Do you find the commentary over dramatic?

[Quinten Kennedy]

Ex-footballers like Dyer and Lou Richards used to be able to call games really well.

I agree, and you could add more names to that list.

Just saying that being able to 'speak good' really should be the bare minimum.

 

[JackFlash]

Of course it is, it's a TV game and the commentators are told to make it as exciting as they possibly can! They will go over the top and almost burst a blood vessel doing it. The world of football commentary is littered with horrible cliches that do nothing but serve as bait for remote controls to get thrown through the TV screen. This is not really their fault because there’s no greater sin in live football broadcasting than dead air during the game, even if it means saying something stupid, awkward and totally cringe worthy. Nothing will change, if anything they will go further over the top if need be.

 

[Pistol Night]

Just give me matt hill on every game

Thats it. Call the game clearly and accurately with no added bullshit thrown in

 

[Roobs321]

Montagna reminds me of an oldschool solo caller, would probably work best without others there and thereby pace himself better

Matt Hill feels a bit AI, like a handful of identifiable past icons blended together but missing a bit of soul. It’s well studied mimicry and nostalgic but prefer the Howie style where it’s very casual and understated, understands the sport well enough to select the bits worth saying, whereas Hill tends to get tripped up by those long intense sequences of contested ball.

 

[Corkintheocean]

EPL and NFL commentary a million times better

I see you're unfamiliar with Peter Drury.

 

[010203]

I see you're unfamiliar with Peter Drury.

Drury is fine if you don't listen to him every week.

 

[pico]

One thing you notice when watching old games, is the commentary seems a bit more sedate usually, depending on the caller, but on average they didnt get that excited unless something really exciting happened. Now it seems every possession is the last 5 minutes of a grand final, if a side is likely to score etc. Like theyre trying hard to get people excited. I mean I like the drama, and I think some of the old calls were a hit pedestrian (some certainly weren't) but it's starting to get over the top. BT is entertaining but you feel he's having too much fun at times lol. I feel he and Bruce really began that super dramatic excited modern style of commentating. Callers like Cometti and Quartermaine were a good balance, Huddo too.

What are your thoughts on this? I mean besides all the general commentary complaints.

This is a fantastic thread and I'm not surprised it's come from PerthBoy86

The channel 7 callers are insanely intense. I remember during a final recently, Luke Darcy was literally SCREAMING for the entire 4th quarter. BT was also screaming a few weeks when Collingwood were 5 goals up against freo. Obviously the 7 producers direct their callers to do this to appeal to children, and people with low attention spans who are addicted to the 15 second instagram reel cycle which burns out their dopamine receptors. But I also feel like football in general is so much more intense than 20 years ago. Obviously the pressure is at all time high levels, but also the mood of the fans matches the pressure and maniacal playing style of today, fans are so emotionally invested in their club, they watch like it's life and death. Footy is by far the least relaxing sport for a spectator, it's the complete inversion of a comfortable sport like cricket. The broadcast, callers' wild intensity and rapid ball movement make for a highly stimulating and uncomfortable watching experience

 

[PerthBoy86]

This is a fantastic thread and I'm not surprised it's come from PerthBoy86

The channel 7 callers are insanely intense. I remember during a final recently, Luke Darcy was literally SCREAMING for the entire 4th quarter. BT was also screaming a few weeks when Collingwood were 5 goals up against freo. Obviously the 7 producers direct their callers to do this to appeal to children, and people with low attention spans who are addicted to the 15 second instagram reel cycle which burns out their dopamine receptors. But I also feel like football in general is so much more intense than 20 years ago. Obviously the pressure is at all time high levels, but also the mood of the fans matches the pressure and maniacal playing style of today, fans are so emotionally invested in their club, they watch like it's life and death. Footy is by far the least relaxing sport for a spectator, it's the complete inversion of a comfortable sport like cricket. The broadcast, callers' wild intensity and rapid ball movement make for a highly stimulating and uncomfortable watching experience

Assuming youre not being sarcastic, thanks for the compliment mate.

That does make sense. That's good and well but I think they need to tone it down a tad.

Yeah it does feel everything is more intense. The crowd sounds louder on TV, but I assume its just better microphones capturing it. Do you think the crowd has actually got louder?

 

[Osho]

Does anyone else remember Mike Williamson arguing with RDBarrassi in the commentary box in the early 70s about something happening during a game? Those blokes were pretty passionate. I remember being in awe of Mike for taking on the one and only Ron, and of Ron for giving it back in no uncertain terms. It seemed so serious and worth arguing about. Footy is now less serious and more entertainment. It's good in some ways, for example, it's safer now, and more "professional", but it's also more superficial and manufactured. I used to watch because I thought it mattered a lot. I watch now for fun, and for the occasional serotonin hit.

 

[Osho]

This is a fantastic thread and I'm not surprised it's come from PerthBoy86

The channel 7 callers are insanely intense. I remember during a final recently, Luke Darcy was literally SCREAMING for the entire 4th quarter. BT was also screaming a few weeks when Collingwood were 5 goals up against freo. Obviously the 7 producers direct their callers to do this to appeal to children, and people with low attention spans who are addicted to the 15 second instagram reel cycle which burns out their dopamine receptors. But I also feel like football in general is so much more intense than 20 years ago. Obviously the pressure is at all time high levels, but also the mood of the fans matches the pressure and maniacal playing style of today, fans are so emotionally invested in their club, they watch like it's life and death. Footy is by far the least relaxing sport for a spectator, it's the complete inversion of a comfortable sport like cricket. The broadcast, callers' wild intensity and rapid ball movement make for a highly stimulating and uncomfortable watching experience

Max props for the rare smiling Nietzsche!

 

[Clark G]

EPL and NFL commentary a million times better

Andy Townsend and Conor McNamara are excellent.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

Just give me matt hill on every game

Thats it. Call the game clearly and accurately with no added bullshit thrown in

Can't stand him. I don't know what his background is but it feels like he learned about footy last year and swotted up on it. Got no feel for the game and makes weird mistakes. Like one game said someone was running in the wide open space of the outer wing, while he almost literally ran through the centre circle.
I watched one game him and Mark Howard co-ommentated and Howard was so much more enjoyable, even if a little excitable. He described one bit of play where someone "handballs to himself, KB style" and it was the perfect description, although maybe lost on anyone under 50. Couldn't in a million years imagine Matt Hill picking that up.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

Having said that I hate the commentary on 7 far more than Fox. I'll take Hill over bloody BT, Hamish and Brayshaw any day. Only ever see it when I'm at the GF's place, and **** me it's diabolical.
Footy is not that exciting all the time. And when it is exciting it doesn't need to be pumped up, just reflected.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Can't stand him. I don't know what his background is but it feels like he learned about footy last year and swotted up on it. Got no feel for the game and makes weird mistakes. Like one game said someone was running in the wide open space of the outer wing, while he almost literally ran through the centre circle.
I watched one game him and Mark Howard co-ommentated and Howard was so much more enjoyable, even if a little excitable. He described one bit of play where someone "handballs to himself, KB style" and it was the perfect description, although maybe lost on anyone under 50. Couldn't in a million years imagine Matt Hill picking that up.

The stupid thing is I saw lots of KB and cannot recall him ever handballing in front of himself like that. Before they changed the rule in his honour he used to throw the ball out in front of himself as he was being tackled and win holding the man free kicks that way regularly. It absolutely(and rightly) infuriated opposition fans. After they changed the rule Hungry just changed his policy to unloading a shot for goal every time he was about to be tackled - even from the back pocket.

So Howard's commentary isn't as informed as it may seem, he is copying the same fallacy he has heard other commentators use before him.

 

[marcus1232]

Having said that I hate the commentary on 7 far more than Fox. I'll take Hill over bloody BT, Hamish and Brayshaw any day. Only ever see it when I'm at the GF's place, and **** me it's diabolical.
Footy is not that exciting all the time. And when it is exciting it doesn't need to be pumped up, just reflected.

Correct.

Give me the commentators that just commentate let me know whats going on.
Let the Special comments/experts have there comments during breaks in play.

Also would it kill one of the channels to have an ex AFL umpire who is up to date with all the rules to explain contentious decisions rather than having Biased emotional ex players giving there opinion during the game

 

[JimmyBC]

The american woman that does AFL from LA or whatever it is has called the commentary dramatic & biased which is probably pretty alarming coming from an outsider.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

The stupid thing is I saw lots of KB and cannot recall him ever handballing in front of himself like that. Before they changed the rule in his honour he used to throw the ball out in front of himself as he was being tackled and win holding the man free kicks that way regularly. It absolutely(and rightly) infuriated opposition fans. After they changed the rule Hungry just changed his policy to unloading a shot for goal every time he was about to be tackled - even from the back pocket.

So Howard's commentary isn't as informed as it may seem, he is copying the same fallacy he has heard other commentators use before him.

Yes he definitely did that, I clearly remember my mum doing the ironing, screaming at Peter Landy "It's dropping the ball!" or "How did he bloody get rid of it?" But he certainly did legitimately handball in front of himself on occasions too.
In any case whoever it was certainly reminded me of KB in that moment, and it was better than the trite cliches Hill comes out with time and again.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Yes he definitely did that, I clearly remember my mum doing the ironing, screaming at Peter Landy "It's dropping the ball!" or "How did he bloody get rid of it?" But he certainly did legitimately handball in front of himself on occasions too.
In any case whoever it was certainly reminded me of KB in that moment, and it was better than the trite cliches Hill comes out with time and again.

I think you will find Peter Daicos was the one who often handballed in front of himself. Never saw Hungry do that once.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Andy Townsend and Conor McNamara are excellent.

McNamara is awful. Awful voice and barely understands the game.

Nowhere near as bad as that smug, self important flog Peter Drury though.

 

[Orange crush]

I’ve never thought of it like this but I just had a cold shiver down my spine thinking about BT or Derwayne sitting on the couch with me all afternoon

Snuggled up under a blankie

 

[SportsCentre]

there are commentators who sees themselves as a "brand".
That common belief that circles around that journos see themselves as the story, also applies to a handful of commentators, and most of these reside at 7.

 

[Andyy]

Yes, and it's worse with some specific commentators. K.U. is one that I find unbearably over the top and no it has nothing to do with gender, except that maybe there's compensation for chip on the shoulder sort of thing.

 

[Obeanie1]

Journo's and game callers it's all about getting clicks and making headlines.

So they try too hard.

Some are humerous to listen to.

And others over step trying to create news.

Just look at the umpires considering a law suit over comments made in game regarding the Shultz concussion. And I support them.

What the commentators were saying stepped over the line. It was a real verbal attack questioning the professionalism of the umpires. Over a chain of events that lasted under 10 seconds. And the commentators roasted them unfairly and 9ver dramatically IMO.

 

[Barishnakopf]

EPL and NFL commentary a million times better

Don't watch NFL but 100% agreed on EPL.

Our commentators (outside of a few) are so unprofessional.

The blokey banter and calling players by nicknames is annoying.

 

[Clark G]

McNamara is awful. Awful voice and barely understands the game.

Nowhere near as bad as that smug, self important flog Peter Drury though.

Each to their own. Generally I find the EPL commentators decent. Here’s a random thought, imagine BT commentating soccer!