Somebody SLAP Mitch Lawrence....

[yobagua]

Hey Rick. Happy New Year!

I think its all indicative of how ESPN views the sport. Like most TV suits they are trying to appeal to the lowest common denominator to get big numbers. They dont think QUALITY they think QUANTITY. Having no faith in the every day joe to understand the intricacies of the game they DUMB it down. Thats how they do in a lot of fast money making TV. Check out the dumb ass shows on local tv. BLIND DATE, CHEAP DATE, CHEATERS, JERRY SPRINGER, etc. So they get a Mitch Lawrence who makes it simple for those not in the know. A nice inoffensive guy who doesnt challenge your understanding of the game.
The real fans should be pressing ESPN. Why are we so satisfied with a 7 game format? It is really dumb when the US Open (WPBA) is based on 7 games. If we love the game we should be jumping all over these geeks at ESPN to upgrade our sport. I spoke with Phil Hellmuth (world champion tournament Poker player) and he mentioned too about how TV was changeing the sport.
The guys upstairs in the TV echelon eventually get around to listening to you if you take an active role. Write ESPN and demand a Grady or a Diliberto. Or demand that the execs making those decisions to be replaced. Call their switchboards and protest that you want quality sports programming. Mitch Lawrence is just a guy trying to make a living. Bitching about him is not going to do anything.
About Quality. If we go back to the movie "The Hustler". It is a deep well thought out drama. Very complex relationships. Between Eddie and Fats. Between Eddie and his backer (small time Charlie), between Eddie and his crippled girl, between Eddie and the world. But we all get it. Because it is QUALITY material. And we all understand it even of its complexities. Could you imagine if those TV execs got their hands on it before the great director Robert Rossen did. Jim Carey as Fast Eddie, Thom Arnold as Fats, and Robin Williams as the voice of the 8 ball. I shudder to think.

 

[Rich Reheard]

You hit the nail right on the sweat spot. I like Mitch and Hopkins. Remember Howard Cozell (spelling?) when he used to announce football and boxing. Sports needs dummies who are good at lifting up the naive' part of the audience. Did anyone on this forum every figure out that maybe, just maybe, some of the TV viewers don't even want to hear the technical side......that they are tuning in to the Mitches and Howards? No, because a lot of you are self centered cry babies who if you can't play ball their way, they will just turn around and take their ball home. Why, if the pockets aren't tight, I will just pitch a bitch. Or if this or if that. It's okay to have wish lists and to discuss on forums, but at this point in billiards' young start, I would suggest that you be happy that pool in on the air and sit back and relax. Be happy.

UHHHHH OK

Please don't compare Lawrence with Cosell, and if you like Mitch doing commentary with hopkins I'll bet you are one of the few. Cosell was not only one of the best sport reporters but one of the most intelligent, he was A lawyer by training with a law degree from NYU, Had 4 best selling books He never dumbed it down he just in his own words "told it like it is "

Sports needs dummies ? for what ? NFL game day shows have former players, coaches and experts to explain the when, where, how and why's of the sport
The same is true of Basketball, Hockey and Baseball, But not us retarded pool players we need someone that can get down on our level and teach us nothing, well i,ll take my lessons from Hopkins you take yours from Lawrence LMAO, nothing personal to you or Lawrence but he is a retard that has no clue what he is talking about. And how can I relax when I love this game but 4 hrs of listening to Lawrence makes me ill, what does it do to someone who is just a little interested in the game i love. If ESPN would get some real players to do there commentary, people who could make the catch phrases popular, ones that are passionate about our beloved sport and show it when they talk about it, that is how this sport will become popular on TV. Guys like Cosell is how football got to where it is today, lets get Keith in the booth with Hopkins then you will have something. 2 Champions as howard would say "telling it like it is"

Rich Reheard

 

[sjm]

UHHHHH OK

Please don't compare Lawrence with Cosell, and if you like Mitch doing commentary with hopkins I'll bet you are one of the few. Cosell was not only one of the best sport reporters but one of the most intelligent, he was A lawyer by training with a law degree from NYU, Had 4 best selling books He never dumbed it down he just in his own words "told it like it is "

Howard may be the best sportscaster of a ll time. I wouldn't argue too hard with anyone who'd name Bob Costas or Jim McKay, but Cosell may have done more to raise the public profile of competitive sports than any sportscaster that ever lived.

Comparing Mitch to Howard as a commentator is like comparing a tricycle to a Mercedes as a means of transportation.