Conference 7.286::sports_90

    
    	Irv Cross is doing color now. I heard him doing a game
    Sunday, can't remeber which one tho'. Saw' I couldn't agree
    with you more. My faves to hate this year are Bob Trumpy and
    Joe Thiesmann, these guy's would talk through a holocaust and
    not stop! Dierdorf is not too far behind in the windbag category.
    Summerall and Madden are still the best combo.
    
    
    
    Steve

    Doesn't the old MNF crew with Dandy Don and Howard Cosell look better
    and better?  The only times that I can recall where I had to shut them
    off was when Dandy would start singing, but that didn't happen much.
    
    Actually 'Saw, I had to work last night so I was pretty much listening
    to these morons, trying to tune them out as much as possible even
    though the tv sound was blaring.  I later realized that there could be
    worse, as we were entertained by a couple of hula girls auditioning for
    jobs in our lounge.  During their performance, I kept thinking of the
    dinz for some reason.......  :-)
    
    Unreal.  And no (dinz), they were not hired, thank God!
    
    Hawk

    Wait until you get an earfull of Todd Christianson.
    
    BoB

BoB, what network is he on?  

I usually avoid NBC like the plague.  CBS is not much better, except 
for Summerall/Madden and several others.

I always laugh about that Dan Jiggetts fellow who does color for
CBS (or used to).  It seems his favorite expression was

	"He's all over him like sweat".

He'd use that 60 times a game if he used it once.
                       

Also, the two dweebs who did the TNT opener with the Giants were 
awful.  They continually mispronounced Reyna Thompsons name.  It's
pronounced like Rene, not Ray-Na...  DUH!


Shit, folks, I think I could probably do a better job than these
idiots!

'Saw

    	Saw,
    
    	I personally like the British way of commentating. You
    	know they're there, but they don't speak as if their
    	salary depended upon the number of words and amount
    	of drivel they produce.
    
    	I mean, it is TV, ya know, a visual medium.
    
    	My stepfather had the same problem with the TV announcers
    	for the Reds baseball games. He solved that problem real
    	quick by turning down the TV and listening to the radio.
    
    	Less is better.
    
    	scott

    I *think* Irv Cross was doing the Bears/Vikings game, although I
    wouldn't swear to it.
    
    In any event, I'm glad I had the chance to watch the good guys win,
    rather than having to be subjected to the Pats.
    
    A&W

    
    I'm sick of Gifford saying "cooler heads prevailed" after
    every scuffle on the field.
    
    Charlie
    

I hope to see Steve Largent as a National color man in the next few years.
From listening to him doing a few pre-season SeaHawk games he's got it all
over Theisman,Dierdorf and the other ex-jocks in the booth.

He speaks intelligently without seeming condescending and doesn't try to bowl 
you over with verbiage...

Metz

    Re a few back   Irv Cross was doing the Bears-Vikes
    
    Re network announcers
    
    While I watch the Steeler games the TV sound is always turned down and
    the radio is tuned to Jack Fleming and Myron Cope in Pgh.  Cope gets so
    into the game that by the half, whether the Steelers are winning or
    losing, my sides hurt from laughing.
    
    Beats the SLOF out of Marv Albert and Dorfman Gonad, or whoever he's
    teamed up with.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Todd is working somewhere between 5th to 10th string for NBC.
    At first I thought it was Hoot in the booth calling a Donk game.
    His crying about the refs in Mile-Hi brought back flash backs of 
    Hoot-Monty cries.
    He had a serious case of diareha mouth particularlly rambling on
    about his playing days. You have to have played the game to understand
    his unique perspective and insight into the obvious.  The guy was and
    still is a bum despite what he would have you otherwise believe.  
    
    BoB

    
    I WISH JOHN MADDEN WOULD STOP SHOUTING AND SAYING "BOOM" AT LEAST ONCE
    IN EVERY SENTENCE!!!!
    
    Signed,
        (BOOM!!!!)
          Dickster
    

    Pat Haden's a dweeb and Skip Carey don't know diddley, cause he don't
    know the AL...

    
     As bad as Dan Dierdorf is on Monday Night Football he's even worse
    when he covers boxing but still not as overbearing and obnoxious
    as Larry Merchant or Sugar Ray. The worst baseball announcer IMHO
    is undoubtedly Harry "the Whiner" Caray. Cub fans must be brain
    dead to think that him singing that stupid song is the least bit
    charming. Then again they must be brain dead to be Cub fans in the
    first place.

    >>as Larry Merchant or Sugar Ray. The worst baseball announcer IMHO
    >>is undoubtedly Harry "the Whiner" Caray. Cub fans must be brain
    >>dead to think that him singing that stupid song is the least bit
    >>charming. Then again they must be brain dead to be Cub fans in the
    >>first place.
    
    
    You obviously never had the mis-opportunity to hear former Pirate
    announcer Milo Hamilton.  he had the announcing capabilities of 
    a beer-fart and a voice to match.
    
    JaKe
    

    Milo Hamilton was bad, but he made only half the mistakes and
    mispronunciations that Harry Fairy makes.  He even has trouble with the
    Cubs' names and these are guys he calls every day.  He's the worst
    except for one other.  JaKe, you may crucify me for this but I thought
    Bob Prince was the worst announcer I ever heard in my life.
    
    Bob Prince was the Bucs announcer forever.  During nine innings, he
    hardly ever talked about the game at hand.  It was one story after
    another.
    
    I had the (dis)pleasure of meeting Milo Hamilton when DePaul came to
    Ohio U in '82 (and lost to the Bobcats in triple overtime by the way)
    and he was announcing for Chicago radio at the time.  I was nice to him
    and went over and said "Miss you in Pittsburgh, Milo," even though that
    was a total lie.  He looked at me and said, "They didn't know what they
    had when they fired me."  After getting over some astonishment, I
    looked at him and said, "Gee, I was just being nice to you.  Actually, 
    I think a piece of shit could announce a game better than you."  And as
    I was walking away, he shouted "Hey, f___ you, kid!"  Real class.
    
    	--dan'l

    Hmmm, perhaps Milo was unhappy with his craft.  He was a real good
    DJ back in Chicago during the late 50's.  :*)
    
    Lee, who fully expects some cheap shots after this  :*)  :*)

    
    Prince was terrible.  Towards the end, he was doing Division III
    Carnegie-Mellon football games on the campus radio station.  I talked
    to him once when he snuck out of the booth for a smoke during a
    time-out.  I don't think he ever got over getting bounced by the 
    Pirates in that power play at KDKA.  Don't think his ego would allow
    him to believe that the adoring masses were ready to move on from the
    blatant home-team frontrunner schtick.  He was Mr. Pirate, though.
    
    Myron Cope is worse, though.  I'm not sure there's another market in
    the country that would stand for that obnoxious voice from a sports 
    anchor on the nightly news.  "This is Mey-run Cope on spooooooorts..."  
    Disgusting. 
    
    glenn
    

    Myron Cope's voice is irritating, but the personality that exudes from
    the radio is absolutely hilarious.  I really miss the craziness when I
    listen to other football games on the radio.  In other words, it makes
    football on the radio a little less of a bore.
    
    An interesting side note, however, is a story my mother told me.  Back
    in the early 70's, she was a phone operator.  One time she handled a call
    Myron was making.  When she asked for his name, he acted surprised she
    didn't recognize it (which she did of course) and said this is Myrone
    Cope.  She said "Who?"  He got really POed.  Then she made him spell
    it.  Myron lost it.  She then conected him to his party.
    
    Didn't know you went to CMU, Glenn. (or did I?)
    
    	--dan'l (CMU, M.A., '87)

    
    > Didn't know you went to CMU, Glenn. (or did I?)
    
    Probably not.  Was in the EE program there from 1980-82.  Played a 
    little (very little) baseball for the infamous "Scrappy" Allen while at 
    school.  Transferred and graduated from ULowell.  My brother graduated 
    from Mellon with a math degree a few years ago and might have been 
    there same time you were, though.  
    
    glenn

    Next year, when MSG Network has TV rights to *all* NY Yankees games,
    the Scooter, Phil Rizzuto, may be out of a job.  That may be good news
    or bad, depending on your point of view.
    
    Holy Cow! (Harry Caray and Phil can argue who owns the trademark.)
    /Ed

    
    At least Rizzuto ain't a frontrunner like Caray.  Ol' Harry was a
    self-proclaimed Cub-hater back in his Cardinal and White Sox days.
    He especially used to abuse the North Siders when with the Chisox.
    
    He's always been a Bud Man, though.
    
    glenn
    

>    Next year, when MSG Network has TV rights to *all* NY Yankees games,
>    the Scooter, Phil Rizzuto, may be out of a job.  That may be good news
>    or bad, depending on your point of view.
    
	Negotiations are ongoing between MSG and PIX. They just haven't agreed
on the price. I think the package for PIX is 50 games. MSG needs the bucks.

	Jim M

    Well, I always liked Bob Prince (of course I was just a kid).  There is
    something about having a longtime broadcaster with a team who can
    relate many of the "historical" stories from 25 or 30 years ago
    (though, I have to admit I don't like listening to Harry Carey).  
    
    I only rarely get to hear the Bucs' current broadcasters when I'm in
    Pittsburgh.  Jim Rooker and Steve Blass seem to be pretty good overall,
    just like Nellie King used to be.
    
    Which reminds me...JaKe or anyone else from Pgh...whatever happened to
    Nellie King (or Jim Woods, for that matter)?

    Jim Woods was with the Red Sox in the mid-seventies.  After they fired
    him (which was one of the stupidest things they ever did, he and Ned
    Martin were the best radio tandem I ever heard), he basically retired
    from broadcasting except for some occasional TV appearances and he died
    within the past couple of years.
    
    John

    
>>    Which reminds me...JaKe or anyone else from Pgh...whatever happened to
>>    Nellie King (or Jim Woods, for that matter)?
    
    Don't take this as gospel BUT I think that both King and Woods died
    within the last 5 years.  I'll look into it though.
    
    Re Bob Prince
    I grew up listening to Prince and was away in the Air Farce when KDKA
    fired him.  KDKA brought him back a few years ago after they found out
    he had throat cancer and he did 2 innings a game for about 1 month then
    went in the hospital and died.  KDKA did it as a way of trying to
    repair the damage they had done to the listeners who idolized Prince
    and screamed yearly for the station to rehire him.  I liked Prince but
    he did have the tendency to ramble on about inane BS.
    
    Milo Hamilton, near the end of his tenure as a Bucco announcer,would
    spend half of the game thanking fans individually on the air for the
    cards that they sent in, most proclaiming Hamilton to be the best
    announcer in baseball.  I guess any moron can attract a following given
    a year or two.
    
    Re Rooker and Blass
    I like Steve Blass doing color.  Rooker sucks, IMHO.  He also tends to
    ramble on and ends up tripping over his tongue a few times a game.
    
    
    JaKe
    

    Nellie King, the last I heard, was sports information director at
    Duquesne University (in Pittsburgh).  I met him my senior year of high
    school when I was sports editor of the school rag.  He taught a seminar
    at Duquesne on sports information.  In that one day, he taught me more
    than I learned from any journalism teacher in high school.  I still use
    some of his tactics today in my job as a tech writer and course
    developer.
    
    If he passed away, sorry to hear that and may he rest in peace.
    
    	--dan'l

    As a person who has produced television programs, and knows the media,
    these melon-heads who provide color and commentary have what is known
    in the trade as an IFB stuck in their eye, so that some smarmy
    associate producer down in the truck can tell them what to say, when
    to say it.  The APs script the event, with the producer, and decisions
    are made to highlight individual players, coaches, defenses, etc.,
    before they set up one camera.  They have to finish the script, thats
    why they talk so much.  (I can't believe no one mentioned Mr. Ray
    Scott, who was let go by CBS for not following the script,and keeping
    his mouth shut for years as the Packers announcers.) The whole event is
    looked upon as a ad delivery for the nets, so they keep thing moving so
    that people won't turn the channel. They get promoted by writing the
    most colorful copy for the script, regardless of what happens on the
    field.  In no way is the event allowed to be spontaneous. tjk 

    Ahh, Ray Scott.  Now THERE was a guy who knew how to cover a game.
    
    Thanks for reminding me.
    
    Lee

    Had the extreme pleasure of attending a wedding in Warren, Ohio
    (between Youngstown and Cleveland) Saturday.  Driving home yesterday, I
    also had the extreme pleasure of listening to the two most boring
    football announcers I had heard in my entire life.  They were the two
    guys doing the Browns Saints game. 
    
    Man, how do you Clevelanders put up with such droning?  Hearing
    these monotoners makes one really appreciate Myron Cope.
    
    	--dan'l

    re: 28 - the IFB goes in their EAR, not EYE.  sorry bout that. tjk

    >Man, how do you Clevelanders put up with such droning?  Hearing
    >these monotoners makes one really appreciate Myron Cope.
    
    Speaking of Cope, WFAN in the highlights of the PittsburG game just had
    to play a 20-second clip of Myron totally raving about one of their
    touchdowns ("He just looked at the defender and the defender fell
    down!").  The guy sounded loony to me.
    
    Dan

    My point is, Myron Cope is irritatingly entertaining.  He's not the
    most pleasant voice to hear.  But his cacophony aside, Myron's humor
    and unique slogans, quips, and noises keep you listening.
    
    The Cleveland game sounded like:
    
    Play by play: Kosar throws to Webster slaughter. And he catches it
    		  for a five yard gain.  
    Color:	  Slaughter gets up limping.  
    PBP:	  Browns are in the huddle.  Now they line up. Kosar 
    		  hands off to Metcalf who's brought down by Smith
    		  for a two yard loss.
    Color:	  Boy, listen to this crowd.
    
    I'm lucky I didn't fall asleep at the wheel.
    
    	--dan'l

    
    On Monday night I was watching the Monday Night Football game with an
    extra fervor (being an Eagles fan), and I couldn't believe how
    unimportant the game seemed to be to the dolts in the booth. I normally
    goto bed at halftime (I have a four hour commute on Tuesday mornings)
    and don't see the second half. But the three stooges talked about
    everything but the game. The ABC coverage seemed to want to show
    everthing but the action on the field. Dierdorf talked over the field
    call of penalties more times than I could count and the overall
    commentary left alot to be desired. If it wouldn't have disturbed my
    wife and children, I would have turned on Merril Reese and Stan Walters
    on WIP in Philly. They at least keep their minds (and voices) on the
    game and know that they are there to let people know what's happening,
    rather than talk about upcoming events on their network.
    
    I don't know if they're like that every Monday, but they were awful on
    Monday.
    
    Dennis
     

    Re:34 Het faust... what about Andre Waters? The MNF trashed him real
    good... Something about heading towards the other teams knees...
    
    REK

    
    Yeah, the second hit was a little late. The first hit that Dierdorf was
    howling about was low but perfectly legal. That's the way Waters
    tackles everybody and a QB is no different. The second hit was
    definitely out of bounds. Waters is definitely overagressive sometimes,
    but alot of players get that way. That's probably what caused Hassan
    Jones to drop the pass down the middle later in the game.
    
    Dennis
    

    Yeah Dierdorf and Michaels railed Waters for at least 5 minutes.  I
    wonder if Waters has heard about it yet.
    
    Mike

    
    Walters was hounded by the press in Philly about his tackling technique
    on Tuesday, and yesterday the Redskins (the Eagles next opponent) were
    hounded about Waters. I had forgotten that several years ago Waters was
    blocked into Jess Atkinson in 1987, causing a career ending injury to
    him. Well, yesterday that was brought up several times by Redskins
    players as an example of the dirty play of Andre Waters. The commish is
    looking into the alleged offences and will make a decision at a later
    date. the last time this happened, Waters was fined $5000 for
    attempting to sack Everett low.
    
    Dennis
    

    I usually enjoy Chris Berman's anecdotes, quips, and nicknames, but
    last night he may have gone too far.  Describing a Harbaugh pass he
    said:
    
    "The Bears, went to the lead pipe in the conservatory with a pass to
    Brad 'Colonel' Muster!"
    
    I think he's been doing too many Bud Bowl commercials.
    
    	--dan'l

    I think he at least tries to make it interesting.  Some work, some
    don't.

    Speaking of "Bud Bowl", has anyone bothered to tell Anheuser-Busch
    that it's just about the lamest ad campaign they've ever used ???
    
    If I have to watch beer commercials, at least make them somewhat
    interesting and believable.  Heck, I'll take a repeat of the snowy
    field full of Clydesdales again just to get rid of "Bud Bowl".
    
    Bob Hunt

    Get used to it Bob, it's obvious that Anheuser-Busch is gonna drag Bud
    Bowls on forever.  I mean, why stop now (after III)?
    
    Bud Bowl I was cute, but it should've stopped there.......
    
    Hawk

I for one really like Chris Berman.

He started out locally at a radio station in Waterbury.  There's
a uniqueness in his delivery that I appreciate...

I love when he yells "Fum-ble" or when he asks a question like

	Will Kenny O'Brien make this completion on 4th and long?

and as the highlight rolls he goes "Nah!"


One of my favs,
'Saw

    I like Chris Berman, too.  Very much.   A fun, refreshing breath of
    fresh air in the sports biz.
    
    The "fummmmm-BULL" call is a jab at ABC's Keith Jackson and the "He ...
    could ... go ... all ... the ... way" call is a dig at Howard Cosell,
    if I recall.
    
    And his nicknames are great.  A couple of clunkers here and there but
    very good otherwise.  I just wish he had had the fliberts to tell Busch
    that the "Bud Bowl" campaign was weak.  Now he looks like a shill for
    them instead.
    
    Bob Hunt

    Did Andrea Joyce really ask the following to Klingler on the Heisman
    awards show:
    
    	"When you're out on the field, do you know which footballs your
    	grandmother made?"
    
    If so, that's the dumbest media question I've heard since the
    Challenger disaster when someone asked Speaks at the insuing press
    conference: "What was Mrs. Reagan doing at the time?"
    
    	--dan'l

    Yeah, she asked that... there was another really dumb one during
    that show which I fortunately can't remember right now.

    >...a jab at ABC's Keith Jackson 
    >...a dig at Howard Cosell
    
    Just nitpicking, but I believe both would be better described as homage
    rather than jabs and digs.
    
    Dan 

Either way (homage or digs) I get a big kick out of it.

I'd love to here him go "Whoa Nelly!" sometime.  I think I'd
pee my pants...

'Saw

    
    Was anyone else extremely disappointed at the trio in the booth during
    last nights game?  It seems that the art of game analysis has been
    reduced to continually second-guessing the coaches and players.  I
    don't think there was a bit of true analysis during the entire game.
    
    Bruce

    Have to agree with you there, Bruce.  But I think it's a given now that
    Dierdorf is a neandathol.  How many times did he refer to the Giants
    offensive calls as no-brainers?  Why isn't the Ultimate Critic coaching
    himself?
    
    					Steve

    
>    Was anyone else extremely disappointed at the trio in the booth during
>    last nights game?  

    I'm disappointed in those 3 idiots every Monday night.
    
    Joe
    

    Makes you want to get Mr. Cosell back, don't it?
    
    Hawk

Their expertise, which was always somewhat suspect in my opinion,
has sunk lower as the season has progressed.

I can sit in the comfort of my living room and bash the coaches.  Why
do I need to be reminded that some former jock football player is
making tons more money than I to do the same thing on national TV?

Have you heard ol' Dan do boxing?  The Bibe would roll over in his
grave!

Al is the only one I really care for, but even he is tainted now....


'Saw

    re .43
    
    Hawk, you of all people shouldn't be complaining.
    
    Besides, it's more competetive than the Super Bowl anyhow....

    Dierdorf makes me laugh with some of his quips.  Otherwise, I don't pay
    much attention.  Two that come to mind are his welcoming of
    Phoenix to the NFL and just the other week when the huge Steelers tight
    end Eric Green spiked a ball harder than I've ever seen anyone spike a
    ball.  Dierdorf said as they cut to commercial, "Time to get a new
    football."
    
    As for critical announcers, Dan's got nothing on Bill Walsh and Joe
    Theisman.  I constantly yell at Walsh saying, "Hey Bill, if you can do
    it better why aren't you still in there?"  And Theisman uses "should
    have, would have, could have" so much during a broadcast it disgusts
    me.  
    
    Has anyone heard Van Earl Wright (sp?) on Headline News.  Now there's
    an irritating person.  
    
    	--dan'l

Anybody know who the guy is who does the sports broadcast ("@ 20 minutes
and 50 minutes past each hour") on CNN's Headline News?  This guy cracks
me up.  

If you haven't heard him it goes something like:

"andintheNBAlarrybirdpumpedin ****T H I R T Y   N I N E**** points to lead
the ****B O S T O N**** celticspastthehaplessdenvernuggets"

Quite a character ...


- ACC Chris
    

    Chris:
    
>    Has anyone heard Van Earl Wright (sp?) on Headline News.  Now there's
>    an irritating person.  
    
    	--dan'l
    

	What disappointed me was that the guys in the booth more or less
just decided it was not exciting because touchdowns were not being scored
constantly. They could have(and CBS and Madden would have), used the
telestrator, overhead/wide angle cameras to highlight the great defense that
each team was playing on the field, to make the game more enjoyable. Dierdof
made some references to it late, but he could have tied into it the whole
game. You knew after 2 or 3 series that the defenses were dominating this one.

	Jim M

    re: .53
    
    >>  Makes you want to get Mr. Cosell back, don't it?
    
     
    Wild Stallions couldn't get me to answer that one affirmatively!!
    PJ

    VanEarl should wait until Berman retires before doing a takeoff on
    him...

    One good thing about Dierdorf last night was that he pointed out how
    stupid the intentional grounding rules are, as they are currently being
    called. There were more than a few times that the zebras stood there
    with there hands in there pockets and didn't make the call when they
    obviously threw the ball away to avoid the sack.
    
    At least they didn't call one later in the game and give Dan the
    opportunity to say "that'll draw a penalty every time".
    
    Dennis
    

    
    Seems that the Pat's fans get stuck listening to Broadway Joe every
    week, and there's something about his accent that's pretty irritating.
    To wit:  "Puh-lease watch this absollllutely cuh-lassy puh-llay from
    the lllineman as he buh-llasts through."
    
    His favorite animal must be the LLLLLLLama.
    
    Dickstah (with a New England accent)
    

    Ha ha ha, good catch, Dickster.  His LLLL's have been driving me crazy!
    
    Lee

As every week goes by I am more and more appalled at the total lack
of quality sportscasting on the networks.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of listening to some dweeb and Dan Fouts.
Fouts should be shot for being one of the most egregiously poor
sportscasters in the country.

I mean, we were treated to such inconsistencies as this;

	[Landetta makes a poor punt]:  
		Well, (dweeb), Landetta is being
   		booed by the Giants fans after that horrendously 
		poor punt.  It's a wonder that return man didn't take
	 	it all the way, it was such a poor kick and easily
		returnable.

	[Landetta makes poor punt, gets great bounce]:

		Well, (dweeb), Landetta just proved why he is the BEST
		punter in the leg.  He blah blah blah...

And there were other gaffs that blew my mind too.....

I just can't believe it...We should have more John Maddens....

'Saw

    
    The Madden version:
    
          Well, BOOM!, Landetta is being BOOM! booed by the BOOM! Giants
    fans after that BOOM! horrendously poor punt. BOOM! It's a wonder
    that the BOOM! return man didn't BOOM! take it all the way, it was
    BOOM! such a poor kick and BOOM! easily returnable.
    
    Dickstah
    

That's Bull, Dickstah!

Madden says POW! and WHAM!, and other stuff, too.
It's not like he's one dimensional, ya know.

I like him.
It's like listening to a Batman spoof.

Mike JN

    
    Heck, Madden's favorite player is "Don't call me Norman" Boomer
    Esiason, he broadcasts using a boom mike, and listens to a boom box
    during commercials, the one-dimensional baby-boomer that he is. 8^)
    
    Dickstah
    

    You guys forgot a WHAP! or 2...  

    Was on vacation in Florida for a few days.  It rained on Saturday so I
    watched the tube.  Saw a great game for the Division III (?) title on
    ESPN between Allegheny and Lycoming (two Pennsylvania schools). 
    Allegheny won in a weird overtime setup.
    
    But what gets me is that ESPN used these two nobody announcers and they
    both mispronounced Lycoming through the whole game.  They were saying
    Ly'-cum-ing.  The proper pronunciation is Ly-comb'-ing.  
    
    I felt sorry for Lycoming, not only because they lost but also because
    these bozos now have the country mispronouncing the name of their
    school.
    
    	--dan'l

    
    > I felt sorry for Lycoming, not only because they lost but also because
    > these bozos now have the country mispronouncing the name of their
    > school.
    
    Hell, even if I weren't from Pa. I'd look at "Lycoming" and pronounce
    it similar to "Wyoming".  Did these idiots think it was a conjunction
    of the two verbs "to lie" and "to come"?
    
    glenn
    

    
    Lycoming (n).  A faked orgasm.
    

    I can understand why they called it "Lie-Coming".  What used to
    be Avco Corp. had a division called Avco "Lie-Coming" (Lycoming),
    which made engines, in fact, "Lie-Coming" engines made airplane
    engines.  I'd pronounce it "lie-coming', and in fact, I wondered
    if the college (or the company) had ties.
    
    JD

Dickster --

	I'd (tm) that baby, quick.  Both the noun and the verbs,
	as in, "She was lycoming me all night, so I got fed up and
	left"....

JD --

	Agreed


Finally, it could very well have been the natural accent of the
sportcaster.  Many times I hear a sportscaster who hasn't quite
eradicated a trace of accent from his voice...that could be it.

Also, if it's in PA chances are it's one of those weird places
which has two pronounciations.  I've heard PA people pronounce
Wilkes-Barre like Wilkes-Bear or Wilkes-Barry...

Who knows...I don't.... when in doubt, do some 'shrooms.....

'Saw

    Ya got a point there, Frank.  Pennsylvanians do speak kind of
    strangely.
    
    For instance, I grew up in Car-neg'-ie, Pennsylvainia...and I attended
    Car-neg'-ie Mellon University.  Of course to anyone outside of western
    PA, that's pronounced Car'-neg-ie.
    
    But the bottom line is, these announcers should have learned how to
    pronounce the school's name correctly.  You know, like Reyna for the
    Giants?
    
    	--dan'l

    
    > For instance, I grew up in Car-neg'-ie, Pennsylvainia...and I attended
    > Car-neg'-ie Mellon University.  Of course to anyone outside of western
    > PA, that's pronounced Car'-neg-ie.
    
    Good point.  I still can't tell someone the name of the school I
    attended and be sure I have it right.  And it has nothing to do with my
    SAT scores or 'shrooms, either...
    
    glenn
    

    Back on the topic, I must agree that Joe Namath is one of the most
    egregiously poor sportscasters to ever don a gaudy network blazer.
    Just as Dan likes to rely on various commentators' opinions of Namath
    as a quarterback, one could use Namath's to support the thesis that
    Mark Wilson really isn't that bad and with the right personnel can
    really make things happen.  That's what I heard never-a-discouraging-
    word Joe tell me a couple of months ago at the start of a game in which
    Wilson proceeded, within minutes of the statement, to self-destruct in
    yet another lopsided Patriots' affair.
    
    glenn
    

    Glenn, that was against the Jets.  I loved every minute of it!  One
    might call it poor broadcasting, but it's the job of the broadcaster to
    keep the fan interested (as dictated by the network) and that was what
    Namath was attempting to do.  
    
    I usually don't listen very carefully to any broadcast, and thus am not
    as critical as some in here.  Thus, I can easily tolerate Dan Dierdorf,
    Brent Musberger and a bunch of others whom are continually villified. 
    I realize that Namath may be closer to that bunch than Madden, but I
    think that he brings a lot of good insight and commentary when I listen
    for it.
    
    And comparing Namath trying to keep the Pats fans interested to Walsh,
    Madden, et al offering their opinions on Namath the QB in an attempt
    cast doubts on my use of those opinions isn't the most above board
    contribution you've made to the debate.
    
    Dan

    
    > And comparing Namath trying to keep the Pats fans interested to Walsh,
    > Madden, et al offering their opinions on Namath the QB in an attempt
    > cast doubts on my use of those opinions isn't the most above board
    > contribution you've made to the debate.
    
    Fercripessake, Dan, that was just a little backhanded attempt at humor. 
    If you recall, I was more or less on your side in that debate.
    
    But the opinion of Namath as a sportscaster stands...
    
    glenn
    

Personally, I often had problems understanding what
OJ "What'd he say?" Simpson was saying.  He doesn't announciate
very clearly, and it often sounded to me like he was mumbling.

Other sportcasting "favorites" are Dan Jiggets, who used to be
with CBS, and his line that he'd use about 35 times a game:
"He was all over him like sweat".

On the upside, I do like Merlin Olsen.  I can understand the 
game better from Merlin.

And I'm disappointed Irv Cross hasn't been on any telecasts I've
seen.  I always enjoyed listening to what he had to say....

'Saw

    But I'm telling you, Bradshaw should be a star.  The network should
    just let him run wild, because he's totally engaging when he doesn't
    have to worry about getting a scripted message off in his alloted 30
    seconds.  I heard him on a radio interview last week and I'm converted. 
    The guy knows football, he's very colorful and he's full of wonderful
    opinions which he's not afraid to voice.
    
    Dan

    re -1
    
    But he has those funny wrinkles on his forehead.

    I've listened to the Mutual Radio Network for pro games while working 
    outside or driving in the car much more than I've seen games on TV.
    I can't remember the names of the experienced play-by-play men, but
    combined with some old pros in Jack Ham and Jack Snow, these broadcasts
    are excellent.  Even though you can't see a thing, there is much more
    inside football conveyed than you get on the tube, probably because the
    broadcasters aren't (as Dan has suggested) obligated to put on show or
    sell themselves to a local audience, so to speak.  And they always do
    the best game available in the timeslot, which counts for a lot when
    you're in New England Patriots (all home TV-blackout) territory.
    
    They do a good job with college, too.  I even enjoyed listening to
    Army-Navy this weekend (they had John Feinstein sitting in for some
    reason, probably because it sounded like one of the guys had laryngitis
    and his voice finally gave out).  The only problem is that there's an 
    emphasis on Notre Dame even on radio.
    
    glenn
    
      

    When did Hank Finkle become a voice of the Celtics?  What happened to
    Bob Cousy?

    Every broadcaster, if you listen to him/her long enough, has a "quirk"
    that will get under your skin eventually.
    
    I tend to tune these out but I do take exception with statements made
    out of ignorance, especially when the statements concern either the
    Patriots (because I know the team so well), statistics (for obvious
    reasons) or rules (because I've learned so much about the rules as part
    of my job).
    
    John
    
    PS - The camera shot that really bothers me because I don't know what
    it is they're trying to show is the replay official looking at TV and
    trying to make his decision.  That's a camera shot that has no value
    added to the telecast whatsoever.

    Mac, Bob Cousy is out for 6 weeks due to recent surgery and High Henry
    is filling in for him.
    
    John

    There is another thing that really bugs me about broadcasters and it's
    something that Brent Musburger started.  It's the practice of referring
    to the team and using the name of the coach instead.  For example,
    instead of saying "Indiana really needs a basket" or "Bailey has to
    make this shot for Indiana" it's "Bob Knight really needs a basket" or
    "Bailey has to make this shot for Knight."  I was taught and still
    believe that the team is more important than any one single person,
    including the coach.
    
    John
    
    PS - Indiana, Knight and Bailey are used as examples and there is no
    intent to demean or laugh at any of the three

>    I've listened to the Mutual Radio Network for pro games while working 
>    outside or driving in the car much more than I've seen games on TV.
>    I can't remember the names of the experienced play-by-play men, but
>    combined with some old pros in Jack Ham and Jack Snow, these broadcasts
>    are excellent.

    Glenn, I don't know if you're thinking of Tony Roberts, but I think he
    does a great job on Mutual.  He does the ND games on Saturdays and
    does a pro game on Sundays.
    
>    Even though you can't see a thing, there is much more
>    inside football conveyed than you get on the tube, probably because the
>    broadcasters aren't (as Dan has suggested) obligated to put on show or
>    sell themselves to a local audience, so to speak.  
    
    This is a great point, and is why you can get so much more out of a
    game by listening to radio announcers.  The best national team around
    IMO is Jack Buck and Hank Stram on CBS radio who do the Monday Night
    games.  
    
    Joe  

    >Mac, Bob Cousy is out for 6 weeks due to recent surgery and High Henry
    >is filling in for him.
    
    Get well soon, Bob.  Never thought I'd be saying that, but this Finkel
    guy makes Gil Santos look good.  Instead of announcing the game he
    announces how the refs are jobbing the Celtics.
    
    Dan

Clearly, I'm in agreement with Dan concerning Bradshaw.

I've always liked his unabashed style, and the opinions that Dan
mentioned.  But what I *really* like, is his demonstrations.

One day, in the booth, he was demonstrating how receivers and DBs
whap each other going down the field and don't get called for 
PI.  It was pretty neat, cause he kept whapping his play-by-play
guy.  

Bradshaw is okay by me....

'Saw

    Bradshaw also has a mean solar panel that he cain be proud_a.
    
    JaKe's got a mean one there too.
    
    I'm_a gettin' there.....
    
    HTH.
    
    Hawk

                                                  
    A far cry from the one-time L'il Abner-modeled dumbest-man-in-football
    stereotype, no?
    
    glenn
     

    re .91
    
    Amen to that John - that drives me up the (!@&!)^!* wall !!!!!!

    And whoever mentioned the funny wrinkles on Bradshaw's head, watch it.
    We bald blond guys stick together and know that each wrinkle is an
    indicator of a certain level of sexual prowess, the more you got the
    better you are.
    
    
    JaKe
    

Boy, then Klingons must be really GOOD!

    "I never cease to marvel at the technique of the BBC's sporting
    commentators. They manage to inject some kind of excitement into the
    dullest interludes. The football commentator forces his voice to a mad
    strangled crescendo as play nears the penalty area and yells "Goal! No,
    it isn't!" as soon as a centre-forward leaps to head from a
    corner-kick. The racing commentator sees a 'procession' as a
    nerve-shattering struggle and becomes incoherent to order during the
    last two furlongs. But the boys who really earn their fees are the
    ingenious gasbags who convert rain-sodden turf and waterproof covers
    into verbal thrills. At Manchester (yes, Manchester) the other week
    rain stopped play during the third round of the Davis Cup Match between
    Great Britain and India, and a certain commentator waded in with a
    pulsating account of the new plastic covers. Then the rain eased and he
    became delirious in the attempt to suggest mounting excitement as the
    ground-staff slipped smoothly into action. 'The whole job is being
    tackled with incredible, almost military, precision. The gleaming
    covers are being rolled up like long green sausages and the pools of
    water are *disappearingasifbymagic*! And now the covers are being
    carried away...one, two, *three*, FOUR, *FIVE*! And not a drop of water
    has been allowed to spoil this fine court. Well, there's just a little,
    yes, I can see a small pool, a *very* small pool, but it's so close to
    the net that it'll cause no trouble...' 

    "It was a wonderful performance, dramatic, inspiring, intoxicating.
    When it was all over, and play was resumed, I felt like a wet rag." 

				-- Bernard Hollowood
				"The Pick of Punch", pub. 1956 

re .101:

	But I really do love listening to them.  They do have a way
	with words, and seem almost at times to be able to be just
	as dramatic with few words as with many.

	In a Liverpool game last season, I remember that 'Pool scored
	about 4 goals.  The first couple they worked hard for, but
	then it seemed that they completely annihilated the other team's
	defense.

	The 4th goal came as Barnes worked his way up the wing.  You couldn't
	see it on camera, but Ian Rush was all alone at the far end of the
	goal area, totally unmarked.

	Instead of his voice rising to an almost orgasmic crescendo, the
	commentator very simply stated, as Barnes crossed the ball

		"And here's one for Rush"

	God, it was an electric moment.


	Personally, I think dweebs like Bweent Pussberger could learn
	a thing or two from their counterparts across the pond....

'Saw

    
    When watching something as boring as soccer you need Sir Laurence
    Olivier to announce the games just to keep it interesting.
    
    Bruce 

    When I was in France I watched some soccer.  Terrible announcers! 
    Couldn't understand a word they were saying! :-}
    
    	--dan'l

    That's what OJ Simpson sounds like- a French broadcaster!
    
    Hawk

    Well, I suppose that's better than smelling like a French Whh----.
    
    Lee

Well, I had plenty of opportunity to hear French sportscasting when
I was in France.

It's not too terribly bad (as say compared to Iraqi sportscasting)
but two things stick in my mind....


They had a WWF broadcast, and there were two french announcers.
I believe Demolition was tag-teaming The Bolsheviks.  Anyway, 
all the color guys kept doing was remarking in a rather excited
manner about the "les muscles grande de Smash"...  I swear, I think
the guy had a thing for the wrasslers, cause every other expression
out of his mouth was about their big muscles...

The other thing is the sheer sensational emotionalism.  I mean,
I've not heard people go as nuts when their house is on fire.
In one of the Five Nations games I saw, some guy broke a long
run, and jeez, you'd have thought nuclear war was about to break
out the way the announcer was yelling and carrying on.....\


'Saw

    Used to love the way John Cleese and Eric Idle would parody British
    soccer announcers.
    
    Dan

    
    Dan, how about that Monty Python episode where they had the 
    soccer match between some abby and the Long John Silver imitator's.
    What a scream!
    
    
    
    
    Steve

    ...Or the one where they announced novel-writing as if it were a
    cricket match!
    
    Dan