Being over a holiday weekend, I had the pleasure of talking up how great this show usually is for many who had never seen it. It was a tremendous let down...

- video footage was not nearly as good or clear. I usually find the footage as a sensory party for the eyes and it just seemed blah this year.

- agree with missing Al.

- fortunately the others who were seeing it for the first time did not know what they were missing.

Damn, beat me to it!

Also
1) No LS, except for a short clip of him riding. It was show when they were talking about the 40 years of IM and it looked a like a clip from last year.
2) Loved that they captured Ryf waving to Charles at turn around as she was about to pass her.
3) Last human interest story was awesome, plus. Didn't care much for the first two.

I have every IM Hawaii broadcast and have noticed many changes over the years.
- overall seemed very disjointed and didn’t flow. There wasn’t a lot of drama this year, but it wasn’t “attention grabbing”
- the announcer is probably the worst ever. I agree he does the mandatory training voice overs.
- music reminds me of the first couple years. Not appropriate choice.
- human interest stories - they always seem to have three.
- How did the woman get a slot? Just luck of the draw? They never explained.
- The guy who lost his wife and son was rough to watch.
- The brothers. Could have developed it better.
- Poor TO was really out of it when handed Izzy. Good show of “Izzy’s mom”. Though.

I save the telecasts and watch while on the trainer. This one I’ll save but doubt if I’ll watch it again.

Yikes, I thought it was awful compared to years past. The new guy's voice just doesn't cut it, I'm thinking there's no Emmy in the cards this year.

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Team Zoot 2023

It re-airs on NBCSN December 12.

Nice. I’d watch that.

Also Fred Willard, but in the role he played in Best in Show.

Or Fran Drescher.

Meh! I usually watch these shows multiple times when training. I will not watch this one again. Uninspiring.

Bring back Al!!! This broadcast was awful, also why didn't include any live audio? It was all this generic muzak with someone reading a script, it didn't even feel real. At least Al Trautwig cared about the event. It was like they created a corporate video.

I agree, please bring Al back. His first words at the start of the show already gets you hooked. He is like the Mike Reilly of Ironman Kona broadcast.

Or in A Mighty Wind.

"Wha' happened??"

The broadcast looks significantly lower budget than in the past and extremely boring. Terrible all around.

I'll be first in line waiting for the soundtrack to be released!

Just finished watching it. It didn’t captivate my imagination this year. It was just a very factual recap of events without delving further into the stories (LS blowing up, Miranda Carfrae comeback, heck Matt Russell would have been an obvious choice as an American).

Still way better than nothing. I’d much rather watch an okay triathlon show than any football game! 😂

Irony is the live coverage was far and away superior to what they've had previously. But that only taps a small percentage of the numbers that will see this broadcast.

Lower budget for sure. WTC pays for this and this was significantly cheaper. No Trautwig means no pay to one of the best commentators in sport. If we go back and watch footage of Macca v Raelhart the production quality is significantly less this year. Like drop off a cliff cheaper.

I assume no story telling of Matt Russell because, well he crashed on course and nearly died. How would WTC start that story?

The mother of 5 story was a real commercial for “yes you can do this too” despite your busy life!

The good? The story of man who lost wife and son to cancer was heart wrenching and i felt right amount of time allocated. Good story tell of Tim Don. Nice capture of wedding proposal though my wife said “fuck that. Hes proposing because he beat record?” Because thats what he said.

Still 90mins coverage on thanksgiving weekend is good for the sport.

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@rhyspencer

Really missed Al.

Tim Don story was good.

The dud who lost his wife and son was tragic. How about some love to him for the badass finish time!

I'm a Rinny fan so I missed her, but how you don't give significant coverage to the achievement of a former past multiple champ coming back from giving birth and finishing 5th is beyond me. It would have made the Izzy payoff at the finish even more touching. Maybe if she nursed on the course...

Sam Kinison

When will the IM coverage give "2 seconds of fame" to the age group winners? If the Xterra championship coverage can show each of the age group winners crossing the finish line, why can't the IM broadcast coverage scroll thru the winners at the end of the show? The age group winners may not care, but I'd rather see each winner than another finish line "dance" by someone hours behind. Almost every year the last finisher makes the coverage, but not a single age group winner.

I agree that the announcer added nothing to the coverage. I thought the coverage of the pro race was pretty good. Since it's put together after knowing who won, they didn't include Lionel because he was never a factor.

I'm about the same - I could almost mouth the script and hear his voice every year - but it was not the same without him doing the commentary... guess the grass isn't always greener...

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_____________________________________________
"It's a line you have to cross to understand."

The new guy felt like listening to a continuing education video for accountants. No disrespect to that profession, but, booooooooring.

Al was not very good doing the Tour de France but he can really read a scrip and do an excellent narration. I am kinda surprised that I truly missed him.

Mike Rowe

He's a FOX guy

https://deadspin.com/...ban-meyer-1830634725

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

I think I found the talent.

google: boring corporate voice over actor

1st hit is guy named Dave Courvoisier