Phil Clarke - leaving Sky

[graveyard johnny]

John Shuttleworth wants his clothes back 

[M j M]

3 hours ago, Bradman Better said:

Bill Arthur does a good job.

He really doesn't. He's a nice bloke I'm sure and an honest jobber but just not a top tier commentator. His inability to elevate the biggest events and biggest moments is really frustrating.

[Click]

6 minutes ago, M j M said:

He really doesn't. He's a nice bloke I'm sure and an honest jobber but just not a top tier commentator. His inability to elevate the biggest events and biggest moments is really frustrating.

That depends on what his role was, I see him and Wells more as the analysts rather than as someone who needs to elevate as much, with the others having that job.

I'm indifferent towards Clarke.. Just want Barry & Terry gone.

[Dave T]

3 hours ago, gingerjon said:

The issue I have is that he's obviously not daft and there are obviously things he wants to explain - and even gimmicks he uses that would actually be useful.

But he is let down by two things - related issues. He needs someone there who takes it as seriously as he does and someone to sort out the opinions that are helpful and those which are just numbers. Sky's coverage is entirely fixated on blokes bantering and so none of his ideas are ever really developed but then they are never allowed to me.

Even the margin meter was a genuinely useful way of showing how the score was relative to what you might expect - and yet it just became a rapid joke because nobody on the Sky panel is allowed to pretend to have brains, they've all got to be seen to be mocking the brainiac.

I often make the point about margin metre that it is now being used in other sports in the form of % win likelihood in cricket and x goal thingy in football. They are different flavours of the same thing. 

Unfortunately, the other presenters just saw it as a joke. 

It drives me insane that people need to think that RL pundits need to be funny. 

[Dovster]

2 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Cadbury’s will be glad to get the Milk Tray man back full-time, at least.

Bring back Eddie & Stevo I say (which probably speaks volumes about Baz and Tez…)

Eddie has never been bettered as yet. Something that SKY need to work on IMO.

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Wacky suggestions that often prophetic though 

E.g. when everyone else was j*zzing themselves about Wires phenomenal start to the season this year he offered a word of warning for them.....called them fragile or something after they'd been battering the likes it Leeds by plenty 

Genuine shame to see him go for me  

However he does often champion Wire too. He often presents a view that goes against popular opinion, sometimes that will come true. 

As part of that Wire thing, he led a crusade against Dufty that was at best incorrect, and at worst unsavoury. 

[graveyard johnny]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

 

It drives me insane that people need to think that RL pundits need to be funny. 

have you not seen Ray French live at the apollo dvd  ? the Trevor Skerritt garlic bread routine gets me every time

[StandOffHalf]

42 minutes ago, M j M said:

He really doesn't. He's a nice bloke I'm sure and an honest jobber but just not a top tier commentator. His inability to elevate the biggest events and biggest moments is really frustrating.

He's a lovely guy but he's not lead commentator material. I liked him on the sidelines.

[StandOffHalf]

I remember them giving Jon Wells a game or two as lead commentator a few years back. It was a little awkward but I actually think he has the knowledge, passion and the voice to make for a better lead commentator than Arthur.

I wouldn't mind seeing him get another go and see how it worked. Bill unfortunately is very maudlin and underwhelming in conveying excitement as the lead caller.

Edited December 20, 2023 by StandOffHalf

[M j M]

33 minutes ago, Click said:

That depends on what his role was, I see him and Wells more as the analysts rather than as someone who needs to elevate as much, with the others having that job.

 

He's the lead commentator. He will be the person talking when most of the key moments happen. I'm not talking about analysis or opinion; we need someone who can do the steady stuff (Bill is ok but certainly not exceptional at this) but, when that big play happens, can produce a commentary that will be memorable to go with the moment. He's shown no sign to me of being able to do that. Ray Warren, even Eddie Hemmings and on occasion even Ray French, in his own way, had that ability.

[DoubleD]

9 minutes ago, Dave T said:

However he does often champion Wire too. He often presents a view that goes against popular opinion, sometimes that will come true. 

As part of that Wire thing, he led a crusade against Dufty that was at best incorrect, and at worst unsavoury. 

Perhaps Dufty was singled out unfairly (others were also underperforming), however the full back is such a key position in the modern game, and I agree with his general premise that Warrington won't win anything with him at FB. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

16 minutes ago, Dave T said:

However he does often champion Wire too. He often presents a view that goes against popular opinion, sometimes that will come true. 

As part of that Wire thing, he led a crusade against Dufty that was at best incorrect, and at worst unsavoury. 

I'd rather have an opinion though to be honest 

Anodyne pundits can get in the bin for me

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, graveyard johnny said:

John Shuttleworth wants his clothes back 

Yeah he loves a roll neck Phil doesn't he 

[graveyard johnny]

5 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Yeah he loves a roll neck Phil doesn't he 

fawn again

[Tommygilf]

4 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Even the margin meter was a genuinely useful way of showing how the score was relative to what you might expect

The margin meter was like what xG is in football now. Yeah its a bit niche and the science behind it is constantly being refined, but its interesting to many and is used across the board now...

[Dave T]

37 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Perhaps Dufty was singled out unfairly (others were also underperforming), however the full back is such a key position in the modern game, and I agree with his general premise that Warrington won't win anything with him at FB. 

 

32 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'd rather have an opinion though to be honest 

Anodyne pundits can get in the bin for me

Clarke started this particular campaign, and the dumb level of Sky punditry saw others jump on board - but I'm not referring to calling out a weakness or a poor play, I'm talking about singling out of an individual player that us very rare by 'experts' and is usually only seen/heard on terraces or in the pubs by fans. 

Whether we will ever win anything with Dufty at fullback we are yet to see, I can see why some don't like him, he absolutely has weaknesses in his game, but he is also a match-winner - his highlights reel for last season is brilliant. He was nowhere near any list of Wire's biggest problems.

[Dave T]

23 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

The margin meter was like what xG is in football now. Yeah its a bit niche and the science behind it is constantly being refined, but its interesting to many and is used across the board now...

I'm telling you now... it won't be long before other sports latch onto Club Call....

[DoubleD]

10 minutes ago, Dave T said:

 

Clarke started this particular campaign, and the dumb level of Sky punditry saw others jump on board - but I'm not referring to calling out a weakness or a poor play, I'm talking about singling out of an individual player that us very rare by 'experts' and is usually only seen/heard on terraces or in the pubs by fans. 

Whether we will ever win anything with Dufty at fullback we are yet to see, I can see why some don't like him, he absolutely has weaknesses in his game, but he is also a match-winner - his highlights reel for last season is brilliant. He was nowhere near any list of Wire's biggest problems.

Dufty was heavily singled out at the Dragons and Bulldogs to the extent that he had to leave the NRL............he's a rocks and diamonds player but too often goes missing when the chips are down

[LeeF]

5 hours ago, Bradman Better said:

If they could rely on Brian the Irish winger, Jon Wells the English winger, and Sam Tomkins the English full back, then Sky will be cruising smoothly.

Bill Arthur does a good job. Then all Sky would need would be replacements for Barrie and Terry.  James Graham would be a great hire, but he is enjoying himself too much in Australia, especially now that Fox League has decided to hire him back as commentator. Tony Rea would be excellent, but I suspect that he has returned to Australia. 

Bill Arthur does a good job? Are you his Dad?

[Coggo]

Yay! Now for some of the other 1990s leg-ends to retire!!

[MidlandsJohn]

Remember the Smith & Jones darts sketch making a mockery of the sport?

If they did one for RL then "Baz & Tez" would be hired as the commentary team. What do they honestly provide (apart from ammunition for people to deride RL as an insular Northern game)?

[snapski]

6 hours ago, Bradman Better said:

If they could rely on Brian the Irish winger, Jon Wells the English winger, and Sam Tomkins the English full back, then Sky will be cruising smoothly.

Bill Arthur does a good job. Then all Sky would need would be replacements for Barrie and Terry.  James Graham would be a great hire, but he is enjoying himself too much in Australia, especially now that Fox League has decided to hire him back as commentator. Tony Rea would be excellent, but I suspect that he has returned to Australia. 

Bill Arthur is horrific

[Ragingbull]

An early Christmas gift to us all i think. 

Talks rubbish just for the sake of it just to try and stay relevant. 

Good riddance to bad rubbish. 

Baz and Tez along with JJB next please.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Ragingbull

[Just Browny]

I'd only just calmed down from his rants about Dufty and this has brought the rage back.

He's had his moments down the years, and in the last few seasons he has toned down being the professional controversialist which he became in the middle years. I think his knowledge of, and passion for, the game are beyond reproach. But sometimes he was just a bit weirdly fixated on things or expressed a left field view for the sake of it 

Best of luck for the future.

[Dunbar]

47 minutes ago, Ragingbull said:

An early Christmas gift to as all i think. 

Talks rubbish just for the sake of it just to try and stay relevant. 

Good riddance to bad rubbish. 

Baz and Tez along with JJB next please.

I hate it when people are ambiguous in their posts and you have to try and decipher how they think about something.