Video: Canadian Open DH - Crankworx Whistler 2013

 No shit... Can't deal with it. I'm sure they're there contractually from the event sponsors/organizers... f*cking lame that the same guys who announce snocross and motorcycle sky dancing are announcing mtb events... There used to be an Olympic figure skating medalist who announced snowboarding events on espn back in the day... couldn't even call a Tindy right.

 I think Cam McCaul would be the best announcer ever! I think he did some announcing at one of the Claymores and and Les 2 Alps, and he killed it. But having an old rider do it doesn't mean it will be good, we need a good personality, like Tippie or McCaul. Because I'm pretty sure Richie Schley has done some announcing that I didn't really like, and he used to be one of the most bad ass guys in the MTB industry.

So I don't think we need a injured/retired rider, but we do need something a whole lot better then what we got now...

P.S. If Brad Jay is announcing at Clawworx next weekend, I might have to throat punch him and hopefully end his announcing career

 Warner

 They need to hire The Intern from Semenuk "That was cool......four years ago"

 @fiercepierce

Sounds like a great topic for a pinkbike poll.

 Oh man thank christ someone brought this up. I don't envy them their jobs, particularly as they seem to have to fill in so much dead space because the live footage of a lot of the events, particularly the DH is understandably pretty thin but I struggled to watch almost any of Crankworx with the sound on because the commentary was just doing my head in. I didn't find Sy so bad & I like Tippie but theres something about those other 2 guys & their tryhard, over-enthusiastic, always-turned-up-to-11 tone that is just insufferable. Using every opportunity to drop "Shut the front door" "Mother Trucker", "Shiitake Mushrooms" or any other musty old tropes isn't clever it just comes across like someone desperately trying to be in touch with the audience and missing the mark.

 Rob Warner for Overlord of Announcing
Brett Tippie for Vice Overlord of Announcing

Also anyone else get really tired of Brad (I think that's the drunk fat ass that moans every time a rider does something sick or interjects the announcers with something irrelevant/half-retarded)? Hell when he talks to the riders after they finish their runs, it seems like the riders either mess with him like he's a joke to them or they try to get away from him ASAP with short answers. I don't blame them with those stupid questions he asks on top of being wayyy too invasive of their "don't-touch-me-that-way" space. To put it simply, he's a massive chad who likes to hear himself a bit too much. I know he's been around forever but sometimes you just gotta move on because I know I'm not the only one out there that sighs heavily when they hear his voice at the beginning of events.

 they're honestly not that bad—the sport has seen much worse. that said, cam mccaul's announcing work was top notch when he did it. i would prefer him over almost anyone. but yeah, they're not great...

sal masekela, though, really?!? i always thought he sounded so ignorant about the sports he covered, and never was that more true than when he covered mountain biking for the nbc signature series (joyride last year?) call us crazy, but my buddies and i used to make endless fun of sal trying to pretend like he knew what he was talking about.

 hahaha - we would always make fun of the dude. SAL MASAKALA LIVE HERE AT WINTER X!! Oh the memories. These dudes are bad, but not terrible.

 yeah, maybe i remember Sal as the best because i was like 8-15yrs old haha. i didn't consider that

 i'd like to see Alan Partridge doing the announcing.

 Alan Partridge + Lord Warner!!! What a duo they'd make! I love this idea

 Can we please not forget mr. I-am-here-to-call-every-trick-and-never-get-the-riders'-name-correct? Ryan Meyer with the hipster 'stache?

I think announcing and filling the space is really tough and I would like to give them all credit for trying to keep things exciting.... but I also think you need 2 things to be a good interviewer: 1. personability & 2. a good knowledge base (of who you're interviewing, the event, the gear/tech)... Not sure all the announcers are excelling at both these criteria.

 Tippie and Warner for President!

 Believe me, you never heard French announcer. It's just terrible, horrible, so flat, no emotions, sooo boring. In other words it sucks so bad. Anything is better than a French announcer who comments MTB in French.

 Sy should go, but I have to say, Brad is kind of a staple of Crankworxs. Remember, this is the "Shut the front door!" guy who has been part of Crankworxs for a long time, and at least knows a thing or two about the tricks being thrown down. If I had to pick an announcer, it would be one of the injured riders (Rheeder, anybody?) and maybe Tippie, but I would still have Brad interviewing the riders once they reach the bottom.

 matthew- Just because he's been around for a long time (since the first Rampage as the announcer, if I remember right), that doesn't make him necessary. I'm sorry but the last thing I think of when someone brings up Crankworx's is him saying a singular one-liner that happened to catch on. He is absolutely terrible at his job in that he says really stupid crap a majority of the time, regardless if he can act "natural" around cameras and the riders.

Plus how can anyone forget how hammered he was last year which completely ruined all the after-run interviews. He also blows it with handing out cash for the best trick, EVERY YEAR which makes it just uncomfortable hearing him being called out by the other announcers for it. Dude is a joke.

 I agree with both of you. He is old school, and if only for nostalgia reason, I do like him. But only as a hype man. I don't think he should be the one interviewing the riders... Most of them looked very pissed off, especially Brandon. Having a mic shoved in your helmet right after crashing in front of thousands of people, doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me. I think he should be like Flavour Flav. You know, he doesn't really have a job, just throw a viking hat and giant clock on him and watch an laugh! Because most of the time, his one liners work pretty well, its mostly his interviewing that makes him seem like a giant douche. So let him yell, and get people pumped, but get someone who knows what they are doing to interview everyone after their runs.

 ^ Ultimate solution right there. Leave his mic on during the runs and shut it off after each run is over with. Leave him in a corner to do whatever and leave the actual runnings of the comp. to someone who is competent.

 i dont know how to set up a poll

 *******Brad Ewen********* not brad J

 "hes on his 26" rig today" ...as opposed to..?

 Wintersleep - Orca

 he raced the air DH and won on a 27.5

 You think his mom is still driving that green Geo mini-SUV? She probably has a huge macking Caddy Escalade now. Painted that same green.

How sick is Stevie. Go and race inter-f**king-national World Cup events, with super high pressure and high-profile races all around the world. Come back with a moustache to the "local" events and kill it. Win all the money and make people scream your name. Its like everyone's childhood dream come true, prodigal son makes good. Plus he seems like a good guy off the bike. Rock on Steve Smith.

 You guys know how Trek has the animal print bikes? Well, devinvi should come out with the facial hair print!

 wc rainbow stripes and stache is next.

 tippie-"3rd consecutive? Oh my god, you're better than i thought!"

 If Chuck Norris were a mountain biker..............he would want to be Stevie Smith

 If Chuck Norris were a mountain biker.........he would lose to Stevie Smith!

 Stevie was born with a moustache - The Collective made him shave it for their movie so he would look younger.

 ya wanna post the video so we can all see?

 Gee didn't race you idiot.

 Gee didn't race the Canadian open. And seeing how he's on top of the UCI leaderboard I don't see how he's always robbed.

 I think he won because of his time, I do belief that is how racing works.

 Gee was robbed? Clock don't lie buddy.

Stevie hits tree and still wins, he's like the Canadian Chuck Norris!

 I would like at this point to make an input in an attempt to claw back some of my countries dignity, Stevie put in an epic run i cannot believe he managed to win after a crash, he deserved it look at him go on the final stretch, whilst he says he knew it was lost he was going to do everything he could to get back in the game and boy did he do that. I saw the same aggressive riding style there as i saw with danny hart in the '11 champs!

I love Gee, i wish i could be even a fraction as good as he is on a bike, but there are better riders out there and they aint all English!

Finally apologies for the all the british folk that feel it necessary to input negative comments in wherever they see an american or canadian flag, they are just jealous that you have all the better riding spots . . . . . . . .



. . . . . . Greedy Bast*rds!!!!!

 Gee didn't race. Go home, jonny-norco...you're drunk!

 what'd mick do?

 Sik miks run was awesome, but his reaction when he lost by .09 of a sec. was like loosing big time.

 if he was literally sick he would've had to puke in the air.

 Yea you really effed up man. Canada is the place to be!

 Vegas? Why would anyone ever go to that hell hole? Given the opportunity to choose between NYC/Vegas and Whistler, I'd choose Whistler, despite the fact that I live only 3 hours away and visit regularly. Don't really know what the other two places could ever offer to draw me away. Seems the draw of NYC and Vegas is sitting in dark or smoke-filled rooms with strangers to watch someone else act or do cool things. Whistler invites me to BE there, awed with the entirety of my surroundings, and play the leading role in my experiences on trails and runs that challenge on so many levels, and bring a sense of oneness with my self and surroundings. A role I gladly accept.

I Choose Whistler.

 Black Angles - "Young Men Dead"

Off of "Passover" which is a pretty good album as well...

 thanks

 Tippie was completely sober, he is just so high on life that he forgot that Stevie won 2 years ago.

 he was kidding.

 Black Angles - "Young Men Dead"

 Thanks