ESPN commentators need an interpreter

[Padron]

Well, as long as the topic is ESPN commentators, I just have to vent on this.

1. Does Allen Hopkins have any word besides "perfect" as an adjective in his vocabulary?? If I had a dime for every time he said " he hit that perfect", I'd be rich. Actually, shouldn't it be "he hit it perfectly"? Just wondering.

2. He and Dawn both seem to LOVE using the word "English" to describe draw and follow. Maybe it's just me, but hearing " she's using low English", when there's no side spin involved, just hurts. Is it that hard to say draw and follow?

Am I the only one who feels this way?

<vent mode off>

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[catscradle]

I watched a match yesterday and the crowd gave an applause after every shot. Allison had ball in hand, made a ball and the crowd started clapping. It was like she just made a 3 rail bank or something. I guess everything is great in WPBA land.

I find that at all tournaments, people always clap for women for every shot it seems. If I were a woman, I would think those sobs clapping for every shot I take as if it's a miracle when I pocket a straight in shot. It really is quite demeaning to women IMO. A free of mine who plays in a woman's WPBA qualifier tour related a story of one woman she was playing who ran off to the ladies room crying when she missed a particular shot. After she came back, the "crowd" applauded her on every shot no matter how mundane it was.
"There's no crying in baseball!!" ~ Tom Hanks in "League of Their Own"

 

[bgb]

Well, I didn't really expect to get such a heated debate on this subject - I was just trying to be funny.

The WPBA announcers are extremely similar to the television golf announcers (excluding Johnny Miller). They are focused on predicting the shots instead of explaining the nuances, and they are way too generous with their praise. Did anyone hear David Feherty yesterday when Phil hit his drive into the rough (110 yards from the green), "Gee, with a shovel and a stick of dynamite I couldn't get it 50 yards; its the worst lie I've seen all week." Of course Phil hits it out within 6 feet of the flag - typical PGA announcing. I prefer the Johnny Miller/Incardona/Mathews/DiLiberto type of commentating - call a spade a spade.

I 100% agree here - I also much prefer the 'call a spade a spade' commentating style (John McEnroe is another good example, and for us Canadians, so is Don Cherry). Research shows that audiences do as well. Unfortunately it requires risk on the part of the announcer and that's something that few are willing to do. Fortune favors the bold, I guess. (Sadly I don't think Grady will ever work as a commentator again - he's just burned too many bridges).

(I do have to say though that I thought Mickelson just hit a tremendous shot.)

Thanks for updating me on the format changes of the WPBA. Seems odd that the best parts of the events are on the day that people would ordinarily be at work though.

 

[Mr. J]

Mark Wilson did a great job recently...

He did a superb job commentating for the last Vegas event...However Mitch Lawrence was horrable as usual...

"Here we are at the BEATUIFUL CASINO WITH THE BEAUTIFUL RACK AND THE BEAUTIFUL TABLE AND THE BEAUTIFUL POOL BALLS AND THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS AND THE BEAUTIFUL ARENA AND THE BEAUTIFUL PLAYERS AND THE BEAUTIFUL EVERYTHING."


I wonder if he ever checks out his own commentary...I thought for sure that Ewa would have had a little talk with him by now?????


Sorry for the negative write-up....

Mr. J.

 

[Williebetmore]

(I do have to say though that I thought Mickelson just hit a tremendous shot.)

Thanks for updating me on the format changes of the WPBA. Seems odd that the best parts of the events are on the day that people would ordinarily be at work though.

BGB,
Mickelson's shot was excellent; but well within the capabilities of a pro, even from U.S. Open type rough - Feherty should know this. From 110 yards, any top pro will be able to hit it somewhere around the green even from the rough stuff.

I also was surprised at so few matches on the weekend at Peoria. The only thing accomplished was that there were 7 televised matches instead of the usual 3 - I suppose the powers-that-be think it is a good trade-off; but I'm thinking they may lose some support from the attending fans this way.

 

[sjm]

If by successful you mean that they still exist and are still on TV then sure, they're successful. But the fact remains that the women still play for the same purses that they did 5-10 years ago, and that there are actually fewer tournaments today then there were back then. I don't call that successful.

The number of tournaments on the WPBA has been steady since 2000. Examining one of the tournaments that has been played every year since, the WPBA San diego Classic shows growth in the prize fund.

 

[sjm]

Pat Fleming did a better job of televising matches 10 years ago with half the people and 1/10th of the budget. One of the reasons snooker in the UK had so much success over the years was because it was a very cheap sport to televise. 3 cameras and 2 commentators are all that's required. The simple fact is that the ESPN crew responsible for pool in the US is horrible.

I'll be generous and call this uninformed. I happen to know what Pat used to spend to produce pool and what the WPBA spends. I suggest you recheck your research on the matter. Also, even in its earliest days, snooker probably had four times the budget of the WPBA per televised match.

Do you really think the big ratings snooker did were due to its TV productions?
If there were just four major TV networks in America and pool was on one of them, pool would have great ratings, too. This was the case for most in England during the snooker boom, and gave snooker an advantage that cuesports may never enjoy again.

What we agree on, however, is that the ESPN crews could do better work.

 

[sjm]

Also, I would maybe tend to think of them as morons for paying $40 or whatever to watch three races to 7 on a Sunday, of which the majority of the action is watching the ESPN crew running around doing sound and lighting checks. It's basically 1 1/2 hours of actual pool action and probably the biggest rip off in professional sports. If you're a fan of pool, paying for a day pass to the Saturday play is far, far better, because you get to see constant action from all the women - probably 8-9 hours worth, and you're watching real matches, instead of the phony made-for-tv crap that takes place on Sunday.

I agree that WPBA Saturdays are the better value than Sundays, but the fact is that it's closer to 3-4 hours of pool and the fact that only premier players make it to the TV matches, and that #1 and #2 make it there nearly every event, WPBA Sundays offer a glimpse at the elite squaring off against each other with a title on the line. Great drama and great entertainment. You should also take note of the fact that WPBA events, unlike most men's pro events, are played in premier venues, primarily smoke-free hotel grand ballrooms. That makes the product worth more than if it were played in a poolroom.

Forgive me for believing that live WPBA pool is an excellent product that is fairly priced. Maybe it just seems it based on the fifty or so WPBA tournaments I've attended live.

 

[JustPlay]

Watching the WPA on ESPN, the fans cheer after a good run out or a really great shot, for the men. They really go crazy at the Mosconi Cup. Also the commentary at the WPA and the Mosconi Cup is much better, a little dramatic, but better. I wish that ESPN would follow suite for the womens events....

 

[Barbara]

Okay, not to defend all of the commentators on TV for the WPBA, but I'd like to offer up a challenge.

Get a friend with a video camera and YOU PLAY THE COMMENTATOR!! Let's hear how you can commentate on 50 matches per year ( 3 in one 6 hour session) and not come off saying the same things over and over again.

Bonus points, while you're at it, let's watch YOU being videotaped playing a match! Let's see how much you fidget/pick your nose/touch various parts of your body/or just plain fidget!

Okay, one time at the SBE I came across Robin Bell Dodson standing alone and talking to herself. I caught her eye and she explained that she had been called to comment in the booth with Mitch and she had to recall commentary to say. It's not as easy as you think!

Let us know with your videos.

Barbara

 

[Colin Colenso]

Okay, not to defend all of the commentators on TV for the WPBA, but I'd like to offer up a challenge.

Get a friend with a video camera and YOU PLAY THE COMMENTATOR!! Let's hear how you can commentate on 50 matches per year ( 3 in one 6 hour session) and not come off saying the same things over and over again.

Bonus points, while you're at it, let's watch YOU being videotaped playing a match! Let's see how much you fidget/pick your nose/touch various parts of your body/or just plain fidget!

Okay, one time at the SBE I came across Robin Bell Dodson standing alone and talking to herself. I caught her eye and she explained that she had been called to comment in the booth with Mitch and she had to recall commentary to say. It's not as easy as you think!

Let us know with your videos.

Barbara

Ain't that the truth!

A great commentator is a rare and highly valuable part of a broadcasting formula. Most hone their skills over many years.

Here's a story about the great basketball announcer Chick Hearn and the influence he had on the development of the game -
http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north118.html

 

[Nostroke]

Okay, not to defend all of the commentators on TV for the WPBA, but I'd like to offer up a challenge.

Get a friend with a video camera and YOU PLAY THE COMMENTATOR!! Let's hear how you can commentate on 50 matches per year ( 3 in one 6 hour session) and not come off saying the same things over and over again.

Bonus points, while you're at it, let's watch YOU being videotaped playing a match! Let's see how much you fidget/pick your nose/touch various parts of your body/or just plain fidget!

Okay, one time at the SBE I came across Robin Bell Dodson standing alone and talking to herself. I caught her eye and she explained that she had been called to comment in the booth with Mitch and she had to recall commentary to say. It's not as easy as you think!

Let us know with your videos.

Barbara

Very true Barb but can you tell me why Allen continually refers to Efren as Efrem? I know you know him personally.

I guess you can argue that his 'Marsconi' references are some sort of accent that i have never heard before but for the life of me i cannot come up with a reason for Efrem other than deliberate disrespect. I am dismissing ignorance as i know that cannot be the case.

 

[Colin Colenso]

Very true Barb but can you tell me why Allen continually refers to Efren as Efrem? I know you know him personally.

I guess you can argue that his 'Marsconi' references are some sort of accent that i have never heard before but for the life of me i cannot come up with a reason for Efrem other than deliberate disrespect. I am dismissing ignorance as i know that cannot be the case.

Allem has a smeech ipendiment!

Where's your spirit of diversity?

 

[JustPlay]

Okay, not to defend all of the commentators on TV for the WPBA, but I'd like to offer up a challenge.

Get a friend with a video camera and YOU PLAY THE COMMENTATOR!! Let's hear how you can commentate on 50 matches per year ( 3 in one 6 hour session) and not come off saying the same things over and over again.

Bonus points, while you're at it, let's watch YOU being videotaped playing a match! Let's see how much you fidget/pick your nose/touch various parts of your body/or just plain fidget!

Okay, one time at the SBE I came across Robin Bell Dodson standing alone and talking to herself. I caught her eye and she explained that she had been called to comment in the booth with Mitch and she had to recall commentary to say. It's not as easy as you think!

Let us know with your videos.

Barbara

There are plenty of commentators and for pool it really is not that complicated. Any of us who clock action games or tournament games always comment on the action at hand with other people, because thats what we do as players watching action... Pay me to do it and I definitly will do a good job. Mitch Laurance is just not a good pool commentator. Put in Nick Varner Buddy Hall, Billy Incardona or Grady Mathews or Mark Wilson just to name a few. The WPA and the Mosconi cup commentators seem to get the job done better than the current line up for the WPBA. The WPBA commentators seem to talk too much, especially on easy shots.

 

[landshark77]

Something that can be learned from golf and tennis - SILENT fans are fare more dramatic than screaming ones.

Personally I am all for strait up showing enthusiasm for who you want to win. If Allison makes a hard cut and gets perfect position on her next ball then I say boo her if you don't want her to win...clap when she misses or snookers herself. IMO, THIS is what pool lacks.