Football Daily - The Commentators' View: Ali hit by golf ball & John’s fashion show

Episode Date: September 26, 2025

Golf correspondent Iain Carter & commentator Kat Downes join John Murray & Ali Bruce-Ball from the Ryder Cup. They talk about John’s travel trevails and his unexpected personal shopping experience. Why will commentating at this Ryder Cup be different? Who will we raise a glass to after Clash of the Commentators? And more suggestions for the Great Glossary of Football Commentary. Get your suggestions in with WhatsApp voicenotes to 08000 289 369 & emails to [e-mail]01:45 Does the Ryder Cup beat all other golf events? 04:10 John’s travel travails mean 24 hours awake 05:45 John’s personal shopping experience 07:50 Commentating on the tee shots 14:00 Could politics make for hostile atmosphere? 15:45 John’s encounters with American supporters 20:35 Commentator Kat Downes joins the pod 23:45 Ali getting hit on the head by a tee shot 31:05 Fine facial fuzz & more pub names 34:30 5 Live football commentaries this weekend 38:45 Clash of the Commentators 45:10 Great Glossary of Football Commentary 48:30 Who’s the most ‘one for the cameras’ golferBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Sat 1500 Crystal Palace v Liverpool, Sat 1500 Chelsea v Brighton on Sports Extra, Sat 1730 Nottingham Forest v Sunderland on Sports Extra, Sun 1400 Aston Villa v Fulham, Sun 1630 Newcastle v Arsenal on Sports Extra.Glossary so far:DIVISION ONE Cryuff TurnDIVISION TWO Howler One for the cameras Root and branch review Row Z Taking one for the team That’s great… (football) Thunderous strikeUNSORTED 2-0 is a dangerous score, After you Claude, All-Premier League affair, Aplomb, Bag/box of tricks, Brace, Brandished, Breaking the deadlock, Bundled over the line, Champions elect / champions apparent, Clinical finish, Commentator’s curse, Coupon buster, Cultured/Educated left foot, Denied by the woodwork, Draught excluder, Elimination line, Fellow countryman, Foot race, Formerly of this parish, Fox in the box, Free hit, Goalkeepers’ Union, Goalmouth scramble, Good touch for a big man, Honeymoon Period, In and around, In the shop window, Keeping ball under their spell, Keystone Cops defending, Languishing, Loitering with intent, Marching orders, Nestle in the bottom corner, Numbered derbies, Nutmeg, Opposite number, Park the bus, PK for penalty-kick, Postage stamp, Put it in the mixer, Put their laces through it, Rasping shot, Red wine not white wine, Relegation six-pointer, Rooted at the bottom, Route One, Roy of the Rovers stuff, Sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, Shooting boots, Sleeping giants, Slide rule pass, Small matter of, Spiders web, Stayed hit, Steepling, Stinging the palms, Stonewall penalty, Straight off the training ground, Stramash, Taking one for the team, Team that likes to play football, Throw their cap on it, Thruppenny bit head / 50p head, Towering header, Two good feet, Turning into a basketball match, Turning into a cricket score, Usher/Shepherd the ball out of play, Walking a disciplinary tightrope, Wand of a left foot, We’ve got a cup tie on our hands, Where the kookaburra sleeps, Where the owl sleeps, Winger in their pocket, Wrap foot around it, Your De Bruynes, your Gundogans etc.

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. The Dakar Rally is the ultimate off-road challenge, perfect for the ultimate defender. The high-performance defender, Octa, 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine and intelligent 6D dynamics air suspension. Learn more at Landrover.ca. Hello, welcome to the Football Daily. I'm John Murray and this is the commentator's view where we five live commentators talk about football, the language of football commentary and the journeys football takes us on. Speaking of which, today we are not on a footballing trip, we're on a golf journey as we come to you with a slightly different sound you might have

picked that up already because we are at Bethpage State Park, Long Island, New York for a bit of Ryder Cup special. So joining us on the podcast today, Alastair Bruce Ball, as usual. Hello, John. But no Ian Dennis, who is not here, and Ian Dennis has been replaced by our golf correspondent, Ian Carter.

Hello, John. Hi, Ali. Are you ready, Ian? Are you ready for it? We've already done an open championship special. So the commentator's view has had a golf flavour before already this year, but this is quite different, isn't it? Yeah, and your question, are you ready? Yes. Yes, we are. And it's unique to the Rider Cup because the Rider Cup is played on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I've been here since Sunday lunchtime in New York.

I was going to say because obviously we, you know, as you say, John, we did a goal special during the Open Championship. And actually the media centre we sat in at the Open Championship physically was a bigger structure than when we're in here in New York. But it's fair to say, isn't it, Ian? in terms of the size of an event and the excitement and the anticipation, nothing beats this in golf, not the Masters, not the Open. This is the biggest and the best, isn't it? I think this is the moment that golf transcends and becomes not just something that the casual sports fan engages with, but properly engages with, properly gets passionate about it. They, in the same way as people follow football, you go,

with that sort of tribal recognition, that parochialism and the combat that ensues. It's so much easy to understand. And I think that much of the individual game is for the golf enthusiast is celebrating the immense skill of the players, whereas this is just all about winning and losing. You and I, John, cover football all the time.

This is the closest to a football atmosphere you'll ever get on a golf course, isn't it? Yeah, and also it's the greatest contrast because you go from absolute silence, hopefully, to, well, you will do, there will be moments where it is absolutely silent and then you go to the top of the range. And that is unique, that is unique. And, you know, this is the commentator's view, Ian, and the commentator's view at this event is also unique.

It is. and we're very fortunate and we're all sitting here with our blue lanyards on our accreditation and they say inside the ropes they also say one arm's length which for me and Ali is a bit of a

problem because we're not blessed with the wingspan that you have John so you'll be able to get a little further in from the ropes than we can but seriously that means that we're allowed to be inside the ropes but we have to be close to those ropes

We can only go an arm's length inside. Hopefully there won't be too strict on that because then it's all about trying to get vantage points where we can see, we're not heard by the players and we're not obscuring the view of the spectators as well and as we all know, that's a bit of a challenge. Yeah, it is. That is a challenge. Yeah.

What isn't unique, and I know Ian Dennis is not here, but we'll, I think he'll feel your pain, John, but he will enjoy this story at the same time is that getting out here and your travel woes have reared their ugly head once again. Your start to Rider Cup wig was not ideal, was it? No, it wasn't. And listen, everyone has travel problems, you know,

in whatever walk of life you're in, you know, and we've all had our fair share. But I thought that this football season, Paul Robinson, had actually taken my title of the Travel Jonah of Five Live from me, but I think I might have won it back over the course of 24 hours awake on Monday

from the moment that I got out of bed on Monday morning to the point where I got into bed in New York I had been up for over 24 hours just delayed flight bag didn't turn up because there was a very

very tight connection so I made the plane but the bag didn't make it also driving the higher car on my own from JFK Airport in the very early hours through New York was an interesting experience. Into Chinatown.

Into Chinatown. I also took a couple of wrong turns, went over two bridges. I think I went over the George Washington Bridge, which is a big bridge. And I'm thinking, where I need to be is behind me, and that bridge is going a long way

in the other direction. Anyway, finally got there. When I got there, stepped out of the car, and I looked down at the tires, and the back left tire was flat. So that was all quite challenging And it took me all of Tuesday

To get all of that sorted out And as we speak, my bag It's still waiting to be located Yeah, and personal shopping assistant involved in this story as well Yeah, so where we are There were a couple of hours So I went to reception

It was very helpful with all my problems the day And all of them Yep, all of them Absolutely all of them And Lisa on reception said, you're going to need to buy some more clothes, aren't you? And I said, yeah, where do you recommend? And she recommended one place.

But then she said, actually, if you are likely to get compensation for this, then why not go to Macy's? So I went to Macy's, and they have a very interesting fashion collection. And the slightly older lady sort of took me under her wing and decided she was going to dress me for the Ryder Cup. And some of her suggestions were not really the kind of things that you two have seen me wear. Such as? Well, there was one that was sort of very, very radical Hawaiian with big feathers on it.

Yeah. I can see that. Bright electric blue with lots of feathers on it. Another one, she was holding them up against me and say, oh yeah. Yeah, that is you. And I'm saying, I'm not sure it is me. And then she pulled this. Did you say I tend to go for a check?

I didn't say that. I was sort of gazing longingly at the checks on another rack. And she also leaned into this, and she pulled out this scarlet shirt. And she said, look at this. A hell this over against me. And I said, I'm not, again, I'm not sure I got that bright. So in the end, I managed to sort of get into, in fact, I'm wearing it now, which is a checked shirt, which is sort of the kind of checked.

Yeah, but anyway, so there we are. You're here. I'm here. You're here. And I've just come back in off the course. So I've walked part of the course for the first time. That is going to be a challenge. And I think commentating on the first, it's commenting on the T-shot team, that is going to be,

you know, I know that we've spoken already about how we're going to do it so you can elaborate. Yes, I mean it's, we're going to do it differently this time because the T, the first T is elevated. And ordinarily what we do is we're, we're, We're down by the side of the tea. You can see the players. You want to see into the whites of their eyes because it is the most nerve-wracking tea shot that is ever played in the game of golf.

And so ordinarily we try to get pretty close to the tea and you get that view of the player and then you usually get a view of where they're hitting to and you're able to describe that opening tea shot. But this time, because the tea is elevated, to be anywhere near that tea, You're just not going to see them because you're down too low. But at the back of the tea, we have this huge grandstand with 8,000 seats in it

that goes all the way around. And the other issue is that the first tea is very adjacent to the 18th green. So you can't really have the usual horseshoe grandstand around the first tea that's always so intimidating. Instead, this is a much wider structure that takes in the 18th green as well as the first tee but there is an area there for the media to be able to go

so I think what we're going to do is one of us will be at the back with a great view down as the players come on to the team we should be able to see in the whites of their eyes we'll be able to describe the ball being teed up and the shot being hit

but the problem is it's a dog leg and these players hit the ball so far they're hitting the ball straight over the trees so from there you can't see the ball ball land. So whoever's with that group that's teeing off at that time will be further down the fairway. The description will come from the tea and then it's heading your way and I always love that that bit anyway. We do it at the masters all the time especially down the 11th hole and then you know the next commentator will pick it up it's landed in the fairway blahdy

blahdy blah some of our favorite moment being and the ball is on its way Ian yes my when you said that what immediately came to mind there was actually the open championship not the right of when Tom Watson looked as though he was going to win on the final hole at Turnbray, 2009. I was with Bernard Gallagher standing right behind Tom Watson. You were up in the commentary box on the grandstand. And he negotiated the T-shot. He was in the middle of the fairway.

And Bernard and I, it's poking all the way down and say, we're actually going to see Tom Watson at the age of 59, wasn't that? Yes. Win the Open. He's going to do it. And Bernard would say, well, he's just got one more shot. really to hit so I'm describing it he hits it and it's bang online and I've kind of said well there it is Tom Watson's approach shot to the 18th it's bang online he's on course for victory

and where's it landed Ian and you said and I said it's landed in the middle of the green where's it going on and you said well it has skipped on through the back just to tell people a little bit of what we're going to be doing this week and we did do a bit of this this summer So we will be out on the golf course, inside the ropes, as Ian is explained. Arms length. With us as commentators, we will have former professional golfers as our summarizers to provide the sort of the expert analysis as we go. And then the current professional golfers. Well, exactly.

That's a very good point. Yeah, that's a very good point. We're also going to get Cat Downs on the podcast this week, one of our other commentators at the Ryder Cup this year and has done it previously. as well. In fact, I think Kat commented on the winning moment in Rome a couple of years ago when Tommy Fleetwood was given the puck by Ricky Fowler, just to get her thoughts as well on what covering Rider Cups. Do you remember what I was doing at the time? You were off air, your pack had gone down. Times you do not want your pack to blow up, A, on the singles day at the Ryder Cup in the last hour or so. So I was sitting with Andrew McGee behind, I think it was

the 15th, unable to broadcast. Just watching the action. I've got a good story on that actually. How have you? So Celtic Manor, 2010. Yeah. I remember, I mean, they were brutal days with the rain and everything. And do you remember that day where they rejigged it all and there was, so

it went on forever and the final match on the course was the Molinari brothers and Andrew Cotter was covering that match. And I'd gone up to our commentary box and was almost comatosed. I mean, I was so exhausted.

And I sat down next to the presenter, John Inverdale, took my headphones off, and Andrew was commentate. It was the last match on the course. And one thing I should say before that is that this commentary box wasn't ideally located. I remember this.

Because there was a giant oak tree between the commentary box at the back of the grandstand and the green. Yeah, you couldn't see the green. Couldn't see the green. So anyway, I'm half asleep, just thinking oh just got to you know get some rest here and Andrew's pack went down as he was

commentating on that final green and so silence descends on the output and then I hear in the background from my headphones which are on the desk Ian Carter pick up and commentate and my eyes are half half shut so I lent forward stuck the headphones on picked up the microphone looked up to see who was putting and of course all I could see was a note tree and then I looked at the monitor and was able to see it was Francesco Molinari and he hold the putt and fortunately we got away with it

and I'll never forget Andrew trudging all the way up to the commentary box at the end of it all coming in and looking and he said was I on and I said no you dropped out and he went and I

nailed it. That's so funny. But that's what happens. You just, you know, it's great. What is also slightly different for us covering a Rider Cup in the United States is, and it is the case this year as well, we are providing the commentary that is piped onto the course. So people listening on the course, on their radios, will be listening to the BBC Radio commentary. And clearly that also means that you have to be very conscious. I know we always talk about impartiality,

but we do have to be very, very conscious, don't we? That particularly here, when there's been such a talk about what the atmosphere is going to be like and how it is possibly going to be feverish, that many of the people on the course will be listening to us. Yes, and that is something that we have to definitely keep in mind. We can't let it affect editorial judgment. And I, you know, I do fear that there could well be moments over the three days of competition

where we're going to have to say some tough stuff and describe incidents that frankly no one really wants to see at a sporting event. Let's hope I'm wrong, but we might have to. And when we do, we're going to have to choose our language very, very carefully, I think, because, you know, this is, I don't know whether you've sensed it, Ali and John since we've been here. but we know that we're at a point in history in America where things are very polarised. And the fierce nationalism that is around this country at the moment I think could easily manifest itself in this Ryder Cup. And that's why I think people are predicting

such a hostile atmosphere for Europe. And we've got to ride that and report it and not upset the people who are listening. And of course, you've got the Trump fan. factor is and some of my favorite stories of interaction yeah that we get in the states when we are in the position where people are listening to us behind the ropes one I remember I can't remember which one it was but I remember walking down within an arm's length of the ropes and this kid in stars and stripes leans out into the

course with his hand out stretched and and as I'm walking I'm thinking he's going to approach me here and as I'm walking closer to him he's got his hand out stretch I'm thinking what's he going to do and he says hey you BBC hello and he said pointed at me he said you rock out baby and he put his hand up and he wanted a high-five which I kind of reluctantly gave him another one was you say nice checked shirt probably another one was I remember being or after a day was right in fact it might have all come to a conclusion I mean the merchandise tent and I'm just sort of

thinking what am I going to get to take home from the writer cut? I turn around and there are these two twin girls in their teams probably who are standing there in front of me and I turned. Not more personal shoppers Veeja and I turned around and they both pointed at me together

and they were like it was like something out of a horror film and they said almost together they said here you are and I said and they said we've been watching you and I said have you and they said yes we've been following you all week on the course oh have you and they said yes every time we see you we say to each other there he is I I couldn't get away quick enough you know that that that's definitely the

positive side of it as well because in you know you are right that this is going to be an interesting one over the next few days and I think there are going to be you you know, some tricky waters to navigate at times. But actually, the majority of the reception I have found when we've done these in the USA has been really positive. And I think the American fans enjoy the way we do golf with that sort of test match special feel to it. So the sport obviously gets covered,

but there is, you know, it's interlaced with plenty of humor and color and the odd football result pops in as well. And I think it's just something they're not used to hearing. They're not because the American sports broadcasting is very, very statistic and driven and number driven. And I remember when Rory McElroyd won the Scottish Open and they played it on the Sunday morning and I was actually, I'd left to get to the open

so I was driving down to Hoy Lake and I managed to get PGA Tor Radio on my phone so I could listen to what was going on while I was driving down. And it suddenly struck me that all I was listening to was a succession of numbers and this is just you know it was it was good but it was he's got a 52 52 degree wedge from 89 yards three under three under par the pin is 12 paces are and it was just number after number after number by the end my head was starting to explode because every mode of description was using a numerical reference and we i think try to use words and and and describe and

you know I'm always very conscious and have become even more conscious after that to say if it's a long put he's a cricket pitch away or something like that so just try and give people an idea that they that a reference point that rather than just have someone thinking 66 feet what's that they mean and so I think it does go down well with the American fans because it is that it is different and we've been very fortunate as well to work with John Inverdale covering it for such a long time it was so good at just giving it light and shade And now Hare Chapman, of course, who has never presented a Ryder Cup in the United States before, but also, you know, is very worthy success.

John, in terms of how he keeps things bubbling under. Shall we switch golf commentator? Now, Ian, listen, you can't disappear totally because you've got to come back for a guest appearance on Clash of the Commentators in a bit. With trepidation. Yeah, me too, me too. So Ian is disappearing for a second. and he is going to be replaced by Catherine Downs, who is sitting down alongside us here in our broadcast booth

in the media centre at Beth Page State Park. Kat sitting Downs. Very good. And I will put your microphone on, Kat. Are you ready for it? I did laugh at your joke just for the listeners there. Which joke? Oh yeah, that joke, sorry.

I laughed, but you hadn't turned my microphone on. Well, I'm sure listeners will be splitting their sides when they hear that. commentate cat on a whole variety of sports for the BBC and for other broadcasters as well. How would you compare on course Rider Cup commentary to the other stuff that you do?

I think physically very tiring compared to the other stuff you do. You know you get up out of bed before I was going to say the crack of dawn was before dawn so you're up at half past three heading into the course

you know that in itself is tiring and then you're walking 36 holes of what is always a very challenging golf course so marco simone a couple of years ago in 37 degree heat or whatever it was and we're all slogging up that hill from the bottom down at the 8th all the way up to kind of the 11th 12th 30th at the very top of the hill and you know it's the length it's the length of days and the lack of golf you know you have to be able to talk an awful lot because it's not like a major champion where there's loads and loads of golf going on, loads of different players to get your head across.

There's only 24 of them. And so we have to fill all of this airtime talking about just 24 players. So there's so much talking, so much walking, so much waking. It's a physical challenge, I'd say, rather than a lot of my other sports, which, you know, in fact, I've been a sucker for punishment and I pick sports that take a long time to commentate. I mean, you're lucky. You do 90 minutes and then you go home.

you go home let's face it well we don't go straight on but i do tennis which lasts it lasts all day and golf and figure skating you know the figure skating goes on forever um diving's quite quick you know that only takes like i'm not sure there is it is there a faster sport than diving no i don't think there is here he comes he's up he's in yeah that's exactly it i don't even do it on the radio so i don't have to describe it so um should make a bid to do it on the radio and then you'd be able to to get home earlier. To return to a more conventional part of the commentator's view podcast, we have obviously always been very pleased with the emails that we received from listeners, so TCV at BBC.co.uk or indeed the voicemails that we love to get. And last week, if you remember,

we were talking about how our engineer, Chris Banner, managed to catch the ball when he was sitting next to me at Newcastle, Barcelona. There was also, Ali, you were pointing out when Eddie Bevan at the cricket. Yeah, that's a famous one, isn't it? You know, I didn't think of it when we were talking about this last week, but you know sort of when, well, in fact, we've told the story about me treading on the golf ball

at the Ryder Cup in 2006, when commentators sort of inadvertently get involved in the sporting action. But the Eddie Bevan one is famous where he's commentating on a cricket match at Taunton. Have you heard this bit of audio cap where the ball is hit for six, And he's commentating away and it's sort of coming straight towards him. And then he heard this amazing smash, tinkle, crash of glass, don't you? It's very like, was he hurt? I'm not sure.

I don't think so. No, I think he lifted it out of time. He could have been, but he did lift his out of the tap. But it made me think of that, but it also then got me on to golf, because obviously we are occasionally in peril on the golf course because we stand in the landing zone. Don't we stand looking for golf balls where they're going to land? And I do remember at Muirfield in 2013 sitting on a little hill beside one of the par three greens

and Brandt Snedica's t-shot was on its way. And I was sort of looking, looking, and like just completely lost it. And then suddenly, and luckily it hit the crossbar of my headphones. There was this massive, like, and it just pinged off my head and flew off into the rough away to my right-hand side. And I think they found the talk back. So it wasn't on air. It didn't happen on air.

But they've got me. And I buzzed to the studio because that's the way it works. You know, when we're off there, we're able to say to the production team, you know, come to me in two minutes, I've got a put. And there's me going, Graham, Graham, maybe be at the 13th. I've just been hit on the head by Snedica's t-shot. Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine. Still speaking. Yeah, exactly. Had it actually. And then later that evening, having told that story and, you know, finished the day's work, walked off into North Berwick to go and get dinner, and got pooed on from a great height by a seagull,

a massive splat of all in the same day. What are the chances? I know. Have you been hit, Kat? No, not a hit. I nearly ended up in the lake at Markle Cimony on the Sunday, which is the closest I'd come to... On the final grain.

Yeah, actual... That was quite hairy, wasn't it? It was super hairy. Well, I remember having to... Tommy Fleetwood had already sunk the winning putt. And then we were kind of making our way. By that point, we'd fallen off air quite dramatically, haven't we? Oh yeah, we all fell off air, didn't we?

Yeah, there was a big power outage. And we'd all been told to make our way down the 18th. and back to the cabins. But the stewards had lost control of the crowds because European fans were celebrating this victory and galloping all over the fairways. And there was no way that a string of marshals holding hands across that 18th Fairway was going to stop them

getting down to the green. And I think it was, was it Shane Lowry on the last? Shane Lowry. He still had a pot to go. Against Spief. Against Spieth. And the crowd were kind of, the little pool of green grass that was left for Shane Lowry to make his part was only about

12 feet wide and they were completely encircled and the crowd surging down the hill was pushing all of us who were already at the bottom of the hill back and there was a pond at the bottom quite a steep slope and I could feel myself beginning to topple and then this arm reaches out and gets hold of me and it's Tyrell Hatton and I was clinging on to Tyrell Hatton's arm, and he's snarling at all the crowd around us, like, get back, get back. And everyone's trying to protect Shane Lowry for this last belt. It was, I think that's the closest I've come to being harmed, or at least getting wet. It did cross the line in the latter stages at Marco Simony.

Anyway, on the subject of people getting hit by the ball, this week, Ian from Ellesmere Port writes in, DATCV, following your discussion of commentators getting hit by the ball. the ball. I wanted to draw your attention to the following clip featuring the venerable New York Yankees baseball commentator John Sterling. Now the three two swung on a pop foul back here. Ow! How! How! How! It really hit me. I didn't know it was coming back that far. You know, that foul ball actually hit me. It kind of glanced off my forehead. So I took one for the team. I've never heard that before. Never.

Oh, that's brilliant. But we were also talking about took one for the team in the glossary, weren't we? We added that to our football glossary, the great football glossary. Division 2 last week for footballing term not exclusive to football. So that proves

that. And Ian says that John Sterling is famed for his unbroken run of more than 5,000 Yankees games on radio over more than 30 seasons. Cricely. That is So we never went on holiday

I guess the off-season I know they play a lot of matches They do And actually some of our team Went to see the New York Yankees Last night Didn't they? Yankee Stadium

They did Yeah 20 years of football commentary How many games a season Would you do John I mean you've done more than 20 years Actually haven't you So what do you think you do a season

Maybe It varies actually Depending if there's a tournament At the end of it Oh yeah So it can be over 100 Wow I think last year was

Well I mean time Times 25 that's 2,500 then, straight. You know, is that right? 25 seasons times 100 games is 2,500, isn't it? That's a lot. Mind you, he's done 5'000. He's done double that. Also, troubling news from loyal listener Pete.

Dear favourite podcast of all time, he says. It seems the small matter of has taken on a political note. I was listening to Matt Chorley on 5 Live on Monday when he mentioned the small matter of something to do with the Liberal Demrat crack conference. What time's really flown, isn't it? It's only the end of the show. We've just got the small matter of

trying to find a five live list on every constituency in the country. We are today in Wellingborough and Washington. So therefore, says Pete, does the small matter of get relegated from Division 1 of the football glossary, or has this football phrase

now permeated into the world of politics and therefore cements its place in the top tier? Also, Avi, and she views and Chili's will be enjoyed next Monday when I jet off to Barcelona, says Pete. So that is a reference to my Pinchos in Bilbao

at the beginning of last week. So, Kat, our great glossary of football in commentary is lots of listeners getting in touch and coming up with these phrases that we use in football commentary. To get into Division I, it is football term specific to football only. Division two is kind of, you know,

across the whole landscape of sport or politics or whatever. I actually heard someone use, change the small matter of to the not insignificant matter of the other day, which I enjoyed. I thought, ah, there's a variation. A bit of flair on that. I had to say, I did use it last weekend in describing, the small matter of. I used in describing Arsenal against Manchester City. Yeah.

Well, USA Europe, small matter of. Small matter of. Small matter of the Rider Cup. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Behind the Team, a new podcast series in partnership with the Open University, where we'll be showcasing the people, the tools and the techniques

that help athletes and teams reach elite level. Like all elite sports, it's a pyramid and everybody's trying to get to the top. It's not just my vision. It's a shared vision amongst the team. What is this? This is not the way I see the game. The team behind the team with Katie Smith. In partnership with the Open University. Listen on BBC Sounds.

Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender, with seating up to eight, ample cargo space, and legendary off-road capability. It's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca. The commentator's view on the Football Daily. Listen on BBC Sounds. Also, moving on to best beards and unintended pub names. Oh, excellent.

Best beards. Well, yes, I put your thinking cap on because David in Yorville has sent us an email with the subject Fine Footballing Facial Fuzz and David says, Hi Chaps, listening to your discussion about great footballing beards if I'm allowed to go outside the English League structure could I put forward Yorville Townstriker Aaron Jarvis

We often marvel over it, less five o'clock shadow more five seasons in the wilderness and returned as a prophet or the secret child of Grizzly Adams and he has attached a picture for your consideration and it is extremely thick, does a bit. He looks like our producer, Chris. He does, actually. He does look a very bushy beard.

Ian and I do a lot of late-night golf commentary on the US majors. Ian normally on site wherever the US PGA is happening or the US Open and we end up talking often late into the night. me and Solford and Ian on the other side of the Atlantic and we get into long discussions about the best beards in golf and John Rahm is always top of the table when it comes to the best beards in golf

Yeah, Tyrol Hatton Tyrol Hatton? Tyrol Hatton. Yeah, but it's, Tyrell's is a little bit like your man there, you know it's a little unkempt, a little wild a little bit like Tyrell himself whereas John Rams is so beautifully kept and so superbly sculpted around his cheekbones.

So is Scotty Shephlers. Well, Scotty Shephlers comes and goes, John. I think we need to talk about, you know, a consistent beard. Yeah. And John Rams is consistent. But Scotty Sheple, you know, he can take or leave his beard. Still plays brilliant golf. It's not beard-related.

Whereas I think Rams possibly is. Ian Carter returning shortly to play Clash of the Commentators today. Tom in Lemington Spars joined our conversation about unintended pub names in football commentary. He said this is after the former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson found it very amusing when John used the Leaping Rodon. So he was talking about Joe Rodin. Joe Rodin, yeah.

He was obviously jumping to win a header in a game. John described him as the Leaping Rodon, and Paul thought that was a very good unintended pub name. So we've got the Leaping Rodon, the bearded Bogle, the bearded Doneruma, the towering Arraujo, the leaping delict, the swing of the boot and the Croy Turn. Tom in Lemington says,

good to hear the success of the pub group now includes the bearded boosers. chain. After watching United Stagger across the line against Chelsea on Saturday, I'm pretty sure there's now a new branch open in Manchester called the bearded Umbumo. It's in the other half of the city to the bearded caballero, though. Of course, all the best from Tom. And Andrew, one of the snappers got in touch with me before I came out to the Ryder Cup and said he heard Ian Dennis described something as turning into a bit of a bun fight in a commentary the other day. And he said the bun fight would be a great place for the snappers to go after a game of football we have to work it again that is a good shot so yeah we want your suggestions to tcv at bbcc.co. So these are unintended pub names that you hear in a football commentary and it doesn't have to be ours it could be any football commentary so so do send them in and this weekend on five live aside from our blanket and comprehensive coverage of the rider cup we will have for you at 3 o'clock on Saturday, on 5 Live, Crystal Palace against Liverpool, with Ian Dennis and Chris Sutton.

And also, new for this season, there is a choice of commentary, 3 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon, because on Sports Extra, you will hear Chelsea against Brighton. 5.30 on Saturday, football-wise. Nottingham Forest Sunderland is going to be on Sports Extra, because on 5 Live, you're going to have the Women's Rugby World Cup final and the Ryder Cup. and then on Sunday, Five Lives Premier League Sunday 2 o'clock, Aston Villa against Fulham and at 4.30, Newcastle Arsenal is on Sports Extra because the Ryder Cup will be on Five Live.

But again, as we always say, that is the joy of the BBC Sounds app and all the different sports streams. You will find what you want to listen to somewhere either on Five Live Sports Extra, Sports Extra, Sports Extra 2 or Sports Extra 3. And I think I'm right in saying, John, on the Saturday, If you want uninterrupted Ryder Cup and that is all you want, sports extra three all day long, start to finish, nothing else. I think I'm right in saying that. I didn't know that.

If I'm wrong, that'll be taken out of the edit. Yes. Kat, we are going to reintroduce Ian Carter for The Clash of the Commentators. But before you go, before you go, what are you most looking forward to as a commentator at the Rider Cup at Beth Page? I am always most looking forward to those first tea shots on a Friday morning when, you know, there is an autumnal feel. It's warm here, but that rider cup weather when it's misty and the leaves are just beginning to turn on the trees and it's pre-dawn. But the excitement of thousands of people creating decibels of noise in the pre-dawn light is it's just the most electric atmosphere in sport. and I can't wait to turn up on Friday morning and feel that again.

Excellent. Excellent. Can't wait. Yes. Very good. Very good, Kat. Right, I'll hand you over to you. Looking forward to having Kat as part of the team.

Before we play Clash of the Commentator, John, let me read this next correspondence out. Because I think I sort of need to read this to you. This is Mike in South West London, who has sent us a WhatsApp saying, I fear this may lead to more sleepless nights for one of you, but I thought it's worth sharing. I added a link to a BBC news story this week about a pub in Worcestershire holding its annual celebration of the name Nigel. So if you remember, Ian Dennis beat John in Clash of the Commentators on Famous Nigels a couple of weeks ago.

The BBC news article reads, you're going to love this. Hundreds of verified Nigel signed into the Fleece Inn in Bretforton for Nigel Knight. Landlord, Nigel Smith, set up the event when it was revealed no babies were given the name in 2016 or 2020. He said previous events were so joyous, the pub wanted to do it again, although he did concede it was mostly attended by men of a certain age. People said that Nigel was a dying breed, he added. They were wrong. Nigel Knight has become a cultural phenomenon.

The evening included the Nigel awards, with categories including the youngest Nigel, the oldest Nigel, and the furthest travelled Nigel. Entertainment included a Nigel DJ, a Nigel comedian, songs by famous Nigels, a Nigel Pets Parade, and a Nigel bagpiper, non-Nigels and Nigellas, also welcome. I actually heard from our former golf producer, James Porter, this week, who'd heard the Nigels.

And he mentioned, and Nigel we'd not previously suggested, and that was Nigel Ploos. Do you remember Nigel Ploos, the former Test umpire? Yeah, that's excellent. I thought that was a great suggestion. But as I said, right at the outset of this, when we mentioned Nigels. I suspect, you know, Nigels are set for, I think they'll be having a little comeback. What's a baby Nigel's?

I think there'll be an ecstasy if the Nigel's come back because of ecstasy. We're making the plans for Nigel. Very good. Ian Carter is back. So, Clash of the Commentators, if you've not listened to the commentator's view before, features every week. last season's champion, Ali, is rooted at the bottom of the league table. And last weekend, I beat you on Jose Marino's managerial clubs, which was a tough one for you to take that.

So the current standings, Ian, Dennis is in first place with three from three, 100% I call this season, which surely soon will come to an end. Second, me with two points from five. And then third, the defending champion, one point from three, Ali. And that is three defeats in a row. However, last time we had Ian on at the Open Championship, we did Clash of the Commentators and it was an exhibition match. And I ended my losing streak by beating Ian on Northern Irish football teams

and recent winners of the Men's Open Championship. That was dreadful. Sorry to bring that up here. So this time we're going to do Ian versus Ali in an exhibition match. And Ali, you are going to... I'll go into the booth. Going to the booth. You're going to disappear off into the Bethpage Media Centre.

Well, it just wait until he disappears out of sight. Right, I've got to just look at the floor here. He's not gone very far away. He'll be right. I'm going to speak quite... I'm going to have to do this in a golf commentary style so Ali can't hear. I'll give my answers in the commentary.

We are ready to go, Ian. Let's go. Let's go. The 2025 Ryder Cup takes place here on the black course of Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale on Long Island, New York. I therefore want you to name either any cocktail and or any New York sports team. Okay, got that? So cocktails and or New York sports teams and your time starts now.

Long Island Ice Tea and Arnold Palmer New York Yankees New York Mets New York Dodgers I don't know oh gosh cocktail gin and tonic

Ockerentonic Terrapot cocktails I'm really awful on it Oh, that's true. And what is funny is that last night we went to Grand Central Station. And actually, we had a cocktail each. No, your end of the table had a cocktail. Our end of the table looked at the price on the menu.

Oh, did it? And just said, I'll just have a cheeky beer, thank you. Because Ali's coming back in. Some more on that in the moment. Yeah. That was very enjoyable. Did I get any? Of course you did.

Okay. Yeah. Right, Ian. Let's well put, I can just listen. Did I just hear him and say, did I get any? Oh my goodness. Okay, Ali, are you ready?

Yes. So, this week's question for this exhibition match, so it is slightly different. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The 2025 Rider Cup takes place here on the black course of Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale.

Yeah. On Long Island, New York. I therefore want you to name either any cocktail and or any New York sports team. So cocktails and or New York sports teams. Look on your face. Your time starts now. So Long Island Ice Tea is probably where that's going. But I mean, a cocktail could be a nagroney, a gin and tonic, a rum and Coke.

What was the other thing? Oh, New York Knicks, New York Yankees, New York Mets. New York Mets New York Giants New York Jets Not so good on the rest of me New Yorks Why am I not better on cocktails

What about What about a martini? Prelimately done The time with the end of the theme That's going to be quite close I don't think so I think Ali's back to winning ways By a margin

It's remarkable how many New York sports teams there are I mean I'm amazed by how many there are so while it gets tottered up I'll run you through the possible answers and obviously you name some you name many of these but

New York City MLS New York Red Bulls the USL Super League Brooklyn FC the NWSL Gotham FC and American football New York Giants New York Jets you got both of those baseball New York Mets New York Yankee, Brooklyn Net.

Right. And the... And Ian... Did I say the Knicks? There's a Nix, isn't it? Well, hang on a minute. Oh, sorry. Give me a chance. Sorry, sorry, sorry. There must be some dodgers somewhere. The basketball are the Brooklyn Nets.

Yeah. And the New York Knicks. Yeah. Women's basketball, New York Liberty. Right. Ice hockey, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, and the New York Rangers. And in women's ice hockey, New York Sirens.

Okay. So they... Cocktails is wide. I mean, cocktails, that's open to abuse that one, I think. I mean, anything could really be considered. Well, you do have to drink responsibly. So what is the final score? Ian scored six.

And Ali scored 10. Right. So now we have to have 12 singles and see if I can mount a comeback. I was just going to say that is a brilliant Rider Cup link to Brookline and Medina, isn't it? Because that is the lead that each team has. had going into the singles you see exhibitions they're relaxing affairs aren't they under under the pressure of actual league competition i'm going to crumble again i think it's just the incompetence of the opposition to be really terrible at that game it's hard though it's not it's people

people don't realize alley yeah i know people don't realize i know anyway we've just got some we just need to to wrap through a few of the suggestions for the great glossary of football commentary and this is where we add listener suggestions of football-specific commentary terms and phrases to our collection. And last week, we followed the advice of Tim in Suffolk and Daniel from Morton Hampstead by introducing a Division 1 and a Division 2.

So that is new now on the commentator's view. So Division 1 for exclusive football terms, Division 2 for terms used in football commentary, but also used in other sports. So into Division 2, we added taking one for the team, root and branch review Howler and Roe Z and our first edition to Division

1 was the Croif Turn and we are looking for your contributions. TCV at BBC.co.uk on the email and voice notes on WhatsApp to 08,289 369

and Martin in Haverford West says, love the podcast just want to say I particularly enjoyed hearing two uses of the word thunderous during last weekend's five live coverage from Conor McNamara at Old Trafford and Aaron Paul at Bristol City.

Duke Sterebra and Sarawi down the right-hand side. Thunderous rain even by Manchester standards it is teeming down here for this 530. Let's just hear about a goal at Ashton Gate in the championship, Aaron Paul. Thunderous strike from Annes Mehmeti means this comeback is potentially

on Bristol City 1. Oxford 2, Mometti 30 yards. And Martin continues. I remember using the term thunderous strike as part of a fictional match report during a creative writing lesson over 40 years ago. I think thunderous strike deserves to be in the

glossary, but I'll leave it up to you whether you think it would be worthy of Division I or Division 2. Thundress strike. My favourite use of thunderous is thunderous applause. Yes, yes. Definitely. But he is specifically

saying thunderous strike. I think Div too. I mean, you could, Ian, you could have a thunderous drive in golf. Couldn't you? Deschambo? Without question. Yeah. He could get a thunderous drive, couldn't me?

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd use that. What would you say? A booming drive. Booming drive, yeah. I'd be more there. I'd be... I think tumultuous could be a word that gets used a lot this week. Okay.

Tony and Liverpool gets in touch. High team. Although 63 now, I'm still remaining active as a goalkeeper for the local walking football team. The other day I made what I thought was a decent diving save, only to be met with cries of, that was one for the cameras. Despite my chagrin, chagrin, chagrin, chagrin, chagrin. Is that a cocktail?

It struck me that the phrase is only really used in football and was perhaps one for Division I of the glossary. I used that recently for a Donoruma save. Do you remember his first save for Manchester City? Yeah, oh yeah. Which is definitely more. God, you made him in a camera, didn't he? Now a chance for a shot from Manchester United.

from Cessco on the edge of the deed and Dona Rumma diving to his right makes his first save as a Manchester City player yeah I think you knew the the cameras were on him today Donauma didn't really need to die for that one he went down in stages uh that could be a div one would you ever take a slip catch for the cameras in cricket you don't really do you know you catch it you catch it or you have to throw yourself full length and yeah who you're the who's the most one for the cameras golfer and i've got a suggestion Undoubtedly, it's Bryson. Okay. Bryson Deschambeau.

Everything he does is for the cameras. Okay. Okay. When I thought about this, I thought, do you know who comes to mind there? Colin Montgomery, when Colin Montgomery, on his follow-through, he had a lovely shot. The pause that he held there looked great. And I always thought, high hands and the club pointed straight down his back. And that was one for the cameras.

And it's also when he, and Rory does this, he just shakes his left arm before he, and that shake of the left arm to me always says, right, watch this, this will be good. I'll tell you another one very quickly from the gulf is Mickelson, when he's about to attempt a sort of flop shot, an impossible flop shot from a deep bunker, and it's very much, he settles himself, and he just wants to make sure that absolutely everyone is watching what he's doing. I think he does quite a bit for the cameras, doesn't he? We have one final voice note, and this is from Neil in South London.

It's been a lot of football to consume this week, and one thing I've noticed, I've heard the phrase, and that's great football from insert player's name here, or insert team name here. I've heard that several times this week, and it made me think, is football the only sport where the name of the sport is referred to as part of the craft? I mean, you wouldn't hear, that's great athletics, or, you know, in cricket,

it's great batting or great running or great bowling or great fielding. You don't hear, that's great basketball. I can't think of any other sport where the name of the sport is referred to in commentary to praise the craft of actually performing that sport. Am I wrong? That's great football. Well, thank you very much, Neil. That's a great voice now.

It is. Or that is great voice note. I think you do get it in cricket. Yeah, great rugby. That's great rugby. Great golf. That's great golf. Great golf?

I think so. Do you? Ian? That's great golf. Yeah, I think you use that one when it's like an interaction of various aspects of it. Oh, yeah. You know, you say that's great cricket when someone puts a decent ball down. It's a beautiful drive and then it's brilliantly stopped.

That's great cricket. Yeah. Great cricket all round. Also, the phrase that we'll use will be, that's great match play golf. Yes, we will use it. Match play. Ian Carter, thank you very much

again for joining the commentator's view. Thank you also to Cat Downs. Thank you also to Alistair Bruce Ball and Ian Dennis. Actually, he won't be back next week, really? Again. Yeah, I think he's off. So keep the unintended pub names coming, the glossary suggestions coming in to TCVadbbc.com.com.

voice notes on WhatsApp to 08,289-389-369. And of course, next week after the Ryder Cup, it'll be back to the usual football diet. But that is it for this episode of the Football Daily. The next one will be Andoni Iraola, the football interview. So listen out for that. As for us here on the commentators' view, we'll be back next week.

And remember, you can listen to comprehensive coverage of the Ryder Cup this weekend on BBC Radio. 5 live and can I just say from the world of golf yes it's fantastic to have you guys predominantly from the world of football and chappas coming in as well I just think it's when 5 live really comes together and it yeah makes me tear up yeah it does makes me very proud good yeah of everything that we do well yeah well lovely that what a lovely way to end yeah so don't mess up he scored goals lifted trophies and broken records along the way.

There it is. It's a day to remember for Wayne Rooney. And now he's got a podcast. Welcome to The Wayne Rooney Show. Twice a week, Wayne Rooney, Kay Curd and me, Kelly Summers, break down the biggest stories in the Premier League and beyond. As much as you'd like to say it, loyalty in football now is just non-existence, whether that's fun players or managers. Plus, we'll hear the funniest, wildest and most outrageous stories from Wayne's career.

The Wayne Rooney Show. Everybody's talking about it. Listen on BBC Sound. Thank you.