What is a professional sports broadcaster supposed to do when their are no sports to broadcast?
In the case of Joe Buck, he does play-by-play of things like Justin Thomas grooming his receding hairline. And in the case of Scottish sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter, who normally covers golf and rugby for the BBC, you do play-by-play of your two labs Olive and Mabel racing to inhale their food… as dogs do.
Cotter’s commentary is so good and his dogs are so sweet that I would literally watch this event on a daily basis at this point.
Captioning the video “I was bored,” Cotter takes us through the breathtaking process as “rising star” Olive and “five-time champion” Mabel take very two different approaches to the race.
“You can see how excited they are. You can also feel the tension and here it in the crowd as we near the start of this final,” he begins the telecast.
“You can see the contrast in styles,” Cotter says as the race officially begins. “Mabel, heavy tail use. Happy to be alive. Everything’s amazing. Olive, more steady, wasting little energy, very much of the old labrador school. Eating’s serious business, don’t bollocks around wagging your tail.”
All joking aside, this is the greatest sporting event I may have ever seen, and I am not alone as the video has now been watched over 8.2 MILLION times.
https://twitter.com/MrAndrewCotter/status/1243539675031232519
Without a hint of irony I can say this is the best 90 seconds of sport I’ve seen in weeks
— James Roberts (@JamesRobertsUK) March 27, 2020
Responses to the video came from all over.
Ryan Reynolds was particularly fond of Cotter’s “tasting absolutely nothing” line.
“Tasting absolutely nothing” 🤣🤣🤣
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) March 28, 2020
As was British golfer Laurie Canter.
“Focused, relentless, tasting nothing”
— Laurie Canter (@LaurieCanter) March 27, 2020
Broadcaster Dan Walker called it the highlight of Cotter’s career and demanded a sequel.
Cotter... I love that this is going to be the highlight of your career. We need a sequel
😂😂😂— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) March 28, 2020
While former soccer star and current broadcaster Gary Lineker called the clip “great stuff.”
Great stuff from one of the very best commentators we have. https://t.co/by1SkjkgGq
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 27, 2020
The following day, as promised, Cotter produced “live coverage of a snooze on the sofa.”
This has changed them. pic.twitter.com/pJ3m7sAKb7
— Andrew Cotter (@MrAndrewCotter) March 28, 2020
I’m on viewing #12. Fans here in San Francisco eagerly await the next event.
— Anna-Lisa Sandstrum (@asandstrum) March 29, 2020
Yes, we most certainly are.