12/21/24
October 08, 2005
Playoffs don't need Berman's embellishments: Couldn't agree more. Berman is good on Sportscenter, but not in the booth.
What a nice post... It brought back memories of my childhood and a brand new miniture radio and hiding it under the pillow at night and listening to Curt Gowdys fantastic play by play masterpeices. The Red Sox wer't very good then but his insight was very entertaining.
posted by maclmn at 10:27 AM on October 08, 2005
Berman isnt as bad as some of the newer guys. At least Berman appreciates the history of the Sport.
posted by daddisamm at 10:29 AM on October 08, 2005
Berman sucks, everywhere. He's so over the top and in your face and irritating that I change the channel the instant he comes on. He's like the fat guy at the bar who won't shut up, ever. And he knows everything about everything and must relate his knowledge in the form of an anecdote where he shows how clever and cool he is. Bleh.
posted by fenriq at 10:52 AM on October 08, 2005
I saw berman on SC today, and it's the same as it always is, it's about the "swam". His ego is bigger than he is and he seems to think it's bigger than whatever play he's talking about at the time. I like SC, but it seems to be full of guys like that.
posted by roycedawg at 11:10 AM on October 08, 2005
Berman's ego is much larger than his rotund frame. In fact, if it gets any larger, there will be a rupture in the space time continuum which will result in 25 WS championships for Boston, a Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl dynasty...and maybe then Berman will actually shut up.
posted by supersly26 at 11:34 AM on October 08, 2005
Every time somebody got a hit- you would hear him. I was taking a shower with the TV on medium loudness, and heard him repeatly yell his ass off. Really Annoying.....
posted by redsoxrgay at 12:45 PM on October 08, 2005
Berman is turn-off-the-sound terrible at calling games, and his shtick as an anchor is becoming Henny Youngman-like. The playoffs should be a showcase for terrific play-by-play announcers like Joe Buck and Jon Miller. Berman's killing the Fall Classic.
posted by rcade at 12:53 PM on October 08, 2005
No one will ever be as bad as Dennis Miller. Unless we're gonna throw Joe Morgan's name out there: during the Yanks-Angels game last night, after it began raining...."if both pitchers had to be taken out of the game, Joe Torre would not like that trade-off of losing Randy Johnson for Paul Byrd. He wouldn't like it at all." I couldn't stop laughing.
posted by charlatan at 01:51 PM on October 08, 2005
Maybe Boomer will come full circle before his fade out. I envision him someday on ESPN 16 doing commentary on billiard matches, dart tourneys and JUCO basketball games just like he did before he became the 10 second sound bite that we are forced to listen to for three hours. Oh yea, I was 1 of the 5 Dennis Miller fans.
posted by sandman at 02:34 PM on October 08, 2005
Berman is just like the rest of espn, with their east coast bias BS
posted by iplayforkeeps at 02:45 PM on October 08, 2005
When I heard Piazza gush "I love what Manny (Ramirez) did to his hair." I had to wonder if I was watching baseball or Joan Rivers working the red carpet. Stick to the game, guys. Luckily, I live in Chicago and have the option of hitting the mute button and turning on the radio.
posted by riggs2005 at 03:06 PM on October 08, 2005
why does he always sound like hes outta breath the minute he starts talking? with their east coast bias BS Sug Knight? Is that you?
posted by RZA at 04:21 PM on October 08, 2005
I actually like hearing Chris Berman announce games. To me, it sounds like he actually cares about the game and is excited to be watching the game as both an announcer and fan. Maybe an announcer's not supposed to sound all jacked up, but just last night, I was watching the Trashers (YEA for Kovalchuk being signed to a 5-year deal!!!!) vs. Caps game and while the announcers knew what they were talking about, it sounded like they didn't enjoy being there. It was just bland to me and diminished some of the excitement of an otherwise pretty good game.
posted by jmd82 at 04:27 PM on October 08, 2005
Maybe Nance can do a baseball game or two so we can all see how bad it really can be. Yes, Berman is at tad bit over-the-top, but he's still better than Nance (stick to golf) and those bullspit women announcers they have doing college football. I honestly believe that there are a handful of fans with no education in announcing related fields, but could do much better than half of the talking heads out there now. Look at sports talk radio and peeps like J.T. "the brick" ... proves there is a chance for the average fan.
posted by erok4444 at 04:36 PM on October 08, 2005
Sorry Folks but I do like him. He has a vast knowledge of sports and that means quite a bit to me. I do agree he can get a bit annoying but what sports announcer these days doesn't. Also like Riggs, I live in Chicago and get stuck with 2 Cub announcers who could care less about the team they are calling play by play for as long as they can talk about the "old days" with San Francisco and Arizona. That IS ANNOYING! Also, could handle hearing a Sox game a bit better if I didn't feel like napping everytime I listen to the way to UNDERexciting announcing of that crew. What the hell are these guys doing calling games anyway? Berman may have a few bad habits and wild nick-names for players but I will take him over what We are stuck here in Chicago any day of the week.
posted by melcarek69 at 05:16 PM on October 08, 2005
I actually kind of like Berman as well. His "brand" of commentating is what MLB needs more of...less stick in the mud, more fan friendly excitement. His "nick names" have become a bit stale, but all in all I enjoy watching a game with him doing the color.
posted by stockman1021 at 05:28 PM on October 08, 2005
I long for the days on the South Side when Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall were doing the announcing chores. The best 1-2 punch ever to call a game.
posted by riggs2005 at 06:37 PM on October 08, 2005
Having a "vast knowledge of sports" -- and I reject the notion that Berman has such a thing -- has pretty much zero to do with being an effective play-by-play man. Berman's problem is, as the article alludes to, his complete inability to understand that there are times when words get in the way. It is a bizarre paradox that on television, where we can all see what's going on, play-by-play announcers like Berman feel the need to talk constantly, whereas on radio, where we can't see a damn thing, the best play-by-play guys leave plenty of room for us all to absorb the moment. >>fan friendly excitement<< I'm sorry, but fuck that. It's that sort of thinking that got us Fox's Scooter the goddamn baseball teaching us all how a curveball is thrown. Over, and over, and over again. Baseball, particularly playoff baseball, doesn't need gimmics to be exciting. It doesn't need manufactured enthusiasm, it doesn't need nicknames, it doesn't need camera shots of Fox sitcom stars "coincidentally" in the crowd, and it doesn't need Scooter the goddamn motherfucking baseball!
posted by oscillator72 at 06:56 PM on October 08, 2005
Uhh..oscillator, lighten up. I like most people here are offering up our opinions. Nothing more. Perhaps an anger management class or two are in order.
posted by stockman1021 at 07:48 PM on October 08, 2005
If you listen to anybody too much they eventually get on your nerves as do Berman, Carey, Musberger, etc. Heck, even my wife eventually gets to me.
posted by Richie Bee at 08:43 PM on October 08, 2005
Over, and over, and over again. Baseball, particularly playoff baseball, doesn't need gimmics to be exciting. It doesn't need manufactured enthusiasm, it doesn't need nicknames, it doesn't need camera shots of Fox sitcom stars "coincidentally" in the crowd, and it doesn't need Scooter the goddamn motherfucking baseball! posted by oscillator72 Amen oscillator (you should post more). I couldn't agree more. It's the continued mtv-ing of baseball. It's like they don't have confidence in the product itself.
posted by justgary at 10:28 PM on October 08, 2005
I can't get to the remote fast enough when I hear Chris Bermans' voice. He is so irritating with his name rhytming! They should put him back,back, back, back, back, back, back,back,back, back, back, back, back, too where ever they found him. He truely is annoying!
posted by DAB at 11:01 PM on October 08, 2005
Was he the one that said "Touchdown" after the Angels scored against the Yankees hes a retarded person
posted by DucksTexansRngers1fan at 12:25 AM on October 09, 2005
stockman1021: Uhh..oscillator, lighten up. I like most people here are offering up our opinions. Nothing more. Perhaps an anger management class or two are in order.I disagree, Stockman! I think vitriol and passion is well placed here at sportsfilter, provided it's aimed at relatively deserving targets. When people are passionate, and as a result are attacking fellow members that way isn't cool, or needlessly baiting fans with over-the-top attacks on their teams- that's a bad thing for SpoFi. But, if the conversation is about an op-ed bemoaning the sad state of playoff TV commentary, it's perfectly suitable for osc to sound off at Berman and these playoff shenanigans with all the outrage he can muster. In my opinion, the "cartoonization" of baseball- of sports- is a sad thing, because the greatest asset of the game is the unscripted, compelling drama. You don't need sound effects and animated characters to be on the edge of your seat during Game 4 of last year's ALCS! Even if you happen to like Berman for his enthusiasm or "casual fan" approach, which osc among others clearly do not, the nature of sports discussion, especially on sportsfilter, is passionate and intense. So long as we aren't attacking each others' genetic lineage or suggesting that certain fans maintain minority sexual proclivities, bring on the heat I say!! On preview: Ducks(etc)... yeah, I heard that too, although I thought it was when the Yankees scored. I think he was trying to be funny, but I still don't get it- it might have been the 6th run scored at that point, but it's still pretty lame. This is I think osc.'s point, being cute for cute's sake and forgetting that Chris Berman is not the reason for watching- it's the action on the field, which often speaks for itself.
posted by hincandenza at 12:30 AM on October 09, 2005
I can't get to the remote fast enough when I hear Chris Bermans' voice. He is so irritating with his name rhytming! They should put him back,back, back, back, back, back, back,back,back, back, back, back, back, too where ever they found him. He truely is annoying! posted by DAB I think DAB needs a sedative
posted by rockin_the_suburbs at 01:29 AM on October 09, 2005
Berman sux. He is loud and obnoxious! He may of created that annoying style of commentating that every espn clone that comes along immitates, but that doesnt make him easy on the ears. God, he is so full of himself. If it wasnt for his tenure at espn, he would be running a bowling alley somewhere telling people to keep drinks off the lanes!
posted by bluekarma at 03:18 AM on October 09, 2005
Was he the one that said "Touchdown" after the Angels scored against the Yankees He used the same thing in the Sox/Sox series when the White Sox were up. By 6. It's one of his standards, using terms and cliches from other sports. I don't think he has a huge ego (he's supposed to be a very nice guy), but I cannot stand the constant bombast. He's become lost in his own shtick and phones everything but NFL Tonight in. And I have to keep the TV turned down during that as well.
posted by yerfatma at 09:50 AM on October 09, 2005
Berman can be annoying. But anything is better than Joe Morgan and Tim McCarver.
posted by brutus at 08:40 PM on October 09, 2005
Come on face it. Chris Berman is a down,town,round,mound,loud sound,pompous clown. I bet he was picked last for kickball every game, every year, every school.That's how he learned how to announce! p.s. listening to him makes me want to take sedatives!
posted by DAB at 11:50 PM on October 09, 2005
Baseball is shit.Berman makes it poop.
posted by THADDEUS4TH1 at 02:59 AM on October 10, 2005
Berman may be annoying, but he doesn't even come close to the terrible threesome that televises ESPN sunday night games. Consistently rated then worst crew in football, and back at espn for another year. If that there doesn't tell you that ESPN figures annoying talking heads are more memorable than competent talking heads. And, man, Joe Morgan is a moody, prickly SOB ain't he?? There were a couple of times I expected him just to reach over and slap that bald white guy...
posted by LostInDaJungle at 10:20 AM on October 10, 2005
I can't understand how or why that oaf makes ESPN's postseason coverage, while Steve Stone does not.
posted by Motown Mike at 12:24 PM on October 10, 2005
Berman is not even close to somebody like Ernie Harwell. You'd think during his 15 years he would listen and listen to the great announcers and something would rub off. But I suppose his Sportscenter ego stood in the way of that.