Calling UConn Games is Not Easy

[my2cents]

Being a TV commentator on a UConn women's basketball game is not easy. Two things make games interesting, not knowing who will win, and back and forth clashes where the outcome is decided late. Neither of these conditions happen during most UConn games. It's like calling the "Little Big Horn Classic" where the Sioux are meeting Custer's 7th Cavalry. These announcers try to be balanced but the game is called in two parts.
The first part is the beginning of the game. Since both teams start the game 0-0, by definition the game is close. If UConn's opponents make the first basket, the news is that UConn is losing. One game where that happened it was stated that was the first time since Nov. 16 that we were behind.
Three to Four minutes later, if the score is tied 11-11, or 11-7, the cliche's become, the opponents are not intimidated or they came to play, etc.
Maybe they should wait until the first quarter is over. Here are the last 4 games scores after one quarter and half time.

Butler Q1 26-10, Q2 54-22 Providence Q1 30-7 Q2 48-19 Seton Hall Q1 19-11 Q2 38-18 St. Johns Q1 28-9 Q2 50-22

These games are basically over by half time, and the announcers are not left with much. Some just ignore the game, and blab incessantly ( Sarah Kustok) and others switch to nit picking UConn. Our turnovers are the main target. The other common call out is if we go 3-4 minutes without scoring, that's the issue. Even though we may up by 40. However, the other team is NEVER intimidated. How much would be up by, if the other team was intimidated. Funny.

These games are not easy to call. These announcers should just try to limit the silly cliches.

 

[trisailin]

Actually I disagree completely. If the announcers would just CALL THE GAME. Who fouled and what the call was. Tell us what we can't see watching TV. There is plenty to talk about. Many enjoy watching the poetry in motion of UCONN. Much of the time - Beautiful
Basketball regardless of the opponent.

Instead, the broadcast crew thinks we want to know what player x's grandmother had for breakfast and somehow think that is of interest.

 

[msf22b]

Actually I disagree completely. If the announcers would just CALL THE GAME. Who fouled and what the call was. Tell us what we can't see watching TV. There is plenty to talk about. Many enjoy watching the poetry in motion of UCONN. Much of the time - Beautiful
Basketball regardless of the opponent.

Instead, the broadcast crew thinks we want to know what player x's grandmother had for breakfast and somehow think that is of interest.

I agree completely with Tri.S...
It is essential to start with the basics

1. Line-ups and substitutions…who came in for whom...
2. Fouls …who they are on and the number
3. Score

Secondarily
4. Game trends
5 .Tactics…Examples: zone, exploiting advantages of height, speed. looking for hot players
5. Unusual plays…positive and negative
6. Coach’s reactions and resulting actions.
7, Stats: that they’re pretty good at.

There is plenty to comment about around the above...
Ithought Renee did a pretty good job with color the other day

 

[Vancat]

anybody else notice that when they showed the starting five lineups they had Allie in there instead of Serah? ooops

 

[schmendrick]

There is plenty to comment about around the above...
Ithought Renee did a pretty good job with color the other day

Agreed. Renee rarely backslid into tropes. She focused on what was working for UConn, not just during the game, but in the season--specifically, how KK has grown into her role as undisputed point guard for the team. And she discussed the growing pressures of being undefeated. Not the X's and O's, but fascinating and edifying.

 

[HuskyNan]

We used to complain about Ann Meyers and Dan Patrick. They sound pretty good now

This 2000 team - imagine bringing Tamika Williams and Asjha Jones off the bench as reserves. Wow

 

[Centerstream]

anybody else notice that when they showed the starting five lineups they had Allie in there instead of Serah? ooops

I noticed that on the Live Stats about 10 minutes before tipoff and posted it in the game Chat. Then right before tipoff, it was changed to the real starting lineup. I was beginning to think that I was seeing things.

 

[Centerstream]

I feel the same way when the game announcers go off on lengthy tangents that have nothing to do with the on court action. But when it comes to the actual play by play, I think most of it isn't really necessary. Why? Because I am watching the game and at every whistle, the ref making the call. I can usually identify each player on the court either by appearances (every UConn players, some opponents) or number (opponents). I also am looking at my phone for the Live Stats, which are usually quite a few seconds ahead of my tv. But what I do dislike is when a call is made, the refs hold a meeting and no one knows what is being discussed, even the announcers.

 

[Bald Husky]

I like Sarah Kustok but she just talks too much.

 

[Skeets]

I am amazed that so many people critique the announcers. Guess what? I don't care. I don't pay much attention to the announcers. Having said that, I do like to know who is sub'ing for who. Sometimes a player is in the game and I have no clue when they came in, or for whom. I also like to know who a foul was on. Other than those 2 things, I don't need the announcers. Anything more is just noise that I don't need.

 

[ConnMotors]

There were a lot of mistakes at the start of the game. Calling the building the XL Center. This isn’t bad because that’s what I still and always will call it. The wrong starting lineup was posted up on the screen. They said that Ashlynn Shade was getting another start. I believe that Ash has started every game this season. Sarah Strong was leading the nation in scoring. And, a missed jumper was called when St. John’s made a jump shot. Am sorry I love Rene as much as anyone but she talked to much. The guy was awful. I’ll take Rebecca with anyone anytime.

 

[Basingstoke]

One other pet peave: when the camera is focused on someone (usually a coach) on the sideline for too long and you miss the actual action happening on the court (probably the fault of the director).

 

[Bone Dog]

There were a lot of mistakes at the start of the game. Calling the building the XL Center. This isn’t bad because that’s what I still and always will call it. The wrong starting lineup was posted up on the screen. They said that Ashlynn Shade was getting another start. I believe that Ash has started every game this season. Sarah Strong was leading the nation in scoring. And, a missed jumper was called when St. John’s made a jump shot. Am sorry I love Rene as much as anyone but she talked to much. The guy was awful. I’ll take Rebecca with anyone anytime.

I love Rebecca and Ryan as a network team. Excellent play by play and color, and very knowledgeable about the sport and the rules. I also loved Megan and Alan on the old SNY broadcasts. There was an honesty to them. I’m glad Megan still calls some games. I also mostly enjoyed Kim Adams and John Fanta as a team. On some networks now we sometimes get newer pairings who aren’t very familiar with the teams or even the sport and that’s probably just testimony to staffing turbulence.

Generally, merely giving information about subs isn’t enough for me. I actually enjoy the color commentary, when it’s knowledgeable. A couple of recent changes that catch my attention for better or worse in recent years concern the video aspect of the broadcasts.

First, the number of replays are more plentiful than they used be. As recently as 5 years ago there were hardly any replays in the women’s game. Controversial calls, brilliant plays, hard fouls were often allowed to pass without offering viewers a second look. It was as if the networks hadn’t bothered to provide that level of technical support. This has changed quite a bit of late, hand in hand with the increase in (often tedious) official reviews — this may be a chicken-egg thing.

Second, some telecasts used to include an onscreen display of who scored every shot along with a running total right next to the game score at the bottom of the screen. This practice has almost disappeared. But it was really handy. Overall, I’m impressed by the way networks have evolved clever ways of displaying lots of information on screen without distracting. Just watch a replay from 20 years ago and this is the first thing you miss. Even the score isn’t displayed much of the time. Having all this onscreen information now takes the pressure off the commentators to keep us ‘in the game.’

 

[#1florida]

Actually I disagree completely. If the announcers would just CALL THE GAME. Who fouled and what the call was. Tell us what we can't see watching TV. There is plenty to talk about. Many enjoy watching the poetry in motion of UCONN. Much of the time - Beautiful
Basketball regardless of the opponent.

Instead, the broadcast crew thinks we want to know what player x's grandmother had for breakfast and somehow think that is of interest.

You have said it, just right. Many times we don't know who the foul was on, who came in off the bench. We don't need all of the stats for a players whole career.

 

[#1florida]

One other pet peave: when the camera is focused on someone (usually a coach) on the sideline for too long and you miss the actual action happening on the court (probably the fault of the director).

Every time they mention a coach, we must stare at them while a play is taking place. We just want to see the game. Many times I turn the sound off and just enjoy the game.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Funny. Radio announcers (HI BOB! HI DEBBIE!) can call a game. They go on tangents before, during breaks and after.
Timing is everything.

 

[schmendrick]

What I'm looking for--which Ryan and Rebecca, and Megan and Alan, afford--is to feel I am in good hands. That they are complementing and enhancing, what I'm seeing, filling in the blanks--of a substitution, a foul, how many points someone has. That, and perhaps a few stories about Geno, or CD, or some insight into the anatomy of a particularly nifty move, and I'm good.

 

[huskeynut]

Most us us were treated to Megan and Alan and before Alan Eric Fried. Excellent announcers who understood the game. If a foul was called we knew who it was on and the possible game ramifications. We also received tidbits about both teams - both good and bad. And for the most part, good camera work.

Now with different stations airing games, much of that has disappeared. Renee's partner was a zero. Kostock talks was too much and ignores the game. I always have the option of Bob and Debbie.

SNY is the example all these new stations need to copy.

 

[tomcat]

I thought Eric was about the best that UConn had over the years. Alan wasn't bad, either. As for Renee, she has a kind of breezy style that could become a thing over time, and will always be something that some people love and some hate.

Consider, on the men's side, the case of Dick Vitale. Yes, I know he's a legend now, but think back many years. Many people found his nicknames for players and teams ("Diaper Dandies"? Really?) to be annoying. In her enthusiasm, Renee comes out with all sorts of unusual expressions, some of which I've never heard from a color commentator, but which seem to be genuine expressions of the emotions she's feeling at the time.

Does she talk too much? Probably so, as does her partner. But they don't go down anywhere near as many irrelevant rabbit holes as some I've heard. And while, like other BYers, I'd prefer they call the game from start to finish, these two stuck at it a lot longer than some others, who give up the game after about three quarters.

 

[Conndog]

One other pet peave: when the camera is focused on someone (usually a coach) on the sideline for too long and you miss the actual action happening on the court (probably the fault of the director).

Happens in music videos all the time- two that come to mind, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s T for Texas live concert in England when they show singer’s facial expressions rather than the guitar players who were cooking, or Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4 at Tanglewood when they never zoomed in on Terry Kath’s great solo.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Most of the time of have the women’s game on my tablet with the sound down because my wife is watching something else on the tv so the announcers don’t bother me at all.

 

[1974yankees]

You wanna talk about useless talk... Has anyone listened to most announcers during football games? They have to give you the whole life history of every player.

Except for Tom Brady who does an excellent job of calling the games.. I like listening to his perspective on different plays..

Btw,

Renee was good. The others aren't.

 

[my2cents]

I thought Renee did a great job yesterday.

 

[oldude]

Years ago when there was a single play-by-play announcer, and that was it, all they could do was call the actual action on the court and nothing else. I used to love listening to Marv Albert, among others, who would simply indicate a made basket with his characteristic call of “YES!”

But once networks started installing “broadcast crews” of 2-3 announcers, including “color commentators,” everyone had to justify their paychecks by talking ad nauseum. Once you start telling stories, it’s much harder to report on the actual game. I long for the days of Red Barber, Lindsey Nelson, Keith Jackson……..

 

[my2cents]

Years ago when there was a single play-by-play announcer, and that was it, all they could do was call the actual action on the court and nothing else. I used to love listening to Marv Albert, among others, who would simply indicate a made basket with his characteristic call of “YES!”

But once networks started installing “broadcast crews” of 2-3 announcers, including “color commentators,” everyone had to justify their paychecks by talking ad nauseum. Once you start telling stories, it’s much harder to report on the actual game. I long for the days of Red Barber, Lindsey Nelson, Keith Jackson……..

Vin Scully too.