I watched quite a bit of the French Open on Tennis Channel's website today. The commentary was done by several different people, all of whom did a fine job of calling the matches, but none of whom knew anything at all about the players or the tour. The service is a very good one, but it would be nice if the commentators were familiar with the players' careers.
On television, Tennis Channel is promoting its "French Open Tonight" feature by promising to introduce its new commentary team member, Tatiana Golovin. The promotional photo of Golovin looks more like a marketing ploy for Playboy than for tennis media. I'm nor surprised, though; after all, this is the company that failed to fire Justin Gimelstob, or to even issue an apology in a way that didn't require a pickax and a miner's lamp to find it.
Note to all commentators: Stop referring to screaming as grunting. Get a dictionary.
Sometimes commentators should just say nothing, or find a way to say something that doesn't make them look quite as bad.
ReplyDeleteSay, rather than Ted Robinson saying, "Tomorrow Sharapova is playing a Belarusian I've never even heard of," maybe it should go, "Sharapova's opponent is a Belarusian named Yakimova. I'm not all that familiar with her career. Katrina?" (or Corinna, or insert appropriate broadcasting partner thrown under the bus to bail him out of an alley he shouldn't really have ventured down to begin with).
Just a thought. ;)
Oh Todd, there you go again--trying to get them to make sense...
ReplyDeleteThey should all read your blog, Diane, you seem to have the mine of information on every player!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Beatka. I just can't fathom how fans know about the players, but people who are paid to know about them do not.
ReplyDelete