What is the Greatest Enemy for a Sports Broadcaster?
What is the greatest enemy for a sports broadcaster?
It’s the mute button.
If a viewer watching a game in which you are the commentator, and hits the mute button silencing your words, it’s not a good thing.
I’ve been using the button more and more. I used it more than I liked during the first two rounds of the NCAA Basketball tournament.
This is not to say I don’t think the announcers are capable, or doing a good job, or prepared. Or even inferior to the job I would do.
Hardly. I have tremendous respect for those working the games I used to work. I’m amazed at how good the young ones are.
I actually feel they are far more advanced than when I was at their stage. There are more outlets for young broadcasters to get experience.
And there are more schools who allow prospective play-by-play announcers to hone their craft. It’s on-the-job training that simply wasn’t available when
I started. Even at Syracuse University, now at the top of the communications field with the Newhouse School teaching, training and facilities, there weren’t
that many opportunities when I was a student. The Newhouse School hadn’t yet been built when I was there. What was then, the non-commercial FM radio station on campus, WAER, happened to be the only outlet for getting play-by-play experience. Back then, none of the University’s football games were broadcast, and only selected home basketball contests were aired. It’s much different now.
There are dozens of former SU alumns prominent in my field.
I can’t possibly name them all. But Dave Pasch is one of the finest around. He works college football and basketball on ESPN and is the radio voice of the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL. He once was the voice of Syracuse football and basketball on WAER.
Dave Pasch
Watching the Orange in their brief existence in this year’s tournament, the play-by-play man was another alum, Andrew Catalon who works for CBS.
At one point, the camera focused on something like four announcers at the table all there for WAER. One was Noah Eagle, the son of CBS’ Ian Eagle, who has emerged as one of the nation’s best in his profession. Ian Eagle got his start at the Newhouse School as well.
WAER sent a crew to Salt Lake City to cover the Syracuse-Baylor contest. That never would have occurred back in the day.
Back to the mute button. Why did I use it, and perhaps others as well?
It’s simple.
Announcers talk too much.
There has been a not-so-subtle change in how games in all sports are presented.
Announcers never stop talking. They never let the broadcasts breathe.
It goes for both the play-by-play commentator and the expert-analyst.
There is no “dead air”. Every move, every pass, everything, is described to its fullest. Meaningless statistics are
thrown in, followed by an opinion by the ex-player or coach after every play.
Hey, it’s television. We can see the game. Give the viewers the key passes, shots, and plays.
There is no need for the analyst to break down everything that happens on the court.
Talk when there is something that really needs to be said.
What we get is background noise. Instead of paying attention to the commentators who should be enhancing the game,
the viewer doesn’t really listen at all.
Allow the pictures and the sound to elevate the drama.
I’ve always felt that statistics, the numbers which tell a good part of the game’s story, is best served visually.
Graphics, of which there are many, perhaps too many, look better than they sound.
When announcers spout numbers, they don’t seem to be effective. The stats or the announcer.
Another thing is shouting.
The best broadcasters in history, never resorted to shouting and yelling.
The best never fought the crowd. They remained silent while the crowd erupted.
So much more effective.
What words could ever rival the crowd punctuating the drama of a big moment in a game?
I know why those behind the microphone over talk and over analyze.
They have prepared to such a degree, they feel they have to use all their prep work.
They leave nothing in their bucket.
That’s why I used the mute button, as others do as well.
It’s not a matter of being old-fashioned. It’s a matter of doing a broadcast that doesn’t overpower the game.
Makes it easier on the senses.
Glad I got that off my chest.
As for the tournament itself, the first two rounds went basically according to form.
Highly unusual. Normally, there are a few startling upsets, a Cinderella is established that bears watching, and there
is a buzz that builds as the tournament advances.
I don’t get that feeling so far.
Other than Oregon, no team has advanced with a seed in double-figures.
It’s been a favorites championship.
There have been a few dramatic moments.One of the top-seeds, Virginia, coming from way behind to beat Gardner-Webb in the first round and thus avoiding the same embarrassing fate of losing to a 16th seeded team for the second consecutive year.
Then there was Duke, the tourney favorite, barely hanging on to edge the University of Central Florida by one point in the
second round.
Perhaps the most lasting picture was Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski warmly hugging UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins after Duke’s escape.
Dawkins played for, and coached with Coach K, from 1982-86. Following his NBA career, Dawkins returned to Durham, and spent a decade on the Duke staff.
It was clearly the most emotional moment of the first week.
Coach K. and Johnny Dawkins
I thought Buffalo could be a Cinderella, but midnight struck the Bulls in the first round.
I was hoping my alma mater would advance, but Syracuse wound up a disappointing season, in my view, losing to Baylor.
This team was better than last year, but they fizzled early. Time to turn the page.
The ACC has been stellar. The Big Ten has given way to the SEC as the second most prominent conference remaining.
Don’t get down on Duke or Virginia for their less-than-superlative performances.
When real good teams play below their level, and still survive, that is a positive, not a negative.
I still like Virginia’s chances, even more than Duke’s.
Leonard Hamilton and Florida State
The sleeper in that group is Florida State. Purdue and Houston bear watching. Don’t forget Michigan State.
These aren’t tremendous longshots, I realize.
I have a hunch, with form dominating going into the regionals, we might see a surprise or two.
Of course, many reading this, already know the results.
Stifle your laughter.
Like you, I’ll be watching. And I hope I don’t have to use the mute button.
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