Are There Any Voices of Sport Anymore

GB72

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Just wondering if there was anyone now that you would still call the voice of a sport.

This came to mind when thinking about the passing of Ivor Robson, OK a bit unique in that he was part of the event and not a commentator but without the likes of Bill Mclaren, Peter Allis, Murray Walker, Eddie Waring, Richie Benaud (in fact most of the classic test match special and cricket team, and John Motson, is there anyone now or anyone up and coming that could be the voice of a sport again.

Sadly, I suspect not as we seem to have lost the art of the great commentator to be replaced by celebrity punditry
 

Orikoru

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Barry Davies was one of my favourites as well - he's still alive but not doing much commentary these days.

Martin Tyler was arguably the voice of football until he stepped down recently - not that I was much of a fan of his. It takes time for somebody new to earn that status though.

Clare Balding the voice of horse racing? 😆
 

TimShady

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We’re just so saturated with sports coverage now that it’s difficult for one person to steal the limelight I guess. I can’t think of a single person in a single sport that stands out above their peers.
 

Lord Tyrion

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This is a great point.

I'll go Jonathan Agnew on TMS, one of the last old school people out there.

I nearly wrote Barry Davies, @Orikoru , one of my favourites, and far superior to John Motson imo, but he was/is a voice across many sports rather than just one. Great commentator though, whatever the sport he is covering.

Sadly, I think you are largely right. The style of the commentator has changed now and there is a/ too much chatter b/ too many monologues c/ too many attempts to get in scripted soundbites instead of letting things evolve and react to what is happening.
 

GB72

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Sad day for me was when John Motson went to Talksport. Something so sad about a great of the game reading betting odds and promoting a failed football based stock market gambling system. To me a bit of a taint on his legacy.

Agnew is a good call and it is good that the TMS team do bring in new recruits to work with and learn from the older pros but the balance has slipped now with too much youth and not enough experience.

I do enjoy listening to the Tigers on local radio. There is far more character with the presenters. Sadly not the same since the passing of Bleddyn Jones who commentated on Tigers for 35 years.
 

RichA

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To my surprise, Stuart Broad and Stephen Finn are already really good cricket commentators on Sky and TMS.
 

HomerJSimpson

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Was lucky enough to spend a lot of time playing golf with Dan Maskell, the BBC tennis commentator for the young 'uns. Absolute gent and so many stories about the greats of the day

For me
Football - Motson
Golf - Alliss (went on too long in the end) and Murray
Tennis - Maskell, McEnroe
Horse Racing - Peter O'Sullivan and Richard Hoiles (who I went to primary school with)
Cricket - Laker, Benaud, Bumble
F1 - Murray Walker
Boxing - Harry Carpenter

Hard to think of too many modern equivalents in various sports that own it in the same way as these did
 

rudebhoy

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Was lucky enough to spend a lot of time playing golf with Dan Maskell, the BBC tennis commentator for the young 'uns. Absolute gent and so many stories about the greats of the day

For me
Football - Motson
Golf - Alliss (went on too long in the end) and Murray
Tennis - Maskell, McEnroe
Horse Racing - Peter O'Sullivan and Richard Hoiles (who I went to primary school with)
Cricket - Laker, Benaud, Bumble
F1 - Murray Walker
Boxing - Harry Carpenter

Hard to think of too many modern equivalents in various sports that own it in the same way as these did
Add Bill McLaren to that list.
 

pendodave

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For radio footy, I like John Murray. Also enjoy his golf.
Peter Jones (not sure if he's still with us?) also great at both.
Bryan Butler.
Odd that they're all regional accents (to me, a South Easterner).
 

Bunkermagnet

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John Murray for me with the footy commentary
Agnew for cricket, along with Tuffers by his side. But also Graeme Swan and also Alex Hartley for a new name, I think she's cracking to listen too.
Was very sorry when Harry Carpenter gave his sports up.
 

Lord Tyrion

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For radio footy, I like John Murray. Also enjoy his golf.
Peter Jones (not sure if he's still with us?) also great at both.
Bryan Butler.
Odd that they're all regional accents (to me, a South Easterner).
Peter Jones and Bryan Butler were both wonderful commentators but sadly no longer with us. Radio commentators for football are often overlooked, but those two were superb and very much part of my childhood and beyond.

John Murray is a good shout. He is more in their mould than most of the other radio commentators.
 
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