Obviously we’ve all had a rant about appalling commentators and analysts on here but don’t think we’ve ever listed those who we find enjoyable, or even palatable. So who do you find tolerable on various sports?
Darragh Moloney is RTE’s most accomplished commentator. Best by a long way for soccer and gaelic football. Pity they need him in the studio so often, surely Bill and Peter and other randomers can manage that.
There’s another radio commentator for GAA on RTE who’s decent but can’t remember his name. Doesn’t hold a candle to @gaamad1996 of course.
Don’t like any of the British media commentators. Used to think Tyler was ok but he’s awful clichéd now and far too into his Sky promotion which is part of the job description there. Most co-commentarors are abysmal but Beglin is my favourite as being the least whiny and least stubborn of them.
My favourite NFL combo is Buck and Aikman but most of those duos are decent - might be as much to do with my less than perfect expertise on gridiron though.
Ah yeah cricket. Was discussing that with @Bandage recently. Probably the sport with the highest standard of commentary across the board. You could have half a dozen excellent commentarors in there. Ex players become really good at it really quickly.
Des Scahill - Horse racing
Geoffrey Boycott - Cricket
Al Michaels - NFL
Mike Emrick - NHL Ice Hockey
John Virgo - Snooker
All these guys are on top of their game. At the moment their is a dearth of decent soccer commentators. Tyler would be the best IMO, but the compared to the days when Moore, Davis, Motson etc there really is fuck all decent out there.
[quote=“Sandymount Red, post: 841694, member: 1074”]Des Scahill - Horse racing
Geoffrey Boycott - Cricket
Al Michaels - NFL
Mike Emrick - NHL Ice Hockey
John Virgo - Snooker
All these guys are on top of their game. At the moment their is a dearth of decent soccer commentators. Tyler would be the best IMO, but the compared to the days when Moore, Davis, Motson etc there really is fuck all decent out there.[/quote]
John Motson was awful. Tyler a hundred times the commentator.
[quote=“Sandymount Red, post: 841694, member: 1074”]Des Scahill - Horse racing
Geoffrey Boycott - Cricket
Al Michaels - NFL
Mike Emrick - NHL Ice Hockey
John Virgo - Snooker
All these guys are on top of their game. At the moment their is a dearth of decent soccer commentators. Tyler would be the best IMO, but the compared to the days when Moore, Davis, Motson etc there really is fuck all decent out there.[/quote]
Des Scahill top of his game? If calling horses the wrong name, and missing major incidents is the top of his game then we’re in trouble. Simon Holt is the best racing commentator around, Mike Cattermole a close 2nd.
Joe Buck is an appalling commentator, too dry to carry a 4 hour broadcast with frequent pauses in action well. My favourite NFL tandem would be Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts, best mix of PBP and colour going. Other good PBPs would be Jim Nantz and Marv Albert. I think Mike Mayock is the best colour commentator in the game, Daryl Johnson isn’t miles behind though.
I used to dislike Martin Tyler but I like him now. He’s as much a part of the Super Sunday experience as Ford and Barclays. It just wouldn’t be the same without any of them.
Canning is useless but I don’t mind Marty too much. I actually used to like Jim Carney’s commentaries. He always made a match seem exciting anyway even if he wasn’t the greatest commentator. Canning does the opposite. None compare to the great Jimmy Smyth, formerly of BBC and now very occasional commentator/colour commentator for Setanta during the league.
Local radio is great for GAA commentaries. Syl O’Connor’s commentary for Clare FM on the drawn Clare-Cork final was incredible. I like Radio Kerry’s Garry O’Sullivan - he could easily make the step up to national radio. Midlands Radio 3 and the station that covers Roscommon matches have absolute lunatics commentating for them but they are very entertaining. Brendan Hennessy from Carlow is a fine hurling commentator who has been used occasionally by Newstalk and should be used more.
I do believe there was a thread on this before where it was agreed that Ray Edmonds was a tremendous snooker commentator.
[quote=“Sidney, post: 841718, member: 183”]I used to dislike Martin Tyler but I like him now. He’s as much a part of the Super Sunday experience as Ford and Barclays. It just wouldn’t be the same without any of them.
Canning is useless but I don’t mind Marty too much. I actually used to like Jim Carney’s commentaries. He always made a match seem exciting anyway even if he wasn’t the greatest commentator. Canning does the opposite. None compare to the great Jimmy Smyth, formerly of BBC and now very occasional commentator/colour commentator for Setanta during the league.
Local radio is great for GAA commentaries. Syl O’Connor’s commentary for Clare FM on the drawn Clare-Cork final was incredible. I like Radio Kerry’s Garry O’Sullivan - he could easily make the step up to national radio. Midlands Radio 3 and the station that covers Roscommon matches have absolute lunatics commentating for them but they are very entertaining. Brendan Hennessy from Carlow is a fine hurling commentator who has been used occasionally by Newstalk and should be used more.
I do believe there was a thread on this before where it was agreed that Ray Edmonds was a tremendous snooker commentator.
Tyler is awful. He tries to make it as much about himself as the teams playing. Just describe the action ffs, the co-commentator can provide the insights. Tyler always comes out with bollocks like “how ironic that in the twentieth minute of the twentieth Premier League season it is the player who wears number 20 who is in possession” too.
George Hamilton is the king. For a man of my age he’s as much a part of an Ireland match as the 11 men on the pitch.
Maloney’s wonderful also. I also really like Beglin as co-commentator, though I do enjoy Ronnie Whelan because he’s an eejit and really like Brian Kerr because he comes out with some great lines.
Not my sport but hearing Fred Cogley always evokes lovely memories of watching the old 5 nations and being given a little red lemonade and Harp shandy by old Mr Goode who unfortunately is no longer with us.
