# Could the Grio commentary be any worse?



## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

Who ARE these clowns? I know, I know, I should be happy to have ANY coverage on US TV, but seriously... these guys are more interested in talking to each other and discussing lunch than calling the race!!!! 

While on the subject, anyone who watched the streaming coverage of the women's AToC can understand why women's cycling isn't more popular. The commentators were obviously borrowed from golf coverage based on the enthusiasm they displayed. 

Maybe they could look into borrowing some Mexican football commentators?


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

I disagree. I love their commentary, as there's only really so much you can say about what's going on in the race, especially during the long stretches where nothing's really happening. Rather than re-using the same old trite lines and stereotypical commentary, they talk like a couple friends who are watching the race together in their living room.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Who are the Bein announcers?

I only know of Rob Hatch and (the fill-ins right now for) Sean Kelly.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Carlton Kirby and Dan LLoyd. My favorite pair of announcers actually.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

rufus said:


> Carlton Kirby and Dan LLoyd. My favorite pair of announcers actually.


Kirby is quite funny, only for the fact he is all over the place. Dan Lloyd is a former pro (if I recall from Cervelo Test Team) and does a lot of work with GCN as well.


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## PBL450 (Apr 12, 2014)

OldChipper said:


> Who ARE these clowns? I know, I know, I should be happy to have ANY coverage on US TV, but seriously... these guys are more interested in talking to each other and discussing lunch than calling the race!!!!
> 
> While on the subject, anyone who watched the streaming coverage of the women's AToC can understand why women's cycling isn't more popular. The commentators were obviously borrowed from golf coverage based on the enthusiasm they displayed.
> 
> Maybe they could look into borrowing some Mexican football commentators?


I love women's cycling! I DVR the world tour events but they are highligjt shows only... That seems to be what we will get with this round of tours for the women as well. Sad. Marianne Vos is completely amazing. I'm an Elisa Longo Borghini fan. We might be distant relatives.


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## twinkles (Apr 23, 2007)

rufus said:


> Carlton Kirby and Dan LLoyd. My favorite pair of announcers actually.


You are correct sir! If you dislike humor, you aren't going to like these guys.


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## nigel91 (May 16, 2012)

OldChipper said:


> Who ARE these clowns? I know, I know, I should be happy to have ANY coverage on US TV, but seriously... these guys are more interested in talking to each other and discussing lunch than calling the race!!!!
> 
> While on the subject, anyone who watched the streaming coverage of the women's AToC can understand why women's cycling isn't more popular. The commentators were obviously borrowed from golf coverage based on the enthusiasm they displayed.
> 
> Maybe they could look into borrowing some Mexican football commentators?


I like Kirby and Lloyd, but my favorites are the Aussie guy who usually does the early part of the TDF stage before Sherlet & Liggin take over, and Magnus Backstedt...


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

twinkles said:


> You are correct sir! If you dislike humor, you aren't going to like these guys.


And that's why I like them. It's like hanging at the pub, having a few laughs, and watching a bike race on TV. 

I mean really, there's only so many times you can say, "and here's the break.......................and the peloton 2:45 back" or whatever before it just gets repetitive. Phil and Paul I'm looking at you. At least these guys sound like they're having a good time, and enjoying themselves and the sport. I don't get that from Phil and Paul, it just sounds like a job to them.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I find Kirby and Lloyd laugh-provoking, and not in a good way. Maybe if their chit-chat were clever or insightful it'd be okay for them to patently ignore the race, but to me they come off like a pair of brainless blokes on their first trip outside Blighty. "And then we had spaghetti for lunch. With tomato sauce!" "Why do the buildings look like they need paint? And why did they paint them pink? Disgraceful!" 

They're true idiots abroad.

I have to say, too, that the Italian video isn't quite to the standard of the TdF, either.


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## bayAreaDude (Apr 13, 2012)

rufus said:


> Carlton Kirby and Dan LLoyd. My favorite pair of announcers actually.


They speak some form of english I can only understand 1 out of ten words - frustrating.


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## nigel91 (May 16, 2012)

bayAreaDude said:


> They speak some form of english I can only understand 1 out of ten words - frustrating.


Just hope that Guy Martin doesn't end up doing Top Gear UK then! He's amazing but should come with subtitles!!


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

bayAreaDude said:


> They speak some form of english I can only understand 1 out of ten words - frustrating.


time to learn mother tongue then


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## FujiSteve (Nov 12, 2014)

nigel91 said:


> I like Kirby and Lloyd, but my favorites are the Aussie guy who usually does the early part of the TDF stage before Sherlet & Liggin take over, and Magnus Backstedt...


The Aussie guy is Mathew Keenan.
So turn off the sound on your TV and listen to him for the whole stage from here from here Latest Cycling News On SBS Cycling Central


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

These two guys are starting to annoy me.

Between conversations about thier dinners and critiques on the "unexpected" quality of Italian wines, one keeps hoping they will notice that there is actually an Italian Grand Tour going on.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

The worst guy for me, is the BeIn guy who comes on just before and after the commercial breaks.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

il sogno said:


> The worst guy for me, is the BeIn guy who comes on just before and after the commercial breaks.


True. He's not good. But he's a lot better than he was even last year, which you would have had to heard to believe. truly horrible.


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

rufus said:


> And that's why I like them. It's like hanging at the pub, having a few laughs, and watching a bike race on TV.
> 
> I mean really, there's only so many times you can say, "and here's the break.......................and the peloton 2:45 back" or whatever before it just gets repetitive. Phil and Paul I'm looking at you. At least these guys sound like they're having a good time, and enjoying themselves and the sport. I don't get that from Phil and Paul, it just sounds like a job to them.



Agreed. Kirby is awesome, and he has the best "final 200 meter sprint" call in the business.


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

rufus said:


> True. He's not good. But he's a lot better than he was even last year, which you would have had to heard to believe. truly horrible.


That guy's brutal. He knows nothing about cycling. But he's a step up from the woman they had last year during flanders/Roubaix, who for 3 hours referred to the color commentator as "Magnus Baxter".


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Fignon's Barber said:


> That guy's brutal. He knows nothing about cycling. But he's a step up from the woman they had last year during flanders/Roubaix, who for 3 hours referred to the color commentator as "Magnus Baxter".


Speaking of Magnus, I enjoyed his commentary a lot. His commentary may not have had a lot of professional sheen, but his insights into the sport are the best I've come across. BTW, GoGo is becoming quite excellent, as well.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Magnus is my favorite of the new crop - he has knowledge and experience and stays focused on what pertains to the race at hand.

I lost a lot of respect for Gogo when I watched a stage in which Nairo Quintana took off on an up hill flyer and he said "Who is this guy? He seems to have come out of no where!"; Quintana had been lighting up the mountains for over a year at that time and Gogo insinuated that the only way this "unknown" could climb a mountain like that was if he was doped!


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Before/after the race Eurosport has some guys on. One of them, Antonio Flecha, is driving me nuts. He's terrible. He can't talk to a camera, he doesn't have a clue, he never says anything worth listening to... must be nepotism.

The race commentators are great. Matt Stevens and Robert Hatch.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

MMsRepBike said:


> Before/after the race Eurosport has some guys on. One of them, Antonio Flecha, is driving me nuts. He's terrible. He can't talk to a camera, he doesn't have a clue, he never says anything worth listening to... must be nepotism.
> 
> The race commentators are great. Matt Stevens and Robert Hatch.


Flecha still thinks he's actually in the race. It's kind of sad.


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