erader

can't stand that idiot, gap-tooth sum*****. he's driving me nuts with his double livestrong gesticulating drivel .

someone get adrian karsten or maybe ole whining it's-all-about-me greg lemond.

anyone but that boob bobke!

ed rader

(i feel better now )

odannyboy

I like him. I'll even watch the "prime time" coverage just to get another take on the stage. But then again, I have Tour fever, and as Paul said at one point today, when you have it there's no going back. For me, it's all good.

Guest

Hahahahaha!

Now if we can have four people say each word of that title seperately, that would be really funny.

Koffee

NoRacer

All I have to say is:

Viva Tour "day" France!

Bob is entertaining. He rounds out the group each year with his view and sense of humour. I laugh every time I play one of the races that I taped this year where he called Boonen a "...pocket rocket..." In some circles, that could be a derogatory phrase.

jfaul4820

it would be rather difficult to get karsten:

September 5, 2005 -- FORMER ESPN reporter Adrian Karsten, facing a prison tax rap, was found dead, an apparent suicide, in his Wisconsin home, officials said yesterday.

Cops declined to provide details but Karsten's ex-wife told The Post that investigators have labeled it a suicide.

Karsten pleaded guilty in July to failing to report about $607,000 in income he made as a sideline reporter for ESPN college football games between 1999 and 2002.

He was sentenced to serve 11 months in prison and nine months home confinement.

He was supposed to report to a federal lockup in Rochester, Minn., last Thursday but never showed up, his ex-wife said.

TallRider

I've always guessed that his pronunciation of Tour day France (and don't forget, the way he pronounces "France" is vintage Wisconsin, too) is an intentional put-on. I mean, the guy raced in Europe, has been around people who pronounce the stuff correctly for most of his professional career, and I think he's saying it in an over-the-top midwestern accent to play into his character.

It was hilarious reading Martin Dugard's TDF Blog a few days ago when he talked about sights around the finish line - including Bob Roll, bare-chested atop the OLN broadcast booth.

dannyq

His tooth gap is disgusting. Did he ever hear of braces?? Gross.

Ostuni

not sure i'd wish death on him, but at least temporary and complete paralysis of both arms and his larynx. (am pretty sure his brain already is at least partially paralyzed.)

C_Heath

he gets under my skin a lil bit too. Dunno why

bsyptak

I'd much rather listen watch Bob Roll than the constant 10/2 segments. C'mon. Lance is gone. I guess OLN thinks the only way people will watch is if Lance is on TV.

Actually, I think Bob is pretty insightful about what is going on throughout the entire race. Right or wrong, at least he has something to say. Not like Trout-wig. All he can do is ask Bob what he thinks since he has nothing to really say.

Let us not forget that Bob actually rode in the Tour day France. Like it or not, that kind of experience is priceless when covering the race.

Love the Tour Mania commercial. "Whattaya got for this?"

Nachoman

Bob's the king. All hail to Bob.

TXCiclista

My problem with Roll is watching him. He's got a LOT of knowledge and a good sense of humor, so hearing him (and seeing his commercials) is fine. It's when the camera's on him that I go nuts. I don't have OLN this year (couldn't bring myself to pay $600 for 1-year satellite contract for only 3 weks of TV) but last year, I would do something semi-mindless while he was on, just so I could listen without having to watch. Did WONDERS. I got all the Bobke insight and humor without feeling the constant urge to nail his hands to the table...

erader

that's too bad about karsten. he was a goofus but i liked him. sure, he didn't know jack about bike racing but he wasn't a gesticulating, gap-tooth buffoon like bobke !

ed rader

erader

did howard cosell ever box? did john madden play pro ball?

roll is a buffoon who still tries to appeal to the hip, slick, and cool crowd probably because he smoked a little too much ha-ha in his younger years.

that tour mania commercial is irritating as hell but nails boobke to a T.

i say bob roll MUST DIE !!

ed rader

oldspark

John Madden did coach pro football and Howard Cosell sucked. Have a nice day.

baj32161

John Madden also played for the Philadelphia Eagles

baj32161

Someone needs to start using decaf .

Moonshot

I like his commentary, but maybe I'm jaded from having read Bob Roll for years in Velonews before I ever saw him on TV. He's one hell of a writer.

Braveheart

I don't mind him that much - he's at least entertaining as well as knowledgable. At the rate this race is going, he may be the only American cyclist at the Champs Elysee....

tekhna

Bob sucks

JollyMon

I'm a big Bobke fan. I'd actually like it if they'd get him to tell more stories on air -- that is, if he can find a way to get past the censors. Bobke in drag in the Trek commercial must have been one heck of a funny commercial to produce. Probably took them 5 days cuz he had them laughing so much.

I've never met him but I have heard stories that he is very nice and down to earth when approached.

Say what you will about Bobke, OLN's stuff is a far, far cry from the days of Terry Gannon doing introductions of one-hour weekly segments.

Vive la Bobke!

erader

i live in san jose and you tell me that madden coached pro football ?

thanx for sharing!

ed rader

KrisPistofferson

Bob Roll is awesome, a good commentator, but also a complete, and completely entertaining, wildman. It's Al Trautwig I'm amazed they let stick around, since he hasn't bothered to learn anything about cycling, and the others laugh at him for his cluelessness. I'm glad those idiotic "Cutters" are gone, but I miss Kirsten Gum's hawtness.

user0ne

Lets see a pic of your pretty face ...

I think the man is hilarious, watching his hands wave around gets to me a bit, but its all apart of the greatness that is Bob freakin Roll

Shemp

I'm pretty sure most of you'd find a way to complain about anyone else they put in the booth. That said, Bobke has charisma, has insight, and I enjoy his enthusiasm. I dismiss half the complaints as stereotypical roadie discontent.