Best Olympics commentators/analysts

[Elpenor]

It seems effortless when it's done well but it's very noticeable when it's not. The rowing commentary team of Katie Smith and Moe Sbihi are terrible IMO.

Yeah the rower seemed a bit bored.

A commentator I do like who mainly does boxing is Ronald McIntosh. Has a way of words a bit like say Stuart Hall (hopefully the only similarity). He does other sports too, but I think works better when he’s commentating in the ring

 

[baldrick]

Andrew Cotter has 2 key qualities that make him a pretty good events anchor:

1. I listen to all of his events smiling and wondering when Olive and Mabel are going to make their move steadily up the back straight
2. He's not John Inverdale. Actually this is quite rare for the BBC for them to get it this wrong, but I don't know of anyone so featureless and dull, getting repeated bookings for such gilded roles. When I listen to him I wonder what relationship (or dirt on someone!) that hoisted him into this position. I'd rather have literally anyone. Even promoting Michael Owen to main anchor duties.

I find the Colour commentators (or, who makes a good one and who doesn't) fascinating. I concur with the surprise that BBC still are able to call on Michael Johnson, he was such an achiever (probably second only to Bolt in my lifetime on the track) and scientist. I wonder if it came off the back of original 'discovery' of McEnroe made a second career out of being outstanding in that role (and like Linekar even really taking on presentation duties).

The thing is, every elite sportsman has the knowledge in them - I don't really get surprised a the level of detail they are willing to go into, they have all had that beemed into them like it's their day-job. It's not the deepest thinkers/studiers that make the best commentators, but the chattiest. As someone who loves any kind of detail, from legit people that have been there, and often starting a fairly specialist level...feed that shit into my veins. It makes the banal stuff from the main presenter even more jarring tho, almost like they're trying to sound as if they've never even done PE at school. "So, did you prepare for this event? Does the Olympics mean a lot to you?"

I bet (sportsmen becoming commentators) is double hard tbh. The ones who make it look so effortless have a real talent (again). Overachieving buggers.

That said, "Ex Sports Stars at Their One and One Only Attempt At Commentary/Presenting" would be a good Youtube channel tbf.

Agree with all of this.

And the general bafflement in this thread regarding John Inverdale.

 

[Elpenor]

Inverdale thankfully put out to pasture

 

[Lord Camomile]

It makes the banal stuff from the main presenter even more jarring tho, almost like they're trying to sound as if they've never even done PE at school. "So, did you prepare for this event? Does the Olympics mean a lot to you?"

While I get irritated by that sort of thing as much as anyone, and there are plenty of examples to call on, I do think the format really contributes to/exacerbates this.

Each interview is often given just a matter of minutes, so even if they wanted to, neither presenter or athlete really have the time to explore an idea in any depth.

Also, I'd assume there's still a large majority of the audience for the Olympics that simply isn't interested in technical stuff, and are quite happy with some general emotive platitudes.

Which is not to say that it's not possible to get an interesting interview within those constraints, it's just difficult, and a genuine talent that is hugely undervalued.

Likewise, I feel like you may be overestimating the ability of the average athlete to discuss the finer points of their sport. It's one thing to understand it, and maybe talk 'shop shorthand' with a fellow athlete/coach, but quite another to be able to articulate it in a way that is engaging and understandable to someone not in the sport.

I mean, the fact that MJ is such a clear favourite, and why, arguably indicates that it's quite a rare ability (though there's prob more out there than make it into public view, for various reasons).

<Christ, sorry, I really am trying to reign in the walls of text >

 

[Ted Striker]

It seems effortless when it's done well but it's very noticeable when it's not. The rowing commentary team of Katie Smith and Moe Sbihi are terrible IMO.

It felt like a fairly hard sport to commentate on, tbf. It's a fairly one-dimensional 'pot as many balls as you can' emptying of the aerobic tank over 2k rowing. Sure I'll pace myself, and maybe react to other increases in speed...But I'm generally going to try and go as fast as I can, and especially faster than the other boats.

The main commentary seemed super heavy on detailing the degrees all the rowers are studying for.

I think growing is a safe space for upper-middle class people to exist without having to try and hide their posh-as-fuck-ness. I'll take the medals thankyouverymuch and it's very impressive athleticism, but it's not exactly a meritocratic sport. And imagine being around a group of people who pride themselves on daily flagellatous superhuman athleticism before breakfast.

 

[Elpenor]

Also, I'd assume there's still a large majority of the audience for the Olympics that simply isn't interested in technical stuff, and are quite happy with some general emotive platitudes.

I really am not interested in the athletes thanking their coach, partner and family, their PE teacher Mum and dad for giving them lifts to the training as a kid etc but I’ll accept I’m not the usual audience and I totally understand why they want to do it!

Tbh hearing tales of parents dedication is a little upsetting for me as it reminds me how my parents had no interest in anything I did sporting which wasn’t ever above a district / club level standard but was my passion because “we don’t like sport” (Had I been playing the violin they’d have gone to concerts). I coulda been a contender

 

[Ted Striker]

While I get irritated by that sort of thing as much as anyone, and there are plenty of examples to call on, I do think the format really contributes to/exacerbates this.

Each interview is often given just a matter of minutes, so even if they wanted to, neither presenter or athlete really have the time to explore an idea in any depth.

Sure, I mean most sports interviews are sticking a mic in an exhausted/emotionally bereft athlete which serves zero purpose aside from evaluating the athletes ability to get the platitude out.

But I mean it still happens during actual commentary. You'll get "what she'll be looking for here is the tensing of her calf which means she''ll be beginning to fade" from the pro, and then the Inverdale will pipe up and say "so how important is nutrition in a race like this?" I give it a bit of a pass, because the purpose of all this is to drag newbies into the sport, and I get it needs to have a fairly low entry point, but there is a lot of joy for us armchair nerds

 

[Lord Camomile]

Oh aye, it can be incredibly frustrating.

Have long thought (primarily about football, but applies anywhere, really) that there should be two feeds, one for your casual observer, and one for sports nerds.

I get most people don't want to hear about the minutae of tactics, why putting your foot here is better than putting your foot there but only in these specific conditions... but I do!

 

[Ted Striker]

I really am not interested in the athletes thanking their coach, partner and family, their PE teacher Mum and dad for giving them lifts to the training as a kid etc but I’ll accept I’m not the usual audience and I totally understand why they want to do it!

Tbh hearing tales of parents dedication is a little upsetting for me as it reminds me how my parents had no interest in anything I did sporting which wasn’t ever above a district / club level standard but was my passion because “we don’t like sport” (Had I been playing the violin they’d have gone to concerts). I coulda been a contender

Which is the rub, exasperated in Rowing (and, to a degree IMO, tennis, and so on)...It's not the Hardest Betterest Fastest Strongest..It's the kid with a decent aptitude for sports (and resilience to injuries), a homelife that celebrated/was used to high achievements and crucially had a Mum or Dad to sacrifice to pushing little Johnny around Spain between the ages of 11 and 17.

But then it's not something I wish to dwell on, and lift the veil on the absurdity that most of the events are a function of opportunity (not always class based) not necessarily a unique talent where they excelled above all other schoolkids in their year.

Not every event is the 100m, but the Kayak cross lot must consider they are besting a sport with maybe a few thousand people to ever attempt it?*

*Poor example, they are converted kayakers IIRC, which is slightly more accessible sport, but still... I love what they do with the new events. IMO The BMX stuff is a beautiful shining beacon of feeling like someone said "all the kids on the estate, they're into bikes, but different kind of bikes, where's the sport for them?"

(Slightly regrettably Elpenor (and not to rub it in, ofc), I had the opposite problem - my Mum encouraged (well, humoured) me to try everything...I was just rubbish (even tho I liked to compete and take it seriously). One of my overriding positive memories from my childhood is Mum's unflinching ability to take me seriously when I said "I'm probably going to need a squash racket..."/"What happened to Golf?"/"Yeah I'll play that more in the summer" ).

 

[Lord Camomile]

Aye, even 'low barrier for entry' sports like running still require you to have the time and facilities for training, proper nutrition, etc.

Presume there's support for 'promising' prospects, but still contingent on a certain amount of opportunity, and pretty sure those prospects are often dropped quite unceremoniously, too.

 

[Steel Icarus]

I know there are some events pretty much off-limits to anyone not born with silvery cutlery in their gob, but even those ones have to put a massive amount of effort into competing at the highest level, undoubtedly with help from a lot of people, so it's understandable they feel obliged to try and thank everyone they can when they achieve their dream.

Thanking God, though, no, don't do that. Implies he wasn't there for the others

 

[Elpenor]

Having known some rowers it’s not a sport which allows you succeed unless you work phenomenally hard, they may be posh but they’re all equal on the water. Blue collar effort levels required even if rowers are mainly white collar folk?

And Redgrave of course famously not from the public school setup. Also Moe Sbihi wasn’t either.

Whether having a comfortable background had advantages if you want to become an olympian is another thread really, but in short, yes.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Which is the rub, exasperated in Rowing (and, to a degree IMO, tennis, and so on)...It's not the Hardest Betterest Fastest Strongest..It's the kid with a decent aptitude for sports (and resilience to injuries), a homelife that celebrated/was used to high achievements and crucially had a Mum or Dad to sacrifice to pushing little Johnny around Spain between the ages of 11 and 17.

But then it's not something I wish to dwell on, and lift the veil on the absurdity that most of the events are a function of opportunity (not always class based) not necessarily a unique talent where they excelled above all other schoolkids in their year.

Not every event is the 100m, but the Kayak cross lot must consider they are besting a sport with maybe a few thousand people to ever attempt it?*

*Poor example, they are converted kayakers IIRC, which is slightly more accessible sport, but still... I love what they do with the new events. IMO The BMX stuff is a beautiful shining beacon of feeling like someone said "all the kids on the estate, they're into bikes, but different kind of bikes, where's the sport for them?"

(Slightly regrettably Elpenor (and not to rub it in, ofc), I had the opposite problem - my Mum encouraged (well, humoured) me to try everything...I was just rubbish (even tho I liked to compete and take it seriously). One of my overriding positive memories from my childhood is Mum's unflinching ability to take me seriously when I said "I'm probably going to need a squash racket..."/"What happened to Golf?"/"Yeah I'll play that more in the summer" ).

This is true of most sports. At a minimum, the talented kid needs someone, usually a parent, to drive them to events every weekend. Also needs some money to pay for kit and lessons.

Behind most successful sports stars are supportive parents, often obsessively supportive parents.

 

[Ted Striker]

Oh, and backstory stuff...I mean everyone has sacrificed, so it's got to be worthy beyond "I worked really hard for 4 years..."

But...(Not sure whether to make this another thread)...

I get really sucked into thinking about the enormity of this occasion...4 years of something being the most important thing in your life, and the payoff is decided in a few short performances. And that's it. Win or lose. Succeed or Fail. It's all been for these few short moments. You are a hero for eternity, in the history books, put your local town on the map, The Best In The World.

Or second. And a footnote. Famous in your family, but the local village sympathetically knows you as Mr Nearly.

Sometimes thinking about it gives me low level anxiety!

I genuinely still have my brain randomly remind me of the GB Kickboxer guy in London 2012 about once a month. It'll instantly cloud my mood for a bit every time. Comprehending how he must have felt The female rowers that lost out to Nederlands by the timing of the paddle, I didn't want to look into it too much to trigger myself, but I hope they've had prior/other Golds (or are young enough to try again)

But I guess you get the highs aswell...The raw joy, relief and emotion of the tramapoline girl when the scores came through was so visceral! That flop onto the knees is exactly what I do when I have had some enormous news!

 

[Steel Icarus]

Behind most successful sports stars are supportive parents, often obsessively supportive parents.

My parents were very supportive in the things they wanted me to do so I had a music case I didn't want, Brasso to polish the trombone I didn't want to play, running spikes for the track running I didn't want to do (give me a rainy day and a six miles course over fields and I'm down, but track I wasn't all that fond of), a chess set when I wanted footy boots that hadn't belonged to someone else...I sound ungrateful and yes, I am

 

[Ted Striker]

This is true of most sports. At a minimum, the talented kid needs someone, usually a parent, to drive them to events every weekend. Also needs some money to pay for kit and lessons.

Behind most successful sports stars are supportive parents, often obsessively supportive parents.

Of course, but there's a huge difference between, say American Football and Dressage.

It's the entry point. Most US kids have the opportunity to try American Football (and then any discovered promise needs a bunch of helpful factors and luck to make it to elite level), but it's a very small group that jump on a horse and ask if it can dance.

Again, all a bit statin the obvious and on a path of tempting some of the joy from the...fencing.

I do bloody love it. And it always surprises me ho much I love it. A festival of sport.

Interestingly I have even felt some empathy with the French - I think they are having a very similar Olympics to ours (quirky and well received Opening ceremony, a bit of moans beforehand, and overachieving in medals). Bonne chance to them

 

[iona]

Tbh hearing tales of parents dedication is a little upsetting for me as it reminds me how my parents had no interest in anything I did sporting which wasn’t ever above a district / club level standard but was my passion because “we don’t like sport” (Had I been playing the violin they’d have gone to concerts). I coulda been a contender

Same. Happy to go begging my gran for the money to pay for music lessons I hated and begged to stop and refused to ever practice. Just casually mentioned that "oh they asked you to join the under-whatevers England team training sessions but I said no because it would've cost a lot in petrol"

Not that I'm still bitter about that at all

 

[Boo Radley75]

The BMX commentators are great. They just sound like Beavis and Butthead getting stoned.

 

[Sue]

Having known some rowers it’s not a sport which allows you succeed unless you work phenomenally hard, they may be posh but they’re all equal on the water. Blue collar effort levels required even if rowers are mainly white collar folk?

And Redgrave of course famously not from the public school setup. Also Moe Sbihi wasn’t either.

Whether having a comfortable background had advantages if you want to become an olympian is another thread really, but in short, yes.

It's definitely an access thing though. If you don't have a chance to try rowing (and let's face it, IME it's not something commonly offered by state schools), you're never going to know if you'd be any good at it/enjoy it etc.

My school certainly didn't offer it but there was a rowing club in the town that one of the teachers was involved with so he'd encourage kids to give it a go. A couple of people in my year ended up rowing at a pretty decent level through that.

 

[Elpenor]

It's definitely an access thing though. If you don't have a chance to try rowing (and let's face it, IME it's not something commonly offered by state schools), you're never going to know if you'd be any good at it/enjoy it etc.

My school certainly didn't offer it but there was a rowing club in the town that one of the teachers was involved with so he'd encourage kids to give it a go. A couple of people in my year ended up rowing at a pretty decent level through that.

100% access, not just class / background but also geography - rules out anyone who isn’t near enough a big enough river which is usually where you’d find a rowing club. Same for sailing and wind / kite surfing too I reckon

It would be great if every primary school kid had the chance to try 10 different sports for a day, and then be given routes into clubs for the ones they like

Interestingly I believe that’s something France does very well, partly due to the fact that council owned sporting facilities, believe every rugby club plays at a council owned stadium. So a 150k population town probably has a 10k capacity multi sport stadium with a running track etc

 

[Lord Camomile]

It's definitely an access thing though. If you don't have a chance to try rowing (and let's face it, IME it's not something commonly offered by state schools), you're never going to know if you'd be any good at it/enjoy it etc.

Slightly ironically, rowing was one of the sports where, in a pre-2012 hunt for medals, GB basically said "if you fit these criteria, come have a go".

The initiative was called 'Sporting Giants', and other sports on the table included handball and volleyball.

Helen Glover is the most notable success.

Sporting Giants - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Sporting Giants was a scheme launched by Sir Steve Redgrave on behalf of UK Sport in February 2007 to identify young people with the potential to display talent in sports such as handball, rowing and volleyball. Because tallness is considered a possible advantage in those sports a minimum height of 6’ 3” (190 cm) for men and 5’11 (180 cm) for women was specified. An age requirement of 16 to 25 was set and an athletic background was also sought. 4,800 applications were received for the scheme, 3,854 of which met the eligibility criteria.

Obviously the general point about access still stands, just ironic that rowing is actually one of the sports that explicitly looked to offer opportunities to anyone based on potential, rather than class.

 

[Sue]

Slightly ironically, rowing was one of the sports where, in a pre-2012 hunt for medals, GB basically said "if you fit these criteria, come have a go".

The initiative was called 'Sporting Giants', and other sports on the table included handball and volleyball.

Helen Glover is the most notable success.

Sporting Giants - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Obviously the general point about access still stands, just ironic that rowing is actually one of the sports that explicitly looked to offer opportunities to anyone based on potential, rather than class.

Yeah, I remember that cause I recall thinking 5'11 is very tall for a woman. (Okay, younger women are taller than those of my generation but still. I mean I'm 5'6 and that's pretty tall among my female friends of my age.)

 

[Ted Striker]

Ah, one other observation.!..For the womens double bars/mens bar in the gymnastics...I convinced myself that the commentator has much toned down the, well,l Joe-Tracini-style commentating, (in response to probably 'feelng very seen' by the excellent Joe Tracini videos that sent up the typical style)

(for reference: )

 

[Lord Camomile]

Yeah, I remember that cause I recall thinking 5'11 is very tall for a woman. (Okay, younger women are taller than those of my generation but still. I mean I'm 5'6 and that's pretty tall among my female friends of my age.)

Hey, I'm 5'6" too!

Recently there's been some debate as to whether this makes me 'short' for a man (I've grown up short, thought I still was ), but either way, I think Sporting Giants would have, literally, overlooked me too.

 

[Ted Striker]

The BMX commentators are great. They just sound like Beavis and Butthead getting stoned.

That must be one of the hardest IMO...It's over so quickly, you need to call names instantly to give any kind of insight into the melee especially around the first bend. I can barely keep up and I'm just generally tracking the GB rider (tbh it's a naff sporting showcase for this season)...I'd just say at the start "right, it's going to be too quick/chaotic for me to call, just note 'your guys' jersey colour and follow that. We will play the whole 30 seconds back afterwards at half speed for insight."

For the Bike freestyle I think a) they just make the moves up, there's no canon for this stuff beyond "bunnyhop" and "endo", and b) calling the number of spins/rotations feels like such a skill..."fucking hell, he's just done 3.5 twists" in real time blew my mind slightly.

But yes, I reckon if you lined up all the commentators, I imagine the BMX ones would stick out like sore thumbs, skate trainers and long sleeve t-shirts with phrases like "you don't stop skating because you get old, you get old because you stop skating" in graffiti writing

 

[Sue]

Hey, I'm 5'6" too!

Recently there's been some debate as to whether this makes me 'short' for a man (I've grown up short, thought I still was ), but either way, I think Sporting Giants would have, literally, overlooked me too.

Clearly all the best people are. And I guess they used 'giants' for a reason!

 

[littlebabyjesus]

100% access, not just class / background but also geography - rules out anyone who isn’t near enough a big enough river which is usually where you’d find a rowing club. Same for sailing and wind / kite surfing too I reckon

It would be great if every primary school kid had the chance to try 10 different sports for a day, and then be given routes into clubs for the ones they like

Interestingly I believe that’s something France does very well, partly due to the fact that council owned sporting facilities, believe every rugby club plays at a council owned stadium. So a 150k population town probably has a 10k capacity multi sport stadium with a running track etc

Yes. France and the Netherlands as well. Excellent municipal facilities available to all are expected. Also, if you want to run a class for something or other, you will get a subsidised space to rent, unlike here where even council-owned spaces charge 'competitive rates' (ie shitloads). We're shit for this.

 

[Sue]

Yes. France and the Netherlands as well. Excellent municipal facilities available to all are expected. Also, if you want to run a class for something or other, you will get a subsidised space to rent, unlike here where even council-owned spaces charge 'competitive rates' (ie shitloads). We're shit for this.

I'm not sure what the situation is in Spain but I was in a reasonably small town in the north earlier this year and was really surprised at the size of the local sports centre. That is, it was way, way bigger than you'd expect for the size of the town.

 

[GarveyLives]

In any given sport, the vast majority of us watching are relying on the commentators and analysts to understand just what's going on. Beyond the technical aspects, they can also draw us into the drama and emotion of the occasion.

So, who does everyone rate?

Arguably, no need to look any further ...

 

[Elpenor]

Yes. France and the Netherlands as well. Excellent municipal facilities available to all are expected. Also, if you want to run a class for something or other, you will get a subsidised space to rent, unlike here where even council-owned spaces charge 'competitive rates' (ie shitloads). We're shit for this.

Guardian wrote a decent piece on this

State craft: how De Gaulle shaped France’s inclusive Olympic sport infrastructure

Stung by failure in 1964, the General created a unique sporting architecture that has always prioritised participation

www.theguardian.com

I know that from the rugby side, having the stadium council owned is one reason there are four levels of professional rugby in France compared to one in the Uk.