Common-taries

Perhaps he, too, admired the laid back polished style of one particular English racing commentator which impressed me so much as a child when I watched the cinema newsreels (remember those days)? His commentary of a top racing event was in a totally accurate, informational yet minimum-of-fuss style.

Another commentator who displayed restrained enthusiasm within an aura of showman professionalism was Tony Greig. I never worked with Tony on cricket coverage, yet got to know him well during television commercial shoots which I directed. He had a calm, laid-back approach to everything, as well as an ability to mock his own nationality, as he did on one occasion when he asked me not to bear him a grudge when he needed to take a short rest break, and commented jokingly: "You know what a grudge is, don't you? It's where a South African parks his car".

He and Ken contrasted dramatically with American sports commentaries where the most mundane of events became a cue for shrill celebration.

I fear also that early radio entertainment in the U.S. coloured the style of emerging local radio, and later television, commentators, who reckon that louder, crasser, and faster, is better. My professional voice-over artist friends and acquaintances would understand this well.

The questions of tone, emotion and feelings of delivery appropriateness during performances arise constantly for those who present in front of an audience - to whom would you prefer to hear sing 'Ave Maria'; The Sex Pistols, or Luciano Pavarotti?

If I was producing and directing television coverage of rugby league today, I would keep all commentary strictly as background or amplifying information about what was showing on-screen.

I would make maximum use of crowd microphones to gather immediate public response to a move, and mic. the referees and other judges to capture any verbal interplay with players. I would let the visuals tell the story with audio only where relevant.

I would also coach my commentators in the rudiments of theatrical presentation, so that they could recognise the significance of an event and accord it the degree of enthusiasm it needed. I would never tolerate their unbridling shrieking or screaming of a commentary at an audience.

But then … would this be too high a delivery expectation from sporting bogans?