Mods: Feel free to delete or move if this doesn't rise to the level of N&A. si.com with the story: http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2014/09/14/gus-johnson-steps-down-foxs-top-soccer-announcer Quote: "Gus Johnson has stepped down as Fox’s No. 1 soccer broadcaster. Johnson told Sports Illustrated on Sunday that he called Fox Sports president Eric Shanks last week and explained that with a full schedule of college football and college basketball, he could not give soccer the attention it deserved and that viewers demanded of a lead broadcaster. Shanks agreed to pull Johnson off the assignment." Sorry to hear about his mother passing, but he was the worst soccer announcer. Worse than even Dave O'Brien for me.
good. im sure hes a great guy, and hes good for the sports he does, but to just decide to apply his talent to soccer is as ridiculous as the argument that kobe would be a world class left back
The only thing worse than the fact that I just read that in his voice is the realization that it could actually happen.
They could just hire Ian Darke after the 2016 Euros. Not like they really need a lead announcer until then. The only tournament that Fox currently has that is of any importance to the 2018 World Cup is the 2015 Gold Cup. They can just have whoever do that. If the WCQ schedule is similar to the 2014, there would only be two WCQ's before the 2016 Euros, so if they hire Darke after the 2016 Euros, he'd only miss two US WCQ games. Who knows, maybe even another broadcast company will have the WCQ rights.
I love Jack Edwards, his over the top delivery would be in stark contrast to the English commentators. Would be interesting. I did enjoy the 2002 world cup calls, but maybe the results had something to do with that.
If I'm not mistaken, to quote yourself, "Jack...we're no longer arriving. We're here." That was the best post I've ever seen on BigSoccer. Thanks for that. Would personally love to see Ian Darke.
Sounds fine to me. Or JP Dellacamera. I know he's still announcing. Sorry to hear why he left, but it was a win for him and for Soccer in the US.
Missed a few The company (Fox), which owns the rights to the next two Men’s and Women’s World Cups as well as the UEFA Champions League and starting next year, MLS and the US National Team, shockingly announced that Gus Johnson had stepped down from the post
Maybe I'm giving comment sections and message boards too much credit, but I wonder if he read all the negative feedback and decided he wasn't the right fit for the job. If it was a realization thing and he made that choice on his own, then I have massive respect for the guy because that's not something I would do.
Macca does do that English-ex-player-from-the-90s thing where he downplays even serious fouls as non-events. That being said, I agree that he would be pretty good. Pair him with Arlo, who is the type to overplay situations and use hyperbole a little too often, and you may get a decent match, with two different viewpoints of the same situation.
Sorry to hear about his Mom, but this is good news for hardcore fans, who were sick of a guy who knew far less than them, doing the gig.
Ian Darke annoyed me so much during the WC, that I actually had to mute my TV. He goes on and on and usually sounds like he is total in awe of the other team...no matter who we were playing.
Sorry to hear about his mother. I was worried about his ability and was never a fan of his EXPLOSION that maxed out the mic randomly. Fox will hire someone soon because they need them for the Champion's League. They won't phone that in because there is a really really big audience for that. I am not sure how it works with commentators and whether they have non-compete clauses in their contracts. All the big guys are working at either NBC or ESPN right now. If they can buy out someones contract then they should just go after anyone they want. Who will turn down that gig? "Hey, you want the next 2 world cups?" What I hope they do is just contract out each game and do a really big search for THE guy who will be the voice of US soccer for the next 8 years if they can't get the person they want right now. Don't just hire in house and fill the spot. Also, I think they should separate Champion's League booth guys and the World Cup since we are so far removed from the next World Cup. No need to just lump it together.
Doesn't Fox have English language US rights to the Centenario Copa America in 2016? If so, they will want to have someone in place well before.