Sports Announcers/Commentators

[cj's dad]

I'm interested in you favorites vs. your least faves.

I'll start with three on each side.

Faves:

Chris Berman -ESPN
Joe Buck-Fox Baseball
Chris Carter- Football

Least Fave:

Stephen A. Smith-ESPN
Woody Paige-ESPN
John Clayton-ESPN

[johnhannibalsmith]

Top of the heap:

Mike Emrick (NHL)

Sterling/Kay (NYYankees - not even sure if they still work together but these guys were GREAT on radio broadcasts as a team)

Don Cherry ;)

Mene Gene Okerland/Gorilla Monsoon/Bobby Heenan

Awful:

Almost everyone else, but let's give honors to -

Derek Sanderson (okay, arcane reference and he may be dead by now, but used to be the color guy after his career for the Bruins on WSBK, I think, and was the equivalent of having Chris Matthews talk about politics... and the Bruins were Obama)

Shaq (I rarely watch basketball but was jammed into a hotel room for most of the summer sharing with a jock that watched it nonstop and I have NO idea what this guy was even saying 98.6% of the time)

Marv ("YEESSSSSSHH!!!" cannot be said 87 times in two hours and not drive me nuts even if he is a pretty good broadcaster)

Almost every single person on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNHD, ESPNHD2.0, ESPN1984, et al.

[JustRalph]

With a more local flair.......

Marty Brenneman who does Red's Radio, Baseball.

Joe Buck......doing a nice job........

Also like Al Michaels


Hate:

Gruden

Dan Fouts

[PhantomOnTour]

Whooooooooa lemme tell ya bout Keith Jackson....whoa nellie lemme tell ya bout him!

[Greyfox]

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen - Cycling. Horse racing announcers could learn from them.

[PhantomOnTour]

Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen - Cycling. Horse racing announcers could learn from them.
I second that - they are the best team of commentators in any sport anywhere
:ThmbUp:

[horses4courses]

Give me Al Michaels calling a football game with just about anyone beside him.
He's way the best, imo.

Jon Gruden annoys the heck out of me. He shouldn't, but he does.

Baseball?
Vin Scully has no equal.
Well into his 80s now, he is baseball through and through.

I'm a Giants fan, and listening to Kuiper and Krukow is a lot of fun.
Only if you're a Giants, though. They are delightfully biased.... ;)

[JustRalph]

I forgot one who I miss.

Auto racing pioneer who died last year

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2012/0928/rpm_Economaki_d1_400.jpg

Chris Economaki

[horses4courses]

I know little, and care less, about NBA.
Anytime Stephen A. Smith comes on ESPN talking about any topic, it's an immediate press of the remote control.
The man is a pain to listen to..... :ThmbDown:

[Valuist]

Good: Michaels, Steve Stone, Aikman

Dislike: Gruden---Everyone is the greatest he's ever seen. Very tiresome
Phil Simms---just because you are a color guy doesn't mean you have to comment on everything.

[anotherCAfan]

Baseball?
Vin Scully has no equal.
Well into his 80s now, he is baseball through and through.

I'm a Giants fan, and listening to Kuiper and Krukow is a lot of fun.
Only if you're a Giants, though. They are delightfully biased.... ;)
Does Jon Miller still call Giants games? As a Dodger/Angel fan, I still always liked Jon Miller.

[horses4courses]

Does Jon Miller still call Giants games? As a Dodger/Angel fan, I still always liked Jon Miller.

Yes he does, but mostly radio.
I like him a lot, too.

[proximity]

not an eagles fan, but i'd say merrill reese is the best radio announcer. has the homer passion that the city of philadelphia does for the eagles but can respect other teams and players too.

when i was young i used to like listening to chuck thompson do the colts games on radio too. (balitmore)

on tv i used to like when mike patrick did the sunday night games.

and don't really have any least favorites, but it is a struggle to watch a complete baseball game with tim mccarver announcing.

[Striker]

I think Jim Nantz is solid during the NCAA bball tourney and golf.

[NJ Stinks]

All-time favs:

Curt Gowdy & Al DeRogatis doing the AFL/AFC

Lindsey Nelson doing anything

Bob Murphy doing Mets games on the radio

Dick Enberg doing football

Sean McDonough - doing baseball

Vince Scully and Marv Albert have to be included, of course

Honorable Mention - Chris Collinsworth - this guy is so honest he got booted from doing Notre Dame games on NBC because he told the truth about ND too often! :cool:

Chalkboard noise:

John Sterling - ruined Yankee radio broadcasts for at least 20 years and counting

Keith Jackson - "Whoa, Nellie" played better elsewhere I guess

John Madden - liked him for about 5 years - endured him for the next 20

Dick Vitale - ACC booster ad nauseum

Matt Millen - the guy who never learned how to shut up during a broadcast - lots like him nowadays

[johnhannibalsmith]

..John Sterling - ruined Yankee radio broadcasts for at least 20 years and counting

...

You just put that on there because I had him on my list. :lol:

"MmmrrRrrr...nnnyyIT is HIGH...nnnyit is FAR...nnyyIT iSSSsss...Gaaawwwwnnn!...A majestic parabola to the left field seats..."

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

How could you possibly not like the theatrical and often baffled Sterling with the geeky Michael Kay as straight man?... like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups... just a perfect radio combo...

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[rastajenk]

Faves:
Chris Berman -ESPNI can't put this guy on a list. He doesn't irritate me enough to put on a Dislike List, but his schtick has gotten tiresome to me. I'd like him more if he could finish a sentence. People are put on TV because they should be communicators; sometime he doesn't even finish a word before channelling into his next thought. Can't vote for him here. :ThmbDown:

[Overlay]

With a more local flair.......

Marty Brenneman who does Red's Radio, Baseball.

Joe Buck......doing a nice job........

Also like Al Michaels

Do you remember in the long-ago (early 70's) when Al briefly preceded Marty doing radio play-by-play for the Reds with Joe Nuxhall on WLW?

[Maximillion]

Eric Davis is great on the am NFL network show.(wish he did more nationally)

Troy Aikman always solid.

Im a little tired of Chris Berman.

[Marshall Bennett]

Tim McCarver/Joe Buck :ThmbUp:
Al Michaels/Chris Collinsworth :ThmbUp:
Larry Dierker :ThmbUp:

Brent Musburger :ThmbDown:
Joe Thiesman :ThmbDown:
Keith Jackson :ThmbDown:

[KingChas]

Best; The late Harry Kalas not just the Phillies but also NFL film narrations :ThmbUp:

Worst; The Gumbal Bros :ThmbDown:

[BlueShoe]

LIKE.
Vin Scully
Al Michaels
Both men still top of heap.

Dislike.
Dick Vitale.
Marques Johnson
Joe Morgan
All female sports announcers and commentators.

[lamboguy]

my friend and favorite NFL pregame show was Jimmy the Greek Synopolis sponsored by Muriel Cigar's.

my favorite basketball announcer was Johnnie Most

[Overlay]

Back in the late '60's-early 70's, Cincinnati had a basketball play-by-play announcer named Dom Valentino who covered both the UC Bearcats and the Cincinnati Royals, and who was about the most excitable announcer I ever heard. He really got carried away describing the action.

[Johnny V]

LIKE:
Tim McCarver
Curt Gowdy
Joe Garigiola
Vince Scully
DISLIKE:
Dick Vitale
Brent Musburger
Joe Morgan
Jon Miller

[pandy]

Being a Mets fan I always liked Ralph Kiner, but I had a soft spot for The Scooter, too, from when I rooted for the Yankees years ago. I like when the old time players tell stories.

When I was a kid Marv Albert did the Knicks and Rangers play by play on the radio and he was a master of play by play announcing, amazingly accurate no matter how fast the tempo of the game, and he made it exciting. His trademark expression was "Yes!" as someone hit a basket. Marv Albert is probably the most talented sports announcer I've ever heard.

[johnhannibalsmith]

... I had a soft spot for The Scooter...

:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

He and Bill White on WPIX were always fun.

I regretted not putting him on my list after I was You-Tubing and found a few old clips last night that brought me back. Classic Scooter here, and what great amusement I get watching Oil Can, Pags, Winfield, Dewey Evans... makes me almost interested in baseball again...

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[NJ Stinks]

:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

He and Bill White on WPIX were always fun.

I regretted not putting him on my list after I was You-Tubing and found a few old clips last night that brought me back. Classic Scooter here, and what great amusement I get watching Oil Can, Pags, Winfield, Dewey Evans... makes me almost interested in baseball again...



I agree cmpletely, John! :ThmbUp:

[Johnny V]

Being a Mets fan I always liked Ralph Kiner, but I had a soft spot for The Scooter, too, from when I rooted for the Yankees years ago. I like when the old time players tell stories.

When I was a kid Marv Albert did the Knicks and Rangers play by play on the radio and he was a master of play by play announcing, amazingly accurate no matter how fast the tempo of the game, and he made it exciting. His trademark expression was "Yes!" as someone hit a basket. Marv Albert is probably the most talented sports announcer I've ever heard.
I thought that Met crew of Murphy, Nelson and Kiner were always good back then and I enjoyed listening to them and Murphy was good on the radio. I remember we used to be at the old Polo Grounds and at Shea and had our little radio on listening to the play by play while watching the game.

[MutuelClerk]

Good topic.

Favorites: Bob Cole, Mike Tirico, Johnny Miller, Ron Maclean, Don Cherry, Bob Eucker, Bob Ufer, and the best ever God bless Ernie Harwell.

Awful: Joe Buck ( zzzzzzzz) Al Michaels ( made a living off believing in miracles), all the Alberts, Brent Musberger.

[sandpit]

Chris Schenkel: could simply do any sport with incredible eloquence and was the anchor during the tragic 1972 Olympics. Called the 1958 NFL championship, "the greatest game ever played", was the very first NFL Films voiceover and the very first football game ever shown on tv.

Curty Gowdy: Simply fanstastic at calling the NFL in the 70s, he has been inducted into 22 different Hall of Fames.

Can't stand Joe Buck, but his father Jack and Hank Stram are my all-time favorite tandem. The duo's Monday night calls were incredible, with Jack painting a picture that made me think I could actually see the plays, and Stram accurately predicting plays made for great listening as I drifted off to sleep.

Cawood Ledford: the legendary UK basketball and football announcer was the smoothest I ever heard. He also won several Eclipse Awards for his Derby calls and wound up his career calling the legendary UK-Duke game.

Jack Whitaker: always loved his racing commentary.

All of these guys were men who elevated the sport because of their talent, but never let themselves become the focus. Most announcers today could learn from that, especially the ESPN blowhards and the committees on NFL pre-game shows.

And, oh yes, the greatest voice ever: John Facenda.

[lamboguy]

Chris Schenkel: could simply do any sport with incredible eloquence and was the anchor during the tragic 1972 Olympics. Called the 1958 NFL championship, "the greatest game ever played", was the very first NFL Films voiceover and the very first football game ever shown on tv.

Curty Gowdy: Simply fanstastic at calling the NFL in the 70s, he has been inducted into 22 different Hall of Fames.

Can't stand Joe Buck, but his father Jack and Hank Stram are my all-time favorite tandem. The duo's Monday night calls were incredible, with Jack painting a picture that made me think I could actually see the plays, and Stram accurately predicting plays made for great listening as I drifted off to sleep.

Cawood Ledford: the legendary UK basketball and football announcer was the smoothest I ever heard. He also won several Eclipse Awards for his Derby calls and wound up his career calling the legendary UK-Duke game.

Jack Whitaker: always loved his racing commentary.

All of these guys were men who elevated the sport because of their talent, but never let themselves become the focus. Most announcers today could learn from that, especially the ESPN blowhards and the committees on NFL pre-game shows.

And, oh yes, the greatest voice ever: John Facenda.all were classy and great, i like your picks here

[NJ Stinks]

all were classy and great, i like your picks here

I like your picks too, Sandpit. :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

Although I must add that I don't know Cawood Ledford.

[BlueShoe]

Of all the announcers, commentators, and broadcast teams, the one that still stands out, not only in my memory, but in many others, is the Monday night football trio from the 70's and early 80's. Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, and Don Meredith were simply not to be missed back in that era.

[Robert Goren]

Not a mention yet was Jim McKay of World World of Sports fame.
I don't hear John Sterling very often, but was impressed by his baseball knowledge a long time ago when he hosted a late night sport talk show in Altanta. He knew who former Indians 1st baseman Tony Horton was and what happened to him.

[sandpit]

I like your picks too, Sandpit. :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

Although I must add that I don't know Cawood Ledford.

Thanks very much. Quick story about Cawood I heard just the other day on the radio from no less than Dick Enberg. Enberg is actually in Lexington, KY tonight to accept some award from Tom Hammond, and was talking about it on the radio. He recounted when he was in undergrad school at Indiana and he heard Cawood calling UK games, and he said that is who I want to be like as a broadcaster.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3sywHh981c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MSnLqS2s5s

[NJ Stinks]

I appreciate the clips on Cawood Ledford, Sandpit.

[appistappis]

loved gowdy and whitaker back in the day. Today, hate any and all females and all the panels. Why do you need five guys to tell you what you just watched???

[Dan Montilion]

Loved to listen to Frank Broyles color commentary on ABC college football. After a long pass completion, " waya waz tha safetyman Keith?"

Boxing... Don Dunphy, Howard Cossell.

Baseball... Vin Scully. This hurts. I would rather eat pasta out of a colostomy bag than admit anything Dodger.

Football Curt Gowdy, Early Dick Stockton, Don Meredith, Dick Enberg.

Commentary...Heywood Hale Broun, Jack Whitaker.

Tennis.. Bud Collins.

My favorite... Bill King.

[horses4courses]

Ughhhhh....this guy is awful :bang:

It's a pain listening to the 49ers/Rams thanks to this guy.

Gruden and Dierdorf.....all is forgiven :faint:

[wiffleball whizz]

Give me Al Michaels calling a football game with just about anyone beside him.
He's way the best, imo.

Jon Gruden annoys the heck out of me. He shouldn't, but he does.

Baseball?
Vin Scully has no equal.
Well into his 80s now, he is baseball through and through.

I'm a Giants fan, and listening to Kuiper and Krukow is a lot of fun.
Only if you're a Giants, though. They are delightfully biased.... ;)


Al micheals tons the best

[Rookies]

Tom Cheek
Bob Costas
John Facenda
Danny Gallivan
Curt Gowdy
Ernie Harwell
Al Michaels
Ray Scott
Vin Scully

:ThmbUp:

[thaskalos]

Like
Pat Summerall
Al Michaels
Steve Stone

Dislike
Phil Simms
Ron Jaworsky
Joe Theisman

[JustRalph]

Al Michaels is good

His replacement in Cincy is pretty damn good too......

Mary Brenneman.......... :ThmbUp:

Tom Brenneman's dad........pretty good pair between them.

[rastajenk]

I haven't come to appreciate Brennaman Jr. yet (which is a polite way of saying I don't care for him much). He talks too much with too many cliches; in many situations, I know what he's going to say before he says it. Not good.

Brennaman Sr., now he's worthy of any kind of list like this. :ThmbUp:

[MJC922]

For the NFL I always thought Paul Maguire had pretty good insight, plus he was kind of an upstate-NY-based guy so maybe I'm biased. Brent M was iconic in the 80's. Haven't watched the NFL since the salary cap went on around 2000? is that still in effect? Thought the product was higher quality at playoff time when the Steve Young / Troy Aikman teams were filled with talent. The Bills may not win the Super Bowl in my lifetime no matter what kind of salary cap is in place. :)

[Valuist]

Like
Pat Summerall
Al Michaels
Steve Stone

Dislike
Phil Simms
Ron Jaworsky
Joe Theisman

I agree with most of your list although I don't dislike Simms. Jaworski used to be ok; now just annoying. I would add Gruden to the dislike list. Every player is the "greatest this, or greatest that". He oversells the game, kind of like how Theismann used to. Stone is the best baseball color guy. Michaels is great; last Monday night he tells the audience: "I have been informed that Miami beating Atlanta last weekend was NOT actually an upset. There's one demographic out there that keeps me in line."

[Marshall Bennett]

Dislike
Joe Theisman
I agree :ThmbUp:, he's absolutely horrible.

Al Michaels is probably my favorite. Also like Troy Aikman and John Madden. Chris Collinsworth is a really good analyst, enjoy listening to him.
Charlie Jones always seemed biased when announcing, towards one team or the other. Besides that he wasn't very good, never liked him.
Brent Musburger is also one of my least favorites, always yapping, never shuts up.
Keith Jackson's another that goes into the booth favoring one team or the other. Does a shitty job of trying to hide it in his broadcasting.

[offtrack]

Bat Masterson was a good sports commentator, IMHO. Anyone go back further...?

[Stillriledup]

Cant Stand:

Berman
Skip Bayless
Jamele Hill

People i enjoy listening to:
Michael Kay and almost all the Yankees color guys, including Al Leiter, Paul ONeill, Kenny Singleton, David Cone.

AL Michaels, i don't mind Chris, but love listening to Al.

A commentator i couldnt stand but now i actually like him is Dan Dierdorf.

Non announcer types, love listening to Herm Edwards and radio show guys i like Mason and Ireland (but like Ireland better) and i like Max and Marcellus.

I was into the Herd but now i just hit a wall with him and can't listen anymore, i may start watching again, but once you get "herded out" its hard to go back.

[JustRalph]

theisman running out of the booth to take a leak every commercial probably caused him serious problems..........

[JimG]

:ThmbUp:
Pat Summerall
Curt Gowdy
John McEnroe
Mary Carillo
Al Michaels
Vin Scully
Troy Aikman

:ThmbDown:
Joe Thiesman
Tim McCarver
Phil Simms
Brad Gilbert

[Robert Goren]

I like the team of Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts.

[HoofedInTheChest]

You guys are forgetting about the legend, Marty Glickman, the man layed the groundwork for all future broadcasters. There's a great documentary on HBO about his life, i highly recommend it.

My all time favorite pairing..... (hockey of course)

Joe Bowen and Harry Neale.

Gord Miller on TSN calls a good game as well.

[Stillriledup]

:ThmbUp:
Pat Summerall
Curt Gowdy
John McEnroe
Mary Carillo
Al Michaels
Vin Scully
Troy Aikman

:ThmbDown:
Joe Thiesman
Tim McCarver
Phil Simms
Brad Gilbert

Ugh, i did forget Simms on my cant stand list....if you arent a lover of the Patriots, Belichick, Brady and all things New England, Simms will grate on you like no other.

[mostpost]

Len Kasper, TV voice of the Chicago Cubs is excellent. He avoids the cliches and is very knowledgeable about the game. He can talk about the history of baseball and about subjects like sabremetrics and the other new baseball stats with equal skill.

Chicago White Sox announcer is just awful; a whiny, pouting homer who falls into a funk when the Sox aren't doing well. Yeah, I'm a Cubs fan, but I think a lot of Sox fans agree with me.

Steve Stone is the best baseball color guy, with Bob Brenley not far behind.

[johnhannibalsmith]

...

Chicago White Sox announcer is just awful; a whiny, pouting homer who falls into a funk when the Sox aren't doing well. Yeah, I'm a Cubs fan, but I think a lot of Sox fans agree with me.

...

Isn't that the guy that played for the Red Sox? Harrelson? Does that stupid "put it on the board!" or whatever when they hit one out?

[Stillriledup]

Isn't that the guy that played for the Red Sox? Harrelson? Does that stupid "put it on the board!" or whatever when they hit one out?

lol im not a sox fan but i LOVE listening to the Hawk and Hawkisms.

Can O' Corn DJ, Can o Corn.

:D

[mountainman]

like: Johnny Miller-courageous, entertaining
Kenny Smith- backseat to barkley, but just as opinionated and more expertise
Dick Vitale-never been a mix of his entertainment value, candor and knowledge..in ANY sport


dislike: Phil Simms-redboards 20x a game
John Gruden-talks like Kurt Russell in "big trouble in little china"
Nick Faldo-smug, egotistical

[wiffleball whizz]

Cant Stand:

Berman
Skip Bayless
Jamele Hill

People i enjoy listening to:
Michael Kay and almost all the Yankees color guys, including Al Leiter, Paul ONeill, Kenny Singleton, David Cone.

AL Michaels, i don't mind Chris, but love listening to Al.

A commentator i couldnt stand but now i actually like him is Dan Dierdorf.

Non announcer types, love listening to Herm Edwards and radio show guys i like Mason and Ireland (but like Ireland better) and i like Max and Marcellus.

I was into the Herd but now i just hit a wall with him and can't listen anymore, i may start watching again, but once you get "herded out" its hard to go back.

Can't ****ing stand Chris berman and skip bayless

[Marshall Bennett]

Another pairing, always biased in their broadcast, are Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson. They were in the booth for the Lsu/Georgia game yesterday, and you would have thought they were both ex cheerleaders for the Bulldogs. I don't care for their work anyway, but this just adds to the dismay.
In my opinion, they're awful.