Dick and Peggy

[bartek]

What do you think, is there a chance we will hear them doing commentary ever again? They're my favourite commentators, I'd love to have them back instead of Scott and Sandra.

[aftershocks]

Perhaps anybody would be better than Scott, Sandra, and their sidekick. Sandra paired with someone else might be better, perhaps, but I don't think there's any hope for Scott. I'd love a team of Gannon, Wiley, Dick, Peggy, and Susie Wynne. An online or backstage chat/ summary of the event with Johnny and Tara would also be cool.

[Aussie Willy]

As much as Dick and Peggy can sometimes be annoying, they certainly are icons of the sport and deserve worshipping and respect. I think give them their own talk show.

[ChelleC]

Actually, I didn't think Scott was bad in the 1990's when he was on CBS with Verne Lundquist. It's the combination of Scott and Sandra that I can't stand.

[shan]

I used to think I missed Dick, Peggy and especially Terry, but then I went back and watched some old performance from Nationals in the 90's and early 2000's. They just didn't shut up. Even during the slow parts Terry had to blather on and on giving some piece of the skater's bio. I so much prefer no commentary or for the commentators to wait until the end.

[Louise]

Well, I loved Dick and Peggy, but eventually Dick started getting too mixed up to really do a good job. Even William F. Buckley knew when it was time to sign off.
I liked how excited Dick got and that he spoke his mind, but that also caused him to get verbal diarrhea sometimes that made no sense. He is too bright a man to make such horrendous gaffes as frequently as he did. It was funny because I rewatched Annett Poeztch's Oly SP, and she planned to do a 2loop-3toe. Everyone knew it. So she's going into the combo and Dick says a 3toe-2loop, no 3loop-2toe! No Dick, it was a 2loop-2toe. Imagine how dumb we all were back then before the internet could really teach us, and here Dick is making mistake after mistake. Uggh.
Scott has never been a favorite of mine. He is WAY too opinionated and has his favorites (usually the ones he wanted for SOI). Sandra was always bitchy but I respected that, because she handed it out to everyone, and really, I found myself thinking the exact same things she would end up saying. But yeah, the combo of Scott and Sandra is too much.
I liked Peggy as a commentator, primarily the latter years where she was the good cop to Dick's bad cop. I never really thought of her as a ballerina on ice, and from the looks of all the old vids she was a jock. I wished she'd have been more athletically oriented in her commentary. But I love Peggy, she's a national treasure.
Someone who has really impressed me as a commentator is Tara Lipinski. She knows her stuff, she explains the mechanics of why a jump failed, and her voice is vanilla (no Roz issues there). I didn't even know it was her commentating on many of the vids I watched. She can add snark if inclined, but she's very very good at commentating.

[Aussie Willy]

The best commentators are PJ Kwong and the British Guys on Eurosport.

[Vash01]

I used to think I missed Dick, Peggy and especially Terry, but then I went back and watched some old performance from Nationals in the 90's and early 2000's. They just didn't shut up. Even during the slow parts Terry had to blather on and on giving some piece of the skater's bio. I so much prefer no commentary or for the commentators to wait until the end.

I thought Terry was the most annoying one that just would not shut up during the skate. At least Dick and Peggy were talking about the skating; Terry just kept talking about the off ice stuff, and speculating/imagining, instead of letting the commentators do their jobs. Verne Lundquist had the same problem. He just would not shut up.

[aemeraldrainc]

I do miss Mr. Button. More so than Fleming. I was just thinking about this earlier.
He's simply irreplaceable, an icon, an institution in the world of figure skating. His thoughts and expertise(and snark ) will definitely always be missed.
But I can understand why he's no longer commentating. He is getting older and his mind is not what it used to be. A real shame.
But he has done so much for the sport as it is. I wish there was a way he could be around forever. Ok, that's definitely going too far.
I guess I really do miss him.

We need a smilie for him!! I vote for one anyway.

Time for me to

[Mafke]

It don't mean a thing if it aint' got that Dick ....

Wait, that didn't turn out right, let's try again:

There's not enough Dick in that broadcast ....

Maybe I should quit now.

[Aussie Willy]

It don't mean a thing if it aint' got that Dick ....

Wait, that didn't turn out right, let's try again:

There's not enough Dick in that broadcast ....

Maybe I should quit now.

This thread could go down very quickly thanks to the likes of you ..... whoops I mean downhill.

[paskatefan]

Perhaps anybody would be better than Scott, Sandra, and their sidekick. Sandra paired with someone else might be better, perhaps, but I don't think there's any hope for Scott. I'd love a team of Gannon, Wylie, Dick, Peggy, and Susie Wynne. An online or backstage chat/ summary of the event with Johnny and Tara would also be cool.

I love "Uncle" Dickie, warts and all. He can be caustic at times (and Peggy would be the one to say something positive about a skater), but he is passionate about the sport. I've learned so much from him through the years.

Actually, I didn't think Scott was bad in the 1990's when he was on CBS with Verne Lundquist. It's the combination of Scott and Sandra that I can't stand.

I liked Scott & Verne together. I am grateful that Scott started SOI. While I do admire Scott's enthusiasm, I wish he would tone down the screeching.

It don't mean a thing if it aint' got that Dick ....

Wait, that didn't turn out right, let's try again:

There's not enough Dick in that broadcast ....

Maybe I should quit now.

[bartek]

That's nice to know your opinions on different commentators but could anyone actually answer my question? Is there a chance we will hear Dick and Peggy again? And I don't think he got so old his mind isn't what it used to be. Last time he did commentary during 2008 Worlds he was perfectly ok, so was he during 2009 worlds where he just talked during warm-up with Michelle.

[manleywoman]

The best commentators are PJ Kwong and the British Guys on Eurosport.

I totally agree 100%.

Though i love Uncle Dick too.

[miki88]

Love Dick and Peggy. Button did tend to focus on a few particular things but he is still the most entertaining commentator.

[aftershocks]

Interesting comments all. As to your question, bartek, who knows? As a long time skating fan, I do miss some of those days of listening to Dick, Peggy, Jim McKay, and later, Terry Gannon. Peter C was mostly bad, but he had some interesting contributions as well. And, I also loved the brief times that Brian B and Christopher B spent in the commentating booth. I think Paul Wiley and Susie Wynne are excellent commentators. I agree too with Aussie Willy that the BBC commentators are the best of all (I'm not as familiar with Canadian, P.J. Kwong).

I agree with you bartek, that Dick Button has not lost his mind, as some posters seem to think. Gosh, I'd love to have the opportunity to go back and listen to all those old broadcasts starting from the beginning with Dick and the various ABC broadcasters. Dick may have fallen on the ice and hit his head, but he recovered and came back to the broadcast booth as good as ever. I think Dick has needed perhaps a larger venue and a different outlet for disseminating his great knowledge. Of course, some things change as we get older (particularly, physical abilities), but to me Dick is as sharp, knowledgeable and instructive as ever. Just because his words get mixed up and tangled up and he has trouble getting his thoughts out, isn't b/c he's too old. I think it's largely due to the limited time he has to frame and express his thoughts, his remarkable, bubbling enthusiasm, and mainly because his brain has probably always worked faster than his mouth could keep up with, and that factor has become even more noticeable with age. Some of us have that problem. I think Dick should write a book (memoir of his skating life). Peggy has already done that.

In regard to getting old, and losing one's marbles, let me advise all the younguns, If you live long enough, you too will get to know very personally just what it's like to become old. It is actually your body that begins to fall apart mostly. If you are lucky, your mind remains intact. In truth, you are always the same person inside, the same child, same adult with the same personality, but the body do tend to slowly fall apart over time, mostly because of gravity, wear and tear, and the lack of our ability to just get new parts, lol. Altho' of course amazing advances have been made with hip and knee replacement surgeries (so I'm mistaken, there are some parts available, including organ transplants for more serious ailments, which is much more risky than joint replacements). In any case, I say all this b/c I've had the experience and great pleasure of knowing a lot of older people as close friends, and altho' I still have a ways to go, I'm also old enough to exclaim, "What the hell is going on with my body?" As our elders have a way of telling us, Eat right, exercise daily, keep your thoughts positive and stay engaged with the people and endeavors that make you happy -- give, give (and you will be surprised at the rewards you will receive, unbidden). To quote BFranklin: "Early to bed, early to rise, makes [us] healthy, wealthy and wise." Not that I do that too often. So hard to follow good advice, especially my own.

Up thread with those risque analogies, you guys are toooo funny!

[aemeraldrainc]

That's nice to know your opinions on different commentators but could anyone actually answer my question? Is there a chance we will hear Dick and Peggy again? And I don't think he got older and he's mind isn't what it used to be. Last time he did commentary during 2008 Worlds he was perfectly ok, so was he during 2009 worlds where he just talked during warm-up with Michelle.

I'm sorry I can't answer your question. Maybe there's someone in the know who can enlighten us.
But he WAS born in 1929 so what is he? About 82 now?
He's definitely gotten older. Maybe he wouldn't be able to do commentary throughout the whole broadcast, but instead do like he did most recently. Interviews and in between recaps/etc.

[aftershocks]

Yes, aemeraldrainc, a different venue for Dick's expertise should happen, if he is willing. Enjoyed seeing him on Skating with the Stars (too bad that whole concept doesn't work as well as Battle of the Blades).

Dick was great on that Olympic Ice special in 2006, Push Dick's Button (there are so many plays possible re his name ). The skating community should definitely embrace Dick, Peggy, and all their old-timers much more and in a special way, before too much more time passes us by. The Caesar's Tribute was fine, but I'm talking something much more. I wonder has anyone ever nominated Dick to receive a presidential honor (he definitely should receive something, IMHO, b/c he is a national treasure).

[aemeraldrainc]

Ok. You got me there, aftershocks. You make solid points.
I don't know him personally so I can't say for sure, but you're probably right. You've given me something to think about. I hope I can have that positive attitude when I get older.

Btw, I just realized I've reached 100 posts!!! Go me!
(I've been wanting to use those smilies,)
Now I go back to my hole.

[aemeraldrainc]

Yes!
Definitely. He should get some kind of presidential honor or something.
Yup.

Hehe, you're too fast for me. Or I'm too slow. I'm on my iPod, too. So that doesn't help. Anyways...moving on...