What do people want from a commentator.....
Discussion
teDon't whitter, if you nothing to say shut up. Better for your audience to suspect you're a prat than opening your mouth & proving you are.
Try not to be another Murray Walker. Yes yes I know he's a treasure & all that but his high pitched shrieking got on my wick.
Ask your dads & granddads about Raymond Baxter who was THE commentator against whom all others are judged & found wanting.
Try not to be another Murray Walker. Yes yes I know he's a treasure & all that but his high pitched shrieking got on my wick.
Ask your dads & granddads about Raymond Baxter who was THE commentator against whom all others are judged & found wanting.
I had what I wanted from the BBC when they had Brundle and Coulthard in the box for a year. Two experts, each with experiences of different eras, both with decent personalities and able to commentate in a way that doesn't grate on the F1 nerd, yet makes the sport accessible to newbies.
Why the TV channels persist with the expert/shouty moron combination is beyond me.
Why the TV channels persist with the expert/shouty moron combination is beyond me.
cuprabob said:
For me Brundle and Coulthard were the perfect commentary pairing. Ben Edwards is acceptable bit he misses stuff and can be annoying.
I guess it's dependent on the era you grew up with, but Walker and Hunt was my favourite pairing. Don't really get the hate for David Croft -- I think him and Brundle are a decent pairing. As a supporting act I like Ant Davidson, Karun Chandhok, David Coulthard, Johnny Herbert & Damon Hill. Not that keen on Ben Edwards for some reason. Eddie Jordan seems to be a guy with some serious informants on the inside.
Anyone apart from the over excitable Edwards, I ended up turning the race off after he almost exploded when Vettel and Hamilton got close after the pitstop, he is hugely annoying and ruins it for me, I don't need some screaming middle aged bloke describing something I can see quite clearly for myself.
HardtopManual said:
I had what I wanted from the BBC when they had Brundle and Coulthard in the box for a year. Two experts, each with experiences of different eras, both with decent personalities and able to commentate in a way that doesn't grate on the F1 nerd, yet makes the sport accessible to newbies.
Why the TV channels persist with the expert/shouty moron combination is beyond me.
I have to say that I thought that the Beeb struck gold with those two - after a shaky start they developed a brilliant rapport. I have wondered whether the benefit was having two experts or whether it was just the chemistry. Though I suppose the shared career history would help that chemistry along a bit. Why the TV channels persist with the expert/shouty moron combination is beyond me.
I do think there is the need for a summariser and expert role - and I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with a devil's advocate on occasion - but David Croft seems to do it over bloody everything even if its absurd - like removing blue flags.
Murray and James for me, Murrays enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport; names of the mechanics he'd mention etc..James relaxed style.
brundle and Coulthard.
Watson and Edwards memories of when Eurosport were the only ones who showed practice and qualifying.
brundle and Coulthard.
Watson and Edwards memories of when Eurosport were the only ones who showed practice and qualifying.
Edited by Simes205 on Monday 15th May 22:08
Simes205 said:
Murray and James for me, Murrays enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport; names of the mechanics he'd mention etc..James relaxed style.
brundle and Coulthard.
Watson and Edwards memories of when Eurosport were the only ones who showed practice and qualifying.
Ooh, I'd forgotten about Wattie. Bonus points from me after he presented me with a trophy (and liked my James Hunt cap) at the Abingdon Sprint a few years back. brundle and Coulthard.
Watson and Edwards memories of when Eurosport were the only ones who showed practice and qualifying.
Edited by Simes205 on Monday 15th May 22:08
I don't mind Crofty at all. He makes the occasional mistake, but that's hardly a crime. We all do that.
Brundle is very good in the commentary box, but I far prefer Ant Davidson. He's excellent in the commentary box during free practice.
What I like is a commentator who has good knowledge of the sport (so no Legard then...) doesn't talk all over everything that happening and doesn't get too over-excited.
In terms of the rest of the presenting team, then I thought the beeb had it pretty much spot on (even with EJ who I do find very difficult to like) whereas Sky have some of the elements right, but not all. Jake Humphreys was far superior to Simon Lazenby for example, that's not to say that Lazenby is bad, but Humphreys was excellent in the role.
Ex-drivers are variable. Coulthard is excellent in both the commentary and pundit role. Johnny Herbert is likeable, but a bit crap. Damon Hill has improved beyond all recognition since he started. I like Chandok, but Paul Di Resta is pretty dire.
Brundle is very good in the commentary box, but I far prefer Ant Davidson. He's excellent in the commentary box during free practice.
What I like is a commentator who has good knowledge of the sport (so no Legard then...) doesn't talk all over everything that happening and doesn't get too over-excited.
In terms of the rest of the presenting team, then I thought the beeb had it pretty much spot on (even with EJ who I do find very difficult to like) whereas Sky have some of the elements right, but not all. Jake Humphreys was far superior to Simon Lazenby for example, that's not to say that Lazenby is bad, but Humphreys was excellent in the role.
Ex-drivers are variable. Coulthard is excellent in both the commentary and pundit role. Johnny Herbert is likeable, but a bit crap. Damon Hill has improved beyond all recognition since he started. I like Chandok, but Paul Di Resta is pretty dire.
That is sort of what I think
Rather than saying a car is turning into X corner, I like to try and add in whether it is particularly smooth/ragged an whether or not what the spectator is seeing is actually any good.
That said - I do public address so some of the crowd can't see what I see so a degree of sat what you see is necessary
So basically it needs some context to the cars driving round, not merely observing that a car is driving round
Rather than saying a car is turning into X corner, I like to try and add in whether it is particularly smooth/ragged an whether or not what the spectator is seeing is actually any good.
That said - I do public address so some of the crowd can't see what I see so a degree of sat what you see is necessary
So basically it needs some context to the cars driving round, not merely observing that a car is driving round
I don't think there's anyone better than an ex-driver who was around for a bit. They can talk with authority, know just about everyone without being looked down on (generally) and aren't overly excited to be doing a commentary gig.
I tend to think some of them are a bit like comedians that do better on panel shows - you're happy enough having them chip in when they've something to add but you don't want them to be the only person on the mic for an hour. Brundle seems to have a natural ability and had honed his art but is somewhat exceptional.
Crofty? Well, as above, he's not Legard so I can live with him.
I tend to think some of them are a bit like comedians that do better on panel shows - you're happy enough having them chip in when they've something to add but you don't want them to be the only person on the mic for an hour. Brundle seems to have a natural ability and had honed his art but is somewhat exceptional.
Crofty? Well, as above, he's not Legard so I can live with him.
768 said:
Brundle seems to have a natural ability and had honed his art but is somewhat exceptional.
I could quite happily listen to Brundle all day - very interesting, usually spots something before anyone else. Well connected in the paddock too which means hwhen he says something, it's usually right. Unlike EJ who gets it right 50% of the time.Perfect commentary:
Someone passionate, someone knowledgeable, a tech guy in pit lane.
Murray with James hunt.
Hindy and Graham Goodwin.
The duo that did superbikes / rallycross in the 90's.
all 3 combos have someone who's excitement is genuine. A bloke that knows the tactics, what the teams are upto behind the scenes etc. Brilliant viewing as a result.
Someone passionate, someone knowledgeable, a tech guy in pit lane.
Murray with James hunt.
Hindy and Graham Goodwin.
The duo that did superbikes / rallycross in the 90's.
all 3 combos have someone who's excitement is genuine. A bloke that knows the tactics, what the teams are upto behind the scenes etc. Brilliant viewing as a result.
Derek Smith said:
You can't please all of the people . . .
The only true thing written in this entire thread.Ultimately car nerds/bores aren't F1's target audience, so we/they are probably never going to love the lineups. Making sport universally interesting, and thus commercially successful, requires people like 'the excitable commentator' and 'the recognisable presenter'.
The super-keen enthusiast might not like it, but unless they are attending 10+ races a year, they are of only marginally more intrinsic value to F1 than the casual observer.
People want competence from a commentator, i.e. someone who understand the subject and can add to the scene the viewer is seeing on screen.
I was brought up listening to Raymond Baxter, and, has someone has already pointed out he is still regarded as the Doyen of commentators.
Others who I also think are worth a vote are Ant Davidson and Martin Brundle, plus the late James Hunt.
As an aside, Raymond was once at a Dinner where he had been invited to be the guest speaker. The chap sitting next to him was from Germany
and therefore not aware of Raymond's background, so, he asked if he had ever been to Germany, the reply came back, " Yes, but only in the evenings!"
(ex RAF pilot). When you have the facility to encapsulate a comment like that you know you have someone who can present a picture to the listener,
which in this case was quite hilarious depending on your point of view.
I was brought up listening to Raymond Baxter, and, has someone has already pointed out he is still regarded as the Doyen of commentators.
Others who I also think are worth a vote are Ant Davidson and Martin Brundle, plus the late James Hunt.
As an aside, Raymond was once at a Dinner where he had been invited to be the guest speaker. The chap sitting next to him was from Germany
and therefore not aware of Raymond's background, so, he asked if he had ever been to Germany, the reply came back, " Yes, but only in the evenings!"
(ex RAF pilot). When you have the facility to encapsulate a comment like that you know you have someone who can present a picture to the listener,
which in this case was quite hilarious depending on your point of view.
The two-person format works very well. I really liked the combination of Brundle and Coulthard: Brundle with his excitability and confidence in his opinions and DC with his technical input on what the cars were doing mid-race. A description of what was happening, an explanation as to why and an opinion on it.
Good interviewing too. Questions put to people rather than the Eddie Jordan-style pontification which just requires the interviewee to stand there.
Good interviewing too. Questions put to people rather than the Eddie Jordan-style pontification which just requires the interviewee to stand there.
I get very irritated by the guy on the BBC who always say "away we go" at the start - so annoying.
He also makes a point of pronouncing Bahrain with a terrible impression of an arab accent, why ? He sounds really daft "Bahhhrrrrrain", yet any other non-english names is pronounced without any hint of a foreign accent (thankfully).
So anyone but that guy will do nicely.
He also makes a point of pronouncing Bahrain with a terrible impression of an arab accent, why ? He sounds really daft "Bahhhrrrrrain", yet any other non-english names is pronounced without any hint of a foreign accent (thankfully).
So anyone but that guy will do nicely.
nickfrog said:
I get very irritated by the guy on the BBC who always say "away we go" at the start - so annoying.
He also makes a point of pronouncing Bahrain with a terrible impression of an arab accent, why ? He sounds really daft "Bahhhrrrrrain", yet any other non-english names is pronounced without any hint of a foreign accent (thankfully).
So anyone but that guy will do nicely.
That would be Jack Nicholls ....He also makes a point of pronouncing Bahrain with a terrible impression of an arab accent, why ? He sounds really daft "Bahhhrrrrrain", yet any other non-english names is pronounced without any hint of a foreign accent (thankfully).
So anyone but that guy will do nicely.
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