[Leppah]

I like Rob being a commentator. I couldn't imagine going to someone who is "proper" and reserved after hearing Rob. He's great. Funny as hell.

Most of the time when i watch the races, i don't really care what the commentators are saying. I'm watching for the racing. I can watch with the volume low if it bugs me.

 

[UiUiUiUi]

honestly i dont care about rachel.
thought she was funny in her own special way but not very interesting.

fabien barel was great and his english is great for frenchie. keep him there freecaster together with rob warner this could lead to some interesting and inspired quotes

 

[slyfink]

honestly i dont care about rachel.
thought she was funny in her own special way but not very interesting.

fabien barel was great and his english is great for frenchie. keep him there freecaster together with rob warner this could lead to some interesting and inspired quotes

and maybe a bilingual sportscast that would draw in an even broader fan base.

I think you guys are being hard on Rach. I certainly wouldn't call her a skank or a Chav. She's been an invited guest in the booth in the past, and has done quite a good job. I'm wondering if she might have been nervous this time around given that it was her fist "full time" gig and thought that drinking might help her relax. Maybe she drank a little too much. Anyways, I thought she was a good moderating influence on Rob, telling him to be polite a few times... Maybe by the end of the broadcast the alcohol had had time to settle in and take over.

Still, I liked stikman in the booth too. hopefully we'll see (hear) more of him in the future.

anyways, I'm stoked that we have Freecaster at all.... and I'm stoked for the rest of the season. Looks like its shaping up to be anyones race. Minaar at the top of his game, Hill still up there, Peaty seems to be back, Hannah back too, Gee is still on form... this season should be really really exciting to watch. bring it on!

 

[UiUiUiUi]

and maybe a bilingual sportscast that would draw in an even broader fan base.

oh no my french sucks i wont understand a word from fabien...

 

[slyfink]

oh no my french sucks i wont understand a word from fabien...

maybe it's not you... maybe its his southern accent!!!

 

[stiksandstones]

and maybe a bilingual sportscast that would draw in an even broader fan base.

I think you guys are being hard on Rach. I certainly wouldn't call her a skank or a Chav. She's been an invited guest in the booth in the past, and has done quite a good job. I'm wondering if she might have been nervous this time around given that it was her fist "full time" gig and thought that drinking might help her relax. Maybe she drank a little too much. Anyways, I thought she was a good moderating influence on Rob, telling him to be polite a few times... Maybe by the end of the broadcast the alcohol had had time to settle in and take over.

Still, I liked stikman in the booth too. hopefully we'll see (hear) more of him in the future.

anyways, I'm stoked that we have Freecaster at all.... and I'm stoked for the rest of the season. Looks like its shaping up to be anyones race. Minaar at the top of his game, Hill still up there, Peaty seems to be back, Hannah back too, Gee is still on form... this season should be really really exciting to watch. bring it on!

wicked! I have a fan!
success!

I was supposed to do whole circuit as Rob's partner, and they were going to have the fantastic Aaron Lutze filming-but it all fell apart before south africa as they did not have the funding to have me or Aaron. They are trying to get us in for the canadian rounds as it would be less expensive to send us there vs europe, but who knows....freecaster needs sponsors!!

I have been friends with Rob for about 15 years, I know how he ticks and felt the one time I got to host with him went pretty well. Rob is the star of the show and needs someone to mesh with him and provide the hard data for him to roll on with, I think I provided that AND we had a fantastic time hanging out again at the races and in the booth. I had never ever done any broadcasting stuff and it showed but was looking forward to doing more events, too bad it did not happen-hope something comes together so they can get a team that is the same every weekend and start a good thing rolling.

Freecaster has this exclusive for 3 years, would be great to get a solid team in place and run with it.

That being said, season is shaping up to be best ever I think.

 

[Tdiddy]

I agree that it would be very beneficial to at least have a consistent broadcasting team. They seem to switch it up every single race. It must be hard to develop the dynamics between commentators when you work with someone new every single event. You need to let a relationship like that develop over time.

 

[big-ted]

Nothing to do with being a polished commentator. She was annoying and disrespectful to someone for no reason. You wouldn't get that kind of **** off Josh Bryceland etc.

I agree with everything you said, but good lord don't even think about putting Bryceland in that commentary box. Whilst the guy can certainly ride a bike, he has no articulation, and I've yet to hear him add anything remotely intelligent to any conversation.

 

[slothy]

Stik,
You did a good job last year, you knew your stuff very articulate and informative, but you blew it when you were trying to compete with him in the shouting stakes. He was excited but you were shouting like a mongo. It was really irritating.

Maybe its a cultural american thing but I don't understand that frat boy mongo shouting, I think I speak for most Europeans, we don't do that mongo shouting stuff, its not cool
Like this, haha,

Anyway the commentary needs to complement Robs style. That is not try and copy it or get wrapped up in his style but in fact the opposite. I reckon almost like that Los Angeles Show on KROQ, loveline, (i used to listen years ago when over there) its funny as one guy is serious/dry, the other guy has a laugh. thats the direction it needs to take....

 

[slyfink]

Stik,
You did a good job last year, you knew your stuff very articulate and informative, but you blew it when you were trying to compete with him in the shouting stakes. He was excited but you were shouting like a mongo. It was really irritating.

Maybe its a cultural american thing but I don't understand that frat boy mongo shouting, I think I speak for most Europeans, we don't do that mongo shouting stuff, its not cool
Like this, haha,

Anyway the commentary needs to complement Robs style. That is not try and copy it or get wrapped up in his style but in fact the opposite. I reckon almost like that Los Angeles Show on KROQ, loveline, (i used to listen years ago when over there) its funny as one guy is serious/dry, the other guy has a laugh. thats the direction it needs to take....

Slothy,

I don't think its an american vs. euro thing... Stik is American, but Warner is Brit... and I'll also point out that your youtube video is for a euro tv show... I don't think anyone is immune from getting carried away sometimes...

I agree with others that consistency is key, and getting the commentators to develop a relationship will be important. I also recognize Stik's point about budget. Maybe as more people hear about Freecaster, and more ad revenue is generated, it'll be a viable business model.

Either way, Stik if you make it to Bromont, I'll come by and say hi... it'd be cool to meet you.

Sly

 

[epic]

I'm hoping for Stik, Rach and Rob at St Anne and Bromont.

Maybe one of them could be like Peter Windsor on teh F1 broadcasts. In the pits walking around rather than in the booth or maybe at the top of the mountain. "It's pouring rain up here, Peaty is making a last minute change to cut spikes!"

 

[Ithnu]

I have to agree comparing anyone to John Madden is wrong. I think Madden sucks, he always says crap like "scoring more points wins you games". And "That's how you move the ball, with completions, not dropped catches". He knows the stats and has the experience. But lots of fat guys drinking Budweiser on couches know all the stats too and there are better football commentators than him.

My Dad and I used to watch Packer games on mute with the local radio guys commentating instead...rant over.

 

[stiksandstones]

Stik,
You did a good job last year, you knew your stuff very articulate and informative, but you blew it when you were trying to compete with him in the shouting stakes. He was excited but you were shouting like a mongo. It was really irritating.

Maybe its a cultural american thing but I don't understand that frat boy mongo shouting, I think I speak for most Europeans, we don't do that mongo shouting stuff, its not cool
Like this, haha,

Anyway the commentary needs to complement Robs style. That is not try and copy it or get wrapped up in his style but in fact the opposite. I reckon almost like that Los Angeles Show on KROQ, loveline, (i used to listen years ago when over there) its funny as one guy is serious/dry, the other guy has a laugh. thats the direction it needs to take....

Slothy, thanks for the honesty. When I listened back to myself, it was painful, the shouting I did was horrendous. I swore to never do it again and could not wait to give it another try-only that has not happened yet haha. More the reason the broadcast team needs to be consistent to develop a flow and a camaraderie. Rob has begged and pleaded to get me back in there so much that he's turning blue, but it's pointless when budget is what it is.

I think Rob's stuff is fantastic and in La Bresse, despite Rachel being in there he did the best he has ever done. He has a tremendous radio voice and that alone makes him the best man for the job-then throw in his quotes and its a home run.

 

[happhazard]

I'm embaressed to hear the negative comments about Racheal. Harsh. Thought she did a great job filling in. Much better in fact than Rob's sidekick at Petermaritzburg...@ the guy that thought Bryceland would make a good commentator- hard for me to believe, as I can barely stand to hear him talk for 15 seconds let alone two hours.

 

[Tdiddy]

i think barel was awesome. anyone that can provide insight into equipment use, preparation the riders go through, etc. makes for interesting listening while there is not much else going on besides warner reminiscing. I think they would make a great team for the andorra event if you could get barel to talk just a little bit less.

 

[pelo]

He is funny at times but in general I think he is useless as a commentator.
I am not the biggest fan of Arthertons but I found Rachel annoying and rude at times.

I can´t believe this... Of course, difference in opinion i accept that, but I´m curious to find out what kind of standard you prefer for a commentator?

I mean, I just hate soccer, baseboll, football, hockey or similiar mainstream sports commentating. It´s all pretentious sh*t. I now I wouldn´t wish for that standard, anyway.

Lean back, loosen up and put a smile on your face and watch the 2009 world cup with some really entertaining commentators and sick riding!

Cheers

 

[Kanye West]

Yeah it took me a few minutes to figure out that was Atherton in there and not some drunken sign-holding chick with a loose mouth and nothing to say. Unprofessional and not even amusing either. Just irritating.

Fabien as expected had actual input. It was good to have with each rider heading down. Probably more insight than you'd get out of any other commentator.

I personally love the way Warner does it, but to anyone who doesn't know who he is and is just randomly tuning in it's probably borderline embarrassing to the sport. It would just make the videos that much harder to watch if you aren't familiar with him or not expecting him to be kind of...well, Rob Warner. But I guess most of the people who are tuning in are DH fans to begin with, in which case whatever, make it a total circus.

 

[Muttely]

i think you may all forget quite how drunk they both were, rob has said it himself he starts the afternoon with a bottle of vodka.

and anything is better than the bloke who came in at fort bill last year, who got asked to leave the booth, though hilarious, he wasnt exactly..appropriate.

 

[big-ted]