Each week, millions of Americans gather around their television screens to watch professional sports. Living rooms are stocked with chips and dip as fans cheer for their favorite teams. However, through all the excitement, a key fixture of the broadcast is overlooked: sports commentary. Seldom noticed is the fact that viewers are forcibly subjected to narrations from (dominantly) men wearing headsets in response to every single play in the game. With the Super Bowl around the corner, it is time we abolish this custom, for a few reasons:
We Are Not Using the Radio
For the die-hard fans who have the misfortune of being away from a television during a big game, radio telecasts are necessary. This audio-based medium demands a play-by-play analysis because listeners are deprived of sight. The narrations of a witness – the sports commentator – is the only way listeners can understand the events in question.
Sports commentary makes sense on the radio, but not on television. Since viewers are able to witness the actions in real-time, the commentary is completely useless. Whenever a sportscaster announces that “Tom Brady just threw for another first down!” my reaction is: … I know. I saw it. Televised sports commentators have mastered the art of stating the obvious.
Commentary Is Annoying
Imagine, for a moment, that you have one ticket to see your favorite sports team. You are looking forward to seeing the action and feeling the electric atmosphere. You arrive at the venue and take your seat in the row – but it is between two people you do not know. As the game starts, the stranger on your left begins to summarize every play, and the stranger on your right begins to analyze every play. It then becomes clear that they are not talking to you at all, they are talking to each other. You just have the misfortune of being stuck in the middle.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime
How long before you either tell the strangers to be quiet or attempt to move your seat? Does this sound like a pleasurable experience? Of course not! But this is the exact predicament viewers find themselves trapped in whenever they watch a game on television. Viewers are at the whim of at least two sportscasters who refuse to give them an opportunity to speak. Since the commentators are having a conversation among themselves, the general public should not be held hostage. They can take their lame sports chatter somewhere else. To circumvent this issue, I once tried to watch the game with the television on mute, only to discover I needed the energy from other fans. Here is my demand to broadcasters: give us the raw footage and audio from the game, and stop coercing us into hearing endless drivel from pseudo-analysts.
Commentators Are Pretentious
Most commentators are former athletes and/or coaches in the sports they are analyzing. The expertise of these individuals, however, comes across as pretentious.
For example: the clothes of sportscasters. Football stadiums are packed with tens of thousands of fans wearing jeans, jerseys, and sneakers. Truly devout supporters often paint their bodies to match the uniforms of their favorite team. At any given time, 22 sweaty players are tackling each other into dirt. Viewers are at home with pizza crumbs on their T-shirts. Meanwhile, sportscasters are isolated in lofts dressed like this:
Photo Credit: Sports Insights
Just look at these clowns. Who shows up to a football game in a suit!? Come on! They are out of touch. This tells us that they are not real football fans; they are just parasites feeding off the culture. Why should we listen to their opinion!? They are not like us! I would much rather hear the thoughts of people who get drunk at their local bars watching the game each week … at least I know they are genuine!
The pretentious clothing is only compounded by their pretentious language. Our eyes and eardrums are mercilessly bombarded with pointless statistics about the game. To preserve their pitiful positions, commentators create ‘world records’ for the sake of declaring them broken later on. John Madden and other prominent has-beens make announcements such as “Joe Benchwarmer just broke the record for being the tallest person to run 3 yards after 10:00 in the evening!” News flash: no one cares.
The very existence of the sports commentator assumes that the masses of people are incapable of forming an opinion without guidance. We do not need our hands held by self-appointed father-figures. We need silence during the game.
October 2, 2016 at 10:31 pm
Lmfao exactly. I wrote about this on thecouchsports.com about how it’s a cliche revolving door of douchebags. The problem is, it’s not always us diehards. Alot of novices to sorts hang in to every word that these guys say. What’s crazy is I can watch sports without commentary but it will feel like I’m missing something. I’m brainwashed. Help me. Hahhahahahaha
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October 2, 2016 at 10:41 pm
Lol yeah – I will feel like I am missing, too. But after like 2 regular season games without John Madden’s annoying voice in our ear, we will be okay. Its not like he would be there talking in our ear if we were AT the game – so he needs to shut his mouth while I am watching at home lol
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October 3, 2016 at 3:30 am
Darryl you made an excellent point here! I never thought about it in that way. For some plays I need commentary though. Usually I’m pretty good with basketball, but football….if there is no commentary I’d be like huh??!
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October 3, 2016 at 3:38 am
Lol! I think it is all relative.
I grew up playing basketball so I can definitely do without that commentary. But I never swam much when I was younger, so during the Olympics, I would be like “huh?” without the commentary, lol.
Maybe the commentary should be optional: we should be able to hit a “Shut Up” button on the remote during games if we want! Lol =D
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October 3, 2016 at 3:54 am
I feel you on that. It can get annoying if you think about it. An optional shut up button sounds like a plan lol!!!
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October 20, 2016 at 7:46 am
Wow… That’s quite a different view of this but personally, I love listening to the commentary when watching movies soccer games. I must say I’ve picked up some interesting expressions from that. For me, it’s unlike watches movie with sub titles. I learn about the game more through the commentary. Nice piece though, Darryl. 👍
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October 20, 2016 at 11:57 am
Thank you ! ☺
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December 9, 2016 at 10:14 pm
Hi Daryl,
OMG I completely agreee. Im an avid footie (that’s soccer to you) fan. ManUtd, thats ma team. I love, live and breath them.
What I do hate is the whiny, whinging, biased commentary that usually follows my team when they play. In particular from some very annoying men who used to play for smaller, less successful teams when they were younger.
I don’t want to know what they think, I don’t want to know what they have just seen. I’m there man!. My blood pressure is already up there, I want someone who is in the same hands on my head place that I am in.
(OK breathe!)
Thanks for letting me vent! 🙂
Meya
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December 10, 2016 at 10:34 am
Hi Meya,
Great point!
Lol, yes whenever I catch highlights of a soccer game, the commentator is going above and beyond with the screaming. It definitely dulls the experience!
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February 3, 2017 at 7:14 pm
hmmm…good point. I don’t watch sports, but commentating does seem to be outdated and based on listening to the radio.
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February 3, 2017 at 9:00 pm
You aren’t missing anything lol. I only watch big events like the Super Bowl – not even for the game itself, but so I can find things to critique lol. The commentating from the TV is annoying … but I also hate when everyone sitting in the living room thinks they are a commentator, too. I’m like … listen … don’t make me dump this popcorn on you lol
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February 3, 2017 at 9:47 pm
lol
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February 4, 2017 at 2:46 pm
Applause…….!
I can go to, and enjoy a game, but I simply cannot be bothered to watch in on TV where I am bombarded with a bunch of inane chit-chatter! And instant replay? The Hell!
LOL!!!
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February 4, 2017 at 10:45 pm
LOL @ instant replay. How ridiculous: I just saw it. Why are you rewinding it over and over? Lol
And not for nothing : the New England Patriots are playing the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl. That is kind of like ‘my team’ facing ‘your team’ tomorrow. To keep it real: I hope the Pats lose. I hate the Patriots – for sooo many reasons. I hate the idea of patriotism. And I remember when I was a child, me and my dad went to a Patriots game and some drunk white boys in the stands were throwing popcorn at us because we were the only black folks around. So to hell with the Patriots. I want the Pats to lose just to disappoint everyone in my region. Everyone is running around with their jerseys on and talking all types of trash … these people need to be humbled. They need a reality check. I need the Falcons to win because these people in my area are feeling themselves TOO much. And the very word “patriots” oozes with lame white nationalism. Brady is a goddamned Trump supporter. People gave Kaepernick hell – well, lets talk about the fact that one of the most favored QB’s in the league supports someone who despises everyone except rich white men. So I am hoping the Falcons win by 77 points tomorrow lol.
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February 4, 2017 at 10:49 pm
YAAASSSSS!
Check this out Darryl, I wasn’t EVEN thinking about that shit until I found out the guy from the patriots is all up Donald Trump’s ass! Now I’m like GO FALCONS!!!!!!
LOL!!
I hope they whup that ass😂
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February 4, 2017 at 10:56 pm
Lmaooo word up! Let’s go Falcons, lets go! *clap clap* lol
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February 5, 2017 at 7:45 pm
Lady G you watching this????????!!!!
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February 5, 2017 at 7:47 pm
Chile, Lady G watching Sanford and Son😂😂😂
What’s happening?
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February 5, 2017 at 7:48 pm
Lmaoooooo typical!
Atlanta is up 21-0 with 2 minutes left in the second quarter. I said fu** Tom Brady LOL!!!
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February 5, 2017 at 7:49 pm
LOL!!!!
Look like tha brothas gone work it OUT!!! YAAASSSSS!!!
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February 5, 2017 at 7:57 pm
Rise up wit da Falcons y’all!!!
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February 5, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Yes. And Lady Gaga just did the halftime show. Absolutely horrendous. Up there lip syncing
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February 5, 2017 at 9:10 pm
Who she think she is? BE-ON-SAY? 😂😂😂😂
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February 5, 2017 at 9:11 pm
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 she think she Ma-ri-uh or something!!!??? Lol
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February 5, 2017 at 10:00 pm
😂😂😂😂
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February 5, 2017 at 10:28 pm
Lady G y’all had one job! I needed y’all to do one thing and you let Brady style one you like this in a historic come from behind victory?!?!?!?!?!?! I am tight right now lol
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February 5, 2017 at 10:29 pm
Ain’t that some shit!
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February 6, 2017 at 2:53 pm
Football announcers are the WORST, I’d love for there to be no announcing during the game. But for some strange reason, I actually like listening to TNT’s NBA commentators & when I do watch baseball, which is super rare, I think that commentary is necessary. But yeah, I agree, get those football guys all the way out of here.
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February 6, 2017 at 3:00 pm
Lol I feel you bro. I can sympathize with a baseball commentator because the pitchers take so long between pitches. The NBA ones, like Barkley, are at least funny – so I can appreciate them. I was watching the Super Bowl yesterday and I wanted to strangle those football commentators lol
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February 6, 2017 at 3:04 pm
Man seriously! I had to use mute & just play music. I can’t stand listening to Joe Buck do football, but oddly enough, I love listening to him call baseball games.
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February 6, 2017 at 3:06 pm
Football doesn’t need commentators, right? The sound of the players screaming, tackling, and smashing helmets is enough noise. The crowd is hype already. Commentators are overkill. Meanwhile, fans at Wrigley Field are damn near asleep so we need those commentators lol
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February 8, 2017 at 11:08 pm
I agree! I get so sick of hearing them put their two cents into everything. I also feel like this about this about celebrity gossip if only that could be abolished FOREVER! It’s crazy how they report everyday struggles these people face as if they aren’t human. I totally went off topic but you get my drift. LOL
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February 8, 2017 at 11:35 pm
Lol – I feel you. It is nauseating to hear constant “news updates” about celebrities. I’m mad that the media reports on it seamlessly too. They report on the weather, the stock market, and then they say: “Kim Kardashian appeared at the mall with her baby today. Back to you, Bob”.
You know what I really can’t stand about reality TV shows?! When they show a scene with a person and then they cut to an interview of that same person sitting down commenting on what they did/was thinking in that scene. Omgggg stoppp! LOL
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February 14, 2017 at 7:36 pm
I think it is solid in some sports (baseball and olympic events, mainly because these are slow or smaller audience understanding) but I definitely agree with ya man. I’d always thought if broadcasters might be best just moving over to allow the stadium crews to broadcast. So every PA announcement is all you get, then you’re left to have your own dialogue on top of the stadium sound. But there’s no money in it for ESPN, fox, etc. so that won’t happen lol
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February 14, 2017 at 7:48 pm
Lol, exactly! There is far too much money in this for them to back out. And great point about level of understanding in some sports. It would definitely be cool if the stadium crew could just give us their thoughts.
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February 16, 2017 at 5:04 pm
Is this for real? I appreciate the insight here and I agree that for some sports you don’t need them especially if you’re really watching the game with friends or something. But for actual diehard fans of any sport you need commentary. Not only do they add relevant points about what your watching but they help create and are definitely part of some of the most memorable moments in sports history. Sports needs guys with microphones talking about what they’re seeing.
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February 16, 2017 at 5:47 pm
Thank you for the comment. I respectfully disagree that it is “needed” – it is simply preferred. Look at it this way: when you go to an actual game, there is no commentary, so you clearly don’t “need” it.
Sports is a performance, right? Well, when you go to a concert there is no commentary, and when you watch one on TV there is no commentary. When you go to a play, there is no commentary, neither is there any on TV. So the question is: what sets sports apart from all the other performances that do NOT have commentary in the middle of them?
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February 16, 2017 at 6:15 pm
Thanks for the response! A performance is something scripted. Sports are anything but scripted, just look at how the super bowl turned out. No one could have seen that coming.(except maybe patriots fans-eye roll-” “Do you believe in miracles?!”.
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February 16, 2017 at 6:30 pm
Yeah, I feel you on that, good point! How do you feel about the commentary when the Cubs won after all them years? I don’t remember them giving me that *feel* of a “do you believe in miracles?!”. Whoever was commenting should’ve seriously sat down beforehand and thought of something catchy and epic to say!
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February 16, 2017 at 6:41 pm
Hahaha definitely could have been more memorable. Missed an opportunity for something great!
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February 16, 2017 at 7:09 pm
Lol. Check out the video from it. He said “and the Cubs finally win it all!” …. really? After 108 years, THAT is all you can say?!!!!! lolol
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March 30, 2017 at 11:04 am
lmao I’m glad I decided to read this. At first I passed it up as I’m not a sports fan. Then I thought…knowing Darryl, this is probably a satirical piece. Sure enough!
Most hilarious comment of the day: “I once tried to watch the game with the television on mute, only to discover I needed the energy from other fans.”
You tried to watch the game on mute?! If only you could see my laughing face right now.
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July 28, 2019 at 9:40 am
I don’t frequent this blog and don’t know if this is serious or not, but I’m going to assume it is.
I don’t like commentators either and agree people should form their own opinions rather than let themselves have them fed to them. Commentators just stress me. I think their banter is uncalled for. I think it makes sense for TV broadcasts to feature them for several reasons, though. Basically, it sells.
In the end, most people would rather hear the commentary, regardless of whether we think it’s good for them or not. It’s unfortunate for us people who would rather live in a quieter world, but it’s just how it is.
I disagree with your criticism about their dress code nonetheless.
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