The Dennis Commetti Toast

[Freo Quokkas]

As the commentator approaches the last call of his career on Saturday.
Feel free to leave any comments about him and his contribution to commentating AFL matches.

Being from WA, can you believe he is a Western Bulldogs fan, instead of Freo or West Coast?
His son (a professional wrestler - Mark Silva/Outback Silvaback) follows Essendon.

 

[freo1997]

As the commentator approaches the last call of his career on Saturday.
Feel free to leave any comments about him and his contribution to commentating AFL matches.

Being from WA, can you believe he is a Western Bulldogs fan, instead of Freo or West Coast?
His son (a professional wrestler - Mark Silva/Outback Silvaback) follows Essendon.

I think hes been great. Was a freo fan in the early days when our cult heroes were around, but seemed to become disinterested in freo.

Den, bruce and sandy were the bomb in the 90s. Not sure who will replace him...better not be you know who.

 

[freo_leo29]

As the commentator approaches the last call of his career on Saturday.
Feel free to leave any comments about him and his contribution to commentating AFL matches.

Being from WA, can you believe he is a Western Bulldogs fan, instead of Freo or West Coast?
His son (a professional wrestler - Mark Silva/Outback Silvaback) follows Essendon.

Spent a season at the dogs in 71 so makes sense that he would follow them

 

[mightymouse75]

Come on down basil. Omg

 

[PapaJ]

He's not going to be everybody's cup of tea, but Commetti combined an appreciation for the game with punchy lines and sense of the moment. He's been an ambassador of sorts for WA footy too and that's not an easy thing to have achieved given the Vic centric attitude that spans his career.

I've enjoyed his calling through the years. Compared to the number of muppets who just open their mouth without thinking (or who perhaps lack the ability to think in the first place) that are being handed the mic now days is perplexing, but Dennis was prepared and professional in his approach I think had the right balance of being entertaining without trying to 'take over the show' - of course others would disagree.

Either way, it's been one long ride, all the way back to before I was even born in the WAFL days, to centre stage (well in commentary terms) in one of the biggest national moments every year - love or hate him, that's a bloody good effort.

 

[Freo Quokkas]

Come on down basil. Omg

omg?

 

[purplerunsdeep]

Only commentator I actually respect and want to listen to, will be a shame not hearing his calls

All the best Dennis


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danstar]

Im going to miss him

When i think of him its stuff like 'a cork in the ocean' or 'he snuck up like a librarian' his wit his one liners. Its all the stuff of a great commentator of which we will never see the likes of again.

All the best for the future

 

[Belnakor]

I don't understand why you retire from watching the footy from prime position.

The cricket guys generally go out in a pine box not sure why dennis is pulling up stumps.

 

[holy diver]

I always liked the subtle and sometimes not so subtle pro wrestling remarks tied in with footy.

Maybe all of this is like a wrestling storyline and he is going to burst through a sealed coffin like the Undertaker of yesteryear, give Basil Zempilas a tombstone piledriver and resume calling games next year

 

[Tonga Bob]

I don't understand why you retire from watching the footy from prime position.

The cricket guys generally go out in a pine box not sure why dennis is pulling up stumps.

The travel probably.

Enjoyed his quick wit & keen knowledge of the game. Also liked the tribute to Pav he wrote in the most recent Docker magazine... instead of addressing it to Pav himself he wrote it to his kids telling them about their dad.

 

[E Shed]

I don't understand why you retire from watching the footy from prime position.

The cricket guys generally go out in a pine box not sure why dennis is pulling up stumps.

I imagine because along with all that comes a lot of work and a real lot of getting on planes and staying in hotels.
He probably just wants to stay home for a while and potter around the garden. Wake up in the same bed for a few months.

 

[Stuart88]

Was the best but probably went a year or 2 too long

 

[Kram]

I imagine because along with all that comes a lot of work and a real lot of getting on planes and staying in hotels.
He probably just wants to stay home for a while and potter around the garden. Wake up in the same bed for a few months.

Cricket by comparison would be way far more laid back to commentate as well.

Dennis was way better pre 2000 before he got too self indulgent. Also although he is a very witty man a lot of his one liners in recent years were obviously already thought up in the week before the game.

In saying that especially with how many morons there are doing the AFL calls on TV now, he was still easily the best and it's a shame that he is calling it a day.

 

[raffrox]

I didn't rate him at all for the last part of his career. Even when we were up and about be still had a subtle dig at us.

 

[DeanS]

His wife went out on a date with Bon Scott when she was a young girl. Respect Mrs Cometti!

 

[Kram]

I didn't rate him at all for the last part of his career. Even when we were up and about be still had a subtle dig at us.

He has always had a bit of a condescending dig at us at times but I don't think he really dislikes Freo at all, one of his strengths is that he's usually quite neutral in commentary.

Also in an article iirc he did briefly question the umpiring in the 13 GF.

 

[JimDocker]

When he just called the games and occasionally managed a witty one liner, I enjoyed his commentary.

When his one liners became a part of his MO, it became boring, when his mutual appreciation society with Bruce became a part of his MO, it was more than boring. It was cloying and sickly.

He was one of the best, but will not miss what he has done for the last few years.

 

[AAACockburn]

His wife went out on a date with Bon Scott when she was a young girl. Respect Mrs Cometti!

I'd bet a bottle of scotch Bon didn't spend that night alone in his car.

 

[Pusswah]

When he just called the games and occasionally managed a witty one liner, I enjoyed his commentary.

When his one liners became a part of his MO, it became boring, when his mutual appreciation society with Bruce became a part of his MO, it was more than boring. It was cloying and sickly.

He was one of the best, but will not miss what he has done for the last few years.

Happened when he was on channel nine I reckon. I remember Eddie McGuire throwing to him before the bounce like it was Prince doing a concert or something. The shark had been jumped.

Also didn't know about the bulldogs thing but it's hard to not think he's an eagles supporter, he sounds like he's barring up at times calling them. eg. the elimination final, the first ten minutes he was going psycho, twenty minutes later he was flat as a tack.

 

[Kram]

I think around 2003 he had some promo thing with a Perth radio station where he had to work in the lyrics of a song given to him the week before into a game's commentary. It was often a bit lame and I think that was around where he jumped the shark and probably encouraged him to think of premeditated 'clever' stuff to put into games beforehand.

 

[imperial_oz]

Come on down basil. Omg

Bite your tongue, you!!!

 

[youmewe]

...
Being from WA, can you believe he is a Western Bulldogs fan, instead of Freo or West Coast?
His son (a professional wrestler - Mark Silva/Outback Silvaback) follows Essendon.

I can remember when his son was born.

Reporter: "Why did you name him Mark? Is it a family name?"
Dennis: "No, because Handpass would sound silly".

True story.

 

[Nodgey]

Eagles v Hawks several years ago. Calum Chambers playing on Kris Barlow (bunch of no-names there... ) Anyway, ball gets kicked in their direction and Cometti notices that "Barlow and Chambers - hanging around the forward line....." Ouch.

(Link here for those substantially younger than me....)

 

[basashi]

Agree with the others that he seemed to dislike Freo - or at least dislike calling Freo games to some extent.

He was better about 15 years ago. As the media bosses have filled the commentating ranks up with inarticulate boofheads, I think Dennis has let his own standards drop. Commentating is in dire straits now, with the professionals really thinning out. Its all just going to be boofheads barracking in a box before too long.

Best of luck in retirement to Dennis, I hope he enjoys it (and doesn't run for parliament).

Finally, I think everyone can agree that it would be wonderful if Basil Zempilas could join Dennis in retirement this weekend. You have had a good run at it Basil and we have so many memories of your classic performances. Its time to hang up your microphone and join Dennis fishing.