The view from Dortmund, If we want the title, we have to beat Man City - Arteta. Michael Buffer has also appeared in popular talks shows like Late Night with David Letterman. The way he all too often shouted 'OH' in surprise slightly grated on us. Emrick's mix of encyclopedic knowledge of the game and humor is what endears him to fans. Switched to Boxing for 10 years before returning to football. Curt Gowdy is best known for his baseball coverage. Director of Policy. He worked extensively for the BBC and ITV Sport during his time. He has also commentated in the FA Cup for both Sky and BT Sport. The best there has ever been. 3. Well-known for his winter duffel coat, Motson fought off strong competition from fellow football broadcasting legends like Kenneth Wolstenholme, Brian Moore and Barry Davies to make the list. He led Eurosports commentary team for the 1990 World Cup in Italy, impressing so much that Sky used him for their Serie A coverage. On top of all that . He was just as good at golf and tennis, announcing the Masters 26 times and the U.S. Open 21 times. Having been a part of ITV's commentary team for a long time and eventually taking over the reins after the great Brian Moore retired, he has made a place of his own among other legends. That voice warmed a living room on a cold autumn afternoon. By 1986, he jumped to the national stage and was the lead play-by-play announcer for The NHL on NBC before going international as the play-by-play announcer for hockey at the 1992 Winter Olympics. Football Commentating Years On TV:1981-present day (BBC, ITV, Sky). Listening to great broadcasters talk about them. Jim Nantz, Sports: NFL, Olympics, MLB, NBA, NHL, horse racing, boxing. In a sport well known for prickly, sensitive players, Alliss earned acclaim for calling out players for what he thought was poor behavior, which didn't always make him the most popular guy in those circles. Between 1952 and 1969, Alliss won 20 pro tournaments, including three British PGA Championships and he also managed an impressive five top-10 finishes in the Open Championship. There's something soothing about turning on a game and hearing the familiar voice of an announcer we know, love and trust. 9. Football Commentating Years On TV:1966-2004, 2014 (ITV,BBC). NB due to rights restrictions there is no footage of Sir Peter O'Sulleven in this edit. However, his views are respected by millions of fans worldwide, who know him best for being the commentary partner of Clive Tyldesley in EA Sports' FIFA videogame series until 2012, when he was replaced by Alan Smith. Video, 00:00:59Celebrating 100 years of Wembley Stadium, I'm proud of my players - Chelsea's Hayes. A famous name in Australian Football League, McGuire was honored with the Australian Sports Medal in 2001. And it got us thinking: Who is the greatest British football commentator of all time? She has also worked as the official tv presenter and host for Manchester United, as well as hosting events for the Al Jeezira channel during the 2010 . World Athletics Championships - BBC commentators - Media Centre He also worked on many European Cup finals, including Celtics and Manchester Uniteds wins in the late 60s. As an actor, he is remembered for playing George Papadopolis in the TV series, Webster. The 5 Most Iconic Sports Commentators of All Time Blofeld was brilliant at setting the scene and would talk in lengthy detail about what was on offer for lunch, sometimes more enthusiastically than when describing the cricket itself. An eight-time Pro Bowl running back and former NFL Most Valuable Player, Gifford became even more famous after he transitioned to the broadcasting booth. Coleman also had the honour of describingGordon Banks incredible stop from Pele in the 1970 World Cup. Also known for her charitable work, Andrews played a key role in the Huddle to Fight Hunger campaign, which aimed to raise funds for Feeding America, a non-profit organization. Peter Kostis is a famous golf analyst and instructor who has taught some pretty big names to play golf over the years. But have we got it right? She also serves as an inspiration to those fighting cancer. But we feel Motson lost his magic in his latter years and fell out of touch with the modern game. She is the lead sideline reporter for Fox Sports' NFL broadcasting team. In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened. Thats it, thats it!Any other time those words would have been sufficient, although Johns was never bitter. Michael "Doc" Emrick got his nickname for earning his Ph.D. from Bowling Green State, and he carried it with him for a lifetime. Also? "They're all gone." Theres a good ball played in for Morley. One of the great corporate pitchmen of all time, Madden was reportedly earning around $5 million per year for the last decade of his career leading up to his retirement in 2009. The Lancashire man has also lent his voice to several TV commercials and his standing in English football can never be questioned. Look at his face! 'Oh I say!' Football Commentating Years On TV:1989-present day (BBC, ITV). Still involved in football at 89 years of age. Albert called some of the biggest moments in NBA history, but no recap of his career, regardless of his talent, should go without mention of his arrest for sexual assault in 1997, to which Albert eventually pled guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery. Although Davies was given European Cup finals and big tournament matches, he only ever commentated on two FA Cup finals for the BBC in 1995 & 1996. But I cant take it, man, when I see kids be given a raw deal." John Motson or Motty as he was affectionately known has commentated on over 2000 games for the BBC, more than anyone else. The movie. Hewitt was the leading voice of Canadian hockey for 40 years and hosted Hockey Night in Canada for most of the 1950s and early 1960s as well. Football has benefitted tremendously from this and the people who take the beautiful game to various homes across the world - the commentators - are widely applauded for their contributions. He has remained ITVs main football commentator ever since, describing further Champions League triumphs forLiverpool,Chelseaand Man Utd (again) and heading their commentary team at 5 European Championships and 4 World Cups. Probably BBC 5 Lives most famous commentator. The 10 Sport The 10 greatest bits of commentary ever Lee Honeyball Sat 5 Oct 2002 19.33 EDT 1 Said by When Lillelien's gloriously over-the-top response to Norway's unlikely victory over Ron. Known for his use of popular catchphrases, such as stay off the weed and blasphemous, Smith has been playing a major role in the success of ESPN's First Take. He worked for Southern, Yorkshire and Granada, before signing for the main channel and leading their coverage of the 1982 World Cup. That's because Walton overcame a debilitating stutter after his NBA career was over to become one of the preeminent NBA color analysts for most of the 1990s and 2000s. And theyve every right to go mad! describing Geoff Astles controversial goal againstLeedsin 1971, where the referee overruled a linesmans flag. Sadly, Brian Moore would not get long to enjoy his retirement. Samantha Ponder is an American sportscaster. He was the announcer for 16 Super Bowls for network television more than anyone else in history. Video, 00:00:33, Isak has 'characteristics like Thierry' - Howe. Starting his career as a ghost-writer for Jimmy Hills column in The Times, Martin Tyler had his first commentary gig in 1974 for ITV regional television. Apart from playing for popular clubs like Arsenal and Birmingham City, Scott also represented the women's national football team. The view from Dortmund. Anybody want to tell us what's more iconic than his "Do you believe in miracles?!" Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She hosts Dancing with the Stars for ABC and is a sideline reporter for Fox NFL.Andrews was previously a co-host of College GameDay on ESPN and a contributor for Good Morning America on the ABC network. The man, the legend known as "The voice of football" and is one of the greatest English football commentators of all time. Known as the other voice of the 1966 World Cup final, Hugh Johns ITV commentary of that match was unfortunately overshadowed by Kenneth Wolstenholmes famous line. What happens when sports commentators get bored in lockdown? You can't tell the story of college basketball from 1980 on without Vitale, whose gregarious personality and willingness to engage with fans has endeared him to and equally enraged college basketball aficionados the world over. 18:01 BST 30 Jan 2009. His was a throwback voice, deep and operatic. It's easy to see (and hear) why. He is credited with inventing the terms "slam dunk" and "air ball" and countless other legendary Chickisms. At just 53 years old and with the average career arcs of elite sports broadcasters, it's not a stretch to say Johnson will be calling games for at least another 20 years. He became their full-time football commentator in 1989, eventually being chosen to be part of ITVs commentary team for the 1990 World Cup. Moore very professionally took control of the footballing experts during those shows, putting many in their place, including the very outspoken Brian Clough. 17:36 BST 29 Jan 2009 Sometimes the weight of sports can get a little too heavy, with equal guilt shared between fans and broadcasters. That, my friends, is how you write a sports column about Keith Jackson. In 2017, he announced that he would return from retirement to work with TalkSport. Over the years, she has hosted important shows for various networks, including ESPN. Liverpools 4-3 win over title chasingNewcastle Utdin 1996 immediately springs to mind. From stat-tastic Motty to the legendary Peter O'Sullevan, we've come up with our favourite fifty masters of the mic. He was also a part of EA Sports' FIFA videogame series for a long time. Your email address will not be published. This footnote was added on Sunday June 1 2008. And now the only question was, could he make it around the base paths unassisted." Another commentator that some may say deserves to be much higher - maybe even No.1. Whether you're a die-hard fan of the sport or just looking to learn more about it, our channel has something for everyone. The 28 best TV game analysts in sports, ranked | Sporting News One of the things that get lost in being a sports announcer, sometimes, is the fact that you're still a journalist and your first allegiance is to journalism. How good was Summerall in the booth? Donovan Bailey, once the fastest man on earth, is a track and field legend having competed at world class level throughout the 1990s. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Craig Burley: I hit the bottle after Setanta gave me the axe, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_British_football_commentators&oldid=1118144227, This page was last edited on 25 October 2022, at 12:20. Is Gascoigne going to have a crack? He is you know. UK-based video journalist Brady Haran is known for his popular YouTube math channel Numberphile. Enberg was great in whatever he covered, but what set him apart from his contemporaries was his ability to call sports outside the mainstream, most notably in tennis. These women are changing the sound of sport - ABC OSullevan was widely known as the Voice of Racing and was knighted in 1997 the same year he took the mic for his 50th and last Grand National and, at the time, was the only sports broadcaster to have been granted that honour. Hes never had a cellphone. "Lebron James with no regard for human life!" The arc and influence of his career is still felt in every sports broadcast we view today. The Best Sports Analysts and Pundits in the UK - The Sporting Blog Video, 00:07:40O'Sullevan's Grand National greats, A new 'Murrayism' on F1 Rewind. She used to cooperate and work with the Real Madrid TV channel to report football programs. Brent Musburger, Born: Aug. 1, 1946 (La Fontaine, Indiana). To be given that 1995 final for the first time in his career was such an honour for Davies that he had his son, Mark, by his side for the whole commentary. Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. But it was football which was David Colemans first love, and he was always on hand with trivia and knowledge until his death in 2013. John Madden began his career as an announcer in 1979, following a decade as a coach for the Oakland Raiders, and would eventually become the first broadcaster to work for all four major networks. By commentating for so many different television networks, Peter Brackley was highly respected by the hundreds of colleagues that he worked with, who came out in force to pay tribute when he died in October, 2018. THE LIST: 10-1 of our favourite sports commentators of all-time Just check out the movie, will you?" An Evening with Peter Alliss. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. Well established and experienced. If we're talking about the most famous moments in sports announcer history, Al Michaels owns at least two of the top five and probably has the No. A proper commentator legend but he just lacks those memorable moments that some of the others further down the list have produced. Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler accused of 'racist' comment about Scully grew up in the shadow of New York's Polo Grounds and fell in love with the game for the first time after he experienced his first real sports heartbreak when the New York Giants lost in the 1936 World Series. It was a position would retain until he left the network in 1996, regularly describing First Division matches, League Cup fixtures and European ties, as well as covering three World Cups and three European Championships from 1986-96. Vin Scully is the greatest pure baseball announcer of all time, and it's not even close. The view from Dortmund. If you don't receive an email, please check your spam or Promotions Tab and "move us" to your primary inbox! With Hereford surprisingly beating the First Division side 2-1 on the day, the game was pushed to the main feature of the programme. His brother Aaron Rodgers is a popular football quarterback. Who could forget "He's still Michael Jordan"? . Who are the best F1 commentators in the world right now? JONATHAN PEARCE Burst on the TV scene with Channel 5 in the 90s. Video, 00:00:59, I'm proud of my players - Chelsea's Hayes. He went on to be employed by both ITV and Channel 4 and his meticulous planning for every race ensured his knowledge of the drivers, teams and venues was second to none. Yes!" He also appears on SportsCenter and hosts his own radio show, The Stephen A. Smith Show. He was so much more than just his most famous line: "They think it's all over, it is now!". It was at the same channel when he commentated on his only major final the 2000 League Cup final betweenLeicester Cityand Tranmere Rovers. So to coincide with BBC Two documentary An Evening With Peter Alliss, BBC Sport asked its audience to recall their best commentary moments via #bestvoiceever and vote on their favourite commentators. and, most famously, Hank Aaron's record-setting 715th home run in 1974. broadcasting games at the NCAA tournament, falsely accused Olympic bomber Richard Jewell, guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery, legendary header in the 2011 Women's World Cup, best-selling video game series of all time, talking about Jan Van De Velde's meltdown, his famous call at the 1980 Winter Olympics, Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals. Born: May 17, 1959 (Charlotte, North Carolina), Sports: NFL, college basketball, NBA, golf. Your favourite commentators & their phrases, 'Oh I say!' Their voices and personalities changed the game. He died in 1985, at 82 years old. He currently works for Sky Sports but is rarely heard doing Premier League matches these days. 3. Then, he hit it big when NBC kingmaker Don Ohlmeyer hired him in 1980, famously saying the 28-year-old Costas "looked like a 14-year-old.". During his time with the corporation, Motty oversaw over 200 England games, including many at major tournaments. Hottest female sports presenters - from Iker Casillas' gorgeous ex to Motson once went to cover an FA Cup tie at Wycombe Wanderers, only for the match to be called off due to a blizzard, which led to him reporting from Adams Park in a sheepskin coat; an item of clothing that he was associated with for the rest of his career. Renee Paquette is a Canadian television personality and host. There is no one remotely close." Michelle Beadle is a sports reporter best known for her association with the popular cable sports channel, ESPN. Here are some of my personal favourites: And Leeds will go mad! Hes gonna flick one. Having commented both on football and boxing, Darke was one of the four members of Sky's 'Big Four' commentators alongside Martin Tyler, Alan Parry and Rob Hawthorne. Davies continued to work on football until 2004, when he stepped down. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Your top commentators. Twenty-four years later and Parry is still one of the main commentators for Sky Sports, covering seven League Cup finals in that time. A sportscaster is a person who gives information and news about sports events on television or radio. Miles Harrison Harrison is Sky Sports' lead rugby commentator and has built up an impressive rugby commentary CV. He retired after France's win in the 1998 World Cup final and died of massive heart failure in 2001, at 69 years old. He could transition easily between play-by-play and commentary. He participated in and won season 12 of the reality TV show The Bachelorette. There are no winners, only survivors." Jim Rosenthal An old school voice of ITV and also a very decent presenter. One of Corbyn's most trusted lieutenants, he is likely to become even more influential over the next twelve months as he starts drafting some firm policies. Scully died in Aug. 2022, at 94 years old. GERALD SINSTADT A commentator, presenter, reporter, writer and narrator. Costas worked for NBC for 40 years and won 29 Emmy Awards, and no game ever seemed too big for the Queens, New York, native. Although it was well known that he was number two to Brain Moore during his time at ITV, Johns would often get the big matches at major tournaments, due to Moore presenting the coverage from the studio back home. Having said that, we take a look at ten of the best football commentators of all time. Over the years, she has hosted important shows for various networks, including ESPN. With an audience of 26 million watching that match against Croatia, Clive Tyldesley is more than comfortable commentating on the biggest of sporting occasions. From then on Tyler became number two commentator to Brian Moore, working on two European Championships and the 1986 World Cup. "Oh! In 2013, she was awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting and journalism, while BBC Radio 4s Womens Hour included Balding on their list of the 100 most powerful women in the UK. Born in 1932 in Kent, Moore covered nine FIFA World Cups and more than twenty Cup championship finals in his long career. He is also credited with owning a sports statistic monitoring service called Pro Football Focus. Mike Ingham did that brilliantly on BBC Radio 5 Live from 19772014. You can just imagine how Moore would have loved to have commentated on that game. Walker was voted the greatest sports commentator of all time in a poll conducted by British sports fans in late 2009 to underline just how much he was loved. She also played for Great Britain at the London Olympics. Murray Walker attends the opening of McLaren London's first UK showroom at One Hyde Park on 21 June 2011 in London, England. Darren Fletcher BT Sport's main commentator for the last few years is one of the best around right now. Alan Parry started his media career on BBC Radio, before moving to television in 1981 to commentate on Match Of The Day. Score it. BT Sports main commentator for the last few years is one of the best around right now. Oh, its a wonderful goal!screamed Moore, not quite believing what he had seen. Although he retired from active commentary in 2008, Motson did a lot of highlight packages and Match of the Day specials for BBC. The main commentator, also called the play-by-play commentator or announcer in North America, blow-by-blow in combat sports coverage, lap-by-lap for motorsports coverage, or ball-by-ball for cricket coverage, is the primary speaker on the broadcast. As a commentator, Alison Mitchell has had to counter a presumption that men know more about sport. Be the first one to comment on this story. ", Murray Walker:"There is nothing wrong with the car, except that it's on fire! Alan Clarke (sports commentator) David Coleman Mike Costello Andrew Cotter David Coulthard Robyn Cowen Bill Cox (golfer) Steve Cram Leanne Crichton Darrell Currie D Barry Davies Huw Llywelyn Davies Jonathan Davies (rugby, born 1962) Steve Davis Brendan Devenney Paul Dickenson Peter Dimmock Dougie Donnelly E Ben Edwards (commentator) F Mimi Fawaz Allis recent passing prompted plenty of tributes from the world of sport from players and fans who grew up listening to him. In the history of football, there is one voice that stands above the rest. An old school voice of ITV and also a very decent presenter. Foster Hewitt, Died: Sept. 1, 2001 (age 69, Greater London, England). His wordsWhat a save, Gordon Banks!were used on Englands Euro 96 song, Three Lions.. Here is a list of some of the most famous sportscasters of all time. Blessed with the ability to read the game with impeccable accuracy, Beglin has never quite been a primary commentator but operated alongside the likes of Peter Drury and Martin Tyler. Video, 00:00:43, I'm proud of my players - Chelsea's Hayes, Will Bellingham stay or move? Before retiring from TV commentating in 2017, Motty worked for the BBC on 10 World Cups, 10 European Championships and 29 FA Cup finals. Although he has worked extensively with BBC Radio and Sky Sports in the past, Darke has also been employed by ESPN. Throughout his time at Sky, Tyler has witnessed many dramatic matches, providing memorable lines along the way. "This is so, so, so, so sad. This list has people from all over the world and contains names such as Deion Sanders, Nate Burleson, Jordan Rodgers, Tazz and Beth Phoenix. He ended up covering nine Olympics, including covering water polo at the Summer Games in 2004 and 2012. BBC pay 2021-2022: The full list of star salaries - BBC News The greatest golf announcer of all time is Peter Alliss, who had a respectable career as a player with five top 10 finishes at the British Open in the 1950s and 1960s. He earned a J.D. He's. This started off a rivalry between Davies and Motson, mainly portrayed in the media, which would go on until Davies stepped away from football in 2004. More recently he oversaw Englands embarrassing Euro 2016 defeat to Iceland and then two years later, their World Cup semi-final loss. But these are who I believe to be the ten greatest British football commentators that have graced our TV screens. And its in.Also, 18 year old Michael Owens wonder goal against Argentina in Moores final tournament. Our team of experienced snooker analysts and commentators . We think Johnson is one of the more underrated broadcasters of all time. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Allis had a brilliant knack of describing the action in a down-to-earth, often humorous manner and, like the best commentators, always seemed to find the perfect, simple words at the right time. IAN DARKE One of the original Sky commentators for the Premier League. Gifford was at his best on "Monday Night Football." ", Ted Lowe:"For those of you watching in black and white, the brown ball is directly behind the green. Known for his tremendous ego as well as his talent, Cosell's most famous call came during a MNF game on Dec. 5, 1980, when he announced to a shocked nation that John Lennon had been shot to death in New York City. Over the course of an approximately 60-year career, he provided play-by-play of various sports for several .more 2 Al Michaels New York City, New York, United States of America 73 votes . OH WHAT A GOAL! Al Michaels, making his famous call at the 1980 Winter Olympics, Bob Costas was only 22 years old when he caught his first break as the radio announcer for the St. Louis Spirits of the American Basketball Association. That Visser spent a majority of her career doing sideline reporting and didn't get a chance in the booth until 2001 as a color analyst for NFL games is more of a testament to the inherent sexism in the business. Doesnt his voice just take you back to your childhood and listening to the football on the radio because Sky didnt exist? Simpson murder trial and when he started a legal defense fund for falsely accused Olympic bomber Richard Jewell. Some City fans have . A short spell on Tyne-Tees television was followed by presenting music and childrens shows before retirement. Its a great run by Michael Owen and he might finish it off! Costas carved out one of the greatest careers in broadcasting history over the ensuing decades. Football Commentating Years On TV: 1958-81 (BBC) It's often said that David Coleman was responsible for making BBC Sport a worldwide brand. Enberg died of a massive heart attack in 2017, at 82 years old, and just one year after his official retirement. Football Commentating Years On TV:1968-1998 (ITV). Stephen A. Smith is an American sports journalist, sports radio host, and sports television personality. It wasn't all gravy with Musburger, however, as he never backed off some controversial comments on Olympians Tommy Smith and John Carlos and once got in a fistfight with "NFL Today" gambling expert Jimmy The Greek. His career came to an unceremonious end following tabloid headlines of an extramarital affair in 1997, and he never returned to broadcasting. Your email address will not be published. ", John Motson:"Oh that tackle was so hard it probably hurt his whole family. Visser spent a decade as a reporter with The Boston Globe before making the jump to television work, where she's the only broadcaster, male or female, to work the Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, Olympics, Super Bowl, U.S. Open and World Figure Skating Championships. It's sad that a new generation of baseball fans don't know Harry Caray. Her hard work paid off when she was made the host of ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown. Darke has a lot of experience, having covered big games like the FIFA World Cup final thrice as well as regular games in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League on numerous occasions. McKay died in 2006, at 86 years old. Andy Gray, who also had a stellar career in top-flight football with the likes of Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton and West Bromwich Albion, has had a stop-start career in media due to several disciplinary issues. "Waffleboarded across the net!" Sportsmail Reporter, Erik Ten Hag's press conference ahead of Man United v Aston Villa, Man City boss Pep Guardiola speaks on his adoration for Ilkay Gundogan, Bale says Ryan Reynolds CAN'T tempt him to play for Wrexham, For Rugby and for pancakes: Manu Tuilagi will stay for another year, Jack Wighton breaks down in tears over 'very tough week', NRL admits officials likely cost the Dolphins with shocking error, Cody Simpson showing fans his insane workout program, MMA Fight Academy - Car Park wrestling session, MMA Fight Academy - Connor Wilson sparring, Nicho Hynes gives medal and jersey to late NRL star and coach's son, Ryan Mason says Spurs came together as a team in draw with Man United, Erik ten Hag admits Man United didn't play their best game. 10. Weve shared a clip of each of them in action to help you identify each of them.
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English