They're certainly not doing the game any favours. I don't think it's bias if I'm honest. I don't really subscribe to this whole bias thing (including refs). I just think it's an inability to do the job. If the staff are incapable of doing the job, and yet are employed to do the job, surely any blame should rest at the feet of the employers?

Aren't we expecting an announcement on a new television deal for RL soon?

I don't mind Eddie & Stevo one bit, they are obviously passionate about the game and mildly entertaining

I can see what happening on the pitch by watching the TV screen with my own eye's

Fair enough, but I can also appreciate that a part of any rugby league audience is potentially going to be new to the game, particularly on a Bank Holiday afternoon when folk might be channel hopping to find some live sport to watch.

If your first introduction to rugby league is listening to Stevo arguing that black is white until he's frothing at the mouth, what does that teach you about the game other than reinforcing the stereotype of the chippy northerner?

As I've said elsewhere, he's a poor version of Phil Gould. While Gus may be argumentative and colourful, he's usually talking sense through it all. Stevo is usually talking out of his backside. His attempt yesterday to accuse Danny Washbrook of deliberately taking a Saints player out in the air, his over-the-top reaction to what was basically a mis-timed hand-off from Ben Cross on Friday are all attempts to be "controversial" that detract from the product rather than enhancing it.

If he's doing it deliberately, then Neville Smith at Sky needs to have a word in his ear and get him to tone it down. If his employers are encouraging him to do it - which is entirely possible given their delight in replaying supposedly "controversial" incidents while the game is still going on - then they are in danger of turning the game into a sideshow, little more than a comedy vehicle for the two buffoons.

I know it will attract the usual class-based comments, but the contrast couldn't be greater between Eddie & Stevo and Stuart Barnes & Miles Harrison on Sky's rugby union coverage. They strike the perfect balance between entertainment and information, their studio guests usually appear at ease and willing to offer their insight without being dragged into petty squabbles between the two main presenters. It's time Sky gave their rugby league coverage a similar makeover - more airtime for the likes of Brian Carney and Jon Wells would be a good start.

An excellent post.

Oh, and there is not, nor has there ever been, a "momentum rule".

Where the passer ends up in relation to the ball has no relevance in determining whether it's a forward pass or not. It's not a difficult concept to grasp, if it travels forward from the hands then it's a forward pass. If it goes backwards from the hands, it's not - even if it subsequently drifts forward.

Yet nobody in the Sky commentary team fronts up to Stevo and tells him he's talking garbage every time he uses it. Why?

Because they have to share a hotel room with the tw*t, and after many years of knowing him, they've learnt to just keep shut and save themselves the hassle.

Basically... it all boils down to it just being a bit stale. Eddie & Stevo have been doing the job what, at least 10 years?! Is it even closer to 20?! They, and their bosses, have just become OK with the fact that it's a bit sh[ii[/it these days. It just needs freshening up. The game has changed so much in 20 years, it's about time the Sky commentary team caught up.

Edit - Must be 20 years the more I think about it?! I keep thinking 2000 was "recent", when in reality that was a decade ago! It worries me that 1991 was 20 years ago. P.s As if it's MAY already?! WTF!?

Whilst that may well be true Stuart Barnes is still Stuart Barnes and I can't look at his fat little face without wanting to stick my arm through the screen and into his pudgy little smug face.

As you were.

The Barnes vs Stevo "debate" was atrocious. RL got owned. Primarily because Stevo can't hold an intelligent conversation without getting hotheaded.

Cant say I've ever been swayed when deciding on watching a sport or not by the commentary team, rugby league has been on sky now for 20 years, I'm not sure a change of commentary staff would change viewing figures either way.