks he's a moron. My wife who likes cycling but doesn't know all of the ins and outs, when she first saw him she said,"why does he talk so much with his hands." Then she saw him on a commercial, and she said,"there's that bald guy again..." Hey she doesn't have anything against Bob Roll... not one bit. When I told her his credentials... she's like... that's cool but it still doesn't make him amusing as a commentator.

Bob Roll is not a hack in cycling. But he's a hack as a commentator. In the world of TV it's vein and Bob just doesn't cut it. Ever wonder why coverage is so lame for cycling? With better image and PR maybe we all will benefit...

Nicholas