Shoot, spelling bee's get more coverage on ESPN!
Tour of California TV Schedule - If you care?
- Thread starter scalpel6
- Start date
cyclocrossfool
New Member
i just saw floyd l. go down. his team manager had to get out of the team car and pick up all the needles that fell out of his jersey pocket when he fell. i also see tyler "the troll " h. up the road in a break. he must be back on the "sause " again.
cavendish almost blew it by celebrating, damn it was close.
NJ-XC-Justin
KY-DH-Freddy
The coverage is awful. Losing signals, Cutting away at the wrong time and not posting the distance to finish. I can't believe this is the same TV team that does the TdF.
BiknBen
Well-Known Member
These are not the sample people that bring you the TdF coverage. The TdF coverage is provided by one production company and sold to all the networks. The networks then provides their own commentary.
You better brush up on your Italian. The Giro de Italia is in May. You will hear the voices of Phil and Paul but everything on the screen will be in Italian.
Every year and every event people continue to bitch about cycling coverage. Be glad you get anything. Because of the show times, I've only seen 60 minutes of the prologue. There are other sources for adequate coverage. I read the stories and watch the highlights at VeloNews.com.
NJ-XC-Justin
KY-DH-Freddy
The first road cycling I ever watched on TV was the TdF so it seems I'm spoiled. That said, cutting away to crowd shots in the final 3k while the leaders get caught by the peleton was about as poor a sports moment as I've seen on TV (I guess minus the super bowl cutting to Heidi or porn). It doesn't take the best in the business to make sure the cameras stay rolling on the riders.
BiknBen
Well-Known Member
I remember back in the '80 when all you got was the weekend highlights show on one of the big networks. :cry:
I remember TdF coverage on ESPN2 in '96-'97. You got a 30 minute daily show each evening. 10 minutes of comercials. 10 minutes of catch up from previous day's interviews. 5 minutes of actual coverage from that day's stage. Then 5 minutes of preview of the next day. ...and we were thankful to get it. :rofl:
On the weekends, CBS or NBC would take over and show a 60 minute wrap-up of the previous week. You still got only 5 minutes of that day's stage.
I remember TdF coverage on ESPN2 in '96-'97. You got a 30 minute daily show each evening. 10 minutes of comercials. 10 minutes of catch up from previous day's interviews. 5 minutes of actual coverage from that day's stage. Then 5 minutes of preview of the next day. ...and we were thankful to get it. :rofl:
On the weekends, CBS or NBC would take over and show a 60 minute wrap-up of the previous week. You still got only 5 minutes of that day's stage.
6thElement
Member
Idiots running alongside the riders really annoy me :getsome:
NJ-XC-Justin
KY-DH-Freddy
pathetic. for some reason they looked far worse than the schmucks on alpe d'huez. they were getting way too close and one dude fell inches from a rider.
I'm not as knowledgeable as many here with regards to road cycling but I'd have to think winning the TdCA each year isn't enough for Levi. Amazing as it is I'd really like to see him win a TdF. I know he got 2nd or 3rd a couple years ago but it seems like his biggest competition comes from his own teammates, and I don't foresee Lance or Alberto pulling domestique duties all through France.
BiknBen
Well-Known Member
I'm surprised you guys feel that way. Watching guys climb a mountain on TV can get pretty darn boring. The clowns add some entertainment. In Europe, the crowds are far bigger and there are police officers along the road. You run along the riders there and you will get taken out my an officer enjoying his day as a NFL Linebacker.
The crowd size wasn't that big. This gave the clowns room to run alongside the riders for hundreds of yards. In a bigger crowd, you will run into someone else before long. Basically, these guys did that stuff simply because they could.
The European crowds are certainly more respectful to the riders. But they have learned this because the race caravan of cars and motorcycles is pretty aggressive. Spectators get their toes run over on a regular basis.
Also keep in mind that this interaction is part of the draw to the sport. How many sports allow you to reach out and give your idol a boost or a earful of encouragement? Why just stand there and watch when you can interact?
the people running beside the riders were great! The guy with the huge antlers cracked me the f up, especially since he never look at the riders once, just straight ahead. A guy in a green bottle suit was amusing also One of the jackasses did take another spectator out though...:rofl:
trener1
Well-Known Member
I am going to go flip flop here...
On the one hand I do agree that those freaks running around in speedos and antlers make for some entertaining TV.
But on the other hand I felt that yesterday 1) they were getting way to close to the riders. and 2) for a while they were blocking the TV cameras and all you could see were those wackos, and not the race.
On the one hand I do agree that those freaks running around in speedos and antlers make for some entertaining TV.
But on the other hand I felt that yesterday 1) they were getting way to close to the riders. and 2) for a while they were blocking the TV cameras and all you could see were those wackos, and not the race.
BiknBen
Well-Known Member
That is absolutely classic. Lance is the guy shoving him (he the only Astana guy in a black/yellow helmet). The Astana guy laughing in the third pic is Chris Horner.
FWIW, Horner is one of my favs. His interviews often provide a little more insight than anyone else. He knows his stuff and is just generally more entertaining than most others.
THATmanMANNY
Well-Known Member
that is hysterical
NJ-XC-Justin
KY-DH-Freddy
I should have said I appreciated the enthusiasm, it was indeed cool to see people actually into cycling on this continent! But they were too close and most of them were just trying to get on TV, as opposed to the crazies in the TdF who for the most part seem to run with the riders more just to be with them.
Anyway, who thinks the Astana team will pull for Levi at the TdF? Obviously if Levi, Lance or Contador are in the lead, the rest of the team will support them, but does anyone really think Lance is just along for the ride? I simply can't imagine he'd get back in it unless he had a win in mind.
MST.ESQ
New Member
If you ask me, this guy got off easy with only a shove. Running with the pack at a safe distance and in a non-menacing manner is ok... as is taking your life in your hands on a turn at a road-rally race. But running in 6" of real estate between a pack of riders and the snow carrying a lance (pun intended)??? Just plain dangerous.
edit: OK, maybe not 6" since his ass is atleast 18" wide...