Can we include crappy stats, too? Every game has these.
During the Vikings game, there was something obnoxious like “The Vikings defense has scored 17 touchdowns since 2006, 2nd in the NFL.” The hell? Why is this important? How many have they scored, oh I don’t know, maybe this year?!(I think that’d be 1 for those playing in the audience, Jared Allen’s fumble recovery.) Why is 2006 the cutoff? Why not go back to 1984 (or something equally stupid)? If it’s so important to note that it’s 2nd in the NFL, why not tell us who’s first then? Why aren’t they important?
There was another equally stupid one during the Twins/Yankees game, but I can’t remember it now.
I think that is a pretty damn good stat if that is how many they have scored…but I know what yer getting at,“The Whoevers are 2-0 for the first time since 2006!”…WOW…Amazing stat.
Last night, the sports update guy said “The Indianapolis Colts are 5-0 for the 4th time in five years!” Okay, that’s an impressive run, absolutely. He also said, “The Tennessee Titans are 0-5 for the first time since 2006!” So just 3 years ago, they were just as terrible, and you’re telling me like it’s some kind of blow-me-away stat?
Let me just say I love Ron Santo (who does color for Pat Hughes on Cubs radio broadcasts). He’s a home-town hero, and even if he’s not always the most articulate announcer, he really does know a lot about baseball, has a ton of good stories form his playing days, and always has fun at the ol’ ballpark. But sometimes, well…
I listened to a game this season in which Milton Bradley, with nobody on, hit a single. The throw back in was wild and allowed him to take second on the error. During the next at-bat, he advanced to third on a wild pitch. A minute or so later, Ron suddenly exclaimed: “Wait a minute – How did Bradley get on third??”
Ronny, you might want to actually, you know, watch the game you’re being paid to comment on…
Let’s take a little pity on these guys, shall we? Try talking that much yourself sometime without saying something postworthy. Hell, try *posting *that much.
The Bengals did win that game on the last *possible *play of overtime. I think the meaning was clear.
Norm Einstein was one of Theismann’s HS classmates, a straight-A kid who went on to be a doctor, and was reportedly greatly amused by the comment.
I just wish Eckersley would get through a game without using the word “cheese” even once. I don’t think he can.
I’ve always thought baseball was the worst for those.
“And now Player X is stepping up to the plate, he’s 4-for-3 on the road against right-handed pitchers from National League teams with a bird for the mascot with winds over 12 miles an hour blowing from the east on odd-numbered days, Jim.”
The worst stat I’ve seen was also during a vikings game, just after Favre threw a touchdown against the Packers. He apparently now has “the most touchdown passes on a single team, before throwing a touchdown pass against that team.”
I never understood the commentators stating that Favre “Loves playing the game.”
Not that I doubt it but do all the other players out there hate playing the game?
To them it’s a major drag and they just do it for the paycheck? Peyton Manning? Oh yeah, he just hates playing football. Same for all the other quarterbacks. Nobody loves playing football except Favre.:rolleyes:
Ooh, Pam Ward is on there. She’s the one who referred to Syracuse’s version of the wildcat formation as the “Stallion Package.” Well, she did it once. Presumably someone whispered a little something in her ear after that.
The reason those ridiculous stats arise is because every single situation has been recorded and databased, and is easily brought up for the announcers to use. “Hey - computer guy. Run a query on this situation: One out, bottom of the third, left-handed pitcher, down by 2, batter changed his jersey number within the last 14 days, Joe Smith umpiring third base.” It’s all in there, and it all brings up such a ridiculously small sample size as to make the information totally worthless.
There have been a few players over the years who clearly are playing because they’re very good at it, and they make a lot of money at it, not because of any particular enjoyment they get from it (Barry Sanders comes to mind), but I suspect they’re the exception to the rule.
