SEM to lodge complaint on United courtside announcer
ing to make complaints to the NBL about insensitive comments made during the fiery clash.
The Phoenix will make a complaint about a comment from Melbourne United court announcer Wayne Peterson about Zhou Qi, while United will cite a separate incident involving allegations a player, or players, from the Phoenix insulted Peterson's appearance.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/a-brawl-a-bump-and-a-coach-s-sledge-melbourne-nbl-derby-explodes-20211212-p59gvq.html
Peterson has been a pest on the microphone for a very long time.
Every court announcer in the league absolutely sucks. Loud mouth blowhards.
Let's hope he finally gets suspended. Once again he's offended. New owners so he may get away with it again but his foul mouth and insulting commentary is long documented.
Wayne has to be the worst. People will defend him saying its "passion" but he's crossed the line so many times.
Is this the same guy that used to do Tigers games at NHSC?
I remember laughing at just how bad it was
Yeah same guy. He's been around forever and also does footy at Marvel so clearly he's well regarded by someone.
Yea about time for him to face some kind of punishment. Will never forget the time (either last season or the year before) he went on a personal attack on Casper Ware in front of the entire crowd. It got to the point where Casper was challenging him to show his face to which he just replied, "I'm not over there Casper, you're gonna have to look harder than that!"
Just an embarrassment as a United supporter
I'm astounded Wayne is still allowed near a mic. He's been a dickhead for a long long time.
Yeah I'm kinda surprised he is still in the league too.
Has always been a nasty piece of work.
To those that are saying they're surprised he's still around, does he have a track record of bad comments?
Yes, every few years there is a thread about his behaviour. Has been around forever and a day for reasons unknown.
rjd
Can we have some examples of his offensive comments? I only recall him getting into arguments, such as unspecified reports of abusing the refs about 10 years ago. He seems to get fired up at times, but I've never heard what he's saying because it's off-mike. He's been around for over 30 years.
I've always considered him a better courtside announcer than any other alternative trialed in Melbourne.
Is this the guy with the big birthmark on the side of his face? He's been around forever as the Tigers courtside announcer and has been reprimanded for his antics in the past I think even got suspended at one point.
I'm surprised this guy is still allowed to do NBL games to be honest, thinks he's part of the game and too unprofessional.
I heard there was some form of racist comment made. Is this it?
I'm guessing he's been around for so long as he doesn't get paid to announce?
Hes a 20th century dinosaur. Should have been put out to pasture once the Tigers were gone.
He's very parochial
I think people's issue is more that he's a bit unprofessional in the extent to which he barracks for his own team
There have been a couple of controversial incidents or comments over the years. I can't recall any specific examples off the top of my head. I'm pretty sure you'd find he's never said, or even been accused of anything overtly racist or overly offensive or anything. Just more than he inserts himself into proceedings and occasionally gets into it with opposing players off-mike.
I don't mind him myself. I've heard worse announcers at basketball games.
Yet still not a big of a flog as the Wildcats announcer
Racial comments allegedly.
I was at the game and I remember the moment.
The comment he made centred around Zhou Qi missing two free throws and giving out Hungry Jacks burgers. He said something along the lines of, 'I doubt he understands English but thanks for the burgers'. The racial undertone of it was reprehensible.
But that wasn't his only controversial moment.
He also made an ass of himself after the Peatling/Creek scuffle.
During the review process he got frustrated at not being told what fouls/disqualifications were being issued. Instead of acting professionally by explaining that the process was underway, he verbalised his frustrations directly to the crowd, effectively ridiculing the process (or at a bare minimum the communication).
He then said in a condescending tone, 'I had to get that info from Rhys Carter, so thanks Rhys' clearly taking aim and the officials.
At the end of the day its his job to act calmly and find out, not sit there slagging them off...
As many have said before, these types of incidents have occurred regularly. While he represents MU, he also the represents the whole league. Its about time the league did something about him.
Unprofessional AF!
Sounds very sloppy. Not great for the in arena product.
He won't be at the next 2 Melbourne home games
Can't Melbourne find better?
Srsly
"The comment he made centred around Zhou Qi missing two free throws and giving out Hungry Jacks burgers. He said something along the lines of, 'I doubt he understands English but thanks for the burgers'. The racial undertone of it was reprehensible."
Wait, there have been many comments/reports about Zhou Qi's issues in English communication.
I'm not sure how much English comprehension he has, but at one stage he was communicating with a referee, so it's not like he doesn't speak any English.
Apparently he also abused the Phoenix players as they walked past the bench after the game
Suspended for 2 games. Melbourne United should be ashamed of themselves.
James Harvey fan
Embarrassing that this guy is still around.
Two games, wow. That will surely make Wayne think twice before being an asshat again.
Zhou Qi has had perfect English since his time with Houston, The NBL needs to make a statement if they are serious with attracting the Chinese market.
Suspended by the league or club? If MU have done it, thats actually good on their part. The league will probably say it has been dealt with then
MU. No its not good. It's minor. Good is finally sacking such an unprofessional person from a very public position representing the Club.
"Melbourne United has mutually agreed with Peterson to have him step away from his duties for the club's next two home games. Peterson will use this time for reflection and further education, and will be more considered with his comments in the future."
https://www.melbourneutd.com.au/news/club-statement-on-comments-made-by-announcer-during-throwdown-xii
He has been suspended and fined multiple times before. He is a protected species. No amount of time off to reflect will get him to change his ways, a leopard never changes their spots.
My memory was telling me Peterson has been in hot water on more than one occasion in the past. Trouble is he's too insignificant to recall the finer details about.
So I went trawling and found this from an article published in 2012:
Tigers' courtside announcer Wayne Peterson was also hit with a suspended $500 fine for shouting at Kings coach Shane Heal during the same match.
Peterson is a repeat offender, having been suspended for two games and fined $500 by the league in 2009 for verbally abusing referees, and Slepoy confirmed he would sit down with the announcer and ask him to curb his emotions.
Link: https://bit.ly/3DUJzfa
So we have at the very least incidents from 2009, 2012 and 2021. There have probably been more.
Stop persisting with him Melbourne.
Rattlers always been a menace. He's needed to go for a long time now but he's in with management at United
Did Melbourne United just play better without this wanker ?