Author Topic: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012  (Read 25986 times)

Thor

  • Super-sonnicus idioticus
Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« on: 30 June, 2012, 07:35:24 pm »
Quote
His prologue is over!

Said about Tony Martin, re-mounting his bike after puncturing ... to resume his prologue.
It was a day like any other in Ireland, only it wasn't raining

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #1 on: 30 June, 2012, 07:44:39 pm »
Quote
His prologue is over!

Said about Tony Martin, re-mounting his bike after puncturing ... to resume his prologue.

Quickly followed by 'Oh no it's happened to him again', when it was replayed.

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #2 on: 30 June, 2012, 09:00:40 pm »
I rather hoped Liggett (or is it Sherwen) would have learned to pronounce Boassen and Voeckler (i.e. not including a y in either name) over the last 12 months but sadly not!
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


aregister

  • On entre OK, on sort KO
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #3 on: 30 June, 2012, 09:39:57 pm »
I rather hoped Liggett (or is it Sherwen) would have learned to pronounce Boassen and Voeckler (i.e. not including a y in either name) over the last 12 months but sadly not!
Ha! It's Liggett.
Last year ITV4 managed 3 different pronunciations of Voeckler.

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #4 on: 30 June, 2012, 11:37:56 pm »
I rather hoped Liggett (or is it Sherwen) would have learned to pronounce Boassen and Voeckler (i.e. not including a y in either name) over the last 12 months but sadly not!

In 40 years of commentating on the Tour, Liggett has not learned how to pronounce maillot jaune, so Voeckler is well beyond him.

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #5 on: 01 July, 2012, 12:12:54 am »
I didn't watch all of the coverage of the prologue today, in part because I was finding that their style of commentary is beginning to grate - trouble is, I'm damned if I'm going to sign up to Sky...

I think it's time for a canonical TdF drinking game, if only to make the weekend live coverage bearable!  :demon:

Take one gulp if the coverage shows:

Fans in ridiculous costumes
CDCs or a syringe painted on the road
An artistic arrangement of hay bales

Take one gulp if Phil or Paul say any of the following (select seven at random for each day):

Suitcase of courage
Thank you very much
Some comment about scenery
Mano a mano
Dancing on the pedals
Serious blow to the morale
Rest Day Bonus Round
They’ve stretched the elastic
Put the hammer down
Turned a pedal in anger
Like a trojan
Some random fact about the city/town village that Le Tour is passing through
He’s popped
Done his job
Suffering like an animal
Cat’s amongst the pigeons
Have to dig deep
Boom-Boom and out go the lights
Ticket collector
Once you pull on that golden fleece, you become two men
Resplendent
Gods of cycling
My goodness me
Desperately Close
Cross Swords
Going Over the Top
Some comment about the Arc de Triumph
 
Take a double gulp if the coverage shows:
Didi Senft aka "The Devil"
The peloton passing a field of sunflowers

Take a double gulp if Phil or Paul says:
The elastic has snapped**
Some comment about animal on side of road**
Traffic furniture**
Heads of State**
Argy Bargy**
Mask of pain**
Massive crowd**

Mountain stage special rule - take a double gulp if a rider chins a spectator who gets too much in his face

Should either Phil or Paul mention Lance Armstrong in the context of the USADA charges actually having some weight, drain your glass.

(Inspired by http://neilbrowne.com/2010/07/tour-de-france-drinking-game/)
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #6 on: 01 July, 2012, 12:41:54 am »
Quote
His prologue is over!

Said about Tony Martin, re-mounting his bike after puncturing ... to resume his prologue.

Quickly followed by 'Oh no it's happened to him again', when it was replayed.
Yep. Hilarious! Whoever said it must have been channelling Duffers at that point.

Talking of whom, apart from the infamous 'suitcase of courage' line, that list above reads more like a list of Duffieldisms. Like you, spesh, I'm finding Phil and Paul do grate a bit these days. Might try the cheapskate solution of an audio feed from Eurosport from now on while watching on ITV4 - if I can put up with the delay 'twixt vision and sound. It is on Eurosport, right? Or am I being a bit thick not realising that Sky are showing it instead now?
'Something....something.... Something about racing bicycles, but really a profound metaphor about life itself.'  Tim Krabbé. Possibly

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #7 on: 01 July, 2012, 12:49:37 am »
"... boom, out go the lights", "mano a Mano" and "... popped" are definitely Phil'n'Paulisms (sic), along with random trufax about chateaux, villages and departments - though I suspect that the travelogue-related triva bites are a generic Grand Tour commentary trope.

Eurosport is normally available as a part of a Sky package.  I'm not sure what Virgin offer these days, because I recall that Sky were trying to stop Virgn from showing some of the channels that were hitherto jointly broadcast...

EDIT

Take one sip when Phil pissmronounces a rider's name.  ;)
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #8 on: 01 July, 2012, 01:56:34 am »
There's a book of the found poetry of Phil Liggett. Here's a review.

Quote
This book, a tribute to the dean of Tour de France broadcasters, Phil Liggett, is a genuine find. Donaldson has taken 30 years' worth of Liggett's Tour de France calls and recast them into more than 200 poems of varying lengths. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Liggett himself has a natural gift for rhythm and metaphor, as well as a wide-angle style of commentary that has always made TDF seem so much larger than a mere athletic event. In Liggett's world, and thus Donaldson's poems, cyclists become kings and jokers, conquerors and the conquered, and/or any number of other stages in between. The book's title, by the way, comes from a classic Liggett moment: Watching a cyclist climb a peak during the 1989 event, the broadcaster observed, "He's dancing on the pedals in a most immodest way."

Some of the poems pack a surprising punch in a very few lines, all the more so for anyone who has ever climbed on a bicycle seat for any event requiring endurance. In this category is one titled "Contender": "He is settling in./He is recovering./And he will kick in." Or there's this one, "Inferno," which reminded me of the John Berryman poetry I read in college: "There's our friend/the devil/who's joined us/the past few days." Among the longer poems, I particularly liked "World of Hurt," one of a number of tributes to Greg LeMond. Donaldson also uses typography and phrasing to amplify the meaning and impact of the individual poems. (Check out "Come to Paris." It'll make you smile.) Finally, embedded between the lines of the poems is a succinct history of TDF, sure to evoke nostalgic feelings in any true fan.

Overall, for anyone who's into cycling, sportscasting genius, or poetry itself, Dancing is a very nice read.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1891369555

This is Phil's 40th year of covering the Tour. I've only been with him since 1986 when Channel Four began covering it.

Thor

  • Super-sonnicus idioticus
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #9 on: 01 July, 2012, 10:06:14 am »
Like you, spesh, I'm finding Phil and Paul do grate a bit these days. Might try the cheapskate solution of an audio feed from Eurosport from now on while watching on ITV4 - if I can put up with the delay 'twixt vision and sound. It is on Eurosport, right? Or am I being a bit thick not realising that Sky are showing it instead now?

It is indeed still on Eurosport, where you can get commentary from David Harmon and Sean Kelly.  I find this significantly more bearable than Ligget 'n' Sherwin.  However the Eurosport logo is causing increasing image retention on my plasma screen >:( so a means of having ITV4 pictures and Eurosport audio would be useful.  I'm obviously watching too much pro cycling.
It was a day like any other in Ireland, only it wasn't raining

Rig of Jarkness

  • An Englishman abroad
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #10 on: 01 July, 2012, 10:30:10 am »
Eurosport is normally available as a part of a Sky package.  I'm not sure what Virgin offer these days, because I recall that Sky were trying to stop Virgn from showing some of the channels that were hitherto jointly broadcast...

We have a basic Virgin package that includes Eurosport 1  and Eurosport 2.  Pay extra and you can also get Eurosport HD. 

The commentary of Kelly, Harmon, & Kirkby is infinitely better than the tired old ramblings of Phil & Paul.  In fact it's reminiscent of the test match commentary of Johnston & Benaud et al from the 80's.
Aero but not dynamic

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #11 on: 01 July, 2012, 10:50:33 am »
Phiggett: (re Dave Zabriskie) - "He's a vegan. He doesn't eat meat. Or anything else for that matter."
Working my way up to inferior.

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #12 on: 01 July, 2012, 11:59:31 am »
The commentary of Kelly, Harmon, & Kirkby is infinitely better than the tired old ramblings of Phil & Paul.  In fact it's reminiscent of the test match commentary of Johnston & Benaud et al from the 80's.

Some of us like ramblings. Bring back Duffers! I liked the sometimes hilariously erroneous details of local food, drink and terroir he used to give us as he ignored the action on the road.

I have Eurosport and ITV4 going at the same time and switch between them to dodge the adverts. Kelly is very, very good, but Phil and, to a lesser extent, Paul, have their charms.
The journey is always more important than the destination

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #13 on: 01 July, 2012, 03:58:31 pm »
Sherwen just claimed that Wellington fought Napoleon at the Battle of Trafalgar  :thumbsup:

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #14 on: 01 July, 2012, 04:04:05 pm »
 ;D ??? :facepalm:
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Thor

  • Super-sonnicus idioticus
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #15 on: 01 July, 2012, 04:09:52 pm »
(Regarding a crash)

Quote
Fortunately it was reasonably slow-motion, even though we are showing it in slow-motion as well
  ???
It was a day like any other in Ireland, only it wasn't raining

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #16 on: 01 July, 2012, 04:20:23 pm »
I didn't watch all of the coverage of the prologue today, in part because I was finding that their style of commentary is beginning to grate - trouble is, I'm damned if I'm going to sign up to Sky...

I think it's time for a canonical TdF drinking game, if only to make the weekend live coverage bearable!  :demon:

Take one gulp if the coverage shows:

Fans in ridiculous costumes
CDCs or a syringe painted on the road
An artistic arrangement of hay bales

Take one gulp if Phil or Paul say any of the following (select seven at random for each day):

Suitcase of courage
Thank you very much
Some comment about scenery
Mano a mano
Dancing on the pedals
Serious blow to the morale
Rest Day Bonus Round
They’ve stretched the elastic
Put the hammer down
Turned a pedal in anger
Like a trojan
Some random fact about the city/town village that Le Tour is passing through
He’s popped
Done his job
Suffering like an animal
Cat’s amongst the pigeons
Have to dig deep
Boom-Boom and out go the lights
Ticket collector
Once you pull on that golden fleece, you become two men
Resplendent
Gods of cycling
My goodness me
Desperately Close
Cross Swords
Going Over the Top
Some comment about the Arc de Triumph
 
Take a double gulp if the coverage shows:
Didi Senft aka "The Devil"
The peloton passing a field of sunflowers

Take a double gulp if Phil or Paul says:
The elastic has snapped**
Some comment about animal on side of road**
Traffic furniture**
Heads of State**
Argy Bargy**
Mask of pain**
Massive crowd**

Mountain stage special rule - take a double gulp if a rider chins a spectator who gets too much in his face

Should either Phil or Paul mention Lance Armstrong in the context of the USADA charges actually having some weight, drain your glass.

(Inspired by http://neilbrowne.com/2010/07/tour-de-france-drinking-game/)

A man by the name of...
If you touch your brakes at this moment you'll go back [insert number] places

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #17 on: 01 July, 2012, 04:22:36 pm »
At this rate, it might be better for our livers if we switch to Phil'n'Paul Bingo. ;D
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #18 on: 01 July, 2012, 05:03:09 pm »
We still haven't had a suitcase of courage!

We did have "...and of course he's a vegan, which means he doesn't eat meat.  Or anything else!"

It's like high-adrenaline cricket.  So many hours to cover.
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
OpenStreetMap UK & IRL Streetmap & Topo: ravenfamily.org/andyg/maps updates weekly.

red marley

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #19 on: 01 July, 2012, 05:20:18 pm »
Phil was having terrible trouble predicting the position of the prologue finishers yesterday, as they were crossing the line with the position printed up on the screen. But you need the live coverage for the best Liggett and Sherwinisms, as they seem to edit out the best ones for the highlights. But having grown up with Liggett on the tele since the 1980s I feel a great affection for him, so his commentary would have to get considerably poorer for me to feel the need to move elsewhere.

On the other hand, after only about 3 advert breaks, "Tour de Francis" and his "Nobbing it up and down by that river" is driving me nuts.

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #20 on: 02 July, 2012, 02:28:52 pm »
PL
"....how international the Tour has come over the years.."

#makewattsnotwar

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #21 on: 02 July, 2012, 06:55:36 pm »
"He's riding a recumbent bicycle" [a spectator on the other carriage-way, not a competitor!]

It was a trike.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #22 on: 02 July, 2012, 07:05:06 pm »
"He's riding a recumbent bicycle" [a spectator on the other carriage-way, not a competitor!]

It was a trike.

But better than the original guess of "A high speed wheelchair"
“There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that has clearly happened.”
― Douglas Adams

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #23 on: 02 July, 2012, 07:07:08 pm »
Insisting Marcel Kittel was not sick grimacing off the back of the peleton but just 'overwhelmed by the whole tour experience'  ???

Re: Liggett and Sherwinisms TdF 2012
« Reply #24 on: 02 July, 2012, 08:07:57 pm »
But better than the original guess of "A high speed wheelchair"

LOL! Too funny  :D

"And Phil, I reckon he's cruising along there at about sixty kilometers an hour"

What???

Edit: To Mr Phil Sherwin [who I actually really quite like] - I apologise.
I have just been informed by an esteemed member of BHPC, whose eye for detail is much more finely tuned than myself, that the chap on the Trike was riding with assistance - an electric motor in the rear wheel. Commentators didn't spot it though.  :)
Garry Broad