Should we have bias commentary?

[Mitchell Madness]

About 10 years ago (May have been longer)in the USA, they had a couple of games in the nhl and nba, in which the commentary team was made up of ex players from both sides as "colour commentators," or special comments as they are known here, with play-by-play being called by an impartial commentator
It made for great viewing/listening, with banter between the two legends as they analyzed the game, and their passion made you actually pay attention

Would this work here?
I would prefer it to the current set up, where ex players try to remain unbiased, and essentially, sound like parrots, trying not to offend anyone

 

[Dont be a lemon]

http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/bias.html

 

[Mr Ripper]

Ian Cleland?

 

[Art Corvelay]

Tommy Heinsohn owns this thread.



Much prefer the local call over national when watching Celtics games!

 

[UpForGrabs]

Tommy Heinsohn owns this thread.



Much prefer the local call over national when watching Celtics games!

To be fair, it was in OT and by that stage Tommy's upset because he normally finishes his bottle of scotch half-way through the fourth quarter.

Buzz must've worn off.

 

[J Shuttlesworth]

Maybe if it was an option, like the ol press red for 'team commentary' then you get to pick which team or something.

Don't see it being widely accepted as standard in this country, remembering that each team has their own commentary team that travels in the NBA so it is on their local broadcast for their team.

 

[millsy29gopies]

Press red for Ed worked well last year, apparently Collingwood are looking to eventually start their own channel on Foxtel so this could be a possibility in the near future. K-Rock is obviously heavily Geelong biased already.

 

[FRUMPY]

Tom Harley? not a game goes by without some mention of geelong this or geelong that. In carlton games he always mentions Menzals brother at geelong.

 

[hcd199]

Wouldn't mind the idea of having biased special commentators provided they didn't interfere with the call - and really, there are too many special commentators on most coverage as it is, it's hard enough to get a proper stretch of play-by-play commentary already. The idea has merit, though, and they'd be best in moderation, with only minimal comment at particularly partisan junctures (say a controversial umpiring call).

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Wouldn't mind the idea of having biased special commentators provided they didn't interfere with the call - and really, there are too many special commentators on most coverage as it is, it's hard enough to get a proper stretch of play-by-play commentary already. The idea has merit, though, and they'd be best in moderation, with only minimal comment at particularly partisan junctures (say a controversial umpiring call).

I was thinking more play-by-play for the bias commentators
As you say, we get very little "good calls" so it would actually fix that, with a special comments caller to analyse the game at breaks and stoppages

 

[windyhill]

http://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/bias.html

No offence to the op, but generally speaking it is the most frustrating thing on BF.

 

[Heaps of fun]

No offence to the op, but generally speaking it is the most frustrating thing on BF.

"He looks disinterested"

 

[Dont be a lemon]

No offence to the op, but generally speaking it is the most frustrating thing on BF.

Needlessly adding apostrophes is up there. Like apostrophe's.

 

[General Soreness]

I'd like to think that the OP's model would work here. I wonder though if the tribalism of footy would somehow work against it, if only in the mind of producers. Nevertheless, I generally have no problem with biased commentary on the television, on the radio it's a different matter as I don't have the vision to contrast with what the speaker is saying. I even like a bit of biased TV commentary as if makes me concentrate more on the team against whom the commentor is biased. I can't see why biased commentary should replace some decent game analysis.

 

[Spongebob]

In the US it is an interesting balance between being the team's commentators and barracking for the team. Obvious use of insider knowledge and orientation while still recognizing the broader audience who want to hear a good call. The part of the red for Ed I heard was just out and out barracking.

It is also a balance when a commentator criticisms the team. Steve Stone (a former pitcher and sideman to the great Harry Cary) resigned as Cubs colour commentator after players became very upset with his criticizing the team and it's performance.

 

[Hate]

Tom Harley? not a game goes by without some mention of geelong this or geelong that. In carlton games he always mentions Menzals brother at geelong.

'Back in my days at Geelong'
'Yep, players like Cameron Ling!'

 

[Micksy]

'Back in my days at Geelong'
'Yep, players like Cameron Ling!'

I suppose he could name all the good current Richmond players like...wait a minute...it's on the tip of my tongue...R-Richo..?