Un-professional commentating

Robinson · Post by **Robinson** » 14 Feb 2008, 19:13

I was watching McCall vs Douglas after work yesterday and was in some ways annoyed with the commentary.

Ok sure it was not a great fight and they were no doubt were at times bored.

But they are suppose to be professionals. Paid to commentate and to enlighten the viewer with the fight and its principals. They are suppose to be selling the fight. Making is seem relevant and interesting.

Talking about Don Johnson's sun glasses for a round or what dress Melanie Griffith is wearing to the Oscars.

Its all well and good fro Merchant to condemned fighters for lacking fire and being un professional. Yet his proffession as a commentator where he no doubt gets paid as much as a prize fighter, obviously not as much as say a Tyson, is beyond criticism.

It shits me to put it bluntly when people criticise a fighters performance yet there own professional approach to there job is beyond criticism.

Yes fighters get paid alot, they also take alot of punishment and under go sacrifices, pain and disappointments. Commentators, or personalities also get paid alot, for what they do and risk what ? being misquoted ?

Its so easy having an opinion. We all do. Just imagine getting paid to share it. Thats well and good. But atleast be a professional and discuss boxing during a fight and not gossip about tinsel town.

Kym

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 15 Feb 2008, 05:45

Totally agree with you, and I have noticed American commentators quite often go off on tangents.

Having said that, the most regrettable commentary I've heard is Jim Watt accusing McClellan of quitting shortly before he collapsed. I don't hold it against Watt, because at the time it did look as though Benn had broken McClellan's spirit, but I bet he regrets that.

chesh · Post by **chesh** » 15 Feb 2008, 06:49

oliverfennell wrote:Totally agree with you, and I have noticed American commentators quite often go off on tangents.

Having said that, the most regrettable commentary I've heard is Jim Watt accusing McClellan of quitting shortly before he collapsed. I don't hold it against Watt, because at the time it did look as though Benn had broken McClellan's spirit, but I bet he regrets that.

My memory may not be serving me correctly, but I recall that a little differently. I thought Watt recognised there was a serious problem relatively early, certainly in comparison to the US commentators. Wasn't it Ferdie Pacheco - a medical man, no less - who thought McClellan was quitting?

witherspoon · Post by **witherspoon** » 15 Feb 2008, 07:42

chesh wrote:
oliverfennell wrote:Totally agree with you, and I have noticed American commentators quite often go off on tangents.

Having said that, the most regrettable commentary I've heard is Jim Watt accusing McClellan of quitting shortly before he collapsed. I don't hold it against Watt, because at the time it did look as though Benn had broken McClellan's spirit, but I bet he regrets that.
My memory may not be serving me correctly, but I recall that a little differently. I thought Watt recognised there was a serious problem relatively early, certainly in comparison to the US commentators. Wasn't it Ferdie Pacheco - a medical man, no less - who thought McClellan was quitting?

Regarding Watt you are both right. He was constantly pointing out from around the fourth that McClellan was blinking non-stop, and was genuinely concerned. He did say that McClellan had quit immediately the fight finished, though.

oliverfennell · Post by **oliverfennell** » 15 Feb 2008, 07:53

witherspoon wrote:
chesh wrote:
oliverfennell wrote:Totally agree with you, and I have noticed American commentators quite often go off on tangents.

Having said that, the most regrettable commentary I've heard is Jim Watt accusing McClellan of quitting shortly before he collapsed. I don't hold it against Watt, because at the time it did look as though Benn had broken McClellan's spirit, but I bet he regrets that.
My memory may not be serving me correctly, but I recall that a little differently. I thought Watt recognised there was a serious problem relatively early, certainly in comparison to the US commentators. Wasn't it Ferdie Pacheco - a medical man, no less - who thought McClellan was quitting?
Regarding Watt you are both right. He was constantly pointing out from around the fourth that McClellan was blinking non-stop, and was genuinely concerned. He did say that McClellan had quit immediately the fight finished, though.

Yeah, that's how I remember it on both accounts. He was also concerned how McClellan kept pushing his gumshield out. But at the end, he did start yelling about how he "quit".

Musashi · Post by **Musashi** » 15 Feb 2008, 12:05

I was watching an old tape from ESPN the other day (can't remember which fight it was) and Max Kellerman spent almost an entire round talking about rap albums. Somehow he made it to HBO.

HomicideHenry · Post by **HomicideHenry** » 15 Feb 2008, 12:12

I dunno, I think Red Foxx and Jim Brown made for some down right awful boxing commentary in the 1970's when Ali fought...makes me shudder just now thinking of the horrible Wepner-Ali encounter with Red Foxx and Ken Norton's off-color and boring commentary thrown in.

Musashi · Post by **Musashi** » 15 Feb 2008, 12:22

HomicideHenry wrote:I dunno, I think Red Foxx and Jim Brown made for some down right awful boxing commentary in the 1970's when Ali fought...makes me shudder just now thinking of the horrible Wepner-Ali encounter with Red Foxx and Ken Norton's off-color and boring commentary thrown in.

At least Red Foxx was funny.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 15 Feb 2008, 19:25

If you move too much or don't fight three minutes of every round Merchant will start to bitch. I like Merchant half the time, but the other half he sounds like an asshole.

Lampley couldn't be more biased towards some fighters. De La Hoya specifically, but also guys like Taylor or Barrera.

granberry · Post by **granberry** » 15 Feb 2008, 19:42

.
TURN THE SOUND OFF.
.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 15 Feb 2008, 19:58

granberry wrote:.
TURN THE SOUND OFF.
.

here is where we agree.....

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 15 Feb 2008, 20:01

Some of us like to hear the punches.

granberry · Post by **granberry** » 15 Feb 2008, 20:03

I Feel Fine wrote:Some of us like to hear the punches.

Some of us are revolted by the horsesh*t coming out of the mouths of the totally incompetent announcers.
.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 15 Feb 2008, 20:05

I find myself revolted by HBO's commentators at least four times every broadcast. But I leave the sound on anyway.

Collins2000 · Post by **Collins2000** » 15 Feb 2008, 21:34

I Feel Fine wrote:Some of us like to hear the punches.

Funnily enough some of my favourite fights are the occasional ones where the crowd noise is left in but there is no commentary. Failing that, foreign (to me) language commentary is good...

The absolute worst though (apart from Bob Sheridan, of course) are those old B/W ones where they have dubbed on the supposed sound of punches landing. How fekkin lame is that.

Goodnight, Irene · Post by **Goodnight, Irene** » 15 Feb 2008, 22:25

granberry wrote:.
TURN THE SOUND OFF.
.

Did you write that in Sugar Ray's blood?

Goodnight, Irene · Post by **Goodnight, Irene** » 15 Feb 2008, 22:26

Collins2000 wrote:
I Feel Fine wrote:Some of us like to hear the punches.
Funnily enough some of my favourite fights are the occasional ones where the crowd noise is left in but there is no commentary. Failing that, foreign (to me) language commentary is good...

The absolute worst though (apart from Bob Sheridan, of course) are those old B/W ones where they have dubbed on the supposed sound of punches landing. How fekkin lame is that.

Wonderful at adding drama & excitement. Give the Colonel a break! :x

Also, I'm not sure why you hear so much utter disdain for Lampley...you'd think this guy eats babies or something. I think he's pretty decent at adding some colour to the broadcast & describing the more exciting moments. Is he really that bad, in your opinion?

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 15 Feb 2008, 22:34

Well there's two things; there's style and substance. In terms of style Lampley is good, but in terms of substance he makes a lot of dopey comments and he's incredibly biased for certain fighters. He also makes mistakes, like calling punches landed that don't land.

Goodnight, Irene · Post by **Goodnight, Irene** » 15 Feb 2008, 22:53

I'll agree he's not the most knowledgeable guy, but to be fair, he's not there for that. He's really only there for the running commentary, I don't think he's ever been painted by HBO as some manner of expert, has he? I think, rightly or wrongly, they reserve that spot for Merchant (I can hear Gran's teeth grinding as I write that).

In any case, I think he does a decent enough job for what he is there for. Beyond that, I think too much is expected of him. No arguments here that he has his favourites, though.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 15 Feb 2008, 23:26

But there's two levels of competence for a boxing commentator. In terms of knowing boxing, I don't necessarily expect him to know all the in's and out's of the sport, so I'm not concerned about his competence on that level per se (though he has been calling boxing matches for God knows how long and has seen some of the greatest of all time up close, you'd think he'd know a little more). But when he calls punches landed that obviously don't land that does play into his competence as a commentator, regardless of whether or not he's an expert on the sport. And then there's the issue of his bias, which I think is clear for certain fighters.

Collins2000 · Post by **Collins2000** » 16 Feb 2008, 00:55

I Feel Fine wrote:But there's two levels of competence for a boxing commentator. In terms of knowing boxing, I don't necessarily expect him to know all the in's and out's of the sport, so I'm not concerned about his competence on that level per se (though he has been calling boxing matches for God knows how long and has seen some of the greatest of all time up close, you'd think he'd know a little more). But when he calls punches landed that obviously don't land that does play into his competence as a commentator, regardless of whether or not he's an expert on the sport. And then there's the issue of his bias, which I think is clear for certain fighters.

It doesn't matter how many bouts he has called if he has no idea what he is looking at. I could stare at books written in Urdu for the rest of my life and I would still know nothing about that language. That's how it is with Jimbo.

The same with Sheridan.

Neither of them have any idea at all about boxing technique or tactics. I cringe when either of them offer their thoughts on what fighter A ought to do in a tricky situation.

Lampley should be kept on a short leash just doing 'anchor man' stuff. Sheridan should be turned into compost.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 16 Feb 2008, 01:11

I agree, but that's my point is that he's not even particularly good at the "Anchor Man" stuff, forgetting his lack of knowledge about the sport. All he has is what Sheridan has/had is that he can yell and be exciting when he thinks something important is happening.

ringsider · Post by **ringsider** » 16 Feb 2008, 15:00

As I have said before, Jim Lamply is only on to garner the homesexaul audience. When listening to him it is obvious he doesn't know squat about boxing. Lennox Lewis is no broadcasting legend either, and is constantly making up BS to sound like he knows the fighters fighting. Then he is made to look foolish with in 2 minutes, and has to do a complete about face in his critque of the fight being watched.

Robinson · Post by **Robinson** » 17 Feb 2008, 17:40

Ok in regards to Lampley he has been commentating Boxing for decades now @\!!!

learn the sport. Is it really an act to pretend he is the dumb anchor so as to makle the colour commentators seem inteligent and throw them questions to answer.

Its like Goldman from the UFC, he plays the dumb anchor that throws questions at the 'colour' Joe Rogan so they can have play footsies and have a love fest. It sounds lame and painful.

How much better is it when there are knowledgeble guys having a conversation about the SPORT, so you get that feel as though your a fly on the wall.

It pains me that these guys have a holy opinion and can condemened the professionalism of others in the sport yet they can not even call an entire fight without becoming distracted by something.

Kym

Goodnight, Irene · Post by **Goodnight, Irene** » 17 Feb 2008, 19:46

I am not one for bashing Lampley, however, I thought this was pretty unprofessional, & I'm paraphrasing, but you'll get the point...

Lampley: "Roy, who do you like this week in the NFL?"

Jones Jr: "Well, I---"

*Floyd Mayweather butts in, whilst fighting, has overheard the conversation*

Mayweather: "Packers."

Then, next time around, Lampley actually calls out to Floyd while the fight is going on...

Lampley: "Hey Floyd, who do you like between the Pats & the Dolphins?"

Mayweather: "Pats. I like Vicks."

All the while, Mayweather is sticking his opponent with the jab. I thought it was poor form on Lampley's part to address a fighter in the ring, but this is obscured to a great degree by the fact that whole situation was funny as hell