Color commentator
From Includipedia, the inclusionist encyclopedia
A color commentator sometimes known as a color analyst, is a member of the broadcasting team for a sporting event who assists the play-by-play announcer by filling in any time when play is not in progress. It is North American terminology. The color commentator provides expert analysis and background information, such as statistics, strategy and injury reports, on the teams and athletes, and occasionally light humor. Color commentators are often former players and/or coaches of the sport being broadcasted.
In the United Kingdom the term color commentator is not used although commentary teams have a similar make-up, with one professional commentator describing the passage of play, and a co-commentator or summariser, usually an ex-player or manager, providing supplementary input as the game progresses. The co-commentator will usually restrict his input to periods when the ball is out of play or there is no significant action on the pitch and will defer to the main commentator whenever there is a shot on goal or other significant event, sometimes resulting in their being talked-over or cut short by the primary commentator. Additionally, former players and managers appear as pundits, carrying out a similar role to the co-commentator during the build-up to the match, at half-time and at full-time.
In Germany, most soccer matches feature just a single play-by-play announcer, without a color commentator, the play-by-play announcer there provides background information and statistics by himself. In Spanish, the word comentarista is used, in opposition to relator who is the play-by-play announcer. In Brazil, the color commentator is usually referred as comentarista, like in Spanish. For soccer broadcasts, Brazilian TV channels usually also use a specialized referee commentator in addition to the normal commentator (almost always a former player or coach). In Australia the term is not used; rather, those giving the analysis alongside the commentator are said to be giving special comments. In Sweden the term expertkommentator is used for a knowledgeable sidekick to the play-by-play announcer.
[edit] Famous color commentators, past and present
[edit] American Football
- Brian Baldinger
- Todd Blackledge (College Football coverage on ESPN)
- Tom Brookshier
- Gino Cappelletti (Patriots Rock Radio Network)
- Myron Cope
- Lee Corso (College Football)
- Howard Cosell (deceased, American Broadcasting Company)
- Dan Dierdorf
- Mike Ditka
- Boomer Esiason
- Dan Fouts
- Frank Gifford
- Hank Goldberg (Miami Dolphins Radio Network)
- Mike Golic (Arena Football League coverage on ESPN)
- Bob Griese
- Pat Haden
- Ron Jaworski (Arena Football League coverage on ESPN)
- Alex Karras
- Larry King (Miami Dolphins Radio Network)
- Tony Kornheiser
- John Madden
- Jim Mandich (Miami Dolphins Radio Network)
- Dan Marino
- Roly Martin (Miami Dolphins Radio Network)
- Larry McCarren (Green Bay Packers Radio Network)
- Don Meredith (formerly of the American Broadcasting Company)
- Matt Millen
- Dennis Miller
- Joe Namath
- Joe Rose (Miami Dolphins Radio Network)
- Phil Simms
- O.J. Simpson
- Kelly Stouffer (Minnesota Vikings preseason color commentator)
- Hank Stram
- Lynn Swann
- Fran Tarkenton
- Joe Theismann
- Bob Trumpy
- Dick Vermeil
- Al Wester
- Fred Williamson
- Len Dawson (Kansas City Chiefs)
[edit] Australian Rules Football
[edit] Baseball
- Al Leiter (New York Yankees games for the YES Network)
- Sparky Anderson (World Series games for CBS Radio)
- Richie Ashburn (deceased, Philadelphia Phillies)
- Bert Blyleven (Minnesota Twins)
- Bob Brenly
- Ron Darling (New York Mets)
- Joe Garagiola (NBC Sports)
- Dan Gladden (Minnesota Twins)
- Keith Hernandez (New York Mets games for SNY)
- Jim Kaat (CBS Sports, YES Network)
- Ralph Kiner (New York Mets)
- Steve Lyons, (formerly of Fox Broadcasting Company)
- Tim McCarver (ABC Sports, FOX Sports)
- Graham McNamee
- Joe Morgan (ABC Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN)
- Bobby Murcer (New York Yankees games on the YES Network)
- Joe Nuxhall (deceased, Cincinnati Reds)
- Jim Palmer
- Jim Price (Detroit Tigers radio)
- Jerry Remy (Boston Red Sox games for NESN)
- Ron Santo (Chicago Cubs radio)
- Bill Schroeder (Milwaukee Brewers, games on FSN Wisconsin)
- Steve Stone
- Rick Sutcliffe (ESPN)
- Steve Phillips (ESPN)
- Darrin Jackson (Chicago White Sox)
- Mike Krukow (San Francisco Giants)
- Jerry Coleman (San Diego Padres)
- Suzyn Waldman (Yankees Radio Network)
[edit] Basketball
- Walt Frazier
- Charles Barkley
- Kenny Smith
- Hubie Brown
- Austin Carr
- Doug Collins
- Mike Fratello
- Pete Gillen
- Jeff Van Gundy
- Tommy Heinsohn (Boston Celtics games for Fox Sports Net)
- Steve "Snapper" Jones
- Chuck Swirksy
- Steve Kerr
- Billy Packer
- Dick Vitale
- Bill Walton
- Cal Ramsey
- Johnny "Red" Kerr(Chicago Bulls)
- Leo Rautins
- Jay Williams
- Mark Jackson
[edit] Boxing
[edit] Curling
- Marilyn Bodogh
- Don Duguid
- Mike Harris
- Ed Lukowich
- Joan McCusker
- Linda Moore
- Ray Turnbull
[edit] Gaelic Games
- Michael Lester
- Joe Brolly
- Colm O'Rourke
- Jimmy Magee
- Mark Sidebottom
- Ger Canning
- Marty Morrissey
- Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh
- Micheál O'Hehir
[edit] Ice Hockey
- Andy Brickley
- Benoit Brunet
- Don Cherry
- Bill Clement
- Brian Conacher
- John Davidson
- Darren Eliot
- Bob Errey
- John Garrett
- Brian Hayward
- Glenn Healy
- Billy Jaffe
- Tom Larscheid
- Craig Laughlin
- Pierre McGuire
- Joe Micheletti
- Greg Millen
- Gord Miller
- Harry Neale
- Eddie Olczyk
- Denis Potvin
- Daryl Reaugh
- Mickey Redmond
- Chico Resch
- Derek Sanderson
- Tripp Tracy
[edit] Mixed martial arts
[edit] Formula One in the United Kingdom
- Martin Brundle - color commentator alongside Murray Walker and James Allen
- Jonathan Palmer - worked with Murray Walker
- James Hunt - worked with Murray Walker
[edit] Nascar
[edit] Poker
- Phil Gordon, Phil Hellmuth - Celebrity Poker Showdown
- Howard Lederer -- Poker Superstars Invitational Tournament
- Mike Sexton -- World Poker Tour
- Vince Van Patten -- World Poker Tour
- Norman Chad -- World Series of Poker
[edit] Rugby league football (Australia)
[edit] Rugby league football (New Zealand)
- Daryl Halligan
- Peter Ropati
[edit] Rugby league football (United Kingdom)
[edit] Rugby union (New Zealand)
[edit] Professional Wrestling
- Jonathan Coachman
- Bobby Heenan
- Paul Heyman
- Jerry Lawler
- John Bradshaw Layfield
- Hugo Savinovich
- Tazz
- Raven
- Jesse Ventura
- Scott Hudson
- Mark Madden
- Dusty Rhodes
- Larry Zbyszko
- "Cyrus the Virus"
- Don West
- Hector Guerrero
- Mike Tenay
- Randy Savage
- Lita (Amy Dumas)
[edit] Soccer - British Commentators
- Ron Atkinson
- Andy Gray
- Mark Lawrenson
- David Pleat
- Clive Tyldesley
- Martin Tyler
- John Motson
- Ian Darke
- Rob Hawthorneid:Color commentator
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