I'm not sure what a gak is but biggest in sports history? Would you rather have Dickie V, Brent Musburger, John Madden, or Bill Walton announcing MLS games? I wouldn't. Okay, maybe Vitale.
If there's one thing I've learned on BigSoccer is that no one agrees on anything when it comes to announcers, so I'm basically just dropping it. But when I look and listen to Rob Stone, I can't help but think that his mom is still doing his diapers. He does have a great enthusiasm for the league though, and that's always a huge plus.
He does know the rules, he simply forgot them for a second. As someone else explained, the fact that DCU only needed a tie to advance made it _feel_ like a DCU win, so when the whistle blew, he reacted as such. Jeez, cut some of these guys an ounce of slack.
Yeah, that's very true. And it didn't help to have two opinionated guys up there as well. Crowded and distracting. They should just get Tommy Smyth in there to babble in his strange Irish accent, everyone likes that.
Due respect, but I could replace "artificial" with just about every other adjective and it would mean the same thing. Keep the overtime. Soccer is too foreign as it is already without removing what we put into it.
Bill Walton sometimes trained (or at least hacked around) with the NASL Timbers during his time in Portland. He may actually know enough to be dangerous. Be careful what you ask for.
That's silly-I would put that as no.4-5 as a rebut to Dure's "Lessons From Champions World," column that was a thread here several months ago. The American soccer public is long past the need to have the game tailored due to these considerations. And if you look at the league since its first season, little by little, they are removing these things, and brining it closer to the rest of the world-which IMO they could have done in '97 with no ill effect. Having said that, I like overtime and it added something to yesterday's match. In fact, unlike Stone, watching Hudson high-five and hug folks in the stands, the first thing I thought was, "slow down Ray, it aint over yet." Even though I don't like so many teams in the playoffs, yesterday match delivered the goods in terms of drama, so on that score it's hard to argue.
Oh yes, announcers JP and Tommy is the way to go. Have Stone back in the studio for an MLS Wrap/2Nite-like show on ESPN2. And Lalas and Hudson can drop by anytime they like.
The second I realized Stone was going nuts and forgetting overtime, I knew this thread would pop up. Sure he should have realized OT was coming, but give the guy a break. Is it really that big a deal? Did it change the outcome of the game? Aren't there bigger problems to worry about?
I'm amazed neither Ty, Eric, nor the producer noticed either. You would have thought one of them might have remembered.
Speaking of which... Did I hear Eric say something to the effect, "...Stochkov(sp) just stands in front of the damn net..." while arguing with Ty? I know how he feels, Ty makes me want to cuss ALL the time.
Oh please I, too, knew this thread would appear the moment I realized Stone was of course wrong about something. But, before that, for a few seconds, he had me going, and I turned to my wife and said something like, 'what, have they gotten rid of overtime, now?' and for a milisecond I thought maybe MLS had changed the rules for the next-to-the-last game of the season, or something... ALL OF WHICH I THINK JUST ADDED TO THE FUN OF THE GAME. Well, at least for me. Stoner is goofy, sometimes, but geez, any of you watch Sportscenter, lately?
Stoner made a fool out of himself forgetting the OT thing, no question about it. But, it was just a mistake and I'm willing to forgive it, even if was pretty frikkin' embarassing. That said, he really should make a point to apologize fo the sniper comment. One of the sniper victims lived on my street. It was a pretty traumatic experience and not something to joke about. (And I'll joke about most anything.) I'm sure Stone meant nothing by the sniper comment but at the same time, he should take the high road and apologize for inadvertantly offending people even though that wasn't his intent. But, despite all that, Rob was nowhere near as bad as Ty. Changing his mind on the Hristo PK and the Martino ROY comment were just the latest in a long line of dopey comments. One things for sure, after yesterday both Rob and Ty should be glad Ruty Martzkee and any other sports TV critic don't pay attention to MLS because they'd have been reemed in print this morning. Ty should really hope that Ray is back at DCU next year and that Waldo makes a comeback and Lalas and Meola don't retire for a while because he is very replaceable and there are myriad more capable and qualified - ie they actually played or coached in the league - candidates ready and able to replace him.
Yeah, what is Ty Keogh's supposed qualification anyway? Did he play in the NASL or something? Well, Shep Messing is much better on the Metros broadcasts, IMHO, if that's what it takes. Stone is better than Bretos. Not knowing the offside rule is worse than getting carried away with the game and forgetting stupid OT. Who was that other color guy who used to sit in with Jack Edwards or JP on national broadcasts? A whiny little guy who always got everything wrong and used to complain about every little thing. I think his stock phrase was "He really should do better with that." HE was annoying...
i forgot about OT also. the announcers did such a great job televising the game that they just got caught into it. i would be excited too. the fact that dc tied it in injury time was phenomonal. iwas like, "geez, this things over..."
I don't know, but he couldn't do play-by-play of a dog taking a crap. Sorry. Just had to get that out of my system.
Heavy sigh Lighten up people! Ty doesn't do PBP anyway--he's the color guy. For those that don't know, his father was on the 1950 team that beat England, and is the subject of the new movie in production, "Game of their Lives" (I think that's the title); Ty played on the national team for a while and I think in the NASL for a time. Sure, he's goofy now and then. Ever hear what people said about Madden when he started? I know, Ty has been doing it awhile, but being in the booth isn't as easy as some of you make it sound. Last weekend, a local abc affiliate here in Idaho broadcast two u-15 games from a local tournament (first time in history for Boise--a sign of progress?); anyway, the local sports guy tried to do the playbyplay and it was truly pathetic--BUT WE LOVED IT ANYWAY--he evidently had never actually watched a soccer match before, let alone listened to ANY commentary upon said soccer match. Consequently, every tackle was referred to as a 'slide kick' (my personal favorite); at one point the color commentator (a local club coach) made reference to a team 'switching the field', and the playbyplay guy asked him (on the air) "what's that mean?" But it was fun to watch and pretty good soccer, too. yeah yeah, I know, not much to do with Ty Keogh; just my way of saying we're WAY to critical of the folks who try to bring us soccer on tv.
Post fixed. Anyway, Charles, I simply expect more from a national broadcast. btw, pretty cool about the local braodcast in Boise. And I agree, that is a sign of progress.
I'd like to see them get rid of the color commentator altogether. For whatever problems there are with FSW, they at least have the right approach to commentating--simple description of the events on the field plus a few comments. The MLS games on ESPN contain WAY too much conversation over the action.
Re: Heavy sigh He was a defender with the San Diego Sockers of the NASL, and played 6 years with the MISL St. Louis Steamers. He had six seasons in the NASL, but I'm not sure they were all with the Sockers. Apparently he was also a four year all american at ST Louis University.