Anyone who’s watched Hawthorn matches commentated by Channel Seven’s Bruce McAvaney knows the man loves to talk up his the ‘delicious’ skills of Cyril Rioli.
Sure, Rioli is a great player, but McAvaney’s descriptions of the footballer at times, sounds like a stalker who should really have a restraining order placed on him.
Against Port Adelaide, Rioli flew high for what would have been an amazing mark. Bruce immediately called it better than Paul Puopolo’s earlier in the game before the mark had even been paid by the umpire.
The umpire told Rioli that the ball had hit the ground. The replay confirmed it, yet Bruce was watching the vision through Rioli-tinted glasses.
“It hit the ground? Oh you’re kidding,” Bruce said.
“That’s a mark!”
The Cyril obsession is now officially out of control. Check out some of Bruce’s famous quotes about Cyril Rioli over the years.
ACTUAL QUOTES FROM BRUCE ABOUT CYRIL
“Even when Cyril dribbles it’s a beautiful thing.”
“It was a double banger, it was Rioli and it was Crowley. It doesn’t get any better than that does it?”
“What a delicious young player he is.”
“I hate saying anything negative about Cyril to be honest. That hurt!”
“I know one thing. If Cyril’s in two minds, they’re both beautiful.”
bryan
Guest
So a 15 point win at the 2013 GF was a thrashing? What do you call the Hawks being beaten by the Cats by 30 points in Round 1 this year,or even better,by 75 points by GWS in Round 6? Glitches?
Richard
Guest
We got pick 9 Ben McEvoy eventually..hehe
Richard
Guest
Against your mob, can`t remember which thrashing it was.. Maybe it was the 2013 GF..
Richard
Guest
" DELICIOUS " !!
bryan
Guest
Dear old Bruce! He's always been over the top,even before his current Rioli addiction. I nicknamed him "magnificent kick" for his fulsome praise of kicks on goal by his favoured teams----which as often as not,missed! Bruce isn't the only one,though--I remember one of the Commentary team wetting hinself over "Big Ben Brown" one time last year. Now Ben is a fine footballer,even if he has a hairstyle reminiscent of "Auny Jack",but the level of praise was not what you would expect from a grown man. The Commentators are overwhelmingly Victorian,so praise for a WA team is grudging at best. Perhaps for that reason,I must admit to over enthusiastic praise of Nichael Walters,Pav,Ballas & others from time to time,but I am a follower of the Dockers,not a Commentator. On one occasion,I was even heard to proclaim Timmy Cahill a "God" when he kicked an incredible goal for the Socceroos. That might get me in strife with my Creator,but otherwise,as I said above,I am but a follower of that team.
GWSINGAPORE
Guest
Time Bruce was retired to the paddock. Lost in his own world of meaningless statistics and gushing and gurgling like a broken drain pipe over certain players. What were seven thinking in teaming him with Wayne Carey? Norman May, Rex Hunt, Rex Mossop etal; they all become parodies of themselves when they hang around too long.
Peter March
Roar Rookie
Yep! And the older he gets, the worse it becomes.
Don Freo
Guest
The crazy thing is how soon after Westhoff's disallowed actual mark this farce was. Westhoff's mark passed without comnent from Bruce. It led to a 50 metre penalty and a goal to Hawthorn. Similarly, the non-paid free against Rioli for interference locked the ball on the Hawks forward line when a free would have cleared it. It is commentator's responsibility to highlight this. Bruce was as biased as the umpiring.
Don Freo
Guest
When? What game,
joe
Guest
Glad its not just me .hit the mute button mate its the only way to watch games these days
T Bone
Guest
Bruce has ruined football for me. The guy sounds like he's getting off half the time. Sounding orgasmic about sport is a huge turn off. Wish Bruce could get that through his head whenever he's calling games I want to watch.
Marcus
Guest
Cyril Rioli took mark of the year and he did not drop it
andyl12
Guest
Look at the draft where we recruited Cyril and it proves how much cleverer Clarkson was than the coaches of numerous other sides who overlooked him during the first 11 picks- at best only 3 of those 11 players are in the same league as Cyril. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_AFL_draft Just another of the dozens of examples of how smart decision-making has put Hawthorn ahead of the rest.
DB
Guest
It should of been a free against for high contact
Paul D
Roar Guru
Some great samples - what about that one where Rioli was kicking inside 50 and Bruce was gurgling on about how he was going to caress it down someone's throat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c-SeVW_5yQ Great clip, although I'm not sure Dockers fans will appreciate being reminded of this game!