Whether it was legendary rugby commentator Bill McLaren, league caller Ray Warren, or the voice of cricket Richie Benaud, commentators enhance the game being played out on our TV screens.
Often they'll provide fantastic insight into the game. But other times they drop some absolute clangers that leave you either in stitches or shaking your head in disbelief.
Former All Black and commentator Murray Mexted is widely celebrated in New Zealand for his in-depth but often comical analysis during rugby games between the 1990s and early 2000s.
So Murray, this is our tribute to you and your fellow commentators around the world who wish they could take back some of their now iconic moments engraved in history.
1. "Paul Tito looked like a blind man in a brothel, just left groping."
2. "There's a couple of Hores on display tonight." (The brothers Charlie Hore (Highlanders) and Andrew Hore (Hurricanes) were playing on opposing teams)
4. "Andy Ellis — the 21-year-old, who turned 22 a few weeks ago."
5. "The turf here (Newlands) never took properly and it isn't very well rooted ... In fact you could say it is rooted ... Did I just say that?"
6. "Strangely, in slow-motion replay, the ball seemed to hang in the air for even longer."
7. "And he kicks it with his left-handed foot."
8. "I don't like this new law, because your first instinct when you see a man on the ground is to go down on him."
9. "As you know, I've been pumping Marty Leslie for a couple of years now."
10. "You don't like to see hookers going down on players like that."
COMMENTATORS' TOP 10 CLASSIC CALLS:
1. Former golfer Ken Brown on Nick Faldo's sporadic use of his caddy, Fanny Sunneson: "Some weeks Nick Faldo likes to use Fanny, other weeks he prefers to play with himself".
2. Terry Venables, former football player and manager: "If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again."
3. Basketball analyst: "He dribbles a lot and the opposition doesn't like it. In fact you can see it all over their faces."
4. Metro Radio commentator on former West Ham hardman: "Julian Dicks is everywhere. It's like they've got 11 Dicks on the field."
5. At the rowing medal ceremony: "Ah, isn't that nice, the wife of the IOC president is hugging the cox of the British crew."
6. Anonymous boxing commentator on the dangers of the sport: "Sure there have been injuries and even some deaths in boxing, but none of them really that serious."
7. Anonymous tennis pundit on a reason behind Andy Roddick's success: "One of the reasons Andy is playing so well is that, before the final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them ... Oh my God, what have I just said?"
8. Paul Hamm, gymnast: "I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father."
9. Jonathan Agnew describing the moment England's Ian Botham was out hit wicket: "He just didn't quite get his leg over" (a term used to describe having sex).
10. New Zealand's Pete Montgomery while calling the Evers-Swindell twins gold medal race at the Bejing Olympics:
Peter Montgomery: "Get your photo finish out. It's going to be tight as New Zealand's coming down to the line. And New Zealand's getting their bow out. New Zealand's getting in front. It's New Zealand getting in front. New Zealand ... Germany first, Britain second and New Zealand third. Mike Stanley: No I think New Zealand and, and, they have, and they're going to the photo finish. They're going to the photo finish. I think the Germans may have just got there. PM: Yep. They've got that wrong. MS: They may have just got there. What a race from the twins. Oh, and they look across, they're waiting for confirmation. They don't know where it, here we have it. PM: New Zealand is ... New Zealand is ... New Zealand is ... MS: Oh! PM: Could New Zealand have got there? MS: Well, New Zealand may have got there. PM: New Zealand may have got there. New Zealand. It's a photo finish, it's a fraction in it. New Zealand have won it! It's black to gold! Gold and gold again for Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell — women's double are now double Olympic champions. Gold at Shunyi, Beijing 2008."