Neutrality goes out the broadcast booth window

SPORT ON TELEVISION: There is a growing tendency these days for commentators on radio and television in this country to proclaim their partiality, as if, somehow, it were a virtue. Indeed the same could be said for sections of the print media.

So, it is viewed as perfectly acceptable to declare oneself a devoted Manchester United or Arsenal fan, in the general context of fulfilling what should be a neutral role. It makes quite a change from a time when none of us knew, nor ever thought to ask, the county affiliation of the country's finest sports commentator, Micheál Ó Hehir.

Where international sport is concerned, bias is more acceptable, though the notion of the indomitable British boy continues to rankle on this side of the Irish Sea. Still, we expect Irish commentators to project the Irish view and their Welsh, Scots and English counterparts to be similarly partisan.

But what about two British sides facing each other, as we had at Murrayfield on Saturday, when England were asserting their almost perennial dominance over the Scots for the Calcutta Cup? Surely we could expect a more balanced view, especially on the BBC.

The belief that we Celts are capable of far more objectivity in international combat than our English brethren, gained rich emphasis in the studio analyses of Jeremy Guscott and Jonathan Davies.

"The strength of the English pack is just overwhelming the Scots," enthused the former England centre about his former colleagues. Indeed, his half-time comments were so jingoistic as to cause the Welshman to rock back in his chair with laughter.

Does it have to be this way? Do genuine English supporters gain any real satisfaction from such predictable bias, or would they not prefer a more balanced appraisal from an informed neutral?

In this context, pundits have much to learn from the wonderful professionalism of Saturday's commentator, Bill McLaren, whose obvious Scottishness is never an irritant. And who couldn't but warm to the producer of such phrases as: "As we start the second half let's see if there's any jiggery pokery in this one", or "Jason Robinson, although he's a convert from rugby league, can put a real thump into a punt."

Over on RTÉ, Tony Ward was proving that he is well on the way to building his own store of rich phrases, such as Saturday's: "That was a real Hail Mary kick, up in the air and hope for the best." Then yesterday: ". . . wriggling like cyclist on College Green on a Friday afternoon."

And there was warm praise for David Humphreys in a position which he, himself had graced on so many occasions. Ward enthused: "Humphreys is having a really good game, not just for the points he's putting up but his awareness of players around him and the way he is dictating play so sensibly."

George Hook had dominated the pre-match prognostications. Expertly prodded by Tom McGurk, Hook was in typically expansive mood for RTÉ's admirably comprehensive show, making the bold, triple prediction: "On Super Bowl Sunday, St Louis for the Superbowl, Liverpool for the Premiership and Ireland by two points."

So, what was the mood at the end of a 47-minute first half? "We're looking at 100-minute rugby matches," said McGurk. And Brent Pope, who couldn't see where the extra minutes came from, suggested that Wales should be heading for the sanctuary of the nearest church.

"They played rubbish last year and they're now worse, whereas Ireland have given the best 40 minutes I've seen from them in years," he said.

On cue, Hook followed this with a glowing tribute to the new Irish coach in his first international. "I went to Limerick for the first squad session under Eddie O'Sullivan and spent five days watching him," he said. "It was the most extraordinarily organised practice. What he has now done is the most difficult thing for a coach to do: he has transferred from the training pitch to the playing pitch."

And naturally, when it was all over, there wasn't a mention of the narrow, two-point margin the bould George had predicted. But he declared: "The decision to change the coach has been vindicated."

Meanwhile, the weekend news on Sky Sports that CBS had chosen Lanny Wadkins as Ken Venturi's successor in the role of anchorman of their golf coverage could hardly have come at a more appropriate location. For the scene was the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, which just happens to be where Wadkins gained his greatest triumph.

When the 1977 USPGA Championship was played over this celebrated terrain, Wadkins beat Gene Littler in a play-off for his only "major" title. And while looking at Guy Boros competing in the AT&T, he recalled that he had played the first two rounds of the US Open with Guy's father, Julius, at Pebble Beach in 1972.

While the sometimes abrasive Virginian was becoming established in television work last year, Hal Sutton suggested that he need have no worries about offending friends in tournament ranks, because it didn't have any. Whatever the basis for Sutton's bitter view, I for one am delighted at Wadkins's good fortune.

My admiration for him goes back to the Ryder Cup at Oak Hill in 1995, when he was captain of the vanquished American team. At a time when the biennial event had gone through a decidedly tricky patch, Wadkins showed himself to be an admirably dignified and sporting captain in what must have been a very difficult situation for him. He also happens to be a fine commentator, with a Southern accent that is decidedly easy on the ear.

And I can't leave the AT&T without some mention of the irrepressible Bill Murray. On Friday's telecast, we saw the comedy actor collecting dollar bills from the gallery behind the 16th green after he had achieved an impressive up and down.

He was at it again on Saturday, collecting bets from those silly enough to think he couldn't get up and down from off the front of the 12th green. Tom Watson, who has been highly critical of Murray's on-course behaviour, would have been horrified. But to me, it was marvellous fun.

PICK OF THE WEEK

TODAY

NETWORK 2 (12.05am) - Soul of the Game: A Cineplex presentation about the legendary baseball player, Jackie Robinson.

TG4 (10.45) - Laochra Gael: Profile of Cork legend Con Murphy.

UTV (11.30) - The Premiership.

BBC2 (1.10, 3.30, 6.20) - Snooker: Masters, at Wembley.

TUESDAY

BBC2 (1.10, 3.30, 6.45) - Snooker Masters

WEDNESDAY

BBC2 (1.10, 4.0, 6.45) - Snooker: Masters.

THURSDAY

BBC2 (1.10, 3.20, 6.0) - Snooker: Masters.

FRIDAY

BBC2 (11.50am) - Tennis and Snooker.

BBC2 (6.45, 11.35) - Snooker: Masters.