BT commentating

[The Swans Blog]

Missed several genuine moments for BT specials, and generally sounded disinterested or just outright unprepared. It's been that way the last 2 years when he's doing his TV work.

Maybe a full-time shift back to radio is on the cards. Or maybe he just hates the Swans.

 

[killtaker1993]

Daisy Pearce should be the main commentator. She's a ripper

 

[Bunk Moreland]

He is, in all seriousness, a disgrace. He should be nowhere near the game. He actively damages it.

But it’s the old situation where the consumer is the third party. The AFL don’t give a shit because they just get the TV rights cash then forget about it. Channel 7 don’t give a shit because they just pay the AFL then they have a monopoly and people can’t switch over to another channel.

 

[GastevsBeard]

Missed several genuine moments for BT specials, and generally sounded disinterested or just outright unprepared. It's been that way the last 2 years when he's doing his TV work.

Maybe a full-time shift back to radio is on the cards. Or maybe he just hates the Swans.

He really fluffed the commentary for Dusty’s big second quarter goal in the 2019 GF - it’s been an ongoing problem

 

[StillAtLarge]

I reckon he had a stroke or something a couple years back, he's gone from an annoying caller fixated on irrelevant minutiae to downright senile in the blink of an eye. Doesn't know the players' names, slurs his words and basically seems to have little grasp of what's happening on the field.

 

[rye]

boy oh boy woweeeee

 

[BringFevBack2021]

I realised how much of a flog he was when on Dyl & Friends he basically told people not to approach him when he’s at Lorne with his buddies. Made this big song and dance for a good 5-10 minutes about it too.

I have made it my mission to launch his deckchair off the Lorne pier this summer. I’m ready for it too. I’ve been in a running program for 4 weeks now, nobody is catching me as I stride down the foreshore with his deckchair under my arm.

 

[BigPond101]

There are two polar opposites between BT who doesn't take the game that seriously and knows it really doesn't matter, and Gerard Whately who acts like every game is life or death, like he's commentating on the troops landing at Gallipoli or as if the losing team will be sent to Ukraine to fight for their lives.

Great commentators like Dennis Committe who could do a mix of both

 

[Pusswah]

I think he's been told to reign it in very much over the last couple of years by seven and it's a shame. He's one of my favourites but I think with the shackles in place he's struggling to let it flow free.

And he's still better than every campaigner except a couple maybe.

 

[Faysals Swans]

I realised how much of a flog he was when on Dyl & Friends he basically told people not to approach him when he’s at Lorne with his buddies. Made this big song and dance for a good 5-10 minutes about it too.

I have made it my mission to launch his deckchair off the Lorne pier this summer. I’m ready for it too. I’ve been in a running program for 4 weeks now, nobody is catching me as I stride down the foreshore with his deckchair under my arm.

You my friend are the goat

 

[RuFiO]

He's been shithouse ever since he crossed over from Fox.
Didn't mind him before then because he didn't carry on like a pork chop.

 

[Back One Out]

I've posted this before, but it's the best example I can give of BT's self-aggrandising style of commentary

In 2015, Hawthorn travelled to WA and played West Coast in one of the best matches of the season. The Hawks took the lead for the first time in the game in the 4th quarter when Roughead gathered the ball just inside the the boundary line, drew two Eagles defenders towards him and then fired a 20m handball over their heads to Cyril who dished off quickly to Liam Shiels

14

Liam Shiels

Age

33

Ht

184cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.2

5star

K

11.7

4star

HB

8.5

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

5.9

5star

CL

3.4

5star

D

17.4

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

7.0

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

1.9

4star

D

12.2

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.8

5star

for the go-ahead goal.

BT's commentary for that play went as follows...

"... and now Roughead...

That was out of bounds!

THAT WAS OUT OF BOUNDS!!

THAT WAS OUT OF BOUNDS!!

THAT! WAS! OUT! OF! BOUNDS!!

As Shiels goals..."


Except that it wasn't out of bounds. The boundary ump was right on the spot and judged that the whole of the ball had not completely crossed the line. BT was confused by the parallax error. He saw a gap between the ball in Roughie's hand and a spot on the boundary line about 3 metres away to Roughie's left where the line curved around.

It was a huge moment in the game and a great team goal. But the moment was ruined by BT's ineptitude and arrogance. I wouldn't make an issue of it, nor would I have even remembered if it had been a one-off error, but it was just typical of the way BT does his best to ruin the game for everyone watching.

 

[RUNVS]

He should be an inspiration to all of us, proving that you don't need talent or ability to succeed in life.

 

[00Stinger]

I realised how much of a flog he was when on Dyl & Friends he basically told people not to approach him when he’s at Lorne with his buddies. Made this big song and dance for a good 5-10 minutes about it too.

I have made it my mission to launch his deckchair off the Lorne pier this summer. I’m ready for it too. I’ve been in a running program for 4 weeks now, nobody is catching me as I stride down the foreshore with his deckchair under my arm.

Haha you have gone up 5 notches in my book

God I hope you actual do that

 

[M Malice]

 

[HaroLad]

I realised how much of a flog he was when on Dyl & Friends he basically told people not to approach him when he’s at Lorne with his buddies. Made this big song and dance for a good 5-10 minutes about it too.

I have made it my mission to launch his deckchair off the Lorne pier this summer. I’m ready for it too. I’ve been in a running program for 4 weeks now, nobody is catching me as I stride down the foreshore with his deckchair under my arm.

When I was about 12-13 my brother and I stalked BT up and down the Lorne shops for an hour. We kept sneaking up on him yelling out 'BIG BOY' and then running away. We stopped when we thought he was going to belt us.

 

[Dangerousfield]

Complete flog, I have to watch games with the sound off or I feel sick. Just wish you could get crowd noise only without the crap commentary.

Luke Darcy is on a par, just a complete uninformed idiot, how did he ever play football?

What is wrong with the decision makers at Channel 7?

 

[Number37]

BT isn't getting any worse or better.
He's always been BT.
Turn off the sound if you don't wanna listen to him.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I've developed an ability over the years for treating commentary as a background noise that contributes to the atmosphere. I take no notice of what they're actually saying.

 

[Mofra]

There are two polar opposites between BT who doesn't take the game that seriously and knows it really doesn't matter, and Gerard Whately who acts like every game is life or death, like he's commentating on the troops landing at Gallipoli or as if the losing team will be sent to Ukraine to fight for their lives.

Great commentators like Dennis Committe who could do a mix of both

The really great commentators (Hudson) make their call all about the game.
Some (JB) make it all about themself and sometimes the others in the box.

 

[La Dispute]

Don’t mind his commentary except for when he diverts away completely and wants to push some minor point of clarification with ‘Hodgey’.

Wish he’d punch down on Hame instead.

Seems off field most have some story involving him being a campaigner. He used to coach his sons basketball team in Kyneton and was told he tried to finish a previous game early because it ran over the starting time of his team’s match.

He’s got some narcissist vibes.

 

[The 747]

Missed several genuine moments for BT specials, and generally sounded disinterested or just outright unprepared. It's been that way the last 2 years when he's doing his TV work.

Maybe a full-time shift back to radio is on the cards. Or maybe he just hates the Swans.

The difference between his radio commentary work - where he can be quite funny in the right environment - and his TV work is pretty stark. It is hard to avoid the same conclusion as you that he DGAF about the TV job.

 

[kneecapper]

Anthony Hudson is the only commentator I can stand. Would kill for a "Game and Crowd Sound Only" audio feed. They tried it years ago but probably realized how quickly it would put their whole commentary team out of a job.

 

[BigPond101]

The really great commentators (Hudson) make their call all about the game.
Some (JB) make it all about themself and sometimes the others in the box.

Hudson is great for the same reason he has gears... he can joke around when the game is boring and lame, he can put his serious voice on and have the perfect phrase for a winning last second goal

Guys like Gerard Whately have to commentate your basic 10 metre pass in midfield in the first qtr like its life or death because they have nothing else

 

[cznsnowy91]

He used to annoy the shit out of me, but I've gotten used to him and don't mind him too much now. There are way worse commentators out there that actively make the game worse with their commentating like Jobe Watson (How on earth does he still have a commentating job?) and Kelli Underwood etc. Can totally see why BT would annoy people though, he does say a lot of dumb shit, and very loudly.