Towson postgame thread

[BigBird]

I think people often equate this issue to WCBB crews when unfortunately this is the template for ALL announcing crews across all sports. It traces back to Howard Cosell and Dandy Don in the MNF booth, and Bob Ueker and Tim McCarver in baseball, and ALL of the Olympic broadcasting teams over the last 50 years it seems. The idea that announcing is 'entertainment' rather than enhancement of the picture being broadcast.

What may make it stand out more, especially for Uconn WCBB broadcasts is how consistently over the years they have dominated the score and their opponents from the tip. While Uconn fans still want to watch the games, the producers and announcers have the mistaken belief that they can make a blow-out win more compelling for a casual fan by filling the airwaves with drivel. It annoys the fans and doesn't keep the none fans from flipping channels or turning the TV/Streaming off.

This post earns an honorary degree from this retired prof. Much of what we detest from announcers is actually ordained and prescribed by the producers. Especially on TV (as opposed to audio-only media), announcers get ongoing and in-game instructions from the director through a ‘bug” or IFB stuck in their ears. This can be helpful to the announcer, or it can easily become a pain in the rear.

 

[Gus Mahler]

This post earns an honorary degree from this retired prof. Much of what we detest from announcers is actually ordained and prescribed by the producers. Especially on TV (as opposed to audio-only media), announcers get ongoing and in-game instructions from the director through a ‘bug” or IFB stuck in their ears. This can be helpful to the announcer, or it can easily become a pain in the rear.

After I learned of the "bug" years ago, I've always assumed that the awkward pauses, often in mid-sentence, were owing to that. There was a glaring example of it in the first game of the AAC tournament. The guy stopped in mid-sentence after a verb ("exposed") and never got back to it. Left us hanging.

I find it both distracting and detracting--it breaks up the rhythm and flow that (I assume) the speaker is trying to achieve. A necessary evil I guess. And a first-world problem!

 

[Gus Mahler]

@Scoop: One more point on Vin. He also had tremendous command of the language. He was less likely to use "truculent" than Howard, but whatever word he chose, it sounded natural, never stilted.

 

[Carnac]

@Scoop: One more point on Vin. He also had tremendous command of the language. He was less likely to use "truculent" than Howard, but whatever word he chose, it sounded natural, never stilted.

Touche' Gus.

 

[connie]

His wife must have been deaf.

Funny! But in the words of Charlie Rich, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors.

 

[connie]

I think Vin Scully was the greatest baseball play-by-play man there ever was, followed by Jack Buck of the Cardinals.

I listened to Buck over the years. He was too much of a homer for me. I'll take Bob Murphy over anyone--even Scully.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I listened to Buck over the years. He was too much of a homer for me. I'll take Bob Murphy over anyone--even Scully.

I'm afraid I don't know of that gentleman.

 

[connie]

I'm afraid I don't know of that gentleman.

Play by play radio for the Mets from the beginning til 2003. 41 years. He saw it all. Every bit as affable as Scully.