Best Colemanballs David Coleman’s Bloopers

Not many commentators have had a new word named after them.  David Coleman was the inspiration for calling commentary gaffes - Colemanballs.  This term for a blooper was first used at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

That's the fastest time ever run - but it's not as fast as the world record David Coleman

A truly international field, no Britons involved. David Coleman

The Republic of China - back in the Olympic Games for the first time David Coleman

And the line up for the final of the Women's 400 metres hurdles includes three Russians, two East Germans, a Pole, a Swede and a Frenchman. David Coleman

Footnote This last entry seemed OK until I re-read the last three letters.

Colemanballs Raised to the Power x2

This is one of the most famous Colemanballs:

While describing an 800m race David Coleman said: 'And there goes Juantorena down the back straight, opening his legs and showing his class'.

The problem is that it was said by Ron Pickering!

[Information kindly supplied by David Beale]

Contents

Best Colemanballs from Other Sports colmanballs david colman's bloopers

While Colemanballs are primarily associated with David Coleman's athletics commentaries, gaffes are to be found in most other sports, here some of Will and Guy's collection.

For those of you watching who do not have television sets, live commentary is on Radio 2. Ted Lowe (Snooker)

Steve is going for the pink ball - and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green. And there goes Juantorena down the back straight, opening his legs and showing his class.
Ted Lowe (Snooker)

Britain's last gold medal was a bronze in 1952 in Helsinki Nigel Starmer-Smith

Born in America. John returned to his native Japan Mike Gratton

It's obvious these Russian swimmers are determined to do well on American soil Anita LonsboroughIt's raining and the track is wet!

It's raining and the track is wet!

Murray Walker (Grand Prix)

Yogi Berra

Naturally, Yogi Berra predates David Coleman, and it has to be said Yogi developed a style of homespun humor all of his own.  It's also worth remembering that Yogi was a baseball legend with New York Yankees back in the 1950's.  And he still holds the record for winning the most World Series.

  • Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical.
  • Think! How the hell are you gonna think and hit at the same time?
  • It's like déjà vu all over again.
  • It ain't over 'til it's over.
  • Never answer an anonymous letter.
  • His wife Carmen asked Yogi where he would like to be buried, to which he replied, "Surprise me!"
  • See more baseball jokes.

More Athletics Gaffes

The Americans sowed the seed, and now they have reaped the whirlwind Sebastian Coe

Cram nailed his colours to the mast and threw down the Great Pretender Ron Pickering

Mary Decker Slaney, the world greatest front runner, I shouldn't be surprised to see her at the front Ron Pickering

Ingrid Kristiansen then has smashed the world record, running the 5000 metres in 14:58.89. Truly amazing. Incidentally, this is a personal best for Ingrid Kristiansen. David Coleman

She hasn't run faster than herself before Zola Budd

...and finally she tastes the sweet smell of success Ian Edwards

More Genuine Colemanballs

And there's no 'I love you' message because Steve Ovett has married the girl David Coleman

We estimate, and this isn't an estimation, that Greta Waitz is 80 seconds behind David Coleman

And with alphabetical irony Nigeria follows New Zealand David Coleman

He is accelerating all the time. That last lap was run in 64 seconds and the one before in 62. David Coleman

He's 31 this year. Last year he was 30 David Coleman

A 2008 Tranche of Colemanballs

He's a player you only miss when he's not playing Graham Taylor

We are not as good we think we are.  We need to go out and prove that Steve McClaren

Fourth spot is what we are aiming for.  We don't want to be second best Phil Neville

Gary Neville was the captain and now Ryan Giggs has taken on the mantelpiece Rio Ferdinand

Football is like a roundabout. Sometimes you are up and sometimes you're down Radio 5 Live reporter

Footnote: Please send us your best Colemanballs

For example, Bill Bayliss sent us this gem from the Paralympics: 'They're making great strides with their swimming'

Hodge scored for Forest after 22 seconds - totally against the run of play Peter Lorenzo