I was talking about soccer announcers the other day with someone after a UEFA Champions League game and I commented on how well the British announcers did the game and how I wish ESPN would use them for all soccer games. This got me thinking because all the play-by-play American soccer announcers usually drive me nuts except for one guy I would occasionally hear during some MLS games and various others games that I kinda enjoyed listening to. After some game watching and research I finally figured out who he was: Max Bretos. I enjoy the flare and excitement he brings to his games, he isn't monotone and boring, he knows his stuff, he has unique phrases and max-isms that make him the way he is. Don't get me wrong, I still think the Brits are the best at announcing soccer but of the American announcers I have to say that Max Bretos is the best of the breed. If given the chance, I can see Bretos becoming the Dick Vital or John Madden of US soccer (not the annoying attributes of them, more in the terms of hearing his voice and associating it with soccer like Vital and Madden do for bball and football respectively). Just my opinion, i'd be interested to see if others agree or if they have their own favorite american soccer announcers... For anyone looking for a sample of Max Bretos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt1vioaJYBo
A) Bretos is Cuban, isn't he? IIRC he's not American though I could be wrong. B) I think he's an embarrassment to humanity frankly. I can't listen to his over the top meandering pointlessness. He's a frigging wrestling announcer for crying out loud.
JPD is great, I like Glenn Davis, but of the younger generation Bretos is the guy, no doubt. And who is getting better experience right now calling games than him? MLS, EPL, La Liga, Argentina - he calls everything. As for the wrestling - hey, you got to pay the bills. Good to hear a young guy with some passion and energy and good sense of humor.
Phil Schoen and Lindsey Dean are both far better. Even Dave O'Brien is better and he was just a baseball guy drafted in with no knowledge.
There are times when I listen to Bretos call a game and I think that he's excellent. Then there are times when I watch Bretos call a game and I have to change the channel. I think sometimes he just tries to hard to be interesting and funny as opposed to just calling the game. O'Brien is not better than Bretos. O'Brien doesn't know anything about the game and it showed.
I think Bretos is a work in progress. When I first got FSC I thought he was horrible but I think over the years he has gotten better. I think he works well with Christopher Sullivan on MLS games.
He's okay. He does like to talk and talk. He also doesn't always do very good research. In a recent UEFA Cup game between an English club and a Czech club, he said that the Czech league was still on winter break. It wasn't. I know that that is probably minor, but do a little research before the game, that's all I ask. This isn't the only instance where he hasn't always had facts straight. He seemed to have trouble knowing the format of the UEFA Cup earlier this year as well. I guess I'd have to say Phil Schoen is better.
Max is okay at best but not the best,.... I dont think there is a pure American that stands out yet.... Glen Davis has potential, he has the true american style and voice comparable to College football 'casters like Keith Jackson and Bret musburger. it would be nice to hear or see someone with a Marv albert style into a soccer game...... imagine Altidore splits the wing shoots!!! Yessssss!!!!! lololol
Well, setting aside the DCU fans who really seem to have something against the man.....I do like him in the sense that he brings a British style of straight forwardness and an occasional three syllable word into the fray..... In general his humor is a nice addition as well. All in all there are better play-by-play men....but for a sport that gets shit on a lot in this country (and on a two-bit sports tier network).....it seems like max has the fervor to be just the guy for the job.....
I like Bretos, but I think that JPD is the best. Max is an acquired taste, and doesn't take the game as seriously as I think some would like. As a result, I think he's a lot better doing some of the foreign games than the US Nats. Just my opinion.