FTA-TV The Front Bar

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Just like Peter Landy.

And the lesson continues to be ignored and/or never learned - the best commentators knew the players were the stars, and did NOT try to be the star attraction. Polar opposite to now.
And the thing is that because commentators like Sandy had natural warmth and humour they became stars and are fondly remembered many years after their careers ended.
 
Sandy Roberts was a product of the days when you did an apprenticeship of local/regional radio stations and daytime TV. In that environment, you need to be versatile and the footy is just a happy accident if it comes along (not a career path in and of itself).

It's also an environment that has a happy knack of cutting egos down to size and removing those without the charisma/smarts to be adaptable broadcasters.
 
Sandy Roberts was a product of the days when you did an apprenticeship of local/regional radio stations and daytime TV. In that environment, you need to be versatile and the footy is just a happy accident if it comes along (not a career path in and of itself).

It's also an environment that has a happy knack of cutting egos down to size and removing those without the charisma/smarts to be adaptable broadcasters.

Professionals. Professionals who had experience, who did an apprenticeship and who weren't parachuted in because of nepotism or because they sucked up to the right people.
 

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Sandy Roberts was a product of the days when you did an apprenticeship of local/regional radio stations and daytime TV. In that environment, you need to be versatile and the footy is just a happy accident if it comes along (not a career path in and of itself).

It's also an environment that has a happy knack of cutting egos down to size and removing those without the charisma/smarts to be adaptable broadcasters.

Precisely. Fascinating too that both Landy and Roberts cited Bill Collins (a RACE caller) as a major influence too. I remember Landy said his advice to him was simple - be yourself.
 
The gold is in the guest stories, this week they hardly let Damien Oliver talk and just joked between themselves, mainly childish crap that he would have heard when he was a kid.

Maybe just in holiday mode
 
He jumped the shark a few years back now. Has around 4-5 basic themes, mainly around alcohol.

Also there's the whole 'Your Honour' shtick about being a regular in court, despite the fact it's never happened and the closest he's got to a court is a tennis court at Peninsula Grammar.
 
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Honestly i dont mind the Front Bar, minus Molloy, always seems to over talk guests and or Andy and interrupt with some lame joke and for me it brings down what a good show which has some insane guests from the sporting realm, and feels like he thinks he is buddy buddy with all of them which is just cringe
 
Watched the All Sports Edition on Thursday night and really enjoyed it.
The interview with Cathy Freeman was good but the interview with Mal Meninga was great. I don’t follow the NRL but had heard of Mal and some of the footage of him fending off opposition players showed how good he was. But the best bit was what a great guest he was. Self effacing, humble and bloody funny.
My wife, who doesn’t follow sport and had never heard of him, thought he was fantastic and thought he came across as a really nice and genuine person.
She laughed when he said “Elf” was his favourite movie as she knows how much I liked that movie.
 

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