"Shut up, Al!": Announcing Voices We Love and Hate

[bubbls]

On August 12, 2016 at 11:00 PM, Kromm said:

Man, Costas showed what a horrible interviewer he can be with that Katie Ledecky interview tonight (late Friday night).  Ugh. It was a combination of a tongue bath (that she had to work hard to roll with to not sound conceited) and tons of trite moments.

I used to like Costas, but as he ages... color me no longer impressed.

You must have missed Matt "The Liar" Lauer's interview with her where it was pretty much Matt fellating Phelps. I bet she was counting her future endorsement dollars the whole time in order to not say what she really thought. 

Edited August 14, 2016 by bubbls

[Muffyn]

Fellating Phelps is my new band name.  Called it first!

[SnideAsides]

"We've got an Australian in action over at the men's gymnastics, so let's go there now."

*cut to gymnastics arena, graphic comes up for the women's vault medal ceremony, wide shot stays on screen for ~30 seconds and the athletes start marching out*

"We appear to be having some sort of delay over there; we'll try and go back in a few minutes."

I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry.

[sab85]

You guys I really don't think I can do another gymnastics meet with Al. He's always been horrible but it's gotten to the point I want to reach through the screen and punch him. I'm going to tweet nbc they've lost my eyeballs for all meets until he's gone. 

[Sew Sumi]

14 hours ago, bubbls said:

You must have missed Matt "The Liar" Lauer's interview with her where it was pretty much Matt fellating Phelps. I bet she was counting her future endorsement dollars the whole time in order to not say what she really thought. 

No endorsements for Katie Ledecky. She's headed straight to Stanford. 

[mtlchick]

I know he couldn't go to Rio, but this swimming competition without Steve Armitage's "DRIVING to the WALL!" made me really sad.

[mojoween]

I'm watching women's field hockey and it's Spain vs. Great Britain and both announcers keep saying "GB" this and "GB" that and I can't articulate why exactly, but it is driving me completely batty.  They've SAID Great Britain!  Just say that all the time GB is not a THING.

[Kromm]

2 hours ago, mojoween said:

I'm watching women's field hockey and it's Spain vs. Great Britain and both announcers keep saying "GB" this and "GB" that and I can't articulate why exactly, but it is driving me completely batty.  They've SAID Great Britain!  Just say that all the time GB is not a THING.

"Team GB" is a popular phrase. I've seen it used for years on UK-based boards. 

I can't say I quite understand why Northern Ireland is left out of the loop for Olympic Teams (so that its "Team UK"), but seemingly it is. The way I understand it they get a choice to compete for either Great Britain or the main Ireland team. 

Is GB essentially any different than saying "US", "USA" or even "UK"?  I don't see why, other than the fact that Great Britain is such an inconsistently used phrase/identification, which has been elevated to be more important for Sports than politics.

Edited August 15, 2016 by Kromm

[mojoween]

Hmmm.  Good point.  I suppose it's gotta be the infrequency in which I hear it that it sounds odd.  I prefer US to America, TBH (mostly because I'm a pedant who feels the USA is not the ONLY country in America so we don't have the market on the name).

[MyAimIsTrue]

48 minutes ago, mojoween said:

 I prefer US to America, TBH (mostly because I'm a pedant who feels the USA is not the ONLY country in America so we don't have the market on the name).

You're not the only one who feels that way.

[Kromm]

Of course the downside of the letter method is that there is probably little more irritating than a monotonous "USA! USA! USA!" chant.

[galaxygirl76]

'Dear diary'... Shut up Al.

[renatae]

On 7/7/2016 at 5:01 PM, AuntieDiane6 said:

I always figure that some NBC executive is sleeping with the "who-the-heck-is-this" announcers.  There was absolutely no reason for Sandra Bezic, a CANADIAN skating choreographer, to be NBC's main skating announcer for decades when we had women gold medalists all tripping over each other.  At least NBC now has Nastia Liukin doing gymnastics.  

Aw, I liked Sandra. Maybe no one else was particularly interested. She was one who made quiet commentary, wasn't constantly yapping in a loud voice, drowning out the music, and had educated insights.

[Indy]

On 8/15/2016 at 1:15 AM, sab85 said:

You guys I really don't think I can do another gymnastics meet with Al. He's always been horrible but it's gotten to the point I want to reach through the screen and punch him. I'm going to tweet nbc they've lost my eyeballs for all meets until he's gone. 

I'm with you.  Jim, John, and Courtney have ruined me.  I have watched very little of the prime time gymnastics coverage because after watching the online coverage, I can't stomach Al. 

[selkie]

Thanks to Tom Hammond's constant talk about Sydney McLaugghlin last night, I now have Winger's 'Seventeen' earworming my brain. 

[MyAimIsTrue]

Had the games started a week earlier you could have had Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" as your ear worm since Sydney just had a birthday, in case you didn't hear that last night.

[Ohwell]

I just have to profess my love of the team of Ato Boldon, Tom Hammond, and Sanya Richard-Ross covering track & field.  They are the best.

[Daisy]

On 8/15/2016 at 2:49 PM, mtlchick said:

I know he couldn't go to Rio, but this swimming competition without Steve Armitage's "DRIVING to the WALL!" made me really sad.

and since it's a heart condition..... we might not get Steve's "DRIVING to the LINE" in speedskating in Korea either :( Be well Steve.  

[ElDosEquis]

1 hour ago, Ohwell said:

I just have to profess my love of the team of Ato Boldon, Tom Hammond, and Sanya Richard-Ross covering track & field.  They are the best.

Is it me or does Hammond sound a lot like Dick Enberg?

 

Enough of "Phelps/gymnasts/lochte"  are they the only people at the games?

[MyAimIsTrue]

8 minutes ago, ElDosEquis said:

Is it me or does Hammond sound a lot like Dick Enberg?

I haven't noticed but I love Dick Enberg so that comparison is okay with me.

[FormerMod-a1]

Serious question, was Al ever good?  I don't hate him as much as some, but I do find him lacking.  That said I guess I don't pay that much attention to the prime time gymnastics commentators anymore, at least not for the past few olympics, so I really don't know.

[Mittengirl]

What sports does Trautwig cover in non-Olympic years?

[PattyG]

He covers cycling at least. I don't watch many sports!

[azshadowwalker]

1 hour ago, Mittengirl said:

What sports does Trautwig cover in non-Olympic years?

He covers the NHL locally for one of the teams in New York. There's a link about him from Deadspin where he got into a Twitter fight with a fan of the other NY team. 

I am getting annoyed with Ato. Far too often, he addresses Tom directly and by name, even when Sanya makes the statement he is responding to. It's like she's not even there. 

Definitely not a Rowdy Gaines fan. I am sure Dick Vitale has his quiet moments, too, but I hate that style of commentary. Gaines reminds me of the horrible staff of ESPN. They love that style of color commentary--Vitale, Brad Gilbert, etc.  I despise it.  

Edited August 19, 2016 by azshadowwalker

[Mittengirl]

I agree about Rowdy Gaines.  I think you can show enthusiasm with carrying on like a lunatic.  It isn't even a fine line.

[satrunrose]

I'm not sure if this is the right place, but CBC is showing a great clip of Donovan Bailey, who has been commenting on the sprint competitions, watching the men's 200m. He's more or les sprinting on the spot at one point. 

http://olympics.cbc.ca/video/vod/donovan-bailey-live-reaction-andre-grasse-winning-silver.html

ETA: I also enjoy the off-screen person yelling in the background. 

[Quilt Fairy]

I have watched the live stream of the gymnastics coverage because it's the only way to see all the competitors and also because the commentators (Jim Watson, Jonathon Horton, Courtney Kupets) were far superior to the broadcast team of Al "Shut up, Al!" Trautwig, Tim Daggett and Nastia Liukin.  The other day I watched the live stream of diving and I noticed that the commentators sounded like they were British (maybe BBC?). I also caught some archery that had no commentary at all for the live stream.  

So my question to people who may have watched more events live streamed than I have is how often do they have a separate American team of commentators?  Is gymnastics an anomaly and if so, why?

[SnideAsides]

As I understand it, the IOC provides a few alternative feeds - one without graphics so broadcasters can have their own style (which I think NBC used for the opening ceremony?), one with the basic in-house graphics but no commentary so broadcasters can add their own commentators (ie, the Trout Wit feed), and one with some in-house commentators sourced from around the world (I assume there are English and French feeds for this; the English feed uses mostly people from the BBC and ABC Australia) - but networks are also free to provide their own cameras if they wish.

[Indy]

I think it depends on the sport, whether NBC used it's own commentators for the live feeds or used the IOC/International commentators.  For a high profile events like gymnastics & swimming, it's probably worth it for them to pay their own commentators, but for less popular events it might not be worth the $$ so they use commentators provided by the IOC.  I'm watching the Equestrian show jumping individual finals now and the commentators sound British (could be Australian...I'm bad at accents). 

[proserpina65]

I don't know who was doing the announcing for the decathlon, but were they trying to make me hate Ashton Eaton?

[Daisy]

Al does cycling, and sometimes hockey in the non Olympic years and I know he does cross country skiing at the Winter Games. 
to the question of "Was Al Ever Good?"

Well I didn't mind him in Sydney. but then we don't talk about Sydney LOL. Athens was okay, and then I guess it was when the USA started to get REALLY dominate and the Shawn v. Nastia thing started up Al got really infuriating, and it just snowballed from there. (but I don't always get gymnastics so I've relatively become a 1 x 4 yr girl so..)

[Dandesun]

I am loving the announcers for the equestrian feed. Particularly the show jumping because they know their shit and commentary is peppered with phrases like:

There's so much jump in this mare.

and

That was an audacious turn!

The second phrase I plan on fitting into conversation somehow. I don't know how many times I'll be able to actually say 'there's so much jump in this mare' in my life, sadly.

[Daisy]

I am loving the equestrian pair too!
I can listen to these two brits all day! 

[mojoween]

I'm starting to get massive amounts of Bolt fatigue.  NBC just needs to start a separate Phelps/Bolt feed where they stand around and lean against walls and stare off into space and watch other races on TV so the regular broadcast isn't swallowed up by such frivolity.

And I LIKE both of those guys.  But I'm sick of 'em.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Not that I need any more reasons to love Ato Boldon...

[Elsydeon]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

I'm starting to get massive amounts of Bolt fatigue.  NBC just needs to start a separate Phelps/Bolt feed where they stand around and lean against walls and stare off into space and watch other races on TV so the regular broadcast isn't swallowed up by such frivolity.

And I LIKE both of those guys.  But I'm sick of 'em.

You know the executives at NBC will sell their souls if it meant having Phelps and Bolt in Tokyo. But even though they won't be, someone else will come along to steal all the airtime.

[Ohwell]

Well, in fairness to Bolt, he's only gotten airtime in the past week, whereas Phelps has been getting airtime since the beginning.  I realize that swimming started in the first week, but it seems as if they can't stop talking about him even though the swimming events are over. 

[legaleagle53]

18 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

Well, in fairness to Bolt, he's only gotten airtime in the past week, whereas Phelps has been getting airtime since the beginning of time.  I realize that swimming started in the first week, but it seems as if they can't stop talking about him even though the swimming events are over. 

I fixed this for you.  ;-)

[Ohwell]

Thanks! ; )

[azshadowwalker]

Ato was much better about speaking to Sanya today. Maybe someone finally said something to him. 

[Sew Sumi]

On 8/18/2016 at 5:00 PM, PattyG said:

He covers cycling at least. I don't watch many sports!

No he doesn't! The stellar team of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin (with an assist from newbie - and hottie - Christian Vande Velde) are NBC's go-to for cycling. They do the bloody Tour de France! The Olympics was small potatoes for them (and Liggett, who is in his 70's) took a break. No complaints about the cycling at all. 

I remember Al doing the fluff pieces on athletes across the sports spectrum for years, but I don't know when NBC settled on him solely for gymnastics, or I've blotted that day out of my mind. Daggett? He used to be serviceable. It's time for NBC to bring in the Youth Movement, as they did with Johnny and Tara. They're annoying when not announcing, but they've been there, Johnny is still skating in shows with competitive skaters. I think gymnastics commentary needs a similar shot in the arm. Bring in Horton to call with Nastia. I really, really enjoyed him on the Live Feed. Hell, I even tweeted him and got responses back! LOL

[biakbiak]

10 minutes ago, Sew Sumi said:

No he doesn't! The stellar team of Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin (with an assist from newbie - and hottie - Christian Vande Velde) are NBC's go-to for cycling. They do the bloody Tour de France! The Olympics was small potatoes for them (and Liggett, who is in his 70's) took a break. No complaints about the cycling at all. 

I remember Al doing the fluff pieces on athletes across the sports spectrum for years, but I don't know when NBC settled on him solely for gymnastics, or I've blotted that day out of my mind. Daggett? He used to be serviceable. It's time for NBC to bring in the Youth Movement, as they did with Johnny and Tara. They're annoying when not announcing, but they've been there, Johnny is still skating in shows with competitive skaters. I think gymnastics commentary needs a similar shot in the arm. Bring in Horton to call with Nastia. I really, really enjoyed him on the Live Feed. Hell, I even tweeted him and got responses back! LOL

He used to cover the Tour de France for Versus which is now NBCSN. I only know this because my boyfriend used to bitch about him every year when we first started dating.

[dcalley]

7 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

He used to cover the Tour de France for Versus which is now NBCSN. I only know this because my boyfriend used to bitch about him every year when we first started dating.

Yep, my husband watches cycling and did not like Al covering le Tour.

[Sew Sumi]

Wow, how did I miss him? I watched the Tour all through the Versus years. They've always had Phil and Paul. Maybe Al rode on the back of one of the mopeds? LOL Whatever the case, I seem to have managed to have tuned him out and listened to the PROS do the commentary. LOL

[briochetwist]

On 8/18/2016 at 10:13 PM, satrunrose said:

I'm not sure if this is the right place, but CBC is showing a great clip of Donovan Bailey, who has been commenting on the sprint competitions, watching the men's 200m. He's more or les sprinting on the spot at one point. 

http://olympics.cbc.ca/video/vod/donovan-bailey-live-reaction-andre-grasse-winning-silver.html

ETA: I also enjoy the off-screen person yelling in the background. 

I love Donovan Bailey so that clip makes me so happy. SILVER MEDAL BABY! He's awesome!

[bosawks]

Season after season announcing Sixers games doing the women's basketball team must be a nice respite for Mark Zumoff, who I love!

[kalystia1983]

Special shoutout to Steve Schlanger, I have heard him do play by play on no less then 4 sports this Olympics. Pretty sure he was broadcasting from Stamford versus Rio, and I'm pretty sure they just put him on almost every sport they did from there.  He was on Archery, cross country cycling, white water canoeing, and I heard him on one other that I can't remember now.  He was informative and enthusiatic about each one, and seemed to genuinely enjoy what he was watching.

[galaxygirl76]

Whoever thought it was a great idea to let Seacrest be part of the announcing team at the closing ceremony needs to be fired.

[SnideAsides]

The biggest question this thread has brought up so far: "How did Phil Liggett manage to simultaneously do US cycling commentary with Paul Sherwin and Australian cycling commentary with Scott McGrory?"

[Quilt Fairy]

On ‎8‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 0:03 AM, Sew Sumi said:

Bring in Horton to call with Nastia. I really, really enjoyed him on the Live Feed. Hell, I even tweeted him and got responses back! LOL

Being a non-tweet person (yes there are a few of us), would you pass on my appreciation to Jon for what a great job he, Jim and Courtney did on the live stream? Absolutely first rate, and way better than the broadcast team.