Slightly OT: 50 worst sportscasters, per Yahoo Sports

This has been discussed ad nauseam, but it's nice to see it all in a list form. Hawk is #40 and Chip is #42. Oddly enough, Joe Morgan is only #3.

about 3 years ago chilango2 32 comments 0 recs |

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Berman

Has to be the worst. I can’t stand to watch NFL Countdown. I have to wait until the Fox guys come one. When I was a kid, I kind of got a kick out of his nicknames – IE George Taco Bell. But now it is SO tired and lame, and if I find myself watching a little bit of NFL CD, I end up getting pissed off because he is such a shmuck. “The G-MEN”. God every time he says that I want to strangle him.

by DMCub on Jan 31, 2009 8:29 AM CST reply actions

For some reason

I’ll always remember Berman coining the nickname Eric “Sleeping With” Bieniemy. At first it seemed kind of clever, until I realized it was the verbal equivalent of “Don’t Stop Believin.” Damn you Berman, get out of my head!

"They say we live and learn. Often what we learn is what damn fools we have been." ~Thomas Sowell

by Goodie1969 on Jan 31, 2009 9:53 AM CST up reply actions

I'm glad to see Thom Brennaman ranked fairly high on this list.

Can’t stand him. He’s insufferable and pompous and got his job through nepotism.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 9:52 AM CST reply actions

Brennaman during the BCS bowl series was awful

At one point, a 15-yard completion was called as “batted down at the line,” and his play-by-play in the BCS title game was just miserable.

He’s developing his father’s pomposity without having paid many dues.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Jan 31, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions

I find it interesting

that Al’s favorite whipping boy, Mark Grace, didn’t make the list. I think at one point you called him the worst color man EVER.

As I have stated before, I like Brennaman. We had him for 10 years in Phoenix and he was awesome. He is so much better than Daron Sutton, who we have now. Come to think of it, I didn’t see Sutton on the list, which immediately disqualifies it from being taken seriously. Sutton and Grace together are downright painful.

by azjazzman on Jan 31, 2009 3:53 PM CST up reply actions

Grace IS bad.

I would rather listen to fingernails scraping on a blackboard than Brennaman and Grace.

Agreed with you regarding Daron Sutton, too.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 4:21 PM CST up reply actions

Unfortunately, I lot of bad ones have blown through Chicago

by BLou on Jan 31, 2009 10:56 AM CST reply actions

Skip Carey?

n/t

by azjazzman on Jan 31, 2009 3:54 PM CST up reply actions

Of course

I meant Chip. I’m always getting my Skips and Chips confused.

by azjazzman on Jan 31, 2009 4:33 PM CST up reply actions

Chip was better than little Thommy.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 4:54 PM CST up reply actions

Your opinion

only.

By the way, how can you charge nepotism against one and not the other.

by azjazzman on Jan 31, 2009 4:59 PM CST up reply actions

Here's why.

Chip did minor league play by play and worked his way up on his own.

Thommy had not done ANY PBP before the Cubs hired him. He was doing weekend TV sports in Cincinnati when the Cubs tried to hire Marty Brennaman in 1990 (when DeWayne Staats left). Marty declined but “recommended” his son.

And you’re right, it’s my opinion.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 31, 2009 5:25 PM CST up reply actions

Chip is a lot of bluster, though

And overly dramatic.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jan 31, 2009 9:50 PM CST up reply actions

At times, yes.

He was still better than Brennaman.

We’re lucky to have Len Kasper now.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 1, 2009 4:08 AM CST up reply actions

Absoultely

Len and Bob are a good team.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Feb 1, 2009 10:26 PM CST up reply actions

Any list that has Dick Stockton

outside the top 3 has no credibility.

Godawful.

by halfblindcubbiegirl on Jan 31, 2009 9:38 PM CST reply actions

I dont see

Bryan Gumbel on that list. Dickie V on the list…ahh he aint that bad.

I dont care who the new owner is as long as he/she/them come equipped with a Jake Peavy and a Joe Beimel!!!

by cubsluver22 on Jan 31, 2009 11:02 PM CST reply actions

I think

Chris Berman did more to popularize sports when he started broadcasting than most Sportscasters will ever have the opportunity to do.

But to be fair, the time for his “schtick” has passed, and it would be a good thing for him to STFU now.

"I lof to hit de home ron!"

by Tekboy on Feb 1, 2009 10:38 AM CST reply actions

Also

I find it odd that Harry Caray didn’t make the top 50 best of all time. I really do not think the Cubs would be this popular on a National level were it not for the enthusiasm of Harry.

"I lof to hit de home ron!"

by Tekboy on Feb 1, 2009 10:51 AM CST reply actions

I disagree with that whole-heartedly

The Cubs were a regional/national team before Harry because of WGN. My affection for them has nothing to do with the broadcaster, who, by the time that he got to the Cubs, wasn’t as competent as he was during his prime (who is at that age, right?), and by the early 90’s, was just bad.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Feb 1, 2009 10:27 PM CST up reply actions

Harry was fine until his stroke in 1987.

He really should have retired after that.

Now, as to how popular the Cubs were before/after Harry… yes, they began to be distributed on WGN nationally in 1978, before Harry arrived. But they didn’t take off nationally until 1984.

Part of that is winning the division. But part of it is definitely Harry’s personality; he helped sell the Cubs to a national audience.

I know there are people here who are Cubs fans because of WGN who have never lived in Chicago. I’d like to hear from them as to when they think the Cubs became that “regional/national” team.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 4:12 AM CST up reply actions

not a cubs fan, but

I think a combination of Harry and the ’84 division winner was a tipping point, but the addition of night baseball pushed things over the top- and attendance figures support that theory.

Prior to night ball, the superstation aspect mostly filled the daytime schedule and gave fans of other teams a rare chance to see their teams play on TV.

by baked mcbride on Feb 2, 2009 4:27 PM CST up reply actions

Attendance figures, yes, but...

… you hit the nail on the head by noting that the superstation schedule filled daytime TV. That’s what hooked a lot of out of town fans.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 4:54 PM CST up reply actions

well, I live in Chicago NOW

But I grew up in Montana and became a Cubs fan. I was too young for the ’84 team and really too young for the ’89 team.

Honestly, I loved the Sandberg-Dawson-Grace teams of the early ‘90s (and not so much that Harry was the broadcaster). They weren’t all that good — no third baseman, no leadoff hitter, horrible bullpen — but they hooked me. I remember being really excited in 1993 when the Cubs were above .500.

Oh, and Al, I think you’re overly harsh on Grace and Brennaman (who was at least better than Wayne F-ing Larrivee). I also thought Chip was fine, if pretty stilted in his early years in Chicago.

Frankly, I think the Yahoo list is pretty ridiculous. Listing the 50 worst announcers doesn’t leave many big names off the list. That said, I can’t stand Bill Walton or Tim McCarver.

by elgato on Feb 2, 2009 5:25 PM CST up reply actions

I grew up in Utah

and i became a fan they were on all the time. I was born in 84 so the Sandberg-Dawson-grace teams are what hooke me. I think it was mostly because of how easy it was to catch a game but Harry was also part of it. I really enjoyed listenin to him as a kid.

2008 National League Central Division Champs!!!!!

by BradB311 on Feb 2, 2009 5:33 PM CST up reply actions

Well, all lists like that are opinions, right?

I can’t stand Grace and Brennaman, separately or together. Others like them. That’s their right.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 7:23 PM CST up reply actions

Two issues

1. Bill Walton only at #6? He should EASILY be in the top two with all of his dopey psychobable:

“The BALL is an extension of the MIND” LOL

2. I’m baffled as to why Troy Aikman is on this list at all, let alone just ten spots behind Walton at #16. I’ve always found him intelligent and insightful.

"That’s what I love about my skip, man. He’ll tell you that you suck...I know I suck. We know we suck...Yeah, we suck. But we’ll see who sucks at the end."
- Gary Sheffield

by DrGalazkiewicz on Feb 1, 2009 11:46 AM CST reply actions

Shannon "Mushmouth" Sharpe

How can he only be #35? I cannot understand what he says. He’s like Mushmouth from Fat Albert.

Check out my Cubs shrine: http://picasaweb.google.com/vegascubfan/CubsRooms#

by VegasCubFan on Feb 1, 2009 1:48 PM CST reply actions

That is by far the worst list of the worst sportscasters I've ever seen

Especially when you do a list of that size and try to make it relevant nationally. Give me a break. There’s are reason why there are sportscasters in podunk towns. 1) They’re developing or more likely 2) they suck. Half the names on there shouldn’t even be on the list.

"You just don't know understand how frustrating this is"- Kevin Borseth

by TkGoUWGB on Feb 1, 2009 11:09 PM CST reply actions

I guess this issue is just a matter of personal tastes

But I agree with Al that Len and Bob are good. I agree with cubsluver22 that Uncle Tom Gumbel should be high on the list.

One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.

by chilango2 on Feb 2, 2009 10:28 AM CST reply actions

Click the link in the list

You’ll find the TOP 50 sportscasters and interestingly enough some made both lists. How “Boomer” Berman touches the best list is beyond me. He is terrible.

by Chuck12570 on Feb 2, 2009 11:35 AM CST reply actions