I hate these announcers!

[SallyH]

Seems to me like they're having a trivia contest rather than calling the damn game. I find it really frustrating - give me some info about the Angola players, but I don't care about the men's team. Just call the game in front of you, please.

There's still plenty to work on. I didn't see too many rebounds. Of course, when you're shooting close to 70%, there aren't too many to be had. But, there is plenty of room to work on defensive rebounding.

Rant over - I've got a family waiting for a late dinner.

 

[semper]

Yeah, I was REALLY dissappointed...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Let's bring this thread back later. Oh, maybe the first ESPN game this fall. Or the NCAA tourney. There lots of times--too many--that the subject line will apply.

 

[semper]

Right...it is really part of a larger picture, disrespect for the game and its players.

 

[alexrgct]

Bob and Megan are probably available...

 

[JimGunther]

I didn't think the WBB announcers were "THAT" bad. At least, they weren't in the way and they did seem to follow the game.

That said, I think the Women's GYMASTICS people have been awful. First of all, they're the worts fawning homers. Practically rooting on air.

More important - the "experts" have taught me NOTHING about the sport.
There used to be a time when gymnastics (or skating) play-by-play detailed the moves the athlete would be performing (i.e. the triple round-off flip-flop, or the inverted camel sit-spin - or was it sitz-bath? Whatever?) This is espcially egregious behavior on the part of the expert. It's like they've never seen these kids practice and the announcers just showed up to blabber.

 

[LesMis89]

The biggest thing I noticed was that the play-by-play guy really didn't have an in-depth knowledge about the women's game. This became glaringly obvious when he followed up a comment about Maya being UConn's all-time leading scorer by saying (paraphrase here) that first it was Sue and then Diana but with UConn's parade of players there's always a new all-time leading scorer. Meyers quickly corrected him and pointed out that Diana didn't step into the same situation as Maya did as a freshman.

If you don't know for a fact that what you are saying is correct, then don't say it. Stick to what you do know and don't show your ignorance.

 

[Justavisitor]

Seems to me like they're having a trivia contest rather than calling the damn game. I find it really frustrating - give me some info about the Angola players, but I don't care about the men's team. Just call the game in front of you, please.

There's still plenty to work on. I didn't see too many rebounds. Of course, when you're shooting close to 70%, there aren't too many to be had. But, there is plenty of room to work on defensive rebounding.

Rant over - I've got a family waiting for a late dinner.

You aren't the only one that thinks so. Did you read about Hope Solo? OUCH!

http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20612225_20616854,00.html

 

[UConnChapette]

I'll take the Turkish announcers again. At least they were entertaining - Ow-goose-toose!

 

[speedoo]

I'll take the Turkish announcers again. At least they were entertaining - Ow-goose-toose!

They were very entertaining.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I didn't think the WBB announcers were "THAT" bad. At least, they weren't in the way and they did seem to follow the game.

That said, I think the Women's GYMASTICS people have been awful. First of all, they're the worts fawning homers. Practically rooting on air.

More important - the "experts" have taught me NOTHING about the sport.
There used to be a time when gymnastics (or skating) play-by-play detailed the moves the athlete would be performing (i.e. the triple round-off flip-flop, or the inverted camel sit-spin - or was it sitz-bath? Whatever?) This is espcially egregious behavior on the part of the expert. It's like they've never seen these kids practice and the announcers just showed up to blabber.

Exactly. Not a word about what any skill they were doing was called, what was special about it, etc. The criticism that they don't know what the kids are doing is incorrect, these experts have seen them compete numerous times and know their gymnastics. They just have dumbed down the commentary - like so much in our world - to the human interest, blah, blah, blah.

Actually, the WBB commentary wasn't so bad - what exactly would you have liked them to talk about in a blow-out where the other team is mis-matched? Oh, wait - you guys have experience with that. Since I really don't - it didn't bother me so much. They seemed to keep a handle on who was doing what in the game, even if they sometimes lagged on the play by play. Ditto the state-side crews doing the other games.

 

[EricLA]

Ditto. I"m with KnightBridge on this one. I have no problem with the announcers. as a side note, Donny Marshall (former UCONN'er) is doing the color commentary on the men's side. I have no doubt they could have gotten a number of higher profile announcers to do the US Men's games, but Donny is really good, if not overly-famous.

I bring that up because I imagine some would say "well this is the Olympics. NBC should go all out and have the best/smartest, etc etc. announcers doing the games". I'd be surprised if any announcer who's not a UCONN fan could tell you the top 5 all time scorers at UCONN - and I give Meyers credit for knowing DT wasn't up there because she was more a distributor in college, but that Maya and Tina surpassed Sales (she did not mention Bascom).

Maybe i'm just enjoying the games so much i'm not as critical as some, but honestly i've enjoyed the announcers...

As a side note, i'm actually shocked at how physical the international game is. I've watched several other games (France/Australia, Brazil and Russia as well), and the banging they don't call is pretty amazing. i've seen players not only displaced, but slammed into pretty hard and no foul. I think team USA is adjusting to the physicality really well. Players like Charles, Catch, Fowles, Maya, Whalen and DT are physically really strong in their positions and i think can bang with the best of them...

 

[SallyH]

I guess I just wanted them to call they game. They were talking about LaBron and the mens team and the dream team and the 72 fiasco and the redeem team and they missed the call of a steal by Maya. I would rather they call the game as if they were radio announcers and stop with all the extraneous stuff.

 

[EricLA]

I guess I just wanted them to call they game. They were talking about LaBron and the mens team and the dream team and the 72 fiasco and the redeem team and they missed the call of a steal by Maya. I would rather they call the game as if they were radio announcers and stop with all the extraneous stuff.

I think a lot of people echo your sentiments. Having said that, tho, Geno even said something about it not just being about Team USA winning, but winning in a way that is enjoyable to watch to grow the game. I suspect the announcers are also trying to keep it as interesting as possible to some of the cross over fans who may be watching WHooops for the first time...

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

There used to be a time when gymnastics (or skating) play-by-play detailed the moves the athlete would be performing (i.e. the triple round-off flip-flop, or the inverted camel sit-spin - or was it sitz-bath? Whatever?) This is espcially egregious behavior on the part of the expert. It's like they've never seen these kids practice and the announcers just showed up to blabber.

Ah, the good old days of Peggy Fleming and Dick Button doing color comentary...

 

[EricLA]

Ah, the good old days of Peggy Fleming and Dick Button doing color comentary...

I actually found their milquetoast commentary more annoying. i enjoy Tim Dagget and Elfie Schlaegal who pretty much call it like they see it and disagree with the scoring if they see something different. i don't expect them to be cheerleaders, but it's nice to have them point out where the athletes did well and where they did not.

 

[semper]

I'll take the Turkish announcers again. At least they were entertaining - Ow-goose-toose!

I was totally into the Turkish announcers: they called the game and knew who the players were. Seems that that is basic. I was calling a bit yesterday, and I realized how important it is I know all the players well. What if I didn't? Is this the problem?

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I actually found their milquetoast commentary more annoying. i enjoy Tim Dagget and Elfie Schlaegal who pretty much call it like they see it and disagree with the scoring if they see something different. i don't expect them to be cheerleaders, but it's nice to have them point out where the athletes did well and where they did not.

Button was always highly critical of skaters, even down to things like failing to keep their toes pointed. Fleming was much more positive (the Paula Abdul to his Simon, if you will). But both were very good about identifying positions and moves, especially in spins and footwork.