That television viewers are annoyed by commentators is something of all times and all countries. The NOS team often has to pay the price. It is no different in Belgium. Cycling commentator Karl Vannieuwkerke got the viewers on his roof, because of his tone during the golden time trial of Remco Evenepoel in the opening weekend.
The striking thing: he was criticized because according to many viewers he was too enthusiastic when Evenepoel rode to gold. Vannieuwkerke screamed with wild joy. Was that really necessary, such an ‘orgasm on TV’, many Belgians wondered.
Less noisy
Vannieuwkerke apparently took the criticism to heart, because when the same Evenepoel also won the road race this weekend, the commentator was less vocal.
No, not us. The Netherlands can’t get enough of Femke Bol’s race. We’re feasting on the compilation videos, with commentators shouting Femke Bol (or ‘Finke Bul’) in different languages as our Femke races past the British and American top runners towards relay gold.
Femke Bol crosses the finish line after her magnificent final sprint. © ANP
Quite remarkable, because Belgian sobriety is of course not foreign to the average Dutchman. However, the Netherlands knows how to park that Calvinism en masse when athletes in orange shirts achieve something. We want to hear screaming commentators: Jack van Gelder who endlessly babbles Dennis Bergkamp into a microphone after his world goal against Argentina.
Olav Mol even won the Theo Koomen Award – best commentator of the year – for his lyrics (‘Yo hé, yo ho, yo fucking hell, how bizarre’) with which he accompanied Max Verstappen’s first Grand Prix victory in 2016.
Evenepoel after his road win, Saturday. © AFP
And yes, that’s how it should be. Karl Vannieuwkerke understood it. He knew that Remco Evenepoel’s race will still be discussed with pride in Belgium in forty years. Just like Femke Bol’s sprint is for eternity. Athletes who focus on one moment for four years and then perform like that, deserve this enthusiasm.
So scream at the screen and scream into the microphone. Watch the sport as Karl Vannieuwkerke does: with genuine amazement and admiration.
