Our Commentary on the Commentary!

[MaryClare]

Incase you always wondered what Diamadov sounds like in a Brummie accent, Kristian Thomas is commentating on Eurosport

 

[KristyJ]

If we can’t get Snoop Dogg, I’d also be fine with Justin taking over the women’s events. I’m enjoying him.

And he'd have enough knowledge, now working with a women's NCAA program, that I think he'd do just fine

 

[brg09]

The commentary on Reddit is unmatched

Gymnastics reddit is a cesspit full of mal-adjusted weirdos.

I got downvoted to hell a few weeks ago for daring to suggest that simone put the fecking social media away for awhile.

As for Laurie, I think there's this (incorrect) notion that bubbly former gymnasts make great commentators. In reality I think we've seen that the more serious, quiet, introverted gymnasts have made better commentators simply because they don't have on-air word-vomit. After so many bubbly-gymnast-turned-commentator fails, you'd think NBC would figure this out.

 

[irichluck21]

Honestly, the bubbly persoanlity is what the 4 year fans relate to.
They don't have the technical knowledge, so it doesn't matter if skills are called or deductions are called.

 

[JaJa]

Honestly, the bubbly persoanlity is what the 4 year fans relate to.
They don't have the technical knowledge, so it doesn't matter if skills are called or deductions are called.

you can have a bubbly personality and still be capable of offering substantive content.

 

[MaryClare]

Honestly, the bubbly persoanlity is what the 4 year fans relate to.
They don't have the technical knowledge, so it doesn't matter if skills are called or deductions are called.

I disagree. 4 year fans aren’t idiots, they want to understand what’s going on. A good commentator presents that information in an accessible and entertaining way. The BBC team do this extremely well.

 

[brg09]

It helps that Justin was elite and NCAA athlete, then coach. So he is going to know all the technical components. I believe he has a judging credential as well.
He was used to constructing routines with his athletes.

I think this is an important point: we've seen many times that gymnasts--while they're competing--are often kind of oblivious to what other gymnasts are doing, and to the historical trends. Laurie not knowing that Romanians suck at bars is a good example.

I think the people who have been judges or coaches and actually know how to construct routines, or knows what the deductions or bonuses are--those are the ones that make the best commentators. Someone mentioned Liz C. (Chetkovich?) As one of the Aussie commentators, and she's a good example. I've always enjoyed her, and also Christine--who is just basically her British twin.

 

[irichluck21]

Tim Daggett is a coach so he has the technical expertise.
Elfi was also great with technical, not sure if she was a coach, but her work on CBC showed that she had tremendous knowledge of skills and deductions. I hated that NBC "dumbed" her down to Tim's "sidekick" as she was more dramatic at NBC than she was for CBC.

 

[RAFIKI]

Laurie not knowing that Romanians suck at bars is a good example

Really? Oooof.

I’m quasi-curious to hear this commentary so I fully understand the criticism. On the other hand life is too short for self-induced frustration.

 

[rlayt]

Wait a while. Don’t hear until you’ve been home a while. It’s not worth it.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

I really wish Tim would stop obsessing so much about sticking landings. It’s not 1992 anymore.

 

[RedBirdie]

Oooh, how bad is the prime time broadcast? I refuse to watch.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Oooh, how bad is the prime time broadcast? I refuse to watch.

It’s fine. There are some great fluff pieces. I can’t stand Tim and have no idea why people are all of the sudden missing him. Terry is great as usual.

 

[makam]

I'm watching the primetime broadcast and it is fine (the fluff on Brody was good) but I think missing some of the drama from reading the thread earlier. But what I am really wondering is how much NBC paid that restaurant to take over their space to turn it into their studio with that view.

 

[Denn]

It’s fine. There are some great fluff pieces. I can’t stand Tim and have no idea why people are all of the sudden missing him. Terry is great as usual.

I've always enjoyed Tim's commentary, and during the years that we had him with Al Trautwig and Elfi Schlegel, he was the only reason I did not have to constantly buy new televisions after throwing things at them.

 

[Kittentoes]

I feel like Laurie thinks she has to perform this whole time, instead of explaining things and tying the meet together. No matter how remarkable the commentators were during their competition days, I don't really want them to be the shining star of the broadcast. I'm interested in the people in the leos doing sportsy things.

 

[Indy]

I feel like Laurie thinks she has to perform this whole time, instead of explaining things and tying the meet together. No matter how remarkable the commentators were during their competition days, I don't really want them to be the shining star of the broadcast. I'm interested in the people in the leos doing sportsy things.

I agree. She’s just so “on” and cutesy the whole time, trying to say clever things and giggling. It’s off putting. I’d rather have two color commentators who have done their research and maybe watch gymnastics at the Olympics and don’t hate the sport instead of her.

 

[CameliasFingerpaint]

Laurie has at times pulled back and given some sound technical commentary, like Barbosa’s vault tonight. There’s potential there, but she gets in her way.

 

[rlayt]

If she would stop the cutesy self-conscious gushing it would help.

 

[RichardL]

She fills the space with utter nonsense and it's driving me insane. She'll be like "oh, this gymnast wants to do a good routine here" as if sometimes a gymnast wants to do... a bad routine?