ESPN World Cup announcers

[Lazarus]

This is probably only for the US viewers of ESPN and ABC World Soccer coverage.

Just wanted to see how people felt about them.

Personally, I think they were terrible. It seems that the US network doesn't care for real soccer fans, but instead wants to entertain soccer moms that know nothing about the sport.

Why did they bury the English/Irish team of Adrian Healey and Tommy Smyth ? Not the absolute best, but fun and seem to know the objective of the game. But the others? And that JP Dellacamera? My God, what a fruitcake!...

If anybody else wants to contact ESPN and ABC Sports and give them a piece of their mind, here they are:

• ESPN
• ABC Sports

(Keep in mind that you can't tell them that they are "Karagiozides" (they wouldn't know what that means), but since Walt Disney owns 'em both, feel free to call them "Mickey Mouse-ides".... :tdown: :tdown: ):tdown:

[bar7]

al michaels is retarded.... once that British announcer from ESPN said that this was his last game I thought Oh boy just american announcers???!!! pathetic

[Lazarus]

Al Michaels is not one of them. You are referring to Dave O'Brien -- he sounds identical. Dave O

[BlueStriker]

My favorite combo was British duo of Adrian Healey and Tommy "Punch the ol onion bag" Smyth. They have years of soccer knowledge and you just feel comfortable with them commentating on a game. They know what they are talking about, and you don't have to worry about them saying vlakies. I wish they would have commentated every game. I don't know why they stopped half way through the tournament. Perhaps ESPN and ABC thought they didn't speak "proper" English.

I thought Balboa was the best of the American announcers. John Harkes has some soccer knowledge being a former player but I don't think he has an announcer's voice. J.P and O'Brien have no place as soceer announcers. Stick to baseball or whatever else it is they do for a living.

The most annoying voice was Shep Messing. His "oh baby!" reminded me of Dick Vitale, which is o.k. for NCAA basketball, but that's it.

Overall it was o.k. for soccer moms and first time viewers, but not sufficient for soccer enthusiasts. For any of you that have the Fox Soccer Channel, I think Max Bretos and Bobby McMahon could have made a great duo.

My favorite announcers internationally have been the for the English Premier League, Trevor Brooking being one of them.

[gcp]

Balboa's a fool!

[drakos13]

im very split on this too Lazare, good topic.

It does seem they are appealing to people who know nothing about the sport, but unfortunately this is the case. Its still growing. I know people following it here who really would have no clue if it werent for these announcers.

The worst 2 ever in history were the 2 jackases doing the USA games in 2002...they were so disgraceful...clueless.

But I have to admit Marcelo Balboa is actually great at his job. He is a player who knows the real nature and situations of the games and words everything very well and analyzes. Hes really spot on from a players point of view. The only thing I disagreed with him was his critisicsm in USA vs Italy...

The rest are ok.....JP Dellacamera is decent.... as much as i loathe ESPN coverage its actually more bearable.

And dare i say it.......its better than in Greece :tdown:

commentators in Greece the last couple years are so emotionless, have the box volume way above the stadium volume (so you can hardly hear the crowd)

and they never show the scorers/scorebox on the screen.....this is how it was for the last WC and Euro matches (other than Greece).....

The coverage this year ESPN is better....presentation, coverage, picture quality its just better.... but the best of all .........Univision :tup: I watched most of the Cup with them because usually the dumbass commentators would get the group matches...univision commentators are actually way more entertaining, knowledgable (Chilavert!) and the coverage was better with replays and they actually showed the anthems in the begining instead of s%$#! commercials...

But the real people to hate on are the World Cup Live crew.......They are true morons. Even Wynalda I used to respect hes really just an ass. And that stupid woman has no clue at all what shes talking about! I bet you 100$ shes never heard of these players in her life, her analysis is AWFUL, every thing she says she sounds like a complete vlammenh!!!

If you are goign to have a woman broadcaster she really has to know her stuff. She doesnt know a damn thing. And if she knows jack s%$#! she has to at least be attractive! Shes nothing but annoying programmed-scripted generic analysis and cant even say one name correctly.

Not meaning to be sexist but women have no place in this game except spectators. Shes an example of many.

As for Tommy Smythe.......

hes a complete vlakas....i used to like him but he got pretty ridiculous at times saying pure bs........i think i should beat him with an onion bag....enough already its a stupid saying!!!

[Dava-G]

My favorite combo was British duo of Adrian Healey and Tommy "Punch the ol onion bag" Smyth. They have years of soccer knowledge and you just feel comfortable with them commentating on a game. They know what they are talking about, and you don't have to worry about them saying vlakies. I wish they would have commentated every game. I don't know why they stopped half way through the tournament. Perhaps ESPN and ABC thought they didn't speak "proper" English.

Adrian knows what he is talking about... He is a friend of mine and I played soccer with him here in Boston. Unfortunately, as far as I know, he did not make the trip to Germany. They were in Conn for all of the "less important" matches that they covered. Adrian has done play by play for the New England Revolution on the radio and then moved to the TV booth after a couple of years. Now he is ESPN.

He is an individual who has been around soccer all his life and truely knows the game. I am ofcourse a little biased because he is my friend, but I liked his play by play best. Tells it how it is and is the most "factual". Too bad they didnt use them more....

And if I hear that the score is "nothing to nothing" one more time by any of the other anouncers I am going to shoot myself....

[drakos13]

well id agree with Wynalda.......

Arena MUST go....its way overdue, his time is up. He cant do anything more. USA has a new generation and they need a new, more advanced/experienced coach to lead them. The players are reaching the european level and standard, so the coach must too. Arena did not have the team prepared at all for the Czech game. He failed, and its time for a change. Im very upset they havent changed him or even thought about it yet....ridiculous. Probably bcause the American FA has nobody with any clue themselves!!!