Comments on: Give The Viewing Audience Some Credit

By: Brian McKay

Brian McKay — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:09:49 +0000

As usual, I’m comin’ late to the party, and I have no better comment than yours. All I can say is that in this era I appreciate the expertise & delivery of Bob Varsha. I haven’t been viewing IndyCar broadcasts as long as George (only since 1982), but I agree that “I just don’t want announcers talking down to me, making the same point over and over like I’m an idiot.”
BTW, the poll was so easy today!

By: H.B. Donnelly

H.B. Donnelly — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:41:51 +0000

Assuming this NBC/Comcast thing works out the way we all think it will, I think good things could come of it from the talent standpoint. Bob Costas, though he obviously thinks a bit highly of himself, would make a much better pit lane host for the 500 than “You are lookin’ live at a big fat paycheck for me” Musberger. I also think that Mike Emrick, who does the play-by-play for NBC’s hockey coverage is a very under-appreciated talker who does his research and sounds very intelligent and excited to be there during broadcasts. I like Bob Jenkins on the Versus broadcast for the hardcore fans, but I think Emrick brings more energy to capture the channel-surfers that will flip past NBC.

By the way, if you want a fun moment in racing commentary, check the video of Tom Sneva’s wreck into the Turn 2 catch fencing; Keith Jackson and Jackie Stewart in the booth is just great!

By: Mike R.

Mike R. — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:00:19 +0000

Ya, I agree completely about the bowling ball. It was probably the most effective way to show what lateral Gs are doing to a driver.

By: Chris Lukens

Chris Lukens — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:24:36 +0000

I thought that Arute’s “bowling ball on the helmet” was to the point and actually rather good., but I agree that the cheese grater has got to go. The one that absolutely drives me up a wall is Scott Goodyear, he always sounds like he is announcing a golf match. I also think the Versis crew is good and could be great, however all of the on-air bickering of their last broadcast was rather odd.

By: Mike R.

Mike R. — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:08:17 +0000

I suppose I’m most tired of the ‘color commentator’ feeling he (or she) HAS to say something after EVERY play, most particularly (in football) “He has to make that catch” (or whatever derivative of the same).

Paul Page, with Gary Gerould in the pits, has long been a truly great announcing team. Varsha is always solid and brings professionalism that is largely unmatched. The quality of the broadcast team is undoubtedly connected to the enjoyment of the event, but even that is secondary to the director’s hatchett jobs (or hopefully, the lack thereof) done to the actual onscreen product. Cutting away to a pit stop when there is an on-track battle shaping-up is the most offensive use of control of the telecast to me. Jack’s antics are annoying, but there’s a touch of a “whattaya think the goon will do this week?” humor to it.

Overall, it’s a pandering to the most uninformed viewer, I guess. We’ll all just have to keep that in mind as they do what they do.

By: Steve K

Steve K — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:34:13 +0000

Sean McDonough is one of the best. He used to work with Chris Spielman. I’ll never forget watching a Buckeye game he was calling the weekend after Chris’s wife Stephanie passed away from a long public battle with breast cancer. You could really here the emotion in his voice as he gave his condolences to the Spielman family. A very sad moment for him and the community watching the game and McDonough knew that.

By: Paige

Paige — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:50:14 +0000

IndyCar Versus team is great. ESPN/ABC… not!

By: Paige

Paige — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:48:55 +0000

He does. Can’t stand to listen to him.

By: Zachary

Zachary — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:32:44 +0000

I hear you, but I think it’s part of an overall problem or development towards something that is less sports and more entertainment. I really don’t think sports fans need these side shows and distractions brought to them by announcers. Tell me what’s happening on track, give me a little credit, and if you can present something so that it makes sense without using overproduced nonsense, so much the better.

I’m pretty sure Waltrip lowers the IQ of his collective audience by about 10 points every time he opens his mouth.

By: Bent Wickerbill

Bent Wickerbill — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 10:46:05 +0000

I agee George, I remember watching ball games with my father, grandfather and my uncle on TV back in the late 50s and early 60s. The quality of the picture on screen was nothing compared to what it is today, but the great thing about it was the relative silence of the announcers. They would actually allow some suspense to build between pitches. They usually provided the count (no graphics back then) and they would provide a little color as each batter came to the plate, but I will never forget the pregnant silence (that today would be considered dead air)between pitches that actually allowed the viewer to focus on the game and players, rather than the announcers. These days, if I have the time to watch a sporting event on TV, I simply turn the sound down and sometimes I pay bills or read simultaneously. That way I don’t feel as though I have wasted my entire afternoon.