Barry Davies Appreciation Thread

[Seagull73]

Seeing as the BBC are shortly to regain the highlights package for the Premiership, I feel this is a good time to look forward once again to the enigma of commentary that is Barry Davies:

Who can forget some of the legendary one-liners such as:

The 1988 Seoul Olympics when Robert Shawani scores for the Great Britain Hockey Team to put them 3-1 up against West Germany in the final, and with the German defence all at sea exclaims "And where were the Germans?....................but frankly, who cares?"

And in an all too frequent lull in English football fortunes, BD is watching an England game in Finland, and with the game petering out to a lifeless 0-0 draw casually states "Well, we have 20 minutes gone in the second-half, and since half-time, England have become a little better value for their nil!"

Priceless!

 

[moggy]

well, thats the end of that thread !!!

 

[Seagull73]

Yeah thanks moggy....!!!!

 

[Albionite83]

"Interesting. Very interesting!"

"Just look at his face. Just look at his face!"

 

[SussexSpur]

Never thought I'd say this, but much preferred John Motson during 2004. Okay, maybe not "much", but think Barry's become a bit too public school headteacher-ish in his language and mannerisms.
And also, my TV reception hasn't been too good, and Motson says the name of each player touching the ball much more often...

 

[chips and gravy]

Barry says the name of that Norwegian chap who plays for Manyou funny. Something like Solshyara. How come he says it different from everyone else?

 

[CHAPPERS]

May I use this opportunity to advertise for sale a silver mini football signed by Barry Davies AND Tony Gubba that I 'won' at the 40 notes Quiz.

Bidding starts at.........

40 notes.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Davies has always tried to be 'a bit different from the herd' with his pronounciations. Commentators are supposed to be a bit detached, but never aloof like he regularly manages.

And a poor game is always taken as some sort of personal insult, as if it's a major sleight when such dross is being served up in his holy presence.

But you can't expect too much from a boat race and ice skating specialist.

 

[GUNTER]

He has a very successful son. He is one of the co-founders of Betfair and now considerably richer than his father!

 

[Scoffers]

He has a very successful son. He is one of the co-founders of Betfair and now considerably richer than his father!

Are you talking about Mark Davies? I played cricket with him a few years ago now, good player too.

Some folks are just good at everything !

 

[The Large One]

Motson is wank compared to Davies. Motty makes the drab seem interesting (when we're perfectly capable of working out what is and is not drab). Davies is not afraid to slag off the linesman, or a player for diving / spitting / punching / self-combusting.

'And Leeds will go mad...'

'Oooooohhhhhh dear...'


After South Korea knocked out Italy in a game that the latter couldn't be arsed to kill off properly in World Cup 2002

'... and Italy have gone out early once again because THEY WILL NOT LEARN...'

 

[finbar]

ive hated barry davies ever since he said "and brighton do look very much like a second division side" during the highlights of the Liverpool cup reply in 1991 despite the fact we were 2-1 up at the time. C&nt

 

[chips and gravy]

'... and Italy have gone out early once again because THEY WILL NOT LEARN...'

That was a classic!

 

[Jambo Seagull]

For me Barry Davies is THE best commentator around by a million miles. One of life's great mysteries is how he is ranked behind the execrable Motson by the BBC. I used to have a few videos of BBC footie archives "101 great goals", "Match of the day of the 70's" and my personal favourite "Screamers" and all the most memorable commentaries of goals were from Davies. He is the Brian Glanville of football commentary. The reason why he pronounces Solskjaer as Solshyrer is because unlike all the otherdross haven't taken the time to learn to pronounce it properly. He has.

A few personal faves:

"Maradona.....still going..........still going...You have to say that is magnificent."

"Canniggia.........................SCORES!"

"And Leeds will go mad.....and they have every right to go mad."

"and it's FRANCIS! Now that's just what we wanted to see John Robertson do."

Arise Sir Barry.

 

[SussexSpur]

[QUOTE He is the Brian Glanville of football commentary.[/B][/QUOTE]

Funny.
That's one the reasons I'd use to argue against him!

Actually, that's unfair on both of them.

Sorry to Barry, in all his school-teacherly-majesty-and-wonderful-"Is-Gascoigne-going-to-have-a-go?-He-is-you-know-Oh-I-say!-Schoolboy's-Own-stuff"-ness.

And sorry to Brian, in all his Cliff-Bastin-hearkening-Italian-catenaccio-comparing-envelope-recycling-eternally-disdainful-ness...

 

[Brovion]

Phew! It's actually a relief to know I'm not the only one who thinks Barry Davies is a lot better than Motson! I thought it was one of those 'givens' that everybody preferrred the blokey "Ha ha, well Trevor, ha ha if England don't score now they'll have to score later!" style to the more statesmanlike comments of Davies. I accept he does sound like the headmaster of a minor Public School but to me that's part of his charm: he gives every event a sense of gravitas and occasion whereas Motson makes a World Cup final sound as important as a park kickabout.

Having said that I think he's the best of a bad bunch. There's no football equivalent of Richie Benaud or Nigel Starmer-Smith. Bring back David Coleman that's what I say: "Clarke ......... ONE-NIL!"

 

[skintboy]

Barry Davies is class and I would rather listen to him than John Motson,Barry commentates on lots of sport including Wimbledon normally and especially the olympic games coming up,Motty only does football i think!!.

Bring on Barry Davies

 

[Dover]

I now prefer Davies to Motty. But I think it's an age thing, as the view has changed since I have aged.

One bit of trivia. Barry Davies went to school with the late Brian Moore.

 

[Easy 10]

Classic Davies :

"Goals pay the rent....and Keegan does his share"

Genius.

 

[The Large One]

Classic Davies :

"Goals pay the rent....and Keegan does his share"

Genius.

Sorry, that was David Coleman - FA Cup Final 1974.

Davies quote during a boring game: "Thirty seconds to go until five minutes before half-time..."