I think that now would be the time to really concentrate on getting great commentary for the IPT. Looking at the chemistry between Vince Van Patten and Mike Sexton and Lon McEachern and Norm Chad, I think it's absolutely crucial that the proper combination of TV commentators is a priority.
Van Patten is a celebrity that knows how to talk to a crowd. Sexton is great speaker and is clear, concise, and knowledgeable. Though Sexton is the poker expert, Vince knows plenty about the game. Norm Chad is a columnist at other sports as well as being a poker writer. Lon obviously knows a lot about poker and is a professional announcer. These choices were obviously not by accident. Watching some of the older WSOP from just 5 years ago, the commentary was just horrible and boring. No life. Not the case today.
So,... I think we really need a couple of people who are already great speakers, might have commentary experience, but both who really know the game. We can't have one commentator that consistently dumbs down our great sport. We need two, and maybe one with one type of insight (the professional insight), with the other having another insight like the fan insight, or the amateur insight. But both need to know pool and both need to be good oral communicators. And both have to be able to make the commentating about the sport, and not about themselves.
Now that being said, I know this is going to sound bad, but as I also believe that for the commentators that are speaking in english, it would be in pool's best interest for them to speak proper grammatically mostly correct english. And, I'm a believer in "broadcast english" for the most part.
Fred
Van Patten is a celebrity that knows how to talk to a crowd. Sexton is great speaker and is clear, concise, and knowledgeable. Though Sexton is the poker expert, Vince knows plenty about the game. Norm Chad is a columnist at other sports as well as being a poker writer. Lon obviously knows a lot about poker and is a professional announcer. These choices were obviously not by accident. Watching some of the older WSOP from just 5 years ago, the commentary was just horrible and boring. No life. Not the case today.
So,... I think we really need a couple of people who are already great speakers, might have commentary experience, but both who really know the game. We can't have one commentator that consistently dumbs down our great sport. We need two, and maybe one with one type of insight (the professional insight), with the other having another insight like the fan insight, or the amateur insight. But both need to know pool and both need to be good oral communicators. And both have to be able to make the commentating about the sport, and not about themselves.
Now that being said, I know this is going to sound bad, but as I also believe that for the commentators that are speaking in english, it would be in pool's best interest for them to speak proper grammatically mostly correct english. And, I'm a believer in "broadcast english" for the most part.
Fred
