Ashes Commentary

[pasag]

I just want to say about the girl on Channel Nine..it wouldn't happen in Britain. Sky don't use a female commentator (except for women's cricket) or even a female host...Channel 4 tried Claire Connor in 2003 but only for Zimbabwe Test..she had disappeared by the time of the SA series. I don't think cricket fans in Britain would stand for it. And the only woman I've heard on BBC Radio is a foreinger (Donna Symonds from WI).

I said people in Britain wouldn't stand for it. If the Aussies want her, good luck to them. But I'm sure if Sky thought the British people would stand for it they would employ one. Each country is different! I'm convinced it will never happen in Britain. IMO men's sports should be played, umpired commentated on and hosted by MEN.

Haha, thats possibly the most ***ist, chauvinistic thing ever said on these forums.

 

[steds]

Channel 4 tried Claire Connor in 2003 but only for Zimbabwe Test..she had disappeared by the time of the SA series. I don't think cricket fans in Britain would stand for it.

Those two sentences contradict each other. The British cricket fans did stand for Connor. She presented Channel 4's Cricket Show more than that summer, iirc, and has commentated on TMS. I've never heard any complaints from anyone.

And why wouldn't they stand for it? Does having breasts mean you can't talk about a sport just as well as a bloke can?

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I said people in Britain wouldn't stand for it. If the Aussies want her, good luck to them. But I'm sure if Sky thought the British people would stand for it they would employ one. Each country is different! I'm convinced it will never happen in Britain. IMO men's sports should be played, umpired commentated on and hosted by MEN.

Hahaha. I didn't realise they still made people like you, my God.

Seriously, she hosted the biggest sporting event in the world on another channel and was so well recieved that 9 specifically picked her out for the job and brought her over. Of course people would "stand for it", because most people aren't so unbelievably narrow-minded as to believe that a woman isn't capable of standing there with a microphone and reporting on the weather or interviewing someone, and because she's perfectly good at her job.

And incidentally, you're defeating your own argument by pointing out numerous instances in which women have been involved with cricket presentation in England. Australia has only had one female presenter on the cricket before as well, but now they will have another one. Obviously there are relatively few women who are qualified for the position of a full time commentator, as women don't generally spend their adult lives as professional cricketers and knowledge of the game is a key element to commentary, but the idea that a woman can't even be involved with presenting the program is so absurd it's unbelievable. I bet you there's female camera operators, female technicians behind the scenes, female makeup staff and so on involved with presenting the cricket in England as well.

 

[steds]

Haha, thats possibly the most ***ist, chauvinistic thing ever said on these forums.

The new Vomitgate imo.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Is the women in question even attractive?

She's an ex-model, so yeah, she basically looks like your average female TV presenter.

 

[TT Boy]

Hahaha. I didn't realise they still made people like you, my God.

Seriously, she hosted the biggest sporting event in the world on another channel and was so well recieved that 9 specifically picked her out for the job and brought her over. Of course people would "stand for it", because most people aren't so unbelievably narrow-minded as to believe that a woman isn't capable of standing there with a microphone and reporting on the weather or interviewing someone, and because she's perfectly good at her job.

She must be good then, considering they also recruited Phil Tufnell...

 

[pasag]

The new Vomitgate imo.

Don't make me bring out the roll-eyes Bennett, becuase you know, if you push me hard enough I might, just might.

 

[Poker Boy]

I wouldn't say two examples(Connor and Symonds) are numerous. And if we stood for Connor - how come she disappeared so quick? I am convinced most people in Britain would agree with me but don't have the guts to say it - if you dare critisize women in sport you get slaughtered by the New Labour PC police (as the manager of Luton did for saying women shouldn't be assistant referees in men's soccer matches - ALL of my freinds agree with him). And if you think I'm ***ist you haven't read my signature - one of my favourite sports stars is a female tennis player (and I'm a member of an internet forum about her -hardly the actions of a ***ist person)

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

She must be good then, considering they also recruited Phil Tufnell...

Haha. I'm not necessarily suggesting she will be good. I wasn't even all that fond of her during the World Cup, but 9 obviously think pretty highly of her, and she was quite popular.

 

[TT Boy]

She's an ex-model, so yeah, she basically looks like your average female TV presenter.

Good enough for me. And good luck to her!

 

[Poker Boy]

She's an ex-model, so yeah, she basically looks like your average female TV presenter.

What a surprise! I bet you if she looked ugly she wouldn't get the job. And at least Phil Tufnell has played Test cricket...and I see some of you don't even think she'll be good - as Mike Newell said "tokenism and PC nonsense"...couldn't have put it better myself...

 

[steds]

And if we stood for Connor - how come she disappeared so quick?

I wouldn't say 3 summers presenting on Channel 4 is disappearing quickly.

 

[TT Boy]

What a surprise! I bet you if she looked ugly she wouldn't get the job. And at least Phil tufnell has played Test cricket...

Probably not but Clare Balding does a lot of BBC's sport coverage and she's hardly attractive, the stereotypical lesbian but she's good at her job. Even though you could argue she got it through sheer nepotism.

 

[Poker Boy]

I wouldn't say 3 summers presenting on Channel 4 is disappearing quickly.

Actually I was talking about commentating on Test matches. The programme on Channel 4 was a magazine show. All i'll say is Sky don't employ any women in cricket so they agree with me....

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I wouldn't say two examples(Connor and Symonds) are numerous. And if we stood for Connor - how come she disappeared so quick? I am convinced most people in Britain would agree with me but don't have the guts to say it - if you dare critisize women in sport you get slaughtered by the New Labour PC police (as the manager of Luton did for saying women shouldn't be assistant referees in men's soccer matches - ALL of my freinds agree with him). And if you think I'm ***ist you haven't read my signature - one of my favourite sports stars is a female tennis player (and I'm a member of an internet forum about her -hardly the actions of a ***ist person)

Haha. Yeah, the poor guy, getting called ***ist for... openly admitting that he was ***ist and saying women aren't capable of being referees. How dare people defame him so!

In all seriousness, the suggestion that your remarks (or those of the Luton manager) aren't ***ist is totally laughable. You're effectively saying that, no matter how qualified they are, no matter how popular and no matter how good at their job, women cannot be involved in any capacity with the presentation of sport. I'm sure it's fine for them to vaccum the room later, serve tea and do the makeup though, right? Just as long as you don't see them on camera.

You can delude yourself all you want, but most people in the world have progressed beyond the absurd attitudes you're supporting here. I'd not be too keen on having a token woman in the commentary box who didn't know anything about the game, but the suggestion that there's anything wrong with her being a presenter is merely petty, bigoted rubbish. The fact that you immediately assumed she was a "token bimbo" without even knowing who she was is indicative of your attitudes.

 

[Poker Boy]

Probably not but Clare Balding does a lot of BBC's sport coverage and she's hardly attractive, the stereotypical lesbian but she's good at her job. Even though you could argue she got it through sheer nepotism.

But men and women ride against each other in horse racing so that's a different case...horse racing is not a man's sport so I've no problem with her. Men's sport for men women's sport for women.

 

[steds]

Actually I was talking about commentating on Test matches. The programme on Channel 4 was a magazine show. All i'll say is Sky don't employ any women in cricket so they agree with me....

The article linked to in the first post says she won't be doing any commentary either, so what's the problem if your itch is with women commentating?

And Sky employ Willis, which is worse.

 

[Poker Boy]

About Mike Newell ..most of the letters on Skytext agreed with him and i reckon mostmale football fans do too. PS -This is the internet not Nazi Germany. Don't slag me ofdf for saying something the PC thought police don't agree with. Long live free speech!!!

 

[Poker Boy]

The article linked to in the first post says she won't be doing any commentary either, so what's the problem if your itch is with women commentating?

And Sky employ Willis, which is worse.

Hey what's wrong with Willis. He knows what he's talking about...PS - its not just me. A Scottish soccer programme had a female host and there was an internet petition calling for her to be sacked. She was. She was Sarah O (or Sarah oh dear as we called her).

 

[pasag]

Oi Poker Boy, so just to clarify so you can't weasel yourself out later, you're saying that no women should be allowed to have anything to do with anything cricket related 'on screen', presenting, interviewing, commentating regardless of their credentials or expertise.

Correct me if that is not your stance.