Commentating ruins hockey

[supermann_98]

I’m with you, OP.

I’d pay to have the option to just have the rink mics.

Same here, I really wish it was an option

 

[Lame Lambert]

I’d do anything to not listen to Butch Goring.

 

[Mickey Marner]

I prefer when the Leafs play weekday away games so I don't have to listen to Paul Romanuk.

 

[Mr Positive]

I remember when CBC had a strike, and the games had no commentary at all, just the noise of the hockey and the arena. I actually liked it a lot.

Nowadays with HD tv you can see the numbers on the players, and you can tell what's going on. Maybe for casuals they need the commentary but I actually prefer it without

 

[Tofveve]

Try having to listen to Hughson and Simpson. Brutal.

Condescending and smug they are often.

Oh well.

 

[Tofveve]

I prefer commentating over the too loud sounds of skates carving the ice and sticks slapping on it. I hate it when they crank up the ice-level sounds way too much. Gets annoying.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I prefer when the Leafs play weekday away games so I don't have to listen to Paul Romanuk.

Why? He usually slobbers all over Matthews when hes doing Leaf games. Lol

 

[Legionnaire11]

Rink sounds only is good for hardcore fans who don't need any help to figure out what they're seeing. But new and casual fans need the help to learn the game. Most hardcore fans forget how much they learned about the game from TV commentary, even the lower quality announcers.

Besides, it would be interesting for the first few games and then it would be just as boring and annoying as the announcers. I think the best solution would be if the commentary crew would just talk less.

 

[biturbo19]

Do you really need someone to tell you whats happening during the game?

There seems to be this awful trend toward making the play by play conform to this misconception about what it's there for. So many of the current crop of play by play guys just sit there and list who has the puck and what they're doing. That sort of play by play really is quite pointless and sucks the joy and energy out of the game. I have an HD television set, i can read numbers fine thanks.

The best play by play guys don't focus on the minutia of exactly what's happening like that though. They describe what's happening and give it flavour. They reflect the ebb and flow of the game and manage to help convey the waves of momentum and energy throughout a game. Bring that extra layer of excitement to the broadcast. They're storytellers, not robots giving an account of which player has the puck at any given moment.

Unfortunately, those masters of the art seem to be getting few and far between these days.

 

[Mr Positive]

Rink sounds only is good for hardcore fans who don't need any help to figure out what they're seeing. But new and casual fans need the help to learn the game. Most hardcore fans forget how much they learned about the game from TV commentary, even the lower quality announcers.

Besides, it would be interesting for the first few games and then it would be just as boring and annoying as the announcers. I think the best solution would be if the commentary crew would just talk less.

or maybe they could replace commentary with some on-screen text that pops up, like "OFFSIDE". That would even help for casuals watching hockey in a bar as well, where you don't hear the commentary usually. The ultimate would be to have multiple options, and in the internet age that is certainly possible.

 

[gumgum]

i like to listen to the announcers and pretend they’re my friends watching the hockey game with me. we’re cracking wise and rough-housing a bit, but it’s all in good fun. they’re my friends.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Why? He usually slobbers all over Matthews when hes doing Leaf games. Lol

I prefer impartial commentating, but even if I didn't, his word choice is horrible.

"Like the predator he is..."

-Paul Romanuk on Erik Karlsson

Is that the sort commentating you enjoy? Probably not.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

I prefer impartial commentating, but even if I didn't, his word choice is horrible.

"Like the predator he is..."

-Paul Romanuk on Erik Karlsson

Is that the sort commentating you enjoy? Probably not.

It was tongue in cheek, my comment

 

[ChiefWiggum]

I enjoy the colour commentator. Outside of calling goals, play by play commentators in recent times have become a nightmare for english majors.

"Snake-ing his way into the zone" -Paul Romanuk

 

[Wayne Primeau]

Rick Ball and Kelly Hrudey form a great tandem, so I honestly quite enjoy the commentary. Honestly, if it gets annoying, then I'll just put the game on mute -- but with Ball and Hrudey, it never does.

 

[ijuka]

Commentating is terrible everywhere, agreed. For figure skating or speed skating I always watch the base feed with no commentary and it's always wonderful. I realize that people who don't know some players or who can't look at numbers might require them for hockey, but it'd be wonderful for knowledgeable fans to have the option to watch without because the experience as a whole is much better when you don't have someone yelling in your ear all the time.

Now, obviously there are differences in the quality of commentators but most of the time, no commentary is the most enjoyable way to watch hockey. This is something I actually found out while watching minor hockey. No commentary - So enjoyable.

 

[Master P]

I fully support you OP. I remember when they streamed the 2010 olympics and there was no commentary. Made the games a million times more enjoyable to watch imo.
Heres one of those games.

Edit, well I guess you'll just have to click the "Watch this video on YouTube" link lol

 

[JaegerDice]

If you have 5.1 surround or better, just unplug the center speaker. You get all the arena sounds from the side and rear speakers anyway.

It will also mute commercials.

 

[JianYang]

Back in 2002, there was a labour dispute at SRC (French CBC), so the habs/bruins playoff series was broadcast with no commentary. I loved it. I felt closer to the game with only the crowd volume heard, and it provided a unique atmosphere.

I would at least like the option provided by these networks to be able to switch from commentary or non commentary form. I'm no expert, but I don't think it would be too hard or costly to give the viewer the option.

 

[tony d]

To me, commentary adds and takes away from a game. I like hearing what is happening at a game, it's when they talk about something other than the game that bugs me.

 

[Lolonegoal]

Same here, I really wish it was an option

I’m with you, OP.

I’d pay to have the option to just have the rink mics.

As myself and now Jaegardice have now posted you can set up surround sound and unplug the middle speaker and will get rid of all the voices and leave the background 'hockey' sound. Logitech has a set that can be bought for under $100

 

[SenzZen]

As myself and now Jaegardice have now posted you can set up surround sound and unplug the middle speaker and will get rid of all the voices and leave the background 'hockey' sound. Logitech has a set that can be bought for under $100

Thanks, I appreciate the advice!

 

[Oneiro]

I think the future of broadcasting will allow you to have some degree of control over what you want to see and hear.

 

[mw2noobbuster]

I love watching hockey with only the natural sounds of the game. But more novice watchers would probably prefer commentary.

 

[HavlatMach9]

Good commentary is a pleasure to listen to.