I think the trap that many people (especially the network powers-that-be) fall into is thinking that the way U.S. sports are covered is THE WAY to do it. You actually don't need 2, 3 or more people involved. You don't need the sideline babe - although they are sometimes nice to look at. You don't need the "color man" who drivels on about the same stuff you read in the paper that morning. In fact, you only need one voice - if it's a good one. My first exposure to televised soccer was the old show "Soccer Made in Germany". I don't know who the Brit was, but I loved him. He described what was happening and what teams were doing wrong and what they were doing right. And I'm pretty sure there was no 2nd (or 3rd). He was a classic; someone would break in on goal and he'd shout "it must be"!
I remember that all too well...that was my first exposure to soccer on TV too. It was basically an hour-long program that was edited down from one of the games the previous week. It didn't matter, not like you knew that Schalke beat Borussa Moechengladbach or anything... The announcer was Toby Charles, and he had that very understated Brit way about him. I remember one time Karl-Heinz Ruminegge scored on an absolute bullet from about 30 yards out and all Charles said was "Oh my! That was quite a strike, wasn't it!" and he let the action speak for itself. I also remember a stadium announcement in German being audible over the TV, and Charles explaining that it was "to remind the supporters not to shoot rockets on to the pitch" As a kid, I wondered why anyone would bring one of those model rockets to a soccer game... Those wacky Germans!
They funny is this is ESPN's way of trying to bring in fans into the game and league. By talking over the broadcast endlessly about the players and whatever in the hope to make a connection with views and get them hooked that way. I would not discount this idea this that quickly. How many people watch Tiger Woods play golf despite the fact that watching golf is about has fun as watching paint peal and Tiger is about as charismatic as a Billy Goat? It has to do with the connection to people that is made though the media. The problem is while the theory is sound in practice soccer in full of action and does not lead itself to long stories or heavy analysis like the way some other sports do. Anyways ESPN needs to sign Ray Hudson!!
I understand your point, but I know that people here find EPL a more entertaining package than MLS overall, and many have talked about the presentation as a big impact on their feelings. The two gentlemen that do CL on ESPN2 when we're blessed enough to get it are what I would call class, in as much as I enjoy my football most when they're leading me through it. Some have responded defensively to my post, saying that I'm just complaining, etc. I appreciate MLS, love it, and would defend it against anyone or any view point. But does that mean I can't want and expect more out of it? We're a new league, and understandably, this is all a learning experience for how to work within the American realm of sports entertainment. But I think if we're going to take MLS where we all would like it to be, vast improvements in the commentary department are a necessity.
Last time I saw a CL game, I'm pretty sure it was Derek Rae and Tommy Smythe. It may have been JP on PBP, but I can't recall. Regardless, the reason they're 'class' is that they focus on the game. Sure, Tommy's an old windbag and once something happens during the game that affects his view, he can't shut up about it (at least it's relevant to the current game, though). However, JP and Derek are excellent PBP guys. The problem with the MLS broadcasts is that they forget they should be talking about the current game. There's BS about the past, there's anecdotal BS, etc. The league's been around for 10 years. While some mainstream sports guys try to portray it as a foreign sport, it isn't. They have to stop treating the fans like newbies. On the golf front, I don't consider myself a golf fan, but I've watched once or twice. Generally, it hasn't been boring. They show a player approach the ball, get set, hit, they follow the ball, go back for a reaction shot, maybe show a replay or two and move onto the next guy. I wouldn't call it action-packed, but there's very little downtime and the announcers are quiet when they need to be. They probably spend a minute, give or take, on each shot. Dan
I enjoy those two guys from goltv lindsay and phil i think, who co-host american soccer. You should have heard them call the chicago fire vs ACmilan game they made it extremely exciting and have knowledge about the game. I would like to see espn do more to promote the game given its a world cup year and advertisement dollars ride on their investments into non mainstream american sports. I know its been done allready but i think we need a preview and a review show and a halftime show that provides us with better insight then the two who are announcing the game. This is what i would like to see, those two from goltv should call the games and the halftime studio guys should be tommysmith and stone to analyze the game and others that have allready, currently, or will happen. All four should do the preview and review show. That sort of effort would help promote the league to fans who might be interested but do not get enough of the league to make them sold. In a perfect soccer world that would suit me. Check out those goltv guys they do a lot of italian games on gol and their show "american soccer" is the best soccer show about american soccer you can find anywhere in this nation. If you dont know about the show get goltv its wednesday night, times may vary. They give almost a full show to mls or american related soccer which isn't provided on other networks.
While watching the DC slaughtering of the Red Bulls today, I realized one thing that really annoyed me about the commentators, especially Wynalda. First off was Wynaldas ripping on Esky's goal celebration, but thats in another thread. The second one that really bugged me was how he would make predictions and educated guesses before stuff happens. In my mind a commentator is supposed to look at the game and comment on what he sees, not on what he thinks he will see. To many times does he draw on the screen, mapping out where the ball will go. If the player doesn't do that, he looks like an idiot. He could avoid looking like an idiot if he would simply choose the right words like "I would like to see him kick this ball to the near post", but instead he always makes it a definate statement like "Watch, he will kick this ball to the near post". After he comments on the future, the end result will be slightly off of what he said, and that just annoys me. He made a prediction that O'Rorke would get a yellow in 3 min. He never got one. Ontop of that, he blurted out "here comes that yellow" in the middle of a DC break out, but the man makes a smart play and Eric has to back himself out once again. Your a commentator Eric, not a freakin psychic! RRRREV IT UP
My favorite announcing moment in the DC v. Bulls game was Dave O'Brien mentioning that the ball was just outside the "six-foot box." Oh yeah, he really knows his stuff!
And if Stone et. al. are targeting the uneducated American audience by using rapport techniques relating to known sports jargon?.. Perhaps not all comments made in the world are directed toward one person..
when wynalda first started i thought it was refreshing to have a color guy who was young, opinionated and who knew the game and the league well. Now I find him insufferable. The yellow boomerang he draws on the screen each time someone is lining up for a free kick near goal is especially silly--as if there is something else besdies bending it into the goal that a player might be trying to do. I listen to a lot of BBC radio coverage of games. One thing they do is constantly rotate color commentators, and they are usually people who are still active in the game--other managers, players who are injured or out of contract, etc.--and it works. I think this is due to the changing voices more than anything. I actually wouldn't mind listening to Waldo if it was once every two months or so. Dave O'Boring, though he doesn't know the game, is actually much less annoying than Rob Stone. But that is not saying much.
Max Bretos, Christian Miles, and Allen Hopkins seem to be the most knowledgable pundits about football in the USA. We have the Direct Kick package through DISH Network as Chris and I love football (European, MLS, Spanish). Unfortunately, we also have a few pundits in the USA whom know little about the game and less about how to broadcast. My number one flopper is Eric Wynalda. If someone can please tell me what he did for football in the US or a soccer team, I would love to know. He talks about himself, and uses metaphors that are irrelevant to the game on hand. I don't fancy Greg Lalas nor Brad Feldman? either. Ray Hudson (former Miami Fusion coach and Rangers player) knows how to announce and is passionate about the game. Unfortunately for us, he is busy doing RSL home games. Hopefully, as more skilled players in MLS retire, we will have a new crop of decent pundits. Summer
Clubs: San Francisco Blackhawks (APSL) from 1/90 to 6/92, FC Saarbrucken (GER 1) from 7/92 to 6/94, VfL Bochum (GER 2) from 7/94 to 1/96, San Jose Clash (MLS) from 1/96 to 9/98, Leon (MEX 1) from 10/98 to 2/99, San Jose Clash (MLS) from 3/99 to 6/99, Miami Fusion (MLS) from 6/99 to 7/00, New England Revolution (MLS) from 7/00 to 5/01, Chicago Fire (MLS) from 5/01 to 1/02 Bio Info: Earned first Cap against Costa Rica Feb 2, 1990. Scored first goal on April 8, 1990 vs. Iceland. Named to All Copa America team 1995, Member of 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup team (Champions). Honda Player of the Decade in December, 2000. U.S. all-time leading scorer with 34 goals in 106 international appearances. Played in three World Cups (1990, 1994, 1998). The U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year in 1996 when he scored nine goals in 13 international appearances. Scored memorable free-kick goal vs Switzerland at USA '94 to give USA a crucial 1-1 draw that enabled them to advance to second round. Honda Player of the year in 1992 and 1996. 1992 and 1996 Honda US Player of the Year. 1996 Chevrolet US Player of the Year. Up to this point, he's probably among the top 10 most important players in US Soccer history. He was scoring goals (and dribbling) when almost no Americans knew how to!
Doesn't sound like much...couldn't we get someone with an English accent? The accent makes you far more knowledgable.
The funny part with all the experience with different clubs and the nation team u think he would be able to give some insightful analyses about the game yet it's a very rare moment that he say something that a JV player would not already know. I think Wynalda would great if MLS has talk radio he knows the players, the league and as strong options on about everything.
You know, I think he's probably succumbed to american broadcaster disease (the one where Brent Musberger, Len Berman and Bob Costa are the models). When he first did occasional games, he was pretty refreshing and did add some "unfiltered" insight and wasn't afraid to be critical. I wouldn't be surprised that now that he's full time, they've put him through training that has cleaned up all that he did well, leaving only the usual crap remaining. Seamus Malin was known for all those good things, yet rather than make him an offer he couldn't refuse, the networks looked for prettier, more vacuous personalities. "They" have a pretty good idea of what they want (Rob Stone) and it's not what most of us want. End of story.