Hey, Fox Sports | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Hey, Fox Sports

HuskyNan said:
Please give Fanta and Adams a podcast where they can babble all they want and put a real play by play sportscaster and color analyst on your programs. We actually care to know why a ref blows a whistle and who the foul was called on. Maybe discuss the type of defense being played and let us know what subs have come in. Hire some professionals, for crying out loud

Fanta makes my ears bleed. If he keeps saying UConn has 7 starters multiple times each game, I’m going to put my fist through the TV.
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Is there a place to call, write to or e-mail to about this ongoing atrocity?
 
I often wonder if they are instructed to go to "color" discussions if one team gets an x (like 20+) point lead to try to hold the audience. UConn fans are rabid and do not lose interest when they are up by 30+. I didn't min them as much as some here but have heard them both do better jobs. My current pet peeve is listening to analysts telling us how good someone is at scoring off the bounce. I guess we just bounce the ball now. We used to dribble it and not palm it (Chen has become very bad at that one).
 
Gus Mahler said:
Not quite the point you're making, but one of my favorite (not) BB clichés is "she can really score the ball." What does "score the ball" convey that "score" doesn't? You can score a point or score a basket, but how do you score the ball?
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This, sort of.

What else can one score with? Scoring in this sport necessarily implies it's been done with "the ball." It's nothing more than a redundant, hack intellectual expansion for those desiring to appear erudite.

While we're here, one (among many) of mine is the excessive, superfluous use of "able" (e.g. Rebecca Lobo), most always immediately after the players name. Marv Albert popularized it, properly, however, for some, it's become ubiquitous.

[SAT words leveraged here calculatingly, premeditatedly for sarcasm - referring to professional broadcasters, not those posting on here.
;)]
 
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I watched last night's game in person, then I read this thread, and finally (this afternoon) I watched the replay on TV. I was prepared for a much more negative experience with the announcers than I actually observed when I watched the replay. The only thing I would say is that they were a bit too pro-UConn and pro-Big East. They certainly weren't anti-Creighton. It occurs to me that Fox has the contract to cover the Big East and the Big Ten, while ESPN has the SEC and the ACC (and also the Big 12?). So I would not be surprised if the announcers were instructed by their bosses to advertise Fox's "own" conferences and the quality of play in them.

But, as I've said before, you can't realistically expect TV announcers to be focused on the game details when the game is not really competitive, which last night's game was not after the first quarter. I didn't notice much irrelevant talk during the first quarter, but certainly there was more of it as the game progressed. When it's an 18-25 point game in the third and fourth quarters, any "normal" fan will lose interest in the details of who substituted for whom or who committed the last foul. Boneyarders, including me, will always be interested in those details, but we're not normal fans.

There were some extraneous discussion topics that I actually was interested to hear about, such as the graphic showing that the only two teams that are in the top 10 nationally in both offense and defense are UCLA and UConn. I know it's easier for UConn to generate gaudy statistics when it plays in a non-competitive conference, but still this seems like a significant factoid.
 
When I'm watching a game, I want to see the game. I don't want the screen to be frequently cutting away to other things. I want to know who fouls are on and this doesn't just happen later in games. If the announcers aren't talking about the game or showing the game what good are they? If they aren't giving you information pertaining to the ongoing game, I would rather not have announcers. Show the entire game and I can figure it out. At least I get to see the game.
 
Golden Husky said:
As someone who toiled as an "ink-stained wretch" for 48 years, it's been my experience that most journalists know that the preposition comes before the noun: "Turn over the ball" not "turn the ball over" and that the names of colleges and universities are singular: "UConn will win the National Championship if it..." not, "UConn will win the National Championship if they..."
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Grammarphile who's done extensive translation and editing work here.

“Over” is not a preposition in this context. It's an adverb that is part of a “phrasal verb,” and there's nothing incorrect about placing it after the direct object. In fact, such placement is required if the direct object is a pronoun: One would say “turn it over,” not “turn over it.” I have never seen a single style manual that would suggest otherwise.

If the name of the university stands in as a team name, it can be understood as a collective noun, and subsequent references in the plural are perfectly fine: “My team is waiting on me at the restuarant. I suspect they are planning a surprise party.”
 
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Golden Husky said:
Although I usually make this point on Veterans Day--and not all journalists agree--I believe the term "veteran" should be reserved for those who have served their country in uniform. Long-tenured ballplayers are experienced. Referring to them as veterans demeans the sacrifice of our military men and women.

Rant over.

Discuss.
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Well, since discussion was invited ... the word “veteran” has been used in non-military contexts dating back to the 1500s (see, for example, here).

Polysemy (multiple possible meanings for a single word) is an integral feature of the language, and I don't believe this inherently cheapens any of the potential meanings. No one is demeaning anyone, IMO, simply by referring to a “veteran athlete” or “veteran employee,” etc.
 
huskeynut said:
Fox/ FS1 need to step up the talent of their announcers.
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I really think that at the last moment Fox realized they bought the rights to this tournament and called up a few people in the local area. In college I ran a bar and once a week or so I would air the campus news by the students. In solidarity to where you’re at in life it became a drinking game, so you drink every time they screw up… only a half hour broadcast and people would be hammered.
 
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Dynastic said:
I really think that at the last moment Fox realized they bought the rights to this tournament and called up a few people in the local area. In college I ran a bar and once a week or so I would air the campus news by the students. In solidarity to where you’re at in life it became a drinking game, so you drink every time they screw up… only a half hour broadcast and people would be hammered.
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These guys might be available. Meg did the first game on FS1

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Golden Husky said:
While I agree with the sentiments being expressed regarding the loquacious Mr. Fanta, I also would like to express my gratitude to The Boneyard faithful for not referring to Fanta as a broadcast journalist. As someone who toiled as an "ink-stained wretch" for 48 years, it's been my experience that most journalists know that the preposition comes before the noun: "Turn over the ball" not "turn the ball over" and that the names of colleges and universities are singular: "UConn will win the National Championship if it..." not, "UConn will win the National Championship if they..."

Although I usually make this point on Veterans Day--and not all journalists agree--I believe the term "veteran" should be reserved for those who have served their country in uniform. Long-tenured ballplayers are experienced. Referring to them as veterans demeans the sacrifice of our military men and women.

Rant over.

Discuss.
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The great Red Grange finished his football career as color commentator (I think to Lindsay Nelson) on the NBC game of the week, and he always referred to a team in the plural ("Penn State are using . . ."). And Dizzy Dean, answering criticism from schoolteachers, used to say "So what if I say 'he slud into second' or 'got tho'd out at third.' Heck, I only went as far as _____ grade, and that was one past my pop."
 
Dynastic said:
I really think that at the last moment Fox realized they bought the rights to this tournament and called up a few people in the local area. In college I ran a bar and once a week or so I would air the campus news by the students. In solidarity to where you’re at in life it became a drinking game, so you drink every time they screw up… only a half hour broadcast and people would be hammered.
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This was not the first BE Tournament for the Fox network. They have had the broadcast rights every season since UConn returned to the conference.
 
HuskyNan said:
Please give Fanta and Adams a podcast where they can babble all they want and put a real play by play sportscaster and color analyst on your programs. We actually care why a ref blows a whistle and who the foul was called on. Maybe discuss the type of defense being played and let us know what subs have come in. Hire some professionals, for crying out loud

Fanta makes my ears bleed. If he keeps saying UConn has 7 starters multiple times each game, I’m going to put my fist through the TV.
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fanta-featured.jpg

National Treasure​
 
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I had no idea that Allen Bestwick was a voice for NASCAR. I listened to a Youtube video "best NASCAR calls" by Bestwick, here's the link


He brings excitement from the venue to fans watching at home - he'd be a good hire for Fox for WBB for sure. Why is it so hard to for Fox executives to figure out how to hire talented play-by-play announcers?
 
Watched the men's broadcast last night, where again, the difference between the the two is massive. The most salient, the amount of time in the women's game wasted, rhapsodizing players qualifications / backgrounds / social media footprints / accomplishments, and all the other personal stuff each player carries into the game. The men, very little. The women, it's omnipresent, against the run of play, a constant hype, perhaps meant to sell the game, rather than just broadcast it.

E.g. To pick a random fact (not meant as a knock!): Ashlynn Shade had been relatively off from distance in the Big East Tournament: (1-5 in the semi and final, 4-13 overall, including layups. 0-7 from 3, while continuing to play big minutes (23 per game). Yet the only thing we hear (repeatedly!) is that she was the Big East 6th Person of the year. In the Big East final, El Alfy started strong, with a jumper, and an "and-one" layup (she missed the foul shot) for UConn's first 4 points. Her final stat line: 10 mintes, 2-2, 3 rebounds, a steal and 2 personal fouls. Fertile ground, one might think, for some sort of discussion of coach's rotations? Analysis of trends, perhaps discuss why coach continues to give one player who doesn't start the same or more minutes than at least two starters, more than double one of them?

Again, whether we agree or disagree on choice is not the point. Lack of insight from broadcasters, is. Not to say broadcasts should be replete with criticism and negativity. Rather, add some balance, and value to the noise.

For me, that was an issue with the SNY / Bestwick broadcasts as well, though perhaps the rose-colored view is a mangement decision, again to sell/hype the game and ratings.
 
I agree wholeheartedly. Every player is praised for what appears to be a routine play and very seldom criticized for turnover after turnover. And I would love to see Geno leave El Alfy in for an extended period but it appears that at her first mistake she's back on the bench.
 
Viet Vet said:
Does anyone yap more than Steve Lappas or Donny Marshall? And can directors please stop showing us fans, parents and cheerleaders during play?
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I personally don't mind cheerleaders so long as it is not during a play. Am I the only one on the BY who focuses on the game and pays no attention to the announcers? As far as I am concerned, you could have a couple of high school kids announcing the game and I might not even notice the difference. Or no announcers...

I do miss the SNY pre-game, half time, post-game, Geno shows, etc.
 
Skeets said:
I personally don't mind cheerleaders so long as it is not during a play. Am I the only one on the BY who focuses on the game and pays no attention to the announcers? As far as I am concerned, you could have a couple of high school kids announcing the game and I might not even notice the difference. Or no announcers...

I do miss the SNY pre-game, half time, post-game, Geno shows, etc.
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You wouldn't have them for the big east tournament anyway.
 
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