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Rawlings
Posted: 31 May 2007, 06:10
by Big Pussy
Rawlings won Best Commentator at the Royal Television Society Sports Awards on Tuesday.
What do people think of him? I personally think he's garbage but it appears I'm in the minority.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 06:16
by overhand_right
No you're not.
We all know he's shit, speaks nonsense, and has all the natural charisma of a robot.
Who exactly voted him? Boxing fans? I dont think so. All awards ceremonys are absolute fuckin bollocks.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 06:28
by Autobarn
he did gel very well with atlas and what's his name on the contender challenge. but on the itv/warren shows he does follow the script.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 06:57
by STP
I liked David Brenner in the old Screensport days on Eurosport, with Jimmy McDonnell and Barry McGuigan.
Have to say though I much preferred listening to Rawling and Darke on Five Live commentating on Benn and Eubank than putting up with the laid-back style of Reg and negativity of Jim Watt.
Rawling and Darke used to get excited, like Brenner and McDonnell/McGuigan - so I often either just watched the fights on Screensport or watched them on ITV but on mute and with Radio Five Live on the same time.
Reg and Watt were boring as fornicate, and sanitised boxing immensely. You'd get Jim Rosenthal hyping you up, but then he'd pass over to those two old farts.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 10:44
by dondada
John Rawling is a very good commentator and as I've said before, I suspect it's one of those jobs that is much harder than it looks.
I'm sure if ITV weren't paying him he might be slightly less gushing at times but how many of us go out of our way to piss our bosses off? The result is that you get the bullet. It's a very difficult balancing act.
By the way, John is a first class radio commentator on athletics.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 10:47
by TerribleTerry
Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:
By the way, John is a first class radio commentator on athletics.
A first class radio commentator full stop.
I always enjoyed his boxing commentaries on Radio 5

Posted: 31 May 2007, 10:47
by Captain Hook
Rawlings is a fornicating joke
Posted: 31 May 2007, 10:50
by dondada
Captain Hook wrote:Rawlings is a effing joke
Come on then, Captain...put some meat on the bones, old chap. What's up with him?
Posted: 31 May 2007, 10:51
by overhand_right
STP wrote:I liked David Brenner in the old Screensport days on Eurosport, with Jimmy McDonnell and Barry McGuigan.
.
Old Brenner?? f#ck me, he was like some oddball Alan Partridge character commentating on fights. Thank f#ck he's gone. Is he dead?
The guy was so dumb, he read out the famous Ali poem from 74 about 'murdering a rock, make medicine sick' etc and credited it to Riddick Bowe?!!
Posted: 31 May 2007, 10:55
by Goz
TerribleTerry wrote:Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:
By the way, John is a first class radio commentator on athletics.
A first class radio commentator full stop.
I always enjoyed his boxing commentaries on Radio 5

I'm with you guys, Rawlings was part of the seemingly endless conveyor belt of class commentators that 5 live churns out.
I think for some it smacks of jealousy and I'd love to see them given a go to find out just how hard it is.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 11:01
by MightyWarrior
overhand_right wrote:STP wrote:I liked David Brenner in the old Screensport days on Eurosport, with Jimmy McDonnell and Barry McGuigan.
.
Old Brenner?? f#ck me, he was like some oddball Alan Partridge character commentating on fights. Thank f#ck he's gone. Is he dead?
The guy was so dumb, he read out the famous Ali poem from 74 about 'murdering a rock, make medicine sick' etc and credited it to Riddick Bowe?!!
I'm glad someone else thinks Brenner was a real plank
And Jim McD has a high pitched voice that starts to sound like a buzzing mosquito after about 5 seconds.
And I think Rawlings is not bad at all - the trouble is most of the time he has to commentate on nothing fights and farcical mismatches.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 11:29
by jamesmcdonnell
No I don't, that's most unfair, I have a beautiful, deep, resonant timbre to my voice.
Posted: 31 May 2007, 12:14
by Big Pussy
jamesmcdonnell wrote:No I don't, that's most unfair, I have a beautiful, deep, resonant timbre to my voice.
Is that what your mum says?

Posted: 31 May 2007, 16:20
by 1southpaw
as i have said before there,s only one STEVE HOLDSWORTH
Posted: 31 May 2007, 18:31
by tonyevs
Holdsworth is rubbish...he just babbles and babbles...and what he doesn`t know he isn`t interested in learning.
Rawlings is right up there with Duke McKenzie...take that as you like

Posted: 01 Jun 2007, 03:01
by Scooby Doo
Rawlings is good on the radio, in fact he is the number one but since he went to ITV for what was probably more money than should have been he has done som seriously grovelling to the point it is nauseating. I agree you should not piss off your bosses that is like commiting suicide but Rawling really has not come up to scratch.
Posted: 01 Jun 2007, 04:35
by Captain Hook
Ian - he's not too bad on the radio but whenever I've seen him on Tv he's been appalling IMO, especially during that farcical Contender series.
Made our bum fighters sound like world champs....
Posted: 02 Jun 2007, 09:30
by WildWaylon
He isnt a Harry Carpenter but he does do a reasonable job but Duke talks the most bollocks.
Posted: 02 Jun 2007, 09:38
by JC
I don't mind Rawling that much I just wish he'd call it as it is a bit more rather than trying to talk everything up reguardless of the quailty of the fights.
Posted: 02 Jun 2007, 11:23
by stujones
Rawling is good, its McKenzie that is the problem IMO.
My only gripe is sometimes Rawling will mention abit about the history of a fighter and miss the action. I suppose he wouldn't need to do that to a SKY audience.
For example (not actually said but similar stuff was said)... For Rhodes vs Lockett.
Oh good stiff jab from Rhodes, that really was a great weapon in his heyday... he is really rolling back the years just like when he burst onto the scene in 1997.... and another jab.
However, in the interim period when Rawling was going on about his history, Lockett might have landed a 3 punch unanswered combination.
Posted: 03 Jun 2007, 13:36
by Scooby Doo
Rawlings is not good at all since he has been at ITV. He has sat at his table knowing his contract and the wad he is receiving has meant he did not have to produce his best.
I sincerely hope ITV pull the plug on Sportsnetwork and Mr Rawling and another promotional company sneak in there. Word is ITV are particularly anxious to rid themselves of this "exclusive" bit of their existing boxing contract.
Posted: 03 Jun 2007, 14:31
by Autobarn
no wonder John posts at Doghouse and not Boxrec!
Posted: 03 Jun 2007, 15:50
by Scooby Doo
Autobarn wrote:no wonder John posts at Doghouse and not Boxrec!
Wow, lets all go rushing to doghouse then.
Posted: 03 Jun 2007, 15:55
by dondada
Scooby Doo wrote:Autobarn wrote:no wonder John posts at Doghouse and not Boxrec!
Wow, lets all go rushing to doghouse then.
I've said it before - I find it incredible that respected lads like John R, Buncey, Steve Lillis, etc post on Doghouse. I occasionally read it (as I'm sure those lads read Boxrec) but Doghouse is becoming almost impossible to tolerate.
Bloody pop ups, every other word underlined and with more pop ups if your cursor goes in the wrong place and, of course, the insane pics the posters put up.
One poster (who I can assure you is involved in pro boxing at the sharp end) has a bloody pic of one orangutan going down on another! Ye Gods.
Plus, and this is the important bit, the stuff over there is utter rubbish. It used to be typical tabloid stuff but it's sunk well below those standards in terms of input.
Posted: 03 Jun 2007, 15:57
by Scooby Doo
Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Scooby Doo wrote:Autobarn wrote:no wonder John posts at Doghouse and not Boxrec!
Wow, lets all go rushing to doghouse then.
I've said it before - I find it incredible that respected lads like John R, Buncey, Steve Lillis, etc post on Doghouse. I occasionally read it (as I'm sure those lads read Boxrec) but Doghouse is becoming almost impossible to tolerate.
Bloody pop ups, every other word underlined and with more pop ups if your cursor goes in the wrong place and, of course, the insane pics the posters put up.
One poster (who I can assure you is involved in pro boxing at the sharp end) has a bloody pic of one orangutan going down on another! Ye Gods.
Plus, and this is the important bit, the stuff over there is utter rubbish. It used to be typical tabloid stuff but it's sunk well below those standards in terms of input.
Summed up rather well.