Who do you detest most as a sports announcer?

[R. P. McMurphy]

My winner, by 30 lengths, is Brett Musberger. How does this guy have a job? He has to have some incriminating pictures of some bigwig. I'm watching LSU/Bama and the TV sound is muted. I'm listening on ESPN radio.

He's a total jackass.

[Linden Arden]

I knew who this would be as soon as I saw the question.

He is an obsequious twit.

[Laggard]

Thiesman and Aikman.

[TreacherousCretin]

Originally Posted by Laggard

Thiesman and Aikman.

YES. Especially Theismann. Nothing to say, and unable to say it.

My wife would add Phil Simms.

[Crawlspace]

My least favorite sportscaster tends to be whomever I'm listening to at the moment, though Joe Morgan is the first name that leaped into my mind. Come to think of it, the only sportscaster I enjoy listening to is Al Leiter. He comes across as very intelligent and always has something interesting to say about the game from a players perspective.

[Skammer]

Originally Posted by Crawlspace

My least favorite sportscaster tends to be whomever I'm listening to at the moment, though Joe Morgan is the first name that leaped into my mind. Come to think of it, the only sportscaster I enjoy listening to is Al Leiter. He comes across as very intelligent and always has something interesting to say about the game from a players perspective.

Joe Morgan came to me instantly also.

[Lips_Obsession]

Originally Posted by Crawlspace

...though Joe Morgan is the first name that leaped into my mind.

And mine as well.

That man is dumb as a rock, and not as interesting.

[Drain Bead]

Gruden thinks everything he's watching is one of the best ____ in the N.F.L. And he practically pronounces the periods when he says it.

[FuriousGeorge]

The correct answer to this question is Tim McCarver. You may move this to General Questions and close the thread.

[Jim's Son]

Mike Milbury. He is on three networks doing hockey games and is every bit as stupid and obnoxious as he was as a GM.

[mkecane]

For play-by-play, probably Tirico. He annoys me like nothing else when he gets excited by a big play. It's like he knows it's a big play, so he needs to get excited, and it ends up coming up hollow. Joe Buck, on the other hand, simply doesn't get excited. Tirico's alright for golf, though.

For analysts, it's hard to say. I'm no fan of Aikman, and it's strange how he was fast-tracked to the #1 position. Just because he was a Cowboys qb doesn't mean he was deserving of such a high spot. I'm sure there are others who are worse, but they probably get stuck doing lesser games that I'm less likely to see.

[Omg a Black Conservative]

Originally Posted by mkecane

For play-by-play, probably Tirico. He annoys me like nothing else when he gets excited by a big play.

Blasphemy! I like him as an announcer. I especially like his call on the Wilson run during the Miami-WVU game a few years back.

Anyway, the obvious answer to this question is (was) Craig James.

[Uncle Jocko]

Originally Posted by mkecane

Joe Buck, on the other hand, simply doesn't get excited.

Until Randy Moss fake-moons the crowd at Lambeau. Then Buck gets all freaked out and has a hissy fit about it, beyond all reasonable reaction.

Buck isn't too bad for baseball, but he mainly suffers in comparison to his dad. Jack Buck had some great calls for network baseball postseason games ("I don't believe what I just saw!" "We'll see you tomorrow night!"), and his radio work with Hank Stram on Monday Night Football is a fond memory. Joe doesn't measure up.

Joe Morgan is (was) terrible - he doesn't really know anything, but he thinks he knows everything. Matt Millen is also a poor analyst, in my opinion. And Pam Ward - how did the Big Ten piss off ABC so that she does conference football games every week?

I do miss Keith Jackson. While it's good to hear him do the Southwest Airlines commercials, college football on TV hasn't been quite the same since he retired.

[lieu]

For analysis, hands down Rodney Harrison. It always comes back to him, comparisons to what he did, what he achieved, back when he was a Pat, when he was in the Pro Bowl, etc. Stuck record.

[Jack Batty]

Chris Fucking Berman.

Listen, no one cares what the lyrics to Boys of Summer is, your "whoop" and "he could ... go ... all ... the ... way" and "backbackbackback" and all your other goofy, carefully planned off-the-cuff, sound effects are as hackneyed as "23-skidoo." We've heard them all 70,000 times by now. Nobody gives a shit about your Swami picks - your "from Louisville" joke is so old, no one even knows where the hell it came from any more - and you're ugly.

The only joy I get from him is when he gets going and forgets to inhale, to where his voice pinches and his face turns red. I keep hoping for an on-air aneurism.

[Paintcharge]

Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver. Blowhard know-it-alls who are proud of the fact that they don't know a damned thing.

Friggin Morgan actually says "Well I haven't had a chance to see much of the <insert small market team> play." Ass, your job is to watch and comment on baseball.

For football it's Pheeel Seeems. During the Den-Pit game on Sunday he actually came out and said that "This is what the Broncos do so well, throw the ball down the feeeeld." after a 30 yard gain. Followed immediately by his booth partner contradicting him with "That was the longest play of the year for the Broncos."

These dumb fuckers get a story line and stick to it no matter what is actually happening.

[etv78]

Originally Posted by Paintcharge

Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver. Blowhard know-it-alls who are proud of the fact that they don't know a damned thing.

Friggin Morgan actually says "Well I haven't had a chance to see much of the <insert small market team> play." Ass, your job is to watch and comment on baseball.

For football it's Pheeel Seeems. During the Den-Pit game on Sunday he actually came out and said that "This is what the Broncos do so well, throw the ball down the feeeeld." after a 30 yard gain. Followed immediately by his booth partner contradicting him with "That was the longest play of the year for the Broncos."

These dumb fuckers get a story line and stick to it no matter what is actually happening.

Your baseball picks I wholeheartedly second. I do like Phil though.

[Implicit]

It's a toss up between Troy Aikman and John Gruden. They are both horrible and I mute games when they are in the booth.

[mkecane]

Paintcharge, I take it you're really looking forward to Jeeem Nantz and Pheeel Simms calling the Peeetriots game on Saturday, right?

[Hal Briston]

When Mike Mayock is talking, there is one thing running through people's minds: "Mike Mayock is talking".

Not "Mike Mayock just made a good point", or "Mike Mayock just said something really stupid"...it's impossible to concentrate on what he's saying because of that excrucible voice of his!

[lieu]

Originally Posted by Hal Briston

Not "Mike Mayock just made a good point", or "Mike Mayock just said something really stupid"...it's impossible to concentrate on what he's saying because of that excrucible voice of his!

Try and look at him like Neil Young then. Anyone with a voice that objectionable that's a so high profile must have quite a bit to say to cancel things out. And Mike does. While his voice doesn't bother me personally, I think he's a breath of fresh air and brings forth good analysis and enthusiasm.

[Paintcharge]

Originally Posted by mkecane

Paintcharge, I take it you're really looking forward to Jeeem Nantz and Pheeel Simms calling the Peeetriots game on Saturday, right?

Ahh crap. Should have guessed they'd be there.

Will the story be
1.How can the terrible Peeetriots Deeefence possibly stop Teeem Teeeebow? or

2. Can Teeebow keep up with the (I guarantee he'll use the phrase) "high-powered New England offence"?

[Mahaloth]

I'm going to go way out here and name a couple odd ones.

Dick Button - He does the figure skating stuff on the American networks. Dude, this guy is terrible. My wife is really into figure skating and Dick Button ruins a lot of performances by talking at the wrong moments, being overly critical(again, at the wrong times), and sounding like a worn out relic.

John Tesh - Anyone else remember his commentating for the gymnastics back in the '92 and '96 Olympics? Horrible, glurgy, and pathetic. Kind of like his music.

Cliff Drysdale - Tennis. I have to admit, he usually does not bother me, but he can really get boring over a two week tennis tournament. I'm not actually sure how he got to be on American television. He never won a grand slam tournament as a player(he did win a doubles one). He could not have been that famous in America when he played. And yet, he is the go-to guy for a lot of American tennis coverage.

Then again, I really enjoy Patrick and John McEnroe as commentators. I think a lot of people may disagree on that one, but I like both of them.

[JohnT]

I was watching an old Bowl game on TV in the past few weeks and, you know, I really miss Keith Jackson.

As to who I dislike, Tirico is one... don't really understand why he's got the job. Dennis Miller was another... again, WTF is he doing in the booth?

[kenobi 65]

I can't believe that Theismann keeps getting new gigs. He's awful.

Once upon a time, I enjoyed Berman's schtick, but I agree, it's gotten very tired.

I don't like Aikman much (and, as a Packer fan, I get way too much of him these days). I think he spends way too much time talking about the quarterbacks.

[kenobi 65]

Originally Posted by JohnT

I was watching an old Bowl game on TV in the past few weeks and, you know, I really miss Keith Jackson.

Whoooaa Nellie!!

[Zeldar]

Originally Posted by R. P. McMurphy

My winner, by 30 lengths, is Brett Musberger. How does this guy have a job? He has to have some incriminating pictures of some bigwig. I'm watching LSU/Bama and the TV sound is muted. I'm listening on ESPN radio.

He's a total jackass.

Thanks for this thread! I look no further than the OP to declare your guy the winner. A total shit.

If others (whom I have yet to read) have worthy contenders beyond Lord Brent, I may be compelled to agree with them as to #2 or lower, but Brent is Top Dog Shit.

If it matters, my pick for #1 (Top Quality) at the other end of the scale is Joe Tessitore.

[lieu]

Ain't no fumble like a Keith Jackson "Fumble!"

[Barkis is Willin']

McCarver and Morgan are the usual suspects for baseball color analysts. And for good reason. They do suck. McCarver is probably my least favorite.

Musberger and Tirico suck as play by play guys. Musberger was in top form last night, too. Tom Hammond of NBC is also horrible. I get the feeling he doesn't even like football, he just likes talking.

[garygnu]

Chris Berman, at least, doesn't do live games, so it's not like we're "forced" to listen to him.
Joe Buck is banal and uninteresting, and he knows almost nothing about football. He's OK for baseball, but that's only because baseball is pretty boring already.
Troy Aikman is often paired with Buck, so it becomes a battle of who's worse. Aikman watches only two players during games, the QB (which he obviously wishes was himself).
Dick Button has intelligent things to say, but crap does he have horrible timing. And I don't need to know what the jump is going to be ahead of time, thank you.
John Forslund irritates me with his limited list of highly-repeated expressions. At least he knows hockey.

Just being a West Coast guy, I notice a very large number of announcers across all sports are heavily biased toward the East. It's not even that they think little of that vast, empty land across the Mississippi*, it's that they don;t think of it at all. It's like they're surprised the sun is out, since it's 8:00pm in New York. Brent Musburger is among the worst.

[mkecane]

I'll say it's dreadful the one or two times a year when ESPN sticks Berman in the booth for baseball. It's rare enough that I can't think of any examples, but he continues to be himself, which is all that really needs to be said.

[Cheesesteak]

Seriously, have NONE of you people heard John Sterling? I think he spends most of the game trying to think up more stupid nicknames and catch phrases for Yankees players.

I still remember, almost 20 years later, one miserable idiotic call that signifies everything wrong with his style. His "signature" home run call is "It is high, it is far, it is... GONE". I'm driving home from college, he's calling the game, bottom of the ninth, Matt Nokes at the plate...

CRACK

"It's a drive deeeeep to right field"

"It is high... It is far... It is... IN the Left Field Foul Seats."


Really? You can't say it's down the line? You can't say Foul Ball? You have to tease me with 95% of a game winning home run call, only to snatch it away at the very end? I hate you, and will always hate you.

[notfrommensa]

Originally Posted by Cheesesteak

Seriously, have NONE of you people heard John Sterling? I think he spends most of the game trying to think up more stupid nicknames and catch phrases for Yankees players.

Following the Braves closely in the 1980's I got a full dose of Sterling. I called him John Pewter.

I will also echo Musberger.

[Paintcharge]

Cheesesteak, oh yeah, I forgot about him. "Mmmmngit is high, Mnngit is far! Mnngit is gone! An A-bomb! From A-Rod!"


Plus he's paired with mush-mouth Susan Waldmyn.

[robardin]

Originally Posted by Paintcharge

Cheesesteak, oh yeah, I forgot about him. "Mmmmngit is high, Mnngit is far! Mnngit is gone! An A-bomb! From A-Rod!"


Plus he's paired with mush-mouth Susan Waldmyn.

The two of them put together drove me from being interested in the Yankees, my best friend's favorite team and who was responsible for kindling my interest in MLB during their 1996 championship post-season run... to becoming a Mets fan by April of 1997. I kid you not.

ETA: They have a LOT to atone for, let me tell you.

[Xema]

Originally Posted by R. P. McMurphy

My winner, by 30 lengths, is Brett Musberger.

Only 30? I thought this guy had long ago lapped the field.

His first name is actually Brent, but under any name his "body of work" gives him a solid claim to unmatched suckitude. His motto seems to be "Nothing that actually happens on the field should take precedence over the preconceived "narrative" I brought with me."

[Philster]

Dick Stockton
Brent Mussberger
Tim McCarver
Joe Morgan

Add Phil Simms after this week. Neither him nor Nance know the rules, but Simms is the color guy and his commentary on things matters. What a dope. If you can't master your art, and your art is preparing all week for a football game, please STFU!

Anything they 'noticed' was 90 seconds after it happened as they were awkwardly notified by someone in the ear piece. No clue as to rules, the review process, what happens to a play/call when the whistle blows... who missed a coverage, why there was a whistle/penalty.

Seriously? All the things you noticed were by other people barking in your ear pieces?

[antonio107]

I was thinking about giving a second nod to Mike Milbury, but as a Sens fan I hate Bob Cole more. Asides from the fact that his voice is physically revolting, he's an unabashed Leafs fan and sounds like he's tittering like a schoolboy in love every time Sidney Crosby touches the puck.

[Freddy the Pig]

Musberger has reached the special circle of hell where it doesn't matter what he says; he annoys just by opening his mouth. He could come on the air and read farm prices and be annoying.

[Mahaloth]

Are there good NFL announcers? I don't even follow the NFL at all, but when I do see a game on, I find that they contribute almost nothing. Their insights are obvious. If they just replayed the plays in slow motion with no talking, we could figure it out ourselves.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

Originally Posted by Mahaloth

Are there good NFL announcers?

I think so. I for one really enjoy the Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth team. I think they are the best in the business now. Of course, I really loved the John Madden/Pat Summerall duo as well, so maybe that says something about me...and my love of turduckeons being consumed on large tour buses.

[astorian]

I've given this lecture before, but will beat that dead horse again.

There are LOADS of sportscasters and commentators who are amiable wastes of space, but there have only been two who were SO bad that I sometimes turned off the TV, changed the channel, or turned off the sound and listened to the radio crew.

Howard Cosell and Dennis Miller are the ONLY sportscasters who've ever been bad enough to ruin my enjoyment of a game.

After that, well, I can think of dozens of mediocre play-by-play men and hundreds of pleasant but utterly uninformative color men, but nobody else I've ever "detested."

[Carmady]

Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. It's not close.

[Airman Doors, USAF]

Originally Posted by Carmady

Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. It's not close.

You're right, it's not close. Dick Vitale has those Diaper Dandies faded by a mile, baby! *hands waving*

Seriously, Dickie V is horrific. It's bad enough when all you can do is hear him, but when the camera's on him it's a sports announcer nightmare that comes in 1-minute increments.

[Loach]

I actually have no problem with most of those mentioned. The one guy I have a problem with is Joe Buck. I didn't see anything wrong until I noticed one thing and now that's all I can hear. He loves to have a theme. Sometimes he harps on it in the pregame. Sometimes it's something in the first couple of innings. But once he gets his theme for that game he keeps going back to it at ever chance. Regardless of what is actually going on in the game.

Stirling I don't mind. As a Yankee fan I have listened to him a lot. He is a good announcer. One of those that does play b play on radio for every pitch of the season. Not an easy job. Bound to have some mistakes. I think the problem with him was pairing him up with an empty chair named Susan Waldman. He was great when he was paired up with Michael Kaye and they alternated innings. Now he is THE VOICE OF THE YANKEES. His excesses have become worse.

[JohnT]

God, I forgot Dick Vitale, the #1 reason to not watch college basketball. I'd rather watch Stephen A. Smith call games, which is saying a LOT.

[brittekland]

I do not like it if I have to listen to Dan Dierdorf or Dick Stockton.

And I'm beginning to wonder about Tony Dungy or maybe I already did before but didn't know it (I know he's not exactly an announcer).

[diggerwam]

John madden. Jon gruden. Especially Dick vitale. Fingernails on a chalkboard. Turn off tv every Tuesday when he's on mike & mike. Put ten penny nails in my ears.

[mkecane]

At least Billy Packer has been away from CBS for a few years now. He was the worst.

Am I alone in disliking Mike Pereira on Fox? Not that I think he's bad himself, I just hate that Fox is always cutting to him to tell us rules that most of us know, and we can figure out what happened on our own with enough replays. And any announcer that says, "And remember, they need indisputable evidence to overturn the play." Any reference to the play stands, is overturned, or confirmed drives me nuts. Replay's been with us for years now. I know how it works.

[Kitten Mitten]

Originally Posted by mkecane

At least Billy Packer has been away from CBS for a few years now. He was the worst.

Amen!!! Sooooo glad he is no longer announcing.

Agree on Musberger and Vitale; I put the tv on mute when they are calling a game and listen to either the radio or an on-line feed.

As far as Button goes, haven't seen him for a few years but he was so horrible. Love Scott Hamilton as an analyst as well as Kurt Browning when he's announcing for CBC.

An up and comer jerk who is getting on my nerves this year is Dan Dakich. Just so impressed with himself, arrogant bastige. Hey Dan, can you tell us what you think of the transfer rule for 5th year seniors; I believe that I have missed it the last 200 times that you have went on about it ad nauseum this year so far.

Favorite basketball announcer - Bill Raftery, hands down! ONIONS!!!

and for the poster defending Millen, I don't believe anyone said he shouldn't be allowed to work. We just don't believe he should be announcing MSU, UM or Lion games. As far as we are concerned, he can eat shit and die. So, send him to announce the ACC or the SEC or the Big Twelve or the PAC Ten or the Big Least, anywhere but a game whose home is in Michigan.