In full voice: Buzz Rothfield reveals who he loved and hated behind the microphone this summer
PHIL Rothfield runs the rule over the sporting voices of summer and finds plenty of them wanting. LIVE BLOG: Have your say now.
THE way Australians consume their summer sport changed forever when Dave Warner and Chris Rogers strode onto the Gabba for the first Ashes Test.
Gone were the trusty old voices of Channel Nine commentary doyens Richie Benaud, Bill Lawry and Tony Greig.
No more "it's all happening", "got him", "marvellous shot" or all the classic one-liners that became their trademarks over almost four decades.
Instead we've shared our lounge rooms over Christmas and the new year with a new breed of experts and analysts, some that have been outstanding, others that have demanded the mute button.
BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 10AM TODAY
Your columnist has spent the last five weeks of holiday on the couch flicking between the Ashes, A-League, Big Bash, golf tournaments and the Aussie Open tennis.
Lleyton Hewitt (Buzz rating: 9) hasn't even retired from the tennis circuit yet clearly emerged as the find of the summer at the Australian Open.
So good you almost hope he loses an early round from here on so we can hear what he's got to say for the rest of the tournament.
Every time he picked up the Channel 7 microphone we got an insight and vision like we've never had before.
Seven's Jim Wilson has worked alongside the world's best commentators at Olympics, world championships, tennis grand slams and footy grand finals for 20 years.
He can't speak highly enough of Hewitt.
"He's got a great connection with the audience because he speaks in real language," Wilson says.
"He's got that very short, sharp, no-mucking-about delivery.
"Most sportsmen, when they are still playing, are reluctant to be critical or say what they really think.
"Lleyton goes against the grain and that's what's so refreshing about his commentary.
"He's down to earth and he's real. Women, blokes, kids and everyone love his passion."
Sadly, over at Channel Nine, the cricket coverage is nothing like it used to be. Not without Richie, Bill and Tony.
It's a bit like the Australian cricket team when Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist all retired in the one year.
Their best performers were two Poms - Bumble Lloyd (Buzz rating: 7.5) and Michael Vaughan (Buzz rating: 8) with Shane Warne (Buzz rating: 7.5), when he wasn't talking about himself, the pick of the locals.
The others struggled, apart from the Boxing Day Test, when Lawry returned and lifted the energy and broadcast box tempo.
Mark Taylor (Buzz rating: 4), as much as he is a legend, is too predictable and too establishment, a fence-sitter and just straight up and down like his batting.
James Brayshaw (Buzz rating: 3) offers absolutely nothing but hot air.
Mark Nicholas (Buzz rating: 6.5) is polished and clinical but too slick for Aussie audiences and certainly doesn't have Richie's understated genius.
Last Friday night the above three shared a stint in the one-dayer at the WACA. It was Mogadon television.
You can't even go for what my household calls the Phillip Ronald Gould mute button, normally reserved for winter months when you're over all the no, no, no, no, no's or Roosters/Panthers rubbish.
Trouble is the ABC radio isn't synchronised to Nine's television cricket coverage.
You can listen to the world's best commentator Johnathan Agnew and the world's funniest man Kerry O'Keeffe but they tell you what's happening 10 seconds before it appears on the box.
Nine might have struggled but Channel Ten's new Big Bash team has absolutely nailed it.
In her first free-to-air gig, Mel McLaughlin (Buzz rating: 8.5) did a superb job. She knows her sport and is much more than just an attractive host used to drag in male viewers.
Former Test skipper Ricky Ponting (Buzz rating: 8.5) is the best new cricket talent in years.
He is entertaining, doesn't lecture the viewer, gives wonderful anecdotes, genuine insight and isn't afraid to criticise those he played with.
Importantly he shares a great chemistry with Adam Gilchrist (Buzz rating: 7.5), Damien Fleming (Buzz rating: 7) and Mark Waugh (Buzz rating: 7).
The only negative was the pink and green shirts they were made to wear, plus Viv Richards (Buzz rating: 4), who is certainly no Michael Holding.
Ponting signed a two-year contract at Channel Ten last year, otherwise Nine would be mad not to go for him.
In the A-League, Fox Sports, led by world-class operators Simon Hill (Buzz rating: 7.5) and Mark Bosnich (Buzz rating: 8), continued to provide a slick coverage.
Their job was made harder when interest waned, crowds fell and atmosphere disappeared as the cricket grabbed our attention.
The great Adam Scott wasn't the only good thing about the golf.
Former pro Wayne 'Radar' Riley's (Buzz rating: 7.5) on course observations were as astute as they were entertaining.
It's been a mixed summer for the women. Tara Rushton (Buzz rating: 5) struggled in her first season on Fox Sports' A-League coverage.
Erin Molan (Buzz rating: 7) tried her hand at cricket, read the news, and hosted the AB Medal red carpet … and did well.
Stephanie Brantz got hammered for her part in the ABC's dreadful New Year's Eve coverage but has done a good job with the women's soccer.
Only the T20's and soccer finals remain before we return to the footy. Back to Rabs, Sterlo, Matty and Fatty, Beau, Brandy and co.
The Rabbitohs and Roosters kick off the season on Thusday, March 6 - that's 37 days and counting.
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