Croft has to go
Discussion
the childish shouting to fake entertainment has grown wary on everybodys ears for some time. Let alone that he cleary has very little technical knowledge.
watching any other motorsport and you will see the complete difference. But F1 has been trying to dumb down to an audience for some time. See the AWS insights and wacky car rankings and made up numbers instead of giving viewers the actual data they would like.
watching any other motorsport and you will see the complete difference. But F1 has been trying to dumb down to an audience for some time. See the AWS insights and wacky car rankings and made up numbers instead of giving viewers the actual data they would like.
rdjohn said:
You have my vote - the guy is a moron.
The worst part is that I think SKY want him to perform in that way.
I agree, its pretty obvious Sky have tried to find another Murray Walker. For me he just comes across as a bit fake.The worst part is that I think SKY want him to perform in that way.
Stick Karun Chandhok in the commentary box with Martin Brundle, that would work far better imho..........
jb2410 said:
Crofty particularly grated on me this weekend, more than usual. Couldnt put my finger on why until I remembered last time out I had been able to watch the superb c4 coverage live instead 
I don't get the fuss about C4's budget version of coverage. Ben Edwards is a crap commentator. Its not just his constant wrongness or lack of knowledge, that's not uncommon in commentary especially the lead (ie non tech) commentator, its that he's really quite fatigueing to listen to when he shouts, his voice takes on an abrasive edge - in audio its been demonstrated that cheap gear that's being overdriven into distortion is more fatiguing to listen to, and you can't just turn the oaf down as its not just a volume thing. I wonder if you can have a form of post production to address it, like when they use autotune on shonky pop singers to make them sound like they can sing.
But yeah this weekend we've watched or recorded f1/2/3, BTCC, wsb, BSB, motogp, formula squE, and while commentary varies crofty is stand out annoying.
I've said for ages if f1 HAS to have a goldfish-attention-span grade of commentary that's "accessible to all" they should have a second audio stream available for those who can think, its not high tech, could be done remotely etc.
But yeah this weekend we've watched or recorded f1/2/3, BTCC, wsb, BSB, motogp, formula squE, and while commentary varies crofty is stand out annoying.
I've said for ages if f1 HAS to have a goldfish-attention-span grade of commentary that's "accessible to all" they should have a second audio stream available for those who can think, its not high tech, could be done remotely etc.
We know that can do the non-shouty routine, just listen to FP.
As others have said, I would assume Sky encourage the 'shoutyness' in order to ratchet up the 'excitement'. It grates for me too, but the only lead commentator who hasn't done it in recent times was Brundle when he took the helm with Coulthard. (And even then he was more excitable)
As others have said, I would assume Sky encourage the 'shoutyness' in order to ratchet up the 'excitement'. It grates for me too, but the only lead commentator who hasn't done it in recent times was Brundle when he took the helm with Coulthard. (And even then he was more excitable)
Croft tries extra hard to "hype up" the first lap entertainment by shouting at the mic, as the race starts with its usual predictably dull procession of Mercedes 1-2..... 
It's not his fault. It's part of his employer's strategy to do all they can to make the racing seem more exciting than it is, so that us mugs keep shelling out each month.
A good contrast is Alex Jacques' commentary in F2 or F3. He should be promoted IMHO. He won't be because the SkySports team seems to operate like a little club. Alex Brundle co-commentating on the support races - a case in point. Nothing against him as a commentator, but it proves the point.
Similar in SkySports' football commentary. Don Goodman has been the outstanding co-commentator in the EFL games for a number of years. Vastly more inciteful than the insufferably dour Gary Neville for example, but never gets a look in for the big (or small) Premier League games...
Nothing against Croft as a person. I spent an evening on a table with him at a benefit dinner a few years ago. He's naturally energetic and a genuine F1 fan. Maybe when you've been commentating for so many years you get overly used to the sound of your own voice....
It's not his fault. It's part of his employer's strategy to do all they can to make the racing seem more exciting than it is, so that us mugs keep shelling out each month.
A good contrast is Alex Jacques' commentary in F2 or F3. He should be promoted IMHO. He won't be because the SkySports team seems to operate like a little club. Alex Brundle co-commentating on the support races - a case in point. Nothing against him as a commentator, but it proves the point.
Similar in SkySports' football commentary. Don Goodman has been the outstanding co-commentator in the EFL games for a number of years. Vastly more inciteful than the insufferably dour Gary Neville for example, but never gets a look in for the big (or small) Premier League games...
Nothing against Croft as a person. I spent an evening on a table with him at a benefit dinner a few years ago. He's naturally energetic and a genuine F1 fan. Maybe when you've been commentating for so many years you get overly used to the sound of your own voice....
Yeah... bring back Jonathan Legard, James Allen, Murray Walker, Jonathan Palmer.....
You could give anybody that job and these pages would be full of the same regardless of their heritage, knowledge, skill or lack of.
It's entirely subjective. Crofty is excellent at what he does. Some people like his style. Others don't.
You could give anybody that job and these pages would be full of the same regardless of their heritage, knowledge, skill or lack of.
It's entirely subjective. Crofty is excellent at what he does. Some people like his style. Others don't.
I can forgive shouting but
- pointless statistic recounting
- 2 cars separated by 0.8 second] "IS HE CLOSE ENOUGH TO OVERTAKE???!!!!!??!!!"
- weird cliquey in jokes over and over and again ["hug it like..."]
- just no critical facility at all, no discussion of the implications of a strategy move etc. etc.
- two cars running close, one pits, runs a few laps faster than the other,. the timing on the screen shows the gap is now well within the pitstop time, 2nd car pits "ITS GOING TO BE CLOSE!!!!" or " WILL HE COME OUT AHEAD OF XXXX???" (we know the answer, its on the screen).
- pointless statistic recounting
- 2 cars separated by 0.8 second] "IS HE CLOSE ENOUGH TO OVERTAKE???!!!!!??!!!"
- weird cliquey in jokes over and over and again ["hug it like..."]
- just no critical facility at all, no discussion of the implications of a strategy move etc. etc.
- two cars running close, one pits, runs a few laps faster than the other,. the timing on the screen shows the gap is now well within the pitstop time, 2nd car pits "ITS GOING TO BE CLOSE!!!!" or " WILL HE COME OUT AHEAD OF XXXX???" (we know the answer, its on the screen).
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