Announcers

[TWG236]

I know that this has been discussed before, but today’s announcers were absolutely awful. Never identified the fouling players or what was the cause of a turnover. They just continued to talk about anything and everything that was not about the game action. Really, really miss SNY.

 

[DrummerDee]

yes, they were atrocious. I complained at fox.com. There is a category that actually includes on air performance. Do it. They were soooo bad, I put ear plugs in while following the espn app.

 

[my2cents]

I have been muting the announcers on most UConn women's games.

 

[BBallF]

They just talk, and talk and talk. Total nonsense. Again, if FS1 thinks the women's game is so bad that it needs that kind of background, don't do the games.

 

[CL82]

, I put ear plugs in while following the espn app.

Maybe just use the mute button?

For what it's worth, I read that Peacock has an option that allows you to listen to crowd noise, but eliminates the announcers.

 

[azfan]

I have been muting the announcers on most UConn women's games.

Yep...listen to Bob Joyce who is excellent

 

[Centerstream]

I prefer to monitor the live stats on my phone while ignoring most of the awful announcing on TV.
Each oncourt action is displayed almost immediately, along with any current game trends.
The only thing I am not sure about being logged are coaches' appeals or referee reviews, like the review of the Marquette shot clock violation in this game.

 

[EricSD]

Yep...listen to Bob Joyce who is excellent

Plus if you listen to the radio feed, there's obviously no visual from their perspective for us, so they really call what is going on at all times.

 

[tomcat]

I don't understand how announcers are bring coached or trained these days. It is okay to not call every move of every play, but not to call none of them. If you are in the second seat, your job is not to fill every second of air with blather when the other one is catching a breath. Have we reverted to the world of Charles Dickens, when the "talent" is paid by the word? Sure seems that way.

 

[Majic Hands]

Hey!
What a gig.
Getting paid to chat with a friend.

 

[Bigpetunia]

In fairness, the announcers didn’t fill every moment of airtime by trading their useless dribble back and forth. You’re overlooking all the times they both spoke simultaneously!

 

[Aluminny69]

Plus if you listen to the radio feed, there's obviously no visual from their perspective for us, so they really call what is going on at all times.

Isn't there a delay between Radio and TV? IOW, they are not in sync? Seems to me that would be disconcerting.

 

[Stagnant]

The commentators can’t even get basic facts right. They claimed Sarah Strong had scored 17 straight points for UConn. Which was not true.

I am watching Iowa versus Nebraska right now. The commentators just said Minnesota is not ranked. Wrong.

The commentators are also going nuts trying to spin a positive about the way Nebraska’s season is going.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is that I think there is a big issue nationally when it comes to commentators. There just aren’t many that know how to do it well!

 

[Geew1992]

I know that this has been discussed before, but today’s announcers were absolutely awful. Never identified the fouling players or what was the cause of a turnover. They just continued to talk about anything and everything that was not about the game action. Really, really miss SNY.

They can't do this when they don't know who the players are. KK Heckel comes to mind. Or when a player has been on the court for 5 minutes and they just realize it. They are horrible.

 

[OldSchooler]

The commentators can’t even get basic facts right. They claimed Sarah Strong had scored 17 straight points for UConn. Which was not true.

I am watching Iowa versus Nebraska right now. The commentators just said Minnesota is not ranked. Wrong.

The commentators are also going nuts trying to spin a positive about the way Nebraska’s season is going.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is that I think there is a big issue nationally when it comes to commentators. There just aren’t many that know how to do it well!

Makes us oldtimers recall with fondness Marty Glickman and Al DeRogatis.

 

[Bald Husky]

TV broadcasters are much different than radio broadcasters. Obviously, radio has to let us know what is happening since we can't see it, while TV people just need to tell us about fouls or anything else that isn't directed on the action. Since we can see what's going on, we want less talking about the game that we can readily see. That opens the door for antidotes about the team, coaches, and the game itself. What we don't need is the endless talking that may take place over 2 or 3 possessions. We can see, but sometimes we need explanations about the action. The side stories that are the problem, way too long or too long to tell.

 

[EricSD]

Isn't there a delay between Radio and TV? IOW, they are not in sync? Seems to me that would be disconcerting.

Maybe, but I'm not sure how far it's off, and given that the announcers rarely discuss the game, it could be better for people...

 

[FanSince17]

Growing pains. Almost every woman’s game is on TV now. (I’m not paying for BIG+)
New sources like Peacock and all of the Fox channels.
Won’t it get better? There has to be accountability sooner or later. Training?
Look how good ESPN is now, including the studio show. TNT- Candace, Renee, Lisa Leslie- good stuff.

 

[Basingstoke]

And what the heck was the announcer trying to say when frequently referring to a player as a "striker?" Did she wander in from a volleyball tournament?

 

[cabbie191]

The commentators can’t even get basic facts right. They claimed Sarah Strong had scored 17 straight points for UConn. Which was not true.

I am watching Iowa versus Nebraska right now. The commentators just said Minnesota is not ranked. Wrong.

The commentators are also going nuts trying to spin a positive about the way Nebraska’s season is going.

So, I guess what I am trying to say is that I think there is a big issue nationally when it comes to commentators. There just aren’t many that know how to do it well!

IMO, in most every profession, it takes time to hone one's craft, and this includes sports broadcasting.

While I am also quite bothered by most announcers not stating who a fouls was on, and omitting other pertinent data, I also will allow for this:

In the past decade there has been an explosion in streaming services and as a result, there is also a massive increase in the number of sporting events being aired on any given evening or weekend day. That's especially true for WCBB. So you can't expect that every UConn game is going to get an experienced broadcasting crew - there aren't enough to go around. (And yes, I know that some of the experienced crews are awful!)

Bottom line for me, I am grateful I am able to view almost every game the team plays.

 

[Bald Husky]

I watched the first half of the 2004 tenn/uconn game and was reminded how bad Ann Myers Drysdale was. Wow, she sometimes cannot complete sentences at times, really hard to listen to.

 

[msf22b]

OT: (somewhat)

Watching the US/Canada hockey game…the announcer calls the game in the old style…you can visualize what is happening just by listening….
maybe a slight homer…but good accurate calling of the game…refreshing

 

[Dynastic]

I know that this has been discussed before, but today’s announcers were absolutely awful. Never identified the fouling players or what was the cause of a turnover. They just continued to talk about anything and everything that was not about the game action. Really, really miss SNY.

Yeah, I simply had to turn off the volume several times during this game! I mean, what are they getting paid for the game or talking about their own lives and everything else besides the action on the court? I’m guessing Peacock won the contract for the big east this year and and maybe years to come but it’s pretty rough listening to these two.

 

[ucmiami2]

It is one of the advantages of not paying to stream Peacock, that I get to listen to the radio announcing for those games. I used to try syncing the radio and TV just so I could get better announcers.

Bob and Debbie are better than any of the TV folks, partly because they have to paint the picture of what is happening, so don't get distracted in talking about everything else.

 

[msf22b]

Well, it was Kenny Albert
He learned from his dad how to call a game

(Speaking of Olympic Hockey)

 

[NY Fan]

TRU Equally useless; FS1 only slightly less. None hold a candle to SNY!

 

[BannerTown]

Yeah, I simply had to turn off the volume several times during this game! I mean, what are they getting paid for the game or talking about their own lives and everything else besides the action on the court? I’m guessing Peacock won the contract for the big east this year and and maybe years to come but it’s pretty rough listening to these two.

I agree completely. I thought the combination of announcing and directing made last night's game vs. Villanova really hard to watch. As a former player, Meghan McKeown must have some insights to share, but she doesn't edit herself at all, so what comes out is a rambling stream of often conflicting statements. I think she'd be twice as good if she said half as much.

One thing I really enjoyed about Candace Parker's commentary is that she used basketball terminology and explained what she meant, so listeners unfamiliar with certain expressions or concepts could learn. McKeown must have used the term "rhythm shooter" 97 times last night, and I'm still not convinced she knows what it means. Is everyone who makes a shot other than a layup a great rhythm shooter?

I also think the director cut to replays way too often, sometimes missing the beginning of live action. It was very herky jerky.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Well, it was Kenny Albert
He learned from his dad how to call a game

(Speaking of Olympic Hockey)

Yes, and he has more than a trace of the Albert voice.

There are announcers who do women's basketball pretty well. Some are ruined by their color commentator and others are terrible and ruin their largely competent color commentator.

My wife was wondering if we could teach Tara Lipinski and Johnny Wier how to color commentate every sport. They are so good at what they do, some might find it repetitive but you have different events with different audiences (ice dance / pairs / singles) and after all the action is mildly repetitive. But they describe what you are watching without overwhelming it.

If you really want my complaint - it is announcers who are so busy talking that they call "out of bounds" a foul, don't know who the foul was on because they were not looking or listening, etc. Happens a lot. The one announcer I particularly like as either color commentator or game call - and the only announcer that does both, so far as I know - is Brenda VanLangen.

 

[Urshurak]

Announcers this season have been pretty poor. UConn deserves better than that.

I do like that one guy that says “You bet!” After almost every 3 point shot. Cracks me up every time.

 

[Bald Husky]

Announcers this season have been pretty poor. UConn deserves better than that.

I do like that one guy that says “You bet!” After almost every 3 point shot. Cracks me up every time.

Ryan Ruocco

Announcers this season have been pretty poor. UConn deserves better than that.

I do like that one guy that says “You bet!” After almost every 3 point shot. Cracks me up every time.