Sports commentary is an art form that over the years has somewhat diminished, perhaps due to the fact that commentators and studios have a vast array of analytical software to plunder, from which they can pepper viewers with stats and factoids.
It may also have something to with the steady decline of radio, with many eloquent sporting voices being lost as a result.
That said, there are still plenty of sports commentators working today who have picked up the baton their peers left behind and have run with it, delighting watchers and listeners who love nothing more than to accompany their favorite sport with the dulcet tones of their chosen commentator.
Here are just some of those very commentators, who many sports fans are willing to switch TV channel or radio station for.
All of these commentating teams are special to listen to
James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton – Poker
The game of poker has long been viewed as a sport by those whose contest its tournaments, be they live or online.
Due to large portions of time during a game when little is said or done, commentators are required to be highly inventive when it comes to magicking up additional interesting content that can fill in the gaps.
Through the ages this tends to have been done by two-man teams, who bounce off each other during tournaments that often take days to come to a climax. The latest duo to fit the straight-man-and-jokester mold are James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton, with Hartigan providing the meat of their broadcasts and Stapleton garnishing them with witty asides.
The result is an entertaining melange of banter, player interviews and insightful hand recaps.
The props and software available to commentators these days is in stark contrast to the simple mic and notebook of the past
Michael Holding and Nasser Hussein – Cricket
It may be something of a niche sport, but cricket is one of the richest breeding grounds for sports commentators, with both radio and television commentary teams being huge names in countries like the UK and India.
A team really making waves in 2020 has been that of former England captain Nasser Hussein and ex-West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding, who bring a beautiful mix of humor, banter and fascinating insight.
Holding in particular took things to a whole new level in a recent broadcast with SkySports, where he detailed the systemic racism he suffered both as a cricket pro and a general member of the public. His voice is as low and rumbling as thunder, leaving listeners hanging on his every word, whether he is passing comment on his beloved West Indies or other teams from around the world.
Jason Benetti and Steve Stone – Baseball
The great thing about baseball is that each MLB franchise has its very own commentary team, which means they build a rapport with fans over the years, until they become a part of the furniture in the town or city they are based in.
One of the best of these is White Sox duo Jason Benetti and Steve Stone who are consistently voted to be one of the most treasured commentary teams in the US.
Another baseball dream team is the one found in San Diego, where Don Orsillo calls the plays, aided and abetted by Mark Grant and another Mark by the name of Sweeney.
One thing that is abundantly clear when looking at polls that rate announcing teams, is that some could be freshened up a little, with perhaps even a female voice or two thrown in.
Tony Romo – American Football
In his playing days Tony Romo was one hell of a quarterback and he has taken that same work ethic into his new role as an NFL announcer.
He and Jim Nantz have built a partnership on CBS which has other networks scrambling to keep up, a bit like the defensive lines Romo used to terrorize back in the day.
