TV poker commentating is AWFUL.

anyone besides me find the commentating at both ESPN and WPT just AWFUL?

i mean it's really bad. "Boy how can he raise heads up with 2-3? oh he is either the craziest guy in the world or he's a champion!"

totally honestly, i watch it muted. i can't handle it. it's torture. i always start with the commentary, then after about 10 minutes i can no longer handle it.

what do you think?

[benkahuna]

I think you take the commenting too seriously.

Sometimes the commenting is spot on, sometimes it isn't. They have entertainment in mind as well as various theories related to poker to consider and sometimes they misapply the theory in an attempt to say something interesting. It's like any other commenting in any other spectator event.

I like a good laugh sometimes and I can do the thinking for myself about plays people make.

The worst mistake is that too often commentators take a results oriented approach.

I like the fact that they make these mistakes as it makes the game easier for me. If you want good commentary, watch the Full Tilt show. Otherwise, it's just like that Bad Religion song, "It's Only Entertainment."

[ChuckyB]

I was watching the WPT Borgata from season three this past weekend (its first broadcast in Canada). Mike Sexton made me want to bark. He was hyping David Williams "bold, aggressive" play heads up with Daniel Negreanu. Williams was pushing missed flops, and bottom pair when he had a big lead. Sexton kept saying what great poker he was playing.

Then Williams pushed into the wrong spot, and Sexton was all over him about how he was playing wrong.

Hey Sexton...you live by the sword, you die by the sword. That's the deal. If you make the money being aggressive, you'll lose it being aggressive. One move isn't good and the other bad. They're all part of a good or bad strategy.

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike Sexton made me want to bark.

[/ QUOTE ]


Is this part of some kinky sex game?

Woof Woof Woof!!!!!

[KSOT]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Mike Sexton made me want to bark.

[/ QUOTE ]


Is this part of some kinky sex game?

Woof Woof Woof!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

You forgot to write 6 paragraphs [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[DyessMan89]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Mike Sexton made me want to bark.

[/ QUOTE ]


Is this part of some kinky sex game?

Woof Woof Woof!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL

[Steve Chase]

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If you want good commentary, watch the Full Tilt show.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where can I watch such Full Tilt show?

[benkahuna]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

If you want good commentary, watch the Full Tilt show.

[/ QUOTE ]

Where can I watch such Full Tilt show?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's on Fox Sports Net. I caught the first one on a Wednesday night, but I know they air it a few times a week as well.

[nath]

Sexton makes a lot of results oriented remarks. My favorite being the hand between Jim Meehan and Eli Elezra at the Legends of Poker (season 3). Meehan raised with JJ, Elezra reraised with AK, Meehan went all in and Elezra called. Meanwhile, we the TV audience have seen other players fold two aces and a king, so we know Meehan's a pretty big favorite here-- and Sexton says so. Flop comes three low cards. Turn is the case ace and Meehan is knocked out. Sexton immediately starts talking about how Meehan should have pulled a stop and go so that he could get Elezra to fold if the flop came three low cards.

I've learned to deal with the WSOP commentary by not considering it "commentary" per se. It is more along the lines of a poignant, Rain Man-esque drama with Norman Chad in the Dustin Hoffman role. Instead of card-counting and "definitely Wapner", though, it's ex-wife jokes and "Josh Arieh is a dick". Lon McEachern fills in admirably in the Tom Cruise part, exasperated with his charge and his behavior, but doing his best to keep him in line, and evidencing that he does love and care about him, after all.

[Rduke55]

Seriously?