The Trill of Victory and the Anatomy of Defeat
June 24th, 2010 - 8:08 pm
A tale of two styles of sports commentary. Compare and contrast the Mexican commentary on USA-Algeria, World Cup 2010 vs BBC Commentary, Germany-England World Cup 1966.
Spanish. “Un gooooooooooooooool”
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“They think it’s all over…” with England leading by two goals with seconds to go.






The Spanish-speaking announcer in the first video sounds like a human vuvuzela.
I don’t know who the specific announcer was for this video, but Andrés Cantor,a US announcer born in Argentina, is the originator of the “GOOOOOOOOLL” shout. Mr. Cantor currently works for Telemundo.
I think I go with the understated Brits. Some ten years ago, on Memorial Day, my then 9 year old grandson was playing in a league game at a local field when two F-14s flew over (they were having an event at the local Naval Air Station), and everyone looked up, including the other team’s goalie. Everyone, that is, except my grandson, who calmly put the ball in the net. I celebrated with a quiet smile of satisfaction. I hadn’t yet told him about Kipling, but he already knew how to keep his head when others all about him were losing theirs.
Reminds me of this famous match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92vV3QGagck
Walt at #3:
I think I go with the understated Brits.
Reminds me of the classical depiction of genteel enthusiasm in the “Ascot Gavotte” horse race scene from My Fair Lady:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5Sq1Pax7h8&feature=related
If you can keep your head,
when those around you are losing theirs.
Then you have not got a clue my son.
First drafts of History.
That ball looks like it weighs forty pounds.
OK. But this would have more validity if the two videos were not separated by some 44 years. Interesting to see if there is the same “sang froidness” in modern English commentary. Seems to me, the Brits are not very good at keeping heads today. They roll downhill with the economy.
Man, the 1966 final was an epic. There have been similar epics over the years, notably the final leg of Manchester United’s unforgettable treble quest in 1999, where they came from behind to score two goals in the last minute of the Champions League final, Liverpool’s incredible fightback against AC Milan when they were 3 goals down at half-time. For some reason, these crazy matches almost always involve english teams.
There was another epic last night, when Slovakia beat Italy to surge into the second round. Fans like us relish these sort of games.
I had the great good fortune to be in Argentina during the 1982 World Cup. Maradona was at the height of his ability, seen rather than heard. If I recall events correctly, the Argies were forced to concede defeat in the Faulklands/Malvinas. Then a few days later they were eliminated from play in the World Cup. This after they had won it all in ’78. It still strikes me as fascinating to think about the reactions–defeat in war was disappointing, sure. But the Mundial . . . O, the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Soccer.
Thank you guis, you ow us some burnt cars in Paris and Marseill for your victory on Algeria
BTW your coach is FRENCH
Here in Los Angeles we have been blessed with two of the best sports announcers in the universe, Chick Hearn, Lakers basketball announcer, high speed and high volume, and Vin Scully, Dodgers baseball, test pilot calm, favorite uncle friendly. Chick represented his sport for over forty years, Vin is coming on fifty, still doing partial homegames. Both were deeply knowledgable about the game and players, both could watch a game and tell you about it at the same time. I’d much rather listen to Chick’s “Word’s Eye View” on the radio, than watch it on TV with any other commentator, and back in the day, most of LA would turn down the network commentator and turn on the radio during the Lakers/Celtics championships.
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There are now very nearly *no* public voices on politics to listen to. None. Well ok, Rush Limbaugh. And maybe a little bit of Charlie Rose, in his later days, still the best but off maybe 30% since his heart attacks. These voices get inside your head. Gooooooooaaaaaallllll! Is maybe a great trademark for soccer, where you’re lucky to get one in an hour of play, but not so much for the interplay of interests that is politics, or anywhere the play’s the thing.
1st one’s gone now. Must have moved north.
FIFA blocked the Mexican video already. Figures… greedy bastids.
sounds like a human vuvuzela
A “vuvuzela.”
Didn’t we see one of those when Britney Spears got out of the back seat of that car?
You can still watch the Mexican video via the related videos underneath.
#6: Otherwise stated, In time of crisis the truly wise man panics, for the stout of heart and the strong of arm will have to be front and center, repelling boarders.
#10wow&flutter: I learned about the Argentine attitude towards soccer when I was woken up on a Sunday afternoon by a horn-honking parade of Boca Junior supporters celebrating a victory over River Plate- in a town in the hinterlands a thousand miles from the game in Buenos Aires.
#12 Marie Claude: Bob Bradley (team USA soccer coach) doesn’t sound that French to me, but then again, I studied German and Swedish in school. According to wikipedia, he was born in New Jersey. Never realized that was part of France, but I guess it does explain their funny accents.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bradley
Whittney
Apology, I was quoting my hubby, uh I should have checked before
,
anyway you have a player that is actually working in a french club
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Bocanegra
MC, i have a couple loaves of French bread in the kitchen –and i learned the Mambo from a Miss Bubbles La Fontaine
France? Back in the day with Big Blue I was sent to France to help install a mammoth sized system at some bank.. or was it a corporation? Hell, I can’t remember. Anyway, a West Texan and other Americans loose in France, quite a memorial month we had.
A story (not suitable for work or children), forgive me, I was a middle aged man recently divorced, and my flesh was weak.
On two weekends, I spent both days and nights with a beautiful and smart French Lady, that spoke better English than I did. I woke up the first morning expecting to find all my money and valuables gone and her gone with them.
Nope, everything there.
But,she kinda surprised me when she asked me if I might send my friends to see her.
So..I left a very good tip and sent a few of my business associates to see her. No complaints…A wonderfully talented, intelligent lady, that left us with wonderful memories of France in 1975.
Soccer? never watched it. American Football is King, Queen and Joker in Texas. Starting in elementary school. If you want to find somebody on a Friday or Saturday night in Texas he/she will most likely be at the local game.
It is not a small thing, it is more like an addiction.
Papa Ray
Papa Ray she was a Brazilian transexual
MC/24; LOL –papa ray can’t answer you at the moment –he’s in the shower with a wire brush and propane torch –
uh Buddy
“t,she kinda surprised me when she asked me if I might send my friends to see her.”
So, he wasn’t that much a good “shag”
and if she was speaking such a good english, then, she wasn’t of french origin, especially in the era of 1975, not many French spoke a good english
Jeez Marie, A bit of over reaction? Maybe that story pushed a hot button? Touchy, touchy, touchy… Me doth think you protest too much. wink wink
JFSanders, not at all,
just that I like to retablish the objective perspective of that story
Hey, finally, the rumor is true, a “Frenchy” in the US soccer team as a significant fitness coach
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Barrieu
http://www.fff.fr/international/cm/actu/533474.shtml
US vs Ghana right now
Bye bye little America, big ghana got it
but you fight bravously
LOL –but it’s been DAYs since we heard the French National Anthem, the Marcy Yay -
in 2010:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Six_Nations_Championship
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France_national_handball_team
basketball feminine Europe champion 2009
volleyball Europe champion….
MC, mon felicitations pour que le peuple de la grande nation de la France!