Your favourite Commentator/Pundits

Stev_o

Yes yes i know i know strange thread indeed but all this current arguements about commentators and pundits i thought id ask and see who likes what.

My favourite commentator is Miles Harrison rarely fecks up peoples names, has a good voice and can discuss match aspects without sounding like a idiot.

Pundits would probably go to Stuart Barnes and Emmet Byrne. Barnes is alot like him or hate him figure i like him all mis pronounced names aside. Emmet always impressed me on Setanta and is such a easy man to listen to, pity he doesnt get much coverage with RTE.

toomevara

Bill McLaren, a rugby commentating God never to be bettered....

shoutman

Ryle anybody?

bleg

yer man that used to do it on rte before ryle was the best

memtalman

I like Brian Moore - there, I said it !!

I actually think he's fair, he says what he sees, right he does shout for England at times but then he is English, he's not afraid to call foul or bad play from England and can be very critical of his own team.

I saw a short feature on him once and he said that he had commentated on and England v. Scotland game once and the switchboard went on fire with the complaints against him - 50% from English people who said he was completley biased in favour of Scotland and the other 50% from Scots saying that he was completely biased in favour of England.

jdivision

bleg wrote: »

yer man that used to do it on rte before ryle was the best

Jim Sherwin I assume, yeah I always liked him
I like Keith Wood, Brian Moore and Eddie Butler is nice to listen to but occasionally misinformed - his bizarre pushing of Scotland as a force every year for example.

efb

Fred Cogly- think its him, he does leinster schools on setanta now. Ryle Nugent sucks donkey balls. Is his ma the DG in RTE or what?

Imhof Tank

jdivision wrote: »

Jim Sherwin I assume, yeah I always liked him
I like Keith Wood, Brian Moore and Eddie Butler is nice to listen to but occasionally misinformed - his bizarre pushing of Scotland as a force every year for example.

The greatest of them all was Cliff Morgan.

But Jim Sherwin – you’re having a laugh I presume?

1. Who could forget his premature celebration in Ireland V France circa 1999 when Humphreys had a kick to win it with what was effectively the last kick of the game “YES, THAT’S IT, ITS THERE, IRELAND HAVE WON ………….NO, ITS WIDE, IRELAND HAVE LOST”.

2. Against Argentina in Lens when the Argies scored to go ahead with one or 2 minutes left, Jim completely forgot to mention the score – until when the re-start was in the air “SO, HERE’S THE RE-START, ARGENTINA LOOK TO GATHER………………..AND ARGENTINA ARE IN FRONT”.

3. In the same match, his outrage at one of the Argies for a a bit of routine foul play on O’Driscoll was absolutely classic comedy – sounded like he was BOD’s mother or something.

4. Finally, I think perhaps one of the very worst pieces of non commentary ever was in our 2003 WC QF he completely missed the significance of the Keith Wood / Fabien Galthie story (ie whichever legend lost would retire that day). After the final whistle, the cameras dwelt on Galthie commiserating with Woody – a genuine special moment between 2 great men – Jim’s commentary on this – NOTHING, SILENCE.

Oh God, I hate Jim.

berliner

Nigel Stamer Smith of the BBC was the best.cogley and Nugent are terrible(worst commentator ever is the guy who does the international soccer on RTE radio...think his name is Gabriel Egan...he's always saying "eh,em,ahh,and it's er..erm Keane with the ball".Dreadful "commentator".

Sangre

I like Jonathon Davis as long as Wales aren't playing. Although he is a bit over eager with the calls for a yellow card he has a great grasp of game and can often spot the plays before they happen e.g. points out fullback is out of position and next thing we see a kick goes over. Quite good because you often can't notice this watching from home.

Shan75

berliner wrote: »

Nigel Stamer Smith of the BBC was the best.

Yes Nigel is somewhat of a legend.It was great to have him commentating on the World Cup for Setanta.He could do the commentary on his own and it would be better as he knows at least as much as most of the co-commentators.I listened to himself and John Robbie commentating on the England V SA pool game and Robbie kept going on and about how great SA were and how brutal England were(generally true but I felt he laboured the point) but Nigel remained nice and calm but I'm sure he would have loved to tell him to shut up as I wanted to do.
I also liked Bill McLaren back in the day and have enjoyed watching his videos just to remind myself of some great moments, including his fantastic descriptions of people and also he had a great knowledge of the game.Some of the commentators these days do not have this knowledge and need the co-commentators to analyse different plays etc.

But Jim Sherwin – you’re having a laugh I presume?

Agree with this.Jim was not the best but the only thing is they have replaced him with somebody even worse.

themont85

My favourite commentator of all time has to be Bill McLaren. Often still play Jonah Lomu Rugby on the playstation with him commentating, 'digs like a demented mole'. His attention to detail was something else, you could tell he was really prepared everytime he commentated. The guy on setanta tries to come up with these sorts of lines too but I just can't stand the guy.

Of the bunch today has to be Miles Harrison. I used to hate him and Barnes 'Guinness Premiership is the greatest' sort of crap but with Sky having so much rugby these days he grows on you. Good knowledge too.

Erin Go Brath

In order of preference for commentary:

1) Bill McLaren - The all-time legend of commentating imo
2) Nigel Starmer Smith - Good knowledge, easy to listen to, generally likeable. Good coup for Setanta to get him during the WC.

Punditry:
I give the award to our own Hook and Popey. Popey certainly is the most credible of the two, but Hook is always good for a laugh, talks through his rear manys the time but always interesting.

giddyup

Erin Go Brath wrote: »

In order of preference for commentary:

1) Bill McLaren - The all-time legend of commentating imo
2) Nigel Starmer Smith - Good knowledge, easy to listen to, generally likeable. Good coup for Setanta to get him during the WC.

Got to agree there - Bill McLaren will always be the voice of rugby for me and I always thought NSS was easy on the ear.

Whoever mentioned Cogley or Sherwin is taking the piss. The two of them were beyond dire. I think the only reason they survived so long was that they were both bigwigs in the sports dept in RTE. Wasnt Sherwin head of sport at some point?

As for pundits - I like Sean Fitzpatrick - ok he's a Kiwi but he generally talks sense and you've got to respect his record and experience.

Podge_irl

I really like Brian Moore as a commentator. Yes, he is biased towards England in that he wants them to do well, but quite frankly I've yet to come across one who isn't biased in some way. As far as I can see he calls it as he sees it, and is willing to point out where England are wrong as much as when anyway else is. He is quite insightful, his commentary on the scrum is especially good and personally I love the emotion he clearly invests in every game.
As pundits go, Emmet Byrne is fantastic for Setanta. Gets into the technical aspects of the game and explains precisely why certain elements of some teams game fails. I'll listen to Hook and Pope, but I rarely agree with either of them. O'Shea is quite good though.

rockman15

Bill McLaren.....simply the best, i also play Jonah Lomu just to hear his voice!
Brian Moore and Zinizan Brooke........good pundits..

I would love to get McLaren and Murray Walker of F1 fame into a commentary booth together, just to see what colourful metaphors they would come up with....

Cogley is utter BolloCK5.....Rylers as his moments of clarity

Snickers Man

efb wrote: »

Fred Cogly- think its him, he does leinster schools on setanta now. Ryle Nugent sucks donkey balls. Is his ma the DG in RTE or what?

No but she once went to a debs dance with George Hook.

Seriously.

He put a picture of the pair of them in his book.

And I agree. Ryle Nugent is the worst.

Snickers Man

themont85 wrote: »

My favourite commentator of all time has to be Bill McLaren. Often still play Jonah Lomu Rugby on the playstation with him commentating, 'digs like a demented mole'. His attention to detail was something else, you could tell he was really prepared everytime he commentated. The guy on setanta tries to come up with these sorts of lines too but I just can't stand the guy.

totally agree. McLaren was the best commentator on any sport ever.

But he's long gone now and won't be back. I think he's nearly 84 now. And in his last years he was slipping a bit, not being able to recognise people as quickly as he used so he gave it up.

I don't think there's anyone now who can touch him. RTE seriously need to find somebody competent. Nugent's voice and especially his accent are too irritating, Hamilton is a soccer man who doesn't understand the game sufficiently. Sherwin sounded like Mr Nice-But-Dim.

As for pundits. I don't care what anyone says. I love the Hook 'n Popey double act. I think Neil Francis on Setanta was really good during the world cup. I also thought Matt Williams could be enlightening.

But I think this thread just shows how subjective a topic this is.

Ulstermell0

Eddie Butler: - seems like a nice guy, but i hate his commentary - so biased to wards the English even when they're playing against Wales.

Brian Moore is too biased to the english - although its good to hear him squirm when we beat them.
When they played italy and wilkinson got lucky with his kick for the first try (before the brilliant back hand pass) he said something like - 'yes it was lucky but everyone has a bit of luck in rugby' i can guarantee if it had been the other way round he would have been saying how lucky it was and england dont deserve to be behind.

LeeroyJones

for pundits I think RTE have the best because all three have their own roles, whether we like what they say or not. Hook gets stick but being pessimistic doesn't mean its wrong, his manner is a bit off the wall also but we can get by that! Pope says what we like to hear and a Conor O'Shea is the wise realistic one who says it as it is. Altogether I think it works well.

Whereas on BBC they all say what the viewer wants to hear-same as Sky. which is just annoying.

jacko

Anyone got thoughts on Ralpy Keyes? Heard him comentate on the radio for the 6 nations a few years back, great to listen to. Also Kieran Fitz is pretty good

Marshy

jacko wrote: »

Anyone got thoughts on Ralpy Keyes? Heard him comentate on the radio for the 6 nations a few years back, great to listen to. Also Kieran Fitz is pretty good

Yeah I'd agree with that. Ralph and Fitzy are good.

I actually thought Mark Robson and Donal Lenihan were decent for Setanta at the WC. Robson certainly adds some drama to proceedings. I remember in one match the ball was seemingly held up in goal and he announced "the TMO will need the eye of a sea eagle to spot that ball".

And on another occassion a prop gathered the ball and made a slight break and he said "he certainly won't be stopped for speeding here!"

He's started to do some of the Heineken games on Sky. I like both himself and Miles Harrison.

Ulstermell0

talking of the world cup did anyone see ITV's coverage? absolutely awful, names wrong and generally dull. thank god they had RTE in the pub down the road.

mc23

Another vote for Bill McLaren here, the voice of rugby as far as I'm concerned. I think Liam Toland on Satanta always talk sense as a pundit.
Does anyone else think that Hooky has taken his rants up another level since RTE have got the rugby back.
I'm also surprised to see so many votes for Brian Moore....meet him in town the night before an England match a few years ago, nice guy.

juvenal

Good, in no particular order:

Bill McLaren,
Nigel Starmer-Smith (listen out for him on IRB World Sevens games), RTÉ should sign him up.
Mark "Rob-shin",
Donal Lenihan,
Ralph Keyes,
Ciaran Fitzgerald,
"The Warrior" Emmett Byrne,
and I'm a fan of Liam "Toley" Toland, ok, not the most entertaining voice or personality, but I think he is very shrewd analyst. Glad the IT has picked him up.
Have to say I'm also an RTÉ man, but it's really irritating when McGurk keeps interrupting the panellist answers and tries to get a rile out of them, you don't need to get George Hook any more worked up watching rugby!

Pantalons, again in no particular order:

Ryle Nugent, only getting the knowledge cause he's been doing it so long now, but D4 accent makes ears bleed;

Danger Here George Hamilton, stick to soccer!;

Will Greenwood is SHOCKING :mad: as is almost everyone associated with ITV (in any sport actually bar Murray Walker);

There's also a chap who does Sky Sports, names escapes me, usually does the second or third string games in ther GP and HEC, but his voice hits every vocal range possible, and that's even before kick-off!:eek: You know the one, "oh and that's brrrrriaaalliant by Cipriani" He has this weird English accdent that sounds like he's talking with a mouthful of marbles. Annoying tw@t

Punchbowl

Jim Sherwin for me.. Every commentator makes mistakes, but he had genuine passion and always built the excitment up as we were closing in on the tryline..

rockman15

I really love the Hooky rants....nothing better then an aul fella giving out ****e about something....its like the Joe Duffy Phone Show except people give a toss about what is being said!

Agree on the ITV coverage during the WC...utter amateur stuff

Ralph Keyes scares small children when he is on the TV....he should defo stick to the radio....not a rugby man either...uses too many GAA-isms during coverage....

Marshy

juvenal wrote: »

There's also a chap who does Sky Sports, names escapes me, usually does the second or third string games in ther GP and HEC, but his voice hits every vocal range possible, and that's even before kick-off!:eek: You know the one, "oh and that's brrrrriaaalliant by Cipriani" He has this weird English accdent that sounds like he's talking with a mouthful of marbles. Annoying tw@t

Yeah, I think that's Will Chignell. He's a right pain in the arse to listen to alright, up there with Ryle.

Stev_o

juvenal wrote: »

Good, in no particular order:

Bill McLaren,
Nigel Starmer-Smith (listen out for him on IRB World Sevens games), RTÉ should sign him up.
Mark "Rob-shin",
Donal Lenihan,
Ralph Keyes,
Ciaran Fitzgerald,
"The Warrior" Emmett Byrne,
and I'm a fan of Liam "Toley" Toland, ok, not the most entertaining voice or personality, but I think he is very shrewd analyst. Glad the IT has picked him up.
Have to say I'm also an RTÉ man, but it's really irritating when McGurk keeps interrupting the panellist answers and tries to get a rile out of them, you don't need to get George Hook any more worked up watching rugby!

Pantalons, again in no particular order:

Ryle Nugent, only getting the knowledge cause he's been doing it so long now, but D4 accent makes ears bleed;

Danger Here George Hamilton, stick to soccer!;

Will Greenwood is SHOCKING :mad: as is almost everyone associated with ITV (in any sport actually bar Murray Walker);

There's also a chap who does Sky Sports, names escapes me, usually does the second or third string games in ther GP and HEC, but his voice hits every vocal range possible, and that's even before kick-off!:eek: You know the one, "oh and that's brrrrriaaalliant by Cipriani" He has this weird English accdent that sounds like he's talking with a mouthful of marbles. Annoying tw@t

Is it this guy http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=T126TYBorhA? Commentating before the music takes over

quagmire69

for pundits:

ciaran fitzgerald
emmet byrne
Conor o'shea
hook (for entertainent value only)

Thornley is good too whenever he appears on TV.

Commentators:
Bill Maclaren
Anybody but tony ward

Anchor:
No good ones to be fair. Setanta guy is alrite but cant remember his name.

jdivision

People mightn't like my choice of Sherwin but growing up in Poverty one and two land it was him, Fred Cogley and George Hamilton and that's why i liked him - he was much better than the other two. Fred Cogley was terrible, didn't know who was who. As someone said about head of sport, it's actually his son who was head of sport in RTE. Then the son (Niall Cogley) got poached by Setanta and guess what, Fred comes out of retirement to commentate (dreadfully) again.

action jackson

Jackie Fullerton is a legend !

juvenal

Marshy wrote: »

Yeah, I think that's Will Chignell. He's a right pain in the arse to listen to alright, up there with Ryle.

Steve_o wrote:

Is it this guy http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=T126TYBorhA? Commentating before the music takes over

That's the one; couldn't recall his name. What an over-hyping muppet - he sounds like Rick O'Shea of one of those annoying DJs commentating on sport - although that clip isn't appropriate because that was magic from King Carlos!

quagmire69 wrote: »

Thornley is good too whenever he appears on TV.

I'm a Thornley fan as well, forget to mention him; I enjoy listening to him on NewsTalk - Off The Ball

quagmire69 wrote: »

Anchor:
No good ones to be fair. Setanta guy is alrite but cant remember his name.

Daire O'Brien, decent anchor, keeps it moving and doesn't try and take over.

I forgot to also mention another one who gets on my nerves - Neil 'well you have to look at the negatives' Francis. He knows some stuff, but if Franno won the lotto he'd find something to be negative about. He's like Hook, but with a more dark, almost embittered side. Not a fan really.

Snickers Man

jdivision wrote: »

Fred Cogley was terrible, didn't know who was who.

One of my memories from childhood was my dad getting so pissed off with Cogley (senior) that he used to turn down the TV sound and turn on the radio. So we would have a different commentator's voice but still get the pictures.

Ah memories.

pd101

Best: Jim Sherwin

Worst: The lad who does the top 14 commentary on eurosport :eek:

Imhof Tank

Snickers Man wrote: »

One of my memories from childhood was my dad getting so pissed off with Cogley (senior) that he used to turn down the TV sound and turn on the radio. So we would have a different commentator's voice but still get the pictures.

Ah memories.

LOL. My dad too. I do this now myself for GAA matches with Michael O'Muirachertaigh's radio commentary turned up and that Ger Canning turned mute

I seem to remember Fred had 2 stock phrases he would never deviate from- for garryowens he would say "a high, testing kick", and for a try he'd say "and Ireland are IN!".

nacho libre

Punchbowl wrote: »

Jim Sherwin for me.. Every commentator makes mistakes, but he had genuine passion and always built the excitment up as we were closing in on the tryline..

too many for my liking. His constant name dropping during commentary was very annoying too.

My favourite commentator right now would be Brian Moore
Growing up it was Bill McLaren.

juvenal

Good to see Liam Toland and The Warrior on Setanta for the Ulster game tonight.

Very good, shrewd analysis; although without the outlandish Shakespearean quotes from Hookie!

Shan75

Imhof Tank wrote: »

LOL. My dad too. I do this now myself for GAA matches with Michael O'Muirachertaigh's radio commentary turned up and that Ger Canning turned mute

I seem to remember Fred had 2 stock phrases he would never deviate from- for garryowens he would say "a high, testing kick", and for a try he'd say "and Ireland are IN!".

Cogley also said "a drop at goal".Ryle Nugent seems to have picked up the mantle as I have heard him utter this at times.I actually think Ryle is even worse than Cogley was but maybe that's only because his voice is so irritating.

razorblunt

Jim Sherwin was terrible and he always seemed to have a pro Leinster bias even when commentating on Munster games.

Miles Harrison is ok but can blow hot and cold and goes through the checklist of talking up the current Sky Sport flavour of the month.

I like Philip Mathews and the commentator that has done the last 2 Ireland games on BBC cant remember his name.

Popey, Emmet Byrne and Liam Toland always know what they're talking about.

themont85

Why was Jim Sherwood dropped anyway, never heard why.

razorblunt

themont85 wrote: »

Why was Jim Sherwood dropped anyway, never heard why.

Didnt he resigne in protest when Ryle Nugent was given all the Ireland games which left Sherwin to commentate on other 6 Nations games on the same weekend. Took his ball and went home I think.

jdivision

Sherwin had a contract to be lead ruby commentator, when they put Nugent on certain games he took legal action against RTE. That was eventually settled and I think his contract simply wasn't renewed. Ryle on the other hand is deputy head of sport in RTE now.

themont85

Ah ye I remember now, but didn't he do some 6 nations commentary last year or the year before for the Saturday with 3 games?

milmo

All been said before but here's my ha'pennys worth.

Bill McClaren is the undisputed king.

Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie would be better and more credible than Ryle Nugent.

O Gara hit the nail on the head with his comments on Sky last year. They are selling subscriptions and don't know or care about rugby (my opinion). Stuart Barnes and Brian Moore are too biased and opinionated, and can't accept that their day has gone. Tony Ward is in the same boat.

In general I watch the RTE pundits and the BBC commentary. Hook is there for comic relief, Pope and O Shea are on the ball. It's been priceless to watch Hook get more bombastic and childish now that O Shea is on the panel!

jdivision

themont85 wrote: »

Ah ye I remember now, but didn't he do some 6 nations commentary last year or the year before for the Saturday with 3 games?

Don't think so, they had some new guy I thought doing the third game last year and he was brutal. Would put you to sleep. I could be wrong though cos I don't watch game on RTE very much anymore.