Favorite Sports Announcers

[LittleBoyBlue]

What Gorilla monsoon Cant get no love...?

He looks like an overweight Fredo Corleone

 

[Hostile]

I´m a Dodger fan (unfortunatelly) and although I like football a lot more than baseball, when I listen to Vin Scully, as corny as it sounds, I feel like I´m listening to a member of my family, it takes me back to watching an listening to Dodger games with my Dad and my brother, I can hear hear his call after the Gibson homer (she is gooone), he is by far my favorite sports announcer.

As for football, Madden, Michaels, the Fox Studio guys and I´m starting to warm up to Rich Eisen.

I don't think it's corny. I'm not a Dodger's fan and I still think he was the absolute best ever.

 

[Hostile]

What Gorilla monsoon Cant get no love...?

He and Heenan were hilarious together.

 

[RCowboyFan]

I like the whole College Football Crew, i.e. Morning show in ESPN. Leo Corso is just plain hilarious, without trying to be over top. Kirk is definetly the best in College Football knowledge seems like.

I like Troy also, but I like Moose better though. And yeah Madden I like.

I used to like Phil Simms a lot, but his quality has gone down a bit. And I miss Kieth Jackson, man was he awesome. Brent Musburger, I agree is pretty good. I dont know why he isn't doing NFL?

 

[thekavorka]

Football
Color:
Jaws
Dick Vermeil

Play by Play
Keith Jackson
Brad Nessler

I don't really like any of the play by play guys in the NFL.

Basketball
Color:
Charles Barkley
Bill Walton - 50% of what he says is just joking around. 50% is hyperbole. I love it.

Play by Play
Marv Albert - the greatest basketball play by play guy
Gus Johnson - makes every game so exciting

 

[tduhain]

The WORST radio play-by-play guy I've ever heard is Harry Callis. Yes, the former voice of NFL films is horrible on a live broadcast. His play calls are downright painful because he has one speed - VERY slow. He often makes mistakes and even gets the action mixed up, kinda like Harry Carey did at the end in Chicago.
The BEST announcer of any sport? Vin Scully - hands down. Alert, smart, colorful, articulate, unusually observant, always well informed and fair. Even now it's a delight to listen to him call a game.

 

[MC KAos]

football: keith jackson

basketball: sean elliott

 

[Clove]

I love Bill Walton. Guy is "extra" and funny as heck.

 

[theebs]

He and Heenan were hilarious together.

Yes they were. I watched the wwf as a kid like most people my age.

Those monday nights on the usa network were pretty entertaining.

Gorilla monsoon made it almost believable for me as a kid. I think I could still sit down and watch wrestlemania 3.

 

[Da Hammer]

my favorite announcing team is Al michaels and John Madden! too many people hate on madden but i think he is great the way he says things its funny n he has a lot of knowledge about the game!

keith jackson was also one of the best ever. He has my favorite call ever with his call of the play that won UT the national championship i will never forget it!!! "4th and 5 the National Championship on the line right here... He's going for the corner he's got it!............................... Vince Young scores!" i never get tired of hearing that call!!!

 

[lane]

While wrestling is not considered a sport I thought the late Gordon Solie was the best announcer I've ever heard...

gordon was indeed great..

i remember watching him on wtbs when i was a young lad.

 

[Hostile]

The WORST radio play-by-play guy I've ever heard is Harry Callis. Yes, the former voice of NFL films is horrible on a live broadcast. His play calls are downright painful because he has one speed - VERY slow. He often makes mistakes and even gets the action mixed up, kinda like Harry Carey did at the end in Chicago.
The BEST announcer of any sport? Vin Scully - hands down. Alert, smart, colorful, articulate, unusually observant, always well informed and fair. Even now it's a delight to listen to him call a game.

I discovered Vin Scully almost by accident. A HS friend and I went fishing for a week after our Junior year of HS. I mean, we got our grades and hit the mountains. No parents. It was great. We took along a radio and at night the best reception we got was the Dodgers games on AM radio. We listened to Vin Scully every night before calling it a day.

I honestly don't think I've ever been more relaxed than sitting in the mountains around a fire listening to Vin call a baseball game.



A quick story about another baseball announcer and the same friend. I have shared this before but it's a great story. I hope those who missed it will enjoy it.

We used to go to his house at lunch time to catch Harry Carey and the Cubs. One game there was a couple making out in the stands. The cameramancouldn't stop showing them. Back to the baseball, back to the couple making out. This went on for several minutes.

Finally Harry says, "I think I've got this figured out. He's kissing her on the strikes and she's kissing him on the balls."

Dead silence on the TV for 3 minutes. I spit peanut butter and jelly sandwich all over my friends living room. Finally Steve Stone comes back on the air and just gives a great big sigh. They never really regained composure either the rest of the game. Every time the camera went back to that couple they lost it.

My friend and I ditched the rest of the day and watched the game.

Harry was a classic.

 

[budlight2003]

Ditka, Mike and Mike did a nice job on the Cards-49ers game 2 weeks ago on Monday night. They should replace the regular MNF crew.

 

[poke]

I thought the best team out there where there were just two in the booth was Summerall and Brookshier(sp). Absolutely loved the two of them together.

As for the best three man team it has to be Gifford, Meredith and of course Cosell. They were great for the game and made Monday Night Football what it is today. That whole crew should be in Canton for their contributions to the game from the booth.

i was thinking the same thing.....and i like brad sham, miss keith jackson
doing college, and I am old enough to have enjoyed dizzy dean doing
saturday baseball games of the week

 

[AbeBeta]

I discovered Vin Scully almost by accident. A HS friend and I went fishing for a week after our Junior year of HS. I mean, we got our grades and hit the mountains. No parents. It was great. We took along a radio and at night the best reception we got was the Dodgers games on AM radio. We listened to Vin Scully every night before calling it a day.

I honestly don't think I've ever been more relaxed than sitting in the mountains around a fire listening to Vin call a baseball game.

I grew up listening to Scully -- in Los Angeles, baseball was my first love - b/c of the statistics -- I would spend every sunday getting up early, stealing a neighbor's paper at 5 am - and then trying to figure out the different baseball stats. We lived about 3 miles from the stadium. We'd walk and sit in the $1 seats with our AM radios tuned to Vin's call.

Scully's voice is the voice of my childhood. I still get chills when I hear his calls -- even though I find baseball almost impossible to watch at his point.

and that Harry Carry quote - man, I've used recounted that one over and over...

 

[Hostile]

I grew up listening to Scully -- in Los Angeles, baseball was my first love - b/c of the statistics -- I would spend every sunday getting up early, stealing a neighbor's paper at 5 am - and then trying to figure out the different baseball stats. We lived about 3 miles from the stadium. We'd walk and sit in the $1 seats with our AM radios tuned to Vin's call.

Scully's voice is the voice of my childhood. I still get chills when I hear his calls -- even though I find baseball almost impossible to watch at his point.

and that Harry Carry quote - man, I've used recounted that one over and over...

It's weird man. I can rarely watch a baseball game on TV. But give me a radio, late at night and I can listen to Vin any time and enjoy the game. He paints a better picture of the game than you can see for yourself.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Mel Allen's probably my favorite of all time but of all active announcers, Mike Lange (Penguins hockey) makes me laugh so he probably gets the nod.

Jack Buck and Red Barber also deserve mention from the past as does Myron Cope from more recently. I also think Sonny Jurgenson's a nice listen.


The current state of sportswriting is embarrassing. They can't hold a candle to the greats of the past. Golf writing, starting with Bernard Darwin on to the likes of O.B. Keeler, was pure poetry and old boxing writers like Nat Fleischer are a must read for anyone who calls themselves a sports fan. I realize that television has killed the art form because the mental imagery doesn't need to be recreated in written form but still.

 

[peplaw06]

Some of the Best:

1) I'll echo Vin Scully... When I moved to LA and first started listening to him, I think the most amazing thing about Vin is that he does games by himself. Classic baseball radio announcer-style, but not a very common thing nowadays. It takes a LOT of talent to be able to find enough to say to fill 3 hours by yourself.
2) Keith Jackson
3) Madden... he's lost it a little bit, but nothing says big time football more then hearing his voice.
4) Vitale... love him, but I'm a Duke fan.

Worst:
1) Bill Walton... I know he's just talkin out of his ***, but just speaking in hyperbole for the hell of it is annoying. Still one of my favorite games I ever saw was when the Lakers were playing the Kings a few years ago. Walton and Tom Tolbert were doing the color commentary. Walton says, "Robert Horry is one of the top 5 defenders in the league." Tolbert, "There are 5 guys on the floor right now who are better defenders than Horry." Later on in the game, Walton says, "Is there a better shot-blocker in the league that Vlade Divac." Tolbert, "AB-SO-lutely."
2) Billy Packer -- if that guy is doing an NCAA b-ball game, I put it on mute. EVERY TIME somebody banks a shot off the glass, Packer says "With a lil kiss." Nails... on... chalkboard.
3) Dan Deirdorf -- I used to really hate him on MNF. Now he's doing college games, and I can always avoid him.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

It's weird man. I can rarely watch a baseball game on TV. But give me a radio, late at night and I can listen to Vin any time and enjoy the game. He paints a better picture of the game than you can see for yourself.

You know what? I can't stand baseball anymore. But when I was a kid, I would lay up in bed and listen to the Phillies broadcasts on the little transistor radio I had with the single ear bud when they were on a west coast swing. My bed time stories were told by Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn.

Harry would get soooooo excited about everything the Phillies did. He would say something like this....

"Here's the pitch to Michael Jack Schmidt. Swing and a long fly ball that ball is...................Caught by the shortstop."

Used to freak me out when I couldn't see it.

 

[thekavorka]

2) Billy Packer -- if that guy is doing an NCAA b-ball game, I put it on mute. EVERY TIME somebody banks a shot off the glass, Packer says "With a lil kiss." Nails... on... chalkboard.

That's Bill Raftery. Billy Packer sucks for other reasons, mainly his bias against mid-majors and his ACC homerism.

Bill Raftery also yells out "DAGGER" when it's like an 8 point game with 6 minutes still left in the game.