Who is your least favourite "pundit" and why?

First topic message reminder :

This conversation was just starting on another thread, so thought we should give it some air...
Personally it's Jiffy. His voice irritates me beyond belief. He doesn't add anything to the commentary, as he appears to know very little - despite having been a phenomenal player himself.

Who are your least favourites? Healey (probably never returning to the BBC now - the plank)
Moore? Guscott?

Actually the most biased commentry are on the local Welsh channels.

When I watch them on the Red button it is so xenophobic it is embarressing.

Think Healy x 10

luckless_pedestrian wrote:

CurlyOsp wrote:Dislike: Eddie Butler, his over pronounciation of French players names is very annoying.

It's not over-pronunciation, it's correct pronunciation.

It's 'correct' in the same way that Manuel from Fawlty Towers was like an authentic Spanish waiter.

Jiffy has a tendency to cheer lead for wales which is annoying.

e.g when cuthbert made a break against italy he was premature - "he in here" then cuthbert was run down by the cover defence but scrambled over on his knees saving what would have been an entire omelette on jiffy's face.

His analysis of general play is quite good when reviewing the slow motion replays. He should stik to that and cut out the cheer leading.

SafeAsMilk wrote:

luckless_pedestrian wrote:

CurlyOsp wrote:Dislike: Eddie Butler, his over pronounciation of French players names is very annoying.

It's not over-pronunciation, it's correct pronunciation.

It's 'correct' in the same way that Manuel from Fawlty Towers was like an authentic Spanish waiter.

No, it's just correct.

clearly Jiffy is getting the most votes.

If i want a cheerleader i'll just go sit next to welsh supporters at the pub.

no one needs it being piped out of the telly.

plus his voice is fecking annoying it has a very whiney tone to it.

With the exception of Brian Moore, I find them all irritating. No bull with Moore, fair to both sides.

There needs to be a shake up. They have been about for years, seem overly 'snug' in their jobs and feel very tired and stale to me.

Eddie Butler - I know he isn't a pundit.........but what a poor commentator. In the past few weeks alone he has forgot French names, was silent as Tom Croft went for the line, has been offering 'opinions' (Moore's job) when he should be describing the game and perhaps making it sound exciting, etc.

Davies. He's just SO one-sided. All through the Italy match at the weekend he KEPT on syaing they were going to cut loose, and then it didn't happen for most of the game. And his constant use of "They've GOT to go left!" and "Numbers!" Oh, and his man-worship of Shane Williams, even when he wasn't scoring tries.

Guscott is unbearably smug but at least he doesn't commentate. And I actually like the Flying Potato. And as for Nicol? He seems constantly stuck in a depressive state because of Scotland's current state. Couldn't they find someone slightly more jovial?

Moore and Butler as previously mentioned are a good double act and I love it when they commentate together.

Moore I like especially his exasparation at every scrum and his odd couple relationship with Butler .

Scott Gibbs when he is over from South Africa talks entertaining drivel with a pained face usually focusing on some word he has just picked up like "plethora" thrown in every other sentence .

Inverdale has a long history of semi-deliberate wind ups of the Welsh rugby public but has strangely grown on me over the years a at least he loves rugby . Biggest disasters have been people dragged in from other sports who clearly haven't got a clue such as Steve Ryder and Rosenthal who basically fake it .

That Sonia Macgloghlan also seems anxious to ask a question just to wind someone up usually whichever coach she is interviewing.

No one can be worse than Joost Van Der Westhuyzen in his brief spell as a commentator. He used to ask appalling questions to opposition captains: "How do you feel about being beaten by the Boks?" (how does one answer that?) and to crown it all, he awarded a Tri-Nations trophy to the boks even though the All Blacks had one it! (He was a great player, mind...)

.

Mine has to be Inverdale. His obsession with Jonny Wilkinson is both annoying and unhealthy...we can only hope that stops now JW is retired from international rugby. I also can't stand the way he has to bring England into the conversation when they're not playing.

Lucky - speaking of Butler - I used to get annoyed by the way he pronounced Delon Armitage as "Dul-lan" Armitage.

Jonathan Davies.
So one eyed its unbelievable!

His performance during the Wales v Italy game was shocking, I had to turn him off.

Strange that some people are finding Inverdale to be improving with age. Could be like wine aging? Or, for me, like cabbage aging.

Others I enjoy the least:
Neil Francis who I truly believe won the "How Long Can I Hold My Breath Under Water + 1 Minute" competition.
Jonathan Davies - but only for his voice. Otherwise entertaining, and I enjoy the bias. Shows he still has the passion.
There are a few boring ones, but I can't remember thier names.

I do like the Odd Couple of Eddie Butler and Brian Moore (whose book I recommend).
Used to really like Will Greenwood, but has gone just a little too squishy for me: "I just loooove how he just squeeezed throoouugh that gap. Oooooh."
I like the main Aussie commentators, they crack me up. Just like having blokes sitting next to you at home having a pint (in their case 6 pints).

I don't mind Jiffy, but I can understand why he gets on other people's nerves.

If you want one-eyed, try Australian commentators during the international summer tours or the Tri-Nations. Unbelievable.

Cari wrote:
If you want one-eyed, try Australian commentators during the international summer tours or the Tri-Nations. Unbelievable.

Thats true

doctor_grey wrote:I like the main Aussie commentators, they crack me up. Just like having blokes sitting next to you at home having a pint (in their case 6 pints).

I can't stand them, for the reasons you like them!

Cari wrote:If you want one-eyed, try Australian commentators during the international summer tours or the Tri-Nations. Unbelievable.

Yeah, but they're oddly likeable in a similar way to those Fosters advert blokes.

"Hooroo!"

Like
Brian Moore
Jonathan Davies (better when not doing Wales games)
Ben Kay

Dislike
Eddie Butler (smug wind up merchant)
Jerry Guscott (super arrogant idiot)
Andy Nicol (anti English chip on his shoulder - Alex Salmond's secret love child)
John Inverdale
Austin Healy

Don’t Mind
Lawrence Dallaglio (has improved with time)
Keith Wood

On the very few occasions Healy actually commentates on play itself then he seems quite insightful and I think would probably make a decent coach but the problem is that he is a complete and utter plank who has to act the cheeky idiot. I have no idea how anyone would ever employ him.

Ben Kay and Brian Moore are my favorites. Moore because he’s passionate and tells it like it is (and is the first to tell us English what were doing wrong) and Ben Kay is very knowledgeable and understated like a commentator should be, and really should be working the internationals and not just stuck with ESPN. Jiffy has grown on me and I now actually enjoy his ‘jiffyisms’.

Not sure who the Irish commentators were at the weekend - the summarizer was okay but the main guy seemed very pro Ireland and the only time he mentioned anything to do with Scotland it was ultra negative.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:I can't stand them, for the reasons you like them!

Its funny. No one is on the fence about these guys. Either like 'em or dislike 'em. One of my mates down the road came over for breakfast to watch Super 15 on Saturday and complained the whole time. One of my sons like them, the other doesn't.

Phil 'One More Year' Vickery probably isn't the best chap to have on the commentary team based on last year's World Cup droning.

The ultimate insult from hell.......

B91212 wrote:Andy Nicol.........- Alex Salmond's secret love child)

What woman would..........
.....never mind.
The visual is awful beyond reason.

Agree with Phil Vickery - for someone who played rugby he seems to know feck all about it, and he was boring.

doctor_grey wrote:The ultimate insult from hell.......

B91212 wrote:Andy Nicol.........- Alex Salmond's secret love child)

What woman would..........
.....never mind.
The visual is awful beyond reason.

and yet there it is. In my head. Thanks a bunch

The worst pundit without a doubt is Alfie Thomas. His performances at the WC were terrible.

IMO he was an OK player, a poor captain and is a very poor pundit.

It should be a prerequisite for pundits to be articulate. Gareth Thomas, for all his strengths, is not articulate.

doctor_grey wrote:

luckless_pedestrian wrote:I can't stand them, for the reasons you like them!

Its funny. No one is on the fence about these guys. Either like 'em or dislike 'em. One of my mates down the road came over for breakfast to watch Super 15 on Saturday and complained the whole time. One of my sons like them, the other doesn't.

Usually I dislike the Aussie commentary although I have to say, I very much enjoyed this piece of commentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6W0IqUcL60

Guscott and Wood. Both really boring, both talk a rare amount of turd.

Used to dislike Moore because he was quite biased towards England. Doesn't seem to be anymore plus he's not afraid to say things like:

Oh no we don't like to see punches thrown. Actually that's not true I do quite like it.

Hugh Bladen is my favourite commentator.

Brian Moore came out with a great line on Sunday, something along the lines of, 'I don't care that Alain Rolland can speak French, it just means he can be wrong in two languages.'

He really wasn't enjoying Rolands reffing. Said he was trying to be the star of the show.

The more I see that Ashton try the more I think, so what!

He really does just step inside one player who slips. Bowes against France I think was much better, as was Norths against Ireland.

I love the way Aus comentators react to bits of skill, like Shanes offload in the England World cup game 2003? They go nuts for that little pass!

John Inverdale without a doubt, has THE most punchable smug face on earth.

How that utter effwit was chosen to go to Hawick and make the Bill McLaren interview I'll never ever know.

That stain doesn't even deserve to drink the puss from the boil on McLaren's erse.

Really don't like him.

Not a huge fan of Eddie Butlers monologues.

I think Brian Moore is superb, if a little demanding at times. He should comment on every English international for this reason:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTQWT-B0EBw

thebluesmancometh wrote:The more I see that Ashton try the more I think, so what!

He really does just step inside one player who slips. Bowes against France I think was much better, as was Norths against Ireland.

I love the way Aus comentators react to bits of skill, like Shanes offload in the England World cup game 2003? They go nuts for that little pass!

hmmm, I think you are ignoring the turnover on our own try line, Youngs step and go from behind our own try line, and then Lawes (a lock) creating an overlap and giving a beautiful pass, and then skinning the FB from a stop start. Perhaps you have only seen the last bit of the try? His two against Wales in Cardiff a few months later were far, far easier.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure it got international try of the year?

SafeAsMilk wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:The ultimate insult from hell.......

B91212 wrote:Andy Nicol.........- Alex Salmond's secret love child)

What woman would..........
.....never mind.
The visual is awful beyond reason.

and yet there it is. In my head. Thanks a bunch

Your both more than welcome

Who is the lady that does the touchline interviews. She really irritates me. Asks a rehearsed question and then spends the whole time whoever is answering nodding her head, not listening to the answer whilst trying to remember the next rehearsed question which may have been already answered so that when she asks it the guy she's asked just looks blank.

It's the nodding bit that annoys the most, what are you agreeing with lady you're not even listening.

Like a nodding dog.

Did I say she nods a lot?

A Healey by a long way, luckily we don't see much of him or better still not at all, his analysis is always how England could have scored a try when the other team is on top. My feelings may be influenced by him and Dawson undermining the Lions tour of Australia managed by G Henry. The guy is a complete P**** not even his team mates had any time for him.

Worst, in this order in my opinion:

1. Butler - His poetry-by-numbers previews are cringe-inducingly awful. We get it, you think rugby is romantic, but enough of the cod-DylanThomas BS.

2. Guscott - Not a clue what he's talking about, horribly smug, completely inconsistent messages and comments from one sentence to the next, clearly dialling it in. Get lost.

3. Nicol - No Andy Nicol, Dan Parks is NOT 'world class' His thorough dislike of the English is not even thinly veiled. I like the Scottish team, but as soon as I hear his voice i'm supporting the opposition.

4. Jiffy - 'Numbers! Numbers!' Given this is his only contribution of note, it's a shame he almost always fails to notice that the numbers are in fact even whenever he thinks it's 'on'. He is incapable of objectivity.

I like Keith Wood and Brian Moore - the latter possibly only because he's English, i could see him getting on my wick if i supported another team. Inverdale i refuse to class even as a pundit, he is appalling. Even i wince when he steadfastly refuses to discuss any team but England.

All in all, pretty terrible, but somehow i prevent myself putting my foot through the telly.

God i forgot about Healey. Well as an analyst he's fine, if he's asked to contribute anything more...god help us

I can’t stand Jiffy and I’m Welsh, his commentary and voice is annoying.

Love Brian Moore, really gets into the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTQWT-B0EBw

B91212 wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:The ultimate insult from hell.......

B91212 wrote:Andy Nicol.........- Alex Salmond's secret love child)

What woman would..........
.....never mind.
The visual is awful beyond reason.

and yet there it is. In my head. Thanks a bunch

Your both more than welcome

I hope you will pardon me if I am reluctant to offer thanks for THAT.

This thread is more a reflection on us than it is on the pundits/presenters.

The Most Favourite Pundit thread gets 11 comments...this one gets 90.

People love to Hate

Yet, didn't many of us also comment about those we do like?

We do this to counterbalcance the dislike comments because we are good hearted people. And because we don't follow directions well.

Inverdale is a complete clown, very smug, cheeky and sensationalist on thing's he doesn't really have a clue about.

Andrew Cotter, even as a Scot he just ruin's every game i hear him commentate on, the way he constantly speaks about Scotland's "inability" to score tries, even after they just have really get's on my nerves. He even now commentates on tennis and golf thus ruining my experience of watching that as well.

monty junior wrote:Inverdale is a complete clown, very smug, cheeky and sensationalist on thing's he doesn't really have a clue about.

I don't understand comments like this. John Inverdale played rugby (I think he still does). He knows what he's talking about.

I can't believe I'm about to defend Sonja McLaughlin, but when she asks stupid questions or continues to press people to talk about things they're clearly not going to talk about - Welsh players and the Grand Slam, Stuart Lancaster and his job prospects - it's not her fault; she's only asking the questions the production team want her to ask, in other words, doing her job.

But I still don't like her!

SecretFly wrote:This thread is more a reflection on us than it is on the pundits/presenters.

The Most Favourite Pundit thread gets 11 comments...this one gets 90.

People love to Hate

I'm ashamed to say I completely missed the favourite thread!!

Moore is annoying for the most, stunningly biased towards England but I love it when he sulks and is quite funny on occasions. That said Jiffy is as biased, but I am Welsh so it does not bother me lol

Jonathan Davies. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Do you want bland, objective analysis? Or do you want entertaining characters who are biased and impassioned, but also knowledgeable? I think Jiffy is hilarious, and "numbers" is his catchphase, of which he cannot and should not be deprived. Likewise, it would somehow be "wrong" if Brian Moore started praising a referee. Whining is what the guy does, and he does it superbly. Of course the greatest of all was Bill McLaren. Who can forget "Gerald Davies - what is he doing there!" "he's going in like a mad octopus," "tonight they'll be dancing in the streets of Taranaki/Pontypool/Kirkcudbright" etc. Magical stuff.

samuraidragon wrote:Do you want bland, objective analysis? Or do you want entertaining characters who are biased and impassioned, but also knowledgeable? I think Jiffy is hilarious, and "numbers" is his catchphase, of which he cannot and should not be deprived. Likewise, it would somehow be "wrong" if Brian Moore started praising a referee. Whining is what the guy does, and he does it superbly. Of course the greatest of all was Bill McLaren. Who can forget "Gerald Davies - what is he doing there!" "he's going in like a mad octopus," "tonight they'll be dancing in the streets of Taranaki/Pontypool/Kirkcudbright" etc. Magical stuff.

Thread was after least fav.

I would imagine there would be hardly any opponents to the great Bill McLaren. Had the honour of buying the man a beer in Hawick some years ago and listening to him talk of his beloved gamewill remain with me. His study of the game he was going to commentate on was intense and almost OCD. I think his commentary held more content on the game than the radio commentators.