TV Announcers Consternation Station

[WOMBAT, Mod Emeritus]

And the number of ESPN subscribers continues to dwindle.

[OCanada]

FO. Carc Idaho v one man shouldn’t be able to have that much influence on a game. They eliminated the dunk in college because of Kareem for awhile. Think of all the games Cuse won because they had Mike Powell and others didn’t. There are generational players. There will always be one who is an outlier. It’s a team game. Each team has a defense and a goalie.

Having said that while I don’t like tweaking the rules every year or so just because. I would favor a radical change to the girl’s game approach.

I too got very tired of the PSU hyping. I do have a Yale rooting interest and thought o might be over reacting. QK is pushing the great effect the shot clock has had and then turns around and speaks about the PSU stats relative to the past as if the stats weren’t a result. This PSU team deserves its accolades but it didn’t come close to Cuse in 1990 or a number of other teams I can think of. In the discussion I understand.

[FannOLax]

I too got very tired of the PSU hyping...

Penn State was, er, would have been such a great story: from never having won an NCAA tourney game to national champions (heck, PSU didn't even make the Big 10 tourney last year, but Quint et al didn't mention that), it's a big Big 10 school with lots of alumni, and, the icing on the cake, Chris Hogan played lax at PSU before going on to play pro football in the NFL! I've never heard about what sort of lacrosse player Hogan was, but I guess his playing in the NFL validates him as an athlete. Yes, ESPN interviewed him yesterday, not for a half-time segment, but during/over the game. None of this is PSU's fault; they were a very good team, fun to watch and probably the sort of team neutral fans would be wanting to win. They should also be very good next year; I look forward to seeing them play next year.

[OCanada]

I agree. None of it is PSU’s fault. I am not throwing shade on it. I like their team and the school. Two are very different things

[calourie]

Interestingly enough QK gave spoiler hints all along this past week that he actually thought Yale would win this game. He always wears two hats when he is announcing lacrosse, one as an analyst and the other as a promoter of the game. All the announcers were lucky the game didn't get totally out of hand when Yale went up 10-1.

[thetruth]

Watched the women’s final today. The announcers were excellent and I enjoyed watching and listening to the game far more as a result. They were immensely better than the men’s announcers and I really think it impacts the casual fans’ viewership. The women’s announcers were 100% focused on the game and didn’t get into any personal info on players or show weird love towards certain athletes. They also never spoke of anyone’s prowess in another sport or their dating habits. As a result it was far easier to get engaged in the flow of the game. Time for a change in the men’s booth. The women’s announcers showed how it should be done.

[CU77]

They were immensely better than the men’s announcers and I really think it impacts the casual fans’ viewership.

I agree completely on the announcing, but: there are no casual fans. Really, there aren't. Nobody watches lacrosse who doesn't intend to watch lacrosse. And nobody learns to like lacrosse just by watching it on TV, without having first played it or gone to a school (HS or college) where it was a big deal.

[Typical Lax Dad]

They were immensely better than the men’s announcers and I really think it impacts the casual fans’ viewership.

I agree completely on the announcing, but: there are no casual fans. Really, there aren't. Nobody watches lacrosse who doesn't intend to watch lacrosse. And nobody learns to like lacrosse just by watching it on TV, without having first played it or gone to a school (HS or college) where it was a big deal.

Not true. A friend called me during the UVA vs Duke. He said he didn’t understand the rules or why some players have long poles and others short but the game was exciting. I know several people that don’t follow the game but will watch it if it’s on.

[oldsportsfan]

Leave the face offs as is. Maybe Penn State should play some defense. I don't think it is any more unfair to have a great face off guy than to have the Gait bros on the same team. Maybe we should make Mac O'Keefe shoot every other shot right handed.

[Typical Lax Dad]

Leave the face offs as is. Maybe Penn States should play some defense. I don't think it is any more unfair to have a great face off guy than to have the Gait bros on the same team. Maybe we should make Mac O'Keefe shoot every other shot right handed.

Some may argue they played too much defense.

[a fan]

Gary was the best defensive middie I've ever seen. If you tried to run by him, the ball was coming out most of the time.

Can't think of another middie who did that with any regularity.....a takeaway shortstick.

[45wewantmore]

Gary was the best defensive middie I've ever seen. If you tried to run by him, the ball was coming out most of the time.

Can't think of another middie who did that with any regularity.....a takeaway shortstick.

Zach Currier
Joel Tinney
Towson 2017 SSDMs Zach Goodrich & Jack Adams
Matt Abbott

[reLAX]

They were immensely better than the men’s announcers and I really think it impacts the casual fans’ viewership.

I agree completely on the announcing, but: there are no casual fans. Really, there aren't. Nobody watches lacrosse who doesn't intend to watch lacrosse. And nobody learns to like lacrosse just by watching it on TV, without having first played it or gone to a school (HS or college) where it was a big deal.

Not true. A friend called me during the UVA vs Duke. He said he didn’t understand the rules or why some players have long poles and others short but the game was exciting. I know several people that don’t follow the game but will watch it if it’s on.

Unfortunately, if the casual, or new fan wants to watch a game, and doesn’t understand the rules, etc. they will not learn much with carc talking incessantly about haircuts, players being absolute studs. Etc while the game is is being played. There are saves. Turnovers, and penalty flags flying and he continues to talk (drone on) with his story almost not realizing a game is going on! I have been trying to learn more about the girls game. I am learning a lot listening to those announcers. I don’t know anything about the girls hairstyles!

[Gorilla Fan]

One has to wonder if the powers at be, encourage this “hip banter” to reach the younger demo?

Does this reach the bro’s?

Is ESPN gaining younger fans?

To people actually vested in the game, it is infuriating when they are on a tangent about nonsense and missed a call that someone at the game can see and not a TV viewer would capture?

I do know there was outrage a few years ago when ESPN brought in Sean McDonough for the finals in Foxborough, a seasoned play by play guy, but not a “lax guy”. This was pre-Anish

[45wewantmore]

Interestingly enough QK gave spoiler hints all along this past week that he actually thought Yale would win this game. He always wears two hats when he is announcing lacrosse, one as an analyst and the other as a promoter of the game. All the announcers were lucky the game didn't get totally out of hand when Yale went up 10-1.

QK gave a pre game interview on LSN as an analyst, and made more sense than I've ever heard from him.

They are they top crew on ESPN but occasional the "narrative" gets in the way on what is happening in front of them, they turn into Mean Girls or Glee Club.

as an example UVA #42 made an unbelievably athletic leaping catch & finish off a poor feed from UVA #5 in one game but PC barely mentioned #42 as he was in full on Hype Master for #5, selling the amazing look away feed, "what a player" where in reality it should have been a turnover.

For fun play the drinking game "the Best ...... in all of college lacrosse" with Carc and you will be passed out by halftime.

Penn State, Penn & Yale on same side of bracket was unfortunate

as for the women's commentators Stugotz was entertaining but brutal... calling out one player who had a shot saved in the semi-final "she will be replaying that miss for the rest of her life, if they lose" they lost.

it may well be true but to call it out on a student athlete is harsh IMO

he is a comedian/radio host

[Typical Lax Dad]

They were immensely better than the men’s announcers and I really think it impacts the casual fans’ viewership.

I agree completely on the announcing, but: there are no casual fans. Really, there aren't. Nobody watches lacrosse who doesn't intend to watch lacrosse. And nobody learns to like lacrosse just by watching it on TV, without having first played it or gone to a school (HS or college) where it was a big deal.

Not true. A friend called me during the UVA vs Duke. He said he didn’t understand the rules or why some players have long poles and others short but the game was exciting. I know several people that don’t follow the game but will watch it if it’s on.

Unfortunately, if the casual, or new fan wants to watch a game, and doesn’t understand the rules, etc. they will not learn much with carc talking incessantly about haircuts, players being absolute studs. Etc while the game is is being played. There are saves. Turnovers, and penalty flags flying and he continues to talk (drone on) with his story almost not realizing a game is going on! I have been trying to learn more about the girls game. I am learning a lot listening to those announcers. I don’t know anything about the girls hairstyles!

Yep. I really don't know why those guys act like that during lacrosse games but not the other sports they cover.

[youthathletics]

They were immensely better than the men’s announcers and I really think it impacts the casual fans’ viewership.

I agree completely on the announcing, but: there are no casual fans. Really, there aren't. Nobody watches lacrosse who doesn't intend to watch lacrosse. And nobody learns to like lacrosse just by watching it on TV, without having first played it or gone to a school (HS or college) where it was a big deal.

Not true. A friend called me during the UVA vs Duke. He said he didn’t understand the rules or why some players have long poles and others short but the game was exciting. I know several people that don’t follow the game but will watch it if it’s on.

Unfortunately, if the casual, or new fan wants to watch a game, and doesn’t understand the rules, etc. they will not learn much with carc talking incessantly about haircuts, players being absolute studs. Etc while the game is is being played. There are saves. Turnovers, and penalty flags flying and he continues to talk (drone on) with his story almost not realizing a game is going on! I have been trying to learn more about the girls game. I am learning a lot listening to those announcers. I don’t know anything about the girls hairstyles!

Yep. I really don't know why those guys act like that during lacrosse games but not the other sports they cover.

Because they also do not do (or know how to do) PxP in other sports. It would be so easy for them to elevate our sport. To your points about a casual fan....can you imagine someone turning on the sport that hadn't played or knows the game and listening to this...it'd be like turning on PeeWee Middle School game with the students commentating. The parents would not laugh with them, they'd laugh at them.

Pay a bit closer attention to Anish today. He seems to be trying to separate himself from the others.

[oldjayfan]

Drinking game should be every time Carc says "absolute or absolutely"...He's an absolute beast...That was absolutely the best blah blah blah..

[LandM]

On this day to my three close friends who are horizontal- I will drink to "ice in the veins". Those three had it, not sure scoring a goal, making a great safe or being from MN qualifies but I am getting grumpier as I get older

[Sativa Specialist]

Trevor Baptiste should work for ESPN.