Your favorite English-speaking TV commentators (recent) | Golden Skate

Your favorite English-speaking TV commentators (recent)

Which tem did the best job as commentators last season?

  • Simon Reed and Chris Howarth

    Votes: 32 49.2%
  • Nancy Kerrigan

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • Sandra Bezic and Scott Hamilton

    Votes: 3 4.6%
  • PJ Kwong

    Votes: 8 12.3%
  • Kurt Browning and Tracy Wilson

    Votes: 12 18.5%
  • None of above or I watch without commentary

    Votes: 9 13.8%

  • Total voters
    65

jaws12345

Match Penalty
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Simon Reed and Chris Howarth

Nancy Kerrigan

Sandra Bezic and Scott Hamilton

PJ Kwong - My personal pick!

Kurt Browning and Tracy Wilson

None of above or I watch without commentary
 
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Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
The British lads of course! Plus they don't have an accent, they speak real English. So much easier to understand and so much more pleasant to listen to.
 

icedancingnut31

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 31, 2003
The Eurosport guys. They are the only ones who stay quiet when the skaters are actually skating and they are entertaining. Other commentators talk so much that you can barely hear the skaters' music. These guys need to teach Hamilton and Button a lesson about proper commentating. Whenever I here Button, Wynne, Bezic, Hamilton, Wilson or any of the other ones I end up screaming shut up at the tv more than watching the actual skating.

They talk so much it distracts me and the fact that Oksana Dominina is dating former Olympic Champion Roman Kostomarov is not something I really want to hear during a D/S program, I want to here their music and not the commentators voices and D/S's life story
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
The Eurosport guys. They are the only ones who stay quiet when the skaters are actually skating and they are entertaining. Other commentators talk so much that you can barely hear the skaters' music. These guys need to teach Hamilton and Button a lesson about proper commentating. Whenever I here Button, Wynne, Bezic, Hamilton, Wilson or any of the other ones I end up screaming shut up at the tv more than watching the actual skating.

They talk so much it distracts me and the fact that Oksana Dominina is dating former Olympic Champion Roman Kostomarov is not something I really want to hear during a D/S program, I want to here their music and not the commentators voices and D/S's life story
You are so right! (wheeee, Kostomarov is dating Dominina? That's cool! :yes:)

Have you listened to the Chris-Howard-interview on manleywoman's podcast? He really explains a lot about the commentary, says that there are just different styles (e.g. the Germans speak even less during the programs) etc. It's really interesting to listen to!
 

Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
I voted Simon and Chris, but it's basically a vote for Chris. It doesn't matter if he's working with Simon or Nicky, he manages to make it easy to understand what's happening - which was really helpful when I first started watching and when CoP came in - and does so without talking non-stop and without stupid conspiracy theories. Also, he usually finds something positive to say even about the lower-ranked skaters :agree:.

Having grown up in places where American English was more commonly heard, I must say - Medusa, of course the ES guys have an accent. It's just one you're used to ;).

I don't think I've ever heard PJ, have only seen Kurt in fluffs, and Scott and Sandra - well, the less said the better; if only they felt the same way. IMO, Nancy doesn't do a good enough job explaining how the program construction and elements relate to the judging system; also, her voice annoys me.
 
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Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Hmmmmmm kinda bummed that in order to choose Kurt I have to also choose Tracy (can't stand listening to her talk for some reason lol)....
 

jaws12345

Match Penalty
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
You are so right! (wheeee, Kostomarov is dating Dominina? That's cool! :yes:)

Have you listened to the Chris-Howard-interview on manleywoman's podcast? He really explains a lot about the commentary, says that there are just different styles (e.g. the Germans speak even less during the programs) etc. It's really interesting to listen to!

The interview is a nice one. Funny stuff. Thanks!
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I don't have a clue who Simon Reed and Chris Howarth are nor their credentials in the figure skating world so I have to of course go with two famous Canucks who I do know - Kurt and Tracy. I especially like Tracy for ice dance because she is an Olympic bronze medal champion ice dancer herself and knows her stuff. Kurt just goes without saying, not only is he a World Champion and knows his stuff, he is also entertaining. :bow:
 

Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
I don't have a clue who Simon Reed and Chris Howarth are nor their credentials in the figure skating world
Not sure about Simon, but Chris is a former figure skater who now works as a coach and in other capacities related to skating. He knows what he's talking about and understands the scoring system pretty well.
 

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Kurt just goes without saying, not only is he a World Champion and knows his stuff, he is also entertaining. :bow:
He is also biased, overly opinionated and close to populistic in his approach.

I respect him immensely as a skater, I consider some of his choreographic work to be very interesting - but I don't have to respect him as a commentator.
 

Eurofan

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Not sure about Simon, but Chris is a former figure skater who now works as a coach and in other capacities related to skating. He knows what he's talking about and understands the scoring system pretty well.

All I know about Simon is that he's the brother of actor Oliver Reed.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
i adore british eurosport guys:rock:, I love them, they are funny, know when to mute and when to speak, they speak with low tones and their comments are always polite even if sharp , even for the last of of the last!And they have this british accent..:love:
now i like also this guy , the first one who speaks on video, can you you tell me who they are?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J47lXB7QYJQ
 

Dee4707

Ice Is Slippery - Alexie Yagudin
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Country
United-States
I voted for Paul Wylie & Terry Gannon. Actually I grew up with Uncle Dick & Aunt Peggy so would really have voted for them.

No Scott & Sandra - NO, NO, NO

Definitly no Kurt Browning E - V - E - R !!!!!
 

antmanb

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 5, 2004
I voted for Chris and Simon though, like Buttercup, the vote is really more for Chris as Simon does very well for a non skating commentator, but Nicky just infuriates me and I'm much happier with Simon on the team!


I don't have a clue who Simon Reed and Chris Howarth are nor their credentials in the figure skating world

Not sure about Simon, but Chris is a former figure skater who now works as a coach and in other capacities related to skating. He knows what he's talking about and understands the scoring system pretty well.

As Buttercup said Chris Howarth is a former singles skater skating at the same time as Robin Cousins and couple of seasons after. I think he went to the 1980 Olympics and came 15th and the rest of his skating achievements were similar top 15 finishes at worlds and Europeans with maybe an 11th place finish at Europeans once. He is a good technical coach who went over to either Belgium or Holland to try and bring their skating programme on a bit more, then he moved to (i think) California and heads up a skating programme there (i think a GS member skates at the rink he teaches at).

Simon Reed works for Eurosport commentating on many different sports and skating is one that he's covered for a number of years now. To my knowledge he doesn't have any skating knowledge outside of commentating and gets stung now reading the planned content sheet so if the skater deviates he identifies the wrong jumps according to his crib sheet!

All I know about Simon is that he's the brother of actor Oliver Reed.

I never knew that!!

Ant
 
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