Absolutely the worst call of a game I have heard since the Picozzi days

[tomcat]

Who is this Amin guy? Chatty Cathy's brother? There must have been dozens of plays that were not called because he was sharing opinions and telling stories and showing that he knows women's basketball by throwing names around. And there's Kara Lawson, and yes, Rebecca Lobo, two women who know the sport better than anyone, and the three of them absolutely trivialized the game with meaningless chatter. The folks who called the games last year veered off course on occasion, but nothing like this.

I'm certain they are told to do this, in ESPN's mistaken belief that once it looks like a blowout, viewers do not care about the game any more. Here's a novel thought: If viewers do not care about the game, they will turn it off. They do not say to themselves, "Oh, now that the game's not competitive, I'll stick around to hear the announcers chat amongst themselves." That just is not how people work, WCBB fans or not.

That they do this to people watching the game insults the game and insults us all.

 

[UConn82]

Good post. I agree. I was excited to see Rebecca and Kara on the call. But it was very disappointing. Even during a blowout, they can call the game, and teach us many things. Sad.

 

[HuskyNan]

I was rather appalled when the discussion devolved into babble about some guy's middle name. Becca and Kara are better than that.

 

[BostonCanuck]

I couldn't agree more. Maybe they brought this guy in because his voice sounds something like Dave O'Brien's. Well that's where the similarities end. As many here know, Dave did not survive the massive on-air talent purge at ESPN early this summer. I knew then that his gravitas would be sorely missed. For long stretches today, the coverage seemed in desperate need of an adult in the booth.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

That noise in the background was a game?

 

[sarals24]

This was super disappointing. I loved hearing Kara talk about spacing in terms of the NBA, I think she has some new insight she can bring. Instead I learned that her middle name starts with an M.

 

[Zanzman]

I couldn't agree more. Maybe they brought this guy in because his voice sounds something like Dave O'Brien's. Well that's where the similarities end. As many here know, Dave did not survive the massive on-air talent purge at ESPN early this summer. I knew then that his gravitas would be sorely missed. For long stretches today, the coverage seemed in desperate need of an adult in the booth.

I dvr’d This game but I for one will not miss Dave O’Brien he butchered names and went off game all the time. Can not stand getting names wrong it’s your job please

 

[CTBballfan243]

If you're watching the game on TV you don't really need play-by-play. I tend not to listen to what they are saying anyway and just watch the game, like what I would do if I where at the game.

 

[BigBird]

While I usually tend to side with the broadcasters, today’s production was simply rubbish. I have never liked a three-person PBP team, and today we saw the reason why. One announcer is narrative. Two people is a conversation; three is a group.

 

[JordyG]

Oh how familiarity breeds contempt. When so many were waxing poetic about Kara, whom I do love, I reminded those that once upon a time the many waxed equally poetic about Doris Burke. The many who were so eager and satisfied to see her go. I then cautioned everyone of their discontent, stating that Doris qualities far outweighed her detriments, and that the time would come when Kara would no longer be everyone's darling. It seems the detractors are weighing in sooner than expected. Relax. Kara's qualities are still there, and her faults are really minor and not as glaring as some seem to believe. Let's just play this season out, shall we?

 

[iamcbs]

Who is this Amin guy? Chatty Cathy's brother? There must have been dozens of plays that were not called because he was sharing opinions and telling stories and showing that he knows women's basketball by throwing names around. And there's Kara Lawson, and yes, Rebecca Lobo, two women who know the sport better than anyone, and the three of them absolutely trivialized the game with meaningless chatter. The folks who called the games last year veered off course on occasion, but nothing like this.

I'm certain they are told to do this, in ESPN's mistaken belief that once it looks like a blowout, viewers do not care about the game any more. Here's a novel thought: If viewers do not care about the game, they will turn it off. They do not say to themselves, "Oh, now that the game's not competitive, I'll stick around to hear the announcers chat amongst themselves." That just is not how people work, WCBB fans or not.

That they do this to people watching the game insults the game and insults us all.

Maybe you should turn off the sound and listen to the radio call.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Who is this Amin guy? Chatty Cathy's brother? There must have been dozens of plays that were not called because he was sharing opinions and telling stories and showing that he knows women's basketball by throwing names around. And there's Kara Lawson, and yes, Rebecca Lobo, two women who know the sport better than anyone, and the three of them absolutely trivialized the game with meaningless chatter. The folks who called the games last year veered off course on occasion, but nothing like this.

I'm certain they are told to do this, in ESPN's mistaken belief that once it looks like a blowout, viewers do not care about the game any more. Here's a novel thought: If viewers do not care about the game, they will turn it off. They do not say to themselves, "Oh, now that the game's not competitive, I'll stick around to hear the announcers chat amongst themselves." That just is not how people work, WCBB fans or not.

That they do this to people watching the game insults the game and insults us all.

Regardless of the score differential there are Basketball functions that deserve a verb or two. Some fan don't chomp on celery the whole game; even a few desire to know who fouled who, how many on that person; who scored the last basket and what total points did that player chalk up?

Both Lobo and Kara can and will chat away for every second of each game with---in-game facts about the game they are watching. When the action stops: Pull up Google and chat on whatever is found; I'll be in the kitchen getting a drink so it won't matter.

I LIKED YOUR POSTING---MY THOUGHT COINCIDE.

 

[BroadwayVa]

That noise in the background was a game?

And that was stressful--try as I may, I could not hear the babble --how can I turn off that picture so I may listen properly to dabble babble.

 

[BroadwayVa]

If you're watching the game on TV you don't really need play-by-play. I tend not to listen to what they are saying anyway and just watch the game, like what I would do if I where at the game.

When I could I turned off the sound and listened to Bob Joyce on the radio. Better commentary all around. But here in Va no Bob Joyce and the ears don't hear well anyway. The captioning I watch, looking for factoids on the game, rambles with the rambling on the TV and misses any word necessary to understand what is said. Check out captioning, it gets to be amusing.

 

[BostonCanuck]

I dvr’d This game but I for one will not miss Dave O’Brien he butchered names and went off game all the time. Can not stand getting names wrong it’s your job please

Dave did not regularly get names wrong. What, did this happen once or twice in a game he called, so now you're hanging it around his neck?

Kara and Rebecca would have been just fine today if they had been playing off of Dave instead of this new guy. Regarding Doris, her commentary had deteriorated in recent years; she was ready to move on and did so more or less voluntarily before the talent purge. But not Dave. He's a huge loss for ESPN, and not just on the WCBB side.

 

[HuskyNan]

When I could I turned off the sound and listened to Bob Joyce on the radio. Better commentary all around. But here in Va no Bob Joyce and the ears don't hear well anyway. The captioning I watch, looking for factoids on the game, rambles with the rambling on the TV and misses any word necessary to understand what is said. Check out captioning, it gets to be amusing.

Listen to UConn IMG Sports Network on TuneIn

You should be able to listen to the game at this link.

 

[HuskyNan]

FWIW, the commentators are talking about fashion design during the Duke game.

 

[Alydar]

If you're watching the game on TV you don't really need play-by-play. I tend not to listen to what they are saying anyway and just watch the game, like what I would do if I where at the game.

How do you know who has committed a foul, whether it was a travel or a foul or who just entered & left the game? They made such a big deal about Stevens and Walker pregame but both were in the game for a minute before they got around to telling us.

If I could get a radio feed that synced up with the video I'd listen to it. At least I'd get the basic information instead of the babble I am forced to hear. On radio one announcer is play by play and another is color. You are told whenever substitutions are made and what every whistle is for. It used to be that the color person talked during stoppages in play but these days there are ads at all stoppages so the color people yap during the game. To me it's like admitting that the game is boring.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I can't be the only one here with selective hearing. A talent I've acquired after nearly 50 years of marriage. I just tune them out when they are prattling on about whatever. TV games are a visual medium anyway and I really don't need an announcer to tell me who has how many fouls or who ran a backdoor cut.

 

[Vowelguy]

I really liked Adam Amin and thought the 3 of them had great chemistry.

Try watching a blowout in football or tennis, and let me know if they announcers don't get extra chatty and focus less on game action.

 

[HuskyNan]

I really liked Adam Amin and thought the 3 of them had great chemistry.

Try watching a blowout in football or tennis, and let me know if they announcers don't get extra chatty and focus less on game action.

Sorry, way too much giggling for me. They were not good today.

 

[Monte]

I actually muted the sound a few times.
I think the way to stop all the nonsense is have ONE announcer.
Vin Scully, formerly with the Dodgers insisted that no one join him in the booth.
He used to say that if there was a great play, you let the audience listen to the crowd; later , he would tell about it.

 

[mntncougar]

Maybe you should turn off the sound and listen to the radio call.

That's an interesting point. Because the TV call was so awful, I tried that, only to find that the radio call was at least 2 minutes behind the game on TV in real time. But in fact this has always been that way in one direction or another, so it makes it really not practical to do it. I almost wonder if it's intentional.

 

[mntncougar]

I really liked Adam Amin and thought the 3 of them had great chemistry.

Try watching a blowout in football or tennis, and let me know if they announcers don't get extra chatty and focus less on game action.

I was very annoyed today, but I have to say I think it was the 2 women rather than the male announcer that were woefully off topic most of the time. He'd have had to elbow his way in and interrupt them to actually say anything about the game.
I was particularly annoyed that I almost never heard him say who fouls were on; once or twice at the most.

 

[nwhoopfan]

I barely even noticed the commentary. Have you ever listened to Bill Walton call a game? He is absolutely the worst. Non-stop meandering stream of consciousness that almost never has anything to do w/ the game. Talks mostly about concerts he went to 30 or 40 years ago, playing for coach Wooden, sleeping out under the stars in the desert....on and on. And he tends to be argumentative and confrontational with whatever poor soul has to be his broadcast partner. But fortunately for UConn women's hoops fans he does men's games, mostly working for Pac 12 Network but he shows up on a few other networks as well.

 

[HuskyNan]

I was very annoyed today, but I have to say I think it was the 2 women rather than the male announcer that were woefully off topic most of the time. He'd have had to elbow his way in and interrupt them to actually say anything about the game.
I was particularly annoyed that I almost never heard him say who fouls were on; once or twice at the most.

"The women" were Rebecca Lobo and Kara Lawson.