One of Bargepole’s favourite ways to while away the hours is listening to TMS – where else could you hear, as on yesterday’s transmission, a discussion of the work of F Scott Fitzgerald followed by a debate on the merits of Windowleen?
What are your TMS memorable moments, and who are your commentators of choice?
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It’s the non-cricket stuff that makes it so appealing, even to a cricket tragic like me, sat typing away whilst enjoying my lunch at Trent Bridge.
Cake, buses, more cake and pigeons all add to the broadcast’s attraction.
The variety of commentating styles also helps although I can’t do with Geoffrey. He gives the good folk of Yorkshire a bad image. Love Blowers and Aggers and really miss CMJ.
“Eee, that were rooobbish. I could’ve hit that with a stick of roooobarb” etc.
BBC pictures on the TV, sound turned down, TMS on the radio. That’s how cricket was meant to be watched if you couldn’t be there.
And the Legend that was Richie for the highlights.
Aggers is tremendous, agreed. Blowers is just starting to become a caricature of himself, but still fab. I must remember to invite him to our bus garage before/during the test match this year, for a proper view on just how the green buses get to be on the Loughborough Road….
The TMS podcast is all you really need if you’re time pressed.
Arlott was wonderful. Times were different then and I’m sure he would sound archaic now but he had a great way with words and a sly sense of humour. Even as a child, listening on unreliable long wave in the family car on holiday, I knew he was special.
As for a memorable moment, I was sitting in a traffic jam in West London when Aggers made his famous comment about Botham being unable to get his leg over causing him and Johnners to be unable to broadcast for however long it was; and I was very glad the traffic wasn’t moving as I would have been unable to drive the car properly for quite some time.
Well, my favourite is clearly Aggers and Johnners corpsing and it still has me in giggles. When CMJ died, they played his commentary about Vettori dangling his pole (I think) and then trying to extricate himself. All priceless. It’s odd, as stated above, that a sports commentary programme should so appeal for all the non-cricketing stuff. However, it is precisely because they commentate and cover the cricket so well, apart from Blowers who is indulged far too much, that the extra-curricular staff is such fun. I’m a big fan of Boycott, though don’t get him started on depression and cricketers. Boycs, and Aggers, feature in another favourite moment of mine when they were discussing fast bowling and Boycs mentioned how there was only one delivery that scared him and he didn’t see to which Aggers replied “yeah I was really proud of that one !”. It took Boycott a good few secs before he realised that they were taking the piss.
another amusing interlude
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzaNAgIbvsM
I don’t listen enough. I should listen more. Aggers is a bridge between decades.
As able to handle himself, as grandee in residence, with the bantersome antics of Tuffers, Vaughany and Swanny, as he was when Young Pup was his métier, in the endless summer of Jonners, discomfited by the growly Truman north wind, only occasionally.
It’s always better withiot Blofeld. He never was any good, but over recent years he has got worse and worse, and is quite frankly an embarrassment.
Even as a Yorkie, I can only take Sir Geoffrey in very small doses – though I do enjoy it when Aggers takes him in hand. Missing Victor on this tour.
That would be WITHOUT…
I love TMS, listening as I type this and they are off for rain.
Even they have boundaries though and know when to move over for another broadcast if there is nothing else to talk about. So this afternoon on my drive home from Guildford I got 30 minutes of commentary from the Glamorgan Surrey game as they swapped over to ensure their listeners at least got some commentary on a live cricket match.
I have to say after five minutes I re-tuned to Planet Rock for 30 minutes bit it is the thought that counts!
Bargepole must have been reading my mind yesterday evening. The self-same exchanges had me about to post on the subject but the phone rang and I was subsequently distracted.
I have been really impressed by Swann this week – he had been interesting and erudite and not as tiresomely “laddish” as I found him previously. He started a discussion about the “green flash” as the sun sets which made me prick up my ears; was interesting about the art of spin bowling; and the F Scott Fitzgerald/Windowlene episode was classic TMS – very little to do with the cricket but as CLR James said (and is endlessly quoted for saying) “What do they know of cricket, who only cricket know.”
I’m afraid I had rather stereotyped him as a Tuffers wannabe but he’s shown himself to be so much better than that. Ed Smith’s plaintive “I wish you’d waited until I was on air for the Fitzgerald discussion” was lovely.
I think my favourite ‘shift’ is Aggers and Vic Marks. They don’t tread on the other’s role and just work really well together. Simon Mann could do well to listen to them – he frequently asks a question of his companion, and then carries on talking. Ed Smith has settled down nicely, and seems to annoy Boycott. Which is A Good Thing. Michael Vaughn – I don’t care what crap programme you watched on telly last night.
The Curse Of The Commentator is beginning to become a regular feature on TMS. In the last test Michael Vaughn barely finished praising Cook’s improved batting in the 2nd innings and he was out about 1 second later. Vaughn & Boycott are masters of the COTC.