Bobke swears; Um, guys, you were on the air; OLN producer fired?

[Hipcycler]

Did you catch that last night (Thurs.)???

Maybe that's what ENHANCED coverage means.....

I guess some producer will be fired today, because that's all just tape put together obviously.

They played an entire commercial break with no commercial....just video and the raw audio was live....when Dessel crashed Bobke says, God Damn....

Lucky they didn't say worse.
They were making fun of Phil Liggett imitating him at one point too.
Hillarious...
Not for OLN of course.

[Grasschopper]

Yea there were several min there right after Al says back after this or something like that. Clearly they thought they were not on the air as there was quite a bit of dead air. Then Bobke goes God D@am when Dessel crashed...then you could hear a little later they came back on.

Is the FCC going to wack OLN for this? Is GD bad enough?

[GTcommuter]

I thought it was great coverage. Except for Al giggling, that was creepy. But the raw emotion in Bobke's explicative, a fast decent without any filler talk, a real feeling of excitement that even the producers didn't want to cut away from such an exciting race. That was the moment that I got chills as I imagined that someone ditched the commercials just to focus on the tremendous bike race.

[CyLowe97]

It's nighttime cable/satellite, so does the FCC really care?

After watching the end of yesterday's stage live and then catching some of the Enhanced coverage, I am convinced that OLN thinks American prime time viewers are idiots that can't translate English of Phil and Paul. Al and Bob are horrible.

(Although, props to Al for his unbelievable faith in Floyd's chances before stage 17.... It was funny to watch Phil and Paul basically shoot down Al that Floyd's chances were zero.... )

[Blackberry]

It's nighttime cable/satellite, so does the FCC really care?

After watching the end of yesterday's stage live and then catching some of the Enhanced coverage, I am convinced that OLN thinks American prime time viewers are idiots that can't translate English of Phil and Paul. Al and Bob are horrible.

(Although, props to Al for his unbelievable faith in Floyd's chances before stage 17.... It was funny to watch Phil and Paul basically shoot down Al that Floyd's chances were zero.... )

+1 But I think it was Roll who actually picked Floyd in the daily contest.

[* jack *]

I'm pretty sure goddamn is neither indecent, profane, or obscene.
It may be offensive to some, but it's actually OK to broadcast that phrase.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html

[Hipcycler]

Well, in answer to your question about the FCC.....

It would only become a potential problem if people complained about it.
I doubt many complaints would come from the audience type and size watching the program.

I will tell you though that there are groups out there that do nothing more than listen and watch for stuff like this, just to complain.

In my profession I can say, 'been there done that' on this topic!

[StalkerZERO]

I'm pretty sure goddamn is neither indecent, profane, or obscene.
It may be offensive to some, but it's actually OK to broadcast that phrase.

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/obscene.html

No, actually its not. Despite the falling values of society there still are limitations for how commentators should speak on the air. But I must agree it wasn't something to be made a big deal out of either.....in this particular case.
What should be looked into was that disturbing schoolgirl like excited giggle by Al whats his name. A real bike nerd that one. :D

[Cromulent]

I almost shot my television. Could OLN possibly have shown less of the greatest ride in the modern history of the TdF? I know they only have what they get from French tv, but that was almost useless.

The best part of the whole deal last night was when Al and Bob thought they were in commercial. From the giggling and the "I can't wait till we see them (referring to Phil and Paul)," to Bob's reaction to Dessel's crash. And we finally got to see some descending. And some silence. Blessed, blessed silence.

Two good things, though. Al likes cycling. I wasn't sure he did. And Bob and Al seem to like each other.

[Guest]

I thought it was great coverage. Except for Al giggling, that was creepy. But the raw emotion in Bobke's explicative, a fast decent without any filler talk, a real feeling of excitement that even the producers didn't want to cut away from such an exciting race. That was the moment that I got chills as I imagined that someone ditched the commercials just to focus on the tremendous bike race.

That Al giggle was a bit pedestrian. But I did think it was funny. :lol:

Koffee

[JT52]

Personally, I thought the coverage by Al and Bob sounded like a couple of hacks. Especially Al. After hearing Phil's description of Floyd coming down out of the mountains like a conquering hun (to paraphrase), Al and Bob sound like a couple of highschool broadcast students. Pathetic. Just pathetic.

[Mo'Phat]

God damn, that was funny.

[hollow]

I can't wait until OLN ditches cycling coverage. Then there won't be any complaints about their horrible coverage, Al, Bob, commercials, etc., and I'll only have to spend 30 minutes a week in July watching recaps on CBS.

[JT52]

I can't wait until OLN ditches cycling coverage. Then there won't be any complaints about their horrible coverage, Al, Bob, commercials, etc., and I'll only have to spend 30 minutes a week in July watching recaps on CBS.

That's very true. It's easy to forget that before OLN there was very little coverage. Still, compared to Paul and Phil...

[caloso]

I can't stand the "Enhanced" prime time. I TiVo the live broadcast in the morning and watch it at night.

[Hipcycler]

God Bless OLN.

Phil and Paul rule.
Bobke is, well, Bobke.

And AL...whatever....it's all good cause it's ON at least.

[timhines]

If it was after 9pm ESt then it was probably ok.

Watch "The Shield" on FX.

[monza]

I thought it was cool when there was no commentary at all. Just the rush of the wind and the screaming spectators. For a moment, I thought I was doing the descent myself. :)

[blue_nose]

I can't wait until OLN ditches cycling coverage. Then there won't be any complaints about their horrible coverage, Al, Bob, commercials, etc., and I'll only have to spend 30 minutes a week in July watching recaps on CBS.

+ 1

I also tape the live coverage and like Phil's commentary. I was in Europe earlier in the week and watched some of Eurosoprt's English coverage - not as good as OLN's live coverage if you ask me.

[substructure]

+2

It's better than trying to watch it online through some non-english site.

"blabbidy blah blah, Landis. blabbidy blah blah. BLABBIDY BLABBIDY BLAH LANDIS!! BLABBIDY BLABBIDY BLABBIDY. AHHH! BLAH BLAH BLAH!! LANDIS!!!!

As long as Katie Couric doesn't show up I'm watchin'.

[merlinextraligh]

I'm pretty sure its not part of the 7 dirty words you can't say on TV, at least according to George Carlin.

[DrPete]

I thought it was hilarious. I definitely got a laugh out of it. In fact, it was probably the most interesting part of the Al and Bob broadcasts...

DrPete

[Hipcycler]

I thought it was hilarious. I definitely got a laugh out of it. In fact, it was probably the most interesting part of the Al and Bob broadcasts...

DrPete

:)
It was awesome.
I just looked over at Mrs. Hip and said, "Oh-oh....this is bad. They think they're off the air to commerical but their mics are hot."

Al's girlish giggling was hillarious.....

[7rider]

After hearing Phil's description of Floyd coming down out of the mountains like a conquering hun (to paraphrase)

It was "like a modern day Hannibal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannibal)." When Liggett said that, all I could envision was a herd of elephants stampeding right behind Floyd at the finish.

[roadwarrior]

It doesn't matter...based on what I am reading, the ratings for OLN for this TdF are pretty measly. Half the viewers are on BF...

I think the FCC has an "over-under" on the number of viewers that hear the cuss word before they take action...plus, how about a couple of days ago when they were showing the guys pulling over for, as Liggett says, "a natural break..."

[Greg180]

Regardless of how lousy the coverage or the commentary is, it's theonly wayfor me to enjoy the TDF. Cycling, (as fitness), is big in our area but I can count on one the number of cyclist I talked to after Landis's ride even knew who Landis was. Not even my local LBS owner knew of Landis's ride. If it wasn't for this forum and the coverage on OLN it would be like trying to get highlights of the championship Cricket matches.

I know where I will be tomorrow morning...

['nother]

Hmm, crap, I missed it. Anybody have a clip?

[PepsiMan]

i was thinking they probably tape the enhanced coverage live and that it was intentional by the producers to show that because the finish was so interesting, and because it was interesting to hear those two just being themselves.

[DieselDan]

God damn isn't on the list, and it is pay cable TV, so the regs are different. Remeber when Robby Gordan said "sh*t" after a NASCAR race on TNT? Nothing, since TNT was a pay cable channel, but there was a fine when Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the same word on NBC, a free over the air commercial network.

[skingry]

I thought it was great coverage. Except for Al giggling, that was creepy. But the raw emotion in Bobke's explicative, a fast decent without any filler talk, a real feeling of excitement that even the producers didn't want to cut away from such an exciting race. That was the moment that I got chills as I imagined that someone ditched the commercials just to focus on the tremendous bike race.

+1

Also... Faster Mustache.

[Hitchy]

OK this is a serious question!.......Am I reading this correctly that you can't say "God Damn"! on TV over there?....sheesh.....You guys don't wanna come out here then. On our 'free to air' (both Radio & Tv) you can pretty much run 'The Soprano's' "uncut" after 8.30pm........but if you can't say "Goddam" , how come Lance can say 'arsehole' & everyone just laughs?...I don't get it!....( Hitchy adds ANOTHER thing to his list of things he doen't understand about Seppo's! :D)

[ericy]

What was the year that OLN did their first coverage? I have watched myself for many years, but I couldn't get OLN until digital cable came into my area, so it could have easily gone back a lot further.

[rule]

I actually thought that was the best part of the broadcast. Bobke unplugged. I wish they would have done more road segments just like that.

[Nachoman]

Why couldn't he just have said "gosh darn it", then we'd be so much happier (he said sarcastically).