Are you allowed post links to balls.ie here?
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Bbc had their weekly World Cup classic games highlights on this afternoon. One thing that really shines out from it is how poor the current crop of commentators are compared to the likes of Barry Davies and John Motson in their prime.
Holland Argentina from 98 was one of today’s games and Davies was superb in commentary. No hyperbole over reaction but captured all the key moments like Kluivert goal, the two sendings off and Bergkamp’s outrageous goal perfectly.
England v Columbia was on then from 2018, while it was an enjoyable game live it didn’t have many clear cut chances but the commentary was shocking, making huge deals out fairly routine chances or relatively unremarkable incidence. Danny Murphy as the colour commentator was utterly unbearable too.
Sad to watch. On another note - Chippy Brady was on Bbc co commentary duty for Bulgaria Germany in USA 1994.
Didn’t Davies go a bit nuts when Bergkamp scored? An appropriate reaction I would have said.
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He did and it was perfectly in keeping with the moment. As opposed to doing it when Harry Kane scores a 50 odd minute penalty.
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Not so much great but more memorable.
2007 - Croatia beating England to send them out of qualifying for the 2008 Euros.
John Motson: ‘Say something Mark!’
Mark Lawrenson: ‘I can’t John!’
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“It’s up for grabs now… Thomas…!”
Micheal O’Hehir for the Darby goal is immortal too. He clearly was just a GAA supporter, first and foremost.
You couldn’t fake that passion when the goal went in. “A goal, a goal, A GOAL FOR OFFALY.” The pitch of his voice was perfect in that instant, reflecting such a famous moment.
When you see it written down it doesn’t look particularly amazing but when you hear it back he captured the moment perfectly.
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I’ve heard Barry Davies on this, think it was Belgium v Russia 86 in a cracker. Davies made it sound like the most boring match of all time not a world cup knockout game.
It was just incredible. Everything about that moment. The greatest GAA moment for me by a mile.
Darby never got enough credit for the catch over his shoulder on the turn for me. There may have been a nudge but it was still a brilliant catch.
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I love Barry Davies for gazza free kick in fa Cup semi v arsenal.
There was an old video 101 great goals that had umpteen brilliant commentaries from motson and Davies. Brian Moore on itv was good too.
David Coleman was on loads of those 101 great goals too. Great croaky voice on him
A bump for this.
An excellent broadcaster was Pat RIP.
A truly memorable commentary which I was lucky enough to hear live at the time.
Ah yeah, easily the greatest on field moment in the history of the GAA. I reckon in 50 years time it’ll still be spoken about with the same degree of reverence.
An amazing moment. That it was actually a brilliant finish has almost been lost in the time since. He was still a fair distance out.
He sniffed the chance and did everything in his power to make it count.
The whole offaly gaa thing was unbelievable really. Emerged out of nowhere to win multiple all irelands in both codes in a 25 year spell and then disappeared to nothing again.
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His Laochra Gael was one of the best ones they’ve shown, as much for what happened him in the aftermath as the goal itself.
The Ireland of back then was so much different to today.
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This is a little bit much isn’t it? Sports commentators seem to have a very high opinion of themselves.
Never knew what he looked like.
Clive seems an alright sort, he has always seemed a decent commentator. And going by that clip there he just seems a genuine football man. He’s probably not hip or woke enough for the modern times.
The ego of some of these commentators across all sports is fairly big though. They all want the big gig, you even see it with RTE and Brian Carthy when he was demoted. They mightn’t say it publicly but noses must be put out of joint if they are overlooked for the bigger matches like AI finals.
Ah jaysus come on man does ‘woke’ have to be brought into every single fucking issue 
. What possible suggestion is there that is something to do with this?
A man in his 50’s or 60’s has no business commentating on matches these days.
There was a female pundit on Sky last night who referred to the Manchester United player Mason Greenford.
(The likes of Merson, Savage, Ian Wright, Micah Richards have all somehow eeked out a TV career so thick, incoherent pundits apply across all genders and races)
I wouldn’t put Wrighty in the same group as those lads in fairness.
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