Cameron Ling: The Commentator

[Jhye Clark 13]

You can still add your comments without being nothing but a shill. Wayne Carey is actually really, really good at this. Every other commentator on every network has had 8 years to state plainly "Joel Selwood doesn't duck". Why was Carey the first to do this?

I offered a substantial reward to those who can show footage of Selwood 'ducking' under the interpretation, yet nobody is able to come up with the goods.

He has done it once in the game against Carlton last year in the pocket on the boundary.

 

[FredLeDeux]

I agree with the consensus (Lingy overcompensates, Watson, Mooney and Carey all very good) here, but we just need to keep in mind that Lingy can't really support Geelong either. If he were to, say, defend Selwood's armlock, then he would automatically be perceived as biased regardless of how objective his opinion might have actually been. That's probably why whenever he does commentate on Geelong, it's usually the negatives or on very, very vague terms.
.

You've precisely summed up the problem he has, and the fact that he deals with it unsuccessfully.
It's called moral cowardice.
Or intellectual dishonesty.
Or both.
He just needs to be honest and genuinely even-handed and let people think what they like.

 

[FredLeDeux]

That would, presumably, apply to those people who think Ablett, Franklin, Dangerfield, etc should be "loyal" to the club that originally conscripted them. Sorry, "gave them their opportunity'.

 

[thejester]

His transformation into a breakfast radio host has been most distressing.

 

[FredLeDeux]

His transformation into a breakfast radio host has been most distressing.

One more step in the Decline and Fall?
Next step, rock bottom - TV Current Affairs host.

 

[Partridge]

His transformation into a breakfast radio host has been most distressing.

The sad thing is, is that every one of the ex-players who commentate could add genuine insight if they worked to their strengths. I would actually be interested to hear Luke Darcy talk about the challenges of being an undersized ruckman; or Taylor talk about the importance of kicking the regulation goals for a key forward (when he occasionally drifts into this area on radio it's like a different person); or Ling talk about the endurance required to be a top tagger; and so on. Anything like this would be a vast improvement. But that means treating your viewing audience like intelligent fans rather than mindless cretins, and that isn't going to happen.

 

[zb14]

I think some people may have missed the point of my post. I am not having a crack at Ling for forging a career in the media. Not even for the fact he overcompensates when commentating Geelong games. Harls did it for years too and I never felt compelled to start a thread on it. The problem is Ling thinks he can have one foot in clubland and one in the media. It leaves you conflicted, and Selsy and GFC copped the rough end of this on the w/end. Ling just shouldn't be divulging the contents of private club-related conversations in his media role.

 

[SleazySimon]

That statement would disqualify the vast majority of the football media immediately. Their loyalty lies solely with their paycheck.

As was said above, Ling will always be admired and respected as a fine Geelong player, and deserving premiership captain. But I have no interest in hearing him commentate. He's become just another Channel 7/AFL mouthpiece.

Im pretty sure Geelong has the most supporters
/ex players in the commentary box when it comes to TV and radio:
Hamish McLachlan
Craig Hutchinson
Gerard Whaitley
Anthony Hudson
Tom Harley
Cameron Ling
Sam Newman
Rex Hunt
Thats just off the top of my head. So i dont get the constant media blackout on this club thats been going on forever

 

[JackFlash]

Ling got Selwood suspended, he went on and on about it and there was actually nothing in it more than a fine. There was no malice with Selwood's action, he stopped as soon as he heard the umpires whistle. Ling was trying too hard to be impartial and it backfired on us.

 

[Sttew]

We'd probably all prefer Ling to say nothing negative about Geelong. Instead he seems to overcompensate for his undoubted love of the club by trying to be super-objective. You just need to divide everything he says by 2.

I love Mooney as a commentator. He isn't afflicted by the same condition (which I call THS or Tom Harley Syndrome) and seems to truly speak from the heart, just as he played

 

[Sttew]

Im pretty sure Geelong has the most supporters
/ex players in the commentary box when it comes to TV and radio:
Hamish McLachlan
Craig Hutchinson
Gerard Whaitley
Anthony Hudson
Tom Harley
Cameron Ling
Sam Newman
Rex Hunt
Thats just off the top of my head. So i dont get the constant media blackout on this club thats been going on forever

Not sure Rex would describe himself as a Cats supporter. And didn't know Hamish was one

 

[BlightysCats]

Can anyone remember or post an example of Lings perceived anti Geelong bias?

 

[Cezz The Catter]

Can anyone remember or post an example of Lings perceived anti Geelong bias?

Agree, not like he shows any bias when he tells BT and Richo at the start of every Cat game that hes barracking for us. After a win he spends hours in the club rooms, absolutely loves the boys still and always has a good chat to them.

Why bash a club legend. Hes in the media critiquing is part of his job, we were terrible this year at a lot of aspects of our game. Granted we were in a transition phase and lacked some personnel through extended injury.

No one carries more popularity then him and perhaps richo outside of their respective clubs. Dont need to bash the bloke he still breathes Geelong througha and through.

 

[dazbroncos]

What I was getting at is that cricket commentary is a big circle jerk.
They never balance the team.

I want to hear the opinions of people who support the opposition.
It's why I have no issue with Ling talking up another opponent. He's not employed as a Geelong mouthpiece.

I like both sides as well. The issue I had with Harley and to a lesser extent Ling is that it seems every 50-50 call, and even most 60-40 call in out favour get pushed to the opposition view. Just be balanced and support both views - and don't punish your heritage to prove impartiality...
Go Catters

 

[Seeds]

Can anyone remember or post an example of Lings perceived anti Geelong bias?

Every single line that came from his mouth during Geelong games on seven in 2015.

 

[Seeds]

Agree, not like he shows any bias when he tells BT and Richo at the start of every Cat game that hes barracking for us. After a win he spends hours in the club rooms, absolutely loves the boys still and always has a good chat to them.

Why bash a club legend. Hes in the media critiquing is part of his job, we were terrible this year at a lot of aspects of our game. Granted we were in a transition phase and lacked some personnel through extended injury.

No one carries more popularity then him and perhaps richo outside of their respective clubs. Dont need to bash the bloke he still breathes Geelong througha and through.

How can you agree with a question?

 

[Cezz The Catter]

How can you agree with a question?

Because it was a rhetorical one.

 

[Seeds]

Because it was a rhetorical one.

I wouldn't assume the poster had justification to pose rhetorical questions until he put up some evidence.

 

[Cezz The Catter]

I wouldn't assume the poster had justification to pose rhetorical questions until he put up some evidence.

K.

 

[BlightysCats]

Every single line that came from his mouth during Geelong games on seven in 2015.

Looking for some actual evidence, not general anti Ling bias that is brought on by his supposed anti Geelong bias.

 

[Seeds]

Looking for some actual evidence, not general anti Ling bias that is brought on by his supposed anti Geelong bias.

The supposed geelong bias that you are looking for evidence of? Evidence is in every single post game thread in which ling commentated on at Chanel 7. Every single one. You would think after a dozen threads of evidence this year people wouldn't still be asking for more as apparently a dozen threads of evidence ain't enough.

 

[BlightysCats]

The supposed geelong bias that you are looking for evidence of? Evidence is in every single post game thread in which ling commentated on at Chanel 7. Every single one. You would think after a dozen threads of evidence this year people wouldn't still be asking for more as apparently a dozen threads of evidence ain't enough.

Well I'll have a look at that 'evidence' but I fear most of it will just be personal interpretations of events based on the one eyed parochialism of many on here rather than anything else, I personally can't remember one time ever during the season where I thought he was being anti-Geelong in his commentary. The evidence I'll say that Ling isn't anti-Geelong in his commentary is that he was a paid member of staff last year at the GFC, is a club legend, loves the club, and is always in the rooms beaming after we've had a win buddying up to GFC staff & players after games often while on air with his media gig.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

The supposed geelong bias that you are looking for evidence of? Evidence is in every single post game thread in which ling commentated on at Chanel 7. Every single one. You would think after a dozen threads of evidence this year people wouldn't still be asking for more as apparently a dozen threads of evidence ain't enough.

Not just post game threads, seeds. Game day threads too.

My gripe is similar to that of most really, he becomes unnecessarily anti Geelong at times to avoid accusations of bias.

 

[BlightysCats]

Well the only example I've found so far is in the Geelong v St Kilda game day thread where late in the last quarter a prominent poster on these boards is calling Lingy a f#ck wit because he stated that SJ should've tried harder to get the ball than play for a free kick....after coincidently SJ had quite obviously been playing for a free kick and lost the ball. However I'll keep looking for that white whale Lingy anti-Geelong bias commentary and see what I can't find.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Don't be cowardly now, I know exactly who you're referring to. Have the guts to say it.

In any case a quick peruse through this search show there to be plenty of angst at Ling from many many different posters.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/search/71534430/?page=4&q=Lingy&o=date&c[node]=26