This is fantastic news - major kudos to ESPN Any word yet on their complete broadcast team? And will all the announcers be live in South Africa or will some call from Bristol via monitor?
JP Dellacamera just got PWNED and it could get worse: Tyler said ESPN is considering having him call the U.S. national-team games in South Africa, though much will depend on the World Cup draw on Dec. 4. It's conceivable a broadcaster with Tyler's international experience might be better served calling a so-called "Group of Death" draw in the opening-round matches if some of the world's glamour teams are pitted together.
There's nothing wrong with JP, he's fine, and if he keeps the US games, so be it. But the thought of a US player finishing off a cross with a header or sharp volley and Tyler shouting their name gives me chills. AL-TI-DORE! I wouldn't think this for just any UK voice. I first seriously watched soccer while in grad school in Calgary 15 years ago, when TSN would provide extended highlights of games a week after the fact and then run a scroll of halftime and fulltime scores from England. It was my first exposure to Martin Tyler, I've viewed him as the top commentator in the game ever since.
First time I heard Tyler was him doing Serie A highlights during the 1986/87 season, which were shown on the old FNN/SCORE network. But the first time I saw the name 'Martin Tyler' was in a hardcover book I still own that was published in 1978 titled "Soccer: The World Game". It lists the author as Martin Tyler. Same person?
If ESPN is replacing JP Dellacamera with Martin Tyler for the USA games, that would suck, not just for JP, but for the fans as well. JP has provided competent commentary for the USA matches throughout qualifying, he's more familiar with all of the names and the faces than any other commentator outside of the clowns at FSC, and frankly, he'll do a much better job with those matches than Tyler will. This no slight against Tyler, who is very good, but the fact of the matter is that his bread and butter is the Premier League and England. Quite simply, when it comes to the USA matches, it comes down to whether you prefer a competent announcer who calls a weekly match from the league where the bulk of the players play and who has called most of the USA matches throughout qualifying, or a very good announcer who occasionally gets to see a few of the players in his Premier League broadcasts. For all the other matches, they can have Tyler as the #1 PBP man. But I think it would serve the fans better to keep JP as the PBP man for the USA matches.
I tend to agree at risk of sounding like a pure homer. Seriously though, Jefe has a point, JP is still a solid announcer overall and, given his knowledge of the squad, it would just make sense to keep him on the mic for U.S. matches.
we all know the ins & outs of the US squad. I want someone that has a great delivery. Martin Tyler is way better than any announcer we have.
Here's a likely first XI. Howard; Spector, Onyewu, Demerit, Bocanegra; Jones, Bradley, Donovan, Holden; Dempsey, Altidore. I count 1 guy in France, 2 guys in Germany, 1 guy in the CCC, 1 guy in Italy, 4 guys in the Prem, and 2 MLSers. Just sayin'.
Dave O'Brien has a great delivery as well. Seriously, isn't this the same sort of style-over-substance conceit that got us O'Brien in the first place? Yes, yes, I know... Martin Tyler's has a much longer resume in the arena of soccer play-by-play than O'Brien can ever dream to have, but still... I want the most knowledgeable announcer, even at the expense of a little bit of "delivery," and to be quite honest, that man is not Martin Tyler for the USA (or any other national team in this part of the world). Yes, theoretically, he can learn the players and the subtleties of the game in this part of the world over the next several months, but that's what they said about O'Brien. It never did quite work out that way. Why not just keep the guy who already has the knowledge and a good delivery? grumblegrumblegrumble... dadgummed nitpickers... grumblegrumblegrumble
Dave O. ONLY had a pleasant voice. What he said was complete nonsense. Martin Tyler actually knows the game. I don't mind JP but given the choice of Martin Tyler or JP, I'll take Tyler every time.
and Tyler isn't knowledgable? Can you really compare O'Brien to Tyler in terms of broadcasting the game. Didn't O'Brien start out in some other sport? I don't know about others, but I don't think JP has a good delivery. Not saying that Martin Tyler's necessarily my cup of tea either, but i know for sure that JP isn't.
Awesome news. I actually got all giddy when I heard Tyler start talking during the Fulham-Hull City match on ESPN2 today. Let's just pray that they partner him up with Andy Gray and JP Dellacamera is watching the WC from the same place that I will be, his couch!!!
Martin Tyler would be the consummate professional to have here. Just because he doesn't have a long history of calling US matches, doesn't mean he won't know the team well. Commentators like him don't simply show up five minutes before a match and peek at the teamsheet. I'd expect him to spend a fair amount of time beforehand doing his homework on all 32 teams, including the players and their clubs, the roads each took during qualification, the styles of play, and each team's strengths and weaknesses. As the article mentioned, he covered the last five World Cups for SBS in Australia, so it's not like he doesn't know what's going on outside the Premier League. If they can get Andy Gray back alongside him after they had him for Euro 2008, I might not actually move away from my television at any point next summer.
It should be noted that JP Dellacamera didn't announce the last USMNT game, Adrian Healey did. Sure, there was a MLS game that day too, but that hasn't stopped JP from doing the USMNT game before. This is fantastic news. Tyler is quality. A WC requires at least 4 commentary teams. If the top 4 PbP guys are Tyler, Rae, Healey, and Dellacamera, that's ridiculously awesome.
Kudos to ESPN for the pick. Martin Tyler is world class. And if he's picked for the US games, I'd be stoked for that as well. Sorry, I care about one thing when it comes to commentary, and that's competency with the craft. The lack of knowledge angle is pretty laughable....most US players play in Europe. Tyler's general knowledge of the game itself is incredibly extensive....I doubt we're going to be getting any "heyyy, crossball into the offensvie sector!!!" with Tyler. To the extent that Tyler lacks relevant US mens soccer knowledge, I can't really see how it would in any way shape or form detract from the product he delivers on a consistent basis. For starters, I often hate how American soccer commentators feel the need to teach me a game I know just as much or more about than they do. Commentate the game. So really, I DON'T want to hear him telling me about MLS backstories. I don't think that there's anything that any US commentators provide that Tyler either can't or otherwise compensate for it with his superior talents elsewhere. Overall, ESPN deserves massive credit for the steps they've been taking with soccer of late.
Martin Tyler is the ultimate professional. When he covered the Euro Under21 Tournament this past summer, he would go on SkySports News and just talk about all of these different nations and this was for Under21's. I can't imagine that he wouldn't add to his already large knowledge of the game for the World Cup. The man is the top in the game, no one is better suited for this type of even than he is.
ESPN tonight even used the international feed to use Tyler instead of the ESPN UK commentary team... coincendence... ? i think not... someone at ESPN is doing their homework and finally making good decisions for football fans.. this is a great signing by ESPN... i know there was talk that ESPN tried to get Mourihno for studio analysis for Euro 2008.. i wonder if they will pursue this again.. looks they are pulling out the stops... i hope Andy joins Martin.. a true chance for the US to see the best commentary team in football bar none. Cantona---
The style over substance comment makes some sense since I would argue that the best football announcer is already an ESPN employee: Derek Rae. I do like Tyler, and he has called many big competitions for a variety of networks, so I'm glad to see a true football announcer calling the European sides. As others have said, I think JP knows the US team best. Per another post in this thread (I don't feel like copying and pasting a multi-quote), most of the top US players play in the EPL but that doesn't mean Tyler has called their games, and it certainly does not mean that he knows how they play together in the context of the USMT. Personally, I hope JP calls the US games and all other games are split between Derek Rae and Martin Tyler (schedule permitting since some days might feature too many games for the two of them to call).
Interesting to see ESPN2HD (U.S.) take the PLP/IMG feed of Fulham vs Hull City with Martin Tyler doing pxp instead of the ESPN UK broadcast with Jon Champion and Joe Royle. One would assume that Tyler will call the WC 2010 final on ABC.
Any reason why Champion and Royle won't work WC games on ESPN US? Agreed that it is great news about Martin Tyler and by all means he should do the U.S. matches. Nothing against JP, but this is a step up. Now....is Charlie Jones still with us? .....