“I just call it as I see it”. The mantra of a commentator – sports, politics, whatever.
But that’s not always the case.
As Richie would say, “Welcome back to the cricket”.
Bill’s pumping up the Vics, Tony’s stirring couch Aussies and the watchers whinge of blatant bias.
Who would have thought?
Remarkably, though, they might not be the worst “offenders”.
I’ve heard racecallers and Crow moaners who can make Maxy Walker look impartial. And the NRL can play them all on a break.
Hitler’s pledge to Stalin remains the benchmark, but there are many “experts” whose views are only marginally more trustworthy.
Objective?
We seek offenders and evidence please. And, maybe, even nominees for those who try to buck the trend.
I’d open the batting with all recent ex-footballers turned commentators.
I can’t think of one who doesn’t pull his punches somewhere.
Strange how ex coaches seem to be different. Unless they harbour hopes of another job.
From the little I’ve seen or heard from Matthew Lloyd, he seems less likely to pull his punches than most recent retirees.
My favourite biased caller was the late George Grljusich. When the Eagles joined the VFL the ABC started broadcasting George as a caller nationally. George only ever saw the Western Australian viewpoint. Some of us Victorians wondered what George would do when Fremantle was admitted to the AFL and Eagles and Dockers played each other. It turned out that what George did was bag the umpires while being reasonably objective about both teams. In that first derby George came out with the classic line “It only takes three umpires to destroy a footy match.”
There are Victorian callers who are biased towards Victorian teams, and South Australian Commentators who think that the AFL only exists for the Crows, but in the end George was so single-mindedly pro West Australia that you couldn’t get upset, you just had to laugh.
Crio,
When the trade union movement used the MCG to
protest against Howard’s “Work Choices”, Max Walker
remarked in disgust “The MCG should be used for the
good of the people, not the bad of the people”.
Although he was calling it as he saw it, my opinion
of him was dramatically altered.
Warneys forays into the nine commentary box to call his old mates for “Astraya” is hard to top, whilst always giving the opposition captain a lashing, usually for not being “aggresive” enough. Bit hard to bag Andrew strouses captaincy when is side wins 3-1!