Dick Button

[Evil Genius]

I find this man very annoying. He is the commentator for all the skating events for the Olympics. He was a champion about 800 years ago. He's obnoxious and makes some of the most inappropriate remarks I've ever heard. Can't NBC find someone else to do the commentary?? All right I'm done.

 

[AuntieM03]

What has he said that is inappropriate? He has been around forever, but he is kind of an icon in figure skating.

 

[liamsaunt]

I disagree. I have always enjoyed Dick Buttons' commentary. What did he say that you found so offensive?

My favorite, though, is Scott Hamilton. I love how excited he gets during the performances. "It's a triple luUUUUUUUUUUUUUTZ!" I wonder if he is working the Olympics this year.

 

[pozey]

I think he's great. I haven't heard any of the "inappropriate" comments. Can you elaborate?

I agree that he is icon in the sport. He tells it like he sees it. He doesn't gush over each and every competitor like the announcers for snowboarding. Now those announcers annoy me. Every single competitor, every single move, everything is GREAT, FANTASTIC, GREATEST MOVE EVER. Even when they crash.

 

[tar heel]

It's Button, isn't it?

I've always enjoyed him as a commentator b/c he really seems to know a lot about the techniques of skating and the judging. There's a thread on one of the other DIS boards in which someone who knows him says he's not a very nice guy, though.

My favorite skating commentators, though, are Scott Hamilton and Peggy Fleming.

 

[Deb in IA]

He talks a lot, but he's knowledgeable and entertaining.

I've never heard him to be offensive.

 

[cinmell]

He's knowledgeable and can be a tad annoying at times but I've never found him to be offensive. You can definitely tell who he favors though.

 

[Kirby]

His commentating on the Olympics hasn't bothered me so far.

I thought his comment during Nationals? that he hated the move where the skaters hold on to their skate and hoped that it would be banned in the near future was funny. I never paid much attention to that move but now I notice it is used quite a lot.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

We always laugh at him in our house because he is just so negative.

Last night he said something like:

"Well that isn't the most exceptionable spin sequence I've ever seen."

Coming from him, that is the Praise of the Century.

 

[jennyl772003]

My husband doesn't care for him, but I kinda like him. I don't follow skating other then at the Olympics, so I think he gives a very fair and balanced commentary to help me, as a beginner,watch.

When he thinks a move is ugly, he says so, but when the skaters do something well, he says so too.

 

[Servants of Evan]

I will agree that he's completely annoying. He skated in an era when a single axel or lutz was "big" and he critiques people who accomplish triples. Yo Dick, feel free to strap on the skates and haul your butt out there! Come on big mouth, show 'em how it's done! (Don't worry, we'll have the EMS crew standing by). If you're going to critique it, you should have at least accomplished it once, IMHO.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

And I thought this thread was going to be about Cheney shooting his friend and someone selling buttons about it. Really.

 

[noseybuddy]

He has been around forever. They will never get rid of him. He doesn't bother me, he just tells it like he sees it.

 

[bananiem]

He annoys me because he NEVER has anything good to say about anyone except Michelle Kwan. He's tactless. Yes. He's saying it like he sees it but sometimes you can say it without being quite so abrasive. He's one step short of saying "That person should not wear skates, their routine was so bad."

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I disagree. I think Sandra Bezic is the one who has nothing good to say about anybody. Her bias is ridiculous. I love Dick Button and always look forward to his commentary. It is just not true he only says good things about Michelle Kwan, I've been watching skating long enough to know. In fact, I belong to a forum where people share skating videos, and I've gotten to hear plenty of old Button commentary very recently.

And little wonder he says good things about Michelle Kwan. Duh. She's one of the best there ever was.

 

[pozey]

He annoys me because he NEVER has anything good to say about anyone except Michelle Kwan. He's tactless. Yes. He's saying it like he sees it but sometimes you can say it without being quite so abrasive. He's one step short of saying "That person should not wear skates, their routine was so bad."

I completly disagree. If someone skates well, he will say so. If not, he again, will say so.

I would so much rather hear a commentator say "That wasn't very good" when someone does something not so good rather than someone going on and on about how good something was when they just crashed and burned.

I heard him say something the other night about someones sit-spin not being good. Well, for someone who only watches occasionally, it is good to know because otherwise they would think it was being done correctly.

 

[AMcaptured]

I love Dick. IMO, an olympic skating event wouldn't be the same without him.

 

[missypie]

I love Dick now more than ever. Figure skating wouldn't be figure skating without him. He has gotten more frank as he has gotten older, but don't we all? I think now he's at the stage where he doesn't need to work and he'll say what he wants and if they don't want to hire him next time, so be it. I value it when he says they're sticking their fanny out on a sit spin or grabbing their skates too much.

I did think it was kind of a hoot during the womens' Nationals when he commented on the trend of home schooling elite athletes and how that was a bad thing.

 

[diznygirl]

I've been watching skating forever too, enough to know that Dick Buttons has a thing about death spirals - he will ALWAYS comment on the dealth sprials. And I do agree that he's probably gotten more open as he gets older. But he's not offensive.

 

[ugadog99]

First of all, his name is Dick Button not Buttons. Secondly, he is truly an American skating icon. He has been broadcasting for years, and we enjoy his opinions. I don't want someone who thinks everyone is terrific. I want to hear what someone who is knowledgable in figure skating thinks about a particular skater's program.