Rob Stone Sucks. How about a petition to get him fired.

[Eddie26]

Holy Crap, you just made crusio look like Kenn Tomasch! Well done!



Ignorance of the reference is no excuse, especially since you just went "Worst Post Ever" on me.



A defensible position, but you unfortunately veered off the road and burst into flames after that...



I hope this guy's big enough to keep, because I just used the last of my bait and I don't feel like throwing him back.



Even a blind dog finds a bone. If you weren't so busy in your Eurosnob spasm you might learn that I'm not a big fan of the plastic Mexican mating call device either. But F You anyway.



What the fook are you babbling about? I mentioned that there have been popular announcers in the past that have had a hook. Miller was never popular with anyone and Madden is pretty much been considered the archtype color commentator, considering that he's been doing that longer than he coached, I'd say most people, especially those that matter, don't agree with you.

Nice arguement, BTW. You were in the debate society at Oxford, right?

Fans that buy season tickets, the DirectKick package, various paraphanelia, and try to sell the game and the league to friends and co-workers? Yah, that's what's wrong with the league. :rolleyes:

I'm sure if I stopped following the league, and just let the "true" football fans take my seats instead, they'd start flooding "grounds" across this great land of ours. I know, it's terrible that I've been bringing my daughter to games since she was six, thus building a love with her local team in the one sport she likes to play, thus (hopefully) creating another paying fan when she gets older. Screw that, from now on, it's nothing but me and my mates down to the ground, demanding meat pies and terraces, because that's what real football (they never call it by the Septic-created name of 'soccer') supporters enjoy.

Oh wait, how about instead I just call you a tool and enjoy my favorite sport the way I like? That would be better.

Or to use another reference you probably won't get:

Cheney, to Leahy, on the Congressional Floor...

Now that children, is a good post...I especially like, "how about instead I just call you a tool and enjoy my favorite sport the way I like?" LOL

[fiddlestick]

1st Jack and Ty post!

[monster]

No wonder why MLS and US is laughed at.

Jim Kelly.

Tim McCarver.

Bill Walton.

If, for one second, you think the success of a league lies in its announcers, you are the reason MLS and US Soccer are laughed at.

[fiddlestick]

Jim Kelly.

Tim McCarver.

Bill Walton.

If, for one second, you think the success of a league lies in its announcers, you are the reason MLS and US Soccer are laughed at.
Boom.

[Eddie26]

Boom.

Amen. Tim McCarver is the worst...

[Thomas A Fina]

Amen. Tim McCarver is the worst...
I'm a Yankee fan and I want to kill him

I think we should send a petition to Fox to fire McCarver

Unfortunately I have been finding out that crappy sports commentating is across the American landscape - not just American soccer. (sadly, Madden has turned into a parody of himself. So has Berman. McCarver's gotten worse too - give me Morgan any day of the week. So has Vitale and Billy Packer. But I digress). Like anything else in the media the dross crap outweighs the good stuff. There are ten Ron Atkinson's to one Jon Motson, one Cantor to ten of those clowns doing the PPV sportscast. One Vin Scully to ten Brent Musbergers (post Wild Turkey).

It is a damn shame that regardless of sport, announcers by in large suck. I could go on at very great lengths on the crap I am subjected to on a daily basis sports-wise. I wouldn't wish Jon Sterling on anyone. People want to be the news rather than simply report it. I wonder if this is a mostly American thing?

Note : my ideal studio would be JP Dellacamera and Ray Hudson or Alexi Lalas for now.

The Budweiser/Joe Buck/Shamalamadingdong commercial captures this perfectly.

Broadcasters that are watcable :

Vin Scully
Mike Emerick/ John Davidson
Marv Albert
Keith Jackson
Joe Buck
Gary Thorne

I'm probably missing a few this is straight off the top of my head

[Peretz48]

We should differentiate between PBP and color commentators. I agree that Vin Scully is classic. Has encyclopedic knowledge without being condescending. I find Keith Jackson a bit too folksy, but he's OK. I know some will disagree, but I like Al Michaels. In soccer, I still think Cantor is the best. Sure, many will say his "gooollllll!" is played out by now, but the guy has sincere passion and a respect for the game, and that's why I don't get tired of his trademark call. JP is among the best of the English language PBP announcers. You always get the impression that he's been around the sport and actually knows the difference between Anderlecht and Club Brugge.

[monster]

Unfortunately I have been finding out that crappy sports commentating is across the American landscape - not just American soccer.

Thanks to living between two markets, I had my choice of nine college football games at noon on Saturday. I didn't hear anything awful because I was flipping around, but I hardly think that the 18 or 20-some guys doing those games were gold.

Commentary sucks because:

1. There are so many positions to fill.
b. Speaking clearly and without stumbling outweighs actually knowing what you are talking about.

[mosler]

here is a nice basic video on commentating by the great John Motson http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/cta/sport/academy/football/mc/motson/commentary/256k.ram (need real player) from the BBC site http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/football/video_masterclasses/newsid_2127000/2127143.stm

"Now to be a really top football reporter or commentator you've got to have a real passion for the game, you've got to be very enthusiastic, you've got to be prepared to work hard and you've also got to be a very good communicator."

Oh yeah, and you've got have a swimsuit calendar behind you're desk when you're interviewed on TV. Just classic.

[Z010 Union]

Hey Rob, You're not Stuart Scott. If you like that well sorry for you. But no offense, but people like you are the reason that mls is a joke, is globally disrespected, and the US players are disrespected.

here is a nice basic video on commentating by the great John Motson http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/cta/sport/academy/football/mc/motson/commentary/256k.ram (need real player) from the BBC site http://news.bbc.co.uk/sportacademy/hi/sa/football/video_masterclasses/newsid_2127000/2127143.stm

Nowhere does he mention make dumb comments about rap songs and treat the sport like a joke. But here in the US it is a joke. That's why MLS trys to sell to little AYSO kids instead of real fans and why the world thinks the US is made up of just women players. I dont' care who they put there as long as he's good. These people at ESPN, MLS, & US Soccer need to treat the sport with the respect it deserves and the players have earned. It's not some corny Rob Stone Joke. He needs to go NOW! Balboa too.

1. I guess season ticket holders in supporters sections are the reason why the sport is failing, or a joke. You little twit. The sport is not supported, in part, because TV is still a time buy on espn so they don't allocate their best resources to do the games. The last half century of American sports has proven that successful leagues, enjoy even more success once they have good TV coverage. For right now, I'll take a guy who is passionate about the sport, even if he is a bit dorky, over someone who falsely overly reverant about the game. I watched a Liverpool telecast three weeks ago and their commentators sounded like two sauced up Scousers. Frankly it was entertaining to watch.

2. "The great John Motson" - I doubt you would have heard of him if not for EA Sports' FIFA series

3. Sports commentators won't take it seriously until it has enough financial power to be taken seriously. The economic reality is that MLS doesn't have enough of a National footprint to warrant regular coverage and not enough attendance or TV viewership to warrant SportsCenter or out of market sports coverage,

I hate to break it to you, but Rob Stone is not the reason why soccer is failing. But maybe, just maybe, if John Motson could come on loan for a summer, all of America would become soccer fans.

[terp fan]

Where do I sign? Stone is terrible and less Wynalda would be welcome, move him back to the sidelines.

[copaantl98]

Rob Stone Sucks. How about a petition to get him fired. Does anyone whose good with websites or something want to make a web petition that we can get to have people sign. Maybe we can send it to ESPN so they can fire him and get some one else. The guys doing champions league are much better. And tommy Smythe is lives in New York. Hell he could do it. Someone! Stone is a moron on MLS and proved he's a moron during today's panama game. Please help spare us. The man said "funky cold yellow card on Medina" for God sakes. No wonder why MLS and US is laughed at.

How about a petition to get you banned? Stone rocks.

[rtiemens]

Broadcasters that are watcable :

Vin Scully
Mike Emerick/ John Davidson
Marv Albert
Keith Jackson
Joe Buck
Gary Thorne

I'm probably missing a few this is straight off the top of my head

Al Michaels. I'll never forget his PBP for the 1980 Olympic hockey when the US beat the Russians and then the Finns for the gold medal.

Mike Emerick and Jon Davidson are just the best. I don't even like hockey that much anymore, but I'll watch if those guys are doing the game. Top notch all the way.

I don't think Rob Stone is that great, but he is not that bad, either. He'll grow out of those sophomoric lines he uses, I hope . . . and hopefully in the process he will focus more on the game than the personalities.

I have to admit I do not understand the knocks on Balboa. I though he did fine with the color, and brought a lot of technical insight as one would expect from a former player. Though he struggled a couple of times to think of something to say during the USA-PAN match, overall I thought he did a creditable job. I do think it time, though, that he get a haircut.

I think the worst announcers are the british ones who, though very knowledgeable about the game, sound as if they are bored to tears.

[rorschach]

I agree that Rob Stone is painful to listen to. But do you remember Ty Keogh? UGH!
Now this is just my opinion, but the ESPN crew severely detracts from the game for me. It might help get kids into the game, and that's a good thing, but I can't stand Rob Stone. I'll sign the petition.

[PaulGascoigne]

The two guys from the El Salvador broadcast are probably available if you would prefer.

Personally, I like Rob Stone and Balboa/Wynalda. I think that they are much better than the FSW people.

Christ, those El Salvador broadcast guys absolutely are kind of like having Wayne and Garth do the...no, never mind, that would be an insult to Wayne and Garth. At least my Mom could have pronounced everyone's name correctly.

I see Stone and Balboa as stopgap measures until we get some quality commentators who are both American and good. They aren't horrible by any stretch, but they aren't anywhere near excellent, either. I don't think Jack and Ty are good either, but they are so fun to make fun of. "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory!" God, those were the days... :D

What about Lionel Bievenue :)

[Anthony W]

[QUOTE=These people at ESPN, MLS, & US Soccer need to treat the sport with the respect it deserves and the players have earned. It's not some corny Rob Stone Joke. He needs to go NOW! Balboa too.[/QUOTE]

It is being treated with the respect it deserves...in America. Where do my fellow American soccer fans get this sense of entitlement from?

[bukie2k]

Max Bretos (the guy from FSW) should do it along with Christian Miles (also from FSW).

Why not throw Ridge Mahoney in the mix and make it a 3 man cluster********?

I couldn't think of any other pairing that would cause me to shotput my cable box out the window quicker.

[LaRhonda]

I don't really have a problem with Stone even though he say's some corny remarks, and I like Balboa, but I hate Wynalda. I think out of the three I would like to see Wynalda go cause I think he's freakn' idiot. And why in the world does ESPN2 keep teaming Stone and Wynalda up? It's now getting to the point where I mute the tv cause I don't want to listen to him.

[USA_2014]

I hear you guys loud and clear. Rob Stone is a character. You know, though, this world needs characters. At this point, I'd be disappointed if they replaced Rob with somebody else. But, if I could pick the announcers myself, anyone I wanted, I would have Mike Haynes do the play-by-play and Thomas Rongen do the analysis, that would be an awesome combination. My username is USA_2014 because that's the year I predict the USA will win the world cup! I'm a big fan of MLS, and I have a lot of tolerance for little things that might need improving, because overall I am so ecstactically happy that we have a real professional soccer league in this country and I will support it to the end! Go USA!!!

[TxFan]

this thread is such bs. and i don't mean "bigsoccer". stone loves the game, is passionate about the team and actually cares about the result on the pitch. he's one of us. who would you have instead dave "jason wolff" o'brien??!!