Sly Bald Guys Forum
Various Non-Bald Discussions => Sports Talk => Topic started by: Sir Harry on November 24, 2012, 07:51:18 PM
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For All of you sly sports fans....Regardless of sport (though I am a little biased to the NFL) Who's your favorite Sports play-by-play announcer and/or color analyst and/or sideline reporter. I'm talking about the ones that you love to hear call the game no matter how good or bad the matchup is.....
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Here's a few I'd like to nominate - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1303256-the-40-hottest-college-football-reporters/page/1
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On the national scene, I do like Mike Tirico (ABC & ESPN...very underrated golf announcer as well). Other than that, there are very few that I really like, only those that I dislike:
Can't stand Al Michaels (big time Raider hater)
Tim McCarver (awful)
Johnny Miller (extremely overrated golf announcer, still bitter that Jack Nicklaus kick his *** all those years).
I usually prefer the play by play announcer to not make themselves part of the event. Sadly, in today's me-me-me society, everyone needs a catch phrase. Let the play on the field/diamond/court be the event, not you.
Although there will be leanings towards their own team's broadcasters, I gotta give a shout out to the lead announcers of my A's and Raiders:
For the A's, Ken Korach (pronounced "Core Ack") is a pro's pro. Yes, everyone's home radio announcer is going to be a bit of a homer, but he is probably the least "homeresque" of any I've listened to. If you have MLB Radio, you should listen to an A's game in 2013. I try to catch every A's game, and am seriously disappointed when Korach is not behind the mic.
For the Raiders, Greg Papa is great. The color commentary is provided by former Raider coach & QB, Tom Flores. Papa has been a broadcaster for the A's, Raiders, and Warriors, so he's very versatile (I thought he was at his best with the Warriors). Very good broadcast team....too bad the play on the field sucks.
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I really like Jon Miller that does the play by play for the San Francisco Giants. He was the Orioles announcer for years and I hated to see him go.
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Although many will probably disagree, I would have to say my favorite play-by-play guy is "Screamin'" Gus Johnson....Only he can make a game like Jaguars-Chiefs actually somewhat worth watching. He does go over the top at times, and he does tend to make a few off-the-wall calls (i.e. Chris Johnson's "getting away from the cops speed" during a Titans game three years ago) but the Hail Mary at the end of the Texans/Jaguars was classic. Only he could make you feel like you were there when it happened. He's also the voice on "Madden" games (at least the ones released over the last few years). I love it when he yells "Down the Sideline" during a long run, and he was pretty good during "March Madness" until he left CBS.
Color Analysts. I love Troy Aikman...too bad he has to be paired with put you to sleep Joe Buck who is near the bottom of my favorite play by play announcers. I'm not saying Joe is a bad guy, but he has no feeling in his playcalling but he always ends up calling FOX's "A" games. I do like Thom Brennaman with Aikman during the stretch where Buck leaves for Baseball. Dan Dierdorf is probably my least liked analyst because he seems to be a Jets apologist and a Saints hater (thankfully the Saints only play on CBS twice a year at most, so I guess I can live with him once a year) Cris Collinsworth is OK on Sunday Night Football, but he is nowhere near John Madden.
Sideline reporters: Tyler's list has some very attractive women who know the game. I like Pam Oliver and Michele Tafoya myself. I would love to see more women play-by-play announcers down the road, though Pam Ward is pretty good.
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I like Mike Tirico and Chris Collingsworth, although I agree that Chris is a weak substitute for John Madden.
Myron Cope was the color man on the radio for the Steelers. He had a screechy voice and was completely biased. As a lifelong Steeler fan, I loved the guy.
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Unfortunately..................my favorites are dead. I do believe Detroit sports has been blessed with the best ever. As for Joe Buck..............I think he is pretty good as he doesn't go nuts for basic plays as most of them do today. I think Aikman needs to talk LESS than he does and not comment on every single aspect of the game. McCarver goes back to the 60's Cardinals way too much and chews up innings during a baseball game. All in all I am spoiled growing up listening to the best so that today's announcers always fall short.
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For football, Troy Aikman is pretty good. Even when he does Cowboy's games he isn't biased. Cris Collinsworth is okay with me, but John Madden was second to none.
For baseball, John Miller is one I like a lot. I was upset when he was taken off the Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN.
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I watch a TON of sports so this topic is right up my alley.
College Football: Gus Johnson
NFL: Al Michaels and Cris Collingsworth
NBA: I'm partial to the local broadcast teams. Mike Breen, although he's ESPN's lead guy, he's the Knicks broadcaster and is great. Greg Anthony is great on the Nets broadcasts and Stu Lantz for the Lakers.
College Basketball: Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes are the best for ESPN. Marques Johnson for Pac-12 games is extremely knowledable.
MLB: similar to my NBA position, local guys are the best. Nobody can beat Vin Scully for the Dodgers. Krukow and Kuiper for the Giants are awesome. Harrelson and Stone for the White Sox are a good listen. Michael Kay for the Yankees is solid as well.
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Howard Cosell partnered up with "Dandy" Don Meredith doing the NFL on Sundays.
How many people in here remember those two?
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The greatest I ever heard.... Chuck Thompson. He did Orioles and Baltimore Colts games for many years. He passed a few years ago.
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You guys remember when Deon Sanders dumped an ice bucket of water over Tim McCarvers head wile he was giving an interview on live TV, he was pissed.
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Howard Cosell and Don Merideth bring back days gone by for sure- they were a staple of commentary.
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I was listening to some of the clips from the NFL local network radio announcers. Two of my favorite calls were in the last two weeks of the 2003 season. Saints play-by-play announcer Jim Henderson's call after the infamous John Carney missed extra point after the "River City Relay" (against the Jagaurs) Henderson: He missed it. Hokie Gajan (analyst) NOOOOOOOO! Henderson: How could he do that!?. Then there was Paul Allen from the Vikings after Arizona made a Hail Mary touchdown pass to knock the Vikings out of the playoffs. After the catch....Allen CAAUGHT!!! TOUCHDOWN!!!!!! NOOO!!! NOOO!!!! The Cardinals have knocked the Vikings out of the Playoffs!!!! You probably could hear both of these calls on Youtube....Homer announcing at it's finest....
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I really like Jon Miller that does the play by play for the San Francisco Giants. He was the Orioles announcer for years and I hated to see him go.
Jon Miller's good. I also like Renell ( spelling?), the Giants in-park announcer.