You are watching on ABC/ESPN right?? Average rating so far for World Cup is 2.5. Low ratings = less commercial breaks.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/nielsen-more.htm
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3719133a6561,00.html
Obrien is a baseball announcer who got a "special assignment" to cover the WC. That's like putting a golf announcer in the booth for the Super Bowl.