27 replies to this topic

[mc mong]

For those bored with NZ’s tired old SKY commentary team, any ideas on how to liven up the coverage???


1. Foreign guests in the commentary box. Like the Channel Nine cricket team’s token outsider, it would be nice to have a foreign guy thrown into the mix for a little perspective. Mexted did a stint in South Africa last season, maybe they found it refreshing? Maybe it would stop our guys being too cringe worthy at times. It could be someone serious or a carling or fitzsimmons type who tries to play up to an annoying persona to get media gigs in nz.

2. Paul Henry in the commentary box. Ok I don’t know if he knows much about sports but he is a natural on camera and strikes a chord with the common man. Like when Mexted first burst on the scene (commentary-wise) his irreverent one-liners were fresh and funny and he was quite popular. Of course now his typical stichk has became stale and we need something to replace his dirty old prevent routine. Henry could be the guy to liven things up.

3. Improved stadium mics. One of the best things about being at a game is the funny comments spectators yell out. Of course some of these will probably involve questionable language but why not try to push it to see how far they can get away with? In test cricket, because the stadiums are usually empty, you sometimes hear a drunk guy yelling inappropriate things.

4. Bullrush competition for every spectator at the stadium. Anyone with tickets who arrives at the game 30 minutes before kickoff can enter. Last man standing gets to watch the game in a corporate box with his mates with complimentary free beers. And if Sky broadcast this instead of Nisbo and co saying stupid things like “Yeah Kamo, I think the team that scores the most points for the full 80 will be the winner on the day” – people might actually tune in to the pre-match coverage. And you could collect all the winners and have an ultimate bullrush competition at the end of the season - a curtainraiser before a final/semi final and crown NZ’s bullrush champion. Then winner could even get a trial with his NPC team.

5. Sideline comments from a grumpy old man. Why not enjoy sideline comments like they came from your own grandfather: “These guys are shit. Back in my day…” Fin the oldest guy at the ground, give him a seat right on the pitch with a microphone and take it from there. Or surely they could unearth some characters from the rugby clubs around the country.

6. Referee cam. We’ve had the referee mic’d up, but now let’s take it a step further and follow the play from the man with the whistle’s point-of-view. We often wonder how the ref missed something. Now we can see the game exactly through his eyes and settle the debate: is he blind or just stupid?

7. Any good ideas??? ...

[Gibbit]

A function in your SKY remote where you can vote for which player should be subbed off...or even out of the squad for good? yes Dane Coles, that means YOU

[BartMan]

I liked it when you could turn the comms off, and just have the reff and the crowd noises.

Number 2 - you mean that git from morning TV - I am not a fan, as you might have guessed!!

[Scorz]

More cheerleaders, shown more often, doing more, in less clothing.

[Red Beard]

More pre game and halftime footage inside sheds. More footage of teams training in weight room, on track, in boxing gyms etc... More interviews in the cowshed with former NPC grassroot greats...

[papamoan]

stephen jones in the commentary box, but only typing not speaking would be a classic..... for warriors ratings that is

[Plastic Patrick]

S14 here is shown on a Saudi channel. They don't sell much advertising against it so when you go to adverts we just see the cameras keep rolling. One match in SA the camera man was getting some real close up shots of the cheerleaders arses not aware that this was being telecast to the Arab world. The picture went dead as the Saudis cut the feed and coverage came back on only with the first kick of the match.

[Smuts]

Each week they should have a crew of buddies a chance to do commentary on the simulcast. Just mike up some spectator's den and let them talk sh!t. Bound to be more entertaining than what the professional commentators have to say.

[Tim]

Smuts said:

Each week they should have a crew of buddies a chance to do commentary on the simulcast. Just mike up some spectator's den and let them talk sh!t. Bound to be more entertaining than what the professional commentators have to say.

Sky NZ used to do "commentary idol" in which they'd run something like that.

[Paj]

Same idea as UK Sky Football, a "Fan Commentary" Two rival fans commentate on the game. Was sometimes better than the usual pro's, soetimes it was horrific too.

[taniwharugby]

yep there should at least be an alternative commentary, have local and foreign comms and you choose which one to use (or as above, atruly alternative one)

[FredDagg1979]

1. Great idea
2. Diabolical idea.
3. Better suited to WWE
4. Great idea - but everyone will have to sign a disclaimer before entering because of the OSH Nazi's.
5. A cycnical old sod - like the 2 old men from the Muppets (Statler & Waldorf?) would be the ideal. In fact I could be that cynical, grumpy sod.
6. No. Take the mic's off the referees and we will get less show ponies officiating. Do we really give a shit what they are saying?

The coverage needs some new faces. It needs Mehrtens. It needs less shots of the coaches in the stand (especially 2 seconds after a try). Less shots of spectators being drunken thugs, more shots of old ladies giving the ref shit. Less replays of the same thing over and over and bin the TMO once and for all so we can watch some rugby rather than fuck around waiting for bureaucrats to dither.

I do like a lot of things about Sky's coverage - the camera work, the graphics, and many of the people. I especially like the intro for test matches which features a lot of excerpts from the covers of old match day programmes - that is the games heritage and it always reminds me of it. It's a thoughtful Fred today - must be because I have to wear fairy wings when sitting at my desk today.

[HB]

FredDagg1979 said:

It's a thoughtful Fred today - must be because I have to wear fairy wings when sitting at my desk today.

Genius! Get Ian Smith to wear fairy wings while interviewing players post match!

[Crucial]

"commentary Idol" - love the idea, pitch it to a TV producer now!

As for coverage I recall seeing something (it may have been league) from the UK where the sideline comments person was cut to after tries to give a ground level perspective of what happened. He had a 'roving camera' with him and walked around while talking instead of being a statue. It gave a real feeling of things you may not have picked up on on the standard camera shot and brought you down to the ground level for a feeling of being there. It is abit hard to explain, but came over really well IMO.
I also like the knowledgable analysis that comes up at times on Foxsport from Rod Kafer. He points out some really good aspects (especially on back play) that are missed in the Rah-Rah commenting and gives a coach like understanding of what is happening.

[mariner4life]

Quote

As for coverage I recall seeing something (it may have been league) from the UK where the sideline comments person was cut to after tries to give a ground level perspective of what happened. He had a 'roving camera' with him and walked around while talking instead of being a statue. It gave a real feeling of things you may not have picked up on on the standard camera shot and brought you down to the ground level for a feeling of being there. It is abit hard to explain, but came over really well IMO.

Really? i fucking hated that. The aussies used to do it to when Matty Johns was still allowed on TV, it shits me. While you obviously liked it, to me it didn't add a damn thing to the coverage except give some ****** a chance to wander around saying obvious shit while the players jogged back to halfway in the background. I don't want to look at commentators or "analysts" i want to look at players. THe body language of a bunch of guys running back to halfway having conceeded points can tell you a hell of a lot about how a game is going.

Agree with Fred about the over-replaying of incidents. Rugby isn't played in super slow-mo (except by me in the last 10 minutes, and that is not by choice) it is played at a frantic pace. Slowing every incident down to almost still frame to try and identify a perceived injustice just gives fuel to those with a persecution complex, or who love to jump on refs.

[MN5]

The bullrush would kick arse although there will be someone who gets smashed and then it would be banned quicker than you can say "PC".

Coaches and reserves distracting the refs so your team can get up to some dastardly tomfoolery would be good too but again this might be a bit too WWE.....

How bout some heart rate monitors ? in a contact sport these may be tough to implement but in the cricket they have been a wonderful addition. That way you can check if Tialata/Lauaki are really busting a gut based on their pre match resting heart rates.

In all seriousness though I think commentators from whatever country we are playing is a must. Waquar Younis and Tony Cozier worked wonders here recently and its always good to get inside knowledge on our opponents.

[FredDagg1979]

MN5 said:

The bullrush would kick arse although there will be someone who gets smashed and then it would be banned quicker than you can say "PC".

Coaches and reserves distracting the refs so your team can get up to some dastardly tomfoolery would be good too but again this might be a bit too WWE.....

How bout some heart rate monitors ? in a contact sport these may be tough to implement but in the cricket they have been a wonderful addition. That way you can check if Tialata/Lauaki are really busting a gut based on their pre match resting heart rates.

In all seriousness though I think commentators from whatever country we are playing is a must. Waquar Younis and Tony Cozier worked wonders here recently and its always good to get inside knowledge on our opponents.

The contribution Nick Farr Jones make to Bledisloe Cup tests hosted in NZ is great - I'd like to see more of that. In many ways, I'd like to hear the commentary of the host nation when the AB's play overseas - variety is the spice of life after all.

[Allstar]

I don't know why Sky can't use the other audio channel to have 'stadium sound', they feed it through the Sports Ears at the ground, and it's not like an additional audio sub-channel takes up much bandwidth.

It would be great for tests if you could tap into the home and away commentary, but they seem to have done away with this.

[taniwharugby]

wonder when/if Sky will start having some decent interactive features?

Dunno if they still do it, but when I was in the UK, the BBC were covering The Open, and through the interactive service, you could choose which group you watched.

They could easily give you the local or foreign comms option, or as Allstar says, just stadium sound, option for a different camera?? (high overhead, sideline etc??)

[BartMan]

they already giove you local / foreign coms for test matches. and used to do the ref thing which was cool too - you could just watch the match and get the crowd, but turn off Mexted and the usual suspects who have pissed yuou off from minute one!!

[taniwharugby]

how? I've never seen that option?

[Razbra]

On screen stats option. The ability to choose a player at random and see how much work he's getting through.

[taniwharugby]

mate, just access to any decent and accurate rugby stats would be great, let alone onscreen!

[BartMan]

play with your buttons TR - think it might be the + one, then gives you options.

[Razbra]

taniwharugby said:

mate, just access to any decent and accurate rugby stats would be great, let alone onscreen!

In OZ you can do it with the NRL or you could anyway,Im sure Mariner, Booboo or Duluth can correct me there, but Im pretty sure they had some kind of set up where you could nominate at least one player a match and follow his progress and even independent camera angles of the individual.

Edited by Razbra, 01 February 2010 - 10:00 AM.

[MN5]

Razbra said:

On screen stats option. The ability to choose a player at random and see how much work he's getting through.

Partially changing the subject but the Sunday Star times used to do a great list of tackles made/broken/assists/lineout wins etc the day after each test. Where did that go ? I'll never forget Austin Healy's "efforts" in 98 against the ABs. A colossul 5 metres made with ball in hand, 2 tackles made ( and 5 missed ).

[Allstar]

BartMan said:

they already giove you local / foreign coms for test matches.

they don't do that very often, only sometimes with games from Supersport with Afrikaans commentary.

There are none of those interactive features available at the moment. The only interactive option is the betting channel. Would be great to Sky Sports active, where you could get on demand higlights and/or sports news etc.

[taniwharugby]

BartMan said:

play with your buttons TR - think it might be the + one, then gives you options.

is it specific to MySky and/or Rugby Channel?

New to MySky and no RC.

The stats I want are the ones they show up on a player during a match, and the ones we hear the coaches rate; first to a breakdown, tackles, assists, rucks hit etc.