The Mail Bag
BBC and the anti-Everton bias
Comments (35)
A comment made by Mark Lawrenson today had me seething. When AJ and PN came on as subs for England he said "two Everton players, what is the world coming to."
I know there is nothing we can do to stop the bias generally shown to us by the beeb and its gaggle of red commentators, I just needed to vent.
Mike Duncan, Posted 08/09/2007 at 20:22:34
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Steve Pugh
2 Posted 09/09/2007 at 06:13:33
2 Posted 09/09/2007 at 06:13:33
"I was only joking by the way".
I think you will find were the next words that came out of his mouth.
He was taking the piss, being humouress, having a laugh etc. We make jokes at their expense but we complain if they do it back.
Grow UP.
I think you will find were the next words that came out of his mouth.
He was taking the piss, being humouress, having a laugh etc. We make jokes at their expense but we complain if they do it back.
Grow UP.
Christopher Marston
3 Posted 09/09/2007 at 08:32:47
3 Posted 09/09/2007 at 08:32:47
I agree Steve. Even I turned around to my housemate and started laughing. Its not a joke at Evertons expense, i think we should all lighten up about this ’biased’ syndrome and just get on with it!
kieran fitzgerald
4 Posted 09/09/2007 at 08:48:11
4 Posted 09/09/2007 at 08:48:11
The big four clubs and their players are always going to get the attention and the hype. Count up the number of main articles and features in the national papers in the space of a seven day period. How many will be about the big four, the vast majority by far. It’s just engrained into the psyche of the national media, both in England and here in Ireland. At this stage I’m not going to get in any way put out by commentators and analysts at international games or anywhere else exhibiting this bias.
Mike Byrne
5 Posted 09/09/2007 at 07:07:53
5 Posted 09/09/2007 at 07:07:53
Joking or not - commnetators shoudl not make comments like that. I suspect he meant every word and then realised he was on TV and hastily added ’ only joking’.
The dark-side can certainly give it out but have great problems taking it back - typical of the murdering self-centred red-shite - oops only joking!!
The dark-side can certainly give it out but have great problems taking it back - typical of the murdering self-centred red-shite - oops only joking!!
tonyhes
6 Posted 09/09/2007 at 09:21:30
6 Posted 09/09/2007 at 09:21:30
I think his Liverpool connections are relevant. Bit of rivalry still and nothing for us to get worked up about.
Allan Hobbs
7 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:04:55
7 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:04:55
He was havin a laugh ffs, the worlds gone mad if you get upset by this kind of thing. If you want over sanitized, boring commentary maybe you should start watching tennis!
Dave Darke
8 Posted 09/09/2007 at 09:55:57
8 Posted 09/09/2007 at 09:55:57
AS a staunch supporter for 40 years, I totally agree that this was just a bit of teasing fun. Why do some people (Mr Duncan et al) have to see malice in everythng? If that comment made you seethe mate then you need to get a life. There’s plenty of things in the world that are really ’seethe worthy’ but this ain’t one of them.
As someone else said GROW UP, sort out the paranoia and try and get out more!
As someone else said GROW UP, sort out the paranoia and try and get out more!
Mark Pendleton
9 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:27:31
9 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:27:31
I noticed that too and the way in which he explained it as a joke to me was a quick way to dig himself out of a hole. Forget paranoia, that was a poor comment to make and i think straight away he realised it was a very foolish thing to say even IF it was a joke. VERY unprofessional. But, it has to be said, that regardless of this incident does anyone really care what his opinion is? The guy is a second class commentator and first class twat. And, in the interest of bias, i actually think Hansen is good.
Karl Jones
10 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:24:04
10 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:24:04
I can see what Mike means though. There is such an underlying Liverpool Bias throughout the media, especially the BBC, that they’re not even interested in trying to appear impartial anymore.
What other reason do they have for the "dreary" Mark Lawrenson (who represented The Republic of Ireland) to constantly be present everytime they get an England game. Even less so, Alan "Scotty" Hansen back in the studio.
Remember the days when they used to have entertaining commentary from the likes of Brian Clough and Jack Charlton?...Now its as though that as long as they used to wear a Liverpool shirt, the jobs there for them..John Barnes!..Ray Clemence!! They were/are both undoubtedly crap but it didnt stop them getting key presenting jobs. So its not as though its because they’re any good!
What other reason do they have for the "dreary" Mark Lawrenson (who represented The Republic of Ireland) to constantly be present everytime they get an England game. Even less so, Alan "Scotty" Hansen back in the studio.
Remember the days when they used to have entertaining commentary from the likes of Brian Clough and Jack Charlton?...Now its as though that as long as they used to wear a Liverpool shirt, the jobs there for them..John Barnes!..Ray Clemence!! They were/are both undoubtedly crap but it didnt stop them getting key presenting jobs. So its not as though its because they’re any good!
paul hennessey
11 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:33:25
11 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:33:25
Having read Lawrensens columns on the echo website and his usual predictions on the bbc football website, he is usually very complimentary and normally calls it as he sees it as regards everton. As said before, the fella is a second class commentator, but thats all, it was just a stupid joke, the likes of which he makes 4-5 times every game, and while not really that funny, he’s just having a bit of fun, lets not get so worked up about it.
Andy McKenzie
12 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:47:09
12 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:47:09
this whole lawrenson quote has been taken totally out of context, the guy was joking ffs, can people not have a little snipe at everton without people shouting to the heavens at every oppurtunity, seriously some people need to lighten up a bit.
dave roberts
13 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:43:56
13 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:43:56
I must admit I was a bit miffed when I first heard the comment. But then I decided to take it as a compliment!
Indeed, what is the world coming to? A team that nobody in the media remembered existed a few years ago and here we are now having broken into the top four once, no doubt a top 8 team, maybe even better, and good representation at international level...and in Europe to boot!
Two players coming on as subs for England and one of them sets Owen up with what should have been a cert if the little git hadn’t cocked it up. Then to top it all off, McFadden comes on for Scotland and scores the goal of the day for me. And he is only one of our subs!
What IS the world coming to!?
Indeed, what is the world coming to? A team that nobody in the media remembered existed a few years ago and here we are now having broken into the top four once, no doubt a top 8 team, maybe even better, and good representation at international level...and in Europe to boot!
Two players coming on as subs for England and one of them sets Owen up with what should have been a cert if the little git hadn’t cocked it up. Then to top it all off, McFadden comes on for Scotland and scores the goal of the day for me. And he is only one of our subs!
What IS the world coming to!?
Mike Byrne
14 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:54:04
14 Posted 09/09/2007 at 10:54:04
Andy
No - that is very point - commentators on the BBC reporting on an ENGLAND match not resorting to sly digs and snipes at Everton but no-one else.
FFS it is our license money that pays for these pricks and I for one resent it when they take a dig at me - and yes damn right I do take it personally.
They are to provide (allegedely) meaninful, succinct, knowledgable views having been there themselves - let them do that not make cheap points at expense of others.
There is a time and a place and an England game is neither
No - that is very point - commentators on the BBC reporting on an ENGLAND match not resorting to sly digs and snipes at Everton but no-one else.
FFS it is our license money that pays for these pricks and I for one resent it when they take a dig at me - and yes damn right I do take it personally.
They are to provide (allegedely) meaninful, succinct, knowledgable views having been there themselves - let them do that not make cheap points at expense of others.
There is a time and a place and an England game is neither
Andy McKenzie
15 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:15:41
15 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:15:41
mike
mark lawrenson usually only has good things to say about us, now if he was constantly ripping the fuck out of our club (which he does?nt) then id understand people kicking off.
it was just a joke and people should?nt take it to heart when someone has a little snipe at everton, seriously i laughed when i heard it and i would of expected other evertonians to laugh at it.
it just seems to me that people are just wanting an excuse to moan about every little incident when everton don?t get praise, now if it was someone from(lets say sky)then i would of been the first on here complaining but it was someone who respects everton.
mark lawrenson usually only has good things to say about us, now if he was constantly ripping the fuck out of our club (which he does?nt) then id understand people kicking off.
it was just a joke and people should?nt take it to heart when someone has a little snipe at everton, seriously i laughed when i heard it and i would of expected other evertonians to laugh at it.
it just seems to me that people are just wanting an excuse to moan about every little incident when everton don?t get praise, now if it was someone from(lets say sky)then i would of been the first on here complaining but it was someone who respects everton.
John de Frece
16 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:17:15
16 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:17:15
Well we are all used to the crap handed out to us - only a few days ago I read an " article "by the London correspondent of an Israeli paper , sneering at the fact that there were three Everton players in the England team. This ,he felt, was an indication of the level of the English team . I still have’nt got over the sheer shock of the Israel TV commentators at us beating the shite 3-0. The wankers actually thought we were lucky !Oh well their drivel is’nt much better than the crap the national team produced yesterday ( it almost reminded me of the sort of dross we were putting out not so long ago !)i say - sod em all after all - we supposed not to care what .........
Phil Bellis
17 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:38:01
17 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:38:01
Not in the same league as Savages’s mum: ’...and on a bad day you can see Everton’. Anti-Everton media bias is so common we’re getting inured to it. Pity.
sir oliver reed
18 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:45:00
18 Posted 09/09/2007 at 11:45:00
dont worry about ol’ lawrenson my friend! hes an old skool toilet trader who knows little about the great game!
Adrian Francis
19 Posted 09/09/2007 at 12:10:11
19 Posted 09/09/2007 at 12:10:11
I dont even know why we use him or Hansen for that matter. Lawrenson call England ’them or you’ and not us and he played for the ROI and Hansen is a scot. Can you imagine Phil Thompson and Phil Neal Commentating or being a pundit on a scottish or ROI game. OF COURSE NOT. Get some ex ENGLISH player to commentate
Tim Banks
20 Posted 09/09/2007 at 12:51:39
20 Posted 09/09/2007 at 12:51:39
As some have already said, this is nothing to get worked up about, no matter who’s saying it. Even if Lawrenson did take the piss out of Everton the whole time, so what? To be honest, we deserve it if people are going to react like this over an innocuous throwaway comment.
Tony Williams
21 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:05:27
21 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:05:27
So what?
He is an ex-red having a little dig at an old former enemy.
It comes to something when we have a debate about Lawrenson’s little quip at an England match. Imagine if Barry Horne was commentating, I would bet he would say something about the redshite players also.
I couldn’t give a toss what anyone says about us, let the football do the talking.
He is an ex-red having a little dig at an old former enemy.
It comes to something when we have a debate about Lawrenson’s little quip at an England match. Imagine if Barry Horne was commentating, I would bet he would say something about the redshite players also.
I couldn’t give a toss what anyone says about us, let the football do the talking.
Mark Pendleton
22 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:10:37
22 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:10:37
Look at all the fuss over that weirdo on Hells Kitchen referring to travellers as "pikeys". The world’s gone mad.
Describing Australians as "Aussies" is perfectly acceptable but call anyone from Pakistan the equivalent and you’ll be up in court on a race charge. Just because someone deems one to be offensively "intended".
How is it that someone can find it amusing to say I support the Redshite when they know i support the original Merseyside team? Personally that’s more offensive than any supposed racist slur?
Describing Australians as "Aussies" is perfectly acceptable but call anyone from Pakistan the equivalent and you’ll be up in court on a race charge. Just because someone deems one to be offensively "intended".
How is it that someone can find it amusing to say I support the Redshite when they know i support the original Merseyside team? Personally that’s more offensive than any supposed racist slur?
Anon
23 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:17:07
23 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:17:07
Fuck me there’s some sad little people in this world. IT WAS A FUCKIN JOKE!
Ste Riley
24 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:50:32
24 Posted 09/09/2007 at 13:50:32
Who care’s about Lawro and what the sex case said and fuck the national team as well its all a big farce.Scouse first English second for me! Anyway Gravesen’s gonna tear the arse out of the manc’s on sat as well as Arteta,Yak and Jagielka(if he starts) and the rest of the boys i cant fucking wait!
guy pierce
25 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:18:23
25 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:18:23
He may sound camper than Corrie’s Norris but Old Ma Lawrenson’s a comedy god compared to Motson. And can anyone tell me why, whenever AJ comes on in an England game, it slows down to the pace of an indolent sloth?
Tony Williams
26 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:38:08
26 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:38:08
I bet AJ thought he was back at Goodison yesterday with all the pointless high balls being punted to him.
Someone should have told the rest of the team that Heskey had gone off and to play along the deck with two quick SMALL forwards. Doh!
Someone should have told the rest of the team that Heskey had gone off and to play along the deck with two quick SMALL forwards. Doh!
Matt Willey
27 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:56:42
27 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:56:42
Tony ...LOL .. Pip Neville was on the pitch (in midfield!!!!) and you expect them to play ’along the deck’ :-)
Thought they both put in a good little shift though...
Thought they both put in a good little shift though...
Dave Roberts
28 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:59:21
28 Posted 09/09/2007 at 14:59:21
Tony Williams,
I think you are asking a bit much of an England team there mate! Before changing the game plan to that extent they would have had to have gone off for a coaching session!
I think you are asking a bit much of an England team there mate! Before changing the game plan to that extent they would have had to have gone off for a coaching session!
Tony Williams
29 Posted 09/09/2007 at 15:09:44
29 Posted 09/09/2007 at 15:09:44
Phil (with his incredibly dodgy orange boots) actually played the ball along the floor. I didn’t notice one "Rhino" like floated pass.
Granted he was only on for 15-20 mins.
You are right Dave, Macca would have had to call a time out to try and get the new instructions to sink in, "See the wee lad up there, he can’t win headers like Emile" lol
Granted he was only on for 15-20 mins.
You are right Dave, Macca would have had to call a time out to try and get the new instructions to sink in, "See the wee lad up there, he can’t win headers like Emile" lol
Karl Jones
30 Posted 09/09/2007 at 20:27:07
30 Posted 09/09/2007 at 20:27:07
Well it looks as though John Barnes is presenting the Everton v Kharkiv game on Channel 5 (probably along with Beglin or some other redshite in the commentary box), so theres a good reason to make sure all the sensitive souls get down to Goodison and support the Blues.
The media really are clueless these days when it comes to presenting impartiality with televised football.
The media really are clueless these days when it comes to presenting impartiality with televised football.
Tony Williams
31 Posted 09/09/2007 at 21:50:18
31 Posted 09/09/2007 at 21:50:18
Doesn’t Pat Nevin sometimes commentate on Ch 5?
Better than nothing I suppose
Better than nothing I suppose
Jay
32 Posted 10/09/2007 at 09:34:42
32 Posted 10/09/2007 at 09:34:42
Who gives a monkies what that red poofter has got to say!!!!
Emil
33 Posted 10/09/2007 at 12:05:34
33 Posted 10/09/2007 at 12:05:34
Yeah its going to be Pat Nevin as the only one resembling an Everton view on things on Channel 5. Which is pants! Get Someone like Radcliffe or Big Nev in there! It’s annoying that there are so many RS pundits. Especially when you compare it to Lineker and Gray, who don’t even actually acknowledge they played for us, let alone show us an bias!
Karl Jones
34 Posted 10/09/2007 at 15:02:54
34 Posted 10/09/2007 at 15:02:54
Thats a very good shout regarding Big Nev. There’s a perfect choice for a TV football pundit. Outspoken and speaks his mind, doesnt give a shit what anyone else thinks, just like Cloughie.
Would love to see him ruffle a few feathers at the BBC!
Would love to see him ruffle a few feathers at the BBC!
Danny Jones
35 Posted 11/09/2007 at 22:25:16
35 Posted 11/09/2007 at 22:25:16
I am an Everton fan who follows the Blues home and away but I must say, I have no idea how Neville is anywhere near the England squad, it’s only because he used to play for Utd really.
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1 Posted 08/09/2007 at 22:59:06