Vale Clinton Grybas
January 5th, 2008 at 05:59pm
The radio industry is in mouring yet again. 32 year old sport commentator Clinton Grybas has died. He was found in his apartment today after he didn’t turn up for work, he was rushed to hospital and pronounced dead on arrival. There are no suspicious circumstances.
Update: 3AW have produced a tribute page for Clinton, available on their website at http://www.mytalk.com.au/Stations/Talk/3AW/Pages/clinton-grybas.aspx.
Clinton Grybas, born on the 9th of February 1975, was an integral part of Radio 3AW’s AFL commentary team. Colleague Graeme Bond has expressed his shock in an emotional interview 3AW this afternoon:
[audio:https://samuelgordonstewart.com/wp-content/ClintonGrybasGraemeBond.mp3]
Download link
(Audio and photo courtesy 3AW/Fairfax)
I don’t know an awful lot about Clinton, although I will say that behind Bruce McAvaney he was, in my opinion, the nation’s best sport commentator. The two were co-commentators during the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
During the AFL season, it was very common for me to mute the television and turn on the 3AW webstream to hear Clinton’s coverage of the match, and even when I didn’t have access to a television I would listen to Clinton’s call of a match.
Clinton was a fantastic broadcaster and was one of the few commentators capable of painting a mental picture of an event with only words. I’m sure that Rex Hunt, Graeme Bond and the rest of 3AW’s commentary team will carry on, but it won’t be the same without Clinton.
Clinton was not a stranger to the rest of the nation either. He was a regular commentator for Fox Sport (and previously Fox Footy Channel), his reports were regularly heard across the Southern Cross/Fairfax news network, and as previously mentioned he provided the bulk of the commercial radio coverage of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Prior to working for 3AW, Clinton was a commentator for ABC Radio, primarily covering AFL and National Basketball League matches, although covering fifteen sports in total.
Clinton was named AFL Radio Broadcaster of the Year in 2005 and received the Australian Commercial Radio Award for Best Metropolitan Sports Presenter in 2007.
A more detailed biography can be found on 3AW’s website at http://www.mytalk.com.au/Stations/Talk/3AW/Pages/ProfileClintonGrybas.aspx
Thank you for the memories Clinton, may you rest in peace. You will be sorely missed.
Samuel
Entry Filed under: Samuel's Editorials,TV/Radio/Media
