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<\/p>\nIn the archive of classic sporting commentary box one-liners, Wayne Mardle's three-word croak will be replayed forever.<\/p>\n
When Michael Smith's perfect nine-darter crowned the greatest leg of all time in the PDC World Championship final at Alexandra Palace last January, millions of viewers feared Mardle was on the brink of hyperventilation, if not spontaneous combustion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is the most incredible leg of darts you've ever seen in your life,\u201d shrieked the Sky Sports commentator. \u201cI can't spake! I can't spake!\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Darts fan spotted wearing mask of sex fiend Ted Hankey to world championships<\/b><\/p>\n
READ MORE: Sad demise of World Darts Champs' youngest finalist whose life fell apart before he quit<\/b><\/p>\n
In the sporting soundtrack to our lives, \u201cI can't spake\u201d belongs in the same league as BBC legend Kenneth Wolstenholme's \u201cThey think it's all over\u201d at the 1966 World Cup final or voice of cricket Richie Benaud's appreciation of Ian Botham launching Terry Alderman for six at Headingley in 1981.\u200c <\/p>\n
\u201cNo need to go looking for that, let alone chasing it,\u201d purred Benaud. \u201cIt's gone straight into the confectionery stall and out again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where does Mardle's commentary rank among the great sporting one-liners? Let us know in the comments section below<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
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On Friday night, Smith returns to Ally Pally to defend his crown at the Paddy Power World Championship, and now the real story behind Mardle's line for the ages can be told. Already struggling with a croaky voice, he admits he DID have to be replaced in the commentary box before the end of 'Bully Boy' Smith's maiden world title triumph.<\/p>\n
And he revealed his signature 'catchphrase' was NOT a spontaneous reference to his strained voice but a common term he uses at home in hoarse-play with his wife Donna.<\/p>\n
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Mardle, a five-times world championship semi-finalist, said: \u201cThe world of darts had never seen it before \u2013 one player (Michael van Gerwen) missing double 12 for a nine-darter and the other (Smith) nailing it. You can't possibly see a better leg of darts. Even now, to think that it panned out in a world championship final is just incredible.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it had happened in the first or second round, who cares? And I don\u2019t mean that nastily. We can wax lyrical about it all day, every day, but it is still quite incredible. And yes, I did lose my voice \u2013 but that happened four or five sets later.<\/p>\n
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\u201cJohn Part and I weren't feeling particularly great the day before. He had the day off, but I didn\u2019t. I was a Trojan, I powered through the semi-finals like a true professional! But midway through the final, my voice went completely and it was the nine-darter that broke it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually said to the producer, \u2018Look, someone is going to have to take over.\u2019 I didn\u2019t feel like it had gone yet but it was going. One minute it was, 'No, I\u2019m fine' and the next it was, No, it\u2019s gone.' That's exactly how it was.<\/p>\n
\u200c\u201cBut when I said, 'I cannot spake, I cannot spake,' I meant it. I didn't want to ramble about how great it was and detract from how great it was. I actually say it at home to (my wife) Donna so often that it's just become something that I say. We tease each other at home – Donna will do something ridiculous, like making me a coffee instead of a cup of tea, and I will respond, 'I can\u2019t spake.'<\/p>\n
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\u200c\u201cI say it so often that I am surprised it hasn\u2019t come out in commentary before. But what I didn\u2019t want to do for that particular leg was absolutely overkill it with superlatives.<\/p>\n
\u200c\u201cI didn't need to embellish it any more. It didn\u2019t need any of us to say how special it was because everyone watching could see it was out of this world.<\/p>\n
\u200c\u201cBut for people to say it could go down in history as an amazing piece of commentary, that fills my heart with joy. But I was just in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n
\u200c\u201cWalking down the street, or even on the golf course, I get people shouting at me, 'I can't spake! I can't spake!' I wouldn't say it's a daily occurrence, but not far off. Quite incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n