ESPN's poor job Quinnipiac-UConn telecast

[Charles T]

Adam Amin's, and, so help me, Kara Lawson's giggling inanities and non-basketball drivel are discouraging. Worst example in the Quinnipiac-UConn game 3/17: from about the 7:45 mark in Q3, a mention of UConn's last loss to a CT team [Fairfield U, in 1993] deteriorated into a two-minute jabbering about how long ago was that and who was still a kid. Gabby and Lou were afterthoughts.

What's most dispiriting is ESPN has good announcers. For the OSU-Central Michigan game, Sam Gore, whose broadcast specialty is tennis, did fine pbp, and and Christy Winters Scott, with 35 years of experience playing, coaching, and announcing, gave timely, intelligent, and witty reportage. Gore and Scott talked about the game and players for 40 minutes, even when Central Michigan was 20+ points ahead in Q3 and Q4.

Thank heaven for the mute button, but can ya pick it up, ESPN?

 

[JordyG]

And so the love affair with Kara Lawson is over.

 

[BigBird]

Lawson, when she is on task, is very good as an in-studio host or at the game as a color commentator. But when she (or any other broadcaster) wanders away from the game in front of them, it drives some viewers absolutely bats.

While TV carries much of the program content via the video, there is still a need for someone to supply the details that even an attentive and well-practiced viewer cannot easily discern.

Funny though, I was watching a live-stream of a college softball game last week where there were no broadcasters at all, just the natural crowd and game sounds and the (very good) PA announcer in the background. It was GREAT. The NFL did a one-game experiment with this approach several years ago. Maybe it would be a good idea to try it again. In the near future, we are going to have more sports events produced for streaming. The entire production "team" will consist of one or two people, sans announcers. The technology exists at present.

 

[Mdoggie]

blah blah blah. Stop complaining so dang much.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Well, if y'all going to complain - let me praise - but don't ask me which sites, we taped all the individual games and watched parts of most of them -

- Brenda van Lengen - teamed, I think with Carol Ross. One of the few announcers who makes her living doing pbp and color as needed, so I thought they did an excellent job, with both providing insight more than normal. I prefer Brenda to Ross.
- Mike Thibeaut - he was excellent, just excellent doing color in the times I heard him.
- Dan Hughes was good, as well, although not as good as I found him to be other times.
- I always like Paul Sunderland on pbp, although he takes getting used to

In general, most were better than usual for ESPN, I thought. There were a few not quite as good.

 

[triaddukefan]

Well, if y'all going to complain - let me praise - but don't ask me which sites, we taped all the individual games and watched parts of most of them -

- Brenda van Lengen - teamed, I think with Carol Ross. One of the few announcers who makes her living doing pbp and color as needed, so I thought they did an excellent job, with both providing insight more than normal. I prefer Brenda to Ross.
- Mike Thibeaut - he was excellent, just excellent doing color in the times I heard him.
- Dan Hughes was good, as well, although not as good as I found him to be other times.
- I always like Paul Sunderland on pbp, although he takes getting used to

In general, most were better than usual for ESPN, I thought. There were a few not quite as good.

I enjoyed Thibeaut alot.

 

[BostonCanuck]

My view is that Adam Amin is starting to get a little better. He made a reasonable effort to deliver actual play-by-play during the two first round games, and his knowledge of the game is finally starting to show through. It helps that he only has one analyst with him in the booth, instead of two, and that that analyst is the excellent Kara Lawson. His chemistry with her still leans too much towards the flirtatious side, but they're both Millennials, so I guess to some extent that's going to be inevitable.

 

[OldAlum]

I watched the games on replay and thought the announcing was okay. Sure, there were some irritating side conversations but for the most part I thought they actually discussed the game. Amin was better at pbp than previous games I had watched.
I much prefer two person teams over three. Really enjoyed the Frede- Lobo team. Just hope they don't go back to three people talking over each other and sharing silly stories for the later games!

 

[Papa33]

I watched the games on replay and thought the announcing was okay. Sure, there were some irritating side conversations but for the most part I thought they actually discussed the game. Amin was better at pbp than previous games I had watched.
I much prefer two person teams over three. Really enjoyed the Frede- Lobo team. Just hope they don't go back to three people talking over each other and sharing silly stories for the later games!

I agree. I thought there was a higher ratio of substance, information, and game insights to blather, better than prior broadcasts. There were a couple patches of annoying, middle-school giggling, but Kara paid more attention to details of the game strategies being played out. I'll grab at any straws of improvement I can get.

 

[tomcat]

I thought they were a lot more on point than at other times during the season. Honestly, at this point, I'm just grateful to have the games on where we can watch them. They could call the games in Latvian for all I really care. Would I prefer Doris Burke? Hell; yes. Does it matter much? Hell, no.

 

[SVCBeercats]

And so the love affair with Kara Lawson is over.

I must admit the same. Are they instructed to be inane? I thought moving Lobo to the half time report would help. It did not. It just ruin the half time report. Assist! Bucket! Assist! Bucket! They sound like children. Lobo is just plain silly. She should stick to writing. ESPN whole approach to women's basketball is silly and inane. Thank goodness for the mute button.

 

[mdakota]

I'm just thankful that I'm able to watch the entire game. I don't care who calls it, who doesn't call it. As long as it's available to me is all that really matters. The End.

 

[bags27]

This thread bores me to tears and so I'm not going to follow it. Everyone's okay with that, right?

If you're bored to tears--as I almost always am--by TV sports announcers, just turn off the sound. Why let your frustration with the announcers spoil your enjoyment? Just focus on watching the game.

See you on another thread.

 

[scubadog]

Well, if y'all going to complain - let me praise - but don't ask me which sites, we taped all the individual games and watched parts of most of them -

- Brenda van Lengen - teamed, I think with Carol Ross. One of the few announcers who makes her living doing pbp and color as needed, so I thought they did an excellent job, with both providing insight more than normal. I prefer Brenda to Ross.
- Mike Thibeaut - he was excellent, just excellent doing color in the times I heard him.
- Dan Hughes was good, as well, although not as good as I found him to be other times.
- I always like Paul Sunderland on pbp, although he takes getting used to

In general, most were better than usual for ESPN, I thought. There were a few not quite as good.

I agree with all of these . Personally , I enjoyed Mike Thibeault the best. I wish he was doing the UConn games.

 

[meyers7]

I'm just thankful that I'm able to watch the entire game. I don't care who calls it, who doesn't call it. As long as it's available to me is all that really matters. The End.

Agree, glad to not have the whip around. I think all UCONN games from here on are sequential, so no worries.

 

[Adesmar123]

blah blah blah. Stop complaining so dang much.

Blah blah blah Stop complaining about posters so dang much

 

[whalerfan]

[QUOTE="

What's most dispiriting is ESPN has good announcers. For the OSU-Central Michigan game, Sam Gore, whose broadcast specialty is tennis, did fine pbp, and and Christy Winters Scott, with 35 years of experience playing, coaching, and announcing, gave timely, intelligent, and witty reportage. Gore and Scott talked about the game and players for 40 minutes, even when Central Michigan was 20+ points ahead in Q3 and Q4.

?[/QUOTE]

I know and have worked with Sam Gore. He is not only the most prepared professional that I've ever met but he is also one of the kindest human beings I've ever met.

 

[the Q]

No one is perfect.

Doris Burke repeats herself a lot.

Dave O'Brien is one of my favorites (i am a Sox fan) but the way he was actively rooting for Miss St last year during the game obviously rubbed me the wrong way.

But it is human to root for the underdog.

 

[BlueDolphin]

And so the love affair with Kara Lawson is over.

There was a time when I thought Kara was the best color commentator, male or female, in college basketball. It appears that the apparent ESPN strategy of continually trying to divert my attention from the game I'm watching has finally gotten,alas, to her too.

 

[Vowelguy]

This thread:

 

[wbball novice]

Blah blah blah Stop complaining about posters so dang much

My goodness, what would Mr. Rogers Say! (WWMRS)
Seriously though, careful scrutiny of ESPN commercial indicates that their business plan is to be more open to the younger folks with their short attention spans and smarty phones. UConn fans should be grateful Adam Amin isn't paired with a cockatoo. "Millennials ... amirite?"

 

[JordyG]

There was a time when I thought Kara was the best color commentator, male or female, in college basketball. It appears that the apparent ESPN strategy of continually trying to divert my attention from the game I'm watching has finally gotten,alas, to her too.

Or maybe having grown comfortable this is her true nature. But man do I so agree. Blahblahblahblah.

 

[CMC'72]

It's the same for players or announcers. When they concentrate on the game at hand, they play and announce well. When their minds wander, either players or announcers, so does their effectiveness.

 

[DaddyChoc]

My view is that Adam Amin is starting to get a little better. He made a reasonable effort to deliver actual play-by-play during the two first round games, and his knowledge of the game is finally starting to show through. It helps that he only has one analyst with him in the booth, instead of two, and that that analyst is the excellent Kara Lawson. His chemistry with her still leans too much towards the flirtatious side, but they're both Millennials, so I guess to some extent that's going to be inevitable.

Lawson's age put her on the fence with that group... I wouldn't put her in that group