MUScoop
MUScoop => The Superbar => Topic started by: HouWarrior on April 24, 2015, 05:49:14 PM
-
Here is a good offseason topic.
You are a gourmet sports enthusiast. Watching TV, or radio listening, you appreciate the announcer's style and artistry as much as, and sometimes more than the action. The only requirement here is that you actually heard the announcer's work...ie no claiming you loved Red Barber announcing Brooklyn Dodgers games, Marty Glickman calling the NY Giants, or Vin Scully on LA Dodgers games.
Here are a few of mine:
Pleasant professional talker smoothly flowing with the play.
Ray Scott calling Packer games in the 60's heyday. He was easy to listen to, a homer without being too opinionated, and his timing of his calls was always well timed to the action. Pat Sumerall also was a good compliment to the NFL action he called. Any Kieth Jackson college football game was an easy listen, too.
Honorable mention: Verne Lundquist on Cowboys games; Marv Albert (a Marty Glickman legacy) on NBA games. Dick Enberg (esp. MU champ game) and Curt Gowdy (esp. AFL football on NBC) fit well here. Joe Buck on his World Series calls is closing in to this level, too
What the heck did he just say---I love it!
The NBA came to to Milwaukee, and I learned the game and a bunch of odd terms like toaster, the eye,skyhook, etc from Eddie Doucette calling NBA Bucks games, on the radio. You had to learn his code to understand his call, but once learned, it added to the fun of an expansion franchise's quickest rise from worst to first in sports history.You'd be amazed at the now common BB announcer terms that are credited to him, See:
http://www.eddiedoucette.com/articles/doucette_dictionary.pdf
Of course,Al McGuire bouncing off the action and Billy Packard using his instincts and unique vocabulary (see: http://espn.go.com/classic/s/McGuirisms.html) made it worth watching any college BB game they called.
Honorable mention:Today, Bill Raftery adds those strange words to the action, at just the right time. Also, the Don Meredith/Howard Cosell banter on MNF is ageless. Heck,even Jeff Van Gundy on NBA/TNT has his moments.
The voice and delivery add to the drama of the event
I have an odd one here. I am not a big golf fan, but annually, I am drawn to the perfect match of Jim Nantz' smooth voiced calling to the Masters, and to the drama that plays out on Sunday. Somehow, the two go well together. Whether it was ABC Wide World of Sports, or the Munich Olympics, Jim McKay's announcing alone, somehow made it worth watching... yes, even cliff diving in Acapulco, and barrel jumping at Grossinger's.
Honorable mention: The 1980 Miracle on Ice had its own drama, but Al Michaels game call paired perfectly with the play, culminating in the "Do you believe in miracles?" moment. Also, Bob Costas has had his good performances, too, especially on the Olympics, and on his first passion, baseball.
Pure wordsmiths, like listening to Hemingway.
CBS News sent Heywood Hale Broun out to cover a sports story, and I'd almost want to send out for the transcript, as his words elevated sports to literature. Not an announcer, but George Will talks baseball in an erudite way that elevates the subject.
Honorable mentions: It overlaps, but Jim McKay, Marty Glickman (sports newsreels), and Bob Costas all are gifted wordsmiths, drawing you into the action with their wonderfully crafted verbiage.
Announcers you love to hate
Whether they were homers, jerks, their voice grates on your ears, or you just dont like them, this one picks up the hall of shame. I have Brent Musburger, Howard Cosell, Billy Packard, Dick Vitale, and Bryant Gumbel.
Add anything you'd like to, its the off season, man.
Please add your own take in any direction, with the proviso you actually heard it...good games, great memories, jerks, guys you'd turn the TV down on and listen to the radio, or just telling my list is full of BS. Some one may want to add the equally important, but not covered here, area of best/worst color commentators...the ex jocks we enjoy or hate in adding or detracting from the game.
Enjoy.
-
Keith Jackson doing college football ... "Whoa Nelly"
-
There is something about baseball announcers on AM radio.
Used to love Milo Hamilton, Vince Lloyd, and Lou Boudreau on WGN.
One of my favorite radio calls was by Harry Caray. August of 1990 night game. Harry was doing radio, middle innings, against the Cardinals. Whitey Herzog had been bitching about the umps not calling balks all season. Cubs loaded the bases. Cardinal pitcher was called for a balk. Run scores. Harry simply says, "Whitey, he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword".
-
Earl Gillespie and Blaine Walsh, ai na?
-
Ted Moore, Jim Irwin, hey?
-
I grew up listening to Marv Albert calling Knicks and Rangers games on the radio.
"Frazier drives and hits ... YES ... and it counts ... there was a foul on the play!" with the Garden crowd going wild in the background.
"Potvin shoots ... kick save and a beauty by Giacomin!"
He is still the very best for basketball, and it's not even close IMHO.
I am always sad when the playoffs go from TNT to the ESPN family because it means Marv's season is done. I have long since moved from the East Coast and I don't even know if he does hockey any more. I'm guessing not.
So obviously, Marv is my favorite. For a singular announcing moment, I'm not sure how anything possibly tops Al Michaels in 1980 -- and I'm not the biggest Michaels fan. It was just the perfect thing to say at the perfect time.
-
Howard Cosell (boxing only). Down goes Frazier
Worst was Butkus on bears games
-
I have very fond memories of living in Boston and listening to Johnny Most, the Voice of the Celtics, on the radio. We used to listen to him while tuning in on TV and wonder if he was watching the same game.
Great whiskey-and-cigarette voice. Unapologetic homer. One time he thought the refs were in the tank for Milwaukee and ignoring the obvious manner in which they were running over his beloved Boston team. Towards the end, he was referring to the "Milwaukee Trucks".
Twenty-eight years later, whenever we believe a foul is unfairly called on Marquette and the other team's player misses the free throw, jsglow and I say in unison in the most gravelly voices we can muster, "And justice is served!"
-
We used to turn down the NBA Rockets TV broadcast to listen to radio play by play with Gene Petersen and Marquette's former SID ('65-'69) Jim Foley handling the color.
Jim joined the Rockets, following Ray Patterson here from the Bucks. Jim was great with incredibly odd research and info....one of the few non jocks who was also a good color man.
Here is a great Foley link, incl. his stories on his time with Al at MU:
http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Foley_Fun_Facts_102308-286217-34.html
-
Earl Gillespie and Blaine Walsh, ai na?
I remember being stoned watching a show entirely about Earl Gillespie fishing for muskie around Hayward.
Bizarre
-
No one memory in particular, but I know it definitely involves Al Michaels. I love that guy. He gets pumped and his voice is so distinct. I associate his voice with almost all major sporting events in my life, even if he didn't actually call the game.
-
Ernie Harwell.
-
I remember being stoned watching a show entirely about Earl Gillespie fishing for muskie around Hayward.
Bizarre
Getting stoned in Hayward is bizarre.
;)
-
Pat Foley on WBBM in the old stadium and, of course, Harry mid afternoon after school "holy cow."
-
Eddie Doucette - the toaster, the pancake jumper, Mr. Clean.
Bill Raftery - Put it in, medium size fella!
Al - Holy mackerel! Holy mackerel! Holy mackerel!
Cosell - down goes Fraziahhh....
McIlvaine - No mercy in the dojo!
-
Lloyd Pettit; at age 8,9, listening to Blackhawks in bed with transitor radio and earphone ("we lose a puck and gain a faceoff"; "a shot...and a goooaaall!")
Al Michaels Team USA call (trite but oh so true)
Scully (by himself on radio) and Buck on baseball, anytime anywhere (as long as Mike Shannon was not in the booth with Buck--he is unlistenable in the Butkus mode for me)
Homer and Mac when driving down the highway with TuneIn radio praying that the stream stays alive
Jim Durham on the Bulls
Steve Stone - as good as any baseball color guy around-even when Hawk is insufferable, Stone is worth listening to
Pat Foley play by play b/c I love the Hawks, but the best crew in hockey is his Hawks partner, Eddie O (the Steve Stone of Hockey "for all you young players out there..." and a marvel with the telestrator) when teamed up for the national games with Doc Emerich ("fiddles the puck ahead" - an unlimited array of puck moving descriptors at his disposal)
-
I hate the Domers, but I always think of Harry Kalas announcing old ND games, saying, "Yes by Barlow and the Irish lead by 15."
Harry Carey eons ago saying, "Hey, how about a Falstaff?" Then he had another.
-
http://www.pmaxinc.com/Harry%20-%20Marla%20Collins.mp3
http://www.pmaxinc.com/wrigley.wav
http://www.pmaxinc.com/Harry%20-%20Play%20By%20Play.mp3
http://www.pmaxinc.com/cubswin.au
-
I routinely fall asleep to Scully doing Dodgers games on Extra Innings. I'm not familiar with why locals are not getting Dodger games, but that sounds like an absolute crime.
-
Jim Irwin and Max McGee on Packer radio. Always had the television sound down listening to those two.
-
Jim Irwin and Max McGee on Packer radio. Always had the television sound down listening to those two.
Doesn't the lag piss you off? My buddy's dad used to always do this when we watched games and I hated it. Even if the radio guys were better, they weren't good enough to make up for the lag between TV and radio
-
Doesn't the lag piss you off? My buddy's dad used to always do this when we watched games and I hated it. Even if the radio guys were better, they weren't good enough to make up for the lag between TV and radio
Back in the day, the lag was negligible. This change in the late 90s so now I never listen to the radio.
-
Dick Button and Peggy Fleming.
Sorry, Scott Hamilton and Elfi Schlegel just don't cut it. However, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are showing some promise.
-
I used to get a kick out of Pat Hughes balancing out Santo. Pat would be trying to paint a picture while Ron would just react.
Pat - "And Pujols lines an absolute screamer over the outstretched glove of Juan Pierre, who tumbles to the turf. Two Cards will come around to score and Albert trots into 2nd with a stand up double."
Ron - "Ah GEEZ. Ahhh."
I used to purposely time long drives to correspond to the Cubs games to listen to them.
-
No love for Bob Uecker?
-
No love for Bob Uecker?
Juuuussst a bit outside!
-
Dick Button and Peggy Fleming.
Sorry, Scott Hamilton and Elfi Schlegel just don't cut it. However, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are showing some promise.
better is the SNL version with the skater falling over and over ... "ohhhh.."
-
I remember being stoned watching a show entirely about Earl Gillespie fishing for muskie around Hayward.
Bizarre
i think you meant john gillespie(earl's son) yeah he's gotta be doin something-must have been the most surreal buzz you ever experienced though-holy cow MAN
all of eddie doucette is etched in my brain
-
Dick Enberg and Al, the best tandem in college basketball.
New York baseball had some greats: Mel Allen and Red Barber, but IMHO none better than Vin Scully of the Dodgers.
Chris Schenkle could make professional Bowling interesting to watch on TV, really got to be good to do that.
Lindsey Nelson calling the Army-Navy game in 1963 using for the very first time the "instant replay".
None better that Jim Mckay On ABCs Wide World of Sports; "the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat."
-
Dick Enberg and Al, the best tandem in college basketball.
.
None better that Jim Mckay On ABCs Wide World of Sports; "the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat."
I miss Wide World of Sports. Obviously, it's obsolete now that we have The Ocho.
On a related note, whatever happened to the sport of barrel jumping? They used to show that on WWOS all the time.
(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSEUPa5HD5GaBDHodUE5_iFg4N3BrWmdxmgxLj_eDVmxlgnx1pqJg)
-
Juuuussst a bit outside!
down in front-
aww, these fans, i love 'em
nice seats huh pal?
you're in the wrong seat buddy, come with me
i must be in the front rowwwww
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOnHi7KOxCA
-
Juuuussst a bit outside!
"get up, get up, get outta here, gone," hey?
-
Gotta love the Arnie Harris hat shot.
-
Bill Schonely is the voice of my childhood. "Drexler, to Porter, for three... RRRRRRRIP CITY!"
-
the one that drove me nuts was a recent past bucks radio guy-"3-ball side pocket"-if i hear that one more time...is it still ted davis? haven't listened in a while. hopefully they sent him to radio CE to learn some new chit
-
I have a hard time listening to Doris Burke.
Seems like she could note that sometimes good color work is: "Less is More, Doris"
-
The White Sox radio team from the 90's - 2005 with John Rooney and Ed Farmer. Rooney's last call with the Sox was the final out of the 05 World Series
-
maybe i missed it, but HARRY caray-he was a one of a kind, getting sloshed behind the mic making harry doyle proud. but then again, coming out admitting you were a cubs fan-yup-everyone has a bad century or so-heyna
-
Verne Lundquist on Jack's put at 17 at 1986 Masters. "Maybe...YES SIR!"
-
There is something about baseball announcers on AM radio.
Used to love Milo Hamilton, Vince Lloyd, and Lou Boudreau on WGN.
One of my favorite radio calls was by Harry Caray. August of 1990 night game. Harry was doing radio, middle innings, against the Cardinals. Whitey Herzog had been bitching about the umps not calling balks all season. Cubs loaded the bases. Cardinal pitcher was called for a balk. Run scores. Harry simply says, "Whitey, he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword".
A few more favorites from Harry:
-That wouldn't be a home run in a phone booth.
-The big possum walks late.
-One more biscuit for breakfast and that one's outta here.
-
A few more favorites from Harry:
-One more biscuit for breakfast and that one's outta here.
A classic.
-
https://www.youtube.com/v/3TLG_LtWhj4
Also a classic
-
Ernie Harwell.
Second. He was a national treasure.
I will never forget his calling Kirk Gibson's first game as a Tiger. On Gibson's first chance in the field, a can of corn, he muffed it badly. Harwell's commentary was simply, "A fan from East Lansing won't be taking that one home today..."
-
I routinely fall asleep to Scully doing Dodgers games on Extra Innings. I'm not familiar with why locals are not getting Dodger games, but that sounds like an absolute crime.
Simple, Time Warner paid way too much for the rights and demanded every pay distributor pay about $4.50 per subscriber for the channel. That's the crime. Dodgers could solve this in a heartbeat by not taking the $9billion they are getting from Time Warner, and taking a little less, but they refuse. It's on them. Every distributor has said no.
-
I have been lucky to grow up in an area where the greatest of the greats called their stuff.
Vin for the Dodgers
Bob Miller for the Kings
Chick Hearn for the Lakers
Dick Enberg for UCLA and the Angels
It was pretty ridiculous that every Hall of Famer happened to be out here and all at the same time.
-
I have very fond memories of living in Boston and listening to Johnny Most, the Voice of the Celtics, on the radio. We used to listen to him while tuning in on TV and wonder if he was watching the same game.
Great whiskey-and-cigarette voice. Unapologetic homer. One time he thought the refs were in the tank for Milwaukee and ignoring the obvious manner in which they were running over his beloved Boston team. Towards the end, he was referring to the "Milwaukee Trucks".
Twenty-eight years later, whenever we believe a foul is unfairly called on Marquette and the other team's player misses the free throw, jsglow and I say in unison in the most gravelly voices we can muster, "And justice is served!"
One of my best friends at MU grew up a Celtic fan in Meriden CT. Not sure if this was real, but he did a Johnny Most imitation that went something like this:
In your best Johnny Most voice
"I can't believe it. Chamberlain just stuck his eye in Russell's elbow."
-
One of my best friends at MU grew up a Celtic fan in Meriden CT. Not sure if this was real, but he did a Johnny Most imitation that went something like this:
In your best Johnny Most voice
"I can't believe it. Chamberlain just stuck his eye in Russell's elbow."
That's pretty much the way he was.
-
...this is not Detroit man, this is the Super Bowl!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2TZQlVPvjk
-
Dick Enberg and Al, the best tandem in college basketball.
Don't forget Dick Enberg on the Talking Football game. "A leaping interception... He's going to go all the way... TOUCHDOWN!"
-
I grew up with the New York guys.
Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsay Nelson for the Mets. Frank Messer, Bill White and Phil Rizzuto for the Yanks. Marv Albert on hoops. Didn;t like any NY teams but those guys were all pretty good.
Love him or hate him, Howard Cosell always made whatever event he was hosting seem big time.
Al DiRogatis (don't know if I spelled that correctly) was a great, informative color man on football games in the 70s.
-
Ray Scott, hey?
"Starr, Dowler, touchdown," ai na?
-
I grew up with the New York guys.
Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsay Nelson for the Mets. Frank Messer, Bill White and Phil Rizzuto for the Yanks. Marv Albert on hoops. Didn;t like any NY teams but those guys were all pretty good.
Love him or hate him, Howard Cosell always made whatever event he was hosting seem big time.
Al DiRogatis (don't know if I spelled that correctly) was a great, informative color man on football games in the 70s.
Phil Rirruto?
(https://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpl13x0yvq1qjt6h1o1_500.jpg)
-
I grew up with the New York guys.
Ralph Kiner, Bob Murphy and Lindsay Nelson for the Mets. Frank Messer, Bill White and Phil Rizzuto for the Yanks. Marv Albert on hoops. Didn;t like any NY teams but those guys were all pretty good.
They were all hacks except Marv, who was (and still is) the best. IMHO, obviously.
-
I used to get a kick out of Pat Hughes balancing out Santo. Pat would be trying to paint a picture while Ron would just react.
Pat - "And Pujols lines an absolute screamer over the outstretched glove of Juan Pierre, who tumbles to the turf. Two Cards will come around to score and Albert trots into 2nd with a stand up double."
Ron - "Ah GEEZ. Ahhh."
I used to purposely time long drives to correspond to the Cubs games to listen to them.
I'm not a Cubbie fan but I used to enjoy listening to Pat and Ron. My favorites were when Pat would try to tee one up for Ron, but Ron often took too long to respond.
Example:
Pat: "Ball 3 and now Alou has a 3-0 count in his favor. Does Dusty give him the green light, Ronnie?"
Ron: "Well ... uh ... sure ... maybe. I mean, Alou is pretty good up there on 3-oh, won't swing too wild. But then, if he takes Ball 4 here, we have the bases loaded. It's Dusty's call ... kind of tough to say which way he'll go ... "
Meanwhile, the pitch has been made and Alou has taken it for Ball 4 and is trotting down to first while Ronnie is still hemming and hawing.
Fun stuff.
-
I'm not a Cubbie fan but I used to enjoy listening to Pat and Ron. My favorites were when Pat would try to tee one up for Ron, but Ron often took too long to respond.
Example:
Pat: "Ball 3 and now Alou has a 3-0 count in his favor. Does Dusty give him the green light, Ronnie?"
Ron: "Well ... uh ... sure ... maybe. I mean, Alou is pretty good up there on 3-oh, won't swing too wild. But then, if he takes Ball 4 here, we have the bases loaded. It's Dusty's call ... kind of tough to say which way he'll go.
Meanwhile, the pitch has been made and Alou has taken it for Ball 4 and is trotting down to first while Ronnie is still hemming and hawing.
Fun stuff.
Haha, this is so accurate.
-
Oh ... and that reminds me of a great sports announcer memory.
When Brant Brown dropped that ball against the Brewers, and Ronnie's wails of "No! Oh no!" drowned out Pat's call. Hilarious. If that was written in a movie script, you'd say no way it would really go like that.
Another favorite "sports" announcer memory: Pretty much everything Fred Willard (as "Buck Laughlin") said in Best In Show!
-
Al Michaels on MNF. Packers/Vikings. "He did what?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQmyLLxRNcA
-
We used to imitate the Bears announcer booth by having 3 guys yelling over each other during an exciting play.
-
Verne Lundquist on Jack's put at 17 at 1986 Masters. "Maybe...YES SIR!"
Verne's call of tiger's chip in on 16 at the 2005 masters.
-
Verne's call of tiger's chip in on 16 at the 2005 masters.
One of the top 5 shots I think I have ever seen....still amazing that in 2005 HD wasn't standard here until a large satellite company made it so in 2007. ;)
https://www.youtube.com/v/vRCjJi_uDp8
-
Here is Vin Scully, age 28, calling the last pitch of Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADvWhMnDgEE
-
Verne's call of tiger's chip in on 16 at the 2005 masters.
OH WOW!!!
-
Here is Vin Scully, age 28, calling the last pitch of Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADvWhMnDgEE
Actually that isn't Scully's call.
This is
http://awfulannouncing.com/2014/vin-scullys-greatest.html
You have to scroll down a bit.
-
Actually that isn't Scully's call.
This is
http://awfulannouncing.com/2014/vin-scullys-greatest.html
You have to scroll down a bit.
Thanks for the correction. I was 9 years old when he called that game. As a life long Yankee fan I always liked Vin Scully. Always enjoyed his play by play, even in '63 when the Dodgers swept the Yanks in 4 with their great pitching.