Benaud’s the best commentator, daylight second
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By johnhunt92, 16 Sep 2009 johnhunt92 is a Roar Pro
Sports commentators have the best job. Secretly we all want to be one. Every weekend a few hundred have the privilege of going to sports events and doing what they love. But who are the best at it?
I’ve created my top ten Australian Sports Commentators I have listened to. Feel free to tell me if I’m right or wrong:
TOP TEN
10. Sandy Roberts
9. Gordon Bray
8. Tim Lane
7. Dwayne Russell
6. Fred Stolle
5. Ray Warren
4. Clinton Grybas
3. Dennis Cometti
2. Bruce McAvaney
1. Richie Benaud
Why Richie, you may ask?
Well, I love Bruce, as he could call a Fijian hackey sack competition and know everything about it. But I can’t go past Benaud and his masterful voice.
He has an aura around him and when he leaves, he will be sadly missed. His ability to sum up a scene with very little words makes him the best going around.
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Choppy said | September 16th 2009 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
I would have Jim Maxwell in there, along with John Newcombe and after the ashes, I think Warney would be considered as well.
Gordon Bray annoys me to the extent I listen to the Fox commentators and does Sandy Roberts actually commentate anymore?
captain nemo said | September 16th 2009 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
what about Billy Birmingham
Jay said | September 16th 2009 @ 3:19pm | Report comment
You obviously never heard the guys comentating South American football.. Quality!
Dave said | September 18th 2009 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
youare right …………..I have never heard the guys comentating South American Soccer
BigAl said | September 19th 2009 @ 8:08am | Report comment
I’ve heard them – they all fall into the Rex Hunt school of commentary -
NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Malibu77 said | September 16th 2009 @ 6:11pm | Report comment
Alas, Clinton Grybas is no more having passed away suddenly two years ago.
For me, Tim Lane and Bruce McAvaney are head and shoulders above the rest, for their knowledge and versatility. Both are supreme at AFL and athletics, both have done tennis and in the case of Tim Lane he was the leading radio cricket commentator (with Jim Maxwell) on the ABC for ages. Glenn Mitchell is another fine one to add to the list, maybe in place of Sandy Roberts. Peter Landy was excellent in the 80′s and 90′s especially with tennis and AFL (with Lou Richards).
MyGeneration said | September 16th 2009 @ 8:08pm | Report comment
McAvaney’s a bit too fawning for my taste, and I’d move Cometti and the great Rabs ahead of him, can’t argue with the Beige One. But no Darrell Eastlake? That’s a HUUUUUUUUUGE! omission…
sheek said | September 16th 2009 @ 9:08pm | Report comment
Classic Billy Birmingham, alternating between Darrell Eastlake & Jack Gibson, while calling state-of-origin.
DE: Master coach Jack Gibson has just left the commentary box for a moment…..
DE: And here’s Kenny making a break & giving me another opportunity to get my voice up to the threshold of pain! (voice gets louder & louder as Kenny sprints downfield).
DE: The master coach’s back, changes while you were away Jack, Pierce-off, Gibbs-on (sounds like ‘piss off, Gibson’).
JG: What did you say? Don’t you tell me to piss off – THUMP!
Classic, classic, classic…..
Hansie said | September 16th 2009 @ 8:29pm | Report comment
MJ Slater is another for the top 10. His enthusiasm is infectious, but not over the top.
Freud of Football said | September 16th 2009 @ 8:58pm | Report comment
McAvaney – Are you kidding me? I mean seriously, Richie Benaud, Daylight, then McAvaney???
He has no idea about football, you can tell he has got no idea about tactics or what goes on behind the scenes, telling the viewers who has the ball in their hands isn’t much of a skill, he is not insightful in any way shape or form and does NOT belong on this list.
Further, he’s biased and has probably one of the most annoying voices I’ve ever had the displeasure of listening to on TV. Worst still is has apparent hate of South Australia even though he is from Adelaide. I remember watching a game at my uncle’s house when I was younger, he’s one of those quiet types who deals with everything and even he turned the sound off as McAvaney was spoiling the game with his ridiculous girly inflections and nonsense comments.
Mark Nicholas is a fine commentator and probably deserves a place on the list, but god, I’d put Warne on there over McAvaney.
Probably not all that relevant but: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Bruce_McAvaney_gay
Freud of Football said | September 16th 2009 @ 9:27pm | Report comment
Sorry, didn’t see it was just Aussie commentators. My apologies regarding Mark Nicholas.
Ben said | September 17th 2009 @ 9:18am | Report comment
Shane Warne – definitely led a rabble of commentators over the Ashes, and could probably comentate on cricket, AFL and racing.
Jim Maxwell should be in the list, definitely above Bruce ‘special’ Mcaveny. What about Glenn Mitchell – part of a great team that makes you feel you’re actually at the game.
Brian said | September 17th 2009 @ 9:34am | Report comment
I agree Lane & McAveny are probably best. All up I would say
AFL – Lane
Cricket – Slater
Football – No Aussies, not even Simon Hill who’s crap anyway (Global – Martin Tyler)
Tennis – Stolle
General – McAveny
I dont watch enough Rugby to know the others
Michael C said | September 17th 2009 @ 10:35am | Report comment
Warnies is good…but, is he a ‘commentator’ or a ‘comments’ man?
The ABC stable has certainly churned out many quality ‘callers’,
My preferred all time commentator/caller – - ‘the accurate one’, Bill Collins.
Certain commentators/callers go down in history for their ‘moments’ – thus a Norman May get’s up there,
but, for week after week – I love for the AFL Mal Blight on comments, Dennis Cometti on commentary (although, he id’d a few wrong last week – - Boyd for Gilbee anyone??).
From the old days Mike Williamson and EJ Whitten and then Peter Landy and Lou were perhaps just iconic.
I always found Gordon Bray a tad too aloof, and seemingly completely oblivious to the on field barbarity (or otherwise) as he commentates apparently with rose coloured glasses.