Editorial: At least Tasker is now silent

Americans love a comeback, and there it was, Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill's lips glued to the Auld Mug. Photo / Brett Phibbs

In the end, I couldn't watch. Or listen. I turned the radio off, driving into town. Construction workers were crowded around a radio as I parked my car. I walked down the empty street and bought a coffee at my local cafe. They were surprised to see me - no one else was about.

Every patriotic sinew in my body wanted Team New Zealand to win, and as I eventually came within coo-ee of a television, the end was nigh.

The day before, I had decided I'd had enough of Martin Tasker's commentary - is there a sports commentator in recent history who has inspired less optimism in the nation?

We remember Winston McCarthy's catch phrase "Listen, it's a goal", even if we never heard it live. Or Keith Quinn's "oh, oh, oh, Lomu" as the All Black winger destroyed England rugby fullback Mike Catt in 1995.

And of course, Peter Montgomery's "the America's Cup is New Zealand's Cup".

What did Tasker leave us with? "Oh well", preceded by a negative sigh.

As for co-commentator Peter Lester's "we've got this one!" on Wednesday, well, that's one giant chicken that got counted before it had cracked its way out of the egg, which only ended up splattered over Lester's face.

I turned to the New York Times and San Francisco Chronicle websites, on the off-chance that there was no mention of it, and that therefore the niche, minority nature of the event would somehow make me feel better, that it didn't matter so much, on a world scale.

But no, Americans love a comeback, and there it was, Oracle skipper Jimmy Spithill's lips glued to the Auld Mug. An Aussie too, just to rub it in.

Oh well.