Hicks to Replace Hammond for ND games

Submitted by Chi-Blue on

According to the Chicago Tribune Dan Hicks will replace Tom Hammond for the ND football broadcasts starting this fall. If you are like me you generally keep an eye on their games. This may change as our scheduling them comes to a close, but I really could not stand Tom Hammond. Mayock has his moments, but generally does good work both on the ND games and the NFL Network. I'm sure some of you may not care, but just an FYI.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-nbc-hicks-notre-dame-20130415,0,5666045.story 

jmdblue

April 15th, 2013 at 1:59 PM ^

Tom Hammond creeps me out in a Jerry Sandusky sorta way. Maybe it's the 1/2" coating of pastey makeup, or maybe it's the grotesque saliva strands visible when he's speaking.  I'm obviously not accusing him of anything beyond giving me the heebie jeebies, but he does do that.

I'd imagine the Domers aren't shedding many tears over this.

samdrussBLUE

April 15th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^

I watch a decent amount of golf, and Hicks sounds knowledgeable and is harmless during those telecasts (which is good).  Of course football is different, but I am cautiously optimistic about this change

AtkinsDiet

April 15th, 2013 at 2:04 PM ^

Mayock is outstanding. Easily the best color man in the game today IMO.

Will be interesting to see if Hicks has a less ND bent than Hammond did. NBC has to know that the majority of people watching those games want the Irish to lose and have no interest in hearing a homer play-by-play guy.

In reply to by ijohnb

AtkinsDiet

April 15th, 2013 at 2:42 PM ^

Remarkably neutral compared to what?

They aren't ND broadcasters; they are national. Unlike a local radio/TV broadcast, they are not feeding the game to people who want to see Notre Dame win nor are they employees of the ND athletic department.

It's a unique relationship. No one should expect them to be homers.

ijohnb

April 15th, 2013 at 3:39 PM ^

not think they were homers.  They called 7 Notre Dame games per year, it would seem as though some bias could slip in there and I never really thought that it did.  For god sakes, you cannot expect those guys to go crazy when Michigan scores a touchdown, that is not realistic.

M-Wolverine

April 15th, 2013 at 2:11 PM ^

I'm hoping Brandon gives them a big check come September and I never have to listen to their broadcast ever again.

Section 1

April 15th, 2013 at 2:30 PM ^

He'll be very good in doing the ND job, I expect.  It's almost a pity, a guy who is so likable (and who is Mr. Hannah Storm); doing ND games.

The obvious conflict is that the Ryder Cup and/or Presidents Cup conflicts with the college football season.      

Since NBC has bought the controlling interest in the Golf Channel and has made such a big play for international golf, it's odd that they would sacrifice Dan Hicks in that event for ND football, simply for the upgrade over Tom Hammonds.  (Maybe they won't; maybe they will let Hicks do the international golf events on those weekends, and will get a football substitute for him.)

JHendo

April 15th, 2013 at 2:37 PM ^

Now all they have to do is remove him from Kentucky Derby / Triple Crown coverage.  He frightens my wife whenever we are minding our own business and trying to enjoy some quality horse racing...

jmblue

April 15th, 2013 at 2:52 PM ^

I'm just glad I don't have to sit through any of their four-hour-long commercialfests to watch Michigan play this year.  The only time I ever watch an NBC ND broadcast is when we play in South Bend, and when I do, I'm always reminded why I don't more often.

 

 

Bigscotto68

April 15th, 2013 at 3:23 PM ^

why? OT at best. I would rate it "I" for irrelevant as all ND news is to me on this MICHIGAN website. Who is announcing games at Slippery Rock this year, more interested in that than anything ND related. Don't they have their own blog sites?

no joke its hoke

April 15th, 2013 at 4:16 PM ^

My biggest problem with Mayock(at least from watching combines) is he is right ad everyone else is wrong. oh and the fact that he tries his best to come up with stupid terms or names for things. He is half Mel Kiper,half Chris Berman.

WolverineHistorian

April 15th, 2013 at 5:54 PM ^

Tom Hammond being an Irish homer goes all the way back to his first year broadcasting games in 1992 when Notre Dame was getting blown out at home by Stanford and Hammond and the NBC crew went on and on for several minutes how the Irish weren't playing well because it was midterms week and the players were too tired from studying to be at 100% strength for this game.  I was just 12 at the time but it was my first glance into the media machine that kisses Notre Dame's ass and gives them a free pass as opposed to everyone else.  As if Notre Dame is the only team in America that has to study for mid-terms. 

Fastforward 20 seasons to last year when Notre Dame had to go into triple overtime against a crappy Pitt team (after the refs conveniently didn't flag ND for being offsides on Pitt's game winning field goal attempt 2 overtimes earlier) and he called that Irish team a team of destiny.  Major homer, there is no denying that. 

The only Hammond quote I'll ever like was when we were blowing those guys out in 2006 and after Henne completed his third TD pass to Manningham, Hammond said Manningam completes the hat-rick! 

pbmd

April 15th, 2013 at 7:23 PM ^

do not like hammond.

do not like mayock.

i do not find mayock to be particularly insightful.

the concept, that a ND football game is any more interesting then any other game is the fantasy of a delusional fan base.

Der Alte

April 15th, 2013 at 7:22 PM ^

For me, Notre Dame has become a subject of increasing irrelevance. I don't care if they are sort of in the ACC or sort of independent, or what they do. Now that they've dropped M from their schedule in the next year or two they can do whatever, and that includes who does the play-by-play for their irrelevant football games. Who cares?

Yo_Blue

April 16th, 2013 at 8:20 AM ^

Who does the radio broadcast for the Irish?  Is it Don Criqi?  It was laughable how he refused to call the final touchdown at the end of the UTL game.  He kept saying, "there's no call yet." despite the official with his arms straight up.  Keep on Doming guys - maybe wishing will make it so.