I could be wrong, but I think everyone gets the same video feed which is produced by French TV. http://cyclingtips.com/...oadcast-to-the-world

The mistakes, miss info and missed key events I have seen from Phil and Paul over the last few days were obvious to me at the time from the pictures on my TV so even if they do have a limited feed, that does not excuse them!

Thanks, I stand corrected. How nice it would have been to have a commentating 'super team' comprised of the late David Duffield, Sean Kelly, Davide Cassani, and Bob Roll?

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Thanks, Warbird. That video is hilarious. "look at those legs..."

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Paul Lantinga
Sable WaterOptics from See Worthy
paul@sablewateroptics.com

Cosmo Catalano (Cyclocosm) is the best for in-depth analysis and recaps. Would love to see him report live.

It's mostly a feel good broadcast that stays away from controversy. After all these years they target the non-cycling fan rather than appealing the cycling fan who watches the race and wants a higher level of commentary. Sean Kelly does a better job, as do the foreign language broadcasts in Italian, French..where they treat the event as true sporting competition, and not just entertainment for the masses. I can't comment on the Dutch and Flemish broadcasts as I do not understand those languages.
The US does not have enough older gray haired ex-pros to provide the type of commentary that would make it more interesting.

This^^^^
Phil doesn't know the riders, doesn't know the situations, and he is always making incorrect calls.
He is nothing but a talking head his a pleasant speaking voice.

If someone made a drinking game where you had to take a drink every time Phil said something wrong, there would be some seriously drunk watchers.

Phil and Paul must go - Bicycling

As is often the case, Joe Lindsey is spot-on.

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

That's part of why the duo so good, especially in some of the smaller races when nothing much is happening. It's a shame that we don't get the TDF on eurosport in Australia due to a free to air TV station having the rights, we get Phil and Paul.

However.......

I don't know who NBC Sports is trying to reach with their TdF coverage. Certainly, there are "cyclists" who tune in, but it might be a case of trying to get the "Olympics audience", which is certainly bigger than the number of cyclists. How many people watch figure skating but don't know the difference between a double axle and a triple toe loop? (That would be me.) But lots of people tune in to Olympic figure skating.

My wife (not a cyclist) watches the NBC Sports coverage of the TdF with me. It's exactly the right content for her. And while Phil and Paul make mistakes, I still like listening to them. Sort of like a comfortable pair of old blue jeans.

Phil and Paul aren't Vin Scully, but they're OK.

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

But if it weren't for you, your wife likely wouldn't be watching the Tour. Focusing on a secondary demographic is rarely a good strategy.

The numbers show time and time again that it is primarily cyclists who tune in to the coverage. You don't cover an entire stage of the Tour for "Olympic" fans, you do it for the dedicated fan.

But even assuming you ar correct, you can still have knowledgable and competent announcers in the booth and serve both audiences. P& P ar no longer those announcers...well past their expiration date.

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

Wait, Sam Posey did bike racing commentary? That I would want.

Oh, God....he was horrible. You can hear parts of his commentary here.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rWyfb3H7LEg

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

You're correct, my wife (probably) wouldn't watch if it weren't for me, but she does enjoy Phil and Paul. Their banter and level of expertise are just right for her. It does bring one more pair of eyeballs to their program. (And who else is going to buy a Gotham Steel fry pan!)

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

It's quite possible to have the same sort of banter and not actually be wrong so often on the facts of the commentary. Just sayin'

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http://www.jt10000.com/

I'm in complete agreement, their commentary makes the sport very accessible and in the U.S. that's pretty important. I can have the tour on and within 5 minutes of watching my family and friends who don't know anything of the sport have a pretty good idea of what is going on.

In all honesty, I've never noticed any glaring issues with the factuality of their commentary. Aside from calling people the wrong names, which I think is going to happen from time to time in a field of 180 riders, especially with the majority of the camera shots coming from helicopter, what specific moments have ruined the commentary for you guys?

Ruined is a strong word, but it's death by a thousand cuts.

I try to not watch them at all, but the last time I did it was 3-minute highlights of the stage of the Tour de France that Jarlinson Pantano won. Inside the last 500 meters Liggett calls the race "That would have been a great result for Pantano" as if the other guy had just won. Seconds later Pantano comes around the other guy and wins the stage. Statement, then the opposite happens. That is typical.

No single instance ruins it for me, but it's a sign he sucks. We wouldn't put up with that in other sports (saying "the ball is in the hole" when it's not clear it will be) so why should it be OK in cycling. He's terrible.

Note, I'm not grousing on him *just* for being wrong so much, but for being unable to control himself and wait till he understands what he is seeing. It's Dunning-Kruger style cluelessness.

Oh, plus being a Lance Armstrong apologist/supporter/toadie for too long.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

Are you saying that the folks at NBCSports aren't smart enough to look at the numbers?

Ligget was the reason I started watching TDF in the 90's he was brilliant and still going well but I have to agree as hes got older hes losing the plot a bit here and there. YOu have to give him a bit of leg room here and there he is getting on but he is a legend of the sport.

D'Wife: "Oh no! You're not watching this shit again! I hate that guy's voice; so fucking annoying"

I've been DVRing the stages in the afternoon then skipping through when I get home

They have the studio team of Todd, Bob, and CVV do the commentary/ply-by-play for the first part, then Phil & Paul bring it home [with some comments here & there by Jensie]

They could very easily have the studio team do the whole thing; plus they're much more fun to listen to

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

No, I am saying the producers at NBC Sports don't know how to produce cycling coverage properly and are lazy. "Well, we've always used P & P. And 20 years ago, Bob Roll wrote a funny book, so cyclists seem to think he is funny. And cyclists LOVE Jens....we can have say 'shut up legs' and they will eat it up."

Seriously, the whole production reeks of laziness.

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

You left out: "Can we get a girl to to finish line interviews?"

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

"I don't get to hear the commentators that I want to hear these producers suck, the whole thing sucks."

Great insight.

Right back atcha.....

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

So I just read the lulzworthy article that Bicycling wrote which basically stated that cycling coverage in the U.S. is doomed because it doesn't use enough fancy graphics, and Phil and Paul don't tell stories as well as Vin Scully, LOL. I just don't get it.

If you REALLY dislike the fact that these guys mixup names and sometimes get a little ahead of themselves when calling the race, fine I'll give you that. But let's not condemn them to ruining U.S. cycling broadcasts as a whole. Any problems with audience numbers, accessibility, etc have to do with tons of other factors, lease of which is the "imperfect" commentary that these two bring to the table.

That being said, I would be a fan of the Jensie CVV show.