As my dear old dad would have said. He started it, I finished it.
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Go on then...….
Mark Robinson dropped the CBomb on TV last night and apologised for it.
Genuine question does the standards board get involved or?
Having said that, if the standards board don't get involved for Channel 7's footy commentary, not sure they will take action on this occasion.
I don't really get as wound up about commentators as other seem to but this article is amusing, love the graphs.
Comment: Bruce McAvaney asked 55 rhetorical questions in one AFL game — it’s almost time to go
Editor’s note: The following piece was written by Reddit user u/GoldBricked and republished with his permission.
Before I begin, can I preface this by saying that I adore Bruce McAvaney’s passion for the game. And I’m not trying to ether him out of existence here.
But after being relatively spoiled with five consecutive matches of Foxtel commentary for Collingwood games I was disappointed to see that we had the traditional Seven Sunday arvo fixture for our big clash with Carlton. And the more I tuned in throughout the match, the more I picked up on Bruce’s incessant rhetorical questions.
I know he’s been doing it for years. He has a cacophony of catchphrases (some of which I’ve included below) which grate the ears. His biggest issue now is that it’s become second nature for these questions in particular to be asked of his fellow commentators ad nauseam.
He craves reassurance from everyone else on the commentary team. This is illustrated with the quite frankly crazy amount of times he refers to his fellow callers by name. He doesn’t need to lead Jimmy Bartel or Luke Hodge into their statements every time they want to make one.
Yes, I know they’re calling off the TV this year. But it was the same before all that.
I love it when he sticks his neck out and actually makes a non-fence-sitting call because it happens about twice a year. It’s otherwise all just backslapping and “How good was Player X” and nothing of substance.
I would hate to be critical without happily acknowledging that commentary is not an easy thing to do. I myself have commentated probably in the vicinity of 50 local football matches, including senior grand finals.
I got nervous, I stumbled at times. I used to say “can’t do much about it” all the time when there was a pack and no clear possession was being taken.
But I was also 17 years old and calling my first grand final. I wasn’t an experienced broadcaster with decades of on-screen performances behind me. And I can’t recall ever patting my co-commentator on the back and saying “great call” or anything along those lines.
The issue for Bruce right now is a constant need to fill space. He is not alone in this regard; in fact, nearly all TV commentators (bar Adam Papalia and Mark Howard) can’t let two seconds of silence go by without interrupting it.
Silence is not dead air. It is letting the vision speak for itself. When a player pulls off a nice linking field pass, it’s “good stuff”. A short handball out of traffic is always a “little give”. If the ball dribbles inside 50 without any real purpose, it’s either “bubbling around there”, or “bubbling bubbling bubbling”.
It is no surprise that fans prefer, more than anything, the analysis of the special comments callers and/or boundary riders.
If an ex-player must be involved in the media – ahead of well-trained, skilled performers who never played league football – then their experience at the highest level is their point of difference.
Tell us why a team sets up with two behind the stoppage, or why they always look for short 45s coming out of halfback, or that their deep forward entries are a directive from the coach. Don’t just say “here’s the slow play” and expect that to cover it off. We aren’t fools. We deserve better.
To demonstrate just how wacky Bruce has got with his rhetorical questions, here’s a breakdown of everything from the Carlton v Collingwood match on Sunday.
And yes, I had to watch the match for a second time.
https://i.postimg.cc/52rTL4Rn/image.jpg
Now I’m no data scientist either so I probably haven’t displayed this all in the best format possible, but hey, it’s a bit of fun. And in hindsight I could’ve broken up each mention of “Hame”, “Jimmy”, “Hodgey” and “Luke” by the individual reference. But I’m not watching this game for a third time.
All in all, Bruce asked a total of 55 rhetorical questions over the course of approximately 102 minutes of game time. Let’s say that 80 per cent of the time in commentary is from the play-by-play callers and 20 per cent by the colour.
And let’s be generous and say that it was an even 50/50 split of airtime between Bruce and Hamish, even though the latter probably had slightly more.
That means Bruce had around 41 minutes of airtime on Sunday’s call. In that period, he referred to his co-commentators by name 55 times at a rate of around 1.38 per minute. He also asked 1.38 rhetorical questions per minute. This is astounding.
https://i.postimg.cc/BZCzNcz8/bruce.png
https://i.postimg.cc/rmkhNKCC/bruce2.png
When I was a kid, all I wanted to be was Bruce McAvaney. At five years old, watching the Sydney Olympics, and everyone in primary school wanted to be an astronaut, or a pilot, or a fireman … I wanted to be a commentator.
And Bruce was the pick of the bunch up until Seven lost the footy rights at the end of 2001.
Since then, he’s had his “special” moments, but his slow decline has been like watching your ageing grandparent fade away slowly as they lose everything about themselves that made them unique.
He’s a legend of the game, I love him, but I think Seven have a decision on their hands pretty soon.
Don’t think Bruce or any of the commentators are having their best year .... but it must be more difficult to commentate when you are not at the ground and in m at cases separated physically from your fellow commentators.
Yeah and his issues aren't to do with not being able to follow the play.
All the main players biggest problems is their pigheaded boys club mentality and obsession with talking about absolute crap and offering nothing insightful at all (and often shutting down or ignoring the special comments people who are meant to be providing that ie. Daisy Pearce, Bartel etc.).
The only guys that understand that talking for talkings sake is a bad idea and that sometimes just calling games as they present themselves are the part timers like Mark Howard, Adam Papalgia, Brenton Speed and thankfully more often seen Anthony Hudson. Funnily enough none of them were superstar footballers and none of them spend the whole broadcast making it about themselves.
I've been thinking the same thing this year that it's been getting worse but i didn't realize via these stats actually how bad it is.
1.38 rhetorical questions per minute with 41 minutes of airtime. That's basically every time he talks he is asking a question or two.
The other thing that is creeping into the commentating game and 7 are the worst of it is the random unrelated conversation that occur.
As there are too many commentators there as it is, they feel the need to break into some inane conversation when they lose interest in the game. Bruce and Brian are the main culprits.
Kelli Underwood was very good last night - no bullshit, just call the footy
Bruce is like fingernails scraping on a blackboard to me. It's excruciating listening. I squirm in my seat. He almost makes footy unwatchable. And his creepy salivating way of just saying the names of players he loves is vomit inducing. Daaaanger. Cyyyyyril. Duuuuuusty. etc.
Couldn't agree more she's an absolute pro. Imagine her paired with BT....he wouldn't know what to do.
Best thing Bwian ever did was dropping the F bomb calling Boyd's GF goal. I laugh/cry every time.
For the unitiated :
https://youtu.be/Tl8_Hn1z6jc
PS : Did that really happen? Feels like a dream seeing the GF badge on our shirts, the big dogs logo painted on the 50.
Thete is no footy commentary here. This is a radio show.
Is it wet? I've had the sound off and certainly couldn't tell from the vision...……..
It was raining quite heavy towards end of 3rd
Imagine if Naughton got the Oscar Allen beneficial treatment. *!*!*!*! me.
Few areas of the ‘game’, even goal kicking, have deteriorated more over the years than the quality of the call via the TV medium.
If it’s not bad enough having to endure these damn awful calls live, it’s a travesty that the capture of great moments in the game will be forever tainted by embedded sycophantic, inane and outdated commentary.
If I was in charge of the AFL, I would be demanding a far greater standard from their media partners.
Some of camerawork - especially Channel 7 appalling. Also gripes me how many times they show player being injured ad nauseam. And the way they linger on coaches faces for longer than is polite and also injured players on sidelines instead of the play is downright dumb.
Often play games on mute - especially if Macavaney commentating. Seems like a nice enough bloke but too sycophantic for me.
Here is a blog that you may find interesting on the Channel 7 commentary team. It's more picking on the commentators and how blokey they are
Link
Channels 7s gameday commentary is a source of constant ridicule and criticism, particularly the performance of one Brian Taylor…..
During the game between West Coast and Carlton, it was observed by many on Twitter that Daisy Pearce in particular was being ignored by Taylor, and that the commentary was worse than ever
With that in mind, we decided to keep a diary for the commentary on certain games, as a test tracker to see if the criticism was valid
The game today is the match between the Western Bulldogs and Geelong
Commentary team – Brian Taylor, Bruce Mcavaney, Wayne Carey, Daisy Pearce and Luke Hodge (at the ground)
Commentary taken from Foxtel replay, so excludes h/t and pre game – clock times are on “countdown” times from the broadcast.
1st Quarter
16:00 Brian Taylor opens the commentary, noting the contest between Stanley and English as the ball is bounced
Taylor also calls a kick from Bontempelli “a beautiful stroke”
15:43 Someone in the crowd yells “THEY CAN HEAR EVERYTHING WE SAY!” and Taylor mentions it
15:31 Taylor begins a sequence on Guthrie and ropes in “Duck” to discuss Menegola, Guthrie and Hawkins playing every game and they’ve all had good years
Careys first contribution to the broadcast is a quiet non committal “yep, all in good form”
15:26 Bruce joins the broadcast, referencing some of Daisys pre game comments about the Bulldogs
14:58 Dunkley lines up for a set shot
Carey chips in a couple of vagaries about Caleb Daniel being a “good user of the footy” and the Dogs want the ball in his hands
14:48
Goal to Dunkley
Bruce says someone nailing a set shot early “sets up the scenario for the evening”
Taylor ignores him to talk about other matters
Carey notes the Dogs went backwards to go forwards to get space, and trails off on a thought about inherited flaws from his Dad with his kicking action to say “I’m prepared to say he’s a better kick than his Dad”
14:45 After a recalled bounce, Daisy chips in with a thought about Geelong being aware of Caleb Daniel and planning for him pre game
Taylor completely ignores her to mutter about “Dangerfield, with his socks pulled up really high”
14:02 Bruce notes Geelong have started cold
Taylor says “yep, funny old start” and the conversation ends there
13:58 Taylor says the game has “a strange start, a lot of quietness about it” without context
13:44
Goal to Crozier
Carey notes it’s a similar build up to the first goal, and Daisy chips in the Dogs went backwards to go forwards and wonders if its a plan by the Dogs
Daisy repeats her thoughts for the network audience (expanding on it as a tactic) and Carey joins in to note both goals were set up by Dogs half flankers pushing up the ground
12:14 Mark to Bontempelli
Carey tracks back to critique a lazy handball by Bruce and then mentions to Daisy about how Bontempelli was looking to give it off after his mark
Carey is more than happy to engage with Daisy and her thoughts, and sounds more energised than the last commentary
11:36
Goal to Bontempelli
Bruce mentions Geelong have to play catch up footy, no one replies
Taylor throws to an extended package on Luke Beveridges birthday party with the players
Bruce mentions it was lucky that Beveridge wasn’t about to tear strips off the players and then straightens up and gets back to calling the game
11:11 Mark inside 50 to Naughton
Luke Hodge chips in for the first time to mention the Dogs are kicking at 100% efficiency to Geelongs 29%
No one replies
10:42 Carey chips in to observe Naughton is moving up and down the ground to run the older Harry Taylor around
Brian Taylor ignores this and moves on
10:12 Taylor chips in out of nowhere the Dogs are 4-2 at Metricon this season
Bruce moves on with the commentary
9:15 Mark inside 50 to Liberatore
Carey mentions the match up of Henderson on Naughton and wonders if the match up has changed, and points out how Wallis blocks out Taylor from getting to the contest
8:52
Goal to Liberatore
Daisy mentions Geelongs poor kicking means they can’t control the game, and have made several costly turnovers
Hodge points out Taylor can’t go over the top because of the block from Wallis, and mentions Daisy was “right” about the poor Geelong kicking
Bruce finalises with a thought of Geelongs defence giving up goals
8:49 Bruce throws to “Hodgey” to discuss Geelong being cold
Hodge praises the intensity of the Bulldogs instead
8:12 Bruce mentions to “BT” if the Dogs kick one more goal he’s hitching his wagon to the Dogs
Taylor more or less ignores him to give inside 50 stats then calls Tom Stewart “Enright” and says Enright is using the ball well
I feel like this is some kind of marker for the commentary this year…..
7:48 Miers and Tuohy have some confusion inside 50
Taylor starts to wonder if Miers should have gone for it, Carey mentions he looked confused
Daisy chips in to point out confusion in communication between Miers and Tuohy then engages Carey to discuss what happens as a forward when someone is in your space
Carey engages in return and discusses the play
7:37 After a behind Carey says to Taylor “no excuses you can’t hear the voice with the small crowd BT”
Taylor simply responds “yep”
7:28 Hodge chips in to note Dangerfield has had one possession and the Cats are missing Selwoods hard edge around the stoppages
Bruce concludes “good call Hodgey”
6:57 Hodge chips in to mention Vandermeer has left the ground injured and after a beat that he’s gone down into the rooms
Taylor concludes with “thanks Hodgey”
6:27 Taylor concludes a thought about Hayes and Dickson playing their first game for the year by saying “the Western Bulldogs have only had the one debutant this year”
They’ve had 5
As an added bonus they then cut to one of those 5, Vandermeer, in the rooms
Everyone just moves on
5:42 Carey re-iterates some of Daisys early themes on the Dogs going backwards and trying to isolate the Geelong defenders one on one
Taylor ignores this
5:30 Daisy expands on these thoughts by mentioning it also stems from Geelongs turnovers, which don’t let the Cats defence get set
Taylor also ignores this
4:32 Dangerfield hits Hawkins lace out with a pass
Hodge praises the kick and how hard it is to defend
Taylor also ignores this, meaning he’s ignored his 3 special commentators inside a minute
4:10 After Hawkins misses, Carey doubles back to praise the kick of Dangerfield, with Daisy chipping in about how Dangerfield made the kick at full speed
Bruce moves on with the commentary
3:40 After a Menegola spoil, Daisy points out the wingmans role in pushing back to help the defence, and mentions how the Geelong defence was caught too high up the ground by a Bulldogs handball
Bruce joins in to mention that you don’t see such transitions against the Cats all that often
3:30
Goal to Richards
Bruce mentions Daisy “pressed that record of yours, handball back, handball back”
Daisy says she’s not sure if the Dogs have done it as a plan or if its because the pressure from the Cats hasn’t been there and that’s given the Dogs opportunity to do it
Carey repeats more or less what Daisy has just said, noting the lack of Cats pressure
They cut to the Toyota Fanzone and Taylor says “Is that Scott West bottom Left! I think it is!”
Carey nudges him that Scott West was actually middle right and has a good laugh as Taylor moves on muttering “he was there somewhere”
1:04 Mark inside 50 to McLean
Hodge joins to mention the Bulldogs have taken 6 marks inside 50 when the Cats only give up 5 per game
0:30 Goal to McLean
Bruce laughs with Carey and Daisy if anyone wants to change their tip
Bruce says “2016 anyone?” and “Mmmm…..right now…mmmm” in an insightful moment
Taylor mentions the vagary “the Dogs best football is good enough”
Daisy mentions the stat that the Cats have already conceded 25 points from turnovers when they concede 28 per game on average
Taylor completely ignores her to say “6 goals behind is a longgggggggggg way back”
0:00 Quarter concludes with Taylor saying the Dogs are “slick, and fast, and ready to play!”
The broadcast tonight seems to be more about the other 4 trying to discuss the game and Taylor being left behind
Daisy is tonights main special comments person
Taylor still hasn’t spoken to Daisy, making it 9 straight quarters
READ THE REST IN THE LINK - but you can see how it highlights how bad they are
Appreciate the effort BAD but hearing it once was bad enough.
Daisy tries but is as much of a company person as Ling, Watson or any of the other white noise they bring in for “special comments”.