View Full Version : Honest critique of J.P./'Celo
coldfusion
08 Sep 2005, 01:40 PM
with Balboa I just don't get the impression that he knows ANYTHING about any of the teams the US plays.
Why should that matter? He doesn't even know anything about the Rapids' players and he calls their games every week.
bungadiri
08 Sep 2005, 01:43 PM
how many times did you have to type it to get it right?
Enough that I wondered about making a macro for it in MS Word. :o
Tea Men Tom
08 Sep 2005, 01:47 PM
Wynalda. Now.
One of the best analysts in any sport right now. You're going to have a lot of people watching the World Cup who don't normally watch the sport. Put your best foot forward if you want to sell the game to them......
Put Wynalda in the booth.
Celo has upgraded lousy to a younger Ty Keough right now. You want Vanilla, Celo's your guy.
sidefootsitter
08 Sep 2005, 01:50 PM
Enough that I wondered about making a macro for it in MS Word. :o And for the Johnnies-come-lately, what do the abbreviations mean?
Crimen y Castigo
08 Sep 2005, 01:53 PM
Hearing Christian Miles on Fox yesterday pronounce every Italian name like he was filming a "That's-a-one-a-spicy-meat-a-ball" commercial makes me infinitely grateful for JP's professionalism.
And he does work up some nice energy on shots or build-ups to shots.
russ bolshevik
08 Sep 2005, 01:55 PM
Espn is going to show these games the way they want to. No matter what the fans think or is proper. A comparison of espn & telemundo is informative. Telemundo is far superior. Espn is gimmicks, motor mouthing liars , more gimmicks & the latest & best lie: " Espn thanks its sponsors for bringing you this game without interruption." I suppose it would do no good to argue that its commercial breaks are interruptions (especially when a goal is scored during one). With that type of mindset you must hold your nose & turn the sound off.
bungadiri
08 Sep 2005, 02:47 PM
And for the Johnnies-come-lately, what do the abbreviations mean?
Besides being a Harry Potter joke, the name "He Who Must Not..." and the initials based on it were a poke at the fear and loathing Jack Edwards' name used to instill on these boards. In case you don't remember, Edwards caught a lot of flak (and some support) as ESPN's USNT play by play guy during the 02 WC. (While I personally thought some of the criticism of Edwards was overblown, I always thought he was a goof and there's no question in my mind that either JP or Stone is a big improvement over him. )
coldfusion
08 Sep 2005, 04:37 PM
Hearing Christian Miles on Fox yesterday pronounce every Italian name like he was filming a "That's-a-one-a-spicy-meat-a-ball" commercial makes me infinitely grateful for JP's professionalism.
Miles really went overboard with his pronounciations when he got the Chivas USA job.
Red Devil11
08 Sep 2005, 05:07 PM
One of the best analysts in any sport right now. You're going to have a lot of people watching the World Cup who don't normally watch the sport. Put your best foot forward if you want to sell the game to them......
Put Wynalda in the booth.
Celo has upgraded lousy to a younger Ty Keough right now. You want Vanilla, Celo's your guy.
I want somebody who knows about the World game. Do you really think Wynalda know much about anyone outside MLS.
galperin
08 Sep 2005, 05:24 PM
I would do a better job than 'Cello.
Seriously.
Bluecat82
08 Sep 2005, 05:48 PM
http://www.unhmagazine.unh.edu/f02/photos/jackedwards.jpg
YES!!!!!
TOTC, you're covered...
Once again, the Old Geezer asks you to return to the heady days of World Cup '94, when he must once again invoke the two words that should strike terror into the heart of any US Soccer fan...
Roger.
Twibell.
(However, Thorne and Clement would make for an interesting match call - have them do Ukraine, Poland, or the Czech Republic - they'd pronounce all the names right for sure!)
i just thank heavens Stoner wasnt around to call these games.
triste313
08 Sep 2005, 06:31 PM
YES!!!!!
TOTC, you're covered...
Once again, the Old Geezer asks you to return to the heady days of World Cup '94, when he must once again invoke the two words that should strike terror into the heart of any US Soccer fan...
Roger.
Twibell.
(However, Thorne and Clement would make for an interesting match call - have them do Ukraine, Poland, or the Czech Republic - they'd pronounce all the names right for sure!)
SCOORRRREEEEE U - S - A!!!
That was so painful...It could be worse, I can remember Charlie Rose, Mexico 86...
sachinag
08 Sep 2005, 06:47 PM
Ley/Wynalda.
Just do it.
toddzilla
08 Sep 2005, 06:53 PM
I don't need him explaining how GAM missed. Its boring. "Use the front of the forehead instead of the side."
How about "He should have put that one away. He hasn't been playing well for Dallas and its showing in his finishing. He would have never have missed that 6 months ago."
You're criticizing the ONE insightful/analytical thing that Balboa said the entire match? Any moron can say "he should have put that one away." 'Celo actually told us WHY it didn't happen. Of all the comments to criticize...
As for griping about the broadcast partners, most don't seem to get that when one person isn't up to snuff, it ruins the 'team.' I can't understand why people gripe about JP Dellacamera. He does a solid job describing the action. That's what the play-by-play guy is supposed to do. Because of Marcelo's apparent shyness at this point (rarely volunteers anything at all), it ruins the flow that's supposed to happen when you're broadcasting.
JPD & Wynalda would be perfect, or at least the best we've got now. JP knows how to describe the action and Wynalda will clearly critique what's going on. Color commentators are supposed to have strong opinions and play off of what the Play-by-Play man is doing. That doesn't happen with JP & Marcelo right now. I think Marcelo could get a lot better if he just had the confidence to say whatever was on his mind, but clearly he's using a lot of 'filters'. One thing's for sure: the job of doing these games is a hell of a lot more difficult than folks seem to think it is.
sidefootsitter
08 Sep 2005, 06:58 PM
Besides being a Harry Potter joke, the name "He Who Must Not..." and the initials based on it were a poke at the fear and loathing Jack Edwards' name used to instill on these boards. In case you don't remember, Edwards caught a lot of flak (and some support) as ESPN's USNT play by play guy during the 02 WC. (While I personally thought some of the criticism of Edwards was overblown, I always thought he was a goof and there's no question in my mind that either JP or Stone is a big improvement over him. ) I wasn't visiting the boards then but I certainly do recall Jack's "slight overexuberance" ... which is a pity. When Edwards was doing hockey for the ESPN/2, he was very competent.
PS. Bill Clement actually did color (that's right, color analysis) for the Indoor Soccer finals on ESPN2 in late May, so he either knows a bit about the game or he had picked it up quickly. I actually don't mind Wynalda but Gary Thorne is head and shoulders above JP, which is why he was the lead on ESPN's and ABC's hockey telecasts and is currently a top baseball PBP guy. I think JP signed up to do hockey with the Atlanta Thrashers about a year or two ago.
Oh, and thanks for the explanation ... Jack was that detested here? Wow..
cisco39
08 Sep 2005, 07:17 PM
http://www.unhmagazine.unh.edu/f02/photos/jackedwards.jpg
Bring back Jack!
MostovoiRulz
08 Sep 2005, 07:31 PM
yeah, there's such not much of a soccer commentator talent pool out there...
oh wait what happened to the juggernaut Shoen/Keogh combo?
i can remember when announcers would say 'there's a flag on the play' when offsides was called.
Lets try to remember where we've come from. The outlook is getting better each year.
lynne
08 Sep 2005, 07:52 PM
A comment: I watched some of a replay of US vs. Mexico on GOL TV. I don't know who the 2 announcers were tho' you could tell that they probably spoke spanish first. They were great! The game was much more interesting. They talked about problems in the US positioning. They complained about the fouls against Beasley. They sounded like they knew the US players personally. It was entertaining. They said things I didn't already know.
Asprilla9
08 Sep 2005, 08:06 PM
You're criticizing the ONE insightful/analytical thing that Balboa said the entire match? Any moron can say "he should have put that one away." 'Celo actually told us WHY it didn't happen. Of all the comments to criticize...RIGHT ON. that was actually 'Celo's only point of real analysis the whole night. to single that out as what's wrong is pretty much missing the entire point altogether.
As for griping about the broadcast partners, most don't seem to get that when one person isn't up to snuff, it ruins the 'team.' I can't understand why people gripe about JP Dellacamera. He does a solid job describing the action. That's what the play-by-play guy is supposed to do. Because of Marcelo's apparent shyness at this point (rarely volunteers anything at all), it ruins the flow that's supposed to happen when you're broadcasting.DITTO.
JPD & Wynalda would be perfect, or at least the best we've got now. JP knows how to describe the action and Wynalda will clearly critique what's going on.DITTO AGAIN.
I think Marcelo could get a lot better if he just had the confidence to say whatever was on his mind, but clearly he's using a lot of 'filters'.this is where i go astray. i used to think that. but after watching every US WCQ on ESPN/2, i've come to the conclusion that there isn't a whole lot going on in 'Celo's head to begin with. in other words, there's nothing to filter. if you go back and read the original poster's post, he was right on: Balboa doesn't do any research. i can't remember any serious analysis 'Celo's offered up on any of the teams we have played, even Mexico (which is disgraceful -- he should be very well versed on their players). i realize that the most important thing is that he knows our players, but the fact that he doesn't know the opposition makes me think he doesn't follow CONCACAF and that's pretty unforgiveable given the job description.
One thing's for sure: the job of doing these games is a hell of a lot more difficult than folks seem to think it is.true. but there is a difference between being nervous/shy and being too lazy to do any research before the broadcast. obviously he was nervous at first, but that has calmed a bit, and while he's improving it's still blatantly obvious that he thinks he can just waltz into the booth with his vast experience and be a top-notch color analyst. someone, ANYONE, needs to tell him that that's not how things work.
if Balboa goes to Germany with only these cheap stock phrases and comments about "how improved the MLS is" i will fire a .22 into my TV.