Things you ALWAYS see and hear--Sports Announcers Edition

[albionmoonlight]

I have come to the conclusion that sports announcers are required, by law, to always give particular responses to certain situations. Let's see if we can figure out what they are. I'll need y'all's help for things like soccer, hockey, etc.

1.) Whenever a defensive team stops the offense on third-and-long, but is called for holding, the announcer is obligated to note that "it's not the yardage that kills you; it's the automatic first down." They are also required to say this as if it were an arcane rule that has never been discussed before.

2.) Whenever Byron Leftwich takes a hard hit and is shaken up, but remains in the game, the production team is obligated to play that footage of him being carried by his offensive linemen at Marshall.

Others . . . ?

[WSUCougar]

Whenever a white WR makes a clutch catch, the announcer says "X just finds a way to get open."

[Cringer]

Ok, as a Packer fan this one is easy.

Mention Brett Favre's starting streak and mention how the other team "goes into the game with the idea that at some point Favre will throw one or two passes up for grabs, and they just have to be there to make te play."

These things are said every game, every week.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Towards the end of every year, this write for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette gives out the Trite Trophy to the year's most overused cliche.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04361/432582.stm

He also recounts the past year's winners. CLASSIC!

[gottimd]

Al Michaels on Monday Night football to mention some sort of gambling line (ie Over/Under, Spread).

"Oh that last Field Goal is gonna make some people out there very happy".

[cuervo72]

Funny you should mention this, because I am at the point where I have watched so much football, I will often make the same exact comment as the pbp guys in reaction to a certain play (there must be 10 different terms to use for an INT, but it seems I can predict which onen will be used most of the time w/o even thinking about it...).

[WSUCougar]

If the umpire throws a flag, then by God the announcer has to note: "If the umpire threw that flag, that can only mean one thing..."

[cuervo72]

Holding.

[Maple Leafs]

Not quite related, but a pet peeve of mine: This recent trend of sportscaster and (especially) sports tickers to say things like "Joe Quarterback signs new contract extension, reports indicate". This happens when some other source has scooped them on something newsworthy.

Reports indicate? No they don't, the reports say it. Very clearly, often using the exact same words. But they can't quite bring themselves to just go with "Reports say that this happened", because that would make it look like they're just repeating someone else's story (which they are). So they go with "reports indicate", which makes it sound like they're doing some sort of deeper analysis here.

I just picture them sitting around in the newsroom.

Reporter #1: "Hm, USA Today has a big headline that says 'Shaq is being traded to Miamai'."
Reporter #2: "Hold on, let me see that. By God... that would seem to indicate that Shaq is being traded to Miami! Let's run with this!"

[KevinNU7]

This one is coming back

[Suburban Rhythm]

The obligatory shot of the the point / 3 rivers when returning from commercial to a Steelers game. Bonus points for the announcer if he uses 'confluence'.

[condors]

for soccer-

normally one defender passes the ball to another and a pacey forward deflects the ball and ends up with a 1 on 1 with the keeper it is always the guy who passed the ball fault. So and so made a bad pass. There are plenty of times the other defender is actually walking away from the pass and isn't aware of the forward running top speed toward the ball and if the guy was aware of the situation he could either get to the ball or at least postion himself between the goal and the forward but will get a free pass.

In football a similar thing happens espcially when a team playing a zone they say so and so got beat when in reality he was turning the player over to the next man and taking underneath postioning but the player with the deeper zone is late coming over. It is very rare that a commentator mentions anything about possible zone schemes and every single play is man to man coverage which is far from reality.

[rkmsuf]

For baseball

"Ooh, the shortstop just got mauled by a tiger. That's gotta hurt.'

[Tekneek]

They have to make plays on both sides of the ball.

[panerd]

Coming back from halftime. 1:5 odds Time of possesion will circled by a commentator when they review first half statistics.

[gottimd]

If either sportscaster was actually in the league, a quick little jab by the other commentator, or a little joke by the commentator himself about "When I used to play..."

[Maple Leafs]

If the defense seems to recover a fumble but the play was ruled dead, the announcers will always wonder why it's not being challenged.

[dixieflatline]

The momentum has shifted

[pennywisesb]

I've noticed, especially on Monday night football, that it seems the commentators decide before the game who they want to give the ultimate ball-washing to, and then throughout the game go on and on about all the accolades about said player. Its so ridiculous to watch.

[Antmeister]

Whenever a white WR makes a clutch catch, the announcer says "X just finds a way to get open."

lol....I thought I was the only one that noticed this one.

[Cringer]

For baseball

"Ooh, the shortstop just got mauled by a tiger. That's gotta hurt.'

lol.

I guess I could have gone with my first initial thought to be a smart ass I guess and said "Look at the package on that guy." Actually, I wish once I would here that, it would be hilarious.

[johnnyshaka]

I love how they say for so-and-so to be successful today they need to throw strikes and change speeds.

Somebody should let MLB pitchers out there know what they need to do to be successful.

[st.cronin]

I like when they say a guy has a 'great body'

[Crapshoot]

'Momentum" - apparently, skill is not the primary explanation of performance - Momentum is .

[rkmsuf]

"He's pulled his arms off. Tough break for the big Russian."

[colt45]

who still giggles when madden says "deep penetration"?

[rkmsuf]

who still giggles when madden says "deep penetration"?

Al Michaels

[st.cronin]

Who was it a few years back who described the area between a center's legs (where the QB places his hands pre-snap) as being 'like a rainforest'? That was horrible.

[Z²+]

Late in a very close football game, someone in the booth (most notably Dick Enburg) is required to remind the audience that the defense still has a chance to call a fair catch on the punt and attempt an untimed free kick from the spot of the free catch.........even though this situation probably hasn't played out since Enburg started broadcasting games back in 1927.

[Karlifornia]

When a team is winning and has the ball late in the game:

"The clock is now an issue"

[rkmsuf]

wind the clock

[cartman]

Late in a very close football game, someone in the booth (most notably Dick Enburg) is required to remind the audience that the defense still has a chance to call a fair catch on the punt and attempt an untimed free kick from the spot of the free catch.........even though this situation probably hasn't played out since Enburg started broadcasting games back in 1927.

Tom Landry did that in a preseason game. But I think it was on CBS, no Enberg is probably still pissed he didn't get to call it.

[sterlingice]

"Boy, I just don't get why the receiver didn't get past the first down marker. He should know where that is"

SI

[rkmsuf]

"And the Arizona Cardinals lose another one."

[Ajaxab]

There's the old tip drill.

[Suburban Rhythm]

The one that gets to me more and more lately, is when the announcers --OK, to be fair, they are simply announcing it--it's the stat guys.

They dig up, or better put make up, the most inane stats, usually shown right as the opening kickoff is about to occur.

"All-time...the Steelers, on Sunday night, on the road, vs. expansion teams, playing on turf, when winning the coin toss, and deferring the call to the 2nd half...are 0-0 coming into this game"

ZERO relevance.

[Pumpy Tudors]

(resists the urge to link to the John Madden "gay-per-view" MP3 files)

[braves31074]

Two that bug me:

1. Step up, as in "Someone needs to step up.'' Every friggin' game this comes up.

2. Use of the non-word "trickeration." This is a stupid TV analyst/sports anchor invention. It's not a word and sounds very stupid. Then again, so do most TV reporters.

[cuervo72]

Late in a very close football game, someone in the booth (most notably Dick Enburg) is required to remind the audience that the defense still has a chance to call a fair catch on the punt and attempt an untimed free kick from the spot of the free catch.........even though this situation probably hasn't played out since Enburg started broadcasting games back in 1927.

Or at the end of the first half, as Madden and Michaels just did...

[TroyF]

My favorites are the way they describe players in sportscaster code. A couple of examples:

For QB's:
Great Athlete: The QB is black
Incredibly Smart: The QB is white

"He's incredibly intense" - He's a jack ass who beats his wife and small children

[Wasabiak]

In Nascar, when an announcer says it was "One of those racing deals......."

Bullshit, he wrecked the guy. Don't sugar-coat it bitches.

[Antmeister]

My favorites are the way they describe players in sportscaster code. A couple of examples:

For QB's:
Great Athlete: The QB is black
Incredibly Smart: The QB is white

"He's incredibly intense" - He's a jack ass who beats his wife and small children

Hilarious....but so true.

[mhass]

The way any announcer in football will pronounce a defender's name when notching his second interception or fumble. Like "GARY BRACKETT!!!! with ANOTHER pick!" Like Gary Brackett had perhaps just discovered a way to make cold fusion work within the zone blitz scheme. Then the color guy will be obligated to say "He's a real ball hog, Dave."

[korme]

Gus Johnson was awful this weekend. He would routinely say the incorrect down, or spot of the ball. He would say wrong first names. He was terrible, it was the first time I thought about muting the TV during a football game.

[Vince]

Or at the end of the first half, as Madden and Michaels just did...
Did anyone else find this particular instance incredibly retarded? There were 28 seconds left in the half. How many punts have you ever seen that had a 28-second hang time?

[mckerney]

Did anyone else find this particular instance incredibly retarded? There were 28 seconds left in the half. How many punts have you ever seen that had a 28-second hang time?

Not to mention it would have had to have been a 70+ yard free kick.

[Donnie Baker]

Hockey keys of the game given prior to the games. Ultimately they are: goal tending, defense and capitalize on scoring chances. Why not just cut to the chase and say the biggest key to this game is if team A can score more than team B.

Or the pet peeve obligatory remark in a football game after a player commits a stupid penalty "That won't make coach (fill in the blank) happy." Really? I though tthe coach would pat him and the back and say, "Great job out there, I was afraid that their quarterback would just be allowed to stand there for 10 seconds after throwing that incompletion but you did one hell of a job taking his head off as he was heading off the field. Next time wait until he's on the sidelines to see if they can tack on a hit out of bounds call too."

[Ragone]

Gus Johnson was awful this weekend. He would routinely say the incorrect down, or spot of the ball. He would say wrong first names. He was terrible, it was the first time I thought about muting the TV during a football game.


Not nearly as bad as sterling sharpes 60 minute love making session with randy moss in his week 2 game he did... thankfully its the only one..

[Raiders Army]

Not nearly as bad as sterling sharpes 60 minute love making session with randy moss in his week 2 game he did... thankfully its the only one..
Wah wah wah. You won the game. :)