Having now watched the finals replays on numerous occasions, l think it is time we use our new found power in the AFL community to demand some changes in the leading commentary teams. The first to go must be BT. Not only is he so often factually wrong, but his understanding of basic tactics is so rudimentary as to be embarrassing. He is also quite open about his prejudice against the Dees. For instance:

1. l remember during the commentary for the game against Richmond on ANZAC eve last  when we were leading by over fifty points, James Brayshow suggested that Melbourne should be now favourite for the flag. BT’s reaction, “l will never believe that until Max Gawn holds up the cup in September, no matter how successful they are during the season”

2. He has no understanding of basic team tactics eg. during the GF Langdon gathered the ball on the half back flank and raced up the the wing with Kossie racing with an opponent from the centre to get in position  on the wing. Further up the field McDonald was racing towards the boundary line on the half forward flank with his opponent to give him an additional option. Langdon chose McDonald which prompted an outcry from BT saying he should have chosen Kossie (“l like Kossie” were l think his words). Several minutes later, Daisy Pearce, who was sharing the commentary with him and who has ten times his football sophistication, pointed out that he kicked it to half forward to lessen the risk of a turnover which could result in a goal to the bulldogs. Pretty basic football common sense but totally lost in his populist nonsense. 

3  Angus Bradshaw: when the Dees were surging in the 3rd quarter of the Grannie, Brayshaw took an extremely courageous diving mark on the half forward flank about 45 metres out on a severe angle. If he goaled he would put us in front for the first time since early in the second quarter. He deliberately walked back slowly with his back to the play concentrating on what needed to be done to covert. BT went ballistic saying he needed to concentrate on the game. He clearly had no idea of Brayshaw’s history in poor accuracy in kicking for goal. In fact for much of the season he was having special tuition at training every week to improve his goal kicking at Choco’s skills academy and clearly was using that to ensure he nailed it. He did, which was a key part of our resurgence. The deliberate slow walk back was part of the process to ensure successful convergence. If BT had just basic football knowledge he would have known that.

4 Neal-Bullen marked 40 metres out in the last quarter when we were six or seven goals up. BT said he has to kick this so that the side will be able to enjoy the rest of the game, but if he doesn’t they won’t. This of course was totally nonsensical,. This can be bracketed with his ridiculous comment with five minutes to go saying “not a single person had left the ground”. How could he possibly know that?—- and it was said very dogmatically. 

I’m sure there are other examples that others could add to this list.

We can do a lot better than BT. Time has passed both him and Eddie Maguire by. With much more sophisticated, and/or younger commentators (eg James Brayshaw, Daisy Pearce, Gerard Wheatley, Nick Riewoldt) providing much more nuanced commentary on a game which has become much more complex and subtle over the last 20 years, there is no long longer room for these dinosaurs. 

I propose we keep a record of all our examples of these incompetencies on Demonland, publicise them, and build a case for BT’s removal. We can do a lot better.  

"Melbourne & the Bulldogs...two competent teams" was my favourite line from him pregame

I think the whole way 7 use their broadcast team is poor.

They need to get rid of all the blokey Crap and  concentrate on calling the game.

It seems like the broadcaster cannot have even a second of silence which generates hours of crap.

Just let the the game play out on TV. Silence is golden sometimes.

21 minutes ago, DeesFlag2020 said:

I propose we keep a record of all our examples of these incompetencies on Demonland, publicise them, and build a case for BT’s removal. We can do a lot better.  

If we did that it could be     t h e     l o n g e s t    t h r e a d     e v e r.

On the final siren, the most important moment in the club's history: "Every heart is beating true and blue for the red and blue" ?!?!?! come on man

100% agree.  Put BT out to pasture! 

I concur with what he said in point 1.

8 minutes ago, Ethan Tremblay said:

I concur with what he said in point 1.

Agree.

 

I also think a call-off between BT and Rex Hunt would be worth listening to just so you could see the cringe-O-meter explode.

And then get Brayshaw and Underwood together and count the seconds to tinnitus.

I'm trying to think of evidence to support keeping him.

Best I can come up with is;

- BT's channel 7 commentary is a huge boost to radio.

- every time BT and Daisy Pearce are both commentating a game, the most positive version of feminism goes a bit more mainstream.

- it keeps BT busy enough to not run for parliament.

I blame Howard Cosell

but he got this right....

Professional boxing is no longer worthy of civilized society. It's run by self-serving crooks, who are called promoters.... Except for the fighters, you're talking about human scum.... Professional boxing is utterly immoral. It's not capable of reformation. I now favor the abolition of professional boxing. You'll never clean it up. Mud can never be clean.

Edited October 27, 20213 yr by Diamond_Jim

Danny Hughes could easily finish BT right off…

I'll play the relevance card - he mentioned twice the fact that Jack Viney and his dad Todd were the only father son to play 150 games at Melbourne - not once - but twice !!!!

BT never had a use, much less a use-by date. 

Yes

The mute button was invented for problems such as BT

2 hours ago, old dee said:

I think the whole way 7 use their broadcast team is poor.

They need to get rid of all the blokey Crap and  concentrate on calling the game.

It seems like the broadcaster cannot have even a second of silence which generates hours of crap.

Just let the the game play out on TV. Silence is golden sometimes.

In the words of the great Richie Benaud "Put your brain into gear and if you can add to what's on the screen then do it, otherwise shut up” 

My distaste for BT is well documented here on DL. I will celebrate the day he no longer commentates with great joy. 

Edited October 27, 20213 yr by Smokey

An easy solution to this is to just have Daisy commentate the game. Everything she said was bang on (Hodgey was pretty good as well - he quickly identified how we were killing them out the front of the center bounces during our run-on).

37 minutes ago, DeesignerAU said:

I'll play the relevance card - he mentioned twice the fact that Jack Viney and his dad Todd were the only father son to play 150 games at Melbourne - not once - but twice !!!!

Lucky it was only twice!
During one match he was commentating (Swans vs. Essendon) years ago he mentioned that this was the first time in VFL/AFL history that two players in the same game had the initials O.F., those being Ollie Florent and Orazio Fantasia (who tf looks this stuff up???). Not only did he mention it several times, but it was during play and iirc it was a fairly close game. 🙄

1 hour ago, Little Goffy said:

keeps BT busy enough to not run for parliament.

And away from gas appliances i guess.

52 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

And away from gas appliances i guess.

A missed opportunity that was 

I dont mind him on radio but he is terrible on TV.

To play devil's advocate, maybe this isn't entirely BT's fault. There is culpability, but there could be something being said upstairs.

While not a 'sport', an entire generation of WWE announcers have either walked out or been bullied from the announce booth thanks to Vince McMahon ranting and raving on the other end of the headset about how they are supposed to be 'sports entertainment story tellers' rather than commentate on the action in the ring. Wrestlers are to be called 'superstars'. Pro wrestling is 'sports entertainment'. Never ever use pronouns; announcers are required to use the wrestler's name under all circumstances when referring to them. Not to mention all the waffle about social media, the WWE's catchphrase of the moment and the focus group tested nicknames they give the wrestlers. 

Don't be surprised if BT is given some form of marching orders by some MBA [censored] who doesn't like footy, but has reams of marketing data and a love of faux blokey aesthetics.

Wind it up BT.

I remember a game half way through the year, when he was being typically negative Melb :- the other commentator asked, “what will it take for you to believe in the Dees Brian” 

he replied, “I won’t believe in them until Max is holding up a cup” 

 

well, time to admit you were wrong and have a long holiday Brian! 

Edited October 27, 20213 yr by 1964_2

5 minutes ago, 1964_2 said:

 

 

well, time to admit you were wrong and have a ling holiday Brian! 

I see what you did there!

I think the industry needs to separate personality from commentary. Employ personalities to do the entertaining, and employ specialist commentators to call the game. 

Channel 7 is confused as to what to do with down time in our game - but they shouldn’t be as they’ve got that part right (special commentary). The part that doesn’t work as well is the calling of the game. Sadly they continue to worry about ‘expanding the game’ and feel they need to focus on general entertainment and converting people to AFL. I don’t think anyone comes for BT. They come for the high marking and the goals. A great commentator only make those highlights better - because they focus on gameplay and skill.