By Steve Kaless
April 17th 2009 @ 2:15am
Related coverage
Suggestions for the Channel Nine commentary team
Jamie Soward and Dean Young during the NRL, Round 4, Brisbane Broncos v St George Illawarra Dragons match at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Friday April 3, 2009. Dragons won 25-12. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)
I’m no expert on rugby league commentary, so it’s only when I’m positive I have some good ideas that I would pop something in the suggestion box for the “voice of rugby league” and the “super coach.”
Now, I love a punt as much as the next man. But I’m finding it hard to define the demarcation between watching sport and betting on sport when the commentators are constantly bombarding us with figures about how much people are wagering on the fixture we are viewing.
In short, I find it a bit off.
I know the TAB have probably handed over a considerable amount of cash for the privilege, but having Ray Warren and Phil Gould (two gentleman who have a reputation in betting circles for giving their own considerable amount of cash back to the TAB) getting more excited about the exploits of punters than the athletes on show, is getting a bit much.
In these leaner economic times, when people are losing their jobs, do you really want to be hearing that some bloke has just wagered a cheeky fifty grand on a football match? Especially if you’re tucking into a cut price six pack to make ends meet.
But more importantly, I’d like to hear the full story.
Gus and Rabs are big on saying at half time, as they did on Friday: “A punter has just bet thirty thousand on the Eels, you’ve got to say they are looking good.”
What about an update that tells a truer picture of gambling?
Here are a few suggestions: “That bloke who backed the Eels, is probably crying himself to sleep in a darkened corner of the room tonight.”
Or something more festive:
“Oh, Parra, with a 4.5 points start they said. There will be no presents under the tree at Christmas this year!”
Or one for the family men:
“And if you made a call at halftime to TAB Sportsbet to back the Eels, you better start thinking of what to tell the wife because Wendell Sailor has just crushed the Eels defence, and your monthly budget.”
And if they were really getting in the spirit of things, then they should announce to the mug punter that while TAB Sportsbet may have one price, you can probably get anywhere up to a twenty percent improvement by shopping around.
Finally, when they roll off the stats about the big dollars being laid on various teams, they should also announce the disclaimer that if the TAB get a sniff that you might have anything close to a clue, they’ll be unlikely to want to accept your big wager.
Only fools need apply.
In the end, it is worth remembering that all that money to sponsor television broadcasts didn’t come from paying out winning tickets.
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(18)
oikee said | April 17th 2009 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Steve i also think about the effects of gambling. To be honest i might have a bet on the warriors for the premiership, just waiting for the odds to blow out a bit more. The trouble is i dont gamble but would love to take some money off the bookies.
I always hear them say to gamble responsibly. Either way, gambling is here to stay so like other sports we have to compete.
I find it more disturbing in these tough times that we dont except sponsership deals because of other sponsers. Are we competeing , Bowing, what the hell are we doing, trying to self destruck. ?
If Telstra wont allow other competetors then maybe they should pay the extra 2 million that the doggies lose in revenue. We need to get this sorted out also.
Hammer said | April 17th 2009 @ 3:37pm | Report comment
Just another example of how far Channel 9 has slid down the toilet bowl …. Warren and the self styled super coach are morons of the 1st order but you knew times were getting tough when C9 had Richie spouting odds and spreads during the cricket this last summer …. the sooner this channels loses all it live sports the better …
Working Class rugger said | April 17th 2009 @ 4:43pm | Report comment
Those two are the reason I can’t stand watching any League on Channel 9. Andrew Voss a close third.
Steve Kaless said | April 17th 2009 @ 9:27pm | Report comment
Oikee,
I have no problem with the sponsorship, but just don’ t think it needs to be rammed down our throats. It is like listening to Alan Jones and John Laws with all this talk of “our very good friends.”
Patience on the Warriors, I’ll predict their price should ballon, whether that means they’ll then win the comp is another matter.
Kyle said | August 17th 2009 @ 2:48am | Report comment
I just came across this post……so, a belated applause to you for highlighting the topic of gambling. I grew up with the ‘gambling acceptance’ in Sydney. Now, 30 years after living in the US, I see that little has changed (from my experience during visits to oz, as well as listening to the above-mentioned ‘Commentators’ (during cricket/League matches etc). In the US, players who bet on games while they are still playing/coaching will be banned for life (ref Pete Rose/baseball and Art Schlichter/NFL)….if caught. I suspect that it is not the same in oz (this might be a little off topic).
Kyle said | August 17th 2009 @ 2:50am | Report comment
….I forgot to add that any $ placed on the Warriors is long gone!!
Greg said | April 18th 2009 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
Good article Steve. Love the line about tucking into the cut price six pack. Probably very true at the moment. For mine, sports gambling is not of itself a bad thing, but in moderation. The problem seems to be Rabs & Gus are glorifying the large wagers. Giving the odds, with a reminder to wager responsibly would be a good thing. Channel 9 sport has been on a slippery slope ever since the commentators were required to promote other channel 9 programmes during their commentary time.
allblackfan said | April 18th 2009 @ 11:21pm | Report comment
Considering Channel Nine has the Aussie FTA broadcast rights for rugby union’s next two World Cups, a horrid thought struck me the other day.
Who will Nine get as commentators?
If they decide to train up their RL talkers then I’d rather go watch the Waratahs play!!
The T said | April 22nd 2009 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
I was just thinking about this the other night. It is just a bit off putting. Agree with the other comment that it was all down hill when they started advertising other Channel 9 shows, particularly when Rabs was doing after a big play and was finding it hard to tone the volume day for the next epside of CSI.
What next? Advertising drinking games? Everyone should scull a beer when Matt Utai drops the ball again – that would sell plenty of VB or Bundy Rum.
carl vagg said | May 8th 2009 @ 5:51pm | Report comment
9 sport rpt just stated without attribution that Lockyer might be ‘past it’ [!]
I am just a league lover who played for 20yrs [hooker] and if anyone with half a brain is reading this, gooday, and
the first thing to do is put whoever that prawn is up against a wall and do the right thing by him..
Lockyer is one of those magic players who deserve the ruined term ‘great’..
Limited only by the players around him, he is my first choice out of all of them, for [my] Australia side..
While im here, ch9 coverage of league is without doubt world class in every respect, bar one,
despite the clever minimalist code hes developed to mask his mistakes and out of synch calling, routinely behind,
the ongoing play, and calling what has already happened, or making some pathetic excuse for why he called
the wrong play or player or misinterpreted the refs call, or just plain didnt see what we all saw on our screens,
Ray Warren is just not up to calling the modern game.. With world class camerawork and tech presentations,
on screen genuine greats of this game on the sideline, and doing their best to cover for “I fancy”, ch9 league
has it all, except for this one fly in the ointment..
Because hes behind the ongoing play, as we see it, hes talking about something, a 1970s match, last weeks crowd,
what he fancies, was about to say, said before, thinks, doesnt think, thinks players thing or dont thing, thinks players
thing but he doesnt think, and so on, the broadcast, so excellent and in the moment when say Peter Sterling calls play,
is like, when the audio doesnt match the visuals in a movie/video, the mouth talks but the sound doesnt come out
till 2 sec later.. its annoying and distracting from the otherwise, wonderful coverage..
he gets angry and petulant when Sterlo say has to correct his wrong calls, then makes out its a joke etc..
tells Sterlo and Gould to “shut up!” and tries to put them down – pathetic..
Self-referencing at every opportunity, “I fancy, I think, I dont think, I think he thinks, I dont thing the ref thinks, I was about to say, as I said before, as I said earlier in the commentary , I,I, dont think I said.. etc etc thats just a hint..
If theres no event to parasite “I think” to, he just makes something up! about the crowd, or anything..
Because hes routinely behind the play, talking about past events, he doesnt see the unfolding play or breaks
which catch him by surprise[!] and he starts to yell thru his sinuses..
thats just a few observations from a regular viewer of ch9 league since it started..
Obviously, it has become more watchable in every way, and the genuine experts who have actually played league
at the highest levels possible, cant be faulted, presentable, intelligent, respected by players and viewers, another
top addition to this top sports broadcast.. Except for, Ray Warren, who whatever experience etc he has
is just not up to the actual calling of the game.. Todays fast well schooled game is beyond him..
You have a good caller calling the other matches who can keep up with the play, can harmonise with the expert
player/commentators, has his own charisma and listenable calling voice, and has intelligence and knowledge
enough to control a panel of experts discussing league, not to mention the perfect caller Sterlo..
Whenever “I Fancy” forgets the game and regresses to some past game or other, Sterlo takes up the call and it
becomes part of the unfolding play.. He allows the natural excitement to flow by calling it as it unfolds..
Well I got a bit carried away there, intending to come out for Lockyer, on of the true greats of league..
But seriously, you do have a hard to fault top product in your league broadcasting, except for,
“I Fancy” who reached a certain level, then developed a suite of excuses and alternatives to
actually calling the exciting game as it unfolds.. Hes had a good run, time to retire..
but, eh, it is really superlative sports broadcasting, thanks..
Michael Liddle said | May 16th 2009 @ 3:17am | Report comment
Re great St George/Bulldogs game Friday 15/5 and the controversial disallowed try at the end.
…..I am an ex NSW born and bred (now in Adelaide) and enjoy seeing League (at 2am!!)
However I must ask you to draw attention to the apalling Channel 9 commentating at the close of a great League match.
PLEASE castigate the commentary team for NOT ONCE offering viewers a possible interpretaion of why the try was disallowed. All we got was the terrible word “Gobsmacked”. Proper commentary would require some analysis of the move which lead to the disallowed try. Yet all we got was the emotion of the commentators. As such they were no better than the spectators who were stunned. This IS NOT PROFESSIONAL COMMENTARY!!!
Lorraine Carpenter said | May 22nd 2009 @ 9:02pm | Report comment
Will someone get rid of Gus Gould when Souths are playing. I am so sick of the way he does nothing but bag Souths for the whole game. It doesn’t matter if we are leading by 50 points or 2 points or behind by 50points. Souths can do no right. Our defence is shocking our attack is shocking. We have had opponents taking 50 tackles inside our 20 but lo & behold if they score one try its because of Souths poor defence. Never a word about the other 50 tackles that have kept them from scoring. Gus is a joke & so anti Souths keep him out of the commentary for our games. I refuse to watch the games when he is carrying on and would rather sit in front of the computer & check the scores online.
Lorraine Carpenter said | May 22nd 2009 @ 9:28pm | Report comment
Well the 2 referee system strikes again. A rookie ref has cost a team the chance to win. Go back to one referee & leave the rookies in the lower grades till they learn the rules & learn how to referee properly without making stupid decisions because of the pressure they are under late in the game or in extra time
anopinion said | July 26th 2009 @ 10:28am | Report comment
Carl Vagg,
I must disagree with Channel 9’s coverage of League being world class. Not until the commentators learn to use the correct tense when using words such as come and came or saw and seen can they be regarded as professional. Carl, we would agree that the English Language should be treated with respect by those with half a brain and those for whom speaking and commentating is a career.
dWdHELLCAT said | September 2nd 2009 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
FOOTBALL COMMENTARY ON TV, DO WE REALLY NEED IT??
(august 2009)
Personally i can’t stand the commentary we get on sports TV, but for the football it is especially bad, think about it, you go to a game and there’s some guy sitting next to you retelling everything you’d just seen, you’d smack him ,or you’d want to wouldn’t ya, Coz when you really look at it that’s all we are getting from television commentators,
they are sitting in front of a screen seeing the same picture as us, very rarely are they watching the live action. Now think about the last time they told you something you didn’t already know? Like substitutions, usually you see it for yourself or if you don’t there’s always an on screen display that tells you who’s been substituted for who, there’s always graphics on the screen telling you the score, and how much time is left, the players names are written on the back of they’re jersey’s, about the only thing useful is injury reports on players that have left the field but this, and any other information could be conveyed to the viewer in a preview before the game, at half time or full time, so for me they are just a distraction i could do without, just this week during the
EUFA SUPER CUP the commentary was lost for seven minutes, it was the best seven minutes of the game, football with the crowd reaction in the background just like being there only in a more comfortable chair, and the director controlling which camera view to use at any time does a great job.
THERE REALLY IS NO NEED FOR COMMENTARY DURING THE GAME,
IT’S JUST ANNOYING.
znotty said | September 3rd 2009 @ 3:18am | Report comment
One State of Origin game Rabs was telling us how a punter stood to win $200.000 on a first try scoring bet,i worked it out at a 25 grand bet,last week on Fox Andy Raymond was telling us how you had a good run for your money if you backed such n such at half time…both bets lost,Gambling is now a massive problem in Australia..
Mr Brown said | October 4th 2009 @ 8:49pm | Report comment
There was nothing wrong with the controversial penalty. The only thing that was wrong with the grand final was those calling it.
Talk about bias. That penalty was given because Slater was going to play the ball and Fuifui Moimoi pulled his leg from behind play which caused Slater to loose the ball. That is a penalty in my book. Good work ref you did a much better job than the commentators who were showing their Parramatta petticoat.
You boys need to listen to the whole game call to see how one sided you called it and quit calling altogether if you cant call it without spewing forth your own one sided trash talk. Talk about bad losers
westy said | October 4th 2009 @ 9:25pm | Report comment
I watch the FTa coverage and listen to Morrow and ryan on 2BL. I do not always agree with them but enjoy their analysis and genuine joy of the game.