Sports Commentators and their comments

It is amazing at how sometimes sports commentators on our local airwaves suggest how they would have personally done better than the players on the field. Most people like listening to commentators who are funny however, not everyone recommends or trusts what they say. According to Samuel Ireri, a 35-year-old soccer fan in Kimironko, commentators exist because they need to earn a living and this makes them end up saying what they feel like saying. “They are not real, 60 percent of them give comments for something in return while 40 percent are real fans but biased,” Ireri said. It is all a question of benefits and not reality Ireri says and this is evident in their own words and actions. “The only thing that really upsets me is when commentators say whether or not it’s a foul, when it isn’t. I’d rather they only say “Oh that’s a foul” when they’re absolutely sure,” he adds. Desire Mbuguje, an Arsenal soccer fan in Kacyiru said he gets really mad at biased commentators. “I’m sure every fan gets a bit angry when a commentator is biased. As an Arsenal fan, I feel like we get our fair share of lopsided commentaries going against us,” Mbuguje says. However commentators argue that their role is to tell the truth to the viewers. “I tell people the exact things that I see and interpret them in the best way possible,” said Regis Muramira, a soccer commentator at City Radio. Regis says the credibility of commentators depends on their knowledge of a Sport. “Some commentators lack enough knowledge and awareness about a sport and therefore compensate their weakness with exaggerations. This is not the ideal way and role of a commentator,” he asserts. Gisele Niyonzima, a 30-year-old year mother of two and a soccer fan living in Kimironko argues that commentators are doing a good job. “That is why most fans like to hear their opinion about a given concept in a match, and I think they are real and doing a great job,” Niyonzima says. Sports commentators have a challenging job. They must succinctly and passionately convey the excitement of a sporting event to their viewers or listeners over the radio or television broadcast. iruikmo@yahoo.com