BT is commentating the Grand Final on 7 apparently.

[Baltimore Jack]

How does he still have a job? (You can add about 10 others to the list too)
Are TV executives that stupid or do they not listen to him?

 

[Elite Master]

Dennis won't call with BT? I swear the rumour used to be that he hated calling with Bruce and the two wouldn't even make eye contact unless the camera was on them? Did that happen or was that BT and I got confused?

No you're right, the rumor circling was between Bruce and Dennis, this refusal from Dennis working with BT is new to me as well.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

No you're right, the rumor circling was between Bruce and Dennis, this refusal from Dennis working with BT is new to me as well.

Dr Turf talks about it a bit

 

[Registered User]

BT and Derwayne had a little stoush on 3aw on Friday night. It was funny -- 2 of the biggest egos in footy trying to talk over each other

 

[Modified Dog]

I would honestly prefer this as the lesser of two evils over Bruce McAvaney. Bruce is that bad. It's actually an embarrassment to the game that he continues to represent the code.

It actually disgusts me that Cyril Rioli performs these amazing highlights on the football field, but his highlight reels will be forever more accompanied by McAvaney's self-parodying homoerotic exclamations.

Imagine if Bruce called the 1970 Grand Final and instead of "Ohhhh Jesaulenko! You Beauty!" all we got was "OOOOOOHH! Delicious! Gee Dennis, wouldn't you LOVE to have Jezza riding on your back?"

BT >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Brooth

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Bruce is the arguably the country's greatest ever commentator. He knows more about sport and has called more sport than most of you have ever seen.
He does go a little over board these days but compared to muppets like Taylor, Russel, Campbell its a non event.
He is the King of broadcasting in this country and rated the world over.

You guys have no idea. Don't know wtf you are looking for in your commentators.

 

[Zarrix]

Bruce was great 2001 and before. Well past it now, he's like a footballer who has played on about five years too long.

 

[Borry]

BT and Derwayne had a little stoush on 3aw on Friday night. It was funny -- 2 of the biggest egos in footy trying to talk over each other

That could be the ego clash of the year.

 

[yaco55]

Bruce is the arguably the country's greatest ever commentator. He knows more about sport and has called more sport than most of you have ever seen.
He does go a little over board these days but compared to muppets like Taylor, Russel, Campbell its a non event.
He is the King of broadcasting in this country and rated the world over.

You guys have no idea. Don't know wtf you are looking for in your commentators.

Spot on.

When the 'prince of commentators' Tony Charlton praised Bruce McAvaney as raising the bar for footy commentary that's a BIG wrap.

Why does OZ have so many negative nellies ?

 

[Registered User]

It actually disgusts me that Cyril Rioli performs these amazing highlights on the football field, but his highlight reels will be forever more accompanied by McAvaney's self-parodying homoerotic exclamations.
BT >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Brooth

I'm sure BT or someone else will voice-over Cyril's highlights DVD for you.........for a MASSIVE fee

 

[Keys]

Ex football players do not usually make good play by play callers

Although Bruce and Dennis have almost become caricatures of themselves they're still better than anyone else on TV. The next best is huddo.

 

[shotgun_blues]

Bruce is the arguably the country's greatest ever commentator. He knows more about sport and has called more sport than most of you have ever seen.
He does go a little over board these days but compared to muppets like Taylor, Russel, Campbell its a non event.
He is the King of broadcasting in this country and rated the world over.

You guys have no idea. Don't know wtf you are looking for in your commentators.

I don't get the Bruce hate at all. He is a fantastic caller, along with Cometti the best 2 IMO. I can't wait to hear Sandy Roberts either, he'll be an improvement on the rest.

 

[topdon]

Bruce is now a parody of himself. He should just give it away.

 

[UpForGrabs]

The problem with Bruce and Dennis aren't that they don't know how to commentate. Bruce and Dennis are still fantastic, and when games are close and come down to the wire, the real commentators step up. Get past the existence of Basil at the start of this clip and just listen to Dennis commentate the final part of this match:



Perfect. No cheap jokes, just edge-of-your-pants stuff.

Or the final parts of the 2012 Grand Final (Bruce and Dennis):



The problem is Channel 7. Their direction to the commentators has to have been to amp up the interaction with the other commentators. It's why they keep referring to each other by nicknames, crack jokes and try to be blokey. Channel 7 is hell-bent on capturing some mythical demographic that they think haven't been interested in footy before. They think they broadcast 'entertainment', as opposed to calling footy.

PS: Sorry to Hawks fans for choosing those two clips to highlight things. I know they're no great for you to watch. Perfect for neutrals though.

 

[Kram]

BT is clown but would still be better than that gaylord Bruce.

 

[damochandler]

bruce was good when he commentated the game and when the game had those moments when a commentator made it great. now he just just goes way over the top with some utter rubbish. rioli and questions and by play with dennis

he was once great. it has passed him by


dennis was great when he let the game give him one liners and brought comedy in without trying. now it's just one liner after one liner and not even funny. '

i agree that 7 are the problem dennis and bt aren't like this on radio

 

[greatwhiteshark]

BT is clown but would still be better than that gaylord Bruce.

BT does not have the right to even stand in the same stadium as Bruce. BT should call womens volleyball at best.

 

[Leon]

I agree that Bruce goes overboard i.e with his obsession with players like Cyril Rioli but he's still a great caller for mine. Him and Dennis are still far and away the best callers in the game.

The thing that makes Dennis and Bruce stand out as the best callers are that they are the best to listen to when the game is close, they still capture the excitement of the game whilst giving a good call. Whilst I can't stand BT as much as everyone else, he at least tries to make it exciting - he's just a s**t caller and yells too much. Hamish and Basil are absolutely atrocious in this regard as well.

I posted similar in my thread about Hamish and Basil - Dennis and Bruce are the only good callers that 7 have. The only other good commentators are on Foxtel (Hudson, Sandy, Eddie)

BT and Darcy are terrible and "Hame" and "Baz" are probably the worst commentators I've ever heard in any sport, anywhere.

But anyway, if BT is gonna do the Grand Final, honestly, God help us.

 

[Mighty Eagles]

There is a lot of criticism about Fox's callers but to the bloke who mentioned Matty Campbell above, I've got to say he's one of the least irritating callers.

He's down to earth and doesn't try and be bigger than the game.

 

[Mighty Eagles]

Have we got a source for this thread?

 

[Mennon]

Channel 7 is hell-bent on capturing some mythical demographic that they think haven't been interested in footy before. They think they broadcast 'entertainment', as opposed to calling footy.

This. It's like footy is MKR, and thy have to desperately milk this thing for all it's worth until viewers turn away.
D and B are fine, but they have to stop trying to be clever. D is the better I think. B has run out of gas, everything now is "It's good! It's very VERY good!" BT is a goon. His laziness shows out every week, and he has to go before they can improve. Dwayne is the worst barracker. He wants the "story". He barracks for the underdog because that's a bigger story. Just tell me who's got the ball, and add some flavour if you must, but don't forget, about 30 - 40% of the audience barracks for one of the teams playing, and they might get a little sick of one of the commentators hoping their team is going to lose.
And another thing. Ten were the worst at this - STOP SHOWING THE BLOODY CROWD ALL THE TIME! I was watching a game with an international friend once and they kept cutting to the same guy in the crowd. "Is that the Prince of Australia?" they asked me. No, I said. It's just some guy they keep showing because I don't know. Watch the last minute of the 2012 Grand Grand Final. "What a celebration!" Dennis cried. Pity we didn't see it because we were watching from Level 3 row Z, and then from a river in Sydney were 50 people were watching a display, some of whom where reacting. It really gives me the shiats.
Get Hudson, Eddy for non-Collingwood games, Wheatly, and King for special comments. Keep D and B, but split them up FFS. First things first, get rid of BT!

 

[Resistor]

I personally think that BT is funny! Makes those boring St Kilda/Melbourne/WB games interesting.

 

[the big lebowski]

BT is a joke. End of story.

Continually drawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwinnnnggggggggggggggggggggggg our words is not commentating.

 

[UpForGrabs]

I personally think that BT is funny! Makes those boring St Kilda/Melbourne/WB games interesting.

Apologies, but I don't know how any person on this massive earth of ours could have such thoughts.

 

[Resistor]

Apologies, but I don't know how any person on this massive earth of ours could have such thoughts.

The way he says Harding------Ham or goes on about whether Eli Templeton is the first Eli in the AFL. I consider it stupid but I do laugh. At least he talks this way about all players and is not Cyril conscious all the bloody time.