Sporting commentators are an eternal source of irritation in the AGB romper room. Especially when it comes to over-exaggeration. There are millions and millions and millions of examples but one that crops up again and again and again is "THAT'S THE BEST CATCH THERE EVER WAS!" as an international cricketer of 15 years experience accepts a miss-hit dolly at midwicket. The sort of catch a blind, incontinent grandmother, or Phil Tufnell, would swallow with her teeth still in. Now we're in the football season so we shouldn't also ignore the time honoured "THAT'S THE BEST MARK I'VE EVER SEEN!" after a finely honed athlete accepts a chest mark beside the point post after a 15 metre kick out. And his nearest opponent is in the next suburb. Another that bugs me is the exaggeration of a teams improvement. A team that has a buzz about it. Like Freo. Granted Freo have never before won five in a row, but today Tim Gossage or Dean Kemp or the other guy, Whatsisface, I think it was Whatsisface, described their win thus... "That's FIVE in a row! It doesn't get any better than that!" Disregarding the far fetched notion that six is probably, possibly, I-could-be-out-of-line-here-maybe better than five there's only one forecast. Bleak. Bleak with a sprinkling of gloom. With nothing more to play for they may as well chuck it in right now. Do these commentators EVER listen to themselves?
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Possibly Tony. When I was a disaffected and rebellious young radio newsreader, I used to see how many trite cliches I could get away with in any one news bulletin just for my own amusement. You know, hailstones as big as gold-balls, mercury soaring to a scorching 38 degrees, that kind of thing.
If anyone noticed they never called to complain.
If I were a sporting commentator I'd be saying all sorts of wanky cliches just to take the piss out of the audience. Maybe they're like me.
Posted by: Caz | 01 June 2003 at 12:39
Caz, there are so many that the public, well the public that watch the news, are immune to them....
"Mid Air Drama!" sounds more dramatic than "Idiot with wood!"
"After the break, a heartwarming story!" sounds more cheery/credible than "Stupid kid with icecream on face looks at baby otter!"
Personally, I'd prefer the latter each time.
Posted by: Tony.T | 02 June 2003 at 14:38
Ha ha. Otter.
I'm easily amused.
Posted by: Adam | 02 June 2003 at 20:02
What can I say? It's a funny word.
Posted by: Tony.T | 02 June 2003 at 22:38
I can't wait for Wimbledon to come around to see how many players are "bundled out" in Round One ... but my Wimbledon dream will most likely turn into a nightmare.
My bete noire: News reports that start with "That accident in High St ..."
Posted by: Sedgwick | 02 June 2003 at 23:31
not quite a cliche, but the woman introducing the tennis on 7 (Kylie Gillies?) last night made what whatsisface might describe as "the best blooper there ever was" last night.
She was introducing the match between Guillermo Coria and Mariano Zabaleta and said the match had to be carried over to a second day because of "bad play yesterday evening".
Posted by: David J | 03 June 2003 at 14:09
Phil Tufnell, not a cricketing God perhaps, but at least he conquered the Ozzie outback to become King of the Jungle.
Posted by: Mike | 03 June 2003 at 16:38
And the obligatory Strawberry references Sedge. And plenty of sucking up Andre Agassi. Ornament. Elder Statesman. Legend.
Yeah. I saw that DJ. Only because I was waiting for the Sopranos to finish recording. Tennis is bogus. Even more so at the French.
Wasn't aware of Tuffer's Outback Adventure Mike. Even less so where this conquered jungle might be.
Posted by: Tony.T | 03 June 2003 at 19:32