Commentators US vs Canada

[Ice Queen]

After attending my first live competition (Skate Canada) I
can see why fans love to view skating live. Feeling the excitement
in the air and cheering for the skaters was awesome. But my favorite
part was finally being able to hear the skaters music. I know alot of
fans like Dick Button. But frankly I wish he would retire already. Yes, he's knowledgeable but his constant need to criticize skaters is annoying. He's taken the joy out of watching a competition on tv. Peggy Fleming must have tremendous patience to work with him. I just hope someday Button realizes that he's not helping the sport but hurting it. I doubt that I'm the only one that is disgusted with his commentating.

I commend the Canadian commentators for their excellent coverage. Watching the competition on tv in Canada was enjoyable. They are insightful and clearly respect skaters and the fans.

[ceceB]

Peggy Fleming must have tremendous patience to work with him.
That's hilarious!

I'd have to agree with you. I really dislike ABC's commentary. Truth is, Rod Black is probably much less knowlegable about the details of skating than any ABC commentator, but the difference is that he doesn't claim to know all. He lets Tracy (or Debbie if it's pairs) talk of the details. I love Tracy Wilson. Especially during SC this year, I thought she was excellent about explaining the points system, saying exactly what a jump was worth and why.

[bleu]

Originally posted by Ice Queen
After attending my first live competition (Skate Canada) I
can see why fans love to view skating live. Feeling the excitement
in the air and cheering for the skaters was awesome. But my favorite
part was finally being able to hear the skaters music. I know alot of
fans like Dick Button. But frankly I wish he would retire already. Yes, he's knowledgeable but his constant need to criticize skaters is annoying. He's taken the joy out of watching a competition on tv. Peggy Fleming must have tremendous patience to work with him. I just hope someday Button realizes that he's not helping the sport but hurting it. I doubt that I'm the only one that is disgusted with his commentating.

I commend the Canadian commentators for their excellent coverage. Watching the competition on tv in Canada was enjoyable. They are insightful and clearly respect skaters and the fans.

If you have a problem then please join my fundraising campaign for a new product called -

take-back-the-skate(TM).

What is it?

Basically me and my partner in crime(just kidding) are trying to figure out how to take back the skate. We are thinking of creatiNg a small remote-like device that can

1. tell the difference between the skate going on

and

2. the totally too talkative commentator(s).

Once this device figures out #1 from #2 then we move to the next stage, that is,

3. find a way to adjust #1 and #2 such that the viewer can change from one to the other. We hope to have a button on the remote control that the viewer can push to mute #2 and only have #1.;) Thus, take back the skate.8-)

4. we have done a business plan and are now raising funds.


Come now and please donate. Take back the skate!.

[gandalf]

I agree that Uncle Dick and Peggy are horrible but I've quite enjoyed Susie Wynne's commentary on ice dance in the past. I found that she gave quite balanced commentary, maybe b/c the US hasn't had a real contender in ice dance for a long time (B&A appear to be changing that trend though).

Although others hate him, I often found Paul Martini's commentary to be refreshingly honest - willing to call an ugly position an ugly position - and I usually liked Barb Underhill's commentary as well (although her excessive gushing over B&S in the early years really turned me off of this team for a long time).

[Sydney]

Did Barb really gush about B&S? I found that stopped in later years. However, I do remember her being rather harsh on Tara Lipinski for turning pro, and totally doing a Michelle vs. Tara thing on tv, which really turned me off.

Tracy Wilson - I adore her. She is knowledgeable, classy, and I liked the fact that at Skate Canada, she pointed out weaknesses that Canadian skaters had. She didn't do any of the excessive pro-Canadian gushing that I've heard from other commentators *coughRodBlackcough*.

As for Rod Black.... I like the fact that is a genuine skating fan. However, it really bugs me when he comes up with exaggerated statements. There are so many times when a skater has had an ok skate, but full of cheated jumps or so, and he'll exclaim, "It just might win him/her a medal!" or "He/she might just win the competition!" and it is so far from the truth. He really seems to like hyperbole. It is also clear who his favourites are and who are not. Speaking of which, how many times does he have to mention the King, Elvis Stojko, even when he has retired?....

I'm going back here, but who liked Toller Cranston? When I watch the old tapes, I have to admit, I enjoy listening to Toller....

[Brettsmommy]

I do not care to listen to Dick Button's commentary at all. I almost find him offensive in his negativity, and he gushes too much over his obvious favourites. I don't mind Peggy so much, but she was a little mushy over Sarah Hughes. Tracy Wilson is my favourite by far. She is classy, educated, and does not have favourites. She points skaters strength's and weakness' without being harsh or gushy. She doesn't hype up Canadian skaters, and doesn't hide the fact that we really don't have a female skater who can compete for a world championship medal. I also really like Debbie Wilkes, she doesn't take any excuses for mistakes skaters make. Rod Black, well I'm not loving him, but you can tell he is a really big fan of skating - and hey, how can dislike someone who loves skating:D

[sk8er1964]

Originally posted by Ice Queen
.....I know alot of fans like Dick Button. But frankly I wish he would retire already. Yes, he's knowledgeable but his constant need to criticize skaters is annoying. He's taken the joy out of watching a competition on tv........

IMO, you have hit the nail right on the head regarding Dick Buttons. His negativity is quite annoying. I try to ignore him as much as possible, but it's hard.

[gandalf]

Barb Underhill was completely over the top gushy about B&S circa 1997/1998.

Tracy Wilson has greatly improved but there was a time when she was pretty biased towards certain Cdn skaters *cough*B&K*cough. I think she's really improved that in the last couple of years though.

I appreciate Toller Cranston's commentary so much more now than I did when he was commentating. At the time, I would yell at the screen for him to shut up and let us listen to the music but now I quite like his brand of sarcasm and humour. He did talk an awful lot though. One of my most cherished skating programs on tape is Toller's "Skates of the '80s", where he picked the programs that he thought were the best from the previous decade (this would have aired in early 1990, probably as a lead in to 1990 Worlds in Halifax). It's because of this program that I have a copy of Denise Bielman's winning LP from 1981, G&G's 1988 LP, Annenko & Srentenski's "Romeo & Juliet", Katarina Witt's "West Side Story", and Brian Orser's 1984 LP. I was really hoping he'd do a "Skates of the '90s" but I guess after the massive falling out with CBC, that wasn't going to happen. Too bad someone else didn't do it though.

[evereg]

I also really enjoy Tracy Wilson’s commentary. I think that she is fair and relatively unbiased. I really like how she will point out a skater’s strong points, but also states where they need to improve or what they need to work on. Debbie Wilkes is OK. Sometimes, I find that her comments have little substance. For instance, at 1994 Canadians, she said that Josee’s jumps were "beautiful". Well, why? That comment didn't really mean much to those of us who do not skate. I thought that Barb Underhill was a lot better at explaining the technical aspects. I came to understand a lot about figuring skating from her commentary.

As for the American commentators, I have not watched them that much. However, the few times that I have watched them, they gushed over one skater and then totally ripped the next one to shreds. There seems to be no middle ground with them. I also find them very, very biased.

[Skatingsarah]

I could much sooner listen to Dick Button then I can with Rod Black.... and I'm Canadian. I'm a skater so obviously I'm a perfectionist so when I'm watching I'm sometimes thinking the same thing that Dick Button just not so matter a fact. I mean I'm soo sick of hearing Elvis stojko this the King that... Hes retired Rod, and we all know, he never came back to compete he just trained, so I guess that means we will have to still hear about it in rods commentary for the next 20 yrs. As for Dick Button he tells the truth maybe a little to much and sometimes hes a little off topic. It was a skate america and one of the women were skating their long programs in the slow part and he up and say I think she should tuck in her shoe laces... Yes that is exactly what all the skating fans wanted to hear..lol But he's kinda funny and I cant imagine ever trying to work with him. Its kinda like the don cherry and Rod McClain (sp) partnership...

[Roma]

I'm an American, so there are a few of the Canadian commentators whom I have not seen. I've always thought it interesting that two of the commentators I've found to be most impressive were both ice dancers: Susie Wynne and Tracy Wilson. I learned an awful lot about ice dance from listening to Susie. She has that great balance of pointing out a lot of interesting things without talking so much that we can't enjoy the performance. Interestingly, she also is very good at explaining what went wrong when single skaters miss a jump. In the last few years, I've actually learned things from her about singles skating that I never knew before.

I thought Tracy was very unbiased in Salt Lake City. Amidst all the controversy, in each CD and in the OD she pointed out to the viewers why she thought Annissina and Peizarat deserved first place. She did a lot to avoid having the American audience think that A & P's first placements were undeserved, which I though was especially commendable from a Canadian commentator. She really handled the dance commentary in a level-headed and engaging manner.

[ceceB]

I agree Roma, I really enjoyed her SL commentary.

Well, I still can't say I dislike Rod. I love the guy's enthusiasm. Sure, if Tracy or Debbie weren't at his side during the programs, it would be awful. But I think he's just there to add some flavor. :D Plus, the way he gets SO worked up really does add excitement. His obvious lack of knowlege would be annoying if he were commenting on elements, but he doesn't, he leaves that to the ladies who know what they're talking about. So I like that guy.

[Artemis]

Originally posted by Skatingsarah
I could much sooner listen to Dick Button then I can with Rod Black....

I never compare these two. Dick Button is a figure skater, he's supposed to know what he's talking about when it comes to the specifics of the sport. Rod Black is a professional sports commentator ... but even after all these years he still isn't any more than an enthusiastic fan. (Which kinda says something about the profession of sportscasting -- they'd never put in a hockey, football, baseketball, or baseball commentator who wasn't an expert!) Basically I see Rod as being there as a foil for Tracy, Debbie, or whoever else he's paired with. And I agree with ceceB: his enthusiasm is infectious.

BTW, I don't particularly like either, but I see Rod as being less "harmful" as a commentator because he's not supposed to be an expert.

[mousey]

i was watching skate canada today on ABC, and dick called a spin a flying axel sit spin??!! whats that?

[PaulWyliefan]

He also invented a new jump, the triple toe lutz! I thought he'd correct himself after he said that, but he didn't.

[slimpme]

One of the better broadcasts I've seen in recent years took place around the same time that Bourne and Kraatz first began crying foul about the judging. I don't remember what year it was or even which competition (perhaps World's?), but CBS was covering it in the States and Tracy Wilson was sharing the commenting duties. I remember that she did a segment on allegations about judge collusion (perhaps around the time of the infamous tapping foot scandal?) where she literally was forced to chase one of the judges backstage in an effort to get him/her (don't recall which) to answer her questions. She was tenacious, but largely fair, and I was intrigued because I think it was the first time I recall any network tried to tackle the subject head on. And it was nice to see a filler piece that was timely and relevant and not simply yet another up close and personal look at a skater's private life.

In the same broadcast, CBS emplyed a split screen technique during the Ice Dance competition that I found extremely helpful as a long-time but largely self-educated skating viewer. Comparing two couples going through the set pattern gave me a better feel for the differences in technique between those placed first(I believe it was Gritshuk and Platov) and those ranked farther down. Very insightful and yet I don't know that I've ever seen anyone else do it since.

[Justine_R]

I know dosent he just love to do that he never compliments on there qualitys or strengths.Just on there weaknesses and faults.

[Spark]

I find Dick Button alternately annoying and hilarious. He's come up with some great lines over the years, but more often he is inarticulate, makes too many mistakes, and often doesn't finish his sentences. He's also a bit too talkative if you have the kind of knowledge about figure skating that most of us here have. If you already know most of what a commentator is explaining, you wish he would just be quiet and let you watch the performance. I agree with all the criticisms people have made here about Dick, but I can't say I won't miss him when he does go!

Skateweb's "skating humour" page has a few links to "drinking games" for a few commentators. For those who haven't seen them, they can be reached from this page:

http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/fans.shtml

A bit outdated now, since some of the newer commentators being discussed here aren't included. I was very amused by them a few years ago, though.

[Justine_R]

Lol*-Isnt he the most annyoing person??