# Phil and Paul...



## ColoColo (Jun 1, 2009)

The lighter side:

Phil:

"Aaand as we look hea..."

"The computer tells us that the breakaway will be caught at the 10 mile mark... I don't like computers Paul."

"And the boys are now kicking their heels Paul."

"Be sure to join us tomorrow for the rest day show."

"Sorry for the breakup in the signal..."

Paul:

"And that's why you have to be concentrated all the time in this hea Tour de France."

"This is a 6.5 mile category 2 climb, Col de la Croix de Merde."

"...And that's around about of point fie kilometres to the finishing line."

"This chateau Phil was built in 1404 by King Paul the shite the First."

"He's riding like a man possessed Phil."

"The breakaway is at the front Phil, the groupetto is at the back and in the middle there's something we like to call the Peloton."
__________________________________________

You take it from hea...


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## gofast2wheeler (Oct 13, 2011)

Why you picking on Phil an Paul. They are legends in my book. The tour would be so boring if they were not the commentators. And do not forget Bobke, he rules!!


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## TheSingleGuy (Feb 20, 2009)

Phil and Paul have jumped the shark. On stage 9, I almost switched the sound off after hearing about "Richie Froome" for the third time.

I am over Paul's mangled cliches too. uggh.


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

As a cyclist who doesn't race and never keeps track of the whole pro cycling thing, I love these guys! Sure they screw up but watching the tour without them would be less entertaining for me. Loving this tour - most exciting tour for the last few years IMO!


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

Try this: keep the tour TV coverage on mute. Then add your commentary over the video footage. Record it if you must. One rule though - you need to keep talking. For the whole 2.5 or whatever hours. Non-stop. You stop for 3 seconds - and it's over.

Let's see what you can come up with. We will criticize.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

TheSingleGuy said:


> Phil and Paul have jumped the shark


Those guys are too old to be jumping over anything.

Some good guest commentary by Stephen Roche on Eurosport today. He's a wee bit biased towards Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche, eh.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

A few stages ago in his closing comments, I heard Phil call one of the very well-known riders by an erroneous name, something absurd, like "Bob" instead of "Guillaume." I wish I could remember the actual goof. 

This stuff is gold, and half the fun of watching. I love those guys.

When P&P go away, it won't be a year before everyone is whining about "the good ol' days" and waxing nostalgic.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

Paul recently informed viewers that 'cadence' involves 'rhythms per minute'...


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Sometimes I feel like I'm climbing La Col de Merde - now I know where it is!


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Oxtox said:


> Paul recently informed viewers that 'cadence' involves 'rhythms per minute'...


I know, right? 

"Rhythms per Minute"...groooovy, man. Far out.

Pure gold. Again, they're half the fun of Silly Season.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

gofast2wheeler said:


> Why you picking on Phil an Paul. They are legends in my book. The tour would be so boring if they were not the commentators. And do not forget Bobke, he rules!!


The tour is also a snore with them... Not that any other cycling commentators that NBC or Universal has ever hired are not.


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## dnice (Jul 12, 2012)

love these guys--they are much better than the eurosport boys. malapropisms don't dim the fact that they love cycling and make it fun to watch.


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## Shaba (Mar 16, 2011)

55x11 said:


> Try this: keep the tour TV coverage on mute. Then add your commentary over the video footage. Record it if you must. One rule though - you need to keep talking. For the whole 2.5 or whatever hours. Non-stop. You stop for 3 seconds - and it's over.
> 
> Let's see what you can come up with. We will criticize.


Commentary is an incredible challenge in a sport where there's not a whole lot going on visually. P&P are masters! And very entertaining with all their slip ups. I do wonder who the Irish guy, Sean, is that I hear on some You Tube videos. He has a nearly unintelligible southern (county Kerry or Cork maybe) accent that I love! I want him on NBC.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

My Mom loves them. 

Experts are not their target audience.

Nevertheless: they each have forgotten more about pro cycling than any of us will ever know. And, they know their stuff, none of us could match them for 2. 5hours.


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## mtbykr (Feb 16, 2004)

I love them, it wouldn't be the same without them. I'm surprised no one misses Trautwig


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## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

Shaba said:


> Commentary is an incredible challenge in a sport where there's not a whole lot going on visually. P&P are masters! And very entertaining with all their slip ups. I do wonder who the Irish guy, Sean, is that I hear on some You Tube videos. He has a nearly unintelligible southern (county Kerry or Cork maybe) accent that I love! I want him on NBC.


This be my favorite rider of all time: Sean Kelly. Yeah, his accent is so thick you need subtitles.

Phil and Paul rules. No one, and I mean no one, can make the closing kilometers of a bicycle race sound so exciting and so engrossing-mistakes and all.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

gofast2wheeler said:


> *Why you picking on Phil an Paul.* They are legends in my book. The tour would be so boring if they were not the commentators. And do not forget Bobke, he rules!!


Because they're utterly senile and they suck as commentators.

I've been very happy with Eurosport in the last couple years.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

55x11 said:


> Try this: keep the tour TV coverage on mute. Then add your commentary over the video footage. Record it if you must. One rule though - you need to keep talking. For the whole 2.5 or whatever hours. Non-stop. You stop for 3 seconds - and it's over.
> 
> Let's see what you can come up with. We will criticize.


Since when do you need to be a commentator to criticize the commentary on something?

Probably about the same time you had to RIDE the tour to criticize the riders who are in the tour.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

55x11 said:


> One rule though - you need to keep talking.


why? nothing wrong with a short period without talking.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Shaba said:


> Commentary is an incredible challenge in a sport where there's not a whole lot going on visually. P&P are masters! And very entertaining with all their slip ups. I do wonder who the Irish guy, Sean, is that I hear on some You Tube videos. He has a nearly unintelligible southern (county Kerry or Cork maybe) accent that I love! I want him on NBC.


Sean Kelly is on eurosport, you can often catch an online stream with him as commentator. He has gotten much easier to understand over the years.


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

P&P suck and so does Bob. The Eurosport guys as way way better.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

32and3cross said:


> P&P suck and so does Bob. The Eurosport guys as way way better.


Give me Carlton Kirby any time, man knows his stuff about riders/course and brings up some really funny random **** on air. Was funny this weekend when someone came to the Eurosport commentators and gave them a bottle of local wine while they were on air...and Carlton/Sean popped ithe cork and enjoyed while on the job. 

I believe the fellow doing the commentary on NBC until 7AM USA CT (Phil/Paul time) is Liam something...there's someone who can really put you to sleep. His voice intonation always descends the same way over each and every sentence....over and over again.


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## TNeedham (Oct 10, 2008)

Eurosport streaming on my PC for David Harmon and Sean Kelly beats Phil and Paul on my HD TV. So much more insight and they focus on more than 5 cyclists. Give 'em a try.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

TNeedham said:


> Eurosport streaming on my PC for David Harmon and Sean Kelly beats Phil and Paul on my HD TV. So much more insight and they focus on more than 5 cyclists. Give 'em a try.


Harmon has not commentated this year's TdF, hoss.


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## phoehn9111 (May 11, 2005)

Saddest thing is you are missing so much of what is going on in the race,
even if you are sharp and can pick up stuff by yourself so much valuable
insight falls by the wayside and never gets to enhance your perspective.
Far from being a simple matter, the race is extremely complex.


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## TNeedham (Oct 10, 2008)

Marc said:


> Harmon has not commentated this year's TdF, hoss.


My bad friendo, you're right it is another bloke.


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## simonaway427 (Jul 12, 2010)

Eurosport all the way.

Skip to 6:50 for the best part

Amazing finish, Iljo Keisse, Tour of Turkey 2012 - Stage 7 - YouTube


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## jswilson64 (May 20, 2008)

55x11 said:


> Try this: keep the tour TV coverage on mute. Then add your commentary over the video footage. Record it if you must. One rule though - you need to keep talking. For the whole 2.5 or whatever hours. Non-stop. You stop for 3 seconds - and it's over.
> 
> Let's see what you can come up with. We will criticize.


Ah, I see. The ol' "Unless you can do better, you can't have an opinion," argument. Which is total BS.

Imagine if I hired a guy to paint my house and he did a terrible job. Drips, runs, paint on the windows. Could I have done better in the same time? No. But I sure as hell can recognize a crap job when I see one. Same here. These guys are done.
At one point at the end of Stage 9, as the GC contenders were limping across the line, P&P said one guy's still got a fighting chance, even though he lost time. About 30 sec. later, here comes another one. Aww, his Tour is over, poor guy. Huh?


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

i prefer eurosport coverage. I wish the guy that did the UCI mountain bike races did the tour. I'd like to see a "dream team" of english speakers that inlcude magnus, Bobke, Kelly, and even shlanger. What can i say. I like hearing his midrace reports, regardless of how meaningless they are.
Phil and paul are legends, but even sumerall and madden stepped aside. I hate to say Phil has made so many errors, cuz i've always liked him


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

My guess is that Phil will hang up his cliches at the end of this season.

Someone should try to keep count of the number of times that Paul says "professional" as in "professional bike rider".

Still, it sure wouldn't be the same without them.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Jebus, some of y'all need to hire a hit man as much as ya hate them. I generally listen to music while riding on the rollers watching the TdF. I've barley heard anything they've said in a really long time.


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## ratherBclimbing (Apr 2, 2007)

ukbloke said:


> My guess is that Phil will hang up his cliches at the end of this season.


I'm confident this forum will find something about his replacement to complain about.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

ratherBclimbing said:


> I'm confident this forum will find something about his replacement to complain about.


RBR doesn't complain. Lance told me this. I believe him.


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## asciibaron (Aug 11, 2006)

spade2you said:


> RBR doesn't complain. Lance told me this. I believe him.


the only lance i need is for my blisters.


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## c_h_i_n_a_m_a_n (Mar 3, 2012)

Spade: You should have a signature that says ... "Astrong Enemy #1" ...

Just enjoy the race chaps and do not take in too much of what they say if you do not like it. No point getting worked up over such small issues. Everything is within your control. Don't like it, don't expose yourself to it.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Marc said:


> Give me Carlton Kirby any time, man knows his stuff about riders/course and brings up some really funny random **** on air. Was funny this weekend when someone came to the Eurosport commentators and gave them a bottle of local wine while they were on air...and Carlton/Sean popped ithe cork and enjoyed while on the job.


Yep. He and Dan Lloyd were terrific on the Giro. They don't sound like they're really calling a race, rather, they're a couple fans sitting in your living room talking cycling. And they have great rapport with each other. 

I also love Kirby's comment whenever something unexpected happens, or they pass a group of notable fans along the course: "Oh, hello."


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

I watch eurosport from time to time. Eurosport is better than Phil/Paul in the same way that Compagnolo is better than SRAM, or Bianchi is better than TREK, classics are better than the Tour and fixies are better than 20-speed derailleur bikes. 

It's simply cool to like eurosport and hate on US coverage. Objectively, Paul and Phil are very good, and Bobke is funny as hell. Anyone remember Kirsten Gum?


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

55x11 said:


> I watch eurosport from time to time. Eurosport is better than Phil/Paul in the same way that Compagnolo is better than SRAM, or Bianchi is better than TREK, classics are better than the Tour and fixies are better than 20-speed derailleur bikes.
> 
> It's simply cool to like eurosport and hate on US coverage. Objectively, Paul and Phil are very good, and Bobke is funny as hell. Anyone remember Kirsten Gum?


What are the objective criteria to be "very good" and "funny as hell".


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

spade2you said:


> Jebus, some of y'all need to hire a hit man as much as ya hate them. I generally listen to music while riding on the rollers watching the TdF. I've barley heard anything they've said in a really long time.


We get it. You're too cool for the room and don't listen to commentary.

Good for you.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

55x11 said:


> I watch eurosport from time to time. Eurosport is better than Phil/Paul in the same way that Compagnolo is better than SRAM, or Bianchi is better than TREK, classics are better than the Tour and fixies are better than 20-speed derailleur bikes.
> 
> It's simply cool to like eurosport and hate on US coverage. Objectively, Paul and Phil are very good, and Bobke is funny as hell. Anyone remember Kirsten Gum?


Objectively they suck and their "jokes" are old and tired.

When you can't even get the rider's names right, it's time to go.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

by objective I mean you leave the eurovision and anti US TV biases behind and realize that Paul and Phil provide insightful, knowledgable commentary that is suitable for new viewers and expert viewers alike. Their commentary is colorful and excited, especially during attacks and closing km of a stage or a race, and this is an advantage over more monotone and boring eurosport coverage. Sean Kelly's excited voice sounds exactly like his regular voice, and every sentence sounds like a question.

Humor is subjective but I like Bobke and his sense of humor. I think he adds character to coverage. Having said that, I also enjoy Frankie Andreu and James Startt mini-video commentary on bicycling as well as cyclocosm "how race is won", very snarky, dry humor and a lot of interesting insights. Of course these are all american commentators, so that cannot be "cool" by definition. Only euro stuff is "cool".


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

I haven't seen any euro coverage...so have a question regarding their commentary.

do they bore their audience to tears with endless trivia regarding the age of every church, castle, chateau, and bridge that the riders pass...? 

it's Europe, it's old, we get it.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Oxtox said:


> I haven't seen any euro coverage...so have a question regarding their commentary.
> 
> do they bore their audience to tears with endless trivia regarding the age of every church, castle, chateau, and bridge that the riders pass...?
> 
> it's Europe, it's old, we get it.


Depends on who is doing it...Phil/Paul talk about history of things on screen like the dry textbook they're reading out of...If Carlton Kirby is doing Eurosport commentary he does it like someone bantering in your livingroom, doesn't always do it either and doesn't sound at all like reading out of the TdF tourbook...Sean Kelly and David Harmon almost never talk about history of race regions at all and only talk about racing or lack thereof.

This year Eurosport bores you with these pre-race rider interview segments they insist on doing picture-in-picture aired randomly during race coverage...where all the racers really ever say is "I'm going to ride my bike...probably to the finish...blah blah blah". It is funny because no matter who it is, they always never-say-anything-worthwhile in the same way...and Eurosport keeps airing these interviews as if they add any kind of value.

FWIW-Eurosport has been airing those annoying official 100th TdF segments the same way NBC does....although after the 2nd time the on-motorbike fellow interrupted their commentary (Those annoying microphone popups in video) to say nothing...Carlton et al made an executive decision never to listen to/air his mic feed again as "it just doesn't add anything" on Eurosport.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

I like how Phil calls Quintana "Kantarra" over and over....


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