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TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 10:49 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
Thought I start this for general comments about coverage of the games we're watching on tv, or listening to on radio. Can extend to domestic matches too. So not really just favourite commentators, but views about the quality of service, and updates about changes.

First of all, good to hear that TMS is covering the England winter tour of Australia. But bad news comes with the news that Glenn McGrath will be commentating on TMS on the home Ashes tour. Hopefully we'll get Maxwell. As an expert, Rod Marsh might be too much to ask for. Geoff lawson would have done though.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 10:56 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
Dave Warner's comments on twitter have caused a lot of soul searching by journalists about the status in the game of, not only themselves, but journalists who go into commentating, rather than from a playing background. I think Warner's implication that journos are slightly ridiculous figures because they were never good enough to play the game, has hit a raw nerve.

I miss the non playing commentator. Simon Mann isn't working on TMS at the moment, and CMJ has died. If players can't recognise what a commentator coming from a news, or colour piece background can offer, the show us your medals mentality, then sport commentary is going to be poorer for it.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 10:58 pm
by braveneutral
When did CMS die?! Oh no.

I think there always needs to be a balance between players and non-players. It gives a different perspective and often offers different insights.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 11:03 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
I chose to follow the first Test on the radio with the pictures on. I haven't done that for a while, and i enjoyed it.

It didn't entirely work because the radio commentary is about 15 seconds ahead of the pictures. I wonder if that is partly because Sky don't want you to do this? But it meant I didn't watch as closely because if the radio said nothing happened, I wouldn't always watch the ball.

But it was enjoyable. Ed Smith is new to me, but he was extremely competent and interesting, especially with Vaughan.

The other commentators work hard to make Boycott and Blofeld less annoying, much good work done by Coney in this regard.

But the real boon was looking up and seeing Nick Knight's muted mouthing on the tv. Though I always wondered what Atherton was saying.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 11:05 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
braveneutral wrote:When did CMS die?! Oh no.

I think there always needs to be a balance between players and non-players. It gives a different perspective and often offers different insights.


No, CMJ! I thought, what have I done!

I've corrected it now so it looks like you're babbling nonsensically, bn.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 11:12 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
Watching the tv with the radio on does liven the evening highlights up a bit (I watched Broad's 7fer again in the evening), because you get a new audio. And I'm a bit of a sucker for the verdict, if we've had a good day. Only a masochist would listen to Willis' views on a bad day.

Any reaction to the new BBC radio coverage of the county championship? I've listened to some of this for the first time, and it can be like listening to a couple of blokes talking in a shed. With similar atmospherics. I find the idea that there might be a few hundred in the ground, but it's still broadcast around the country, quite endearing. Proper public service broadcasting.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 11:30 pm
by braveneutral
Arthur Crabtree wrote:
braveneutral wrote:When did CMS die?! Oh no.

I think there always needs to be a balance between players and non-players. It gives a different perspective and often offers different insights.


No, CMJ! I thought, what have I done!

I've corrected it now so it looks like you're babbling nonsensically, bn.

Nothing new then, I thought that you meant TMS had died because Simon Mann wasn't commentating.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2013 11:43 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
There was a bloke on 606 who used to write really formal posts whenever a mod would start a thread with a TMS announcement. He never wrote anything other than to support TMS. Apart from when a 5 live football commentator was used. He didn't like that. Like Guy Mowbray. Except he loved Simon Mann. I reckon he might feel that TMS died because Simon Mann hasn't been scheduled so far this summer.

His user name was obviously his real name. Like David Allen. I imagine him posting with a shirt/tie, grey jumper and jacket on, and a cup of tea, with a saucer, on the go. Marvellous.

Though it being the internet, it was probably a 15 year old in character trying to work up a blog persona.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 1:45 am
by Slipstream
Arthur Crabtree wrote:I chose to follow the first Test on the radio with the pictures on. I haven't done that for a while, and i enjoyed it.

It didn't entirely work because the radio commentary is about 15 seconds ahead of the pictures. I wonder if that is partly because Sky don't want you to do this? But it meant I didn't watch as closely because if the radio said nothing happened, I wouldn't always watch the ball.

But it was enjoyable. Ed Smith is new to me, but he was extremely competent and interesting, especially with Vaughan.

The other commentators work hard to make Boycott and Blofeld less annoying, much good work done by Coney in this regard.

But the real boon was looking up and seeing Nick Knight's muted mouthing on the tv. Though I always wondered what Atherton was saying.


I like to watch SKY with the sound down so I can faintly hear who is speaking but not what they are saying and listen to TMS especially because of the small difference in time. I like to know what is happening before I see it. Of course if Boycott comes on TMS then I turn up the SKY commentary. When Holding is on SKY I have to adjust the sound to a low level where I can hear both commentaries at once. Holding and Coney are my two favourites. Don't like listening to Ed Smith. He hurries through commentary on the ball so he can talk about himself or one of his theories. Brian Waddle is very good as a ball by ball commentator.

I heard Blofeld had a cataract operation and I was expecting him to be able to name the correct players but no change there.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 6:20 am
by Arthur Crabtree
Blofeld mysteriously blunders on. Though i thought he reached a nadir around 2005. I read somewhere that he was having wine during play back then. So, allegedly.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:21 am
by DeltaAlpha
I never listen to commentators, full stop. I prefer to form my own opinions of things rather than to be told what to think about something I've just seen.

Sky coverage is beginning to annoy me. Endless lists of useless numbers and charts, numerous replays of every boundary, every wicket, and so on. I'd prefer just to see the action, much as I would if I were actually at the match.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:42 am
by Gingerfinch
Sky's commentators are fine when they are talking about the cricket. My gripe is when they go on about their games of Golf and meals out at the local fish restaurants.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 7:06 pm
by braveneutral
I prefer TMS but as I rarely get down to watch it and when I do I am fully engrossed then the time difference annoys me slightly. I wish they came to an agreement to get TMS on the red button.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 7:30 pm
by Arthur Crabtree
That wouldn't suit the Sky advertisers. Though it's an advantage of listening on the radio, that the adverts are less intrusive. You can just listen to Tuffers going, 'Ha, Hmm, Yes, Ohhh'.

Re: TMS, Sky, etc.

PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:30 pm
by D/L
Arthur Crabtree wrote:I chose to follow the first Test on the radio with the pictures on. I haven't done that for a while, and i enjoyed it.

It didn't entirely work because the radio commentary is about 15 seconds ahead of the pictures. I wonder if that is partly because Sky don't want you to do this?...

Certainly something to do with the uplink and downlink to and from the Astra satellite in geo-stationary orbit (36000 miles away? In the “Clarke Belt”? - DA would no doubt confirm) and the additional processing time for digital pictures, especially those in HD and/or 3D compared to analogue or digital speech signals, I think, AC.

I'd listen to the radio commentary whilst watching the match on Sky too, but for the delay and the fact that, on TMS, Henry Blofeld may grab the microphone at any time, not remove the plum from his mouth before going on and on about cakes or pigeons as if we, or the “dear old thing” in the commentary box with him, actually gives a stuff.