Homer announcers

[Lathum]

nothing makes me crazier then a homer announcer, the Yankees are the worst but I was just watching the Mets/ Dbacks game and Reyes gets picked off first and the Dbacks announcer says "the dugouts that way Jose" to me thats poor announcing. It is your job to call the game, not blatenly show your allegience.

[Atocep]

nothing makes me crazier then a homer announcer, the Yankees are the worst but I was just watching the Mets/ Dbacks game and Reyes gets picked off first and the Dbacks announcer says "the dugouts that way Jose" to me thats poor announcing. It is your job to call the game, not blatenly show your allegience.

Not sure which it was because I wasn't paying much attention to the game, but it sounds like something Mark Grace would say. Grace is the worst broadcaster I've heard so far this year. He tries hard to be funny, but its just sad and not the least bit funny.

[Karlifornia]

It's kind of a fine line, I think. There's definitely too much, but you want to hear your announcers get excited when your team does something big. I don't know about openly riding an opposing player's mistake. I think it depends on the way that he said it. Was he just kidding around, having fun with a dumb play by Reyes, or was he being mean-spirited about it?

[Sublime 2]

Tommy Heinsohn Rocks!!

[JeeberD]

All local announcers are homers. That's just the way it is...

[ISiddiqui]

nothing makes me crazier then a homer announcer, the Yankees are the worst...

Nah... White Sox announcers are the worst.

[cmp]

I'd much rather have my hometown announcers as homers, makes the game more exciting for me personally.

[molson]

All local announcers are homers. That's just the way it is...

I don't see why they shouldn't be. Should Tommy Heinsohn really be concerned about the 5% of people who watch Celtics game in the metro Boston area who aren't Celtic fans? (Of course, he's the perfect example here, since being a homer on Celtics games he was doing on CBS in the mid-80s actually was pretty obnoxious, but that's with a different audience)

[Neuqua]

Nah... White Sox announcers are the worst.

For sure.

[Atocep]

Ok, this is bad. The play-by-play guy was chanting "beat the mets, beat the mets" going into commercial.

[Lathum]

Ok, this is bad. The play-by-play guy was chanting "beat the mets, beat the mets" going into commercial.

yup, exactly.

I have no problem with a home anouncer getting excited by a home run, game winning hit, etc... but try and be somewhat objective.

I love the Braves TV anouncers because they always call it like they see it regardless of the team or player

[BrianD]

Homer announcers aren't so bad as long as they are still objective. I can handle the announcers pulling for the home team and getting excited when they do well, but I hate when that let the feelings blind them from the actual action on the field.

[st.cronin]

I love homer announcers. My two all time favorite announcers are Johnny Most and Clyde Frazier. Both are radio guys, both are disgusting homers, but both are great to listen to.

[ISiddiqui]

Homer announcers aren't so bad as long as they are still objective. I can handle the announcers pulling for the home team and getting excited when they do well, but I hate when that let the feelings blind them from the actual action on the field.

And, of course, the more homer they are, the more you question how objective they actually are on close calls and the like.

[Atocep]

Hahahahah, beat the mets now.

[Lathum]

Hahahahah, beat the mets now.

I love it.

Fuckin jerkoffs

[Karlifornia]

lol now I wish I could be hearing this. If the Warriors weren't on I'd be all over it. The announcers sound awesomely bad.

[sabotai]

All local announcers are homers. That's just the way it is...

Last year, I had to listen to a few Eagles games on the radio since I was driving. I found it funny when I would get home and see clips of the game and see that what the announcers said did not match reality at all.

[LloydLungs]

Homers bother me less when they're the color commentator. But the play-by-play guy, no matter what audience he's playing to, needs to maintain at least enough professionalism to describe the play. That's why Hawk Harrelson is the worst "announcer" in the universe by several million miles. When the White Sox do something good, he will just start actively rooting rather than describe the play. Conversely, when the opposition does something good, he will often go completely quiet. If your eyeballs aren't glued to the game, you won't know much of what's going on in either case. Just a complete idiot with no endearing qualities at all.

Heinsohn is so bad he circles 360 degrees back to good. I'll never forget the game he got so pissy about the refs, he yelled "SCUMBAG!!" on live television at the top of his lungs when the ref jogged right by him.

[samifan24]

As a fellow play-by-player, I personally can't stand homer announcers. I guess in a way it's good because at least they're not pretending to be the least bit objective but come on. Hawk Harrelson is the worst by far.

[Butter]

Marty Brenneman of the Reds radio team is almost the anti-homer... the Reds have been mediocre to bad for so long, he says things like "I don't understand how you can come into the game and walk the first batter you face... and it's not like this is the first time he's done that." And other home team criticism. Some of the players don't like it, but he speaks his mind, good or bad, on both sides.

[Coffee Warlord]

Homers bother me less when they're the color commentator. But the play-by-play guy, no matter what audience he's playing to, needs to maintain at least enough professionalism to describe the play. .

Bingo.

Which is why I still like Red Kerr, even though he's starting to get a little confused at times.

[JPhillips]

nothing makes me crazier then a homer announcer, the Yankees are the worst but I was just watching the Mets/ Dbacks game and Reyes gets picked off first and the Dbacks announcer says "the dugouts that way Jose" to me thats poor announcing. It is your job to call the game, not blatenly show your allegience.

For most announcers that isn't the job. They normally work for the team an over the past two decades teams have been much more focused on hiring homers. Most teams want cheerleaders announcing games, not impartial observers.

[canadiancreed]

When I saw this thread title, one name immediately lept to mind.

Harry Neale.

[Ksyrup]

It works the other way, though - "homer" announcers who constantly harp on the team. I'm not sure if he's still there or not, but the Jax Jaguars had a guy who seemed to hate the team, constantly berating the offensive play-calling, etc. The local Tallahassee sports radio guy would bring it up every week and play clips of the guy narrating plays with a clearly defeatist sound to his voice, like he was saying, "here's another play that's got absolutely no chance." The best clip he found was on a Fred Taylor run up the middle that Taylor bounced outside and ran for a TD. The first 3 seconds of the call, the guy basically sounded like Eeyore in describing Taylors' rush up the middle, and then when he broke free, the guy's voice completely changed and he went ape-shit. But the change in tone of voice was hilarious to hear.

[lighthousekeeper]

I think it's funny when people expect the announcers to be impartial like umpires or judges. That's not what they're there to do.

As a kid growing up, I absolutely loved listening to Phil Rizzuto as he pulled for the Yankees to win. He was definitely a homer. And there was usually a great dynamic between the fannishness of Rizzuto and his more level-headed counterpart such as Bill White et al.

On the otherhand, listening to a Braves game on the Turner Network is about as exciting as doing your taxes. I associate the lifeless Braves announcing with everything that's wrong with the Braves - great talent, a great run of winning seasons, but no excitement.

[Lathum]

I think it's funny when people expect the announcers to be impartial like umpires or judges. That's not what they're there to do.

As a kid growing up, I absolutely loved listening to Phil Rizzuto as he pulled for the Yankees to win. He was definitely a homer. And there was usually a great dynamic between the fannishness of Rizzuto and his more level-headed counterpart such as Bill White et al.

On the otherhand, listening to a Braves game on the Turner Network is about as exciting as doing your taxes. I associate the lifeless Braves announcing with everything that's wrong with the Braves - great talent, a great run of winning seasons, but no excitement.

I would rather listen to objective analysis of the game. If I want to listen to a fan scream and cheer for the home team I'll go to a game.

If an anouncer gets excited about the home team doing something good that is one thing but when they undersell the other team ( like the yankee anouncers) and actively root against the visiting team like Grace was doing ( chanting "beat the mets" and making fun of one of the best players in the game by saying " the dugouts over there Jose") that is poor anouncing IMO.

[ISiddiqui]

I think it's funny when people expect the announcers to be impartial like umpires or judges. That's not what they're there to do.

Perhaps, but the argument is that is what the SHOULD be there to do. I want an objective announcer, not one who'll describe the action in detail when his perfered team is doing well, but say nothing or undersell the action when the other team is doing well.

Doesn't make for a good experience at all.

[ntndeacon]

one that is clearly rooting for his team and still telling it fairly objectively is Bob Uecker with the Brewers. Course he also says some things that most fans would. After a boneheaded play by the Brew Crew, he will call them out for it.

[BrianD]

one that is clearly rooting for his team and still telling it fairly objectively is Bob Uecker with the Brewers. Course he also says some things that most fans would. After a boneheaded play by the Brew Crew, he will call them out for it.

I've always thought Bob was a pretty good example of what announcers should be. The content of his announcing doesn't change based on the team, but the excitement level does. He seems to see and call the action fairly, but he also has an interest in the home team.

[MizzouRah]

Try watching a Cardinals game on Fox Sports Midwest. Hrabosky is THE WORST!!

"The Final Score is the Cardinals - 1, the Mets -12. Al...."

"Did you see Izzy come in and set them down 1, 2, 3 in the 9th?" "Looks like he's back on track this year."

[ISiddiqui]

one that is clearly rooting for his team and still telling it fairly objectively is Bob Uecker with the Brewers. Course he also says some things that most fans would. After a boneheaded play by the Brew Crew, he will call them out for it.

That type, though, is somewhat rare. You have to be skilled to be able to pull that off.

[GoDukes]

I hate the Yankees announcer and his stupid, "Baaaahhh Yankees win!" schtick.

[lighthousekeeper]

I hate the Yankees announcer and his stupid, "Baaaahhh Yankees win!" schtick.
agreed...


or. 'Another AAAAAAAYYBOMB for AAAAAAAYYYROD!!!!!!&LOLF'

[Maple Leafs]

Most local guys (in most sports) are homers. Some are entertaining about it, some aren't. As long as the fans are in on the joke, it's fine. When the fans think everyone else is a homer but their guys call it right down the middle, that's when my head asplodes.

[saldana]

last week susan waldman (the annoying yankee guy's partner) was doing pregame in tampa bay when an annoucement came over the loudspeaker in the background....she stopped dead in what she was saying and said "this is so annoying. it is just so annoying here the way the PA system is so loud"....nice professional comment about the place that is hosting your organization....i hate those two more than any other announcers i have ever heard.

[GoDukes]

Announcers should be forced to listen to Vin Scully for 3 years before being allowed to call a game.

[Schmidty]

Nah... White Sox announcers are the worst.

By FAR.

[DeToxRox]

Nah... White Sox announcers are the worst.

HE GONE

[Young Drachma]

I'd much rather have my hometown announcers as homers, makes the game more exciting for me personally.

likewise.

[panerd]

Try watching a Cardinals game on Fox Sports Midwest. Hrabosky is THE WORST!!

"The Final Score is the Cardinals - 1, the Mets -12. Al...."

"Did you see Izzy come in and set them down 1, 2, 3 in the 9th?" "Looks like he's back on track this year."

I love Hrabosky, but probably for exactly the same reasons you can't stand him. When my group of totally biased friends get together to watch a game he is so homer that it is like another friend is there watching the game with us.

Along the sames lines what do you think of Kelly/Kadlec/Gervino and Kelly/Link/Gervino? Too homer or the perfect amount of homer?

MIKE:"Daniel drops back. Throws a bullet into the endzone, touchdown Missouri!!!!......... actually there was a terrible holding call against Mizzou and the ball also sailed 50 feet into the stands. Tigers will punt."

JOHN: "You know, the Tigers are really getting robbed on every call here. We should be in the big 12 title game for sure this year."

MIKE: "Let's send it to Chris."

CHRIS: "I am currently kissing the ass of whatever coach we have here even if it is a complete piece of shit like Larry Smith or Quin Snyder. Let my voice crack in excitement at least 4 times during this segment."

[panerd]

Most local guys (in most sports) are homers. Some are entertaining about it, some aren't. As long as the fans are in on the joke, it's fine. When the fans think everyone else is a homer but their guys call it right down the middle, that's when my head asplodes.

Even worse is fans who blame games on the officials. Nothing is more eye opening than watching a game that your team wins or that you have zero rooting interest in and hearing fans blame a well officaited game on bad referees.

[Schmidty]

Announcers should be forced to listen to Vin Scully for 3 years before being allowed to call a game.

Or Ernie Harwell.

[oykib]

I love homer announcers. My two all time favorite announcers are Johnny Most and Clyde Frazier. Both are radio guys, both are disgusting homers, but both are great to listen to.


I'm not familiar with most. But Clyde isn't so bad. He does actually criticize stupid plays. He doesn't criticize poor execution much though.

[Schmidty]

I know that this has likely been posted before, but:

hxxp://www.heavethehawk.com/

[Atocep]

If an anouncer gets excited about the home team doing something good that is one thing but when they undersell the other team ( like the yankee anouncers) and actively root against the visiting team like Grace was doing ( chanting "beat the mets" and making fun of one of the best players in the game by saying " the dugouts over there Jose") that is poor anouncing IMO.


Local stations understandably hire guys to be homers, but when it gets overboard its annoying for everyone. The bad thing about the "beat the mets" chant was it wasn't Grace, it was the play-by-play guy, who should at least attempt to stay somewhat objective.

The fact they did stuff like this the entire game and then the Mets scored 6 runs in the 9th to win the game made it all the better.

[Lathum]

Ripping on Reyes is what killed me. That team doesn't have half as goood a player as Reyes.

[MizzouRah]

I love Hrabosky, but probably for exactly the same reasons you can't stand him. When my group of totally biased friends get together to watch a game he is so homer that it is like another friend is there watching the game with us.

Along the sames lines what do you think of Kelly/Kadlec/Gervino and Kelly/Link/Gervino? Too homer or the perfect amount of homer?

MIKE:"Daniel drops back. Throws a bullet into the endzone, touchdown Missouri!!!!......... actually there was a terrible holding call against Mizzou and the ball also sailed 50 feet into the stands. Tigers will punt."

JOHN: "You know, the Tigers are really getting robbed on every call here. We should be in the big 12 title game for sure this year."

MIKE: "Let's send it to Chris."

CHRIS: "I am currently kissing the ass of whatever coach we have here even if it is a complete piece of shit like Larry Smith or Quin Snyder. Let my voice crack in excitement at least 4 times during this segment."

All I care about is Kelly saying, "BANG" when a Tiger hits a three pointer. :D