Mike Tucker Gaffs

I think it's one thing to make the odd charming boo-boo, but fundamentally a commentator should be accurate and reliable and should really add to the sense of the action, not be a distraction, which sadly MT too often is now. Yes I'd rather have someone with his level of experience in the sport itself than an ignoramus, but he sounds disorganised and unprofessional these days and I'd rather a better service given it's a job he's being paid for! Separately, I also think having someone bumbly and overly old-school posh really damages the image of the sport on TV. We keep saying we need a higher profile and more accessible feel for eventing... but most new people will experience it for the first time on TV ... and sadly MT's pony club circa 1955 sound does it no favours whatsoever these days.
 
LEC said:
I thought I would use this thread to share our favourite Mike Tucker gaffs as there were so many I could keep up.

If it had been a drinking game I would have been comatose!!

So my favourite was calling Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton Australian all the time though they ride for the USA.

anymore?
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Actually they are Australian, but relocated to USA, got dual nationality and chose to ride for USA (perhaps they couldn't get in Australian squad) so Mike is technically right.
 
Bestdogdash said:
Actually they are Australian, but relocated to USA, got dual nationality and chose to ride for USA (perhaps they couldn't get in Australian squad) so Mike is technically right.
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He did explain that, but then every time they appeared said 'for Australia' before correcting himself or being corrected.
 
philamena said:
I think it's one thing to make the odd charming boo-boo, but fundamentally a commentator should be accurate and reliable and should really add to the sense of the action, not be a distraction, which sadly MT too often is now. Yes I'd rather have someone with his level of experience in the sport itself than an ignoramus, but he sounds disorganised and unprofessional these days and I'd rather a better service given it's a job he's being paid for! Separately, I also think having someone bumbly and overly old-school posh really damages the image of the sport on TV. We keep saying we need a higher profile and more accessible feel for eventing... but most new people will experience it for the first time on TV ... and sadly MT's pony club circa 1955 sound does it no favours whatsoever these days.
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Aw poor Mike Tucker! I think he's fabulous, he's the sound of british eventing! Who cares if he makes a few boo boos, he is enthusiastic and that is the main thing. Why don't we just have an automated voice then? Old school british, bless him I love the sound of his british accent. He's done a lot for sport and he's got to be ancient now. We should celebrate these old stalwarts, not cast them off. They'll be someone new in time and for now we should make the most of him and have a giggle, we'll be sad when he is gone, it won't sound the same mark my words!
 
I love mike tucker he's hilarious, I find Ian a bit annoying sometimes tbh, although maybe mike is more suited to doing the Christmas classes at Olympia?

I don't knw who else there is really, Clare B is good, but Andy Austin is far too irritating!
 
I dunno, he was pretty awful the last few days, but if we lose him, we get that really incredibly annoying younger lad!
 
They should have got Paul Tapner as he is surprisingly good when he does stints commentating at Badminton. Also with his Aussie accent would not have been perceived as upper class.
 
Ah he is quite entertaining though, wondering what he will come out with next! My favourite was when he described the facilities at Greenwich, clearly just telling us what we could also see anyway on the screen.
"There are plenty of warm up areas here, as you can see two huge arenas." Then the camera panned round and he added, "Oh there is another warm up arena too"
Guess he hadn't actually bothered to look or find out before!
 
I like him too - can't be an easy job - especially when the excitement is building so much. He does know what he is talking about - after all coming 2nd at Badminton doesn't happen to anyone who isn't very good. Personally I am dreading having to listen to Steve Hadley doing the showjumping. If anyone is going to put off the general public it will be him.
 
I usually like him, but he was too much in the Olympic coverage. He spent too long trying to banter with Ian Stark, but wasn't very funny, left his microphone on way too many times (with quite upsetting consequences when people though he had said a horse had broken down..) and wittered like crazy, particlarly when team GB were going round - I think it was nerves, as he wanted them to go well, but it was soooo annoying!

I used to like it when Lucinda Green commentated.

ps. Coming second at Badminton in 1982 leaves you a little behind the times really! Things have changed so much since them. He has only stayed as he is personable really.
 
Rowreach said:
I don't find Mike Tucker's gaffes funny any more :( he spoils it for me. ........ :o
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I don't agree. The man's clearly out of his depth, and talks complete drivel, but the fun is in the fact that we can't rely upon him, and we do have to actually listen, just to check that we haven't had yet another, "Tuckerism" (well done ElleJS, a new word for us ;)).

The man's an idiot. Period (and he may be an irritation, too ;)).

I do so wish that the Francomb was wheeled in, and that he had an interest in horses which didn't actually race! He would be such a commentator.

Alec.
 
How many of us armchair critics have finished 2nd at Badminton in any year!! Its not as though he has completely disappeared from the scene since then either!
 
Bustermartin said:
How many of us armchair critics have finished 2nd at Badminton in any year!! Its not as though he has completely disappeared from the scene since then either!
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No one's said he's not a great sportsman, but sometimes his Tuckerisms are hard to listen to when there's people offering more insightful comments next to him...
 
Completely agree that being at the top of the sport doesn't make you a great commentator - I was just making the point that he does know what he is talking about. In my opinion the partnership with Ian really works - I am not sure I would be so keen if he weren't with Ian, and I would rather turn the commentary off when Tucker is commentating with Steven Hadley, but at the end of the day its all subjective ......
 
I think he's dreadful and he almost destroys my enjoyment of what I'm watching. He makes a mistake every single time he opens his mouth, and since he seems to babble, that's far too frequently. I lost count of the gaffes tbh.
Also, pointing out the age of every single rider.. WHY? It's more interesting to hear the horse's age or breeding (the latter was rarely mentioned) than the rider's. I think he's utterly rubbish and we should start a campaign to have him replaced. I don't care what he did in the sport way back when... so did a lot of other people who would be far better commentators, with far more attention to detail!
 
The fact that the guy is now known for his 'tuckerisms' makes him a legend in my book!

The thing is real horsie people will know that he has got things mixed up and those who aren't horsie but just interested public won't know to care anyway, they just want to see the horses.

Besides in Jilly coopers RIDERS the commentator was known for his mistakes!

Its part of what makes it fun!
 
kerilli said:
I think he's dreadful and he almost destroys my enjoyment of what I'm watching. He makes a mistake every single time he opens his mouth, and since he seems to babble, that's far too frequently. I lost count of the gaffes tbh.
Also, pointing out the age of every single rider.. WHY? It's more interesting to hear the horse's age or breeding (the latter was rarely mentioned) than the rider's. I think he's utterly rubbish and we should start a campaign to have him replaced. I don't care what he did in the sport way back when... so did a lot of other people who would be far better commentators, with far more attention to detail!
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The age of athletes in the Olympics is interesting to know. On all the athletes profiles, in all the sports their age is recorded. I think it's good to show that our sport doesn't have to be for young people and those that are young its nice to celebrate how well they are doing.
 
lannerch said:
He also announced team GB had just won bronze!
You think he could have got that right it had only just happened!
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I will defend Mike on this one, he did say it however the context which you may have missed was that they could have been no worse than bronze after that particular round.
The best one I have heard on the olympics was in the cycling road race when there was a crash and the commentator in the excitement said I think hes hurt his A**E.
 
Firewell said:
The age of athletes in the Olympics is interesting to know. On all the athletes profiles, in all the sports their age is recorded. I think it's good to show that our sport doesn't have to be for young people and those that are young its nice to celebrate how well they are doing.
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Yes, fine once or twice, but not reading out and stressing their age EVERY SINGLE TIME they appear again. Arghhh. Even my non-horsey OH started getting annoyed by it and saying "how old's this one then, Mike?" whenever a new rider appeared, just before MT read it out again!
Tina Cook was a great commentator. As is Lucinda Green, but of course she's viewed as having too posh a voice. fgs. She commentated for Aus TV this time I think, lucky them!
 
kerilli said:
. As is Lucinda Green, but of course she's viewed as having too posh a voice. fgs. She commentated for Aus TV this time I think, lucky them!
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Yes, she was commenting on Aussie TV. My unhorsey sister was watching and said she was a brilliant commentator.
 
I think my favourite one was 'oh look, there are the GB team talking to...the team chef...' *trailing off into a mumble*

Did make me chuckle. Also a little annoying!
 
Personally I feel Clare Balding should have been the main presenter and even perhaps commentator for the eventing. Not sure who she had upset to not be there at all. She was clearly very unhappy at not being there as were the GB team.

Ian Stark was excellent and how he didn't strangle Mike Tucker I don't know. Perhaps some of the shortlisted riders could have commentated - Piggy French for instance?
 
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