Hawks play by play announcer is a real woman, cool…

[SantaClaraHawk]

I get paid obscene amounts of money to sell software, not pontificate on Football. I have no problem listening to women be play by play for sports they are intimately familiar. I love watching pro tennis and both Chris Everett and Martina navrtilova are awesome. I would prefer retired NFL player give me their insights on a game. We have no shortage of those. There is no upside for a woman that has never played to be Play by play for me. I love women, I just don't need them in my ear when watching football.

Al Michaels never played. Same with Kevin Harlan. Having played is not requisite.

 

[GGotskill]

I get paid obscene amounts of money to sell software, not pontificate on Football. I have no problem listening to women be play by play for sports they are intimately familiar. I love watching pro tennis and both Chris Everett and Martina navrtilova are awesome. I would prefer retired NFL player give me their insights on a game. We have no shortage of those. There is no upside for a woman that has never played to be Play by play for me. I love women, I just don't need them in my ear when watching football.

Horseshit. Large majority of play-by-play commentators have never played football at any meaningful level.

What you are describing is a color commentator, which is not what is being discussed here.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

Horseshit. Large majority of play-by-play commentators have never played football at any meaningful level.

What you are describing is a color commentator, which is not what is being discussed here.

The color commentator need not have played either.

 

[cymatica]

You stated it like a fact, that could be backed up. Your opinion has no basis in reality.

Now you're making a statement like it's a fact about reality, which is just your opinion. Nice hypocrisy

 

[GGotskill]

The color commentator need not have played either.

Very true.

 

[RiverDog]

The color commentator need not have played either.

I'm not aware of a color commentator in any sport who has never played the game. It may not be an official prerequisite, but it's damn sure an informal one.

While the content of their commentary may not be any better than a person who has never played the game, actual playing experience is necessary for them to have a certain degree of credibility with the viewers.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

I'm not aware of a color commentator in any sport who has never played the game. It may not be an official prerequisite, but it's damn sure an informal one.

While the content of their commentary may not be any better than a person who has never played the game, actual playing experience is necessary for them to have a certain degree of credibility with the viewers.

Someone like Harlan could probably excel at color. ..

 

[RiverDog]

Someone like Harlan could probably excel at color. ..

The issue isn't whether or not a person w/o playing experience can excel at color commentary. I'm sure that there are a number of them that could, including Kevin Harlan. The issue is their acceptance by the viewer as an "expert."

Audiences want to see and hear from people that have a certain degree of credibility and name recognition, and only a former player, coach, referee, etc., can bring those kinds of qualities to the broadcast. There's also certain small, intimate details that can be of great interest to the audience that can only be obtained through personal experience.

Howard Cosell was the only color commentator w/o playing experience that I know of who was on a major broadcast crew, and even he had to be supplemented by a 3rd member, like Don Meredith, who did have playing experience.

 

[RiverDog]

Speaking of Cosell, I vividly remember an incident on MNF where a quarterback completed a pass to a running back in the center of the field about 20 yard downfield. Cosell exclaimed "That's the way to split the zone, right down the middle!" Alex Karras, the 3rd member of the crew replied "Uh, that wasn't a zone, Howard," then Frank Gifford chimed in and said "That's why the linebacker was covering him." Dead silence from Howard.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

There’s also a charisma factor. Take the usfl games being covered by Kirk Herbstrait on play by play and Colt McCoy, presumed starter for week 1 Arizona Cardinals.

Colt explains why the play was run really well from an X’s and O’s perspective, but he fails on charisma.

 

[RiverDog]

There’s also a charisma factor. Take the usfl games being covered by Kirk Herbstrait on play by play and Colt McCoy, presumed starter for week 1 Arizona Cardinals.

Colt explains why the play was run really well from an X’s and O’s perspective, but he fails on charisma.

Actually, I can remember a non player color commentator. Tony Kornheiser was the color commentator for MNF a few years ago, and he was a complete flop, at least in my eyes and those of a lot of football fans.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

Holy catfish!!!! Is there anything dumber?

Keep reading the thread after the post you replied to. There most certainly is dumber stuff to be read.

 

[flv2]

If she can add something to the game and she has some bass to her voice then I wish her well. In the UK some broadcasters are trying to use women sports commentators who have too much treble in their voices. I can't hear them clearly over the crowd/event noise.

 

[BlueTalon]

Speaking of Cosell, I vividly remember an incident on MNF where a quarterback completed a pass to a running back in the center of the field about 20 yard downfield. Cosell exclaimed "That's the way to split the zone, right down the middle!" Alex Karras, the 3rd member of the crew replied "Uh, that wasn't a zone, Howard," then Frank Gifford chimed in and said "That's why the linebacker was covering him." Dead silence from Howard.

I remember a Cosell broadcast. He'd apparently had a large liquid lunch or dinner prior to the game. At one point, he said something like, "That play had all the imagination of a frog," and then spent the rest of the broadcast going "ribbit".

 

[SonicHawk]

When Aaron Goldsmith started with the Mariners I hated his voice. But years later, I love him.

Ex-players can struggle sharing their knowledge of the game because talking through your decision making and making it worthwhile is a lot easier when it's unsaid. They see the game naturally, but being able to explain the game is a completely different skillset.

This thread is full of people who immediately dismiss a female play-by-play as if the timbre, pitch, and tone of the voice has some great impact. At the end of the day, it's the ability to fluently speak in descriptive and meaningful bits. So many different great voices and none of them sound alike. Everytime I listen to a Yankees broadcast I can't ******* stand Michael Kay, but he's adored in NY. When Angie was filling in for Blowers I really enjoyed her, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that I've listened to her talk Mariners for years.

Dismissing a female voice because you're not used to it is dumb. Football doesn't require a male voice, and if you need a man to describe to you what's happening in a game, you're a little boy.

 

[knownone]

She's the announcer for three preseason games. She'll be fine.

 

[Palmegranite]

Actually, I can remember a non player color commentator. Tony Kornheiser was the color commentator for MNF a few years ago, and he was a complete flop, at least in my eyes and those of a lot of football fans.

While we're at it, don't forget the Dennis Miller experiment, color 'analyst' on Monday Night Football.

My recollection is foggy, given it was 20 years ago, but it was odd, to say the least. His mix of erudite musings juxtaposed with non-sequitors and quasi-humorous ponder.....am I painting the correct picture?

 

[sutz]

While we're at it, don't forget the Dennis Miller experiment, color 'analyst' on Monday Night Football.

My recollection is foggy, given it was 20 years ago, but it was odd, to say the least. His mix of erudite musings juxtaposed with non-sequitors and quasi-humorous ponder.....am I painting the correct picture?

Fits my recollection as well. Back then, Miller was still somewhat funny, but he definitely did not fit in the booth.

 

[bileever]

When Aaron Goldsmith started with the Mariners I hated his voice. But years later, I love him.

Ex-players can struggle sharing their knowledge of the game because talking through your decision making and making it worthwhile is a lot easier when it's unsaid. They see the game naturally, but being able to explain the game is a completely different skillset.

This thread is full of people who immediately dismiss a female play-by-play as if the timbre, pitch, and tone of the voice has some great impact. At the end of the day, it's the ability to fluently speak in descriptive and meaningful bits. So many different great voices and none of them sound alike. Everytime I listen to a Yankees broadcast I can't ******* stand Michael Kay, but he's adored in NY. When Angie was filling in for Blowers I really enjoyed her, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that I've listened to her talk Mariners for years.

Dismissing a female voice because you're not used to it is dumb. Football doesn't require a male voice, and if you need a man to describe to you what's happening in a game, you're a little boy.

Lot of good observations here, Sonichawk. I lived in NYC for a long time, and mainly agree about Michael Kay as a baseball announcer. (Hated his signature home run call-"See ya!") I had more appreciation for him as a talk radio guy because in a world of idiot NY sports radio, Kay was at least a voice of reason. Interestingly, the Yankee radio announcing team includes Suzyn Waldman, who has been doing the games for 20 years, way before there were a lot of women in the booth. Felt completely normal to hear her do games on the radio. Smart, knowledgeable and easy to listen to, maybe more so than her partner, John Sterling, who could be a bit cloying. The only thing is that Sterling is now in his mid-80s and Waldman is 76. That's a pretty ancient team, although I have to admit that they don't sound old.

 

[RiverDog]

While we're at it, don't forget the Dennis Miller experiment, color 'analyst' on Monday Night Football.

My recollection is foggy, given it was 20 years ago, but it was odd, to say the least. His mix of erudite musings juxtaposed with non-sequitors and quasi-humorous ponder.....am I painting the correct picture?

Good call on Dennis Miller. Huge bust. As I recall, he lasted just one season. I think Al Michaels had to be instructed as to when to laugh at Miller's jokes.