I realise it is easy to fall into the trap of gazing back with nostalgia at "the golden era", but I really do feel that the style of game description in recent time has become one which is lacking greatly in subtlety and intelligent insight. Instead we are given a sledgehammer delivery, with quite often, sensationalistic speculations that mostly add up to very little at all.
I'm pretty sure I am not alone here on this one. I often see complaints and criticisms of commentators on a weekly basis in this forum. Some perhaps kneejerk reactions, but for the great deal valid observations of bad sportscasting.
The other day, a mate of mine wrote in to Foxtel, because he too, has had enough of hearing embarrassing descriptions of games which are ultimately spoiling the broadcasts. The email may be rather aggressive in tone, but it does contain constructive criticisms. He received a response saying that they have passed on his feedback to Fox Sports as a matter for their consideration.
I too am in the process of writing them an email of my own.
I urge anyone else who feels the same way to also write in to any of the broadcasters for AFL games, be it television or radio. IMO, it is about time their was real professionalism brought into the sportcasting of AFL Football. I guess one of the only ways to provoke change is if more people tell the broascasters about where they are going wrong.
Here his my friend's email...
To: enquiries@foxtel.com.au
To Whom it May Concern,
I have followed Australian Rules for all of my life (33 years). It seems to me that the standards of football commentating have gotten worse with every year. The hype and hyperbole now intrinsic to the call of each game makes the experience of watching it near impossible.
The Fox football commentators are part of the problem. Games are not made more interesting by grown men bellowing out about passages of play or goals. Who insists they howl like dogs on heat?
You can hear the vibrato in their voice. Why does Dwayne Russell continue to talk in that affected manner? Has everyone gone to the same commentating school as Bruce McAvaney? The puns are embarrassing. Viewers don't want manipulated phrases that substitute for concise descriptions. Please watch your own bumpers for upcoming games. Isolated yelling and more of it.
Isn't it about time there was a directive to blood or hire football callers who had some class, poise and excellent diction? Since when did incessant screaming improve the deficiencies in someone's voice?
Have you heard the commentary on American football, baseball or basketball? Please tell your guys to tone it down. It's beyond a joke. I cannot laugh at this cacophony of nothingness: "And he kicks a MAGNIFICENT GOAL! SENSATIONAL!" Do not compensate for the atmosphere at the game. Trust the crowd. It will tell the story.
Also Brian Taylor, Gerard Healy and Dwayne Russell - tight as they are in the AFL boys club - are doing a woeful job. All three now appear reluctant to do their homework. None of these guys seem to know the names of all the players on the park. A simple requirement wouldn't you agree? Who appraises the commentators if they agree it is their job to appraise the players? If these guys are honest they should be looking at retiring or being retired. Like the glaring and lazy trends in the football media they seem preoccupied with stats and strategies that are decades old and antiquated to the current concerns of players and coaches.
There's a reason why the coaches are disdainful and downright contemptuous towards the media. The media don't know what the hell is going on in the game. They are more or less barnacles on the industry.
Time these guys were read the riot act.
