7 replies to this topic

[Amelia Jane]

I had to watch a replay of the West Coast game last night due to having to work. I was thrilled with the result but horrified at the commentary. Instead of praising our players for their fine efforts, Michael Voss continually focused on Daniel Kerr being held. Yes, I agree that Kerr should not have been scragged as much as he was, however this happens to Scott West virtually every week and also to Cooney and Griffin. Then Quartermain brings up about Gary Ablett Junior who although an excellent player would have to be one of the most protected players of all times by the umpire. No one can usually tag him because his Geelong team mates generally illegally block opponents from going anywhere near him. I think Ablett is a wonderful player and I am not doubting his ability but for Voss and Quartermain to spend a whole evening worrying about Kerr and Ablett (who was not even playing in that game ) was dreadful.

What about some praise for the excellent Cooney, Murphy, Cross and Akermanis who were all brilliant. Also Daniel Kerr is no saint. Who could forget his low blow on Sam Mitchell a few years ago. He should have been outed for weeks but was let off lightly. Also, last night when Kerr got the ball he mostly turned it over.

[DMcG]

It's intriguing how people interpret commentary, on Sunday I was analyzing the message boards reaction to the Glasgow Derby,

the Rangers fans were outraged how clearly the commentator was a Celtic fan but the Celtic boards were full of accusations of him being a Freemason. [Which would make him prefer Rangers]

With Vossy on Saturday night I feel for him, in that he was commentating a game that was over early in the third quarter, so he had to create an issue to talk about.

I agree it's crap for them to talk about a player whose not even involved in the match, once again they cater to the casual observers watching the game rather than discuss strategy or offer analysis beyond the bleeding obvious.

I think the long term solution to work towards is with TV moving into the digital age, have multiple audio channels offering different commentaries.
1 offering biased support of the Dogs
1 offering biased support of the opposition
1 offering neutral commentary
1 offering indepth analysis for the hardcore footyheads.
1 offering humorous commentary for people who don't care that much but want a laugh.

I'm happy to work for the biased Doggies team.

[Caveman]

That's a fine idea- like what they have with the English Soccer and the Sky Channel - a viewers choice like situation.

You could press the orange button and have a selection of commentators to pick from.

So for arguments sake you want to watch a game on the tv and you can select a commentator who hates that team through the viewers choice option.

For example - these mentioned below evidently hate the team against their name as I keep hearing from Essendon and North Melbourne fans that I know

Robert Walls - Essendon
Caroline Wilson - North Melbourne
Malcolm Conn - Footscray (and he hated Fitzroy)

Well Malcolm Conn of the Australian Newspaper isn't well known, but he was no fan of Fitzroy and he wasn't big on the 1989 Footscray Fightback as the "Too Tough To Die" book by Alan Dalton and Kerrie Gordon mentions. He appeared to love Fitzroy's demise- one article he wrote at the time back in 1996 was that Fitzroy were keeping Port Adelaide out of the competition. Yes Port Adelaide and their mega crowds :wink: !!!

You could have a coloured button to select for the state the bleeding obvious special comments man
You could choose to watch or avoid that Collingwood bloke on Channel 10 with his fictional home grown character and his special brand of humour. We could give him the flick and have Dennis Cometti instead.


Yes a great suggestion - please bring it on

[Caveman]

It's intriguing how people interpret commentary, on Sunday I was analyzing the message boards reaction to the Glasgow Derby,

the Rangers fans were outraged how clearly the commentator was a Celtic fan but the Celtic boards were full of accusations of him being a Freemason. [Which would make him prefer Rangers]

With Vossy on Saturday night I feel for him, in that he was commentating a game that was over early in the third quarter, so he had to create an issue to talk about.

I agree it's crap for them to talk about a player whose not even involved in the match, once again they cater to the casual observers watching the game rather than discuss strategy or offer analysis beyond the bleeding obvious.

I think the long term solution to work towards is with TV moving into the digital age, have multiple audio channels offering different commentaries.
1 offering biased support of the Dogs
1 offering biased support of the opposition
1 offering neutral commentary
1 offering indepth analysis for the hardcore footyheads.
1 offering humorous commentary for people who don't care that much but want a laugh.

I'm happy to work for the biased Doggies team.

But is it true that the famous Celtic manager Jock Stein was a Freemason!
It was supposedly mentioned on the Wikipedia website.

[Lisbon]

I don't know if Stein was a freemason, but I know for sure that he was a protestant. Many protestants played for Celtic (or, in Stein's case, managed Celtic) throughout the years. In fact, Celtic once had a policy of choosing a protestant over a catholic whenever they had to decide between two more or less equally gifted players. The logic behind it was that if they signed the catholic, Rangers would sign the protestant, but if they signed the protestant, Rangers wouldn't sign the catholic because of their pre-Souness/ Murray policies and would therefore lose out.

On the subject of this thread, I think that biased commentary is only acceptable if (as DMcG suggested) it is done on purpose and in the open. The thing I hate the most is commentators trying to pass themseleves as neutral but not managing to disguise which team they support. It's rubbish. Other than that, I accept out and out barracking for one of the teams during international matches, for me it's acceptable that commentators favour their compatriots.

[DMcG]

I'm glad everyone likes my idea!
K-Rock Geelong have admitted they're biased all along, so let's make it the common thing.

Do people know what teams commentators go for?

I know:
Stephen Quartermaine - Hawthorn
Tim Lane - Carlton
Andrew Maher - Carlton
Rex Hunt - St Kilda
Eddie - collingwood [duh]
JB - North [duh]

I'd be interested in what other teams pundits go for.

I reckon an even funnier commentary channel would come from having 2 great comedians who have no interest in football attempt to call the game. Imagine Tony Martin and Ross Noble - they could make even Richmond v Melbourne interesting.

Re: the soccer
I always knew Rangers had a no Catholic policy yet Celtic hired everyone but never knew Celtic would hire Protestants over Catholics but it makes perfect sense, use their bigotry against them!

[Caveman]

Damian Barratt - Kangaroos (oops sorry) North Melbourne
Caroline Wilson - Richmond
Greg Baum - Collingwood
Mark Robinson - Essendon
Craig Hutchison - Geelong
Anthony Hudson - Geelong
Tony Leonard - Footscray- yes he is a Footscray 'bloke' not a Western 'guy'
Mark Fine - St Kilda
Francis Leach- St Kilda
Patrick Smith - Essendon
Michaelangelo Rucci - Port Power
Shane Healey- Essendon
Dennis Cometti- Footscray -yes and another Footscray bloke -he isn't a fan of the Western's.
Drew Morphett- he always claimed he didn't follow any team
Dwayne Russell- is he Geelong or Port Power?
Jim Main- Sydney- he was an old South Melbourne supporter from the pre 1982 era
Jon Anderson- Geelong
John Burns- Melbourne
Ross Stevenson- Hawthorn
John Rothfield (Dr Turf) Melbourne
Keith McGowan- St Kilda
John Deeks- Collingwood
Rob Gaylard- Carlton
Shawn Cosgrove- Collingwood
Shane Templeton- Hawthorn
Roy Higgins - claims not to have an allegiance
Greg Miles- Richmond
Bryan Martin- Collingwood
Ray Benson- Essendon
Brian Markovich- Melbourne
Jon Faine- Brisbane- he was an old Fitzroy supporter
Peter Donegan- Collingwood
Ian Henderson - Melbourne
Peter Hitchener- St Kilda
Peter Mitchell- Collingwood
Mal Waldon- Melbourne
Brian Naylor- Collingwood
Jennifer Keyte- Essendon
Angela Pippos - Adelaide
Paul Higgins- Richmond





the late Clinton Grybas -Collingwood

[Amelia Jane]

Fantastic work Caveman. It is great to know who barracks for who.