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.
< snip >
"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."
< snip >
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 ...
They used Brent Musberger, worst announcer ever.
He pretty much always does that though. I think he thinks going mental is inelegant!
Wonder what would have been said if Mia Hamm was doing some color commentating!
But when will Soccer do away with the offside penalty?
Imagine how exciting Soccer would be with that rule deleted; there would be instant scoring in the tens.
As it stands, if a player doesn't want to defend he just stops running & the offside judge gets paid.
John Miller has forgotten more about baseball than I'll ever know and I follow the sport religiously......
Maybe they should just chuck the field markings as well. Replace the goals with baskets, a hardwood floor, and a shot clock?
I think that's one of the reasons why the French team has won me over.
I think the French team is good because few of their players are actually ethnic French. Heck even their greatest player Michel Platini was Italian.
They could add a designated kicker for all free kicks.
I listened to it on XM in my office and the announcers were terrific. Jeesh! They can really get you excited.
I did not like him neither. The only excuse is that he expressed interest in the game, and I was willing to cut him SOME slack just for this enthusiasm. But he is awful. Maybe he will improve if he sticks long enough?
JP and Harkes make a much better team!
From all studio commentators, Judy Foudy was the better one.
And TV timeouts galore. I hate the fact that I am missing out on soooooo many witty Miller Lite commercials right now.
Metirc Football where mommy packs Capri-sun drinks and orange slices for all the 5-year old girlies to run around and socialize for a coupel hours, while the mommies eat donuts and drink super-sweetened coffees and when it's all over, hop back in their range rovers and go home to complain to their girlfriends how exhausting life is over many many margaritas while their daughters are off on a play date.
At least we know when somebody scores....Gol Gol Gol!
""Soccer", what's that?"
My kids played it until high school. Then they went on to American sports.
LOL! Future heart attacks are indeed manly.
Do you know who is on XM?
I watched the 2004 olympic coverage in Greece. (for events I did not attend)
It was fantastic. NO COMMENTARY other than stats around the screen.
These sports announcers think they really matter.
News READERS, sports casters, add NOTHING to the event.
ESPN could save a fortune by simply firing them all.
Based on the diving and resulting penalty calls, how about Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura in the booth?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.