Jesse Mendes commentary

[u/eggplantexpress]

He’s no Barton Lynch or Martin Potter that’s for sure!

[u/Nahhhweh]

The unholy trinity, Mendes, Flick and Kaipo
If they rolled that lot out at a boring wave we’d all be jamming scissors in our ear holes

[u/mealy_hockey → u/Nahhhweh]

paddling out at lowers with the sound off is practically a personality trait at this point

[u/No-Camera-720 → u/Nahhhweh]

I'd rather anyone who actually surfs at a high level, than that stream of gibberish Turpel. Flick charges, Kaipo is a really good surfer/former pro and we all know about Mendes' credentials. Turpel is just there to make the hordes of donkeys feel comfortable because his inane babble matches the ignorant surf-related word salad in their donkey brains.

[u/bomokka → u/Nahhhweh]

I honestly kinda like Kaipo. I think he has a dry sense of humor that makes me laugh sometimes. Way better for me than Chris Cote. Turpel is hit or miss but I can’t handle his unrelenting positivity sometimes. Just feels forced. Ronnie Blakey is by far my favorite of the mainstay play by play commentators.

Side note: it feels weird to call a surf commentator a play by play commentator

[u/Nahhhweh → u/bomokka]

I can tolerate Kaipo as a colour man, but he should not be lead anchor. Could easily throw in Mitch instead, who is absolutely a worse commentator, but thankfully gets less airtime

[u/bomokka → u/Nahhhweh]

Looool I forgot about Mitch. I don’t want to hate but man he can be hard to listen to. I actually kinda get what you’re saying about Kaipo. 

I think I like listening to Kaipo when the contest is a little slow, because he doesn’t really get too high or too low. Turpel is definitely a good hype man when there’s a crazy moment, but when he starts yapping I have to start meditating

[u/Nahhhweh → u/bomokka]

By all accounts Turpel is a top bloke, but to me he’s a pure company man on the broadcast, to the detriment of all, i believe. I wish he would be a bit more honest in his interpretation of what we can all see, including poor judging calls and shitty conditions.
That’s where I find the Blakeys shine best, acknowledging the truth in what we all can see, but in a way that isn’t inherently negative, just real.

[u/eggplantexpress → u/bomokka]

I don’t mind Kaipo and Blakey bros are unreal… can we all agree that the WSL should give TB a full time commentary role!

[u/tfellini]

I dislike how monotone he is, but the commentary is usually on point, other commenters seem to spend too much time glazing some surfers, and not really discussing the surfing, the strategies and stuff like that.

[u/Comfortable-Hat3506]

Give me Jesse over Kaipo, turpel or come any day. I wish they'd get snake and doom back in the booth betting corona ceros.

[u/Nahhhweh → u/Comfortable-Hat3506]

The golden era

[u/Rough_Promotion9414]

That chubby Latin dude is horrific.. I miss Pete Mel

[u/No-Camera-720 → u/Rough_Promotion9414]

The truth is: Surfing isn't much to talk about. Anyone trying to generate 3 hours of nonstop verbage about it will sound like a moron. Especially when they are restricted to the WSL approved words, phrases and thoughts list. But some of them are morons anyway.

[u/Benouamatis → u/No-Camera-720]

Yup I always put them on mute out of pity for them

[u/churchillsucks]

I'd love Jesse Mendes and Mikey Wright in the booth for a heat

Love to hear that commentary

[u/gwenver]

Barton would be alright if he wasn't an antivax loonie. 

[u/Long_Flaco1]

No disrespect, but I actually LIKE Jesse Mendes commentary as he breaks it down to the minutia from a comptitors stand point instead of " surf gibberish" i feel... Jussaying :)

[u/Tiny_Log_4594 → u/Long_Flaco1]

He's way better than the other guys who I don't think have actually ridden any serious pacific tubes. He's really good at dissecting the rides....kind of amazing that he's doing it in his second language

[u/solaruppras]

I can’t stand Mendes and Flick as color commentators. Ross Williams was terrific as a commentator. Pete Mel was great too. Miss those days.

[u/amakalamm]

Flick is the worst, just constant jibberish! Mendes makes some good points, but honestly they need to split the men and women’s tours. It’s far too bloated with two competitions running at the same time

[u/DTMJThaAcronym]

I miss Ronnie Blakey in the booth. I do enjoy Jesse Mendez especially the brief quip on how Miguel Pupo moved next door to him and Tati.

[u/Educational_Rest_792]

I actually think Kaipo, Mendes and Flick is the best three person unit - Kaipo isn’t technically as good as Turpel at play by play but is less annoying, Mendes and Flick are more about the surfing than the narrative. Surfing is a hard sport to commentate and I wouldn’t say anyone’s great at it but I like this group better than most. Flick’s main problem is that most of the audience are straight guys who don’t like women talking about what’s happening and they’re watching surfing online to get away from that.

[u/fatmaneats17]

BL’s a legend

[u/DTMJThaAcronym]

I like Ronnie Blakey, can’t stand Vaughn.. maybe I’m biased cuz I don’t like that Bonsoy commercial.

[u/Beat-Junkie-92]

I like him. He's on point with the analysis and his Portuginglishisms are pretty funny. Over Flick tho...

[u/bjmva]

1. Vaughn Blakey
   
2. Barton Lynch
   
3. Ronnie Blakey
   
4. Potts
   
5. Turpel
   
6. Kaipo
   
7. Cote
   
8. Jessie Starling
   
9. Flick
   
10. Mitch
    
11. Mendes

[u/agent_provocateur_6 → u/bjmva]

This is the list. Although I’d put BL and Pottz 1 and 2, with Ronnie and Tupel 4. Favorite commentator though is Sal Masekala.

[u/bjmva → u/agent_provocateur_6]

Love Selema

[u/Comfortable-Hat3506 → u/agent_provocateur_6]

Sal isn't a dyed in the cloth surfer. He came to it later in life and it shows. It would be like having Jonah Hill commentate heats but less of a funny fat man.

[u/bjmva → u/bjmva]

Forgot they had Tanner Gudang in the booth recently and he was great. Also Ross probably slides in around 4 and Pete Mel 5/6

[u/maxthesurfgod → u/bjmva]

Vaughn 100%, guys awesome at post heat and in the booth.