A few words of advice to be a commentator

[bzing]

Don't get over-excited. Yes the matches are exciting to watch and it's ok to say things like "brilliant shot" and such But contrary to the belief, nobody watching the matches want to hear "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW" "HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO !!!!!!"

Don't talk about what you're having for dinner. Viewers just want to focus on the match and only perhaps hear some interesting comments about the match, technique and the players. They don't want to hear what you're going to have for dinner.

The best way to comment on the matches is to comment on the point and give a short snippet of interesting facts about the player and END IT JUST BEFORE the player starts to serve. So do not continue to talk if the player is about to serve. Try to squeeze the interesting information just before the player starts to serve. That is where most people actually going to hear that information because most people probably watch the highlighted matches like on youtube and that is often just 3 seconds of time to hear the commentator just before the serve.

If you do caught up being late of what you were saying, and there happens to be an interesting point, do not interrupt of what you were saying just to comment on what a cool point that was. Finish what you were saying rather than getting over-excited about the point.

 

[bzing]

Here is a good example at 2:05. He abstained himself from getting over-excited because obviously it was very impressive by Ma Long to counter-loop those top spins like that.

But instead of getting orgasmic like some kind of kid such as "whooooooooo ho ho ho!!!!!!!" He just left an interesting feedback and comment on it afterwards which was -> "And what's impressive there when Karlsson smashing the ball, it's coming through..."

And that is professional commentating and not some immature, juvenile shrieking.

Look at here for instance at 5:34, the guy sounds like he's literally having an orgasm. No matter how exciting the point is, the viewers don't actually want to hear you getting excited over it, they just want to hear some eventual feedback, comment in the background that doesn't actually detract you too much from watching the actual match.

 

[Suga D]

Thanks for your probably well-meant 'advice' but I'm not sure what you are trying to prove.

Luckily everyone doesn't have to follow the same path, since people's tastes are different.
In fact, this 'standard' type of commenting you are promoting is what makes TT sometimes boring to watch.
I rather think TT broadcast needs more emotions and doesn't need more emotionless bureaucratism sounding like analytics.

If you think, you're so good at commenting and so full of knowledge about it, why not get a job at ITTF?
Otherwise your comment sounds a bit like smartazz haterism.

 

[mlax]

Pretty sure a lot of this is in response to Adams B's miserable performance on Saturday where he literally talked the entire time about anything BUT the matches

 

[Xylit]

For me, as a very experienced table tennis player and watcher, I don't need that standard type of commentator stating the obvious like: "No matter what Karlsson does, Ma Long gets back everything." Yeah thanks commentator but I have eyes myself. You are right that this might be the "professional" way to commentate but personally, I find it boring and completely useless. Maybe it is a help for a more inexperienced audience, no idea.

I like commentators talking about different stuff like their personal experiences with the players, talking about funny moments they had with the players, for me it is even more entertaining and informative to listen to what Ma Long had for lunch before the match than to listen to how much spin is in his serves. Therefore I like the kind of commentating Bobrow does pretty much.

 

[yoass]

Pretty sure a lot of this is in response to Adams B's miserable performance on Saturday where he literally talked the entire time about anything BUT the matches

I haven’t been able to see/listen to the saturday matches, but on previous days I was actually positively impressed by Adam. Acute, relevant remarks at the technical and tactical level providing useful insights every now and then.

And now I’m reading the oposite about yesterday. Off-day?

 

[sanavasaraja]

I downright adore Adams commentary; probably the best in table tennis so far. He brings so much excitement to the sport while watching, which, let's be honest, is incredibly beneficial to everyone involved. He provides a great deal of behind-the-curtain insight on top of commenting on the game itself. I prefer him over Don's and Jill's soporific snooker-type commentary ("... ... ... ... what a lovely serve [thanks for the input] ... ... ... ... ... ... ... [hello, are you still there?] ... ... ...") a thousand times over.

I write this comment realizing that tastes are different. But the hate Adam gets from what appears to be always the same type of people is annoying me a great deal. He's burning with passion and love for the sport and is doing a terrific job.

 

[Andy44]

I think Bobrow's improving and is now pretty good most of the time. Even at his best, with lots of interesting comments and humor, I find he talks too much, but of course tastes vary. Yesterday during the Germany-Korea match, he was at his worst. He wouldn't shut up. Many of his comments were off topic, inane, or sycophantic. He really needed the director to tell him to calm down, but instead his commentary became more intrusive as the match got more exciting. Just the opposite of what I think the best announcers do. The more exciting the match, the less they talk.

 

[bircham boi]

Aaannnddd... Here's a comment from a one-time Adam B. hater. When he started his commentating career, I really, really disliked his style. It was all, "Incredible! Unbelievable!" Those were his two favourite adjectives, combined with multiple wows and yippees of excitement - as the OP suggested, orgasmic. Given he came out with this stuff every second ball, it was not so much entertaining as it was embarrassing. It was also coupled with no explanation of what was happening, no background and no analysis. It was pretty much, "Look what I can see!"

Since then, AB has been on a learning journey. I haven't listened much to his commentary - I'm English by birth and stiff upper lip works perfectly well for me - but when I have I've noticed an increasing maturity in his style and his commentary. Still too exuberant for a fuddy duddy like me, but that's just personal taste.

WTTTC 2018. My thoughts. Opening rounds, I was really impressed with what he was bringing to the microphone. When coupled with others, he was displaying knowledge and insight, has obvious familiarity with both his subjects (the players) and his subject matter (the game in front of him). Genuinely impressed. Later rounds. At some point he's been coupled with someone who brings out the worst in him. They're like two little boys egging each other on to be more and more silly. There have been entire games when they've just told one another anecdotes and failed to note anything of interest in the play in front of them. I'm struggling to remember exactly which players were involved, although I'm pretty sure it wasn't any of the big guns, just those who were through to the round of 16. Not important enough for commentary when there was giggling to do. Last rounds. I don't know what his commentary has been like. I haven't been able to access the live stream or the recordings. The only vision I've had has been of the OP's post of the XX vs Fegerl match. I don't think it's his best work, but then it's hard to tell when it's edited and you can't get any sense of what's happening between points. Is he offering analysis? or is he telling funny stories with his mate? There were certainly a number of points where he was banging on about something before the serve and just kept going while the point was played out. Nothing to do with the current game or the current exchange.

But, should we criticise AB for losing it at 5:19? Yes and no. Yes, because the commentary in the first part of that quite extraordinary point is purely distracting. The English clown (imho) is still talking about "unclean serves" (Fegerl's I assume, from earlier in the match). Given that it's XX serving, then they're still talking about previous points while this one is under way. I simply do not have enough brain to process both analysis of a previous point and appreciate what is happening on the screen in front of me. Please, either shut up or describe, but don't rabbit on. And on the other hand, this is an extraordinary rally. XX's recovery and winning of the point do deserve exclamation's of amazement. If I had been in the crowd, I too would have been on my feet. I may even have called out with all my English enthusiasm, "Well done, old fellow." So no criticism of AB there, and he even makes an effort to point out in the replay that XX's return is RPB. But no points whatsoever to the other guy. (English, I despair to say. Nahwhamean?)

How would I score Adam Bobrow at WTTTC 2018? 5/10. Can do better. But then it's all a matter of personal taste.

 

[Xylit]

Now, a REALLY useful advice for the commentators:

We get just very few occasions to listen to the coaching during the sets or during a timeout, however, I find it extremely interesting to listen to what the professional coaches have to say. During this WTTTC we have microphones there and often are able to listen to the coaching IF NOT the commentators would not stop talking. So please, whenever we are able to listen to someone like for example Jörg Rosskopf the commentator's words become completely insignificant. So please commentators, just shut up and let us take that rare occasion to get an insight into professional coaching... damn that makes me angry!

 

[Ranger-man]

I downright adore Adams commentary; probably the best in table tennis so far. He brings so much excitement to the sport while watching, which, let's be honest, is incredibly beneficial to everyone involved. He provides a great deal of behind-the-curtain insight on top of commenting on the game itself. I prefer him over Don's and Jill's soporific snooker-type commentary ("... ... ... ... what a lovely serve [thanks for the input] ... ... ... ... ... ... ... [hello, are you still there?] ... ... ...") a thousand times over.

I write this comment realizing that tastes are different. But the hate Adam gets from what appears to be always the same type of people is annoying me a great deal. He's burning with passion and love for the sport and is doing a terrific job.

100%. I really don't want the standard feedback about what the players are doing. I can see what they are doing. I know what they are doing.

 

[Ranger-man]

Thanks for your probably well-meant 'advice' but I'm not sure what you are trying to prove.

Luckily everyone doesn't have to follow the same path, since people's tastes are different.
In fact, this 'standard' type of commenting you are promoting is what makes TT sometimes boring to watch.
I rather think TT broadcast needs more emotions and doesn't need more emotionless bureaucratism sounding like analytics.

If you think, you're so good at commenting and so full of knowledge about it, why not get a job at ITTF?
Otherwise your comment sounds a bit like smartazz haterism.

100%. I really don't want the standard feedback about what the players are doing. I can see what they are doing. I know what they are doing.

 

[Ranger-man]

For me, as a very experienced table tennis player and watcher, I don't need that standard type of commentator stating the obvious like: "No matter what Karlsson does, Ma Long gets back everything." Yeah thanks commentator but I have eyes myself. You are right that this might be the "professional" way to commentate but personally, I find it boring and completely useless. Maybe it is a help for a more inexperienced audience, no idea.

I like commentators talking about different stuff like their personal experiences with the players, talking about funny moments they had with the players, for me it is even more entertaining and informative to listen to what Ma Long had for lunch before the match than to listen to how much spin is in his serves. Therefore I like the kind of commentating Bobrow does pretty much.

100%. I really don't want the standard feedback about what the players are doing. I can see what they are doing. I know what they are doing.

 

[Ranger-man]

Now I know I quoted three posters on this thread and gave them all the same addon comment, but that is because it is what it is. I do believe Adam can get better, but this is the general direction I want commentary to go in. I want what I cannot already see and know without the commentators saying even one word. And this is evolution. In fact what could have made it better is not to tone Adam down but to increase input from Don. A better balance of the amount of input from both would have done the trick. The non-standard from Adam and the standard from Don is what worked.

 

[Baal]

He has gotten better but this tournament was a big step backward.

You don't need to talk all the time. It is not radio. We can see that shots are great. We only care about TT. Enthusiasm is great. Insight is greater.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

One thought about commentary, when
I don’t like it, I turn the sound down.

It is a long time tradition. I used to watch sports with my father. I can’t remember a sport where my father didn’t complain about the commentary. One guy was too frenetic, the next guy was too boring. I can’t remember how many times I heard him say: “I could have told you that.”

At a certain point I just started turning the sound off and watching without it. Being used to it, I kind of like that. I don’t need much commentary since I can see what is going on.

It’s up to you. But if commentary is getting under your skin, maybe you should watch without listening to the commentary.

I know that I like to hear the sound of the ball in TT. But I don’t always like listening to the commentary. And, in general, I doubt the commentary is for players who know as much about TT as most of the members of TTDaily’s forum.


Sent from The Subterranean Workshop by Telepathy

 

[Ranger-man]

I think we also need to keep in mind these guys get paid to talk. If they don't talk at all, or talk a lot less than they do, they won't get hired. And yes, the commentary is not for people like us. Frankly it does not bother me at all. I mean what will we complain about next, that the fans are too loud?

 

[zeio]

The ITTF could stream another audio track sans commentary. If people bombard them with emails, they might offer that.

 

[Free bird]

Yes, Adam ‘s wooohoing can be irritating to those on the losing side, kinda rubbing -salt-into-the-wound effect.
But I still like his work overall. Sounds like a likable guy. Better over enthusiastic than under for a commentator. You can always press the mute button.

Don't get over-excited. Yes the matches are exciting to watch and it's ok to say things like "brilliant shot" and such But contrary to the belief, nobody watching the matches want to hear "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW" "HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO !!!!!!"

Don't talk about what you're having for dinner. Viewers just want to focus on the match and only perhaps hear some interesting comments about the match, technique and the players. They don't want to hear what you're going to have for dinner.

The best way to comment on the matches is to comment on the point and give a short snippet of interesting facts about the player and END IT JUST BEFORE the player starts to serve. So do not continue to talk if the player is about to serve. Try to squeeze the interesting information just before the player starts to serve. That is where most people actually going to hear that information because most people probably watch the highlighted matches like on youtube and that is often just 3 seconds of time to hear the commentator just before the serve.

If you do caught up being late of what you were saying, and there happens to be an interesting point, do not interrupt of what you were saying just to comment on what a cool point that was. Finish what you were saying rather than getting over-excited about the point.

 

[TTHopeful]

Adam has definitely improved over the years, he is a lot more insightful and has fun stories about players which is very good.