I just got Direct TV in time to see the last episode of "Road to the Tour." My excitement was tempered when I saw Al Trautwig's tan-in-a-can skull manning the microphone. I really don't think we need him and his cycling ignorance. A few years ago they had Bob Varsha serving as host and he was much better, straight ahead facts and he knew his limitations. With Trautwig, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
But then my excitement returned when I saw Kirsten Gum, or was it her evil twin, with the bad girl brunette hair.

I just got Direct TV in time to see the last episode of "Road to the Tour." My excitement was tempered when I saw Al Trautwig's tan-in-a-can skull manning the microphone. I really don't think we need him and his cycling ignorance. A few years ago they had Bob Varsha serving as host and he was much better, straight ahead facts and he knew his limitations. With Trautwig, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
But then my excitement returned when I saw Kirsten Gum, or was it her evil twin, with the bad girl brunette hair.

My all time least favorite: Armen Keteyian during CBS's "coverage." Arrrrgh!!

Thank god I am in Australia for the tour... yeah for SBS!

Your observations of Trautwig and Varsha are dead on.

My all time least favorite: Armen Keteyian during CBS's "coverage." Arrrrgh!!
Did you ever catch Adrian Karsten's '99 coverage on ESPN and ABC? He sucked as bad as them, but at least he kind of knew he was a doofas. I suspect there's some kind of FCC law prohibiting any Tour broadcast without an American presence. Maybe they think the US public would be turned off if the event was presented to them using only two British men.

I can see why you might need a third voice, simplifying the tactics for people who aren't familiar with the sport. Cyclists take for granted the basics of tactics and cycling history. But Karsten, Keteyian, and Trautwig are just as confused and misinformed as any viewer new to the sport. During the last few days of last year's Tour, Trautwig sounded sick and tired of covering the event. In his view, Lance had already secured the victory, no other rider, drama, or stage win mean't jack-sh!t, so his vote was for just for packing it in early, and beating the traffic back to the states. I was hoping he would leave with a "never EVER again" attitude.

It's all so fomulaic, like basketball, baseball, and football coverage. Gum fills the role of the hot chick/eye candy/EEO slot. Roll is the designated former jock/comic relief.
Next year they'll have to include a pre-adolescent presence to accommodate the younger viewers. We can look forward to special segments like "The ABC's of riding my bike" presented by Barney or "France at play" with the Teletubbies.

If anyone on this board is lucky enough to be in France for ANY stage, I will give you my bicycle if you paint "Trautwig BLOWS!!" on any part of the Tour's road surface.

i hate the traut. anyone else got a feeling that starbanger hasnt been on a bike since grade school?

and gumm? she is annoying, too, yet more amusing to watch. her jet black poof hair somehow makes her more intereseting this year. in an "i bet she used to be a firecracker" sorta way.

ONL! Hire me! I know a very tiny bit about cycling and actually don't hate france. i get bobke, and find his "american cyclists have a brain in their craniums" line to be grossly hilarious.

paul and phil, back to you...

Did you ever catch Adrian Karsten's '99 coverage on ESPN and ABC? He sucked as bad as them, but at least he kind of knew he was a doofas. I suspect there's some kind of FCC law prohibiting any Tour broadcast without an American presence. Maybe they think the US public would be turned off if the event was presented to them using only two British men.

I can see why you might need a third voice, simplifying the tactics for people who aren't familiar with the sport. Cyclists take for granted the basics of tactics and cycling history. But Karsten, Keteyian, and Trautwig are just as confused and misinformed as any viewer new to the sport. During the last few days of last year's Tour, Trautwig sounded sick and tired of covering the event. In his view, Lance had already secured the victory, no other rider, drama, or stage win mean't jack-sh!t, so his vote was for just for packing it in early, and beating the traffic back to the states. I was hoping he would leave with a "never EVER again" attitude.

It's all so fomulaic, like basketball, baseball, and football coverage. Gum fills the role of the hot chick/eye candy/EEO slot. Roll is the designated former jock/comic relief.
Next year they'll have to include a pre-adolescent presence to accommodate the younger viewers. We can look forward to special segments like "The ABC's of riding my bike" presented by Barney or "France at play" with the Teletubbies.

If anyone on this board is lucky enough to be in France for ANY stage, I will give you my bicycle if you paint "Trautwig BLOWS!!" on any part of the Tour's road surface.

I do agree that Al Trautwig is possibly the worst.

HOWEVER, you missed gold if you did not get the 2004 exchange between him and Bob Roll concerning the call of nature and riding. Roll actually told Trautwig about an aeration device that every rider has which allows the urine to be aerated out therough the jersey while they ride.

LMAO Trautwig was earnestly asking about this device. Gag or not, it was a priceless moment.

I do agree that Al Trautwig is possibly the worst.

HOWEVER, you missed gold if you did not get the 2004 exchange between him and Bob Roll concerning the call of nature and riding. Roll actually told Trautwig about an aeration device that every rider has which allows the urine to be aerated out therough the jersey while they ride.

LMAO Trautwig was earnestly asking about this device. Gag or not, it was a priceless moment.
I remember that! Roll was talking about a cathoder and a mesh net over the back of the jersey for the pee to wick into the air. Trautwig had this look on his face like "what the h&ll?" and just went with it. That moment, along with my signature, that Roll used on air during the 2003 TdF, are worth the price of cable.

Problem solved.

Me, I like the guy. He goes waaaay back to Olympic, Ironman, etc. coverage. He's good at what he does.

Can't believe the stuff people find to complain about!!

Problem solved.


Where?

Wow, the Trautisms are starting early this year. There will be a thread devoted to them, as well as Sherwenims. Who can forget the "suitcase of courage" from last year?

I can stand Trautwig a bit more than Karsten.. Not much, but a little bit more. I will take him over Kirsten though, I couldn't stand her when she was the "anchor" of the show, even with her new brunette look and the "twins". I still remember when Karsten was commentating on the Tour DuPont on pre-cancer Lance, when they drummed up the "epic" battle between Ekimov and Lance, and something about "Armstrong being to Legstrong".. Ugghh...

I don't have a high opinion of US sports commentators of the "standard" pro sports, it does no good to bring that mentality and commentating style to cycling, they are completely different sports.

I dunno, I am of two schools of thought on the whole "educating the public on cycling, so put a dumb commentator in to ask the questions" thing.. I mean they don't do that for other professional sports, or at least to the extent that they do in the cycling coverage. I mean if you are really interested in cycling, you will find that stuff out just by watching. They spend so much time "educating" that could be spent on the race, or actual interesting cycling pieces.

There are decent American cycling commentators, the guy that does the historic pieces (can't remember his name), Frankie Andreu, Davis Phinney, or some of the other former pros are decent commentators, why couldn't they have them offset Bobke.. I know Bobke has a lot of fans, I am sort of indifferent to him. Though I really got annoyed when they started substituting his call on the race, instead of playing Phil and Paul. IMO he just can't call a race, especially a sprint and make it interesting.

I really wish they would cut the "Travel channel" type pieces they do too much of already. That's what the Travel Channel is for. I don't watch the Tour to learn how to make cheese in a quaint little french town.. Sheesh..

A point made by an ealier poster, was Trautwig seemed even bored by a lot of the race. You can't have a commentator show that he is bored. Maybe its just me, but Phil and Paul can announce a race that is for the most part boring, but still make it interesting, and sometimes even exciting. That is the type of commentator you want to expose to the Amercian public if you want them to get interested, not one that is part of the old school "american" style of sports announcing, that gets bored if you show them cycling. But then again, I don't understand how people don't shoot themselves or become catatonic from boredom watching golf.

You can avoid all the Traut'isms and Roll calling the race by watching, Tivo'ing, DVR'ing or just plan video recording the morning live broadcast. It's just Phil and Paul calling the race with the live European feed. Nothing cut (at least from the start of the feed,) no attempt to call the race by someone who already knows the outcome (hence the boredom of the Traut) no "Travel channel" crap and no over simplified explanations. Just great cycling.

The whole education piece is something I’m very familiar with as a Hockey fan. The theory makes sense; bring more fans to the sport buy explaining what’s going on. Americans don’t really grow up playing hockey or cycling competitively so they don’t really get it. Having said all that, what % of the viewer ship is new and how much time are you taking from actual racing to “educate?”


I can stand Trautwig a bit more than Karsten.. Not much, but a little bit more. I will take him over Kirsten though, I couldn't stand her when she was the "anchor" of the show, even with her new brunette look and the "twins". I still remember when Karsten was commentating on the Tour DuPont on pre-cancer Lance, when they drummed up the "epic" battle between Ekimov and Lance, and something about "Armstrong being to Legstrong".. Ugghh...

I don't have a high opinion of US sports commentators of the "standard" pro sports, it does no good to bring that mentality and commentating style to cycling, they are completely different sports.

I dunno, I am of two schools of thought on the whole "educating the public on cycling, so put a dumb commentator in to ask the questions" thing.. I mean they don't do that for other professional sports, or at least to the extent that they do in the cycling coverage. I mean if you are really interested in cycling, you will find that stuff out just by watching. They spend so much time "educating" that could be spent on the race, or actual interesting cycling pieces.

There are decent American cycling commentators, the guy that does the historic pieces (can't remember his name), Frankie Andreu, Davis Phinney, or some of the other former pros are decent commentators, why couldn't they have them offset Bobke.. I know Bobke has a lot of fans, I am sort of indifferent to him. Though I really got annoyed when they started substituting his call on the race, instead of playing Phil and Paul. IMO he just can't call a race, especially a sprint and make it interesting.

I really wish they would cut the "Travel channel" type pieces they do too much of already. That's what the Travel Channel is for. I don't watch the Tour to learn how to make cheese in a quaint little french town.. Sheesh..

A point made by an ealier poster, was Trautwig seemed even bored by a lot of the race. You can't have a commentator show that he is bored. Maybe its just me, but Phil and Paul can announce a race that is for the most part boring, but still make it interesting, and sometimes even exciting. That is the type of commentator you want to expose to the Amercian public if you want them to get interested, not one that is part of the old school "american" style of sports announcing, that gets bored if you show them cycling. But then again, I don't understand how people don't shoot themselves or become catatonic from boredom watching golf.

You can avoid all the Traut'isms and Roll calling the race by watching, Tivo'ing, DVR'ing or just plan video recording the morning live broadcast. It's just Phil and Paul calling the race with the live European feed. Nothing cut (at least from the start of the feed,) no attempt to call the race by someone who already knows the outcome (hence the boredom of the Traut) no "Travel channel" crap and no over simplified explanations. Just great cycling.

The whole education piece is something I�m very familiar with as a Hockey fan. The theory makes sense; bring more fans to the sport buy explaining what�s going on. Americans don�t really grow up playing hockey or cycling competitively so they don�t really get it. Having said all that, what % of the viewer ship is new and how much time are you taking from actual racing to �educate?�

If you were able to catch the show "The Science of Lance", they did an excellent job of explaining cycling, it's tactics, and the rolls of the lietenants, domestiques, directors, etc. I think on the rebroadcast, when a possibly confusing situation comes up, or when they anticipate a confusing situation on an upcoming stage, they could have a simple 1 minute piece explaining it. Since Trautwig is disinterested at heart, and often can't recognize the race drama or interest unless he see's an opponent choking Lance with his bare hands, he puts his energy into creating interest where it doesn't actually exist.
I'll be sure to only tape the morning live broadcast. I'll still probably watch the primetime shows, but at least Trautwig will not live on in antiquity through my tapes.

If you were able to catch the show "The Science of Lance", they did an excellent job of explaining cycling, it's tactics, and the rolls of the lietenants, domestiques, directors, etc. I think on the rebroadcast, when a possibly confusing situation comes up, or when they anticipate a confusing situation on an upcoming stage, they could have a simple 1 minute piece explaining it. Since Trautwig is disinterested at heart, and often can't recognize the race drama or interest unless he see's an opponent choking Lance with his bare hands, he puts his energy into creating interest where it doesn't actually exist.
I'll be sure to only tape the morning live broadcast. I'll still probably watch the primetime shows, but at least Trautwig will not live on in antiquity through my tapes.

And although I'm sure the haters will avoid it like the plague, I hope they rebroadcast so my 8 yr old can watch it. Not for the LA factor but for the indepth info.

Also, Discovery HD is having Lance week ( it's the DISCOVERY CHANNEL that's why he is on.) The thing I am looking forward to is HIGH DEF CYCLING seems they will be showing PR and DL and a few other races. Sure it will be Lance centric but it is HIGH DEF CYCLING!

I htink the Bobke/Traut back and forth is worth the price of admission. It used to annoy me, but I like the way Bob messes with him. I have to imagine it's going to be even better this year, no?

Karsten was the worst. Trautwig and his ilk would be ok if they didn't have central roles.

The broadcasts do seem to be aimed at a fairly unintelligent audience but the worst part for me is the ameri-centerism.

Kirstens dark hair is wierd.