http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-08-15-tor-v-por/highlights?videoID=196689 "Passive offside, they call it. It's a nightmare for commentators." Who is this "they" that calls this "passive" offside?
From what I can tell, it is European in origin. I keep hearing it from across the pond so I believe some of their clinics might be using the term. I do not like it, because it is vague and open to excessively wide interpretation. It is to offside what "handball" is to deliberate handling. Its use contributes to a mislearning of the law itself.
"They" use "handball" too. It's in the latest FIFA memo on this year's changes to the Laws. The funny thing is I think sometimes "we" are such sticklers for "proper terminology" because "we" want to be more like "them."
Thread resurrection! Togo vs Tunisia - African Cup of Nations - Commentator: "The referee Daniel Bennett (a school teacher) carrying two pens with him today... must be the teacher in him." Couldn't help but laugh a little at that one.
The announcers on Penso's game are a bit dumb imho. I didn't see a thread about the game specifically so I decided to vent here.
Agreed. I felt that they had a little bit of a point about the penalties being soft, but they've had a few dumb moments. If they wanted to debate something it should have been whether or not the first penalty was in or out of the penalty area.
I ended up seeing the game on (I'm guessing) a different feed. The commentator said "Chris Penso" like a hundred times it felt like. He even mentioned the assistants by names a few times "CJ Morgante gives goal kick. Chris Penso the referee confirms goal kick." Made me chuckle.
Those calls were very soft. First PK wasn't even in the area and the second, although evening out the match, was a dive. Penso must do better as a FIFA now. His presence was good but he is very obviously not used to calling an international game as compared to an MLS crap game.
I didn't see anything wrong with either one but I'm honestly too tired to debate. Also they started a thread on the game so best to move it there.
I started watching the USMNT friendly with Canada last night. Pre-game they were talking about Brad Davis and said he has "one of the best left foots (?) in the MLS." Just doesn't sound right.
Well of course it doesn't sound right.... they are talking about his left....... Sorry. I'll shut up now.
Okay, I know I've been on the road a lot and the hotels I've been staying in haven't had FoxSoccer (ugh!), but I am watching a replay of Chelsea-Man U and GUS JOHNSON is one of the commentators!?!? How long has this been going on? He's doing an okay job so far, I think - I just thought for a minute I'd wandered into a college basketball telecast. Then Ian Wright's voice came on and all felt right with the world for a minute.
Go to the TV forum and you can read all about it there. Apparently Fox is grooming Gus to do their soccer stuff after they lose the BPL next season. He was at OT last week with Warren Barton for the RM match. PH
Word is that they are trying to groom him for when they have the World Cup. There was an interview with him on Extra Time Radio last summer after he did a couple of Quakes games where he talked about learning the game flow, terminology, and laws. I like the idea of him not having preconceived notions as to what is and isn't a foul.
Gus seems to be trying to be part of the soccer style announcer, and is not doing too badly. He is throwing out a lot of historical info on players and prior games, like Martin Tyler and Ian Darke do, but sometimes it comes over as a bit artificial, as we all know he has just learned or read about those things, as opposed to knowing them a priori as the others do. What I don't understand is why Fox does not just want to keep to using the English audio feed with the Brit announcers. And there are more established US soccer announcers out there they could use, although some of them are not liked by the purists. Then again, nobody, (yes nobody!) ever liked "old onion bag." PH
Found this and I figure other watchers of March Madness will find this equally hilarious! Hat tip to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: What if Johnson and Raftery called a soccer match
Oops! Dunno how that other video got up there. Definitely not the one I intended to post, mods you're welcome to remove my video or whole post if easier. Daytonref, thanks for posting the actual vid.
Cobi Jones had one in the Galaxy game this weekend. Goal Kick, ball goes over halfway line, players challenge, whistle blown, ref has arm in the air. Coby says something like, "Looks like he was 'offsides' on the play." Later realizes it was because one player used the other's shoulders to boost himself into the air to head it.. ref must've called it dangerous play.