Bill Raftrey Has to be one of the greatest college sports announcers. I remember him from back in the day when he was announcing the Nets. I Love how opens up and goes "and the defense will open up in a MAN TO MAN!" When someone makes a big shot he shouts, "ONIONS" Just a great announcer. Another great announcer has to be Gary Cohen who does the mets announcing. He just gets so jacked up and amped up when the Mets make a big play it gets you fired up. His Home Run calls have to be the best, "Deep fly to left, track, wall, ITS OUTTA HERE!" Who do you guys like to listen to?
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Probably a cliche, but I love listening to John Madden.Comment -
Al Michaels, ever since "Do you believe in Miracles?!".....Comment -
Al Michaels is solid and so is Sean McDonough, who doesn't get enough big games. Verne Lundquist is also still pretty good even though he's up there in years.Comment -
Madden. He's the only one out of the whole bunch who gives real insight into the details of the game, as it unfolds live (not sections prepared for the next slot, like the MNF jokers). Michaels comes close, but Madden's knowledge flows completely natural and without any effort. He's a good teacher and I often learn something from him. With most others I'm just happy if they know the rules.Comment -
I don't know who I like, but if Joe Buck never did another sporting event ... I'd be blissful.Comment -
Michaels hands down for me.Comment -
Trevor Denman southern cal track announcerComment -
I like Al Michaels as well, would love to hear him without a sidekick sometime.
When we finally got MLB in Texas, Gene Elston was the man, and for a short time while he was in Houston, I loved hearing Harry Kalas, still do, man has a great voice.
Only got to hear Ernie Harwell sparingly, but he called a great baseball game. Also used to hear Jack Buck call games back in the 50s and 60s, and he was a good one.Comment -
John MaddenComment -
Vin Scully (Voice of La Dodgers) Best baseball announcer ever.Comment -
The late Mac Mcgee was a great color guy on the Packers radio network.
Max was witty,down to earth,laid back like Don Merredith who also was a great color guy and he told interesting stories away from football.It was sad to find out recently that when he fell off his mansion roof in a suburb of Minneapolis he was suffering from the beginning stages of Alzheimers.Maybe that was god's way of Max not lingering around and becoming a shell of his former self where he would have been embarrassed years ago knowing he would be in that state.Comment -
First of it's Howard Cosell and Kieth Jackson.
I've Always like the Sunday night NFL crew when ESPN had it with Joe Theisman. And also Liked the sunday night baseball crew (even though i hear alot of talk against them) with Joe Morgan. It would be easier to ask what announcers I didn't like because for the most part they do a good jobComment -
Football play by play (NFL) - Joe Buck
Football color (NFL) - Phil Simms
Football play by play (college) - Brent Musberger
Football color (college) - Tim Brandt
NBA play by play - Brad Nessler
NBA Color - Rick Barry (what happened to you, Rick?)
College basketball play by play - Dick Enberg
College basketball color - Bill Raftery
Baseball play by play (radio) - Vin Scully (Jon Miller close second)
Baseball play by play (TV) - Jon Miller
Baseball color - Joe Morgan (Tim McCarver close second)Comment -
Cant remember the guy but i always like listening to the houston astros announcer. the old guy, someone help me here.Comment -
My Favorite was Dennis Miller, it was so funny to Hear John madden (like him a lot) tring to make a very good take on the game or whatever and then Dennis Miller just chimes in the the most random funny shit that just made Madden and Micheals stop and think what the F*** is this guy talking about.....I just loved the dumb founded silence every time Dennis would talkComment -
Don't hate me, but ...
Dick Vitale!
"He's shootin' the rock, babyyyyy!!"Comment -
Wow - there's so many I enjoy. I used to work in the sports media and studied to do play by play for years and just was not fit to do it - so my take is probably different. In no particular order...:
Baseball Announcer: Bob Murphy/Gary Cohen and Bob Euker(no idea how to spell it - great radio call)
Underrated color guy: Ron Darling
NFL: Michaels is the best in any sport, and any era, but he just does the NFL now, really. And obviously Madden. Michaels' calls from Wide World of Sports covering arm wrestling (See: Cheap Seats) are legendary haha - seriously though, he paid his dues and has been probably as good as any that lived.
Underrated NFL call: Gus Johnson. He's really developed over the years and now has the best 'non night game' call of any announcer in the NFL right now - Excellent emotion and very very good calls. He gets lots of bad games tho, but he did get the BUF/CLE Blizzard game and shined the whole time, despite a very boring game outside of a few plays.
Also - Howard David has an incredible radio call, but I havn't heard him in over 10 years, no idea what he's doing right now.
Worst Announcer: Joe Buck. He can't even sniff his father's Jock. His father with Hank Stramm was as good as it gets for football, and his baseball call is legendary. Joe Buck is not funny, he's not hip and it's clear he doesn't know anything about anyone other than the 'elite' teams and the 'star' players. He adds nothing to the broadcast other than stale/corporate 'vanilla' calls that will be heard forever - and our generation will be looked on as one as having 'the worst calls in sports history' just because of him.
Hockey: Mike Emerick - teamed with Bill Clement, they were the foundation for some amazingly great hockey calls over some amazing games. Doc has as good a call as any that ever lived. "OHHHHHHHHHHHHH AND A DRIVE!!!!!!!! REEE-BOUND!!! OH WHAT-A-SAVEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Man, I get chills thinking of his calls. I wish I could see more games that he does. He hands down is amazing, definitly top 3 ever.
Hoops: I loved Dick Stockton when I was a kid. He had the perfect voice for those Lakers/76rs/Celtics games. They all pretty much stink now. It's hard to have a great call for hoops.
Hoops Color: Bill Raftery is about as good of a color guy and is probably #2 behind Madden overall for me. He makes watching a Providence/Rutgers game as exciting as possible - and you learn a LOT about either the players, the coaches or the college game every time you listen to him do a game. He's one of the last of the 'great' professionals in the industry.
Others I like: George Grand, Gary Thorn in hockey when he did the just Devils was tops - then sold out and stunk, Howie Rose doing Ranger games on the radio produced some sick calls, the Bruins old team of Cusack/Sanderson was awesome and ugh - I can't remember his name, but he does Brown football games and works out of Providence - GREAT call.
ARG... How I can I forget Scooter Rizzuto. Man, I hate the Yankees, but he was an institution. I absolutely loved listening to him doing games. God rest him, I miss him a lot.
Oh, and you have to give credit to the Yankee Stadium public address announcer, Bob Sheppard. Again - I used to go to Yankee stadium to boo them, but you have to love his public addresses - classy.Comment -
I like John Madden and Michaels probably the most. A distant second would be Nance and Simms, cant stand Buck but Aikman is OK. Dont even mention Mr. Gumbel(Bryant).
Baseball is my local guy Lanny Frattere, he says "and there was no douuuuubt about it!" after every game the Pirates win no matter how they win. 18 innings, he still says it.
Hockey, my guy Mike Lange was fired from doing Penguin games and I have no clue why, he was great. He had all kind of catch phrases like, "he beat him like a rented mule!", "scratch my back with a hacksaw!", or "Elvis has left the building". I know he is a drinker because I have met him twice inside bars, I still miss him though.
Hoops, I like Mr. Sodomite himself Marv Albert
College Hoops, Raftery, Packer, Vitale.Comment -
The best booth for a hockey game would be Marv albert with his kids.Comment -
If any Tennis fans watched the US Open last September Andre Agassi was graceful enough to provide the audience with a few minutes of guest commentary that was insightful and interesting to the fans.
Agassi was heads above any tennis announcer I have seen in the sport in just 40 or so minutes of commentary, and can only hope he will be back in the future.
As for the worst announcers in tennis (possibly the worse of all time) - a tie:
Bud Collins and Luke Jensen.
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I guess only a few of you will know my favorite broadcasters, but if you are from Baltimore, you may have an idea who these two were:
I will always remember Chuck Thompson calling Colt and Oriole games in my youth, and, when he was in his prime, was one of the best out there. I'm guessing the beer is pretty good up there Chuck.
The nuttiest Baltimore announcer (and NBA referee/coach): Charley Eckman.
I still laugh thinking about Charley, and when he passed away, and bit of Baltimore sports died with him.Comment -
Before Chick Hearn went senile, LA simultaneously had
Dodgers: Vin Scully
Kings: Bob Miller
Lakers: Chick Hearn
Santa Anita: Trevor Denman
Those were the days.Comment -
Has to be Bob Uecker. "Juuuuuust a bit outside."Comment
