Women Announcers

[FloridaRob]

I know there is a lot being said these days about women announcers in Sports and anybody that says anything gets fired from their job, chastised by the media, or shouted down by the people that are not affected by it. I guess I am old school too in that it does feel wierd for me to listen to female announcers. I am getting more accustomed to it but still just feels wierd. Is it a generational thing? I know I started listening to sports in the 1960s so grew up with the Summeralls, Brookshires, Lindsey Nelson, Howard Cosell and that ilk. Do younger fans have less hesitation with it? I hate discussing football with my wife because I know when the discussion is over she isnt going to have a clue about what we talked about. I want my daughters to be anything they want to be and if that includes being a sports announcer I will be their biggest champion. So is it sexists? I am pretty slow to accept change in anything so maybe I am just not used to it yet.

Anybody else go "aw man" when a female announcer comes on to broadcast a game?

Back in the 90s Gayle Sieriens did the announcing for one of the NFL games. I love Gayle Sieriens. She was the anchor for WFLA out of Tampa for many years and I was sad when she left. But I did not want to hear her broadcasting a football game.

Florio tried to make the connection that it is the same as when people thought black QBs could not be successfull. No, Florio, you missed the connection. Most people dont care what color their QB is as long as he is successful.

When I get on the plane and pilot meeting me at the doorway is a female I have a heart palpitation or two. Until I realize she is the most qualified person on that plane to be flying it.

Women CEOs, lead attorneys, (except Glorida Alred) Judges, Sheriffs, Policemen, are fine but sports announcers just feels wierd.

Ok, Blast away!!!

 

[Biggems]

it depends on the woman. I find that a lot of them are very knowledgeable and do their homework. However, there are some that are like weather girls, basically there for eye candy, which is weird, since you hardly see them while they are calling the games. I also find that women have to work so much harder to succeed than men, because of the negative stereotypes and the lack of them being taken seriously.

 

[9darter]

Can I have more 'stereotyped' eye candy, thanks? More, and better. It's still a couple of not enough tasty sweets in the bag.

Has to be strictly for eye candy purposes, please. Not talking heads that I can't see. We have boring, insightful males for that role (but hey, that's somehow not a stereotype).

 

[haleyrules]

lol. I ain't touching this one!! Well, I will just say..l would like to see a topless female announcer..

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

I think women announcing sports is.............. "funny"! lol

 

[CF74]

If they are hot all I hear is wonk wonk....

 

[jimmy40]

I don't mind female announcers as long as they make me a sandwich first.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Announcing is pretty poor all around. I have a lot of respect for how Madden and Summerall called a game because they made it about the players instead of making it about themselves and making that 'call' that will be replayed as a soundbyte a million times.

There was one play where Alvin Harper caught a great pass for a TD to basically give Dallas the lead and close out the game. Summerall's call was, in his Pat's voice:

Touchdown Dallas...Alvin Harper.

Never raised his voice, never went nuts, etc. The viewers knew how great of a play it was and didn't need to hear a 'great call' because the viewers could see it with their eyes.

Madden was just downright enthusiastic about football and what was even cooler was that he was enthusiastic about the little things and the hidden parts of the game. As he said, he would watch the game 'from the inside, out.' He had his favorites...but he had a LOT of favorites. He just didn't have enemies that showed up in his commentary.

Anyway, what I dislike is the female announcer that is really just okay...but because she's a female a lot of fans and the media will proclaim her as this great announcer that is somehow being held back because of her gender. While it's a bit different, I don't find anything talented or intriguing about Katie Nolan and when she tries to pull off satire or a 'lighter side of sports' it's incredibly hack to me. But don't tell that to the media who finds her to be the greatest thing to ever grace a television camera and don't expect an answer if you ask them 'would you watch her if she wasn't attractive?'

The other thing I dislike is disingenuous attitude towards the sideline reporter. They are largely put there because of their looks. And if not, they are put there because they are female.

I think that's what is mostly about...not so much a female calling a game or even being a reporter...but the disingenuous attitude that no female ever got the job based on her being a female or an attractive female, the disingenuous attitude that some of these females may be vastly overrated because they are female or an attractive female and the disingenuous attitude that we could not have possibly, in some cases...lowered the bar just because they are female or an attractive female.






YR