Australian fans can be bad sports toward the media

I don't really want to bag Jim Courier, he cant help it if he asks a gentleman like Roger Federer silly questions and tells Roger how he should play the game, no, my beef is with Channel 7 for employing him every year. Australia has some real tennis greats that would be much nicer to listen to , and at least they wouldn't bable on during play.

Very weird article indeed. I take issue with the simplistic (and quite frankly wrong) assertion that Kellie Underwood was panned because she was female....that was not it at all....she was derided because she was terrible, annoying and had a voice that distracted from the enjoyment of the game. There is nothing worse than a commentator that distracts you from the sport you are watching. Take your PC hat off and put it someplace else Mr Hunt.

Robert Walls deserves to be tormented relentlessly.

Bizzare article. So it's unAustralian to criticise one-eyed commentators when one sees fit? Should we just censor everyone with an opinion we don't like? 'I would trust them to tell me what’s happening on the cricket pitch more than some 40 year old who plays D-grade for the Wagga Wagga no-ones'. I would trust the commentator that is impartial, knows the game and isn't irritating. Regardless of what level they played at.

"This week, the Australian sporting fan fraternity shamed itself so bad that it may take months to repair" - this is a joke, right? I think some context needs to be shown for this article to make the tiniest bit of sense. Quoting some examples of this so-called "witch-hunt" would atleast be a bit entertaining. For the life of me I don't know how doctors and teachers and the myschool website has anything to do with this. Has the author tried to tell a doctor how to do their job recently and were dismayed with the results? Did the messageboards the author refers to require posters to state their occupation? Are these professions the equivalent of talking into a stick?

Well done, you have managed to write an article I disagree with on all points!!! The Australian community is very well informed about sport, unsurprising given we are such sports fans and it has been said the PM's job is the 2nd most important in the country after the cricket captaincy. As such, although it has its share of unifnormed fools, it also often knows what it is talking about. As such, when it has dross served up to it year after year by a free to air TV oligarchy that has managed to get government to tailor the anti-siphoning legislation to protect their flabby behinds, is it surprising that those sports fans vent? Channel Seven's poor coverage of the Oz Open has in many ways been the straw the broke the camel's back. Almost all codes have put of whith bad decisions and/or commentators in their sport, and this has just brought everything to a head, or rather gotten the media (who are ones being criticised) to actually pay attention to this issue. And your statement that commentators should only commentate on the levels they played at is just plain stupid. On this basis the recently departed Bill McLaren would never have commentated on international rugby, and thus become what many consider to be the best rugby commentator ever. And if this comment is meant to suggest criticise or give opinion on, rather than commentate, it is still a silly comment. Only international cricketers or rugby players or whatever can "truly understand' that level and therefoe comment on it? I can see it now - the Emperor is walking the streets in his suit of new clothes (which are of course non-existent), with his 2 deceitful tailors. The child in the crowd, uncowed, calls out "But he isn't wearing anything!". And the tailors turn to him and say "You've never been a tailor, what would you know? Your comment means nothing!".

In fairness, Walls will often theorise or reflect on something, only to have it contradicted on field 5 seconds after he said it.

i don't agree with you on all fronts, especially cricket where the 702 mob are so much better than channel nine, but all ive heard with the tennis is that henri leconte is one of the best commentators they've ever had.

strange............. strange article.

Johnhunt92, Richie Benaud is a consumate professional. Now in his ninth decade has always said " If you can't enhance the visual it is best to say nothing" Tony Grieg manages to say nothing even when he is talking! Preciouspress is right in expecting paid commentators to be professional. Most in my experience are and are diligent in their research. If there is a criticism of the Nine Cricket commentary it is that overt flogging of the "Only 50000 limited edition prints" The incessant super imposition of upcoming soaps and serials.This is a sure fire way to turn off potential consumers. There are commentators I find hard to view but the best remedy is to take a walk or listen to Grandstand. Jim Maxwell,Glen Mitchell,Morphett and Roebuck are tremendous professionals and enhance the play in the middle.

The cricket commentary team don't normally get panned for not knowing what they are talking about, but their bias and constant cross-promotion of Nine programs (often ones that most cricket watchers would have zero interest in) and Tony Greig, and others but especially Tony, banging on about the overpriced memorabilia run by his wife's company every drinks break, return from lunch, and at random times in his commentary stint. Being a good player does not necessarily make a good commentator. They are two completely different skill sets. Captains and those from leadership groups are more likely to make decent commentators, as they had to have some communications skills in their sporting career. Often, however, the best commentators didn't play the game at a high level. These are also often ones who can cross sports more readily.

And its just like all the criticism that gets thrown at the ABC Cricket team on Grandstand. . . . Oh wait, they don't get criticised because they are really good at their jobs. And the ones that are rubbish on TV wouldn't be criticised if they were doing a good job as well. I kid, sorry. F1 has a bloke called Johnathon Legard commentating and the vitriol on the blogs about him is ridiculous. People want James Allen. But when they had Allen they wanted Murray Walker. And when they had Murray they took about ten years to stop complaining and learn to love him. I reckon that because people take their sport so seriously it takes them a long time to get used to new voice.

Those who get paid to commentate are by name professionals, therefore those who pay to hear them should expect professional standards including: - An ability to find and use the right words to enhance the viewer/listener experience. - Impartiality which eschews supporting any one player or side. - Knowledge of the game of which they speak, bolstered by ongoing research. Most of the Australian ex-players who dominate our TV and radio fail to meet all three requirements. Jim Courier, Tracy Austin and John McEnroe do satisfy all three. Some very good commentators e.g Arlott, Bhogle (cricket); McClaren(rugby); Martin Tyler (Football) did not play the game they cover at a particularly high level, possibly D grade in Woop Woop.

Interesting view. As a sports fan, I traditionally rant about administrations rather than commentators? Commentry of sports varies. Some are very experienced in thier field and are usually matched with some TV type whom the networks think are a great ambassador of such sport. It is sometimes frustrating to listen to them talk over some of the experienced guys, but its more frustrating listening to a one-sided opinion, which is usually influenced by sponsorship of the sport or the networks. One thing is for certain, 99% of sports fans watch the TV for viewing sport and if you dont like what you are hearing, turn it down or maybe switch to a live feed or radio for your audio? Us Qlder's will never like Phil Gould though :)

What a strange article. So it's 'unAustralian' for people to criticise sports commentators? Are you serious? You have it on good authority that the nation's doctors and teachers are secretly attacking Jim Courier and Henri LeConte on various web discussion forums? Weird.