The problem with Phil Liggett

[StevieL]

I thought the Giro commentary this year was pretty good.

Never heard a commentator get so excited about a sprint...

His voice got higher and higher the closer they got to the finish.

It was so high by the time they crossed the line, I think only my dog could hear that inaudible sound coming from his mouth...

[Shebeen]

he's a fabulous bike rider!

 

So what if he supported lance?

 

Can't wait for the piece when you tear apart Paul, who took lance's money to go find gold.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2002/07/news/cycling-biggies-invest-in-ugandan-gold-mine_2563

[GoLefty!!]

Hahaha didn't take long for you guys to drag this thread down...

 

depends what he wants to dip the thong in...

[David Buckham]

Thank you to all who replied to this topic and to those who read the piece.

 

I think 'Lucky Luke' sums it up best when he says: Phil Liggett was 'a lovable, if confused old codger, until he decided to weigh in on his buddy Lance'. Phil Liggett, in the interview, seemed absolutely convinced that there was a plot against Lance and I believe that Phil really believed that at the time.

 

Regarding the comments made by the person called 'Blackbeard' - I appreciate the time you spent reading my articles and take on board your remarks. Like most writers, I do wish to be read, and I appreciate this forum as one of the ways to promote the reading of the articles. I believe the topics themselves are worthy of debate.

 

Regarding the comments on the playlist: The original idea was to pair music with the experience of exercise, using the sort of language one would find when pairing wine with food. It has not really come off as intended. At least we can agree on one thing though - that the music itself is good.

 

I am not a journalist, although I revere the profession.

[Big H*]

We do not care about your moaners and whiners....... many more thinks Phil is great, and Murray Walker was great!!!!!!

[kosmonooit]

We do not care about your moaners and whiners....... many more thinks Phil is great, and Murray Walker was great!!!!!!

 

And lets not forget Charles Fortune!

[Maniax]

Love him or hate him, Phil and the tour are unseperable. I love him, most of of the english viewers love him too. You should hear some of the other language commentators! Haha, Phil is awesome compared to their revving!

Edited August 8, 2013 by Daniel Rossouw

[Big H*]

 

 

And lets not forget Charles Fortune!

 

....... and Gerhard Viviers

[GoLefty!!]

Phil Ligget is in the Murray Walker league. You cannot separate the two.

David Duffield on Skysports commentary was another commentator who could keep you entertained for the full 5 hrs of a TDF stage. By comparison, most game show hosts can't even keep you entertained for 30min

[LeTurbo]

Phil's got a rather lovely steel Battaglin, as I recall. I met him in Stellenbosch - polite, self-deprecating, a gentleman.

[Trailman]

Phil's got a rather lovely steel Battaglin, as I recall. I met him in Stellenbosch - polite, self-deprecating, a gentleman.

 

+1 for Phil, getting a bit long in the tooth but that's when legends come to the fall.

[GoLefty!!]

every career has a sunset. Hopefully its on your own terms

[T-Bob]

Phil Ligget is in the Murray Walker league. You cannot separate the two.

David Duffield on Skysports commentary was another commentator who could keep you entertained for the full 5 hrs of a TDF stage.

 

It's true. I enjoyed the eurosport commentary with Sean Kelly and his insights as it gave a lot more 'info' but the sound of the tour has and alway will be P&P. They were there for my first tour as a wide eye grom watching Roche chase down Delgado, they were there in the days when I didn't ride and dropped into the odd stage of Lances era and they were there again, un changed (able it slightly madder) when I got back in the saddle.

 

Like Murray in F1 and Ritchie B in the cricket there are people, voices and sounds that 'are' cycling. They bugged the sh*t out of me this year but they are a classic if only for the P&P bingo of catch phrases.

 

As for Phils love of LA. Hindsight is a big thing, at the time he was super human, poster boy, hero, icon and he fooled the world. From Nike to Presidents of the US to fans there were very few people who weren't taken in. He grew the sport like never before and then p*ssed all over it.

 

Sherwin is still an ex pro, a hardman of euro cycling, loves a chataeu and is deffo the woman in the relationship.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2309/5707196970_071e6424ec.jpg

[fabs]

Love him or hate him, Phil and the tour are unseperable. I love him, most of of the english viewers love him too. You should hear some of the other language commentators! Haha, Phil is awesome compared to their revving!

 

If you look at it from us latino's point of view, he is too biased for the English.

Hence, not really a fan of his commentaries

[Daideron]

To me, the Tour commentary would not be the same without Paul and Phil. Yes they both get stuck on words, or names or dates. But theirs is a live commentary. It is no easy task sitting and commentating on a live event thats viewable on a small monitor while you have to quickly remember any and every factoid about a rider or team. I have had the privilige of watching over 25 Tours with their commentary, and I would challenge anyone to be able to do a better job, and on as personal a level as they both do.

As for this years Giro, the commentary was brilliant! But of the two commentators only Dan was a former professional cyclist. The other guy was definately an enthusiast, but at times some of the things he said made no sense, but were acceptable because they were funny. I also had the impression that Dan would have loved to have screamed "SHUT UP" to his co commentator on a few occassions!

Back to Paul and Phil, we also forget that they try to make it appealing and easy to understand for anyone who is new to the sport. If they spoke simply based on their collective experience, and made no effort to simplify it, most of us would probably be lost.

Yes Phil punts SA, but he is equally complimentary of almost everywhere else as well. And yes he was fooled by Armstrong, but who wasnt? Its unfair to say he enjoyed the priviliges that came with being associated with Armstrong without saying others benefitted just as much if not more. ( a local bike shop comes to mind where they made a killing from TREK's and other LA team issue gear )

I think we would miss them if they were not available to do the commentary. I know I would miss their commentary on my every training ride!

[Frosty]

So Supercycling showed 2012 footage, tonight, of an interview of Phil Liggett by Gerald de Kock.

A question was asked "when will your race (retirement) be done?"

Liggett replied, "my wife watches the events and she has to tell me when I become too old for the job." along those lines

 

So, there you have it... if you think he's irritating, tell his wife that it's time to go...