Is footy media at its most unwatchable?

[peternorth]

Some terrific posts here, credit to you all.

My thoughts, scrambled.

- afl is a domestic sport. Doesnt matter how many times the media tell us its the best game in the world, we are a minnow on the world stage. when someone tells you how good they are, it loses its lustre.
- now, cause its domestic, where are the ex players gonna go, and what will they do? from 18 years old or younger theyre told one thing, footy. media.
- over saturation because of this. Everyone wants to say something. And there's only so many outlets. Outlets are worried their competitor will get that ex player, so it becomes a fight for him. Ex player knows if he's in he's in for life.
- players night. Someone said he's a copy of the NBA. Players night in the NBA feat. former players not current:

All commentator roles for TNT’s Players Only will be comprised of former professional basketball players, including those in more traditional play-by-play, studio host and reporter positions. TNT’s Players Only roster will include two game commentator teams – BrentBarry (primary host and play-by-play) with DerekFisher and GrantHill; and GregAnthony (primary host and play-by-play) with KevinMcHale and Richard “Rip” Hamilton – along with reporters Lisa Leslieand Dennis Scott. Additional NBA players will also contribute to Players Onlythroughout the five-week span.

Studio coverage from Atlanta will be anchored by ChrisWebber with IsiahThomasand BaronDavis. Additionally, segments from Area 21 with TNT analyst KevinGarnett, joined by special guests each week, will be incorporated into the game and studio coverage throughout the evening.

“Our new Players Only franchise will allow us to provide a unique and compelling narrative surrounding the game through the distinct perspective and collective experiences of the former NBA player,” said CraigBarry, Executive Vice Presidentand Chief Content Officer, Turner Sports.

- i liked footy opinion to the shape of the ball. oblong. it i unpreditable and bounces all over the place. same with media, they can say one thing, then contradict themselves the next. When questioned as to the change, "oh yeah but its because abcdefg" (and so on).
- robbo is the standard bearer of afl media. Can barely string a sentence together. His go to line? "That's what footy's about".
- because of the over saturation, media need to come up with topics every minute. "Where are carlton at?". Again, domestic sport so we can't extend to other leagues across the globe for added content.
- i just heard i think adam ramanaskus say a tigers "one wood" is to rebound quickly etc. ONE WOOD? Oh look at me, I'm so clever with my abstractedness.

 

[1989]

Yes, there’s a monumental difference between former and current players providing commentary. Can’t see too many codes around the world trotting out current players in commentary positions the way we do. Blind Freddy can see that it’s boring and does not work. ‘Access, access, access’.

 

[NT.Thunder]

I'm enjoying going back to radio.

Saturday night I light the fire pit up, grab a couple of cold beers and sit outside under the stars and listed to the footy on the radio, very relaxing.

 

[Arbuckle]

It's all about me, me, me with most of the journos now.

'This is an exclusive'...'You heard it here first', 'As first revealed here at 12.57am', 'Person X told me exclusively'. Nobody give a stuff about those p****** contests between journos and media outlets, just report the news and don't put yourself in the middle of it.

You've absolutely nailed it.

There's a related aspect to it as well, which is that most of them love making predictions about anything and everything to supposedly show how clever and in-the-know they are. Both during the games and outside of them. (Fox Footy has even turned this into an art-form on their Friday night broadcasts by having each of the commentators make a prediction about something that will happen inside of the upcoming game, and then all sit around afterwards and reflect on their tips - and even award a cringeworthy 3-2-1 set of votes to themselves.) Unfortunately, there's a big, recurring problem with all of this … which is that they're almost universally absolutely useless at them (and the average, regular fan knows just as much if not more about things than they do) so they end up getting about 99.9% of them wrong.

A few years back, it ended up getting so embarrassing for the in-play ones that they had to start relying on the in-joke of the "commentator's curse" to excuse all their ill-informed, wrong calls during games and pretending that this just inevitably happened to everyone. Instead of normally just to useless gits who are too self-obsessed and/or don't know enough about the modern game to be making such predictions in the first place.

But, for the ones outside live broadcasts, they usually tend to airbrush all of them from history and never even speak of them again. (This from a media industry that analyses everything everyone else does wrong, no matter how minor, in absolutely excruciating, forensic detail … and usually replays and reworks a single bad action or decision by a player or coach to within an inch of its life. Often for years.) EXCEPT … when someone happens, out of the blue, to get one right. Then they go into overdrive replaying and revisiting this prediction over and over again. It also doesn't matter if they had multiple stabs from multiple 'experts' at this particular event or outcome, either … they just overlook all the wrong ones and say how brilliant one of them was to get it right.

There were two classic examples even just yesterday alone. In the HS, Robbo suggested that Buckley was probably Coach of the Year - but, as part of that, he extraordinarily tried to imply that he had foreseen this last year by re-quoting a comment of his that it would be a great story if Bucks led the Pies to success. The reality is that Robbo spent almost all of last year predicting Bucks would be sacked. For the last year-and-a-half, he has also seemingly tried to avoid all mention of the fact that he predicted at the start of 2017 that Hardwick would be sacked by about May.

Then, on AFL 360 last night, they opened the show by replaying a (golf, of all things) prediction King made last week saying Molinari would win the British Open. What they didn't mention was that at least four of them had a crack at this - and the other three that I know of were all way off the mark. Even worse, Whateley then stated a complete falsehood that Molinari was 66/1 to win before the tournament. The reality is that, at Crownbet, he was 30/1 and on only the seventh line of betting - and the figures on the other agencies were very similar. He was in red hot form and clearly one of the main fancies for the event … yet Whateley made it sound like he was a total unknown and a longshot. Just for good measure, he added into all of this that he'd been getting messages from people all over the place who allegedly loaded up on the (completely mythical) 66/1.

Meanwhile, there was no mention at all - even among lots of discussion about GWS being on the march again and a real flag threat - of King's prediction only four weeks ago that GWS's season was over. Not that I'm a frequent watcher of 360 any more, but I've also never seen them discuss King's pre-season call that Essendon would win the flag. Or that King and Maclure between them generally don't hit the side of a barn with their pre-season selections for Premiers or even the Grand Finalists ever.

It simply does my head in, and there's never any serious accountability nor seemingly any end to it.

 

[mr bagcroft]

They are just all trying to look clever and then cover their arses when shown up.
Never once in nigh on 150 years has it been that you are smart just cause you can kick a ball around.

 

[wagstaff]

You've absolutely nailed it.

. (Fox Footy has even turned this into an art-form on their Friday night broadcasts by having each of the commentators make a prediction about something that will happen inside of the upcoming game, and then all sit around afterwards and reflect on their tips - and even award a cringeworthy 3-2-1 set of votes to themselves.)

Prime example of the self-indulgence of the footy media; just an irritating waste of time that’s put me off watching the Fox Footy post-match as much as I used to (and I used to enjoy it in previous years). Couldn’t imagine anyone outside of the commentators finding that interesting or entertaining.

Channel 7 get a lot of criticism for their back-slapping and egotism in their coverage (much of it deserved) but Fox Footy’s gotten increasingly bad on that front in recent years.

 

[Triniboy]

YES

 

[Roobs321]

A lot of C7 content seems to have increasingly pandered towards linked data clickbait, all of their shows are exercised tautly on brand and the AFL is no different. Whether it is a football show, a cooking show, a renovation show, it's really about strong personalities and cheap productions, the social mandate for existing is window dressing to the condescending content. I can't remember the last time I saw an ad for a C7 program and thought "that looks good". They could make something like The Wire or Mad Men look like an episode of Revenge or The Good Doctor with a selective promotional slant.

So those of us who come to C7 SOLELY for the AFL (and tennis) are entirely unprepared for how cheaply cynical the coverage is.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

You've absolutely nailed it.

There's a related aspect to it as well, which is that most of them love making predictions about anything and everything to supposedly show how clever and in-the-know they are. Both during the games and outside of them. (Fox Footy has even turned this into an art-form on their Friday night broadcasts by having each of the commentators make a prediction about something that will happen inside of the upcoming game, and then all sit around afterwards and reflect on their tips - and even award a cringeworthy 3-2-1 set of votes to themselves.) Unfortunately, there's a big, recurring problem with all of this … which is that they're almost universally absolutely useless at them (and the average, regular fan knows just as much if not more about things than they do) so they end up getting about 99.9% of them wrong.

There's so much wrong with the media right now I could fill volumes talking about it, but I'll try to be brief. It reaches beyond the meatheads calling the games, there's an element of journalist out there who feel the most special part of a sporting event is that they have been sent to cover it. The game itself is irrelevant.

If you watch Bounce (I do because it doesn't take itself seriously and can be amusing), they highlight journalists asking coaches the most ridiculous questions, and it's clear they really have no idea about the subject they are attempting to write about. The look on the faces of the coaches!

On a Sunday morning I've been known on occasion to wander through the living room, turn the TV on, and catch the Sunday footy show on 9. What a collection of idiots this panel is. I only watch for about 2 minutes while I wake up, but when I do catch it, all they are doing is self promoting themselves. "Oh, look at this footage of Kane Cornes making a fool of himself", and then they all sit around cacking themselves laughing. I'm glad they are amused because I'm not and invariably switch off. And .... Bill Brownless ...... woah!!!!!! How can someone play that much VFL/AFL footy and still know stuff all about the game?

On Fox, they have sporting programs during the day. They pretty much just report on sporting stories during the day, but it's clear some of them have little knowledge of sports. That's fine, as they pretty much just read off the autocue, but they used to have some guy who had a face like a frying pan who used to talk with such anger about issues of little importance, and about which he obviously didn't understand. Someone must have sacked him, thank goodness.

The media is an insult to the thinking person .. and it's getting worse as more footballers retire and are looking for things to keep them off the streets.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

I love how some journalists now carry on like they are the stars of the AFL show.

 

[Catters 070911]

The same idiots dribbling the same crap every week for years now, just occasionally shuffled up and repackaged in different formats. Fresh blood would help but I don't trust the talent identification of an industry that's largely interested in how well you kicked a football when looking to fill a roster.

I know what you mean.

My brother commentates local footy, and wants to make a career of commentary, but he and his fellow callers are locked out of the industry because they never actually played AFL footy.

 

[Catters 070911]

I miss "Palmer's Punchlines".

Keep Punchin'

 

[Catters 070911]

Part of the bland element stems from the overall loss of personalities from footy (which someone mentioned re Robert Murphy).

Players used to be themselves, not so drilled to toe a party line to "protect the brand", be open to having a genuine opinion and hang some genuine stuff on each other.

Nowadays, with players drilled in "media speak" from the moment they are drafted (and often before), many being basically colourless clones in personality all using the same dozen or so basic cliches in interview situations, there are very few genuine personalities coming through the ranks now that fans are interested in watching.

Imagine 10 years down the track when some of the current crop are on special comments/occasional calling or 3rd/4th wheel on panel shows. It will like watching beige paint dry.

Imagine Crackers Keenan, Percy Jones and Sam Kekovich in today's enviroment of "media speak".

 

[Catters 070911]

My question is, if most of you think the footy media is full of bs, then why do I read constant posts on BigFooty, agreeing with what the media said about this player or that coach?

Why not, instead of parroting what you read in the paper, or heard on the radio, delve further, and get more context and detail to the story, before making your mind up?

The media (Including footy media) only get as far as they do, because they echo the biases, prejudices and insecurities of those who read their articles and watch their shows. They appeal to those who are too lazy to question what the media are saying, do some research and get all the facts, and then make up their own mind.

We can blame the footy media all we like, but we feed the beast!

 

[Catters 070911]

Learn to mute is what i say.
I have a new ritual where the game goes on, i mute it, put music on lightly in the background and watch whilst i sit on the laptop with either a red or whisky.

the game isn't so unwatchable if you don't listen to the inane crap on the broadcast.
Kinda like going to the game live but without the crowd noise. i do miss that.

I don't like muting the game, as I still like to hear the thud of the ball on the ground, the crowd, the siren, etc.

If you mute, you miss the noises of the game.

I miss a feature that they used to have on Fox Footy a few years ago. You could press the red button to turn off commentary, but you still got all the sounds of the game, and could actually hear what the umpires were saying.

But Foxtel don't have it now, I suspect because Fox Footy commentators didn't like that people could turn off their inane chatter.

 

[Catters 070911]

I wish I could like this a million times.

Doesn't matter if you have any intelligence or insights, or even a bearable voice (I'm looking at you Nick Dal Santo). If you're a former player step right up and take your cushy media job. It's a disgrace.

I can't imagine what Clinton Grybas is thinking looking down on us from heaven right now. He'd be ashamed.

Of all the people in the footy media who could have been taken from us (I have a list), and Clinton Grybas is the one who leaves this mortal coil.

At least Heaven will have a good commentary team of Grybas and Drew Morphett.

 

[Catters 070911]

I wish I could like this a million times.

Doesn't matter if you have any intelligence or insights, or even a bearable voice (I'm looking at you Nick Dal Santo). If you're a former player step right up and take your cushy media job. It's a disgrace.

I can't imagine what Clinton Grybas is thinking looking down on us from heaven right now. He'd be ashamed.

My theory as to why there are so many footballers entering the media is to attract more advertisers, who will pay more to advertise with a media outlet who has a famous footy name on their books.

 

[Catters 070911]

Nodded all the way through, especially comments about Brad Johnson and Paul Roos. Absolute freeloaders. Brad Johnson wormed his way onto Backpage last night and, as usual, added nothing.

Didn't Paul Roos move to Hawaii with his family? I mean, that's why he stopped being Melbourne coach.

 

[Catters 070911]

"I got that wrong"

-Said no sports media person ever!

 

[david addison]

On grand final day: 'De Goey is repaying the faith of his teammates.' Did he kill somebody? For how much longer are they going to mention that he ****** up off field? I bet on his 200th game they'll still say 'De Goey is repaying the faith of his teammates.' And my other bug bear from grand final day: 'Varcoe is dealing with the loss of his sister.' He clearly stated that he wanted to keep it private, but no ******* chance. Not in this day and age. Neroli Meadows was so desperate to keep the story chugging along that she asked the Eagles coach to comment about Varcoe's plight. If you want to know who 7 aims their broadcast at (the hardcore fans or theatre goers), look at what happens when they return from a commercial break. They show a replay of the previous goal, and then cut to the centre bounce at the last possible moment. How about cutting back a bit earlier and identifying the 8 players in the centre. Is that asking too much? Wouldn't it be more interesting? It's more pertinent. Sorry. I'm asking for information instead of emotion. What was I thinking.

 

[Bombermania]

On grand final day: 'De Goey is repaying the faith of his teammates.' Did he kill somebody? For how much longer are they going to mention that he ****** up off field? I bet on his 200th game they'll still say 'De Goey is repaying the faith of his teammates.' And my other bug bear from grand final day: 'Varcoe is dealing with the loss of his sister.' He clearly stated that he wanted to keep it private, but no ******* chance. Not in this day and age. Neroli Meadows was so desperate to keep the story chugging along that she asked the Eagles coach to comment about Varcoe's plight. If you want to know who 7 aims their broadcast at (the hardcore fans or theatre goers), look at what happens when they return from a commercial break. They show a replay of the previous goal, and then cut to the centre bounce at the last possible moment. How about cutting back a bit earlier and identifying the 8 players in the centre. Is that asking too much? Wouldn't it be more interesting? It's more pertinent. Sorry. I'm asking for information instead of emotion. What was I thinking.

In defense of C7 they are not a sports channel, sure they cover sport but they are essentially a media company trying to cater to a mass audience, I agree they come across as amateurish at times and will often only tell part of the story or keep banging on about a story even if it is old but when I have had this argument with a couple of mates that work behind the sense in the media, they always comeback with "but the viewers don't care about the detail, they just want a story" but I think that says more about the media's laziness than what the viewers might want because I suspect if they actually gave sport results and other infor then viewers would actually tune in.

 

[brett15]

Damien Barrett is the biggest knob know it all look at me journalist that actually reports nothing lol

 

[Pessimistic]

Prime example of the self-indulgence of the footy media; just an irritating waste of time that’s put me off watching the Fox Footy post-match as much as I used to (and I used to enjoy it in previous years). Couldn’t imagine anyone outside of the commentators finding that interesting or entertaining.

Channel 7 get a lot of criticism for their back-slapping and egotism in their coverage (much of it deserved) but Fox Footy’s gotten increasingly bad on that front in recent years.

The ‘old boys chewing the fat’ should have Been a temporary phase but they found it took no effort so it’s the whole damn thing now. It’s nauseating

 

[Pessimistic]

Tim Watson needs more coffee in the morning. How many times during interviews does he ask a pre prepared question that the person has already answered, often seconds before Tim opens his mouth

 

[Cleavy]

have to laugh at Ch7's nightly news competition to win tickets to AFLX. Winners get to attend the games, meet some players AND meet Ch7 commentators. As if you want to meet the commentators...