Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The fourteenth meeting of the "You Have the Floor!" discussion club was held at the Polytechnic University. Gennady Orlov, a USSR Master of Sports in football, striker, renowned sports journalist, distinguished commentator, TEFI Award winner, and general producer of Zenit Radio, was the invited guest.
Gennady Sergeyevich began his football career while still in school, and immediately after graduating, he began playing for Avangard Kharkiv. He was then invited to Zenit Leningrad. He initially played for the club's reserve team. He played five matches for the main team in the USSR Football Championship. After that, he transferred to Dynamo Leningrad. He retired from football at the age of 25.
Gennady Orlov was already involved in journalism while still playing football. He published in the newspaper "Smena."
Our guest recounted the beginning of his career. In 1973, television announced a competition for a sports commentator position. Over 200 people applied for the vacant position, but only three made it to the main stage. The candidates spent 10 minutes commentating on the Zenit vs. Dinamo Tbilisi match. When it was Orlov's turn to commentate, the goalkeeper caught the ball, but it unexpectedly slipped from his hands. To which Gennady Sergeyevich remarked, "It slipped through like a bar of soap." This phrase was noted and remembered. Thus, the footballer became a commentator.
Our hero noted that in Russia, "the three pillars on which a commentator swims" are a sense of words, irony and self-irony, and knowledge of the subject. Knowledge of the Russian language, friendliness, and the ability to breathe are also very important. This will make people enjoy listening to you.
Gennady Orlov also emphasized that Soviet commentators were highly respected by athletes. Players weren't criticized, as television was then seen as a vehicle for promoting sports, in the positive sense of the word.
Gennady Sergeevich has been a commentator at 17 Olympic Games and seven World Cups.
Our guest was asked many questions from the audience about his career as a commentator and about football in general.
— What sport is the most difficult to commentate on?
— Hockey. When our country became Russia, we started showing the Stanley Cup. There was a Montreal Canadiens-Los Angeles Kings game. I became the first commentator there.
Have you ever had to commentate on a sport you weren't particularly knowledgeable about? How did you cope?
We were multi-taskers, traveling a lot. For example, I got to see field hockey. We didn't play it here. And cricket. Sometimes, the Olympics featured sports that were unknown but very interesting. Even now, at the Winter Olympics, we had ski mountaineering. And it was amazing. Also, short track. I was the first to master it. I prepared, of course, and worked hard. And I taught swimming, although at that time I couldn't even tell all the styles apart. The only thing that helped me get out of such situations was talking to people. There was no internet back then, so I went to the coach, to the athletes.
— What do you love most about your profession?
— I'm truly passionate about my work, I enjoy it. I love it when this is conveyed to the audience. Audiences really appreciate polite interactions, a polite tone. And of course, the main thing is to love your profession. I adore it. I'm often asked how I handle criticism. I listen to everything, read what's written about me. But I chose this path myself. Back in school, I chose these tenets for myself: knowledge and kindness. I came to this conclusion myself.
— What do you think about the fact that many athletes now, after retiring from their careers, are starting to record podcasts or conduct interviews? How appropriate do you think this is?
"That's not bad. If a person is capable, if it's interesting, then why not?"
— Which Zenit match was your most memorable? And which match, which you didn't commentate on, do you remember most?
"The happiest match for me was in 1984, the match when Zenit became champions for the first time. All of Leningrad rejoiced then. And the second match was in 1965. I was already playing for Avangard Kharkiv, and we all came to Moscow for the USSR-Brazil match. Of course, the Brazilians won that one. But it was a very good, beautiful match."
We have a slogan: "One city, one team." Do you think such a large city can make do with just one team, or should we look to the experience of other large cities with multiple clubs?
"There definitely needs to be a second team, or better yet, several more. We have a population of about six million people, so there are plenty of fans."
Gennady Orlov also told the meeting participants about a remarkable phenomenon—the MCC. This is the "Mutual Politeness Society," which was once conceived by the legendary Russian commentator Nikolai Ozerov. His main tenet in the profession is: always respect your colleagues, athletes, and fans.
"Dedicate part of your life to this, and you will understand how pleasant it is and how people will treat you," Gennady Sergeevich concluded.
At the end of the evening, as per tradition, the guest was presented with a personalized T-shirt and a photo with all the meeting participants. Many approached him to thank him personally. It turned out that there were far more people than expected who wanted the veteran commentator's autograph—participants brought books, photographs, and souvenirs. Gennady Sergeyevich happily interacted with everyone, sharing memories of sporting events and joking, creating a light and relaxed atmosphere.
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