What do people want from a commentator.....
Discussion
I am not trying to be scathing, I am genuinely interested, as I do dabble a bit - but having seen comments on the various race threads about commentary styles - I thought I'd ask.
Some people seem to love an excitable commentator, some want something purely factual and calm. Others like some back story or technical detail, other prefer something a little less tailored to the connoisseur, shall we say?
Some guys can be technical to the point of dryness, but other listeners seem to revel in the level of detail that I find mildly excruciating....
So what are people's individual preferences? Any commentators people think embody this?
Some people seem to love an excitable commentator, some want something purely factual and calm. Others like some back story or technical detail, other prefer something a little less tailored to the connoisseur, shall we say?
Some guys can be technical to the point of dryness, but other listeners seem to revel in the level of detail that I find mildly excruciating....
So what are people's individual preferences? Any commentators people think embody this?
All I want is Crofty to just tone it down a bit, everything he says he seems like he's on the edge of his seats, he's got better though and knows when to shut up now, as opposed to talking over radio and drivers cool down room.
But I would take all the shouting any day over that dreary miserable
Di Resta.
But I would take all the shouting any day over that dreary miserable
Di Resta.Why do we even need a 'commentator'? I don't need some shouty idiot telling me what is plainly visible on my own screen with my own eyes. Fair enough if they have a different view, but most of the time they are just commenting on the same tv feed as we are watching, so don't offer any additional insight to proceedings.
What I want is the sort of technical insight and analysis that Brundle and DC can give, discussing how and why things happen, plus someone like Ted Kravitz on the ground in the pitlane during the race getting information directly from the teams.
What I want is the sort of technical insight and analysis that Brundle and DC can give, discussing how and why things happen, plus someone like Ted Kravitz on the ground in the pitlane during the race getting information directly from the teams.
SystemParanoia said:
The ability to mute them and instead have a feed of the driver radios
I like that:-) Also we could have the "Jaws" music when a driver is being chased down and the "Bunny Hill" music for the first corner antics....
For me Brundle and Coulthard were the perfect commentary pairing. Ben Edwards is acceptable bit he misses stuff and can be annoying.
Sky - Martin Brundle + Ant Davidson + Ted Kravitz + Natalie Pinkham + Johnny Herbert + Damon Hill
No David Croft - His style of trying to play devils advocate and being "matey" just grates.
I like the SKY commentary team on the Formula 2 - the understated guy and the complete opposite in Davide Valsecchi
Occasionally watch CH4 so for them - David Coulthard + Mark Webber + Lee Mackenzie
No Ben Edwards or Karun Chandock or Steve Jones
I do miss Jake Humphrey as well.
No David Croft - His style of trying to play devils advocate and being "matey" just grates.
I like the SKY commentary team on the Formula 2 - the understated guy and the complete opposite in Davide Valsecchi
Occasionally watch CH4 so for them - David Coulthard + Mark Webber + Lee Mackenzie
No Ben Edwards or Karun Chandock or Steve Jones
I do miss Jake Humphrey as well.
NM62 said:
Sky - Martin Brundle + Ant Davidson + Ted Kravitz + Natalie Pinkham + Johnny Herbert + Damon Hill
No David Croft - His style of trying to play devils advocate and being "matey" just grates.
I like the SKY commentary team on the Formula 2 - the understated guy and the complete opposite in Davide Valsecchi
Occasionally watch CH4 so for them - David Coulthard + Mark Webber + Lee Mackenzie
No Ben Edwards or Karun Chandock or Steve Jones
I do miss Jake Humphrey as well.
You can't please all of the people . . . I reckon Chandock. He seems excited without being excitable. His enthusiasm is infectious.No David Croft - His style of trying to play devils advocate and being "matey" just grates.
I like the SKY commentary team on the Formula 2 - the understated guy and the complete opposite in Davide Valsecchi
Occasionally watch CH4 so for them - David Coulthard + Mark Webber + Lee Mackenzie
No Ben Edwards or Karun Chandock or Steve Jones
I do miss Jake Humphrey as well.
The only one I can't stand is Jordan, to the extent that I turn down the sound and turn my good ear away when he's on. His last, excruciable, interview for the podium three even got a harsh word or two from my wife. Everyone else I can put up with for the couple of hours or so for the race. Much is forgettable though.
Jake Humphrey was very good, especially for someone who knew little of F1.
Pinkham adds nothing, knows nothing. Rachel Brooks is streets ahead of her. Johnny is a nice guy - sort of - but that's all he adds. EJ always throws up something different. The rest on both channels add some value.
Now to the anchors - I really tried to like Jones, I really did, but he reminds me of an RE teacher on a Geography field trip being asked to rapelle across a gorge first. Permanently look of surprise on his face, uneasy about where he is and totally out of his depth. Lazenby does what a good anchor should do, as did Humphrey.
Now to the commentators. Do you all have short memories? Murray used to irritate the heck out of a lot of people - motormouth, pants on fire, all soubriquets applied to the man. Yet as soon as Croft or Edwards get mildly excited people spit their dummies out. Both contrast the experts well.
In conclusion, for me at least, in the main both channels are doing a decent job.
One final point - that Craig guy on Sky that sometimes asks questions and is always dressed like he's off to church on a Sunday morning - every time he opens his mouth I'm reminded of Kryten from Red Dwarf.
Now to the anchors - I really tried to like Jones, I really did, but he reminds me of an RE teacher on a Geography field trip being asked to rapelle across a gorge first. Permanently look of surprise on his face, uneasy about where he is and totally out of his depth. Lazenby does what a good anchor should do, as did Humphrey.
Now to the commentators. Do you all have short memories? Murray used to irritate the heck out of a lot of people - motormouth, pants on fire, all soubriquets applied to the man. Yet as soon as Croft or Edwards get mildly excited people spit their dummies out. Both contrast the experts well.
In conclusion, for me at least, in the main both channels are doing a decent job.
One final point - that Craig guy on Sky that sometimes asks questions and is always dressed like he's off to church on a Sunday morning - every time he opens his mouth I'm reminded of Kryten from Red Dwarf.
I miss Georgie Thompson 
Eddie Jordan annoys me, thankfully I don't watch the C4 coverage, but I do miss DC, I liked his insights. Edwards annoys me as well (the one time I watched the C4 highlights)
I like the Sky team on the whole though, Rachel Brooks used to annoy the crap out of me but since mid 2016 something changed and I find her significantly less annoying. I wonder if her race in a Radical changed her attitude towards the sport a little and thus her onscreen persona!?
But at least we dont have to put up with James Allen anymore
Eddie Jordan annoys me, thankfully I don't watch the C4 coverage, but I do miss DC, I liked his insights. Edwards annoys me as well (the one time I watched the C4 highlights)
I like the Sky team on the whole though, Rachel Brooks used to annoy the crap out of me but since mid 2016 something changed and I find her significantly less annoying. I wonder if her race in a Radical changed her attitude towards the sport a little and thus her onscreen persona!?
But at least we dont have to put up with James Allen anymore
Apart from Brundle and Ted the I would not be upset to see the rest go.
The Moto GP team of Keith Heuwen and Julian Ryder are fantastic in my view. Perhaps this helps when the racing is normally amazing too. Easier to get excited when things are great on track.
Was listening to the North West 200 over the weekend and was impressed with Steve Parrish and Richard Nichols. Again the racing was very close which always helps.
The best ever had to be the end of year review by Clive James basically taking the p*** of each driver during the race highlights. As you can imagine the FIA no doubt did not see the funny side as he was replaced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6X3qvT3b_o
The Moto GP team of Keith Heuwen and Julian Ryder are fantastic in my view. Perhaps this helps when the racing is normally amazing too. Easier to get excited when things are great on track.
Was listening to the North West 200 over the weekend and was impressed with Steve Parrish and Richard Nichols. Again the racing was very close which always helps.
The best ever had to be the end of year review by Clive James basically taking the p*** of each driver during the race highlights. As you can imagine the FIA no doubt did not see the funny side as he was replaced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6X3qvT3b_o
People like honest people.
The commentator should react honestly - if the race is boring, say it's boring - if it's exciting, get excited.
Of course it's not everyone's style to get super hyped - that's why you usually have two commentators - one who is naturally more emotional / excitable / expressive and one who is more technical / realistic / pragmatic.
The commentator should react honestly - if the race is boring, say it's boring - if it's exciting, get excited.
Of course it's not everyone's style to get super hyped - that's why you usually have two commentators - one who is naturally more emotional / excitable / expressive and one who is more technical / realistic / pragmatic.
MB is oerfect for me, the shouty one can be ANY commentator appart ftom legard !!!!
the shouty one is just that, the shouty one, he's not there for us who can follow the race, Martin is there for us, shouty one is there for the plebs, i well remember the fever that surrounded F1 going back to the BBC and the vitriol that surrounded James Allen for being "too shouty" and what did we get after him ? Jonathan fooking Legtard, the shoutyest shouty one EVER, learn from your mistakes, better the devil you know ect ect ect and above all remember, shouty man isn't there for the likes of us but for the plebs who usually watch hyped up st like storage wars, american hotrod or any reality show with added hype to add some fake tension ect ect,
You know i'm never sure if it's this place (PH) or just F1 that has a following so sad that after a great race they have still find something to moan about, if it wasn't the racing it's the commentator, if not them it's the director follwing the wronge battles, really if you think it's that bad go back and watch a race with the foghorn fool that is Mr Jonathan Legard, if ever there was a reason for not complaining about the latest shouty man it's him!
and yes Murry was just as bad if not worse than the 2 choices we have today with sky and Ch4, especialy in his later days, if he wasn't who he was he'd have been sacked ni on every race, he was woefull and TBH i preferd Martin and James from the ITV days, James had it all, volume AND knolledge but had a tin foil hat on standby when needed, as they all do, it is after all thier job.
the shouty one is just that, the shouty one, he's not there for us who can follow the race, Martin is there for us, shouty one is there for the plebs, i well remember the fever that surrounded F1 going back to the BBC and the vitriol that surrounded James Allen for being "too shouty" and what did we get after him ? Jonathan fooking Legtard, the shoutyest shouty one EVER, learn from your mistakes, better the devil you know ect ect ect and above all remember, shouty man isn't there for the likes of us but for the plebs who usually watch hyped up s
t like storage wars, american hotrod or any reality show with added hype to add some fake tension ect ect, You know i'm never sure if it's this place (PH) or just F1 that has a following so sad that after a great race they have still find something to moan about, if it wasn't the racing it's the commentator, if not them it's the director follwing the wronge battles, really if you think it's that bad go back and watch a race with the foghorn fool that is Mr Jonathan Legard, if ever there was a reason for not complaining about the latest shouty man it's him!
and yes Murry was just as bad if not worse than the 2 choices we have today with sky and Ch4, especialy in his later days, if he wasn't who he was he'd have been sacked ni on every race, he was woefull and TBH i preferd Martin and James from the ITV days, James had it all, volume AND knolledge but had a tin foil hat on standby when needed, as they all do, it is after all thier job.
rubystone said:
Pinkham adds nothing, knows nothing. Rachel Brooks is streets ahead of her.
Agreed, Pinkham is always asking if a driver "feels strong" before a race start.And she always comes up with the really tough questions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73YE1kx2_K4
ELUSIVEJIM said:
The Moto GP team of Keith Heuwen and Julian Ryder are fantastic in my view. Perhaps this helps when the racing is normally amazing too. Easier to get excited when things are great on track.
They both miss so much of what's going on, like major changes of position. Someone take Heuwen away. Dare I say I prefered charlie Cox.FourWheelDrift said:
Agreed, Pinkham is always asking if a driver "feels strong" before a race start.
And she always comes up with the really tough questions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73YE1kx2_K4
You forgot the really annoying 'good luck' she signs off every interview with...And she always comes up with the really tough questions - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73YE1kx2_K4
I don't subscribe to Sky so watch C4 and really don't mind any of them even EJ!
I think Steve Jones has come on a lot and don't mind if he sometimes gets over exited.
I only watch Sky when I buy a Nowtv pass and to be honest I think Crofty is just a bit to shout.
But if that's enthusiasm then fair enough but I just don't think it is!
I didn't buy a Nowtv pass as the Spanish GP is usually not a good race!
So I listened on Radio 5Live Sports Extra and was pleasantly surprised by the commentators, Jack Nichols, Tom Clarkson and Jennie Gow.
I will be listening to them again.
I think Steve Jones has come on a lot and don't mind if he sometimes gets over exited.
I only watch Sky when I buy a Nowtv pass and to be honest I think Crofty is just a bit to shout.
But if that's enthusiasm then fair enough but I just don't think it is!
I didn't buy a Nowtv pass as the Spanish GP is usually not a good race!
So I listened on Radio 5Live Sports Extra and was pleasantly surprised by the commentators, Jack Nichols, Tom Clarkson and Jennie Gow.
I will be listening to them again.
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