Let's give props to TIM HUTCHINGS

I thought he was kind of lame

Gallagher wrote:

I thought he was kind of lame

What do you freaking want?! He did a great job. I was very happy with the coverage- no one could expect 27 commercial free minutes of coverage.

They showed enough to cover the race well, all of the announcers knew the runners and who was who and who needed what.

Hutchings offers a great perspective from someone who's been there.

Good commentary. I thought they did well by putting in perspective how good Rupp is "fastest non-african ever", "last american 10k medalist was Billy mills in 1964", and also highlighted what Ritz did. It was his last best shot at an olympic berth after a painful marathon failure, and he had to hit a time he hadn't hit all year, and his only chance to do it was in the pouring rain, on a flooded track.

Hutchings is the best athletic commentator for track since David Coleman in my opinion.

Although it has nothing to do with the art of commentating, one only has to listen to Brendon Foster to observe that - he was also a decent runner as well, second twice in the world cross-country championships.

Absolutely. Don't know who it is at NBC who arranges for on camera commentary, but this was brilliant. Is he also working the London coverage?

Tim did some indoor commentating this winter, too. He nails it with a real runner's perspective. When I was racing and teaching in UK in late 80's, he was the Mystery Runner at the famous Welsh New Year's race, Nos Galan. He had to start four miles up a mountain road at Guntho Nythbran's grace with a flaming torch and was obligated to stop at every house that offered him a drink on the way to the start line. We are waiting there at midnight, and word goes around about the approaching Mystery Runner : "It's Hutchings and he's pissed."

Dumb American, I ask, "What's he mad about?"

As Churchill remarked, " Two cultures separated by a common language."

Hutchings & masback good combo. Cram with BBC is a good lead announcer (Hammond's job but IMO much better than him). Want to see the Olympic track & field events go to England and watch on tv.

runn wrote:

Gallagher wrote:

I thought he was kind of lame

What do you freaking want?! He did a great job. I was very happy with the coverage- no one could expect 27 commercial free minutes of coverage.

They showed enough to cover the race well, all of the announcers knew the runners and who was who and who needed what.

Hutchings offers a great perspective from someone who's been there.

He appeared to not have done his homework.

The same THutchings who said of LPuskedra prior to 1200m when he went to the lead, 'He's in over his head,' referring to his 28:13 PR. Believe they helped themselves later by suggesting perhaps he was in there to help Ritz w/pacemaking ... and he, in fact, was there for exactly that reason - and went on to dip under 28:00. Still, knee jerk reaction from Tim early did not go unnoticed by me. Geesh, it was barely 3/4 mile into the thing and 'he's in over his head'!

Neil wrote:

Absolutely. Don't know who it is at NBC who arranges for on camera commentary, but this was brilliant. Is he also working the London coverage?

He'll be working for Eurosport at the Olympics, I would imagine.