Commentators

[Zekulu]

Eddie Butler breaks me. All the BBC commentators do apart from Andrew Cotter, they're all so biased towards their own nation and for me thats not what commentating is about. Whenever its Wales v England its cringe-worthy listening to Butler and Moore.

Fair point lol...
I think that would be the case for most people!

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

To me a good commentator is capable of saying "That is an absolutely magnificent try!", even when it's a try which seals a win against your home country. As long as it is of course a wonderful try.

I have heard Nisbo and Bladen say the likes of that. It's professional and gracious. I've heard others say things like, "That's a soft try, after some woeful defence" in the same circumstances.

 

[Hamez]

To me a good commentator is capable of saying "That is an absolutely magnificent try!", even when it's a try which seals a win against your home country. As long as it is of course a wonderful try.

I have heard Nisbo and Bladen say the likes of that. It's professional and gracious. I've heard others say things like, "That's a soft try, after some woeful defence" in the same circumstances.

This is why I really hate the aussie commentators. Nothing annoys me more when they bag an opposition team just because they are the opposition team. I believe they should be neutral and commentate on the game not take sides.

 

[deker79]

If Brian Moore is going to be a commentator I can only hope there is an option to turn commentary off, can't stand him; he's the most biased irrelevant commentator out there. It's just a shame the great Bill McLaren has passed away, he would have been awesome!

 

[Duckdee]

Whatever percieved bias any commentator has, is unlikely to carry over into the game.

 

[nickdnz]

There are some much better at hiding thier bias. Grant Nisbett and Hugh Bladen I can listen to without getting annoyed as they call the game as they see it. You can tell there are moments where they get more excited about the teams they support but overall they seem to control their bias to at least a very low level. Australian commentators in general can't seem to do this, especially if they are commentating alongside another Australian. It's not like I'm picking on Australian commentators for any other reason than their commentating.

 

[Duckdee]

After all this talk, I really want to want to watch an Aussie commentated match, now.

 

[tomwid_88]

I do think that we can all agree that had Bill Mclaren been here today this thread would have been made redundant. However, I think it should be a mixture of NH and SH commentators, so long as Ian Robertson is not involved - he really grinds my gears!

 

[Bokbe4k]

I do think that we can all agree that had Bill Mclaren been here today this thread would have been made redundant. However, I think it should be a mixture of NH and SH commentators, so long as Ian Robertson is not involved - he really grinds my gears!

Or Joel Stranskey!

 

[Thingimubob]

Personally I'd love a combination of Hugh Bladen and Jonathan Davies, big fan of both of them, and as loads of people have said, a combination of SH and NH is a must.

 

[The Cam]

Personally I'd love a combination of Hugh Bladen and Jonathan Davies, big fan of both of them, and as loads of people have said, a combination of SH and NH is a must.

Love that combo as well!

 

[ranger]

"Personally I'd love a combination of Hugh Bladen and Jonathan Davies, big fan of both of them, and as loads of people have said, a combination of SH and NH is a must."
Love that combo as well!

Mate, there are two clear front runners. Johnathan Davies doesn't even have half of the votes Nisbett does.
I don't necessarily think that a NH and SH commentator is a "must". It would be nice, but really the job should go to the best guys for the role, not decided by geographic quota.

Bladen and Nisbett '12, the people have spoken (or clicked in this case)

 

[Duckdee]

Bladen and Nisbett '12, the people have spoken (or clicked in this case)

But aren't they both main commentators? (There must be terms for the two posititions, anyone know them?)

 

[Hamez]

Mate, there are two clear front runners. Johnathan Davies doesn't even have half of the votes Nisbett does.
I don't necessarily think that a NH and SH commentator is a "must". It would be nice, but really the job should go to the best guys for the role, not decided by geographic quota.

Bladen and Nisbett '12, the people have spoken (or clicked in this case)

I'd say its pretty much geographical location speaking rather than who people actually think is the better commentators.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

I'd say its pretty much geographical location speaking rather than who people actually think is the better commentators.

I'd say thats really your personal opinion, it's rather unfair to state that every TRF'ers decision is solely based on bias. I don't know that any of us have the right to make that kind of blanket statement without proof. Bias is a potential factor in the poll, not the overall result.

Still, if you believe your sole opinion is the only legitimate one, there's not much that can be said that's likely to sway you.

 

[Hamez]

I'd say thats really your personal opinion, it's rather unfair to state that every TRF'ers decision is solely based on bias. I don't know that any of us have the right to make that kind of blanket statement without proof. Bias is a potential factor in the poll, not the overall result.

Still, if you believe your sole opinion is the only legitimate one, there's not much that can be said that's likely to sway you.

wat are you on? its common sense as you've said before its only normal for people to pick their own nations commentators cause thats who they always hear. so have you changed your mind now?

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

wat are you on? its common sense as you've said before its only normal for people to pick their own nations commentators cause thats who they always hear. so have you changed your mind now?

What am I on? What's that supposed to mean? I hope your not going to start acting like an idiot. You could merely have asked me to explain politely. Very little in this world is completely black and white. Do you realise that yet?

Now let me explain. What I meant and I put across rather clearly, is that people are going to sometimes choose the commentators that they have heard call games, that they like. I did not say that people were going to make their choices solely on the basis of national bias. People make choices in life after weighing up a variety of factors, not just one. They don't simply go "I'll pick people from my country!", that would be very biased.

It is a multi choice poll, and I for one picked two from outside my country, Hugh Bladen and Miles Harrison. So, did I pick them based on national bias? How does your theory of only one factor in TRF member's choices stack up in relation to my voting? It doesn't and others will also have chosen callers from outside their country.

For you to run people down as being completely biased, is an absolute lie. Well, it would be, but you actually believe it, so it's not a lie, merely a crackpot theory.

To sum up, I believe these are some of the factors members may weigh up when making their choices. Not in order of importance.

Professional sounding voice.
Ability to convey the emotion of the moment, without going over the top.
Clarity of speech.
Tonal preferences.
Who you've heard call the game before.
Ability to relay game analysis.
General impression of how well they know the game.


Of course, people have heard the commentators from their own country far more often, so that may bias their selections, by providing more opportunity for that commentator to make an impression. That is not national bias through and through, just a reflection of who we all get to hear more often. It is only a factor, not the result.

So, do you think I've changed my mind? Or perhaps you were looking a little too surface level and didn't grasp the common sense reality of peoples choices.

 

[Hamez]

Well you may think that but I think the majority would pick the commentator from their own country. if you wouldnt have deleted my poll about where people come from we might have a better understanding of geographical data.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Well you may think that but I think the majority would pick the commentator from their own country. if you wouldnt have deleted my poll about where people come from we might have a better understanding of geographical data.

I don't remember that poll, there are other moderators who may have tended to that. I'm not sure of the relevance or end-result of such "data". We're not really interested in pointing fingers at our particular member nations and saying "This nation has an unfair advantage in expressing this view or that view" in a poll.

 

[Hamez]

I don't remember that poll, there are other moderators who may have tended to that. I'm not sure of the relevance or end-result of such "data". We're not really interested in pointing fingers at our particular member nations and saying "This nation has an unfair advantage in expressing this view or that view" in a poll.

I dont think anyone has an unfair advantage, i just think itd be interesting to see where we are all from.

But back to commentators, I dont think its a negative that people vote for the commentators where they are from its only natural.

But do we actually need a well known commentator? Is it another waste of money instead of creating great gameplay?

I wouldnt actually care if it was some no name that has a good voice and just does generic calls and just names the players when they have the ball and stuff up etc. But again with licensing I think im in the minority on this.