Sky Sports more often than not have to be commended for their professional, if a tad heavy-handed, sports coverage (except during this years European Football Championship; the arrogant gits believed that, as they didn't have the rights to any matches, we'd actually want to see Richard Keys & Andy Gray standing outside the stadium in Lisbon droning on for an hour). The Rupert Murdoch-owned station is especially proud of it's Premiership coverage, but for me, the jewel in Sky Sports crown is 'Soccer Saturday', which doesn't even show any actual football! (save for perhaps a few highlights at the end)
The main person that makes this show so great is main anchor Jeff Stelling. A consummate pro, but with a dry sense of humour, Stelling can be hilarious both intentionally & unintentionally. In all honesty, he's so good he deserves to be on terrestrial TV, as he truly puts (the now-retired) Des Lynam in the shade as someone who lost interest in doing a decent job after he left the BBC, & makes Gary Lineker look like a jug-eared plonker who's only good at flogging potato crisps.
The other analysts are mostly a fine bunch aswell. Chris Kamara should have his own show, he's great fun. Rodney Marsh is the "Controversial One", interrupting Jeff Stelling with frequent cries & yelps. However, I don't agree with Sky's decision to occasionally employ George Best as a panelist; the ex-Manchester United legend is an admitted alcoholic & wife-beater, yet Sky continue to pay him & give him airtime when someone like Best should really be locked up in some rehab clinic for the next 5 years. Even Besty doesn't avoid Stelling's caustic wit: after Best had a couple thousand pounds stole from him by some prostitutes last year, King Jeff opened an edition of 'Soccer Saturday' by quipping: "George Best isn't with us today, he isn't feeling two grand..." Genius!
To recap then, for all the Premiership, Football League, Scottish (& European in midweek) results, 'Soccer Saturday' is the best of the bunch, as it gives you what you want: all the excitement of seeing the football results coming in, but unlike BBC & ITV's efforts, it is more often than not grand entertainment aswell.
