Commentators barracking

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Just finished watching the Swans v Suns game which was absolutely putrid btw. Anyway its becoming more and more frustrating listening to commentators barracking for a team, especially when a stronger side is playing a weaker side. No more was this evident and bloody annoying today listening to Dwayne Russell and Dunstall. Its even more embarrassing when a side is getting done by lots like tonight.
Dunstall is one of the worst for it, however today Dwayne Russell took the cake as he mentioned how amazing it would be if "the GC could win the quarter" literally 7 times, for god sake Dwayne we heard you the 5th time and no one gives a toss if they win the quarter.
Last night Basil Zempillas was just gunning the Dockers home which was fairly embarrassing as well.

There are def some great commentators who simply call the game really well like Huddo and Committee however muppets like the ones ive just mentioned need a bit more media training because they absolutely stink.

They spent years doing it when Sydney were getting mercilessly flogged week in and week out, trying to give people a reason to stay interested in the Swans when they were putrid.

It happens. Was the same in the Carlton / Adelaide game.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Anthony Hudson's call of the 2008 GF was a masterclass in objective calling. Despite his side getting beaten he remained balanced and offered the same excitement for every Hawthorn highlight as he did with the Geelong highlights.

Clinton Grybas's 3AW calls of the 2002 and 2003 grand finals are benchmarks too. 2002 was agonisingly tense for both teams, and 2003 was just humiliating for his beloved Collingwood but his commentary was just A1. Captured the mood brilliantly with not a hint of bias.

 

[*PAF]

No offence, but I live in Adelaide. If there's two sides whose supporters shouldn't complain about biased commentary, it's Adelaide and Port.

And what has that got to do with the price of eggs in China?
Bad commentary is bad.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

First world problems.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Two of the worst commentary efforts ever were on ABC telecasts...the Swans v Hawks game in Sydney in 2012 with Paul Roos in the box actually groaning on air when things didn't go Sydney's way, and the last day of the Sydney test against India during THAT series when every commentator in the box did his best to placate Harsha Bogle...

Contrasts with college radio in America when the home team broadcasts their games in various sports...it's done by unashamedly biased students all chugging beer in the background...hilarious...!

Sounds like K-Rock doing Geelong games.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Roo is harder on the Crows than the opposition - he's so conscious about not showing favouritism, plenty on our board have sooked about it.

I'm an Eddie fan, but he was shithouse today, to the detriment of the game.

Yeah, we've had Harley and Ling for that.

It's like the dad coaching his kid's little league team and he goes harder on his own kid so that the other parents don't think that he's biased.

 

[raffrox]

Pretty much every club has their commentators. It's a strategy that the broadcasters use. It's no accident. What how many times Gerald Healy commentates West Coast games for example.

If anyone should be complaining its should be Freo if Basil is meant to be 'our' commentator. Good grief!

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Eddie is a racist dog.

Betts or Maguire?

 

[McRobie]

They spent years doing it when Sydney were getting mercilessly flogged week in and week out, trying to give people a reason to stay interested in the Swans when they were putrid.

It happens. Was the same in the Carlton / Adelaide game.

irrespective of what team it is, the commentary is dribble.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Pretty much every club has their commentators. It's a strategy that the broadcasters use. It's no accident. What how many times Gerald Healy commentates West Coast games for example.

If anyone should be complaining its should be Freo if Basil is meant to be 'our' commentator. Good grief!

Healy actually loves Freo, they've been his pet for years.

 

[McRobie]

Betts or Maguire?

lol

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Yep understand that we get the same with Dermie, he hate's WCE.
He has hardly tipped us all year.

He obviously has a problem with teams that had players that cleaned him up or belted him. Worsfold and WCE, Yeates and Geelong, Essendon.

When Geelong were at their best I don't think I ever heard praise them for anything. Listening to his commentary on the '11 GF, you'd think that Collingwood won it.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Roo is harder on the Crows than the opposition - he's so conscious about not showing favouritism, plenty on our board have sooked about it.

I'm an Eddie fan, but he was shithouse today, to the detriment of the game.

The show down earlier this year Roo kept on talking up port players because of this. You could tell he was forcing himself to make positive comments that he ordinarily wouldn't make (eg Robbie Gray was brilliant, we all know how good he is, but when Roo was assessing him it just sounded forced). Am sure port fans were annoyed and Roo was giving them a positive assessment!

 

[raffrox]

Healy actually loves Freo, they've been his pet for years.

Yep sure. Everyone favours Freo. I heard Sepp Blatter loves Freo as well.

Freo should pretty much play to static noise because let's face it, it's hard not to love us.

 

[NickoST]

Roo does a pretty good job imo at being professional. When the Dockers sealed the game against the Crows last week with a great goal, he responded with elation and it did sound genuine. I've never heard him barracking.

Wayne Carey is also one of the more professional media identities out there, you have to give him credit for that.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Yep sure. Everyone favours Freo. I heard Sepp Blatter loves Freo as well.

Freo should pretty much play to static noise because let's face it, it's hard not to love us.

You don't believe me? Healy was probably the first and maybe only east coast commentator that really took a shine to Freo. He's talked the Purple Haze up for years.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Roo does a pretty good job imo at being professional. When the Dockers sealed the game against the Crows last week with a great goal, he responded with elation and it did sound genuine. I've never heard him barracking.

Wayne Carey is also one of the more professional media identities out there, you have to give him credit for that.

I think we have to be very specific with a comment like that. Ie should say "with respect to commentating impartially".

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

You don't believe me? Healy was probably the first and maybe only east coast commentator that really took a shine to Freo. He's talked the Purple Haze up for years.

Healy was always quite balanced when commentating on adelaide matches. Was one of the few Vic commentators who would talk about how/why adelaide were winning a game rather than the usual commentary from Vic commentators focussing on why the Vic side were losing.

 

[NickoST]

I think we have to be very specific with a comment like that. Ie should say "with respect to commentating impartially".

Hahaha touche...

 

[TheCryingGame]

I preferred the days when commentators didn't state their allegiance. Peter Landy, Drew Morphett, Sandy Roberts etc.
Of the current callers I think Dennis is still the most impartial. Anthony Hudson isnt too bad but again because he's admitted he's a Geel supporter the last quarter of the 2011 granny seemed self-indulgent.
Bruce definitely favours certain teams, such as Hawthorn.

I'm glad Tim Lane isn't around any more, typical Blues campaigner and hated the Saints.
Eddie is embarrassing, although why he was so was blatantly barracking for Carlton yesterday has got me. Barracking for the underdog perhaps, but not a likeable underdog especially for a Pies supporter

 

[Hollow Knight]

I preferred the days when commentators didn't state their allegiance. Peter Landy, Drew Morphett, Sandy Roberts etc.
Of the current callers I think Dennis is still the most impartial. Anthony Hudson isnt too bad but again because he's admitted he's a Geel supporter the last quarter of the 2011 granny seemed self-indulgent.
Bruce definitely favours certain teams, such as Hawthorn.

I'm glad Tim Lane isn't around any more, typical Blues campaigner and hated the Saints.
Eddie is embarrassing, although why he was so was blatantly barracking for Carlton yesterday has got me. Barracking for the underdog perhaps, but not a likeable underdog especially for a Pies supporter

Eddie is Collingwood first, VFL heartland second, daylight, then the national comp.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Tim Watson - Essendon games
Mark Ricciuto - Adelaide games
Jono Brown - Brisbane games
Cameron Ling - Geelong games

These guys are conflicted (particulary Watson and Ricciuto) and the above combinations should be avoided whenever possible, but the networks seem to actually do the opposite and try to accommodate it. For example, Fox flew Ricciuto over to the Gold Coast so he could call Suns vs Crows. Ridiculous.

The problem that I see is that a lot of these guys are conscious about not wanting to be biased, so often they'll go the other way and be overly critical of the team that they are linked to. I say embrace it. Get a special comments man representing each of the two teams for each game. Often those guys (especially those that still have a bit to do with the teams) will have some interesting snippets about individuals in the team which can sometimes offset the bias.

 

[YouBeauty]

The worst is before the game, they say "for a team to win"

<main FF> must kick 4
<2nd tall forward> must kick 2-3
<other forwards> must kick 4 between them

This never ever happens and they still win with a bunch of mid-fielders kicking the goals.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

I think its awesome, if you don't like it jump back to ABC you crusty traditionalists

They follow momentum, believe it or not sides earn the support of the commentators, if you play in a style that's entertaining or do something that's entertaining, they commentate accordingly

Not sure why it bothers people, when they get behind Carlton (like today) it adds to the game, when theyre against Carlton, its good feeling like an underdog and quietening them down when we do something good (insert that never happens joke here)

Its all part of the theatre of football, stop being PC sour pusses

Barracking is one thing; whatever the hell that was from McGuire yesterday is quite another. You know how people criticise Ray Chamberlain for making himself the show, instead of just being competent at what he does? Eddie McGuire and Brian Taylor are AFL commentary's answer to Razor Ray.

 

[Plugger35]

The commentators should take a leaf out of Gordon Bray's book, a great rugby union commentator that gets just as excited about a great try from the All Blacks, South Africa, England, France, Ireland, Argentina etc as he does about a great try from the Wallabies.

I don't mind Eddie's shameless barracking though as he adds excitement and passion to games and generally barracks for the underdog which most neutrals do, he's a pretty good ball by ball commentator and has a good feel for the game, much more tolerable than BT and Dwayne.

Basil is just a dire commentator whether he barracks for a team or not, he adds awkwardness and annoyance to games rather than passion and excitement.