Espn and The Euros

[Jay510]

i haven't heard him say anything about that. i didn't actually know that that happened. Rece keeps bringing up was the correct offside no-call on the Van Nistelrooy goal versus Italy. at least, i haven't heard him bring up the TWA 800 flight.

my bad, maybe that was tommy smyth. I know it was Panucci, some guy on ESPN was speaking about it three times or so, like it has something to do with Italy crapping the bed in this tournament.

[Cris 09]

Anyone know what games ESPN2 is going to be showing for match day 3 seeing as how the 2 games left per groups will now be played simultaneously??

[LaxBandit]

Anyone know what games ESPN2 is going to be showing for match day 3 seeing as how the 2 games left per groups will now be played simultaneously??

http://www.espnmediazone.com/program_info/Euro2008Schedule.htm

LB...

[Kirium]

My ESPN2 HD feed is completely blank, just a black screen.

But I can get it in standard def on regular ESPN2. Weird.

Anyone else?

[Cris 09]

http://www.espnmediazone.com/program_info/Euro2008Schedule.htm

LB...

Thanks!!

[gumbacicc]

Thank God I don't have to listen to this rambling idiot, Andy Gray, on a regular basis. He is so annoying.

[MasterShake29]

Anyone know what games ESPN2 is going to be showing for match day 3 seeing as how the 2 games left per groups will now be played simultaneously??

ESPN2 will get the more meaningful game.

My ESPN2 HD feed is completely blank, just a black screen.

But I can get it in standard def on regular ESPN2. Weird.

Anyone else?

ESPN2HD is fine for me.

[Rainer24]

Thank God I don't have to listen to this rambling idiot, Andy Gray, on a regular basis. He is so annoying.



You don't have to listen to him at all. Use your mute button if you have such a problem with him.

[gumbacicc]

You don't have to listen to him at all. Use your mute button if you have such a problem with him.

WTF should I watch a match with no volume? That is even more annoying than listening to this idiot. In any case, I typically watch the game in Spanish when I don't like the English commentators, but that isn't an option today.

[Rainer24]

You are very much in the minority on this one. Most people in the English-speaking world hold Andy Gray for one of the better commentators around.

[gumbacicc]

You are very much in the minority on this one. Most people in the English-speaking world hold Andy Gray for one of the better commentators around.

That may be the case, but it certainly doesn't dictate my opinion of the guy. I suspect the reason he is held in such great esteem in the English-speaking world, as you say, is because he has such a heavy bias toward EPL-based players that compete in this competition as do most of the rest of the English-speaking world.

I will admit that I have an Italian bias; however, I must say that I was surprised at his lack of knowledge with regard to the Italian side and his outright bias toward certain sides in general. That is very annoying but unsurprising given ESPN's mickey mouse coverage of international football. In the past two major tournaments we have been lambasted with the ignorance of July Foudy, Alexi Lalas and Eric Wynalda who seemingly have only been hired due to their past affiliation with USA international football and do not provide great insight. The only thing I do like about it is the high definition when the games are aired on ESPN or ESPN2.

I general, I prefer to watch the games with certain Spanish commentators as they tend to have a better overall understanding of what is going on.

[Big Soccer Member]

however, I must say that I was surprised at his lack of knowledge with regard to the Italian side and his outright bias toward certain sides in general.

I agree. I have been listening to him for years and his player knowledge is certainly poor. Although it has improved somewhat is recent years. I remember he had no idea who Phillipe Mexes was when he was wanted by every team in Europe. Also, sometimes he will begin talking about a player before a match and it is so obvious that he did 10 minutes research on him before and was un/impressed enough to do a feature on him.

[gumbacicc]

It just seems like Gray is the type of guy who is likely to say something outrageous that will get a rise out of people and is good for ratings. He is a lot like Ray Hudson for those who are familiar with Gol TV. I just find those types very annoying; just my opinion.

ESPN has a habit of doing things like that with respect to their football coverage. I remember when they got Chinaglia to do commentary on past Italy games despite the fact that he is a complete idiot. When Italy faced the US in the last World Cup and you had Chinaglia v. Lalas, it was just stupidity galore. Two guys blindly guided by national patronage and little by football knowledge.

[Rainer24]

I don't like Lalas, but I was just praying for him to deck Chinaglia at some point.


You can argue a bias on Gray's part, but he spends most of the year calling matches in England. It's only logical that he knows those players far better than anyone else. At least he is excited about the match. We could have been saddled with Harkes for these games.

[gumbacicc]

I don't like Lalas, but I was just praying for him to deck Chinaglia at some point.


You can argue a bias on Gray's part, but he spends most of the year called matches in England. It's only logical that he knows those players far better than anyone else. At least he is excited about the match. We could have been saddled with Harkes for these games.

Frankly, I don't like Chinaglia or Lalas; they could've killed each other for all I care. But returning to the subject, I just find that ESPN's spanish-speaking commentators, with the exeption of Mario Kempes, are more well-informed in general about the world game. I think the same is true of Gol TV's spanish-speaking crew. Just my opinion.

[ztnjv]

I like Andy Gray. I don't see what the problem is. I find him colorful and good complement to the main announcer.

I'm also used to Gray from the FIFA video game series.

He's better than Hudson from GolTV for one main reason: He knows how to control his breathing. Hudson needs to control himself and not make sighs, moans and grunts into his mic as he watches.;)

ESPN would do well to lock these guys in for WC 2010 and pair them up with good American announcers...what few we actually have....like Dellacamera.

No more O'Brien's! Next thing ya know, they'll be trying to get Boomer and Madden to do the games! :p

[red lass]

How can Andy Gray get away with saying Czechoslakia is playing Turkey.
This is just downright insulting to many countries, he said it several times in the studio on ESPN.

Gray also has this habit of forgetting players names. He makes a joke of it like the name is not important just listen to what I have to say. I am willing to bet he never makes that kind of mistake when working a game in England.

Andy may not know it but here in the USA we like to know the players names. Some of them are from where we come from so get it right.

[XaviandXabi]

Andy Gray is hilarious

[Rainer24]

If you are going to get all pissed about him mistakenly calling it Czechoslovakia, you could at least spell it correctly.

[Jay510]

I don't like Lalas, but I was just praying for him to deck Chinaglia at some point.


You can argue a bias on Gray's part, but he spends most of the year calling matches in England. It's only logical that he knows those players far better than anyone else. At least he is excited about the match. We could have been saddled with Harkes for these games.

if im not mistaken that was Wynalda who was giving Chinaglia the business in 2006. I dont remember Lalas and him having a go