greasywheels121 Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 NFL MLB NBA NHL NCAA Football NCAA Basketball Tennis Golf It is almost impossible for a sports fan not to associate a Voice with his team. The play-by-play announcer holds a special place in our hearts. I don't know whether this was more true in the past or now. Before television was so ubiquitous, we had to count on the announcer to, as the phrase so perfectly put it, "bring you the game." There was no game without the Voice. We depended on his enthusiasm, his imagery and the comfort of familiarity that he provided. Today, although television allows us to see the action for ourselves, and the play-by-play man is not so much our guide as our co-pilot, the Voice may, however, be a human logo more than he ever was in the past. That's because so many players (and coaches too) jump around from team to team, that a team's announcer may well provide more continuity than the franchise itself. A few announcers even become institutional representatives. We accept Bob Costas as a spokesman for baseball. Like him or not, a Final Four game would somehow seem illegitimate without Billy Packer providing commentary. To a whole young generation, John McEnroe is much more a candid tennis loudmouth than he was a tennis champion with a loud mouth. Still, when I think of announcers, I think first of the guys who speak to a local audience for their team. Who really cares who calls the Super Bowl? But when, say, James Dolan of Madison Square Garden let Marv Albert go from the Knicks' microphone, or Peter Angelos of the Orioles wouldn't re-sign Jon Miller, you are talking about trucking with people's passion. Both Albert and Miller became persona non grata to their team's tone-deaf owners because they wouldn't toe the party line and only whisper sweet nothings about the home team. That's what's so tricky about being a team's announcer. On the one hand, like Albert and Miller, you must stay honest, be a solid reporter, and yet you must also be enthusiastic and never forget that you are indeed a represention of that team. It upsets some critics when home-team announcers employ the first-person plural: We need a big hit now, that sort of thing. That never has bothered me. Everybody knows that the announcers are, technically or otherwise, an employee of the team. It's foolish to try and squirm around that. But fans also know -- here's where Dolan and Angelos have been so stupid -- when their team's announcer is blowing smoke. Any announcer who is an out-an-out homer, who gilds the lily, simply isn't going to hold his audience. Never forget that no matter how much fans may love a team, they're also the first to criticize. That's what they want from their Voices: tough love. There are, of course, outstanding announcers in every sport. I'm always in awe of the guys who can call something as quick as hockey and basketball. But, still -- and I think most people would agree with me -- the most distinctive play-by-play guys work baseball. That, of course, is because of the game's slower rhythms. You have to be like an auctioneer calling the back-and-forth sports, but in baseball, you need to be a storyteller. You must possess a wonderful memory, not only for statistics and the inside skinny, but also for anecdotes. The best baseball announcers really don't announce, do they? They chat. You come away from a baseball game that has been well called by a pro somehow under the impression that you've been part of a conversation. Who ever has been better at that than Red Barber, who was most famous for his many seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers? Vin Scully in Los Angeles is the ole Redhead's natural heir (or do we say "air" here?). Harry Caray in St. Louis and Chicago and Bob Prince in Pittsburgh were probably the most antic, Bob Uecker in Milwaukee obviously the most humorous. Ernie Harwell (Tigers), Jack Brickhouse (Cubs), Jack Buck (Cardinals) and Mel Allen (Yankees) all struck just the right balance -- and could do it for so many years. If you were lucky enough to grow up cheering for a team that these gentlemen broadcast for, it was a blessing. The games simply meant more when the man calling them was so reassuring, so informative, so friendly. Let me tell you, I listened to rain delays. That was because I was lucky enough to grow up in Baltimore, where Chuck Thompson was for so long the Voice (not only of the Orioles, but also the Colts). To twist the dial when you were away from town -- say, at the beach, or coming back home from a trip -- and to hear Chuck's voice was enough to put you right there in Memorial Stadium. Once, parked with a girl in Maine, looking for some make-out music, I actually picked up Chuck, clear-channel WBAL, Baltimore to Maine, and was so excited that I actually forgot (well, at least for awhile) about making out. But then, in a way, a baseball Voice was your first love. It's amazing what I can remember. Chuck Thompson often spoke sentences backward. "Bats from the left side, does Boog Powell." "A terrific change-up, has Dave McNally." Chuck also had two mysterious, but wonderful expressions, which he cried out when things were going well: "Ain't the beer cold?" And "Go to war, Miss Agnes!" I still can say them with joy. After all these years. That's what a Voice could do for you. Still can. Sure, a team without a Voice can win. But it's never quite so meaningful, so lovely. And, weirdest of all, you remember so much better what your announcer told you than what you saw yourself. Because he made it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiff Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Ron Franklin and Mike Gottfried are the best duo in any sport, hands down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 I just finished the article on golf announcers and agreed 100%. Pretty cool stuff. They somehow missed Chris Shenkle (spelling?) and bowling. One in the same during the 70's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Brad Nessler is just awesome. He knows exactly how to capture the emotion of the game and a specific moment in his broadcasting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxin' Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 I have no idea, for instance, how fans in Chicago can listen to local broadcasts, but of course, they do. Is he refering to Chip or Hawk, or maybe both? I don't know why people don't like Hawk, he's a great announcer IMO. He at least knows a lot about the game unlike Chip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Hawk isn't a great announcer, he'd be a much better color man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAVVY18 Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 When this guys lists Gary Thorne as one of the top hockey announcers in the U.S., it shows he is clueless. Thorne is a hack who is way too over the top with everything. I could give a crap about what this guy says about any announcers. Hawk is our guy, so of course we like him...just like the minor leaguers love Chimp. Is he a great announcer...No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Yeah, Thorne is a complete joke, anyone who's listened to enough playoff games realizes this one with ease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted July 23, 2004 Share Posted July 23, 2004 Hawk's an acquired taste, for sure. I don't think an occasional viewer would like him at all, but to someone who watches a lot of Sox games he just becomes part of the experience. Pat Foley's still my favorite local broadcaster of any sport - I liked it when he was paired with Bill Gardner. Dale Tallon is a clueless Ron Santo-esque homer, and no one else they paired Pat with worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 They do seem to enjoy each other's company,Tony, I can just never get past Tallon's persecution complex. In his mind, the Hawks have never been called for a legitimate penalty. Every referee in the league has an ax to grind against the Hawks, and every team in the league commits more penalties than the Hawks, but aren't called for them. It gets REAL old REAL fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IlliniKrush Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Good points, Critic and i agree with you, but there have been many times where Tallon has been right about BS calls. It all goes back to the old 'belief' that the refs are out to get the hawks because of two different things, wirtz and the ref getting taken out years back Gardner got a raw deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasox24 Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Thinking of all these good announcers has made me think about which announcers really suck. My list goes something like this: 1. Eric Dickerson 2. Dickie-V 3. Bill Walton 4. John Madden I could think of some more, but I'll leave it at that for now... Anyone else like to share who they think suck as broadcasters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Thinking of all these good announcers has made me think about which announcers really suck. My list goes something like this: 1. Eric Dickerson 2. Dickie-V 3. Bill Walton 4. John Madden I could think of some more, but I'll leave it at that for now... Anyone else like to share who they think suck as broadcasters? I'll add two easy ones to start the ball rolling: Tim McCarver ( Master of the Obvious ) Ron Santo ( Unintelligible Screaming and Mumbling, never adds ANYTHING to a broadcast ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiff Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Mike Tirico and his stupid screaming on college football games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
israel4ever Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Thinking of all these good announcers has made me think about which announcers really suck. My list goes something like this: 1. Eric Dickerson 2. Dickie-V 3. Bill Walton 4. John Madden I could think of some more, but I'll leave it at that for now... Anyone else like to share who they think suck as broadcasters? Harry Caray sucked!!! He knew very little about the game, even less post-stroke! If you wanted to know if Jimmy Gallios was at the game, or that Harrah spelled backwards is harraH, Harry was your man...if you wanted some insight about what was happenning on the field, he sucked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted July 24, 2004 Share Posted July 24, 2004 Harry Caray sucked!!! He knew very little about the game, even less post-stroke! If you wanted to know if Jimmy Gallios was at the game, or that Harrah spelled backwards is harraH, Harry was your man...if you wanted some insight about what was happenning on the field, he sucked! Harry in his prime was VERY good. Try to find some audio clips of his work with the Sox or Cardinals. It's only when he got old, got sick, and became a mascot that his work eroded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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