Best and worst commentator??

Scott Frost and Josh Roberts are my favorite commentators for One Pocket.

I don't like Nick Varner as a commentator because he begins every sentence with "and uh"; it's kind of annoying after awhile. However, I do like his indepth knowledge of the game.

I like Ken Schuman as a commentator. He is knowledgable, respectful, and pleasant.

I think Jimmy Mataya as a commentator is quite entertaining. He doesn't hold back and speaks his mind.

All the other commentators I can tolerate but often times I just mute the audio.
 
For me, I like JJ and Karl. I like Earl for matches that already happened and he comes back to commentate. Earl and JJ 's pool IQ is just amazing.

Worst to me is Chip, Joey G, and that other know it all guy on the Omega streams. Joey G - for sure for sure sure sure... aaahhhh!!!
I have to mention Ken as well. Never met this gentleman and I've heard nothing but good about him. It's not his fault I'd guess, but the smacking noises when he would commentate were pretty rough.
 
skogstokig said:
it pains me to critique him because seems like a good man. he stayed up late to do commentary for free/peanuts, long after the accustat team had bailed ship. one can tell he really loves the game. but words are clearly not his tools
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I think another thing to remember with the side table streams is that they are “fully” remote. So, everyone has to have their computer screens and everything on tip top shape. A lot of times they said they were using iPads to watch it and it was hard to differentiate the one and five ball.

Compared to being in person, doing color commentary is a lot harder. You can’t talk about the other tables, what the crowd feels like, etc without someone on the ground telling you.

And as the final Saturday night ground on, they felt compelled to keep the free stream going for about a thousand people. The Patsura-Labutis match went on and on. Those players are newer on the scene in the American tournaments so they may not have as many back stories to feel in the dead air time like you would with Woodward, Filler, or Shaw.

I’ll give George (and Joey + side table broadcasters) a pass since they gave like 40 hours of streaming.
 
If Phil Yates stopped with the dad joke puns then I’d like him a lot. I find it disrespectful to make bad puns of player names “He was hoping for a victory but today was the Lo Ho Sum of all fears.”
 
I have never heard English spoken like the commentators in billiards.

Sometimes its the accent, sometimes its their phrases, its real people talking their way.

Billiards is the anti mass media entertainment. I keep loving it.

There was no pool commentator in the film "The Hustler."

This is a sign its time for a new pool movie. The official ref and commentator and a Emily like character all have to be in the movie. There also has to be an social media for pool in the film.

There could be a ton of easter eggs in a new pool film.

Best Grady he could tell a story about the players he knew, not much with strangers. Thats why they need notes.
Worst: Mike Sigel its too much gloating.
 
$TAKE HOR$E said:
Is it possible commentating preference in general is a generational thing? How many people on here over the age of 40-50 prefer listening to guys like Billy, Grady, Danny…etc compared to the guys who started playing pool after say the 1990s.

The older generation of commentators put a distinct spin on it that the new generation have never been subjected to. It’s kinda like watching Joe Rogans podcast when he has Gorst on compared to Jeremy Jones. Gorst generation when it comes to scuffling around is not in the same shadow realm as guys who played in the 70s-90s even.

Just a thought
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I watch a lot of the matches. I enjoy listening all of them. Incardona is a great middle ground between Matthews's technical and Diliberto's off the cuff commentary. But Diliberto cracks me up.
 
Excerpts from AkTrigger’s article in Buzz Magazine:

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I think many commentators forget that they’re commentating to an audience. They need to remember to speak with clarity, keep on point, stay away from self-praising, try not to sound disrespectful to the players, and not argue with their fellow commentator.

A commentator must know the game as a player, obviously.

A commentator must be able speak clearly and be able to quickly react to what’s happening on the table. Just like any sport, things can happen very fast in a match, and the commentator must be able to pick up on it, address it, and be on to the next
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A commentator must know when to talk and when not to talk. Sometimes watching in silence how the player gets through a tough portion of a rack is better for the audience than talking through it. Sometimes your booth partner has something to say. Let him say it.

Also, my personal philosophy is that my commentary isn’t necessarily meant for die-hard pool fans who already know so much about the game. The commentating is for the viewers who are new to the game, who may not be upper skill level players, or who are the spouses of players, who don’t have much interest in the game but just want to sit with their significant other while they stare at a monitor.
 
I am sure he has been mentioned before but Phil Yates and his weird way of making tenuous links that sound like Daily Mail headlines.
 
Lots of good commentators, but the pairing of Grady and "Cardone" is still the best I've ever run across for a combination of serious analysis, woofing and deadpan humor. Plus I loved Grady's mock "professorial" delivery, often including a few ten dollar words.

Mark Wilson and JJ just put me to sleep. When they bring in guest commentators like Shannon Daulton or Mike Sigel at least it livens things up a bit.

I love Danny D, but he's obviously lost a step. 20 years ago, though, he was right up there. I just hope he's back there once again, even with all his "sleeping in the streets" cliches.
 
JJ is probably my fav. Scott Frost dos a nice job of one pocket. I'm trying to learn the game so his insights are welcome to me. I also enjoy listening to Allison Fisher do commentary. My least favs are the guys that eat and just talk about things not related to the match, like the guys that do Fedor's streams.
 
deano1772 said:
Best and worst pool commentator of the modern game.

Who do you have??
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I am not a fan of the NY guys that do the Turning Stone usually. They go on and on about inside jokes and people only they know. Also while a bit older, when Sid Waddell was commentating, he was not really good, it was fun but useless and rambling.

JJ is probably the best of the modern era IMHO, but several people like Boyes and Mark Wilson are good.
 
My Favs in no particular order:

Karl B
Del Sim (regional NYC and tristate)
Billy and especially with Danny
Grady - his whistle didnt bother me
JJ - yeah he's the current best imo
Sid Waddell was brilliant!

Regarding Scott Frost: I think he has the tools and delivers some great commentary buy I'm having a very tough time getting past his over enunciation and emphasis of words. It comes across as put on and tbh it sounds to me like he's trying to pattern himself after Billy I. Just use your own speaking voice and I think he'll do well.

As usual, all imho
 
skogstokig said:
hendy was great. when POVpool got him in the booth it was gold for an hour or so, after that he was itching to get to the snooker table and play golf, lol
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Here are my top 10 favorite commentators that I have had the honor to work with.

NOT IN ORDER:
  • Jerry Matchin
  • Dave Hemmah
  • John Henderson
  • Ed Kelley
  • Scott Frost
  • Frank Almanza
  • Allen Oliver
  • Jimmy Mataya
  • Jimmy Milazzo
  • Gilbert Najm (3 Cushion Billiards)
I kind of miss being relevant...LOL. I guess the universe had other plans.
 
POVPOOL said:
Here are my top 10 favorite commentators that I have had the honor to work with.

NOT IN ORDER:
  • Jerry Matchin
  • Dave Hemmah
  • John Henderson
  • Ed Kelley
  • Scott Frost
  • Frank Almanza
  • Allen Oliver
  • Jimmy Mataya
  • Jimmy Milazzo
  • Gilbert Najm (3 Cushion Billiards)
I kind of miss being relevant...LOL. I guess the universe had other plans.
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you were a pioneer. dennis v chohan is still the best 1p match i've seen. and all those others legends featured on the tournament streams, efren, alex, svb, rodney.. plus locals that could really bring it. i watched countless hours of that and really learned a lot. i take my hat off, sir.
 
I am in the minority in that I am not a big fan of JJ's voice. His knowledge and insights are great, but the monotone just kills it for me. You ain't gotta be Kasey kasem, but a little inflection and pitch would go along way, imo.
 
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