The irony will not be lost on the BBC. John McEnroe, who in his playing days at Wimbledon forced the BBC to muffle the courtside mikes for fear of offending the gentle sensibilities of the late Dan Maskell and scandalising a nation with a few well chosen words in the vernacular, has been the saviour of dear old Auntie from his perch in the commentary box.

Whatever money the BBC has parted with for the services of the former tennis legend is a trifling amount in comparison to the quality of his punditry. Sharp and witty, boasting a bluntness that transcends the yawning mixture of hushed twaddle and rampant nationalism that has dogged the coverage in recent years, McEnroe's presence has blown away the cobwebs of tradition.

The BBC is acutely aware of its diminished role in televisual sports coverage, emphasised by the recent loss of the Premiership soccer highlights programme: Match of the Day - once an institution it will become a quiz question of the future.

If they ever lose the rights to the Six Nations Championship rugby then Grandstand really will be reduced to the Boat Race and for the other 364 days of the year become a haven for minority sports. It's hard to see a nation salivating over the prospect of watching Colin Braithwaite defending his tiddlywinks world championship title in Siddcup next week. Nigel Twiston-Smythe is a decent each way bet now that he has conquered the yips.

But back to Wimbledon and McEnroe. In recent years the once brash, now mellow New Yorker, has been a highly respected analyst alongside fellow great Chris Evert on American television network NBC. Whichever genius at the BBC persuaded him to work for Auntie at this year's championship deserves a healthy pay rise.

McEnroe offers that irresistible amalgam of insight and humour, delivered in a blunt manner: he calls it like it is. His knowledge of the subject and the characters that dwell within the sport enhances the pictures presented. It is done without the affected cosiness of someone who parades an association with those that he/she discusses. When Sue Barker, Des Lynam's successor as anchor presenter for the fortnight, finished a studio chat with McEnroe, explaining that he now had to make a reasonably long dash to the commentary position for a forthcoming match, she offered: "Pam (Shriver) is waiting for you."

Now, while everyone at home involuntarily shivered at the prospect of being in an enclosed space with Pam Shriver, McEnroe articulated those feelings with his quicksilver response. "Thanks for the warning." His candour has been refreshing. "That clock is generous. There is no way that serve was 79 mph" he ventured of a said delivery from Japanese player Ai Sugiyama in her match with Venus Williams.

The hapless Sugiyama received another McEnroe broadside. "Someone better check the ranking cause she's not playing like the number 20 ranked player in the world." This had come after the American offered the following appraisal of Japanese men's tennis: "I don't want to diss the Japanese men, but they wouldn't exactly frighten you in tennis terms. The women are different, they must have four or five in the top fifty."

Speaking about lack of respect, McEnroe, when pressed during a match commentary, conceded that he had spoken recently to the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, about the need for a little humility in victory. "You don't have to go out and disrespect opponents after a win. They need to remember that."

Elsewhere chipper voices monitored the progress of the British players. Gallantry in defeat - it is the taking part not the winning that matters - has been a hallmark of home-based performances at Wimbledon over the years and the new millennium wasn't about to bring a change in fortune.

The carnage of Brits gathered pace over the first few days until Tim Henman once again carried the hopes of a nation, the Association of Face Painters and the National Flagmakers Trust. Perhaps in honour of McEnroe this year's Wimbledon has offered some excellent verbal rough and tumble. South African Wayne Ferreira, trailing 5-6 and 30-40 suffered an overrule by the umpire on a first serve. He subsequently lost the point and the set. Occasionally volatile, Ferreira was not about to disappoint.

Slamming his racquet onto the ground he stomped over to the umpire. "Why did you have to pick that f***ing time to overrule. F***ing set point. You f***ing sure you saw it?" With that Ferreira smashed his racquet in half over a chair, earning a code violation. Interestingly only those that watched the incident live were treated to the full monty - subsequent reruns of the incident offered specifically muffled transmission.

"Blow wind and crack your cheeks" as King Lear and the people of Ballybunion are wont to say. RTE offered blanket coverage of the Murphy's Irish Open golf championship from Ballybunion with a little assistance from TG4. Aside from focussing on the golf the cameras took every opportunity to capture the magnificent setting, occasionally overstretching in terms of artistic endeavour.

At one stage the viewer was treated to a shot of a golfer on a green through strands of flora and fauna, perhaps trying to simulate what it would look like if you fell down a dune while looking at the golf. Elsewhere, Channel 4 must have been celebrating the decision to snaffle test match cricket from the BBC after the stunning finish to the England-West Indies game. Good week all round then.