Are there any good sports commentators left?

[simmo]

Richie Benaud is the best sports commentator. He lets the pictures do the talking and only adds little insights that are useful to the viewer. Considering he is probably in his late 70's (and probably been commentating for nearly 40+ years) as well he has never got quirky and twee like Alliss is now or how Walker and Blofeld are/got making mistakes with names etc all the time.

 

[Voice of Reason]

Alan Green and Andy Gray - both completely wank. Love most of the Sky Sports show team; Jeff Stelling; Chris Kamara; Matt le Tissier and others.

Rugby - John Inverdale - class act.

For the horses, Peter Scudamore also wank.

Motor Bikes - Jamie Whitham, top man.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

The worst of all, though, is Clive Tyldesley.

Agreed. Truly, truly awful. Always trying for a soundbite.

One I actually quite like from more recent times, mainly boxing but has done footy as well is Ian Darke.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Can't agree with you there about John Inverdale.

He comes across as intelligent, articulate, well-informed, non-patronising and relaxed. He doesn't retreat into excessive hyperbole and calls it as he sees fit. I remember on radio once about 15 years ago, he had to break the news of a top class skier crashing to their death in a race. He did so with grace and dignity, without being morbid or resorting to sensationalist soundbites.

In any other context, I would regard him as 'old school'.

Isnt he a Brighton fan as well or was it just coz he worked in local radio here for awhile early in his career?


Edit. Actually no scrub that got it completely wrong!

 

[Barrow Boy]

Steve Parish & Charlie Cox - MotoGP
Knowledgeable and funny in equal measures

Jamie Whitham - World & British Superbikes
Legend, been there, seen it, done it, got the T-shirt and funny as well.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

Not a commentator but I really like Colin Murray on 5 live.

 

[crodonilson]

I don't know what you've all got against Sir Clive Tyldesley, there's no-one like him to build up a big game particularly one where Man U are involved and I love the fact when he commentates on Man U he always refers to 'that Balmy night in Barcelona' at least twice in every commentary.

 

[Mr Apples]

Des Lynam was an excellent boxing commentator on the radio before he became more of a radio and TV all-rounder. Ian Darke and Jim Watt are a good double act.

And Brian Moore (the rugby one) has recently qualified as a rugby union referee

 

[seagullsoverlincoln]

Isnt he a Brighton fan as well or was it just coz he worked in local radio here for awhile early in his career?


Edit. Actually no scrub that got it completely wrong!

John Inverdale is Lincoln fan and is often seen at Sincil Bank

 

[seagullsoverlincoln]

Tyler used to do Anglia TV.

Southern TV first had Dave Lanning, then David 'Unlucky Saints' Bobin. (Although he is an Oxford United fan.)

Clive Tyldesley was awful when he started on ITV, went to BBC and got to be half-decent, then ITV knocked that all back out of him when he returned.

Tyler was on southern T/V from approx 1974,for a couple of years.
I can remember him commentating on an all southern game involving the Albion and kept f***ing up the Albion players names

 

[Horney]

Can I put forward this list of all time greats ( IMHO )

Football......................Kenneth Wolstenholme
Cricket.......................John Arlott
Rugby Union................Bill McLaren
Rugby League..............Eddie Waring
Athletics.....................David Coleman
Boxing........................Harry Carpenter
Motor Racing...............Murray Walker
Swimming...................Alan Weekes
Horse Racing...............Peter O'Sullevan
Winter Olympics...........David Vine
Snooker......................Ted Lowe
Darts..........................Sid Waddell
Wrestling.....................Kent Walton
Show Jumping...............Raymond Brookes-Ward
Tennis.........................Dan Maskell
Cycling........................Hugh Porter

These are my candidates for the ' Commentators Hall of Fame '

I invite alternatives.

 

[seagullsoverlincoln]

Can I put forward this list of all time greats ( IMHO )

Football......................Kenneth Wolstenholme
Cricket.......................John Arlott
Rugby Union................Bill McLaren
Rugby League..............Eddie Waring
Athletics.....................David Coleman
Boxing........................Harry Carpenter
Motor Racing...............Murray Walker
Swimming...................Alan Weekes
Horse Racing...............Peter O'Sullevan
Winter Olympics...........David Vine
Snooker......................Ted Lowe
Darts..........................Sid Waddell
Wrestling.....................Kent Walton
Show Jumping...............Raymond Brookes-Ward
Tennis.........................Dan Maskell
Cycling........................Hugh Porter

These are my candidates for the ' Commentators Hall of Fame '

I invite alternatives.

all good calls-kent walton,bill mcclarren,david coleman-legends

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Clive Tyldesley was awful when he started on ITV, went to BBC and got to be half-decent, then ITV knocked that all back out of him when he returned.

Good call Al. I must admit that I did enjoy The Tyldesley-Big Ron Axis when Bojangles Atko was in his Ronglish pomp. Shame the ignorant old tit went & f***ed it all up for himself. Still, at least he isn't a racist.

 

[Brighton M]

Yes.

Cricket commentary excels. They all seem to have learned from Benaud.

Bumble, Atherton, Holding, Agnew, CMJ, Simon Hughes, Mark Nicholas and even Nasser Hussain are great.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Tuffers comes across well on TMS,would agree with Mike Ingham and to be fair Graham Taylor i find ok on the radio. Simply can't stand that women on BBC football dreadfull. Claire Balding knows her stuff and takes no nonsense.

 

[Austrian Gull]

Can I put forward this list of all time greats ( IMHO )

Football......................Kenneth Wolstenholme
Cricket.......................John Arlott
Rugby Union................Bill McLaren
Rugby League..............Eddie Waring
Athletics.....................David Coleman
Boxing........................Harry Carpenter
Motor Racing...............Murray Walker
Swimming...................Alan Weekes
Horse Racing...............Peter O'Sullevan
Winter Olympics...........David Vine
Snooker......................Ted Lowe
Darts..........................Sid Waddell
Wrestling.....................Kent Walton
Show Jumping...............Raymond Brookes-Ward
Tennis.........................Dan Maskell
Cycling........................Hugh Porter

These are my candidates for the ' Commentators Hall of Fame '

I invite alternatives.

It's a good list but here are a few alternatives:

Cycling - David Duffield. Used to brighten up dull stages on the Tour de France by talking about what he had to eat the previous night. A character!

Football - Martin Tyler, Hugh Johns, Barry Davies.

Boxing - Reg Gutteridge and Jim Watt.

 

[KZNSeagull]

As others have said, the Sky Sports cricket commentary team is excellent now.

Mark Nicholas seems a bit over the top whenever I hear him now and Bob Willis is and always has been crap. Whenever England come here, we have to put up with Boycott on the SA coverage and he is just appalling.

Enjoyed Brian Moore on the Six Nations coverage.

But the worst commentator of them all who has not been mentioned has to be Ewan Murray. An arrogant, half-witted clown imo. Sam Torrance, Mark James and Ken Brown are always good though. Faldo's Ok as well in small doses. David Feherty is an arse though.

Don't watch any of the footie other than Final Score on BBC World. What is up with Garth Crooks? What a tosser.

 

[Mr Apples]

Sid Waddell used to be good, but he's now become a parody of himself. And when Phil Taylor's playing, he does into Sid hyperdrive. Prefer Dave Lanning for darts.

Waddell's still better than Tony Green though.

 

[vegster]

Jackie Oatley, anyone ?

On a serious note in football we still have Jimmy Armfield and Mark Bright, both are knowledgeable and interesting. Motty is still putting in a shift too. Not much to be said for a lot of the others and sadly that does not just apply to football, but, across the board

 

[The Large One]

Bring back Barry Davies.

'Thirty seconds to go before five minutes to half-time, and England are looking better value for their 'nil'.