Which TV sportscaster, according to you, is a good one?

[MrDibbs]

Doc Emerick ... simply the best. Knowledgable, well versed, uses certain clichés but doesn't over-use them so he spices up his delivery. Gets really excited without losing his delivery.

It is so rare that I get to listen to Vin Scully ... he's a national treasure.

The trick for these people to excel is to "not talk so much that the viewer gets distracted by the talking". That's why so many people dislike the football announcers .... they are all experts and have to let the viewer know that they are.

Back in the day, Ray Scott was the measuring stick for excellence in my eyes. Seemed like he always did the Green Bay Packers games on CBS. Lyndsay Nelson also was first rate.

 

[mn78psu83]

So many times I read here how this guy or women is terrible, sucks, needs a sock in it, and any other derogatory term. Who the hell is actually good enough to suit your own perfection?
I ask in response to the coming retirement of Chris Berman. The thread about it here was very negative, which got me thinking about how many announcers have been skewered here. I wondered who you actually like. List them please.

Purely for her journalism skills, I'd go with Kristina Akra.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

I think the reason why there is so much criticism is because many of us remember true professionals who painted a picture for radio and migrated to TV but they still had that finely honed skill. Today's talking heads never developed that skill set and they have a producer in their ear telling them what is trending on Twitter.

 

[mn78psu83]

Sara Carbonero is excellent too. Fine journalist.

 

[Royal_Coaster]

Doc Emerick- gotta love a guy who tells you there are 7 and 4/5 minutes left in the period. Although he gets more excited than needed for a shot that goes 8 feet wide of the goal.

Also loved Harry Kalas- "that ball is outahere!" and who doesn't like Vin Scully or Harry Carey?

I like Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth on Sunday Night Football. I know a lot of people say they don't like Collinsworth, but I think their issue isn't so much his analysis but the pitch of his voice is so different from most broadcasters, it's unnerving to some people.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Doc Emrick and Vin Scully are the best.

I don't care for either. Granted I haven't heard Scully since I was a kid and he did the games of the week on NBC. At that age I pretty much hated everybody that didn't say things that supported my teams. I always found him to be pretty smooth but ninteresting. Kind of a benign play-by-play guy, which is fine I suppose. Emerick annoys me with his "finessing" of the puck and things like that. Always seems to want to create new ways to says thing that don't need to be recreated. That said, seems like he is a heck of a nice guy.
I always loved John Miller and Joe Morgan doing baseball on ESPN. Miller was fun and professional at the same time. Morgan was insightful and serious about baseball. Made for a great combination.
Hockey wise, I grew up on Jiggs McDonald's calling of the islanders games. Loved him, but I am clearly biased there.

 

[ericstratton-rushchairman]

If you ever catch a Red Sox game on NESN you'll likely find Jerry Remy a treat to listen to. And along those same lines was Derek Sanderson for the B's 10-15 years ago

 

[valleyforgebob]

Locally, I think Steve Jones and Jack Ham are terrific. I wish I could listen to them instead of the TV announcers most of the time but the delay makes it too annoying. Nationally I like Blackledge and Herbstreit.

I listen on radio delay all of time with an app on my phone called "Easy Radio Delayer".

 

[Louisville JD]

Sean McDonough with Jay Bilas doing hoops

 

[mn78psu83]

Steve Jones and Dick Jerardi doing PSU basketball is as good as it gets, IMO. I always thought that Steve Jones was the best BB play by play guy - in terms of describing the action - that I've heard. I'm not as crazy about him with football, but he and Jack Ham are a good team.

 

[Louisville JD]

Steve Jones and Dick Jerardi doing PSU basketball is as good as it gets, IMO. I always thought that Steve Jones was the best BB play by play guy - in terms of describing the action - that I've heard. I'm not as crazy about him with football, but he and Jack Ham are a good team.

I love Jack's color analysis of our games; simply the best on the air. Could you imagine Jack being LBer coach at State? 5 stars lining up yearly!

 

[mn78psu83]

I love Jack's color analysis of our games; simply the best on the air. Could you imagine Jack being LBer coach at State? 5 stars lining up yearly!

I do too and - for me - he carries Steve a little bit. That's alright though. They do well together. Jack knows just a little bit about the game on the field. LB coach? Damn.

 

[PSUPride1]

So many times I read here how this guy or women is terrible, sucks, needs a sock in it, and any other derogatory term. Who the hell is actually good enough to suit your own perfection?
I ask in response to the coming retirement of Chris Berman. The thread about it here was very negative, which got me thinking about how many announcers have been skewered here. I wondered who you actually like. List them please.

I loved Keith Jackson. I also still respect Brent. But by and large I have no use for sports commentators any more.

 

[psuro]

Gene Hart

 

[mn78psu83]

Gene Hart

Greatness.

 

[ChiTownLion]

Steve Stone.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Keith Jackson is probably the best in my life. No apparent bias, no apparent disinterest in the game he is covering. He is the most iconic voice in my life, by my calculations.

 

[PSUHusky]

Doc, Keith Jackson, and Harry Kalas. Not sure you could find a better trio.

 

[OldTiredLion]

Being an old guy, for the most part I prefer the guys with whom I grew up hearing on hundreds of broadcasts.

I still think Ray Scott was one of the all-time greats. I can still hear, "Starr...Dowler...Touchdown" Sometimes less really is more.

And growing up as a Philles fan I always loved Whitey Ashburn but didn't appreciate how much a great play-by-play man adds to a radio broadcast until Harry the K arrived in Philly.

Used to love to listen to Gene Hart doing Flyers games. The guy had that being on the edge of out-of-control excitement without going too far.

And if it wasn't for Fran Fisher I don't know if I'd be the passionate Penn Stater I am today. Glad I got to tell him that before he passed away.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

Harry Kalas and Keith Jackson.

Both voices that will always give me goosebumps thinking about even random sentences they have said. Keith Jackson saying "On a brisk autumn day in Happy Valley..." is epic.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

Al Michaels isn't as good as he once was, but earned the all-timer label with his iconic....
"Do you believe in miracles?!!!?? YES!!!!"

Anyone who witnessed that call in 1980 will never forget it...it's THE call of the 20th century. Still get chills.

Local favorites - the uniqueness of Myron Cope and Mike Lange. Really like Jack Ham doing color for PSU.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

Michaels might have lost a little bit but he is still REALLY good.

 

[CF LION]

Since we're bringing up names from the past, Bob Prince.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Catch a English Premier League game - almost any of the lead announcers blow our modern announcers away. Martin Tyler and John Champion are especially good. Great use of the language, great accents, know how to set the stage without using cliches, and, most important, know when to shut up.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Michaels might have lost a little bit but he is still REALLY good.

I like any broadcaster that isn't afraid to talk about the betting lines. Michaels is also not overly glib. Just delivers the action as it is unfolding.

 

[berklion]

Keith Jackson, Harry and Richie. I guess Bob Uecker is a good one. He sure can tell a funny story. Richie would say "If we were playing in a silo, that ball would be outa here". Also, when the Phils were all hitting, he'd say "Kind of makes you want to grab a bat."

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Keith Jackson, Harry and Richie. I guess Bob Uecker is a good one. He sure can tell a funny story. Richie would say "If we were playing in a silo, that ball would be outa here". Also, when the Phils were all hitting, he'd say "Kind of makes you want to grab a bat."

We've got a guy in Austin who does a fantastic impression of Keitharoo.

Oh Daddy, we've got a barn burner down here in Norman Okla-Homa!

 

[Waltier13]

basketball -hubie brown ,football -jack ham ,golf-lunquist, baseball-scully all very descriptive and entertaining

 

[Connorpozlee]

They've already been mentioned in here, but Phil Rizzuto and Bill White were phenomenal together. Really, there is only so much baseball talk that is needed. Rizzuto would talk about important things happening in the game. Other than that, it was cannolis and whatever else he could think of. Used to love hearing him talk about about the last three innings of the game from the day before as he listened to it on his drive home.
On a related thread topic, also a great Seinfeld scene when George is using a jackhammer to retrieve his lost keys. He hits a water line that shoots his keys into the air, with his Phil Rizzuto Keychain saying "Holy Cow!!!". That same eruption causes a toothbrush to fall into a toilet, ending Jerry's relationship with another girlfriend.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

basketball -hubie brown

That is a good one.

 

[PSU_1991]

I listen on radio delay all of time with an app on my phone called "Easy Radio Delayer".

Thanks. Good to know!

 

[psuno1]

Ron Franklin, Keith Jackson, Todd Blackledge, Brad Nessler, Vern Lundquist, Brent Musburger, Herby for College Football.

 

[farmer79]

Enjoyed everyone's pics doc is mine just wanted to mention jeff "iron head " Byers simply the best college wrestling annocer period

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

I think Keith Jackson has more mentions than anyone:

 

[yeahtoasty]

 

[kgilbert78]

Bob Ley for soccer and other sports. Always puts the game first. And a nod to Toby Charles, the legendary host of Soccer Made in Germany on PBS back in the 1970s. I'd get up early on a Saturday morning to watch the game on WPSX in the dorms.



I'd admit I did not see this match on TV at the time. That was because I was attending it while a PSU exchange student.... It was very odd to see it on re-runs that summer at home in Philly, though.

 

[artsandletters]

So you are a Philly guy and leave Big Al Meltzer and By Saam off the list??? SMH

By Saam was pretty bad. Bill Campbell was better, had the passion. Forget Al Meltzer. It was Les Keiter originally with the Big 5. He gave us 'In again out again Finnegan'.

 

[Mr. Potter]

So many times I read here how this guy or women is terrible, sucks, needs a sock in it, and any other derogatory term. Who the hell is actually good enough to suit your own perfection?
I ask in response to the coming retirement of Chris Berman. The thread about it here was very negative, which got me thinking about how many announcers have been skewered here. I wondered who you actually like. List them please.

Bob Costas

 

[21Guns]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!

AWESOME!

 

[21Guns]

"I want everyone to come on out to the rink tonight and watch us cream those punks from Syracuse"

Reginald "Reg" Dunlop---Charlestown Chiefs player-coach