Where is the next Vin Scully?

[packs]

I find most announcing teams to be horrible. I used to think the Yankees had a goofy team and other teams probably had the same friendly atmosphere for their games, but boy was I wrong. When I lived in SF it felt like the entire purpose of the announcing team was to see if I could stay awake for a whole game.

[Promethius88]

I agree that I haven't heard them all but the majority of them really suck.

[frankbmd]

Let me reiterate.

I’m not looking for current announcers who have been around for 25-30 years already, that you have already named.

I’m looking for a young announcer (5 years or less) who you think has the potential to become a long standing legend. Personally I haven’t heard one.

Carry on.

[clydepepper]

certainly won't come from Atlanta.

[commishbob]

I had the sports add-on for my Sirius radio just to listen to Vin Scully...and I don't care for the Dodgers a bit ;-). His last season or so he had cut way back, just a few innings on radio, and I sure missed him.

I've still got the sports package. I try not to sound like an old guy yelling at clouds but very few of the radio guys I hear are very memorable. The Astros' crew seems to be very popular but I can't tell one guy from the other.

[pclpads]

Sadly, it won't be coming from San Diego. The two yahoos now calling Padres games after Jerry Coleman passed are pathetic. They spend more time telling jokes and playing grab ass than calling the games. They are painful to watch / listen to. Probably never heard of Vin Scully. As poor as their efforts consistently are, makes me wonder if the only reason they keep their positions is due to catching the owners in a compromising sitch in the exec shitter.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by commishbob

I had the sports add-on for my Sirius radio just to listen to Vin Scully...and I don't care for the Dodgers a bit ;-). His last season or so he had cut way back, just a few innings on radio, and I sure missed him.

I've still got the sports package. I try not to sound like an old guy yelling at clouds but very few of the radio guys I hear are very memorable. The Astros' crew seems to be very popular but I can't tell one guy from the other.

Is this significant? Did Scully’s entertainment value promote more interest in the game than the current crop of “borons”? I think so.

Even as a kid I think my interest in baseball was enhanced by the Game of the Week announcing pair of Pee Wee Reese and Dizzy Dean.

Is there really more interest in launch angles and exit velocities from the “borons” than there is in Dizzy’s rendition of “The Wabash Cannonball” or Scully’s anecdotes about da Bums of the 50s from Brooklyn?

[1952boyntoncollector]

The Colorado Rockies have a great TV announcer actually.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

Is this significant? Did Scully’s entertainment value promote more interest in the game than the current crop of “borons”? I think so.

Even as a kid I think my interest in baseball was enhanced by the Game of the Week announcing pair of Pee Wee Reese and Dizzy Dean.

Is there really more interest in launch angles and exit velocities from the “borons” than there is in Dizzy’s rendition of “The Wabash Cannonball” or Scully’s anecdotes about da Bums of the 50s from Brooklyn?

Frank, I do believe it is significant and partially explains my occasional apathy for the current game. Putting baseball aside for a moment, let me use the NFL as an example. When I was growing up, NFC coverage was dominated by Pat Summerall and John Madden. They were the #1 crew for CBS for many years and then continued on Fox. I would literally watch any game they were doing, because they added something. Sure it helped that they as the #1 crew had the top teams, but it was more than that. It was the intonation of Summerall that still rings in my ears, as well as the interplay he had with Madden. But Summerall was THE guy (for me at least). He was an anomaly in that he was a former player, and most former players go the route of color commentator. He brought a seriousness and a tact to his games that I can't totally explain. I just know that Joe Buck and anyone else you want to mention fall far short. Kevin Harlan sounds like he is about to try and sell me a used car. FWIW, the AFC guys on NBC in the 80s were amazing as well. Dick Enberg was pretty hard to beat, and Charlie Jones, Todd Christensen, and Merlin Olsen were good as well.

Fast forward to now, Al Michaels started as a relative youngster and has endured. However, he even has lost something for me. Which leads me to conclude that it is just a different world and a different environment that these modern announcers are trying to do their jobs in. I think most of them feel the need to mostly be entertainers and social media aficionados, rather than masters of their craft. Also, most of the aforementioned announcers that started young in a prior generation and wowed us often worked radio broadcasts. It seems that is a different kind of announcing and would truly require an announcer to sharpen his skills in that he has to paint the picture because the listener can't see it for themselves. Announcers now have audiences that can see everything they can and sometimes more thanks to TV and "behind the scenes" looks that some athletes provide via social media.

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by packs

I find most announcing teams to be horrible. I used to think the Yankees had a goofy team and other teams probably had the same friendly atmosphere for their games, but boy was I wrong. When I lived in SF it felt like the entire purpose of the announcing team was to see if I could stay awake for a whole game.

John Sterlings stupid nickname HR calls are the worst. It was clever with Bernie Williams but now he has to have one for every player, its really ridiculous.

[packs]

Originally Posted by Jim65

John Sterlings stupid nickname HR calls are the worst. It was clever with Bernie Williams but now he has to have one for every player, its really ridiculous.

I guess I was really talking about the booth. Paul O'Neill is always funny to listen to because he hardly talks about the game going on and has a great rapport with Michael Kay. I also love listening to David Cone.

Michael Kay is probably the answer to this question. He might have a lot of years already put in, but he's not an old guy and Sterling is still doing every game every day into his 80s.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Frank, I was thinking about this recently. Sadly, I don't have a name for you...wish I did.