The Cyclism?

[meehs]

I'm sure some of you are following the Tour de France on OLN. Have you seen the commercials for the coverage refering to it as "The Cyclism"? My question is: What the hell is "The Cyclism"??? Personally I thinks it's kind of dumb since it doesn't mean anything.

One of the spots says something like "Someday, someone might come-up to you and ask you; where were you during... The Cyclism?"

I can't help but think; No! Nobody will EVER ask me that because nobody knows what the hell "The Cyclism" is!!!

 

[Rompinrhino]

Yea, I find those comercials stupid as well. I believe that the "cyclism" is OLN showing the tour and lance cronicles all day long instead of showing their regular programing, in other words fishing.

 

[birdman23]

Originally posted by meehs
I'm sure some of you are following the Tour de France on OLN. Have you seen the commercials for the coverage refering to it as "The Cyclism"? My question is: What the hell is "The Cyclism"??? Personally I thinks it's kind of dumb since it doesn't mean anything.

One of the spots says something like "Someday, someone might come-up to you and ask you; where were you during... The Cyclism?"

I can't help but think; No! Nobody will EVER ask me that because nobody knows what the hell "The Cyclism" is!!!

I agree Meehs. It is basically a hype campaign that somebody at OLN dreamed up. However, annoying as it is I will put up with it if it means I get to watch the Tour every day and a lot of other races as well. OLN has its problems with marketing but they have done more for cycling coverage in the US than any other network in history.

 

[meehs]

Originally posted by birdman23
I agree Meehs. It is basically a hype campaign that somebody at OLN dreamed up. However, annoying as it is I will put up with it if it means I get to watch the Tour every day and a lot of other races as well. OLN has its problems with marketing but they have done more for cycling coverage in the US than any other network in history.

I agree with you 100% there Birdman! I guess I shouldn't complain too much because this is the first year I've been able to enjoy full coverage of the TdF on television. Plus they have coverage of other races, "Road to the Tour", "The Lance Chronicles", etc... It's fantastic! I guess they could just use a little help with the marketing side of things.

 

[birdman23]

Originally posted by meehs
I agree with you 100% there Birdman! I guess I shouldn't complain too much because this is the first year I've been able to enjoy full coverage of the TdF on television. Plus they have coverage of other races, "Road to the Tour", "The Lance Chronicles", etc... It's fantastic! I guess they could just use a little help with the marketing side of things.

I was having a really hard time with stuff too. The Cyclysm, Al Trautwig kind of bugs me and what the hell is up with "The Cutters"? But after reading a bunch of threads and letters to the Editors at VeloNews I had a change of opinion as well. It's worth putting up with the nonsense to get the great race coverage. Hopefully the OLN executives are reading the feedback and will poll cycling entusiasts to find out what WE think will enhance the tour coverage.

 

[Sleektabby]

Originally posted by birdman23
I was having a really hard time with stuff too. The Cyclysm, Al Trautwig kind of bugs me and what the hell is up with "The Cutters"? But after reading a bunch of threads and letters to the Editors at VeloNews I had a change of opinion as well. It's worth putting up with the nonsense to get the great race coverage. Hopefully the OLN executives are reading the feedback and will poll cycling entusiasts to find out what WE think will enhance the tour coverage.

Oh gosh! Major ditto here! The Tour is the only thing worth watching on TV! I'll put up with Trautwig, the Cutters and that greasy haired Cyclysm dude to have constant Tour coverage!

I do fear the inevitable withdrawl symptoms when le Tour is over. Yikes!

 

[birdman23]

Originally posted by Sleektabby
Oh gosh! Major ditto here! The Tour is the only thing worth watching on TV! I'll put up with Trautwig, the Cutters and that greasy haired Cyclysm dude to have constant Tour coverage!

I do fear the inevitable withdrawl symptoms when le Tour is over. Yikes!

If it's any consolation the Vuelta will be shown on OLN. ALthough we do have to wait awhile.

 

[gntlmn]

Was it last year that they said "Tour de Lance" as their theme, or was it the year before. I thought that was kind of catchy at the time but not really very respectful to the French. For that reason, I didn't think it was particularly diplomatic.

This Cyclysm theme is rather dumb to me. I don't like hearing or watching that one guy with the dark scraggly beard talking it up about how everyone will be chasing Lance. Where'd they come up with that guy, anyway? He can't even pronounce "Jan" properly. They should have given that gig to Bobke. He would have lent some humor to the game instead of this kind of false bravado. I'm very tempted to change the channel whenever he comes on, but I don't because I don't want to miss anything.

I like OLN very much. They have great Tour coverage. But next year, I hope they come up with a better marketing gimmic. And keep the pretenders out of there.

 

[DiabloScott]

Dumb? You guys obviously weren't around when CBS had PIERRE FREAKIN' SALINGER doing 3 minutes of drivel about French culture in a 5 minute segment of the Tour in a 60 minute Wide World of Sports show while the whole peloton rolled by a hundred meters behind him. That's what we used to get for coverage. Besides Pierre they had chunder music by John Tesch on an electric organ. And the newspapers had one column inch of stats on page D-15.

Yes, OLN could do some things differently but I'm sure glad they're doing so much.

 

[birdman23]

Originally posted by DiabloScott
Dumb? You guys obviously weren't around when CBS had PIERRE FREAKIN' SALINGER doing 3 minutes of drivel about French culture in a 5 minute segment of the Tour in a 60 minute Wide World of Sports show while the whole peloton rolled by a hundred meters behind him. That's what we used to get for coverage. Besides Pierre they had chunder music by John Tesch on an electric organ. And the newspapers had one column inch of stats on page D-15.

Yes, OLN could do some things differently but I'm sure glad they're doing so much.

Couldn't agree with you more. I remember when you could catch a one hour recap of the whole freakin' race and I was stoked to get that much! OLN rules.

 

[tcklyde]

OLN has driven me nuts this year. Roll's longwinded commentary gets very annoying and I wish they'd spend more time with Ligget and Sherwin, but, all the same, thank god for coverage.

Getting to watch the Tour in the States is a treat, even if it's uneven, ignores the sprinters stages, and seems to think Ullirich doesn't exist (he's LA's strongest rival but has barely earned a mention. Hamilton's great, but the big man from Germany never gets an interview.)

But I can't fault it. They need advertisers and they need the casual Tour fans. Good enough.

 

[gntlmn]

I sure hope we have at least OLN quality coverage after Lance retires. It would be a shame to have it go downhill afterward. But then again, it was good coverage when Indurain was winning. So I suppose it still will be even without an American always winning the Tour.

 

[Rompinrhino]

Originally posted by gntlmn
I don't like hearing or watching that one guy with the dark scraggly beard talking it up about how everyone will be chasing Lance. Where'd they come up with that guy, anyway?

I hear that that guy is a stand up comedian, and is well known, from what I hear. I find him super anoying as well. Especially when he's like "that babys pumpin 200 beats a minute" I really hate that.

And with all this media coverage on Lance, I'm finding it harder and harder to chear for him. I would still like to see him take 5th, but I'm becoming Lanced out. Every time I hear the name Lance i just want to tune out.

 

[tinajoy]

Originally posted by Rompinrhino
And with all this media coverage on Lance, I'm finding it harder and harder to chear for him. I would still like to see him take 5th, but I'm becoming Lanced out. Every time I hear the name Lance i just want to tune out.

I agree it is a bit much. I love the coverge but I don't really want to hear what Sheryl Crow has to say....I'd rather hear from all the riders....what they eat, how they train...............

 

[meehs]

Originally posted by DiabloScott
Dumb? You guys obviously weren't around when CBS had PIERRE FREAKIN' SALINGER doing 3 minutes of drivel about French culture in a 5 minute segment of the Tour in a 60 minute Wide World of Sports show while the whole peloton rolled by a hundred meters behind him. That's what we used to get for coverage. Besides Pierre they had chunder music by John Tesch on an electric organ. And the newspapers had one column inch of stats on page D-15.

Yes, OLN could do some things differently but I'm sure glad they're doing so much.

UGH!!! Point well taken!

 

[Aztec]

Originally posted by Rompinrhino
I hear that that guy is a stand up comedian, and is well known, from what I hear. I find him super anoying as well. Especially when he's like "that babys pumpin 200 beats a minute" I really hate that.

And with all this media coverage on Lance, I'm finding it harder and harder to chear for him. I would still like to see him take 5th, but I'm becoming Lanced out. Every time I hear the name Lance i just want to tune out.

No, that dude is an actor, from decent near-cult films like Mall Rats and Chasing Amy, etc., etc. He's actually OK and very bright. Remember, they're paying him to look/act like that.

Hats off to OLN!

Bob Roll is OK, Trautwig is good, Liggett is great. It's Sherwen I could do without. He says the same silly things over and over, and overdramatizes just about everything he says. I cringe when I hear his constant dramatic cliches in that rather crass accent.

 

[Aztec]

Oh, and hey, how about Charmichael's total inability to answer a freakin' question? Trautwig asked him at least 2x, maybe 3x, about comparative V02 max numbers, and he just gagged and refused to say anything meaningful. That dude needs some serious speaking skills coaching, as well as some guts to say something meaningful.

 

[RC2]

Extensive tour coverage -- RIGHT ON!!!

OLN's Cyclism stupendously stupid attempt at...? hmm -- "BEHOLD -- THE MUTE BUTTON!!!"

 

[meehs]

Originally posted by Aztec
No, that dude is an actor, from decent near-cult films like Mall Rats and Chasing Amy, etc., etc. He's actually OK and very bright. Remember, they're paying him to look/act like that.

Hats off to OLN!

Bob Roll is OK, Trautwig is good, Liggett is great. It's Sherwen I could do without. He says the same silly things over and over, and overdramatizes just about everything he says. I cringe when I hear his constant dramatic cliches in that rather crass accent.

I think we all seem to agree that OLN's coverage is great! As for Sherwen... I guess he and Liggett make an okay pair but I agree with you. He does seem to keep saying the same things over and over again. And it seems like he often times just reiterates what Liggett has already said. Overall I'm not complaining though!

I also just noticed that I spelled "Cyclism" incorrectly on the subject line of this post. It's actually "Cyclysm", with a "y". Oops!

 

[meehs]

Originally posted by RC2
Extensive tour coverage -- RIGHT ON!!!

OLN's Cyclism stupendously stupid attempt at...? hmm -- "BEHOLD -- THE MUTE BUTTON!!!"

LOL! There you go!