2016-2017 Announcer Thread

[elvis14]

Webber is pleasant enough, but he really doesn't have insights. And the play-by-play guy is worse.

I don't need much from announcers. If they are doing a good job, I hardly notice them at all. So, no Webber didn't offer insights but I don't need them anyway. After all the haters we get, I didn't notice these two much which was fine by me.

[arnie]

I've always been a huge fan of Dan Bonner - he's calling the Kansas game now. Describes the specifics of players and plats, doesn't do the Bilas garbage thing or tell us how smart he is. Really refreshing, but they don't need 3 in the booth.

[Turk]

During the Duke / USC rock fight, I was able to tune out Chris Webber's commentary, because I am familiar enough with Duke to not need much help from the announcers. I was annoyed with Webber, but there was enough else to be annoyed about that he really didn't get very high on the list. (The Young Turks turned the triteness into a running joke all week: "Hey Dad, did you know Greenville is 100 miles away from Columbia?")

Fast forward to last night Zags vs WVU, and Webber is the color guy (I don't even know who the play-by-play guy is - some generic Guy Smiley). As I was not really invested in either team, I just tried to enjoy the game (at least the competitiveness and effort, even if Huggy Bear doesn't want anyone playing flowy hoops). I think I found my new Most Awful Announcer - congratulations Chris Webber! While he has a superb vocabulary and a smooth delivery, Webber is a cliche-spouting Tim-McCarver-style second-guesser that added nothing of value to to the telecast. Whatever basketball expertise he acquired at Michigan and the NBA is well-hidden underneath layers and layers of inanity.

The good news is that he should only have one more game left to do in the tournament. I will watch Zags / Xavier with anticipation, not only for the chance to see a mid major go to the final four, but also to share Webber's most ridiculous comments with my adoring DBR readership. "As always, you're welcome!"

[sagegrouse]

During the Duke / USC rock fight, I was able to tune out Chris Webber's commentary, because I am familiar enough with Duke to not need much help from the announcers. I was annoyed with Webber, but there was enough else to be annoyed about that he really didn't get very high on the list. (The Young Turks turned the triteness into a running joke all week: "Hey Dad, did you know Greenville is 100 miles away from Columbia?")

Fast forward to last night Zags vs WVU, and Webber is the color guy (I don't even know who the play-by-play guy is - some generic Guy Smiley). As I was not really invested in either team, I just tried to enjoy the game (at least the competitiveness and effort, even if Huggy Bear doesn't want anyone playing flowy hoops). I think I found my new Most Awful Announcer - congratulations Chris Webber! While he has a superb vocabulary and a smooth delivery, Webber is a cliche-spouting Tim-McCarver-style second-guesser that added nothing of value to to the telecast. Whatever basketball expertise he acquired at Michigan and the NBA is well-hidden underneath layers and layers of inanity.

The good news is that he should only have one more game left to do in the tournament. I will watch Zags / Xavier with anticipation, not only for the chance to see a mid major go to the final four, but also to share Webber's most ridiculous comments with my adoring DBR readership. "As always, you're welcome!"

I don't have a solution, but I think I have defined the problem: "Less is more" on TV announcing, and it isn't happening on college basketball broadcasts. There is too much talking, and the play-by-play guy/gal and the analyst seem to compete to ensure there is no quiet interval whatever. "Quiet" is a good when there is a live telecast; moreover, commentators have a limited amount of wisdom to impart, so extra words add nothing.

What is the ideal? It someone else's example but here's a supposed TV broadcast of a Packers play by the legendary Ray Scott back in the day: "Starr [Bart]. Dowler [Boyd]. Touchdown."

Once, also years and years ago in the last game of the 1980 regular season, NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer decided to do an "announcerless game." The broadcast got higher ratings, but the experiment was never repeated. I can't find the direct quote, but I believe it was Dick Enberg who said he watched the game and decided he needed to say less during the broadcast and allow more "quiet time."

There is no evidence of "quiet time" today in college basketball telecasts.

[duke4ever19]

I don't have a solution, but I think I have defined the problem: "Less is more" on TV announcing, and it isn't happening on college basketball broadcasts. There is too much talking, and the play-by-play guy/gal and the analyst seem to compete to ensure there is no quiet interval whatever.

What is the ideal? It someone else's example but here's a supposed TV broadcast of a Packers game by the legendary Ray Scott back in the day: "Starr [Bart]. Dowler [Boyd]. Touchdown."

Once, also years and years ago in the last game of the 1980 regular season NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer decided to do an "announcerless game." The broadcast gor higher ratings, but the experiment was never repeated. I can't find the direct quote, but I believe it was Dick Enberg who said he watched the game and decided he needed to say less during the broadcast and allow more "quiet time."

There is no evidence of "quiet time" today in college basketball telecasts.

When I think of Dick Enberg, I always think of the fine job he did covering Wimbledon for NBC and, a bit later, the US Open for CBS.

I like the way tennis matches are commentated, because there is less talking, but I think the frequent stoppages in tennis and the need for quiet during serves dictates a more sparse commentary, but a more pleasing rhythm between sound and silence. The English say even barely anything during their coverage of the tennis opens.

[Karl Beem]

Knight is gone, G-man seems to have slipped, Bonner is good - I *love* Spanarkel.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Webber killed me talking about how Duke plays great D and fills passing lanes. Like his Duke knowledge was from his playing days.

[AtlDuke72]

During the Duke / USC rock fight, I was able to tune out Chris Webber's commentary, because I am familiar enough with Duke to not need much help from the announcers. I was annoyed with Webber, but there was enough else to be annoyed about that he really didn't get very high on the list. (The Young Turks turned the triteness into a running joke all week: "Hey Dad, did you know Greenville is 100 miles away from Columbia?")

Fast forward to last night Zags vs WVU, and Webber is the color guy (I don't even know who the play-by-play guy is - some generic Guy Smiley). As I was not really invested in either team, I just tried to enjoy the game (at least the competitiveness and effort, even if Huggy Bear doesn't want anyone playing flowy hoops). I think I found my new Most Awful Announcer - congratulations Chris Webber! While he has a superb vocabulary and a smooth delivery, Webber is a cliche-spouting Tim-McCarver-style second-guesser that added nothing of value to to the telecast. Whatever basketball expertise he acquired at Michigan and the NBA is well-hidden underneath layers and layers of inanity.

The good news is that he should only have one more game left to do in the tournament. I will watch Zags / Xavier with anticipation, not only for the chance to see a mid major go to the final four, but also to share Webber's most ridiculous comments with my adoring DBR readership. "As always, you're welcome!"

If you really want to make yourself miserable, try listening to Doris Burke announcing a Connecticut women's game when they are ahead by 40 points !

[Henderson]

If you really want to make yourself miserable, try listening to Doris Burke announcing a Connecticut women's game when they are ahead by 40 points !

Why in the world would a person want to watch a UConn women's game when they are up by 40?

[Indoor66]

Why in the world would a person want to watch a UConn women's game when they are up by 40?

Or at all?

[Pghdukie]

Or at all?

Because I gave 39.5 points for a c-note !

[Turk]

Because a neighbor / co-worker / friend-of-a-friend's kid is a walk-on and might get some garbage time?

[SoCalDukeFan]

If you really want to make yourself miserable, try listening to Doris Burke announcing a Connecticut women's game when they are ahead by 40 points !

Try any game any circumstance with Bill Walton. I truly think living on the West Coast is the best for sports, mostly because of the time zone. But we get so much of Walton he may negate the advantage.

SoCal