OT: Best former-pro tv analyst/play by play (any sport)

[B1GEast]

Never liked him as a player, but A Rod is a good baseball analyst

 

[seeya27]

Doc Emrick. Hockey

Personally, I really enjoy Ryan Ruocco for a variety of sports.

 

[auror]

Who was the guy that had that Sled Dog thing for one of our games? Him.

 

[borninansonia]

Bob Roll and Phil Liggett for the Tour de France, the second-best sporting event on television.

 

[businesslawyer]

Gary Stevens in horse racing. Bob Roll in cycling. Boxing had quite a few.

Charles Barkley in basketball.

This exchange did not happen today, but I heard this today….

Kenny Smith - “One thing Hakeem always said to me…”

Charles Barley - “Kenny, bring me some water.”

Gary Stevens was once a race horse? Who knew.

 

[dogpause]

Jim Palmer

 

[HCCForever]

100% Yes.

Anyone over 35 years old who listened to Summerall and Madden together in their heyday has to say this pairing. They made every game they did more interesting and entertaining. Sure, Madden would get a bit crazy at times, but Summerall's even keel demeanor always kept Madden from going too far. There is no pairing that has ever done it consistently better and more entertaining. Summerall was so good because he was able to sublimate his own ego to let Madden have free reign with his schtick. For someone that high up the totem poll as Summerall was, that is a lot harder to do than people realize.

Also deserving of mention: Anyone who grew up listening to New York Ranger and Knick games on the radio... Marv Albert was the best radio play-by-play announcer I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. He and Sal "Red Light" Messina were a "must listen" growing up as a kid doing Ranger games. I realize that scandal tarnished his reputation, but Marv Albert is the single most natural and polished play-by-play man I have ever heard. He always seemed to know when to emphasize a big play just right, without going overly hyperbolic (ala Gus Johnson, who constantly over-states good plays and screams almost unintelligably as if he just witnessed the greatest play he has ever seen... at least half a dozen times in every game!).

Al Michaels in his prime was great also. His call of the 1980 Winter Olympic semifinal game between U.S. and Russia (the greatest hockey game ever played for us Americans) will always be one of the great play-by-play jobs ever done. Not just the ending, which of course is iconic, but the whole game. He and Ken Dryden did a phenomenal job that night.

I loved listening to Summerall and Madden for multiple years and networks. I liked listening to Al Michaels in his prime as well. But I read this post to be former pro athletes and not professional sport announcers and I don't believe Michaels ever played professionally.

 

[jibsey]

Phil Rizzuto. And Paradise By The Dashboard Light cements it.

 

[Deepster]

I'd put Ron Darling up against anyone, including Smoltz. Same insight, almost professorial like you're watching him teach a class at some points. And he never overshoots his mark or drones on and on.

 

[Devland]

Frank Gifford. Some people may say John Madden.

 

[gtcam]

Tim McCarver - baseball - knowledge and great stories
Chris Collingsworth - football - infinite knowledge
Kenny Smith - basketball - analyst extraordinaire
Tommy Heinsohn - basketball - best stories and Tommy points!

 

[Madmannsucks]

Rizzuto because of his schtick. With Bill White they were a blast. Ken Harrelson was good. Loved Ralph Kiner. Obviously growing up in CT we were exposed to many. For me, baseball is the game where the announcers make a difference. Football just seems too easy.

 

[Roham]

My vote goes to NBA analyst Hubie Brown.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Al McGuire was fun

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I'd put Ron Darling up against anyone, including Smoltz. Same insight, almost professorial like you're watching him teach a class at some points. And he never overshoots his mark or drones on and on.

As a Braves fan that hates the Mets and grew up idolizing Smoltz, Darling is 1000x better of an announcer than Smoltz.

 

[Palatine]

Phil Liggett. No one ever called a bunch sprint better especially in the days of Robbie McEwan.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Steve Kerr was terrific as a CBB booth analyst, which we saw in 2011 and 2014.

Then he left to go do something else which I guess worked out OK.

 

[Husky25]

Baseball: Don Orsillo & Jerry Remy; Ned Martin & Bob Montgomery; Vin Scully; Curt Gowdy; Bob Uecker; Al Michaels
Football: Jackson & Griese; Musburger and Vermeil; Madden and Summerall. Dick Enberg; Vern Lundquist; Al Michaels
Hockey: Fred Cusick and Derek Sanderson; Doc Emrick & Eddie Olczyk (and Pierre McGuire); Gary Thorne; Al Michaels
Basketball: Mike Gorman, Tommy Heinson, & Bob Cousy; Dan Shulman and Dickie V; Al Saunders & Jimmy V; Gus Johnson & Ron Perry; Jim Nance and whoever*. Whoever* and Bill Raftery...Does Al Michaels do basketball?

* So long as it's not Billy Packer.

 

[jibsey]

He didn't play but Bob Murphy was one of the best I ever heard.

 

[Fatroony5]

I thought Greg Olsen did a really good job on fox, he was my favorite color guy this year in football. He’s excellent.

I know he’s not everyone’s favorite but Kirk Herbstreit is my favorite, specifically for college only tho (although technically not a former pro). Him and Fowler together are dynamite, just always feels like a big game with that duo.

For college: Jim Jackson is way up there and super underrated. Raftery obviously. And not a former pro, but Stan Van Gundy did an excellent job, I’d love to see him more in the 3 man booth style, he was really really good. Getting him on with Harlan is perfect. Clark Kellogg does a nice job too, college basketball has a bunch of guys that are good honestly. I’m looking forward to Ian Eagle for the final four, I like Jim Nantz for football and golf but that trio falls flat for me (not huge on Grant Hill). Ian Eagle is perfect for it.

 

[seeya27]

Doc Emrick. Hockey

Personally, I really enjoy Ryan Ruocco for a variety of sports.

I should note a couple others:

Raff: Always and forever

Michael Kay

And increasingly liking John Fanta and Kim Adams as a team. (I think Adams has star quality).

 

[Sick Puppy]

OG - Ray Scott. Minimalist. Lombardi Packers / Vikings heyday.

 

[ucp990411]

Tony Romo

I very rarely watch football but last year I turned on a game and had to turn it off after 10 minutes because of one of the announcers doing nothing but screaming during and after each play. Turns out it was Tony Romo. He was the absolute worst announcer I have ever heard and sounded like an idiot.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Always enjoyed the guys with a unique style or big personality like Raft, Clyde Frazier, John Sterling, and Bill Walton.

He doesn't fit into the category above but Kenny Singleton was great on YES for years. Look out!

 

[ucp990411]

Baseball: Don Orsillo & Jerry Remy; Ned Martin & Bob Montgomery; Vin Scully; Curt Gowdy; Bob Uecker; Al Michaels
Football: Jackson & Griese; Musburger and Vermeil; Madden and Summerall. Dick Enberg; Vern Lundquist; Al Michaels
Hockey: Fred Cusick and Derek Sanderson; Doc Emrick & Eddie Olczyk (and Pierre McGuire); Gary Thorne; Al Michaels
Basketball: Mike Gorman, Tommy Heinson, & Bob Cousy; Dan Shulman and Dickie V; Al Saunders & Jimmy V; Gus Johnson & Ron Perry; Jim Nance and whoever*. Whoever* and Bill Raftery...Does Al Michaels do basketball?

* So long as it's not Billy Packer.

Don’t think there are too many former players on your list