Former sportsmen whose credibility has been destroyed by their media careers

[Hudu Gurusingha]

The entire Ch9 cricket commentary team - Cheerleaders would be a better word for them -

I don't have much time for cricket anymore - Only ever seem to watch The Ashes, and since I've found online streams, I always hit up the British Commentary teams.. They are just a whole lot more subtle, more calm, and are not scared to let two or three deliveries pass by without saying anything if there isn't anything worth mentioning!

Ch9 fill every single bit of airspace with flogging their s**t shows like the Block, or Dancing with a Star. X over Factor Y, and don't forget their limited edition Cricket Memorablia - I'm pretty certain this season they've framed a hunk of grass that came from the boot of Glenn McGrath after a day in the outfield, personally signed, for $450 - Half the proceeds go to the McGrath Foundation, and to keep up with the spirit, the hunk of turf has been painted pink - Limited to only 3500 hunks of grass, so get in quick. Put it up in the pool room next to Mathew Hayden's box from 1993 Ashes Series (the one where Slater played instead) that you bought last summer and that wonderful photo of Greg Blewett somehow getting past 99 runs in his first test at Adelaide Oval back in the 90s sometime...

Meanwhile, Chappell will point out why it is that everyone who has ever done anything has done it wrong...

Nassar Hussein and Athurton induce suicide they are that depressing and negative. Guess that's what happens when you get so bumhurt by Australia for so long. The novelty of Bumble has worn off me too. Don't mind Andrew Strauss. Botham is hit and miss.

 

[The_Reaper]

I can't believe there are people who don't only use ABC or BBC for radio when they are available

 

[Damon_3388]

Thread brings up an interested question - Just because you played the game at a high level, are you necessarily the best qualified to commentate on the game?

 

[Doss]

Ian Healy owns this.

As someone said- best keeper I've seen. He's also the worst cricket commentator there is.

 

[Smoooothy]

Thread brings up an interested question - Just because you played the game at a high level, are you necessarily the best qualified to commentate on the game?

One of the best commentators I've heard was Clinton Grybas. I don't think he ever played sport

 

[Doss]

One of the best commentators I've heard was Clinton Grybas. I don't think he ever played sport

Definitely not at a high level.

Anthony Hudson and Gerard Whateley are two others in this vein. Decent to good commentators, no elite background in the sport.

 

[Kram]

Glen Jakovich didn't tarnish his reputation with me. His performance in the media confirms him to be exactly how I always thought he was.

Jako was so fantastically bad he was good.

 

[Damon_3388]

Andrew Gaze.

Not saying he has to act like an egotistical prick or be a humourless dullard (he's self-effacing almost to a fault), but I'd like to think that someone who is the greatest our country has ever produced in his given sport could offer a bit more in the sports media than childish clowning.

 

[clogged]

Drew Banfield.

 

[Hudu Gurusingha]

Definitely not at a high level.

Anthony Hudson and Gerard Whateley are two others in this vein. Decent to good commentators, no elite background in the sport.

Gerard Whateley shits me to tears

 

[Hudu Gurusingha]

Andrew Gaze.

Not saying he has to act like an egotistical prick or be a humourless dullard (he's self-effacing almost to a fault), but I'd like to think that someone who is the greatest our country has ever produced in his given sport could offer a bit more in the sports media than childish clowning.

Yeh know what you mean - he's just humiliating himself

 

[crownie]

Thread brings up an interested question - Just because you played the game at a high level, are you necessarily the best qualified to commentate on the game?

Two aspects to consider....

There is commentating the play as in describing what is happening which doesn't need qualification, as we have seen with AFL some of the best at this never played.

Then there is the deeper stuff talking about players, game plans, coaches, techniques ect. I tend to think the better and more interesting people to listen to at this are the ones who have played and done well like Leigh Matthews, Shane Warne.

 

[Thrawn]

gaze, andrew

I was waiting for his name to come up! Completely useless on SEN.

 

[Caesar]

On another note, has there ever been a better transition from athlete to commentator than Phil Liggett?

A lot of cycling fans deeply detest Phil Liggett's commentary. He fanboys a lot over specific riders, gets confused a fair bit, and has a lot of cliched euphemisms and assumptions. Someone like Sean Kelly is much more highly rated.

Liggett's unwavering support of Lance Armstrong also got a lot of people off-side.

 

[Dan Moody]

A lot of cycling fans YOU speak to may detest him. Don't speak for the majority.
I've watched every TDF since LeMond's first win, Liggett and Sherwin make it what it is.
Who cares about unwavering support for Armstrong, lots of people had that until he came out and said what he did. Liggett's job is to build up the theatrics of the Grand Tours and give the riders the biggest profile. Sean Kelly shits me to tears, as far as credibility goes, his tour win was right in the thick of the suspicious era.
Phil Liggett is the best sporting commentator, pound for pound, in the business and has been for a long time.
If you wanted theatrics, inconsistencies and incorrect assumptions, take your mind back to Murray Walker.
This coming from a lifelong cyclist

 

[Hudu Gurusingha]

Robbie Koenig and Jason Goodall are easily the best commentators in the tennis world. Both had relatively mediocre professional tennis careers, but are absolute Roger Federers behind the mic. Shame they only do the ATP events and not the slams. Instead we have to put up with Bruce and Jim Courier.

 

[Hudu Gurusingha]

Cant go past Rabs Warren either

"WOOOOHHHH CARUNCHING TACKLE BY SIRONEN"
"ITS THORPE, HACKETT AND THORPE THERES NOTHING IN IT"
"WOOOOOHHHH, CARUNCHING COVER DRIVE FROM BOUCHER. HE HAS PUT SOME HURT ON THE BALL. FOUR RUNS PUT DOWN THE GLASSES."

Ok the last one was from 12th Man, but you get the idea...

 

[Roobs321]

Yeah, have to agree with Crash Davis. Claiming that 'a lot' of serious cycling fans detest the commentary of Liggett feels false to me. I've watched a majority of tours since I was a young child, and among cycling fans rarely hear a bad word about Liggett. All commentators have arguable flaws in the eye of the beholder, but for me those things you mentioned don't detract from his commentary. Sure, he has his favourites, but he knows just about every rider extensively. It's not like lavishing Federer with praise and having little to no knowledge of an Ebden or Volandri.

Hating on Liggett to me just reeks of elitism. Deeply detest? wow.

 

[Hudu Gurusingha]

Yeah, have to agree with Crash Davis. Claiming that 'a lot' of serious cycling fans detest the commentary of Liggett feels false to me. I've watched a majority of tours since I was a young child, and among cycling fans rarely hear a bad word about Liggett. All commentators have arguable flaws in the eye of the beholder, but for me those things you mentioned don't detract from his commentary. Sure, he has his favourites, but he knows just about every rider extensively. It's not like lavishing Federer with praise and having little to no knowledge of an Ebden or Volandri.

Hating on Liggett to me just reeks of elitism. Deeply detest? wow.

Liggett is a legend. Simple as that.

As for lavishing Federer and ignoring everyone else - Channel 7 and the US Open commentators do this beautifully

 

[Roobs321]

As a Ferrer/Davydenko fan over the years, the Channel 7 commentators have annoyed me at times over the years. And that involves perennial top 10 players, let alone selfless journeymen in a peleton or top 100 battlers.

I remember in the 2011 AO SF between Murray and Ferrer getting frustrated with Woodbridge and his 'brickwall' dismissive attitude towards Ferrer, even when he was winning.

 

[peternorth]

A lot of cycling fans deeply detest Phil Liggett's commentary. He fanboys a lot over specific riders, gets confused a fair bit, and has a lot of cliched euphemisms and assumptions. Someone like Sean Kelly is much more highly rated.

Liggett's unwavering support of Lance Armstrong also got a lot of people off-side.

Ligs voice is up there with david attenborough and martin tyler

 

[peternorth]

As a Ferrer/Davydenko fan over the years, the Channel 7 commentators have annoyed me at times over the years. And that involves perennial top 10 players, let alone selfless journeymen in a peleton or top 100 battlers.

I remember in the 2011 AO SF between Murray and Ferrer getting frustrated with Woodbridge and his 'brickwall' exclusive attitude to Ferrer.

clever use of a cycling term

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

I have to admit on other way around Buckley is excellent when in the media. His chat with Whately etc on ABC Grandstand before the Port Hawks prelim was great to listen to. Really knows his stuff, can take a joke, doesn't take a side. Long may his awful coaching career continue to he gets sacked and goes to the media for a bit.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Knocking yourself out running into a goalpost during the '93 WAFL Grand final does not make you a former sportsman.

Basil never played in the 93 Grand Final. He was injured and played reserves when he wasn't. He dicked it in once he got in the 7 mafia in Perth.

 

[Caesar]

Wow, that struck a nerve.

Read around on the web. Pretty much every cycling forum has a long thread bemoaning Phil and Paul's commentary.

Granted internet fans of any sport are their own little subset, but P&P cop just as much crap somewhere like CyclingNews as a lot of the AFL commentators in this thread do on BigFooty.

Not saying I dislike them personally, but they're pretty divisive.