[GersMan]

First- the commentary was awful. I used to like Rob Stone but tonight he seemed determined to just have a conversation rather than call the game. They were beating week-old events to death. Alexi Lalas just drones on in that monotone. How is a casual fan supposed to get interested with such a dry style of talking (and he goes on and on).

Then in the post-match interview, did Beckham say the Riot Squad was a disgrace????

[Revolt]

He did. He also said the guy in the England jersey who he shook hands with was a disgrace.

Everytime Lalas speaks a single word, I hate him more and more. Its so clear he's got some vendetta against Donovan. I would far prefer Harkes in the booth as the color guy. Hell, I would have preferred the fan with the red England jersey in the booth over Lalas.

[pupusa3000]

I respect Stoner for all his work and support for soccer, but they really need to get higher quality PBP guys then him. There is a fanboy aspect to him that doesn't really need to be in the booth.

[soonertony]

It was absolutely brutal, and I am not one to complain about announcers. It was as if they simply had zero interest in the game at hand, unbelievable.

And yes, I would love to know more about the relationship between Alexi Lalas and Landon Donovan, because it's clear Lalas resents him or something. Of course it is certainly not unusual in sports to have the old players who think everything and everyone was better back in their day, so I don't know if we are getting our first dose of that in US soccer or what, but there is something Lalas clearly does not like about Landon Donovan.

But mostly, I was just amazed at how little attention was paid to the game at hand. It was like two people in a living room talking with the tv muted in the background.

[IKickAndIm50]

Alexei Lalas kept trying to steer comments back to the game, but i think Rob Stone was just trying to be "controversial/provocative/interesting" but in reality i doubt most people wanted to hear a bunch of overly general flimflam, they wanted game comments/analysis instead.

and yeah Lalas always sounds like a surfer, he's waaaay too laidback

[StillKickin]

They hit an all-time low.

There was never any actual play-by-play and analysis for the game. None.

[Kot Matroskin]

Originally Posted by soonertony

But mostly, I was just amazed at how little attention was paid to the game at hand. It was like two people in a living room talking with the tv muted in the background.

Exactly!

It's almost like ESPN issued specific instructions: treat the actual game as of secondary importance to whatever you've got on your mind at the moment.

Where can we complain?

[joe]

i liked it .. its good to hear general commentary on the state of the league

we dont have any televised soccer 'highlight shows' (where discussion usually comes off too formulaic / overly scripted)

so it was good to hear stone and lalas talk casually / candidly about the sport

don't need someone yapping every minute about what i can clearly see with my eyes

[GersMan]

there's a whole lot of space between "yapping every minute" and what those guys did last night.

[YilmazOrhan]

Originally Posted by Kot Matroskin

Exactly!

It's almost like ESPN issued specific instructions: treat the actual game as of secondary importance to whatever you've got on your mind at the moment.

Where can we complain?

Hey, this is the network that made Dick Vitale a star, and put Tony Kornheiser on Monday Night Football (and I like Mr. Tony. Just not in the booth.). Talking about the actual game being presented is generally third or fourth on the priority list at ESPN, after general gossip, paeans to Duke and UNC, and screen time for Erin Andrews.