EDITORIAL
>>> Eugene Saccomano died Monday at the age of 83. Immediately, many voices from the world of sports - and elsewhere - were raised to pay tribute to the one who revolutionized sports commentary in France. Tuesday, it is our editorialist Virginie Phulpin who in turn celebrates the memory of this former great voice of Europe 1.
"I owe my first trips to Eugene Saccomano, listening trips, immobile journeys as trainers as an initiatory trip, his voice took us far from our bases, to discover the most beautiful regions of football." Eugene Saccomano took us in Latin America by the magic of some imported tremolos.
Yes, he invented the French tremolos, adapting with the greatest talent those he had discovered in the mouth of the Argentinian commentators during the 1978 World Cup. We had never heard that in France, so we let ourselves be embarked. And it is he who will leave us forever the memory of our feet that no longer touch the ground and our head in the stars on July 12, 1998.
It's Eugene Saccomano who invented in France the talk show about sport
Of course Eugene Saccomano made us travel in the final of the World Cup. But with him, even a featureless match gave the illusion of tutelage peaks through his voice that played the roller coaster. He took us with him to the stadium, he had this power to transport us in the middle of the field.
He made us travel in his match comments, but also with his broadcasts. Because Eugene Saccomano had the gift of adapting to France formats from elsewhere. The Monday match, on Europe 1, he had the idea in Italy. And all of a sudden, we found ourselves in the midst of an Italian tabloid that was laundering around debates on football. It is Eugène Saccomano who invented in France the talk show around the sport that we find everywhere since.
Yes, he made us travel. From these travels that form turbulent youth. You, me, or relatives, you have probably hidden your radio under your duvet, at the boarding school or at your parents', to enjoy the multiplex without getting caught. And you still talk about it today. Me too. It was like a trip at the end of the night. "