Eddie Butler dead

[Nearly Sane]

Brilliant commentator


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62919134

[Maeght]

Brilliant commentator


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/62919134

Sad to hear of his passing at a relatively young age.

[jeremyp]

He's always been my favourite RU commentator - even though he played for Wales.

[Nearly Sane]

Andrew Cotter's tribute to Eddie Butler

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/rugby-union/62941067

[ProfessorDavey]

Sad that he died so young.

However I never liked him as a commentator - his bias always showed through too much. Always known as one eyed Eddie in my family - or at least the non-welsh side of my family.

[Nearly Sane]

Sad that he died so young.

However I never liked him as a commentator - his bias always showed through too much. Always known as one eyed Eddie in my family - or at least the non-welsh side of my family.

Who are your favourite 'unbiased' commentators?

[ProfessorDavey]

Who are your favourite 'unbiased' commentators?

I think the point is you only notice when you consider someone to be biased - not when they are unbiased.

So in terms of rugby commentators - anyone but Eddie, I'm afraid. Sorry but I always groaned when I hear 'now over to our commentator Eddie Bulter' - particularly in matches involving England or Wales. Most of the others (commentators, rather than commenters) seem OK to me although not sure I'd claim to have a favourite.

The other rugby commentator I couldn't stand was Bill McLaran - loved the sound of his own voice and seemed to forget that he was commentating on a sport and that what a particularly player's father did or they did as a job wasn't really relevant. A commentator should never get between you and the sport*.

*Except in cricket on the radio - but that's because they have to fill 6 hours and most of that time nothing is actually happening.

[Nearly Sane]

I think the point is you only notice when you consider someone to be biased - not when they are unbiased.

So in terms of rugby commentators - anyone but Eddie, I'm afraid. Sorry but I always groaned when I hear 'now over to our commentator Eddie Bulter' - particularly in matches involving England or Wales. Most of the others (commentators, rather than commenters) seem OK to me although not sure I'd claim to have a favourite.

The other rugby commentator I couldn't stand was Bill McLaran - loved the sound of his own voice and seemed to forget that he was commentating on a sport and that what a particularly player's father did or they did as a job wasn't really relevant. A commentator should never get between you and the sport*.

*Except in cricket on the radio - but that's because they have to fill 6 hours and most of that time nothing is actually happening.

All sounds like it's your problem. Even if it's not your favourite, name somone who you think is unbiased and good, or even good or unbiased.

[Nearly Sane]

Anyway on the subject of great commentary on rugby union, this is poetry.

https://youtu.be/NbwSx-xw_NU

[ProfessorDavey]

All sounds like it's your problem.

Not really - it is an opinion - never liked Bulter, found him biased and don't get the need to pretend to be a poet rather than a commentator (probably learned that from McLaran). Not just my opinion - pretty common opinion that Butler is biased - just look at the Butler commentating on Wales, including Wales vs England on the Cotter piece you linked to. There is a man that wants Wales to win and England to lose and can't help but show it - that's not what a commentator should be doing for a broadcaster covering both England and Wales.

Even if it's not your favourite, name somone who you think is unbiased and good, or even good or unbiased.

Nick Mullins - seems knowledgable and gets on with the job of commentating on the game.

[Nearly Sane]

Not really - it is an opinion - never liked Bulter, found him biased and don't get the need to pretend to be a poet rather than a commentator (probably learned that from McLaran). Not just my opinion - pretty common opinion that Butler is biased - just look at the Butler commentating on Wales, including Wales vs England on the Cotter piece you linked to. There is a man that wants Wales to win and England to lose and can't help but show it - that's not what a commentator should be doing for a broadcaster covering both England and Wales.
Nick Mullins - seems knowledgable and gets on with the job of commentating on the game.

Was Butler not knowledgable? Well no, so we can dismiss that comment. 'Gets on with job' seems we are back at your bias.

[ProfessorDavey]

Was Butler not knowledgable?

I don't think I ever made any comment on Butler's knowledgeability, did I NS. Please correct me if I am wrong not that.

Well no, so we can dismiss that comment.

Not really as I was commenting on Mullins, not Butler.

'Gets on with job' seems we are back at your bias.

If you wish to consider an opinion to be 'bias' well that's up to you. I have given the reasons that Butler wasn't my cup of tea. Too biased and too much faux-poetry type stuff that, again in my opinion, got in the way of the game. Seemed to me that his commentary was too much about people wanting to listen to Butler rather than being helped to enjoy and understand the game.

That's my opinion, perhaps you have a different opinion (or bias as you call it) but I prefer commentators to spend their time describing the game and not get into soliloquies.

And it isn't just in rugby - I think football fans of my age are either a Motty person or a Barry Davies person. I was always the latter - preferred the quieter more anonymous delivery of Davies to the 'it's all about Motty' of Motson. But I guess that's just my 'bias' eh NS.

[Maeght]

I didn't like Eddie Butler's commentary either. Can't stand Nick Mullins though - like Miles Harrison.

[ProfessorDavey]

I didn't like Eddie Butler's commentary either. Can't stand Nick Mullins though - like Miles Harrison.

I agree on Miles Harrison - like him as well.

Weird, I am inherently a pro-BBC person, but I think ITV have actually had better commentators for rugby over the past few years. Tend to have gone for commentators who do their job in an unobtrusive manner, rather than the 'celebrity' commentators who happily use ten words when five will do and better still to use fifty words, 45 of which have nothing to do with the game you are actually watching.

Something else I don't like about Butler - but I think this may be dictated by the BBC - is the way he tries to 'big-up' the 6 nations as if it is the biggest tournament on the planet - rather than an annual ho-hum tournament involving just one team that has ever won the biggest tournament on the planet.

[jeremyp]

Sad that he died so young.

However I never liked him as a commentator - his bias always showed through too much. Always known as one eyed Eddie in my family - or at least the non-welsh side of my family.

That's ironic. I never realised he was Welsh until I read his obit. Even with his accent, it never occurred to me that he was Welsh. In fact, I thought he was a bit biased towards England.

[Nearly Sane]

That's ironic. I never realised he was Welsh until I read his obit. Even with his accent, it never occurred to me that he was Welsh. In fact, I thought he was a bit biased towards England.

What a tribute that is!

[ProfessorDavey]

That's ironic. I never realised he was Welsh until I read his obit. Even with his accent, it never occurred to me that he was Welsh. In fact, I thought he was a bit biased towards England.

Really!?!

I thought Butler was well known as a 'professional' welshman - and well known too as a fervent welsh nationalist. I know he doesn't have a Jonathan Davies kind of welsh accent, but he certainly sounds welsh to me.

Bizarre comment regarding bias - but I guess if you pick 100 people there will always be one who goes against the consensus view.