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Bruce McAvaney Retires

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in Melbourne Demons

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51 minutes ago, Better days ahead said:

You have to respect the longevity of his career. 30 odd years in a cut-throat business is an immense achievement.

Personally I found his commentary off putting. The shrieking and hyper ventilating were unnecessary imv but I know plenty of people who have nothing but praise for the man. Personal preferences and all that.

Enjoy your retirement Bruce.

Agree. 

His commentary on horse racing and athletics particularly the latter is unsurpassed. He accurately informed rather than entertained. 

With footy he tried to entertain rather than inform. Hence, the over the top hyperbole and saccharine laced comments.  

A good decision to give it away as his commentary had long become predictable and irritating. 

However, the thought of JB and BT is almost worse. JB should not be allowed near a microphone. Get ready for the boys show with the loud macho boorish antics and commentary as Jim and Brian attempt to entertain us. 

The mute button will get a workout from this viewer. 

 

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    1 hour ago, hemingway said:

     However, the thought of JB and BT is almost worse. JB should not be allowed near a microphone. Get ready for the boys show with the loud macho boorish antics and commentary as Jim and Brian attempt to entertain us. 

    The mute button will get a workout from this viewer. 

     

    Henceforth known as "The Mercy Button".

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    17 hours ago, DubDee said:

    anyone throw up in their mouth a bit at the last sentence?

    James Brayshaw will step into McAvaney’s spot on Friday nights along with Brian Taylor

     

    There must be many talented unknown commentators waiting out there for their shot, and they decide to bring in James Brayshaw of all people.

     

     

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    1 hour ago, hemingway said:

    However, the thought of JB and BT is almost worse. JB should not be allowed near a microphone. Get ready for the boys show with the loud macho boorish antics and commentary as Jim and Brian attempt to entertain us. 

    The mute button will get a workout from this viewer. 

     

    To be fair, BT changed his presentation style when he moved from Saturday night to Friday night. On Saturday's it was a more "blokey" style; on Friday's it's a more conservative, straight-down-the-line style of presentation. This suggests to me that BT calls the game in the format required of him by the program's producers. I expect Brayshaw to do the same and therefore lose the "blokiness".

    Having said that, I would have much preferred if Bruce McAvaney was replaced with Nathan Bennett. I'm not anti- James Brayshaw. I just think Nathan Bennett is a better caller.   

    Edited by La Dee-vina Comedia

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    I just keep thinking of his legendary commentary quotes

    "you'd think the next goal is important, wouldn't you?"

     

    Yes Bruce, it's the last quarter and the margin is 5 points

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    I won’t miss Bruce at all. 
    Why?

    Because he told me a whole lot of stuff that i didn’t want, or need to know during a game. 
    But to Bruce it was crucial. 
    “Did you see that?”

    Yes i am watching the TV ? 

    He should have gone 10 years ago at least. 
    I haven’t listened to Ch7 Commentary for years. It’s cringeworthy. 
    That said, James Brayshaw is worse. 

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    The way they do the presentation/commentary side of English Premier League is at complete odds to what seven does with AFL. Seven goes for entertainment and energy, focusing on personalities and having banter between the commentators (at the disservice of the game being play). 

    The way they do commentary for football in the UK is simple, they have two commentators for the match (one former player for special tactical commentary) and one that calls the game (and doesn’t feel obliged to to fill every single second of the game). Pre-match, half-time, and post match is handled by the studio who focus on the game (with a little bit of getting to know the people of the game pre-match). 

    Seven’s coverage really is insufferable at times. 

    For Bruce his moment I will always remember him from is Cathy Freeman’s gold medal win. Iconic. 

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    16 minutes ago, Pates said:

    The way they do the presentation/commentary side of English Premier League is at complete odds to what seven does with AFL. Seven goes for entertainment and energy, focusing on personalities and having banter between the commentators (at the disservice of the game being play). 

    The way they do commentary for football in the UK is simple, they have two commentators for the match (one former player for special tactical commentary) and one that calls the game (and doesn’t feel obliged to to fill every single second of the game). Pre-match, half-time, and post match is handled by the studio who focus on the game (with a little bit of getting to know the people of the game pre-match). 

    Seven’s coverage really is insufferable at times. 

    For Bruce his moment I will always remember him from is Cathy Freeman’s gold medal win. Iconic. 

    The ABC Commentary during the 1970’s and 1980’s was fully based on the English Football style. (The Winners)

    i loved it, it flowed with the game. 
    Ch7 Commentary for years hasn’t flowed with the game. It is invasive. 
     

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    If they were smart they would use Daisy Pearce more. IMHO One of the most perceptive commentators I’ve heard.

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    2 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

    The ABC Commentary during the 1970’s and 1980’s was fully based on the English Football style. (The Winners)

    i loved it, it flowed with the game. 
    Ch7 Commentary for years hasn’t flowed with the game. It is invasive. 
     

    Yes, agree entirely.  It was a different era but it was certainly a much better "flow" - more in sync with what was happening on the field.  I watched a replay of the Melbourne V Footscray game from 1987 the other day from the ABC. Drew Morphett, Ian Robertson and Bernie Quinlan were commentating.  They let the game tell the story without their own egos becoming part of it.  Tim Lane, Doug Heywood, Clarke Hansen, Geoff Leek, John Nicholls all great commentators because of what they didn't say.  

    I didn't mind Bruce until the last few years.  He was a great all rounder until he needed to become part of the show.

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    Be careful what you wish for.

    Yes, Bruce was annoying. The post that did the rounds last year on the proportion of a game he spent saying rhetorical questions was gold.

    But if Channel 7's idea of a replacement is Hamish McLachlan or James Brayshaw, we're in for a worse combo than we have with Bruce.

    Jason Bennett and Nigel Carmody are the future, but I suspect there's next to no chance of them getting Friday night games.

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    I agree over the years I preferred his work on the horse racing and the Olympics because of his knowledge. He was always one to wear his heart on his sleeve. He has battled on despite his health problems, but it is time for a deserved rest. 

    Good luck Bruce.

    On the other hand I cannot abide Brayshaw. Even those commercials he does grate on me.

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    1 hour ago, titan_uranus said:

    Be careful what you wish for.

    Yes, Bruce was annoying. The post that did the rounds last year on the proportion of a game he spent saying rhetorical questions was gold.

    But if Channel 7's idea of a replacement is Hamish McLachlan or James Brayshaw, we're in for a worse combo than we have with Bruce.

    Jason Bennett and Nigel Carmody are the future, but I suspect there's next to no chance of them getting Friday night games.

    Agreed the alternative appears worse than the current, McLachlan in particular regularly gets players wrong and Brayshaw's voice is one of the most annoying sounds on TV. 

    I think I'm in a minority here but I don't mind Basil Zempilas, I think he's a bit more of a "just call the game" commentator. I know there are ways to do it but I wish you could have the option on smart tv's to change the audio to be other radio stations.

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    Could not stand him and I’m glad he’s gone. 
     

    Saddest part is footy commentary will be even worse without him, that’s how bad they all are. 
     

    Lingy’s 4 minute nickname anecdotes should get some more airtime. So we’ve got that to look forward to. 

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    On 2/28/2021 at 9:05 PM, Queanbeyan Demon said:

    I cut my Friday night footy watching by 50 percent when Dennis Cometti finished calling that game each week. I'll now only watch Friday night if the Deez are playing, and only with the volume down. Bruce, at certain times toward the end of his career, became a parody (mostly of himself), but this shouldn't detract from the brilliant broadcaster he was for the vast majority of his career. And he helped revolutionise the analysis of the game for seven years (1995-2002) as host of the original Talking Footy. To this day, the benchmark in footy chat shows IMHO. Good on you Bruce, footy can only be watched now with the volume turned down . . . that's the greatest tribute of all my friend. 

    wish i'd posted this as it summarises my thoughts on Bruce n Den and Talkin' Footy - in my lifetime the big changes have been: Final 4 into Final 10 (is it yet?!!!); Waverley Park (meant to be the future); women's comp (decades overdue); night footy (ideal for work=life balance); professionalism and not just on the field but in the commentary box and Bruce n Den at the head of this.

    Can FoxFooty give us just the crowd sounds and no commentary such is the gap between Bruce n Den n the rest.

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    My apologies to Jason Bennett who I called Nathan Bennett in an earlier post (which I now can't edit to correct).

    And on SWYL's point about the English style of commentary versus what he called the "invasive" style of Channel 7 (good description, by the way), like it or not, we're stuck with the current style. Why? Because Channel 7 has admitted they've tried both and found that overall, their audience prefers the "invasive" style of calling.  

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    It's about time, he's been shot ever since he's had to awkwardly try and keep up with Brian Taylor talking nonsense. However, Brayshaw as a replacement is a disaster. In isolation I don't mind him as a commentator but a partnership with BT will see them go full buffoon.

    Meanwhile Jason Bennett rots away in the second division of callers...

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    Every era of footy had its unique callers,I remember back as a boy listening jack dyer calling games on (i think 3aw) radio called the 2s and the 1sts .Later it became the Captain and the Major for years.Can't remember all the radio stations but that was Jacks era.Same as the kids of the last decade will relate to bruce as the voice of footy,you may not like him but he was/is a great entertainer

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    7 minutes ago, forever demons said:

    Every era of footy had its unique callers,I remember back as a boy listening jack dyer calling games on (i think 3aw) radio called the 2s and the 1sts .Later it became the Captain and the Major for years.Can't remember all the radio stations but that was Jacks era.Same as the kids of the last decade will relate to bruce as the voice of footy,you may not like him but he was/is a great entertainer

    The Captain and the Major called on 3KZ (which subsequently became Gold FM when it switched from the AM to FM band).

     

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