Gareth Wheeler

[The Real Marc]

14 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

That is an homage to Gerry Dobson.  

Nah Gerry Dobson mixed up black players with white players. That's not Carl Fletcher on the ground Gerry

With the caveat that we all make mistakes, the misidentifying black players has to stop. Wheeler miscalling Atiba on the first goal was a super cringe moment not because one can't make a mistake, but because it happens enough to notice.

[Joe MacCarthy]

I don't know what game that was but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.  If he's in T.O. calling games off a screen, it ain't easy.  When I was in college before an audition to broadcast a local senior hockey team, I tried to do it off a monitor.  I failed miserably (in my mind).  But then again I was probably using a 20 inch screen instead of 100" but still, it's not the best way to do it.

[Metro]

4 minutes ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

I don't know what game that was but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.  If he's in T.O. calling games off a screen, it ain't easy.  When I was in college before an audition to broadcast a local senior hockey team, I tried to do it off a monitor.  I failed miserably (in my mind).  But then again I was probably using a 20 inch screen instead of 100" but still, it's not the best way to do it.

I am not in the industry but this makes sense, especially if the production crew isn't working with you and you are forced to commentate on whatever pictures are shown to you.

The first time any one saw Atiba on that goal was when he was on the ground and the ball was bouncing off his back.

[Yoginess]

Please please please let us watch the international feed for the World Cup. That’s all I ask

[jonovision]

45 minutes ago, The Real Marc said:

Nah Gerry Dobson mixed up black players with white players. That's not Carl Fletcher on the ground Gerry

With the caveat that we all make mistakes, the misidentifying black players has to stop. Wheeler miscalling Atiba on the first goal was a super cringe moment not because one can't make a mistake, but because it happens enough to notice.

Dobson absolutely mixed up black players disproportionately. Wheeler is far better on that front. Even Nigel Reed does it a lot with the women, and then constantly is "begging your pardon".

The Wheeler miscue on the Atiba goal may have been "cringe" but more understandable: what the hell was he doing as the only one way up the pitch on that play? That's where you'd expect David to be.

[Shway]

16 hours ago, narduch said:

He mixes up back players.

It's annoying 

Yea man if you think that’s annoying, as he doesn’t do it often and I mean every game often…. I really wonder how you felt about pardon me Gerry Dobson. Because that shit used to annoy me until it became a joke. 

Nigel Reed is bad, but Dobson just did more often (because he did more games)

He was mixing up Serioux and Gerba…like wtf one has(d) dreads. At least once a game it would happen…I really can’t imagine him commentating on todays team as there’s triple the amount of black guys in the starting XI alone.😂

ahh bless his heart. 

[Kent]

9 hours ago, Metro said:

Us Rauter fans should lobby TSN to allow Rauter to do play by play for the 1st half of the Canada's 1st match.  That would be a classy move.

Maybe they can give a secondary audio you can tap into. Don't make us listen to Rauter too!

[Unnamed Trialist]

9 hours ago, The Real Marc said:

Nah Gerry Dobson mixed up black players with white players. That's not Carl Fletcher on the ground Gerry

With the caveat that we all make mistakes, the misidentifying black players has to stop. Wheeler miscalling Atiba on the first goal was a super cringe moment not because one can't make a mistake, but because it happens enough to notice.

They are in the stadium, aren't they? 

I can get confused about plenty of players watching a screen, but at a stadium it does not happen as easily. 

In any case, it's a goal for Canada, call the goal, then figure out who did it if you are not sure. Or just slow down, that is an advantage of the British-style play-by-play, they watch, take it in, then maybe mention the player.

[The Real Marc]

I agree, slowing it down would give them time to do the mental math and figure it all out. I'm not sure where they are. If they're calling from a screen then you have a point, and I can appreciate that the angles and perspective may be limited. I just find some of his flubs very obvious. Like the Honduras own goal that was clearly an own goal, at least from watching the TV, that Wheeler had to be corrected by Dunfield about. Or the octopus arms and legs of Atiba in that El Salvador goal moment were clearly not the beefcake build of David. But maybe I'm being hard on him.

[Gian-Luca]

21 minutes ago, The Real Marc said:

I agree, slowing it down would give them time to do the mental math and figure it all out. I'm not sure where they are. If they're calling from a screen then you have a point, and I can appreciate that the angles and perspective may be limited. I just find some of his flubs very obvious. Like the Honduras own goal that was clearly an own goal, at least from watching the TV, that Wheeler had to be corrected by Dunfield about. Or the octopus arms and legs of Atiba in that El Salvador goal moment were clearly not the beefcake build of David. But maybe I'm being hard on him.

Not to mention the completely different hairstyles between Atiba & David (e.g. David's not bald) and that David can clearly be seen on the screen at the top of the 18 at same time that he's suggesting that he's the one flying in on goal at the near post. I think it's purely down to excitement that he imagines it must be David doing the flying header but that's the balance as a professional play-by-play man that you have to strike between clearly being a homer and the enthusiasm leading to embarrassing goal calls where the goal scorer is completely misidentified. Yes, calling games off a monitor isn't easy but don't guess guess/assume if you can't identify properly, you can describe what is happening ("It's headed on goal"!, etc.) without providing the names.

[RJB]

I like the game that Wheeler calls.  But I liked Dobson and Reuter too.  I guess I just like that we have our own guys who - like them or not - work hard to be good at their craft.  It bugs me to hear Reed and Wileman, because I feel they really just an accent.

I get also that he mixes up the players who are black on occasion, but does he also mix up the white players ever?  

[Macksam]

12 hours ago, RJB said:

I like the game that Wheeler calls.  But I liked Dobson and Reuter too.  I guess I just like that we have our own guys who - like them or not - work hard to be good at their craft.  It bugs me to hear Reed and Wileman, because I feel they really just an accent.

I get also that he mixes up the players who are black on occasion, but does he also mix up the white players ever?  

He did confuse Osorio for Staq once, so a Hispanic for a Portuguse person. I guess that exonerates him from any further previous racially based mistaken identity transgressions. 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Macksam

[RJB]

6 hours ago, Macksam said:

He did confuse Osorio for Staq once, so a Hispanic for a Portuguse person. I guess that exonerates him for any further previous mistaken racially based mistaken identity transgressions. 

I'm sensing some sarcasm here.  I think it matters though, because this line of discussion is insinuating some racism because he and others confuse some of the players who are black.  Is that simply what we notice, or is he confusing lots of players?  Because I think there is a difference to only confusing the players who are black, or confusing others too, especially when the thread is beating around the bush about racism. 

[RS]

13 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

They are in the stadium, aren't they? 

Only for home matches.

[TGAA_Star]

Gareth Wheeler on commentary sometimes comes off as biased especially against other teams in CONCACAF especially whenever Canada plays against said opponents. I mean I get having passion for your home country but to be a commentator, take your feelings out of it and be unbiased. That's what being a commentator is.

[TOcanadafan]

56 minutes ago, RS said:

Only for home matches.

This is the big point.  I’m OK with Wheeler as a commentator at this point  (I actually think he improved quite a bit this window, and now have more of an issue with Dunfield as a wing man) but I’ll cut anyone slack if calling a game from a TV feed.  The camera had just switched from the side view less than a second before Hutch made contact.

[Macksam]

2 hours ago, RJB said:

I'm sensing some sarcasm here.  I think it matters though, because this line of discussion is insinuating some racism because he and others confuse some of the players who are black.  Is that simply what we notice, or is he confusing lots of players?  Because I think there is a difference to only confusing the players who are black, or confusing others too, especially when the thread is beating around the bush about racism. 

I think you should move on to a more pressing issue in your day. Concentrate on yourself, improve your own life in some way.

I wouldn't worry about this.

Edited February 5, 2022 by Macksam

[nazzer]

1 hour ago, TGAA_Star said:

Gareth Wheeler on commentary sometimes comes off as biased especially against other teams in CONCACAF especially whenever Canada plays against said opponents. I mean I get having passion for your home country but to be a commentator, take your feelings out of it and be unbiased. That's what being a commentator is.

Why is bias bad? I want my local commentary to be homer's for Canada. I absolutely love the over the top enthusiastic celebrations, it feels like he is Canadianising the GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL screaming with his unique takes. I love Wheeler on commentary and hope whoever gets the World Cup rights has him do the games. 

Dunfield though, not so much

[Bison44]

I think everyone is reading alot into this.  The camera swings in following the cross bing bam, some pin ball action and the ball is in the net.  I had no idea who got on the cross or how it went in the net.  Not at all as blatant as some of the past gaffs.  

[TGAA_Star]

22 minutes ago, nazzer said:

Why is bias bad? I want my local commentary to be homer's for Canada. I absolutely love the over the top enthusiastic celebrations, it feels like he is Canadianising the GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL screaming with his unique takes. I love Wheeler on commentary and hope whoever gets the World Cup rights has him do the games. 

Dunfield though, not so much

I mean do you see British well English commentators who are biased towards England whenever they play? They are unbiased 

[RJB]

58 minutes ago, Macksam said:

I think you should move on to a more pressing issue in your day. Concentrate on yourself, improve your own life in some way.

I wouldn't worry about this.

I don't think that this response is called for.  I thought we were having a good faith conversation.  I understand if you don't feel like responding and I don't take it personally, but this is quite condescending.  

[nazzer]

4 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

I mean do you see British well English commentators who are biased towards England whenever they play? They are unbiased 

So that's the barometer of good. Proper, dignified british is how it must be? Forget that, why would you want a passionless commentary team. Let me hear that passion

[RJB]

11 minutes ago, TGAA_Star said:

I mean do you see British well English commentators who are biased towards England whenever they play? They are unbiased 

I do all the time.  It's painful actually and one of the reasons why I don't like watching England play.  I feel like many of them do a great job, but their bias is clear when it's England.  And I don't mind that they're like that, but then perhaps that audio should stay in England as hopefully Wheeler's play-by-play stays in Canada.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Have to say I cringed when I watched the Sportsnet 30 minute replay.  I watch the games live on whatever stream is available so I usually don't get the privilege of a Wheels live call.  This one got me though; "From the home of Oskee Wee Wee to O Canada Oh Baby"  Really?  Inserting your own lame catch phrase into the same sentence as the 100 year old traditional chant.  Has he no shame.

[kacbru]

35 minutes ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

Have to say I cringed when I watched the Sportsnet 30 minute replay.  I watch the games live on whatever stream is available so I usually don't get the privilege of a Wheels live call.  This one got me though; "From the home of Oskee Wee Wee to O Canada Oh Baby"  Really?  Inserting your own lame catch phrase into the same sentence as the 100 year old traditional chant.  Has he no shame.

Do you have a link to the extended El Salvador highlights? I can't find it on sportsnet, but maybe it is geoblocked.