# Play by Play Announcers, Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 4, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675 "2008-12-04T14:49:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/21 "2008-12-06T03:35:43Z")
I remember watching the Jets - Miami no-announcer game, and it did give the feel that you were at the game. The only thing you heard was the PA announcer (who announces every football play anyway), and the crowd noise. The weird thing was the transition to commercials, where the noise just slammed you back in your chair. A good announcer makes the games more exciting… I used to love to listen to Bob Prince announce Pirate games on the radio when I was a kid. When I moved near Baltimore, Jon Miller and Joe Angel were terrific. And for hockey, no one is better than Mike Lange for the Penguins. Even on TV. You don’t have to actually “watch” every second, as the play-by-play can carry you through the plays you miss. For football, and anything else, really… I don’t think anyone is better than Al Michaels. Which makes me wonder how he doesn’t blow his brains out listening to that slobbering, babbling hack John Madden. SFP For my love of John Madden, please see my Pit thread about the fat bastard. The gist of it was STFU! ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/22 "2008-12-06T06:58:34Z")
Play by play assignments differ by team. Up here in Seattle, Sonics announcer Kevin Calabaro would do radio games and have them simulcast on TV when the game was televised. It was really weird because the broadcasts wouldn’t be synced perfectly, so the TV calls came before the radio calls. The Mariners have a four man team that rotates between TV and radio. So Dave Niehaus will do the first and last three innings on TV, while Rick Rizz does those innings on radio. In the middle innings they switch. A lot of the problems would be eliminated if they got rid of the color man. He supposed to help fans get a “player perspective”, but he usually ends up being an excuse man for the players. Plus since they’re hired for their names they are usually much weaker announcers than the play by play men, who’ve done this for decades. Get rid of color announcers and the broadcasts wouldn’t be so overcrowded. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/23 "2008-12-07T23:06:55Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > If you’re a Leaf fan then the problem is Bob Cole! LOL > He know all the Leafs’ names and numbers, but anyone any opposing player is a [insert team name]. > I think I heard this during a game: “Here comes Alexei Ponikarovsky up the ice, he fends of a Ranger player, Ponikarovsky passes through a Ranger player to Antropov, here’s Antropov in the corner, the two Rangers are battling to get the puck from Antropov, now Antropov passes out front to Stajan, Stajan shoots! Save made by the Rangers net minder…Er…um…Linquist” > > Seriously, the play by play is mostly for people who are not watching the screen. They may be in the next room or working on something else, or just not facing the TV. Remember sports broadcasts originated on the radio before the advent of TV. > The colour man was added to fill gaps between the play by play to avoid “dead air” time. > They also have a secondary function in teaching the sport to new fans and viewers, they also may explain the rules and intricacies of the game, which is why often they are former players. > If you are an avid fan and already know the players names and numbers, rules, etc. you may find them redundant. As a Leaf fan you may already know there seems to be alot of people who wear the jersey but don’t understand the game! > BTW Bobe Cole was a championship curler fron the early 70’s which explains his knowledge of hockey. > > Cheers! I actually like Bob Cole. It was Jim Hughson who was the crappy announcer I mentioned. Bob will do one more Leaf game this season, and then primarily be the Montreal guy. Bob Cole is an icon: in the ilk of Foster Hewitt. I’ve heard similar stories about him not knowing the members of other teams, but it’s all apocryphal. Please point me to Youtube examples of Bob not knowing the other team members. You’re repeating urban legend here. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/24 "2008-12-08T13:29:58Z")
I’ve found cricket works a lot better without the announcing; all I need is the HUD with who’s batting/bowling/just caught someone, the score, and what ball/over they’re on. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/25 "2008-12-08T14:29:50Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I actually like Bob Cole. It was Jim Hughson who was the crappy announcer I mentioned. Bob will do one more Leaf game this season, and then primarily be the Montreal guy. > > Bob Cole is an icon: in the ilk of Foster Hewitt. I’ve heard similar stories about him not knowing the members of other teams, but it’s all apocryphal. Please point me to Youtube examples of Bob not knowing the other team members. You’re repeating urban legend here. Whoosh! ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/26 "2008-12-08T14:38:57Z")
> [@vinniepaz](#): > > Indeed, each different network (be it a radio station or a TV channel) has their own commentators on site. Hence the extremely large media box. The NFL or any teams do not provide their own commentary feed. The teams don’t provide the feeds, but they contract with somebody who does. How else would we have “Cardinals Radio” or “Cowboys Radio”? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/27 "2008-12-08T14:58:49Z")
> [@Sparky812](#): > > Whoosh! Ohhh kayyy… ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/28 "2008-12-08T15:30:08Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Give it time. I’ll wager that within a couple of years you’ll have several audio options to choose from – home team announcer, away team announcer, ambient sound only, etc. You already get this with Sirius - you can choose either the home or away announcers for the 1pm and 4pm NFL games. I think you’re stuck with Westwood One’s announcers for the prime time games. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675/29 "2008-12-08T15:39:07Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > It could also help people not familiar with the sport by introducing to them sports terminology with the associated visual accompaniment. That’s what I was going to say. Plus some sports are just confusing to watch if you’re not familiar with them. My husband’s been trying to get me into football, and the play-by-play really helps because otherwise I don’t have half a clue what’s going on on the field. Yes, _you_ can see what’s going on on the field. _I_ can’t, or at least I can’t parse it quickly enough for it to make sense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/play-by-play-announcers-why/475675.md?page=1)