Posted on 07/06/2006 8:55:05 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
The World Cup is generating record television audiences for soccer in the U.S. But some diehard fans think the coverage deserves a red card.
Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN and ABC have been hit with complaints from soccer devotees that their telecasts are unsophisticated and mistake-ridden. The popular Web site Big Soccer has a thread titled "Pick your favorite insane thing said by the announcers so far."
A major gripe: ESPN selected an announcer, Dave O'Brien, who had never called a soccer game before this year to serve as the tournament's lead play-by-play man. Some English-speaking viewers have switched to Spanish-language Univision, which has out-rated ESPN and its sister cable network ESPN2 on average for the tournament in Germany.
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"They're trying to give us all this information to show us how much they know," says Steven Cohen, who has bashed ESPN on his "World Soccer Daily" show on Sirius Satellite Radio. "All they're showing us is how much they don't know."
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The soccer executives opposed the appointment of Mr. O'Brien. Their argument: using an announcer unfamiliar with the sport might not help ratings but certainly could hurt them. "Would you ever put a guy who had never called a sport before ... in the World Series, the Super Bowl or the Olympics?" a senior U.S. soccer executive says. "Never."
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Brokeback Cup.
They should have the Brit and Irishman do the games, especially the semi-final and final. They did a much better job than the US announcers.
Thats because ESPN and Soccer sucks. So its like two ugly sisters fighting over the bathroom.
"Is there an ESPN announcer who knows anything about anything?"
Yes, Joe Morgan
They figured the Mexicans were trying to cross the US practice border.
Morgan is a twit. Everything is about race and he refuses to believe Moneyball is worthy reading because "he has played the game". And Im a REDS fan.
Yes, Joe Morgan
Just ask him. He'll tell you he knows everything.
She should be. She was on the US womens' national team for years.
I really didnt have a problem with Obrien, and I watched a a lot of matches. Seamus was the best color man of the tournament. What I had a real problem with was the technical difficulties ESPN had. There were times when the screen would freeze as if the satellite lost the feed. When I switched over to Univision, thinking it was a Charter issue, the signal was fine..
I will say this - that the sports reporters on ESPN are self absorbed, totally clueless idiots about the World Cup. Besides Kornhiser and Wilbon who are actually knowledgable, the rest of them, including the nightly screamers and the Sunday cast of clowns, should pack up their bags and go back to their respective hometowns and play kiss up to the local teams, because they are out of their league.
Does ESPN use a pair of commentators? It seems to me that the obvious compromise for ESPN would be to have the O’Brien guy pitch commentary for the newbie crowd, and someone with more knowledge of soccer offering more insightful comments for those that know the game.
At least if they are going to hire guys who have never called a soccer match before, at least get hockey analysts.
Not much of a difference. After they got married, she turned him from a man into a total poof.
Soccer is Dull squared.
I really tried to like it, but it failed me.
ask me about it
Spanish-English translator:
tiro esquina - corner kick
Gol - goal
Penal - penalty kick
That's pretty much all you need to know to watch the games on Univision.
Football doesn't start till September
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