Okay I just heard Max Bretos for the first time because MSG showed the Manchester United and Celtic game. I just love it how people complain about Jack exaggerating his calls on certain plays. Max was exaggerating throughout and even worse. A wide majority complain about Jack's use of analogies such as "Thread the needle." What about Max? Max said during a sequence, "Oh, he was looking to pass to the eye of the needle." How pathetic was that? Everytime a player got by a defender, Max would say, "Attaaa booooy". Please. Give me a break. and I can't count the number of times Max was blabbering on about something that has nothing to do with the game. How can one complain about Jack or Rob, when Max does the same thing, only 100 times worse? Max is the one with the fake enthusiasm. Jack rules.
With all due respect... you have no idea what you are talking about. Max is a genuine football lover. Could you not see how excited they were to be covering these 2 teams? What about Christian Miles face when interviewing RVN? Yes, both Jack and Max are very exuberent (sp?). Yet, Max does it with style, Jack, well...sounds canned most the time. Bottom line, I'll take Max announcing any day.
I love Max and Jack equally, but for entirely different reasons. Usually, they could not be more different in style. Polar opposites. However, when United scored for (IIRC) the 4th time, Max said something like "United they stand!" It was eerily Jack-like. Creeped me out. Don't ever do that again, Max.
Jack was and still is a "genuine" football fan. He is now the play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Fire on Fox Sports Net Chicago. In fact, I think it's his passion for the game that causes his play-by-play to be so over the top which people don't like. Jack also does play-by-play on ESPN for the NHL and I think he does an excellent job with the hockey games. Perhaps if he approached soccer with the same professionalism that he gives hockey, people would be more receptive. I'm not trying to convince anyone to like Jack's play-by-play. You all are entitled to whatever opinion you want about Jack as an announcer, that's cool. But, you should be aware that Jack is as much of a football fan as anyone that reads/posts on the bigSoccer boards.
What I meant was that Max portrays his love for the game with professionalism, he knows his stuff, he calls the game in a way that makes it fun to listen to. He knows what football fans want to hear in an announcer. My opinion.
The only problem I have with Jack is that he doesn't have a very good voice for play-by-play. A little congested, like he's always got a cold. A good pbp man should either be high and nasally like Mike Emrick, baritone with a trace of gravel like Jack Buck, or the Voice of God Harry Kalas.
all i know is that the Celtic/Man U commentaries reminded me of baseball. It was a bored. There was some good moments, but most of time, it was dull.
Max Bretos with Chanaglia (sp.?) for the "Champions of Soccer" broadcasts, or however way they are trying to market the basic equalivalent to preseason games, are pretty bad. Nobody really giving play by play...just their own personal two cent comments. Especially Chanaglia's personal inane sentiments. But other than JP Dellacamera, or Tommy Hill, nobody in this country really does play by play (don't even get me started with Pablo Ramirez on Unvision...he's the worst of the lot). Do i respect Jack for at least attempting to help out on the soccer media culture in the U.S.? you bet...but i don't want to ever hear him and Ty come up with some of the most idiotic comments that i've ever heard during a broadcast (although, again, Ramirez is really challenging him on that!?!) So in sum...I'd rather listen to Max of my lesser of two evils.
I'm actually pretty impressed by Allen Hopkins- Rick Davis commentary on Manure vs America... ...but its probably all the EPL experience. They're able to comment on all the Manure players, but not the America ones. Anyway, do we actually have a good pairing here!?!
The thing driving me nuts about this "Champions Tour," is how starstruck the announcers seem to be. They're only a few giggles shy of being the little girls freaking out over Elvis.
Can't handle Max. Glad Project2020 is out of here. I have a feeling he was a sockpuppet. And I can't for the life of me imagine how Hopkins/Davis could possibly be any good.
it's all about expectations management... I think that realization is the first step to happiness with pbp. Once you realize that there is no pbp on TV and you're just going to get two guys chatting almost randomly about soccer while there's a game going on in the background, then it becomes much easier to deal with all of them. Except Pablo Ramirez. I think he'd be intolerable even if you were just having lunch with him. The only other solution is to mute the volume and listen to the Radio Unica guys. They actually do pbp. I did that during much of the Gold Cup and it was great. Unfortunately, it's just not always an option. I'll also toss in a defense of Allen Hopkins. I think he's much better now that a couple years ago. He comes close to doing a real pbp. And when he does go off on something not involving the game at hand, it's at least marginally related to the game and he doesn't go on forever.
That was the least bad performance by Ricky Davis (on or off the field) that I have ever witnessed. I think he should retire from broadcasting on this high note.
What should have happened was to tell Giorgio to take a hike (I can't spell his last name).... ....unfortunately he owns a piece of the company that put together the Champions World tour.
I think they were excellent. Allen Hopkins is the best in my opinion. He looks totally different than I thought he would look like. He said he was from Germany so I was expecting someone with really light skin and blonde hair haha. Ignorance is bliss.
I don't mind Max for the Argentine coverage - but when he takes the mic for a game where i know what's going on - he starts to wear on me (especially big UEFA matches). Chinaglia is the worst broadcaster I've ever heard cover the sport. He's kind of like an old, disgruntled man talking during a game. Grumpy, imposing and plain wrong. I couldn't bear him in the studio for the World Cup. I felt so bad for Gannon and Wynalda - but thats where Waldo showed me real talent in his analysis.
Bretos blows! He always sounds as if he's trying to regurgitate a bowling ball while passing Roy Hudson as a kidney stone. Can't listen to his blather at all.
finally some people agree with me.... listening to the FSW Broadcasts with Bretos,Hopkins,Miles and Chinaglia.. are the absolute worst... and an English voice does not make it any better... Webster is just as horrible as the rest of them... These guys are ok halftime analysis guys... but when it comes to PBP.. talk about whats going on, on the pitch and dont ramble on about crap... listening to FSW broadcasters is like sitting behind two know-it-alls at a football match... I wish they could groom someone in the style of JP Dellacamera..... Did someone above actually LIKE Rick Davis' commentary...?!?!?! you have got to be kidding The TWI and Sky Broadcasts are a high bar to raise up to.. but I think the more people that watch the games and compare them to the FSW guys they will see the vast difference in experience and style and hopefully more people will demand better from FSW. Cantona---