# Do national sports announcers hate your team too? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 7, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250 "2002-10-07T19:36:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/1 "2002-10-07T19:36:25Z")
Is it just me, or does it seem like when you watch a Cleveland sports game (baseball or football, at least) on national TV the announcers always seem to favor the other team? They get more excited when the other team scores, and spend most of the time talking about how great the other team and its players are? Is this just a Cleveland thing, or is it just my own paranoia? The Browns-Ravens game last night was basically an homage to Ray Lewis, even when he wasn’t involved in a play and even when he wasn’t in the game. Granted, the Browns didn’t do anything spectacular until the last 2 minutes of the game, but it still seems like the announcers were rooting for Baltimore all the way. It wasn’t just last night, either. All the games seem like this ☹ When you watch your home team on national TV, do you feel like the announcers are rooting against you too? ---
**Author:** ![Wartime\_Consigliori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@Wartime\_Consigliori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wartime_Consigliori)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/2 "2002-10-07T20:39:14Z")
You ain’t paranoid, friend. It happens to my Atlanta teams. Tim McCarver definitely hates the Atlanta Braves. You can feel his hostility whenever he covers one of their games. And Bill Parcells seems to have something against the Atlanta Falcons in general and Mike Vick in particular. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/3 "2002-10-07T20:41:51Z")
That’s funny, Zipper. Here in Baltimore we feel the Ravens get no love. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/4 "2002-10-07T22:14:00Z")
Here in St. Louis we think the Rams get disrepected – forget that, the Rams don’t deserve respect this season. Here in St. Louis we feel the Cardinals get disrespected by the national media. After all, it was the Cardinals D-backs Game 1 that got slotted at 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. But looking at the Rams over the last few years convinces me that you don’t get any respect until about your third good season in a row. And as both Cleveland and Baltimore fans know, get off to a bad start and you can forget it. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/5 "2002-10-07T23:04:07Z")
The real problem is the favortism always shown to teams from New York. I can hear that idiot Tim McCarver from Fox lamenting the fact that the Yankees won’t be in the World Series again already. ---
**Author:** ![SpartanDC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@SpartanDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpartanDC)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/6 "2002-10-07T23:08:15Z")
Two of my teams (Tigers, Lions) don’t get any respect because they don’t deserve it. Thankfully, the Lions new quarterback is generating actual positive buzz around the team. The Pistons didn’t get any respect during the regular season even though they deserved it. But then everyone took it back during the playoffs, when they didn’t deserve it. The Red Wings get all the respect in the world. Deservedly so. Now now, **kunilou** no blaming the vagaries of time zones on your game broadcast times. Believe me, I’ve had to accept it after watching the Red Wings play either the L.A. Kings or the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the playoffs every god-forsaken year. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/7 "2002-10-07T23:47:36Z")
Last Monday on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” Peter Gammons, Karl (whoever), and I think it was Harold Reynolds were practically cheerleading for the Twin’s over the A’s in the pregame match up segments. “There is a way the Twins can beat the A’s” must have been said ten times. Jeeze, a little balance would have been nice Yeah, unfortunately they were right. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/8 "2002-10-08T00:29:08Z")
Well, Cleveland has an inferiority complex anyway, going back to when Municipal Stadium was the Mistake by the Lake. And for years and years, the Indians were terrible. Cleveland’s just one of those cities that the other cities make fun of. ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/9 "2002-10-08T00:49:40Z")
Does Cleveland not win a lot? I’m convinced that the announcers will side with the team that is winning usually, and get all excited about it. I also laugh at their pre-game predictions (like in football) - the team that scores the most will win…the team that fumbles the least will win…the team that moves the ball will prevail… ---
**Author:** ![bee\_with\_an\_itch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@bee\_with\_an\_itch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bee_with_an_itch)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/10 "2002-10-08T00:52:10Z")
yay for the Senators! ---
**Author:** ![Soup\_du\_jour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Soup\_du\_jour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup_du_jour)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/11 "2002-10-08T03:17:22Z")
The Spurs get no respect. Especially against the Lakers/Knicks/Nets. Heck, NOBODY gets respect when playing the Lakers, If I have to listen to Bill Walton say “Throw it down, big man!” whenever O’Neal dunks the ball, I’m gonna speeeeew. ---
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/12 "2002-10-08T03:29:56Z")
\*\*Tim McCarver definitely hates the Atlanta Braves. You can feel his hostility whenever he covers one of their games. And Bill Parcells seems to have something against the Atlanta Falcons in general and Mike Vick in particular. \*\* Etlanter don’t get no respect. McCarver hasn’t liked it ever since “Neon” Deion Sanders dissed him on TV by pouring a celebratory cooler of gatorade over him after McCarver had “editorialized” Deion’s sense of style. Timmy wasn’t amused. Parcells = jerk. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/13 "2002-10-08T04:12:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by japatlgt \* > > * * * > > McCarver hasn’t liked it ever since “Neon” Deion Sanders dissed him on TV by pouring a celebratory cooler of gatorade over him after McCarver had “editorialized” Deion’s sense of style. Timmy wasn’t amused. > > \*\* Do try and get at least a few of the facts straight. McCarver questioned “Neon” Deion’s decision to play in the Falcons game that afternoon and then charter a plane/helocopter to the Braves game that night. McCarver said that it didn’t seem to him that Deion was a team player, but that he was in it for the publicity. Deion goes into a hissy fit and after theg ame crenches McCarver, not once but 3 times with a cooler full of ice water. Forget the very real danger of McCarvers getting electrocuted as he was carrying a live mike at the time. He had deigned to put Deion in his proper place and for that he must pay.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: After the 3rd dousing, McCarver said, “Real classy Deion,” as Deion slithered away to the showers to go and cry over how badly he’d been insulted. OH PLEASE. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/14 "2002-10-08T06:06:33Z")
ESPN The Magazine has had something against the Flyers for _years_. I know they are supposed to be edgy and all that BS, and I don’t mind them taking swipes against legitimately stinky teams like the Devil Rays or the Bengals or something like that. But countless times they would say stuff like “haha the Flyers are going to choke again” or “Philadelphia leads New Jersey 3-1. The Devils have them right where they want them”. That’s not cool. Did you ever hear ESPN say an unkind word about the Red Wings? Or Duke basketball, for that matter? Uh uh. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/15 "2002-10-08T06:34:11Z")
I dunno about biased, but they all seem to suck. I guess the good announcers get on the payroll of a single team and stick for the season (or most of the season, in Jon Miller’s case). ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/16 "2002-10-08T13:41:14Z")
Beano the Lame-o Cook (who may be the stupidest person in sportscasting) has a serious case of Michigan Wolverine envy. I am not sure where it comes from…perhaps he applied for admission to the U of M and was rejected? ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/17 "2002-10-09T02:22:23Z")
I gotta say my Redskins are hated because of Dan Snyder. It seems every piece needs to mention him and what a complete ass he is. There was actual glee 2 seasons ago among the commetarii when he had one of the highest NFL payrolls and one of the worst teams … \*\*he \*\* brings it on himself but it reflects heavily in team coverage, less while the game is being played much more in written and pre/post game coverage. I look for the bitchy anti-Snyder comments and am rarely disappointed Also the Redskin name itself plays in some (notably Gregg Easterbrook) but others as well refuse to write or speak the name out of respect out of Native American concerns ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/18 "2002-10-09T02:40:21Z")
“Disrespected?” What kind of word is that? ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/19 "2002-10-09T02:47:32Z")
“Disrespected” is the formal English word for the slang word “dissed.” ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250/20 "2002-10-09T02:49:08Z")
I always felt Bill Walton had it in for the nineties Bulls. He sure took a lot of joy out of watching the Bulls in the playoffs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-national-sports-announcers-hate-your-team-too/131250.md?page=2)