Guys, I know it may be hard to believe, but not everyone who listens to your broadcasts is a diehard home team fan who has been listening to every second of the game. Some of us will scan the dial after leaving a game in hopes of checking out another game over the air, and maybe catching a thrilling ending.

 

As a result, we outside observers are coming in completely blind, and many of you announcers successfully keep us in the dark for several minutes at a time hoping to hear a score, the time left on the clock and what quarter it is, and the down and distance situations. Also, we don't know the players on a first-name basis, not being part of the "family" and all.

 

Announcers, you are the radio listener's eyes. Please give the score and time left more often than once every 10 minutes or so. Give first and last names, or at least the last name. Help us recreate in our heads the exciting action you are seeing live, rather than making us feel like uninvited guests to a homers-only party.

 

Some broadcasters paint the picture wonderfully, and I commend you for it. But with many others, it sometimes takes me 15 minutes just to figure out who's playing who and where.

Guys, I know it may be hard to believe, but not everyone who listens to your broadcasts is a diehard home team fan who has been listening to every second of the game. Some of us will scan the dial after leaving a game in hopes of checking out another game over the air, and maybe catching a thrilling ending.

 

As a result, we outside observers are coming in completely blind, and many of you announcers successfully keep us in the dark for several minutes at a time hoping to hear a score, the time left on the clock and what quarter it is, and the down and distance situations. Also, we don't know the players on a first-name basis, not being part of the "family" and all.

 

Announcers, you are the radio listener's eyes. Please give the score and time left more often than once every 10 minutes or so. Give first and last names, or at least the last name. Help us recreate in our heads the exciting action you are seeing live, rather than making us feel like uninvited guests to a homers-only party.

 

Some broadcasters paint the picture wonderfully, and I commend you for it. But with many others, it sometimes takes me 15 minutes just to figure out who's playing who and where.

 

Great post... A couple of weeks I was leaving a game and found the Allen County/Greenwood game on and I bet I listened for over 10 minutes before I found out whose ball it was and what the score was...

Danville Admiral commentators...are you listening?

I feel your pain Jim. I had a thread on this same thing a couple of years ago. Nothing drives me more batty than hearing "we" and "they" on the radio. However, I've also read many a game recap in the newspaper that never mentions one name from the other team. I've even seen stories that called the player "#84". I think both mediums need some work IMO

I feel your pain Jim. I had a thread on this same thing a couple of years ago. Nothing drives me more batty than hearing "we" and "they" on the radio. However, I've also read many a game recap in the newspaper that never mentions one name from the other team. I've even seen stories that called the player "#84". I think both mediums need some work IMO

 

Yeah, some papers are just as bad about that crap. I understand playing to your audience and all, but some of these operations can be ridiculous with the homerism. The worst are the ones who will list a score with the losing team first, just because it's the home team. Ugh.

 

Such is the peril of going with a local who went to the hometown HS to save a buck or two rather than hiring a real pro who knows what he/she is doing.

The guys on 107.9 out of Warsaw I believe do an excellent job in covering the games that they do and seem to be very impartial. I know Matt Buttelswerth and Aaron Stamm are 2 of the announcers but I also know there are one or 2 more who's names I can't remember.. Keep up the good work gentlemen.

Jim - This is the most I've ever agreed with you!! Anyone that knows me knows that I gripe about this very thing all the time. On Friday nights, I like to scan all the internet simulcasts to post updates here on BGP. But sometimes you have to sit there for 15 minutes, or more, just to get a score and/or clock update. :madman: The really good broadcasters don't have a problem with this; but a lot of them do.

I agree trying to get a score from most every station doing high school sports is tough, but lets not forget most of those guys are only doing it as a sideline and in a lot of cases not getting paid or only getting expenses. What they do is better than nothing at all.

 

"We" and "They" do not bother me since that is basicly human nature, the reason most of them are doing it they are fans of the teams so it is hard for them not to think in those terms.

 

It does bother me however when you only hear good things about "We" and nothing is ever said positively about "they", if someone is playing well just say it, if they are not say it, when "We" beat them and the radio announcers just say bad stuff about "They" all night, the fans say so what. But if they are honest and "We" Beat "They" it means something. Conversely if "they" beat "We" and they have said nothing good all game long, does that mean you team is terrible? No it just means the announcers are......LOL

The really good broadcasters don't have a problem with this; but a lot of them do.

 

If you can still find them, here's a quick little tip for those "beginning" broadcasters that I picked up "back in the day"...head to the kitchen supply store (or maybe even Walmart) and pick up one of those egg timers. It's a little hourglass, maybe 4 inches tall or so (so, it'll fit in your briefcase easily), and filled with some sort of sand. It'll run completely "empty" in 3 minutes. When it does, give a little update of the game. Then flip it over and go back to your broadcast. When "time's up" again, you guessed it...another update.

 

And the best part about the update, is you don't HAVE to give the same wording each time. There's plenty of ways to inject the information without it sounding like your repeating yourself. Such as...

 

"Carroll County leading Owen County 21-7 with 2:10 left to play in the first, now facing a third and two from their own 43."

 

can also be said...

 

"Panthers, on third down, need to get to their own 45...as they lead the Rebels by 14 with just over two minutes to play here in the opening quarter."

 

(My appologies to Owen County fans, it was just an example!)

 

In the end, it's vital information that should be passed along constantly, no matter whether it's to "new" listeners or those that have been with you since kickoff. Too often I hear radio broadcasters that imitate tv announcers. Hey, there's a reason they can carry on a conversation like that...it's called VIDEO! You can turn the sound down and not listen to anything they've said, and still have an idea of what's going on. Radio is not that way. The sooner those announcers realize it, the better their broadcasts will be.

Who are some of the best radio annoucers you have heard?

I completely and totally agree with you on this one Jim. Also, for the HS announcers who second guess the coach blatantly I give a big thumbs down. I don't mind the occasional "I'm not sure I agree with that decision", but I have heard all too often "A very poor decision by the coach". That, to me, is bush league.

CincySportsFan - Excellent ideas! :thumb:

I'd love to be on the radio someday.

Tim Carper from Grayson covers East/West Carter games in nearly every sport. He's top notch. Very unbiased. More than informative and is a master at painting a picture of what's going on in front of him for his listeners. He's a pleasure to listen to for that reason alone. 102.3 WUGO. Tim's the man!!!!

And also please stop whining about the officials.:thumb: