Jim Wych

[JAM]

Thanks to you all for your courtesy. I assure you no ill will was created in any way and that I respect everyone's right to their own opinion. And Jim realizes that many posts are spur-of-the-moment and sometimes over-emphatic. We know that anyone posting here is a friend of pool and therefor a friend of ours. Besides, we enjoy the things that JAM and others write here and would not like to see any lessoning of their presence.

Best Wishes,
Jerry

Again, Jerry, thanks for the great thread and kind words. If Jim reads this forum, then here is a reprint of a post I wrote on October 29, 2004, copy-and-pasted below:

JustPlay, Jim Wych was one of the commentators for the recent World Summit match in NYC which was on ESPN. He also works for Accu-Stats. I like his style, and I've heard him on several DVD's and tapes.

Some pool players, veteran pool players, make good commentators (IMO). As an example, Billy Incardona knows just about all of the players, which provides him a knowledge base to fill in some "pregnant pauses" that come up during matches at times. I recently had the opportunity to listen to Danny Diliberto, and he's a hoot! Both Danny and Billy know the game, inside and out.

Having said that, the style of commentating on national TV commands a variety of skills set, and I do believe that any one of the Accu-Stats folks could do a good job, as Jim Wych did recently.

Here's Jim Wych below talking to Jose Parica after a TV match at the 2003 U.S. Open.

Hi, Jim!

JAM

 

[Celtic]

.

Pool could use more people like Jim Wych. As has been mentioned he is the force behind the Canadian 9-ball tour and that tour is the best thing going for pool in Canada atm. Without that tour the sport in this country would be dead. Jim is also one of the nicest tournament directors you will ever meet. He makes sure to make each and every player at his events feel welcome and really shows his appreciation for those that support the tour.

 

[RunoutalloverU]

Jim Wych true humanitarian, terrible pool commentator.

 

[Scaramouche]

All you people who quibble about a commentator's style should remember that you have your own idiosyncrasies that rub others the wrong way.

As for Jim Wych, he is a Canadian boy who learned his trade from these snooker commentators, so cut him some slack

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9GoGAkkONPs

 

[PoolSponge]

PS: how do you pronouce HIS last name? I know. Do you?
Who cares!? Im not the commentator he is. But I can assure you once Im corrected I will say it right. Youre Canadian? How would you like it if I was a sports caster and said Toronto Blow Jays or the Mabel Life Gardens?
Efren Reyes is the greatest pool player on this planet and he cant get his name right?
Ronnie Alcano the WPC 2006 champ does not rhyme with Volcano. But its the a as in father.
In my book if he loves pool so much why doesnt he try to get it right. This has been going for years now and he still hasnt made any attempt to get it right, eh?

I couldn't care less about how you say anything regarding Toronto. Just be sure you don't screw up the Ottawa Senators...best damn team in hockey!

If you want to get stupid about how to pronouce things there are tons of little things that other commentators (American) say that is off too. For example, Danny D pronouces it "pakit" when the word is spelled P O C K E T! There is no A in the word! Yet we let it go. Who cares how someone pronouces names or words, the knowledge about the game, ability to foresee the table and its requirements as well as being able to relay the intensity and difficulty of our great sport to the common viewer is what makes him a great announcer.

 

[philw]

Nope.. Jimmy Wetch is an American player. Jim Wych is a Canadian player/commentator.

Russ

Uh Uh um nevermind.

 

[Andrew Manning]

Thanks to you all for your courtesy. I assure you no ill will was created in any way and that I respect everyone's right to their own opinion. And Jim realizes that many posts are spur-of-the-moment and sometimes over-emphatic. We know that anyone posting here is a friend of pool and therefor a friend of ours. Besides, we enjoy the things that JAM and others write here and would not like to see any lessoning of their presence.

Best Wishes,
Jerry

I gain more respect for you every time you post, Jerry. You could give most of the pool world, and AZB posters, the 5 and out in being a class act.

-Andrew

 

[jay helfert]

I have been a friend and coworker of Jim Wych for more than a dozen years and have always ignored the criticisms that I see of him on the forums. I dismiss it when American fans complain about his phraseology because Americans do not understand that our main audience is Europe and Asia where the terms that Jim uses like in-off, double, and pot are the proper and acceptable terms.

But the recent criticisms of Jim are just over-the-top. He has never called Strickland a disgrace or a loser and I know that he personally respects Earl as one of the greatest players ever.

Jim runs a tour in Canada, the Canadian Nine Ball Tour. This year he was able to generate $80,000 in added money for that tour. Unlike most promoters, he put not a penny of the money into his own pocket but chose instead to put it all into the prize funds for the players and even went into his own pocket for $9,000 that he had to pay the Canadian government as a tax for receiving the sponsorship! Can any of you mention another promoter who has done likewise?

As a husband and father he provides his wife and two daughters with a fine home and a loving and supportive and very positive atmosphere. If you wish to nit-pick his commentary, that is fine, but no-one who does not know him should ever attack him personally and should not make statements that have no basis in fact. This game needs more people involved who care as much for the players as Wych and who is willing to work hard to provide them with maximum prize funds and exposure.

Tap Tap.

I want to publicly thank Jerry for getting me back in the booth after I quit flying, post 9/11, for three years. I abandoned my job with SkySports on the WPC for four years and Jerry spoke up in my behalf and got me back on the team last year.

Jerry is a great friend and an excellent commentator. When we are in the booth together, we often see the same things and begin to make simliar comments. One of us will continue and then the other will add something on afterward. It is easy to work with him because he really knows pool and has a gift for capturing the "moment" that is at hand. The gravity of the situation and the mood of the players is always evident to him.

Thanks again Jerry!

 

[cuetechasaurus]

I'm glad this topic was made, because some of the comments about Wych in past topics on this forum bothered me a little. I don't understand why some people don't like his commentating. My favorite commentators are Billy Incardona, Grady Matthews, Danny Di. Scott Wilson, Jay Helfert, Jim Wych, Steve Davis, Jerry Forsyth.

Wych knows ALOT about the game. He is rarely wrong on a player's shot selection. And he DOES NOT dumb down the commentating like Mitch Laurence, Kevin Trudeau (lol) and Allen Hopkins. When Jim commentates along with Incardona, etc, he KNOWS what they are talking about! He is an accomplished snooker from Canada.

I have never heard him speak badly of any player. Whoever said he did, I find that hard to believe. He is a very likeable person, and I for one am glad when I find out he will be commentating a match I'm gonna watch.

 

[HollyWood]

two differnt styles thats all-works for me

I prefer the comments of Jerry Forsythes. Its a relaxing voice and easy to follow. He speaks with confidence. I think jerry just thinks things out before he speaks and has a knowledge of pool. my nickels worth. Good Idea sticking up for your mate. mark

 

[turbo billards]

yup

i like when hes on the matches he says the right things at the right time i think hes good for pool as a whole

 

[DarkArtist]

Jerry, I was at the MGM Grand for the event and it was great to finally put a face to your voice. It was funny how John McDonald lured you out onto the stage with his "Jerry, Jerry..." calls.

I'd been away from pool for around 15 years and had my passion for the game reignited earlier this year by the 2006 WPC airings on FSN.

Your's and Bob Guerrero's commentary of the Ralf Souquet / Fu Che Wei semi-final match was great and funny as well. Especially, your "I'm a world-renowned coward..." comment before Ralf made that great spot shot to set up his win.

As reborn pool addict, I'm unaware of Jim's alleged comments regarding Ealr, but I enjoy his analysis as well, and thought his praise of Team Europe after Day One was accurate and funny. His "chess master" comment about Johan Ruijsink got a big laugh from Team Europe and the fans in attendance.

 

[catscradle]

All I know about Jim Wych (I thought there was an 'n' in there somewhere) is that when he is doing commentary on Accu-stats tapes (US Open), Bill Incardona is listening and I want to hear Bill Incardona not him. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, but I think Bill Incardona is a far better commentator than anybody else I've heard.
JMHO.

 

[Russ Chewning]

I think for pure knowledge of the game, (at least 9 ball) that Danny D. has Billy beat. The last couple of matches I have watched them commentate, Danny has been steadfast about such-and-such being the right shot, and Billy has been strongly for another shot. Ninety percent of the times they have a disagreement like this, the player either takes Danny's shot and is successful, or takes Billy's shot and sells out.

It makes me realize what a horribly strong player that Danny once was. If he had the break to go with his knowledge, he might have been in the same league as Strickland, Davenport, etc..

I still think that's wierd... That a guy who could throw a golf ball 110 yards+ didn't have a good break...

Russ

 

[SCCues]

I have been a friend and coworker of Jim Wych for more than a dozen years and have always ignored the criticisms that I see of him on the forums. I dismiss it when American fans complain about his phraseology because Americans do not understand that our main audience is Europe and Asia where the terms that Jim uses like in-off, double, and pot are the proper and acceptable terms.

But the recent criticisms of Jim are just over-the-top. He has never called Strickland a disgrace or a loser and I know that he personally respects Earl as one of the greatest players ever.

Jim runs a tour in Canada, the Canadian Nine Ball Tour. This year he was able to generate $80,000 in added money for that tour. Unlike most promoters, he put not a penny of the money into his own pocket but chose instead to put it all into the prize funds for the players and even went into his own pocket for $9,000 that he had to pay the Canadian government as a tax for receiving the sponsorship! Can any of you mention another promoter who has done likewise?

As a husband and father he provides his wife and two daughters with a fine home and a loving and supportive and very positive atmosphere. If you wish to nit-pick his commentary, that is fine, but no-one who does not know him should ever attack him personally and should not make statements that have no basis in fact. This game needs more people involved who care as much for the players as Wych and who is willing to work hard to provide them with maximum prize funds and exposure.

Jerry,

I had a chance to have a conversation with Jim Wych at this years US Open and I really enjoyed talking to him and I think pool needs many more people like Jim Wych involved with promoting and commentary. He seemed like a guy you'd like to be friends with. No matter how good a job he does doing commentary you'll never please everybody and usually you only hear the negative comments and the people like myself who enjoy listening to Jim don't post our feelings.

James

 

[phoebe choy]

I can't imagine??

It's been a while since I felt like posting ANY comments for any threads lately...but this one I couldn't resist.

I met Jim thru Alex when I was up in Canada and after putting a face to the voice I have been a great fan of his. I love to watch ANY tournament that he is commentating on. He not only makes it enjoyable for the "un-educated" (about the game) but from my perspective, being a player myself, he is absolutely irreplaceable.....nuff said! His little quirky saying/lines are the BEST!!! 9-ball DEPOSITED - I love it!!! He hurts no one with his comments and always keeps the focus on the game. He has A LOT of great stories and he knows exactly when to bring them up on air. He is professional in every manner and most of all loves the game completely.

He makes me laugh, is never biased on the players or the outcome, has great knowledge about the game and it's players and respects them all. I don't think pronounciating names are THAT bad - come on, Billy is the worst when it comes to that, it's ridiculous how he massacres the foreign names and is not even apologetic about it.

Anywho, just wanted to add my support for Jim. He is a great promoter/commentor/asset to the sport. I don't care if others don't like his commentary - I "get it" and thats all I care about. What he does/sacrafices for the betterment of the game is awesome - makes me feel like moving to Canada at times...lol...from Hawaii!!! The Canadian people are lucky to have him, and ALL players or lovers of the game should be very appreciative of such a great man. I wish there was someone like him here in Hawaii!

Take care Jim - hope to see all you Canadians again one day!!

 

[raybo147]

Jim Wych reached the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championships in 1980. As a snooker player myself I could only imagine doing something that strong. Great player, great commentator, just great for the game period... Us fans are lucky you love the game so much.

 

[Ron kars]

Ive listened to Jim in a lot of different commentaries, and he always sounds solid, knowledgeable of the game, enthausiastic, a very respectable gentleman. I even own a rare dvd of him in his pro snooker days, he's quite a good player as well. I met him once at the 07 world pool masters, and he was very kind and interested in what i had to say. Thanks for all the great comm-tracks Jim!

Regarding the Earl comments: he's a commentator, and is allowed to give his opinions. I believe Earl is a brilliant player but his behaviour is a thurough disgrace to all those who admire him. that's just my opinion.

 

[Michael-Hoang]

I don't watch pool on TV or DVD's, so I don't have any personal opinion on how Jim does in commentating. However, I do know that he does A LOT (and probably more than anyone) of traveling and commentating on pool matches all over the world. So, maybe he must do something right.

I talked to Jim many, many times on a personal basis when we meet up on the road. He is a good guy, very pleasant to talk to.

 

[COLLECTION GURU]

Bingo

I have been a friend and coworker of Jim Wych for more than a dozen years and have always ignored the criticisms that I see of him on the forums. I dismiss it when American fans complain about his phraseology because Americans do not understand that our main audience is Europe and Asia where the terms that Jim uses like in-off, double, and pot are the proper and acceptable terms.

But the recent criticisms of Jim are just over-the-top. He has never called Strickland a disgrace or a loser and I know that he personally respects Earl as one of the greatest players ever.

Jim runs a tour in Canada, the Canadian Nine Ball Tour. This year he was able to generate $80,000 in added money for that tour. Unlike most promoters, he put not a penny of the money into his own pocket but chose instead to put it all into the prize funds for the players and even went into his own pocket for $9,000 that he had to pay the Canadian government as a tax for receiving the sponsorship! Can any of you mention another promoter who has done likewise?

As a husband and father he provides his wife and two daughters with a fine home and a loving and supportive and very positive atmosphere. If you wish to nit-pick his commentary, that is fine, but no-one who does not know him should ever attack him personally and should not make statements that have no basis in fact. This game needs more people involved who care as much for the players as Wych and who is willing to work hard to provide them with maximum prize funds and exposure.

GREAT TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND; THANKS