mugabi wrote:He used to be a good pundit circa 2000/2001 when he got his big break on itv 2's tremendous magazine show boxing first..... that was until success went to his failed 1980s plug style hair transplant head and he became a big time charlie on us, and started wanking over his own voice late at night and going in the shower with roy jones jnr.....the high pitched put on orgasm like incredulities at even the most basic mundane fact....the loud mouthed bellowing......his overall disdain for the views of the "internet boys" he now hates so much, even tho we were the same ccunts he used to save himself from failing on his mortgage by getting us to do his bring back bunce campaign when he potentially faced genuine financial destitution....
Bunce is a true disciple of Adam Smith (the 18th century economist not the sky tv boxing supremo) , in that Bunces free marketeeting is driven by self interest a true driver of the economy, and we his former followers were also a disposable economic commodity....to be discarded once he got his 6 figure contract on pardon the interruption, and got to eye up Gaby Yorath on Inside Sport...it all came good for the big guy....and good luck to him....me and him have traded insults over this board the way our enery and bugner traded jabs but I respect a man who fights back and Bunce has done that...his comeback from financial ruin reminded me of when rocky balboa got slapped onto the ground by tommy gunn and got up and fought back ...........but alas until Bunce learns to lower his tone and speak slower like he used to on boxing first back in 2001 I wont be able to abide his punditry my ear drums wont let me ...a shame as the man knows his stuff, has always been impartial and fair in his punditry at least, and never stiched up a fighter in a article in his life.....one thing u cant take away from him he's never behaved like a little ccunt on tv like barry mcguigan interrupting others when their speaking....but than again that's probablyy because when bunce is in the studio there isnt any room to fit another pundit in there....
I agree, he would be far better if he slowed down and thought through what he says, his mouth seems to get ahead of his brain sometimes, and once he gets going it's like a runaway train that he cannot put the breaks on, and he starts spouting gibberish and repeating his trademark phrases ad nauseum. 'Let me tell you this big boy' etc.
I'm sure Steve would say 'what do you know, I'm earning six figures you mug' but you know what, that's just my opinion. I think Steve has become something of a caricature of himself, it happens to people on TV a lot, they cause a bit of a stir with their controversy and colourful character, and as they identify that this is what makes them stand out from the crowd, they focus on enhancing that side of their delivery. It's a very successful strategy as colour sells. Look at Howard Stern and Jeremy Clarkson.
However, it becomes hard to take someone seriously when they are constantly shouting in a high pitched voice like an ADHD afflicted kid having a tantrum, which is what steve's delivery has come to resemble. Sometimes it is better to sit and reflect for a moment before continuing to opine, but with Steve, these days, it seems to be a machine gun stream of consciousness monologue with little nuance. Everything is black or white. Rather than balanced arguments, it's Steve's way or the highway - sure, opinions are just that, opinions, but a few shades of gray or hints of uncertainty would present a much more interesting viewpoint. This is something the likes of Barry McGuigan is far better at, being analytical, rather than just blathering his opinion.
Of course, Steve's chosen a presentation style which gets him work, I'm sure he's capable of more nuance, but I wonder now whether he would get employed if he were to tone it back to how he used to be.
One thing I think is without question is that Steve loves the sport, and he is very good at hyping the product (sometimes too good - as with Audley's career at the beeb), and for the casual fan, I think he presents an engaging and lively face to the sport. It's not to my personal tastes, as I prefer a bit more subtlety in my presentation.
Thinking about it Joe Rogan on UFC, performs a very similar role, he does tend to shout a lot, but that's often I think because he's in a noisy auditorium, but he doesnt seem to form an opinion one way or another, but presents rather an analysis of the match up - i guess he isnt really a pundit - he's more of a presenter, but Bunce is really a combination of the two.
I prefer panels of pundits to be honest, rather than having a single rentagob (not just bunce, i mean generally), who spouts their opinion with no argument with anyone else.
What I'm rather concerned about lately, is his lack of ability to take criticism, the spat with me old Mucka Ian McNeilly, alarms me that Steve has come to regard himself as some sort of unassailable ivory tower of boxing opinion. If you want the plaudits, you must accept the brickbats, and in Steve's case, he must accept that his lack of objectivity is going to draw criticism from his peers. This is an occupational hazard.
As I said, nothing personal in any of this, I just find the presentation style a bit caustic, irritating, and too opinionated, others find it entertaining, it's horses for courses I guess.
I've nothing against the guy personally, in fact I drink with his brother sometimes round my way.
With regard to McGuigan, I like Barry, I know he interrupts a lot, and talks over people, but I think it's just because he's so passionate, I dont think he means to drown everyone else out. Barry does make some very cogent salient points, and is very articulate.
Have Barry and Bunce ever shared a studio, I wonder if they might not work well as foils - Bunce wouldn't let him just talk over him, and Barry would cut through some of the hyperbole and flim flam.
