When they will watch the old matches of Lin Dan with a commentary like this one? Hopelessly embarrassing. I am posting this thread having paused the video at 5:17 with a part of me laughing at the title of the video. Shouldn't it read 'Online Tutorial on how to beat Lin Dan' ? I have seen so many matches involving Federer,Messi and Curry but never seen something like this. Your views ?
That is Morten Frost accompanying Gill Clark, is it not? I don't see anything for either commentator to be embarrassed about. Gill Clark often asks her colour commentator what it will take for the player who is losing or who is the underdog to fight back and win. If you don't hear the same types of comments in other sport broadcasts, perhaps it is because the colour commentator has never been on the coaching bench for the underdog you are watching. In this case, you have someone who I believe had coached Jonassen in the past and who can also translate the comments made on camera to the player who was behind. That was the main question there. In that match you had the world #1, who was coming up on an incredible 4-year anniversary of taking the #1 spot and he was in the middle of his 8th straight win against the then-world #5. Jonassen had beaten Bao Chunlai for the first time earlier that year and he had also beaten Chen Jin for the first time since Chen was a teenager. What else would you expect them to be talking about?
What I expect? I expect the male commentator to show little enthusiasm and not suck the life out of the word 'entertainment'. It's alright, he can be happy if Lin Dan hits a winner and express his joy,no longer a sin in that age and time. But alongside the bore Gillian Clarke, this guy seems to me is connected to Kenneth's coach via some device and constantly advising him what he should do and what was the length of his previous short. Poor TV audience who has bit of affection in the corner of their heart for Lin Dan seems like a victim of this style of commentary. Certainly not expecting a 'trickier than a monkey up a monkey tree' like commentary of Ray Hudson on Messi or 'In an era of specialists,You are either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, a hard court specialist or you are Roger Federer'. But something a bit more interesting.
I am sorry, I don't understand all your monkey comparisons, but I find Morten and Steen to be 2 best commentators for badminton. Their insights on tactics and behind the scene information are amazing and what make it really fun to watch. Surely he is discussing what needs to be done to bit Lin Dan. You don't think it would be more upsetting for Lin Dan funs if commentators would discuss what LD needs to do to bit Kenneth ?...
Actually, I never made any monkey comparisons. You may want to read my post again. And the best commentators don't really discuss what needs to be done to solve the puzzle of player 'X' but appreciate what has been presented on the table by using their imagination, fancy tongue and technical knowledge. These constant tutorials when shake hands with Gillian Clarke's bias and sheer dissatisfaction could be unbearable at times.
There are not so many good commentators and I am sorry you are really taking it out on the best of them. I very much prefer their style to 'LCW, number 1, LD number 238 (or whatever his lowest runking was in 2013). Let's see who will win this match". Don't remember who was it, but I was even embarrased to hear it... I think Gill is more neutral lately and I don't even mind if she is against a player, or pair I like. She is still great and you need to be really a fanboy to get offended by these innocent how to win Lin Dan discussions...
What's your point? In my view, you're thinking way too much of it. I've practically seen every match on youtube where Gill Clark and Morten Frost were commentating, and the last thing that I've felt was embarrasment. They are a terrific duo in commentating in my opinion: Gillian talks about the passion and emotions on court, while Morten talks more about tactics and technique. It gives a dynamic synergy. Thanks to them I've learned so much more about badminton and for me it's a joy to watch matches with both of them in the commentary booth. I struggle to see why there's such a 'hate' against Clark (as I've witnessed this in other threads as well). As there's one person who is totally passionate about our sport, a well-spoken ambassador, and can bring it to the people, it's Mrs. Clark. In all honesty, I think it's grossly unfair towards her and totally uncalled for this thread.
I find this thread pretty pointless as well. I happen to find Gillian Clark a wonderful commentator. She has her biased moments but then again she was a former professional and have some decent knowledge of the game. Furthermore, she gives us insights into the lives of players off court as well. I don't see why some often complain that Gill is too biased towards European players. I think she wants the best for badminton. Steen and Morten are great when it comes to the technical bits and I've always loved the Gill+Morten combo. You can't get any better than these three. I wouldn't complain if I were you. I doubt it will be easy to look for better replacements in the future. For lousy and unknowledgeable commentators I would probably look back to the pre-Gill Clark era, check the 2004 Athens Olympics, now that was horrible.
my favorite gillian clark line, after about 4 shots, is "good rally, this is..." i'm a technical player so i love morten's commentary.
Makes me wonder... how long has Gillian been commentating badminton? I've got some videos from 1995 (!) with her commentating, so it should be at least 21 years now. She never gets boring though, big fan of hers!
Morten is Danish. Kenneth is Danish. Quite understandable that he was rooting for his countryman and less enthusiastic about LD than you would have liked. Embarrassing? Give your head a wobble! You're embarrassing yourself.
Badminton commentary is pretty horrible. This is not really news. In fact, I think it has some of the worst commentary in all sports Just mute it and enjoy the match is what I do.
I like Gillian a lot (and like everyone I think her "what a rally" is so classic these days), but I will agree that badminton commentary is more on par with a late night public radio smooth jazz show then morning DJ shows. If you are not a badminton fan, you will get turned off from the commentary right away. Meanwhile, something like basketball, a sport I have no interest in, is very exciting to listen to the commentary because they are so hyper and excited they drag you in (my boyfriend likes to watch basketball and while I am bored by it I can't help getting sucked into the commentary.) I think one thing that would help is to put the commentators right in the middle of the crowd like other sports do. Not separate them into a small, quiet corner like it is now. SO the excitement and the energy of the crowd can infect the commentators. Badminton does need to be more exciting to watch and while I myself love the the current commentators, it's only because they are classic and have their own catch phrases that I look forward to. Even when I started playing badminton it took me awhile to get into them, and I think i someone doesn't play, they aren't going to be brought into the sport at all by the current way it is broadcasted.
Any chance that what you are really noticing is a difference between European and American commentators? Your description reminds me of this football comparison. In badminton, the biggest departure from British style that we see is Charmaine Reid but it is too early in her career to compare them. I've never heard an American on the BWF channel. Those of you in the U.S. likely have during the Olympics or perhaps for local tournaments. I believe even NBC hired the Canadian Reid for at least some matches in Rio. No idea if she was paired with an American or what (s)he sounded like. The American style that Trevor Noah is lampooning there fits to a T that Canadian-born ESPN commentator who was a one-hit wonder at the Athens Olympics men's singles final.
