Radio commentators

[geezer]

What's happened to all the radio commentators who used to paint a picture in our minds by telling the listener exactly what was happening on the pitch without any interruptions from so-called 'experts'. Used to be a guy, can't remember his name, on the old radio 5 (before 5 live) who used to do just that. Unfortunately he died at quite a young age and if I'm not mistaken, the likes of Alan frigging Green took over. Whatever the guys name was he was brilliant at letting you know where the play was whilst it was happening and at no stage did he ever offer opinion, just fact. Other examples of great commentators who could do this were John Arlott in cricket and Henry Longhurst in golf. These guys were absolute tops in being able to let you paint the picture in your mind of exactly what was happening in the tournaments they were covering and never resorted to the drivel that we listen to these days.

Whilst I'm on a minor rant I just want to have a similar pop at TV coverage too. Dear Mr Director, I do not want to see countless close ups of fans, players on the bench or managers whilst the ball is in play especially near the end of a game where the result is still undecided. Nor do I want to hear the senseless drivel of your so called experts (the same numbskulls who offer their drivel on the radio) telling me what I have already seen for myself. I do not need you to state the frigging obvious to me.

Minor rant over but someone please find a decent radio commentator who tells the game as it's played and keeps his opinion to himself, saving it for the aftermatch phone ins.

 

[Backbiter]

Sounds like Peter Jones, who was a top commentator. He covered Hillsborough and was excellent. I think he collapsed while covering the Boat race and died the next day, not long after Hillsborough. He was in his 60s, I think.

The BBC had a whole dynasty of commentators who were in a different league to most of their successors: Arlott, Laker, Benaud, Carpenter, Ron Pickering, Coleman, Ted Lowe (snooker), Peter O'Sullevan. All voices I grew up with and love hearing again. Even the ultra posh ones like Brian Johnston and Dan Maskell were good value - especially Johnston, who could be hilarious. Peter Alliss is still going strong but is getting grumpier in his old age.

ITV's Brian Moore was my favourite football commentator. I could never stand Barry Davies who was pompous and opinionated. I remember him once saying something unbelievably pretentious about Nicky Butt, comparing him to the conjunction 'but' because he linked play together 'like the conjunction joins two sentences'. I think that ended up in Private Eye's Pseud's corner. If it didn't it should have.

 

[BlueBeard]

Today's radio and TV commentators are pathetic when compared to their predecessors. I haven't heard a decent radio commentary in years, and TV is just as bad, if not worse. I can't stand any of today's TV commentators, but then I couldn't stand them years ago either. Barry Davies was a prize pr*ck, and Brian Moore was extremely irritating. I can only think of maybe one or two really good TV commentators, but they were in a different age - Kenneth Wolstenholme and possibly Hugh Johns.

 

[geezer]

Peter Jones it was, thanks for reminding me Backbiter. I really used to enjoy listening to his commentary and always knew what was happening on the pitch when he was on.

 

[Backbiter]

Today's radio and TV commentators are pathetic when compared to their predecessors. I haven't heard a decent radio commentary in years, and TV is just as bad, if not worse. I can't stand any of today's TV commentators, but then I couldn't stand them years ago either. Barry Davies was a prize pr*ck, and Brian Moore was extremely irritating. I can only think of maybe one or two really good TV commentators, but they were in a different age - Kenneth Wolstenholme and possibly Hugh Johns.

Huge Ones (as we used to call him) was abysmal! And Wolstenholme wasn't up to much either, to be honest, apart from his legendary one-liner.

 

[loz]

Peter Jones was superb. I listen to the games on the radio and try to create an image on the game in my mind as it plays out - with Jones it was very possible, these days it is practically impossible. The commentators have totally lost sight of the fact that they are radio commentators and not TV ones.

Peter Jones did deal with Hillsborough with a huge amount of compassion and evident grief. It was often said that he never really got over the grief of witnessing it.

If you ever needed evidence that the standards and style of the BBC has plummeted you need onlylook to the fact that Alan Green replaced Jones as the BBCs top sports commentator.

 

[BlueBeard]

Today's radio and TV commentators are pathetic when compared to their predecessors. I haven't heard a decent radio commentary in years, and TV is just as bad, if not worse. I can't stand any of today's TV commentators, but then I couldn't stand them years ago either. Barry Davies was a prize pr*ck, and Brian Moore was extremely irritating. I can only think of maybe one or two really good TV commentators, but they were in a different age - Kenneth Wolstenholme and possibly Hugh Johns.

Huge Ones (as we used to call him) was abysmal! And Wolstenholme wasn't up to much either, to be honest, apart from his legendary one-liner.

Question of taste, I suppose. I liked Wolstenholme because he never got over-excited, and was very knowledgeable about the game.

Compare that to Motson, who just reels off meaningless statistics whenever he can't think of anything sensible to say - which is far too often! His childish sniggering makes me want to kick the TV in, but the worst thing is that whenever Wayne Rooney does anything remotely skillful, Motty has an enormous orgasm, rasping "ROO-NEEEY" as he soils his y-fronts yet again ::WhyMe::

I'm not sure whether Hugh Johns was the other one I liked - I can't remember the name of the bloke, but he was around at about the same time as Wolstenholme (or maybe just after).

 

[Barn]

Iknow the reason for the painfully dull and annoying "expert analysis". It's for all the JCL's that don't understand the game but have to watch/listen to it then talk about it as though they understood it. Listen to people at work or in the pubs and take note of the number of people who's opinion is exactly that of the "expert".

 

[BLUENUT]

I cannot stand Clive Tildsley of ITV, it's as though he is trying to make you watch the game (which you are obviousley alreay watching) by selling it to you. 'You just can't buy this kind of atmosphere, this is what it's all about - the Champions League ' drivel!

I used to like Johnathan Pearce when he started out on Capital Gold, he is a much better radio commentator than TV.

 

[clubhappy]

The greatest of them all was a guy called Michael O Hare . An Irish commentator who mainly specialised in GAA and horse racing . Absolute class .

David Coleman , for a man who its said was a bundle of nerves and became violently sick before going on air , he was streets ahead of everybody before and after him .

Hugh Johns , ITV , i loved him , completely over the top but great to listen to and i put him in here because he reminds me of Sunday afternoons sitting in front of the TV with my dad .

Alan Parry , never got any big games , he was a kinda stand by guy , ''we'll give you a shout if were stuck'' .

Barry Davies , badly missed if you ask me .

The worst has to be Conor McNamara , 5 Live .Always comes across as if he's reading it from a script .

Closely followed by Jonathan Pearce , sounds like a hyena on red bull. F***** terrible .

Jimmy McGee [ RTE ] Mr bleedin know it all , spent most of the time giving us history lessons , knew everything about every player and let us all know that too .

Bluebeard , the guy you cant remember , was it Gerry Harrison [ ITV Big match ] ?