Your favorite and least favorite figure skating commentators

[surimi]

One moment. Verner doesn't talk during performances, he only discusses with Langer after the finish, just like other co-commentators usually do. Only Langer talks during the performance, sometimes Nováková's voice accompanies him during the ice dance.

I'm fairly certain he does, though not all the time. I recall being annoyed by that this past season - a new skater was already performing on the ice but he just wouldn't stop talking about something unrelated. I can't think of a specific example though, I'd have to watch the whole broadcasts again, which I don't feel like doing ATM The same goes for Zakova.
Anyhow, the pairs guy sounded good, he could comment more often.

 

[flanker]

I'm fairly certain he does, though not all the time. I recall being annoyed by that this past season - a new skater was already performing on the ice but he just wouldn't stop talking about something unrelated. I can't think of a specific example though, I'd have to watch the whole broadcasts again, which I don't feel like doing ATM The same goes for Zakova.
Anyhow, the pairs guy sounded good, he could comment more often.

Those are the links to 2019 worlds ladies when Verner commented with Langer:
SP: https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady...19-japonsko/219471291050002-ms-2019-japonsko/
FS: https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady...19-japonsko/219471291050006-ms-2019-japonsko/

Please let me know where Tomáš "just can't shut up" during the performances. It's Langer, not Verner, who's talking during performances. As for "the pairs guy" you mean the world champion René Novotný? I heard him only during 2020 Europeans and have very mixed feelings about him. He was quite good during the pairs, but not so good during ladies.

 

[surimi]

Those are the links to 2019 worlds ladies when Verner commented with Langer:
SP: https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady...19-japonsko/219471291050002-ms-2019-japonsko/
FS: https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady...19-japonsko/219471291050006-ms-2019-japonsko/

Please let me know where Tomáš "just can't shut up" during the performances. It's Langer, not Verner, who's talking during performances. As for "the pairs guy" you mean the world champion René Novotný? I heard him only during 2020 Europeans and have very mixed feelings about him. He was quite good during the pairs, but not so good during ladies.

Could be that this one was okay, no idea. I won't be watching it now just to tell. But that's one competition, and not even recent. I recall being irritated this season, I can't vouch for the previous ones. But another person was watching with me and felt the same, so I wasn't hallucinating or mixing up voices. I might have heard that at GP Moscow Men as he was covering that one for sure, I seriously don't know. I can't prove my claim now, but next time I hear him keep chattering away when a skater takes to the ice, I'll let you know through PM so as not to clutter the thread.

Yup, Novotny, that's the one. Covered pairs quite well.

 

[el henry]

For non-English commentary that I understand: in whole or in part

1. I also love the Spanish "madre mia" ladies, so enthusiastic and infectious. And their counterparts at RAI, the "stupendo" ladies

2. French is my best "foreign" language (to me) but I have heard very little French commentary. One that I did hear was absolutely horrible, maybe 2017(?) pairs. If you are someone who prefers foreign names pronounced correctly, I have never heard "Scimeca Knierim" mangled so badly in my life. It makes the Brit Eurosport guys sound like professional linguists.

If someone can point me to good French language (French or Québécois) commentary for men's skating, I would take a listen.

2. that I don't understand:

TAT sounds like nails scratched against a chalkboard and if you are not deemed her favorite, she makes Tara sound like a monk she talks so much. Or should I say screams. Plus I was told she said catty sexist remarks about Jason, but I can't verify that.

 

[flanker]

Could be that this one was okay, no idea. I won't be watching it now just to tell. But that's one competition, and not even recent. I recall being irritated this season, I can't vouch for the previous ones. But another person was watching with me and felt the same, so I wasn't hallucinating or mixing up voices. I might have heard that at GP Moscow Men as he was covering that one for sure, I seriously don't know. I can't prove my claim now, but next time I hear him keep chattering away when a skater takes to the ice, I'll let you know through PM so as not to clutter the thread.

Yup, Novotny, that's the one. Covered pairs quite well.

There is a difference when someone does a thing like once and when it is a pattern, usual way someoone behaves. According to your description I would guess it's a pattern but in neither occasion I remember Verner did like you describe, not even during the last Moscow GP. OK, if you run across it, let me know,

 

[katymay]

My favorite: Scott Hamilton. Yeah, I miss him. I miss his unbridled, over the top enthusiasm.
Runner up: Ted.
I can tolerate, and occasionally appreciate: Tara and Johnny.

Who do I mute? Ashley Wagner and Tanith.

 

[EyesOfLove]

Midori Ito. Yes, she was not the most eloquent speaker like, say, Arakawa, but she seemed to genuinely wax and wane depending on how a skater executed each jump as if she too was involved in the performance, and it was most lovely to watch how invested and empathic she was.

 

[Myr]

Among the Dutch commentators, I quite like to listen to Jeroen Prins and Haya Lennarts (not sure that's the right spelling) because they're pretty knowledgable.

Yes! This year I watched Worlds on the telly for the first time and I was pleasantly surprised by the commentary, I thought it was excellent.

 

[Sharon Whitlock]

I think all of the commentators bring something to the sport. I loved the combination of Dick Button and Peggy Fleming. Both were groundbreaking skaters during their competitive years, and they thoroughly understood the technical and the personal aspects of the sport.

And I absolutely love Johnny and Tara! Their technical knowledge is spot-on--e.g., many times, I will be watching, and think, "Oh, that jump looked under-rotated--and Johnny will say, "That jump was under-rotated." And I love watching Johnny's technical explanations of jumping, spinning, etc. So many people watch figure skating and the only basis they have for picking the winners is the costume and the music--very few Americans, other than those who have been involved with figure skating, know anything about the sport. Johnny helps non-skaters to understand the sport.

I also admire their kindness--even when a skater has a really rough skate, both Johnny and Tara will remind the viewers of past accomplishments and find something in the program to praise. It's almost like watching parents, who will love their children anyway even if they missed every element in their Sectionals qualifier!

And I actually love their outfits! Now I'm a jeans/t-shirt/sweater woman, more about comfort than fashion--but I think Johnny and Tara are so fun in their styles!

If there was any commentator I didn't appreciate, it was Scott Hamilton. I dearly love him and consider him one of the greatest ambassadors for the sport, as well as for cancer research, ever. But he was just a little...outgoing...as a commentator. I think the satire of his commentary on Saturday Night Live was on the mark! But again, I have nothing but respect and love for Scott Hamilton and all that he has done for the sport and for humanity, as well as for his family and friends.

 

[dearskate]

I definitely like Mark Hanretty and Ted Barton plus Chris and Simon as a team. I don't know anything about the other commentators as presumable they only commentate on American TV. I think I would love Kurt Browning though if I heard more of him.

Like everyone else I didn't like Paul Alster.

 

[formersk8ter]

Like: Ted Barton, Johnny Weir, Terry Gannon, Tanith Belbin, Charlie White, and... Scott Hamilton (I know I'm in the minority here, but he gives great insights from a skater perspective and I love his enthusiasm).

Can't Stand: Sandra Bezic (she says bizarre things and - OMG - could. she. talk. any. slower?), Tatiana Tarasova (mean and obnoxious), Kurt Browning (I find him extremely annoying).

In between: Dick and Peggy (I miss them because I grew up with them, but both of them had their biases), the Eurosport guys, Tara Lipinski (sometimes she's okay), Alexei Yagudin (horrible person, okay commentator).

 

[Jhar55]

My least favorite

 

[[email protected]]

I like the folks who commented during Yulia's SL in Sochi (the one with 17 million youtube views)

I used to dislike TAT. She has become better recently. At least she tries to keep quiet during performances and not give harsh negative assessments of skaters and coaches.

The worst for me are infamous commentators (or was it the same person from Canada?) who wanted to go to the bathroom during Alina's performance and who said "It's Russia" when she was not happy about Canadian dancers' score.

 

[Minz]

The worst for me are infamous commentators (or was it the same person from Canada?) who wanted to go to the bathroom during Alina's performance and who said "It's Russia" when she was not happy about Canadian dancers' score.

WHAT??!!
Who on earth said this?

 

[LiamForeman]

I used to dislike TAT. She has become better recently. At least she tries to keep quiet during performances and not give harsh negative assessments of skaters and coaches.

The worst for me are infamous commentators (or was it the same person from Canada?) who wanted to go to the bathroom during Alina's performance

Since I don't understand Russian, I really enjoy TAT's commentary! She can get really excited. I loved it when Anna landed her 4lutz at RN in 2019 and she went nuts!!! Fun to watch!

I think it was Kurt Browning who said he'd rather go to the bathroom during the first section of Alina's Olympic program because "she's doing NOTHING". Can't stand his commentary. I still remember when he commentated at the Worlds after Lillehamer when Michelle Kwan went and Kurt (and at that time Kwan was a prepubescent little girl) described her as "kinda sexy"..... Erm... okay....

 

[LiamForeman]

Wait, thinking some more I think it was Pelletier who said he'd go to the bathroom during the first half of Alina's program. Or maybe not...

 

[[email protected]]

Wait, thinking some more I think it was Pelletier who said he'd go to the bathroom during the first half of Alina's program. Or maybe not...

No, you were right - it was Kurt Browning - I just looked it up. And the quote about Alina's fabulous program was: "You can go to the bathroom now because nothing is happening for two minutes." It was very disrespectful and it was strange to hear that from a famous skater in the past. He was well aware that Alina did 3 non-jump elements during the first 2 minutes. So, something indeed was happenning.

As for the criticism of Russian commentators, my view is that they can enjoy a bit more leeway. Russian is understood by few non-Russians while English is an international language. I do not support some of Yagudin's and TAT's remarks - I did not like TAT at all and I always wanted to find an alternative stream whenever it was possible. I just want to emphasize that speaking on Russian TV1 they catered to Russian audience and, well, Russian audience is nationalistic like many others. I think there will be changes now that TV1 invested a lot in figure skating and more or less becomes the standard not only in Russia. Something tells me that during the Olympic season TAT, Yagudin, Trankov - you name them - will be much more careful while picking the words.

 

[Matthew]

There is a commentator (which I will not name) who praises women for looking and skating femininely (type "ice princess") and depreciating them if they don't. I find this really awkward. Very obsolete, uncontemporary and illiberal view and prejudgements. I appreciate a wider variety of habits and styles and particularly skaters who have a style which SUITS them and don't try to live up to some foreign, exterior views of how their style has to be.

 

[lariko]

I liked Ted Barton and Alexander Grishin. I didn’t like anyone else so far, particularly when they talk during the skating.

 

[leoncorazon]

The Spanish ladies are fabulous. When they cried at Javier’s last European’s I was touched and hooked on their commentating. And as a non-native Spanish speaker they are pretty easy to understand too.