OT-Chris Berman: Our American Atrocity
For 31 years now Chris Berman has kicked in the door to our living rooms for ESPN, rambling and bumbling like your once funny college roommate whom you dont speak to anymore for a reason. I get it (Berman), you were the first one on the mothership and you had a bevy of nicknames that once made us chuckle. This man has basically used his executive power at ESPN to buy himself a career giving washed up players from the NFL auditions on NFL Countdown, so they in turn are in need of an opportunity. I cannot turn the channel nor listen to the home run derby on the radio, so I am stuck watching and listening to this buffoon. I could be in the minority but i wish Chris "Bummer" Berman would go Back, Back, Back where he came from. Chris, I am not with you, "Leather."
They're giving him an award this year.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/halloffame10/news/story?id=5374069
When he does his "back, back, back, back.." he sounds like a penguin with Tourette's.
That's a bit harsh. Sure, the whole "Back, back, back" thing is played out, but he is still a good guy who has a genuine love and knowledge of the sports he covers.
I actually am much more opposed to Valentine. He just doesn't seem to be with it.
I actually am much more opposed to Valentine. He just doesn't seem to be with it.
This. Yes. It's like Lou Holtz without the lisp.
From what I've heard that isn't true but I guess i could be basing that mostly off of this imfamous video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hid-n14yiyM&feature=related
Sorry about my inablilty to imbed a video in my comment.
Given that I don't think anyone in this conversation actually knows him, I think "not a good guy" is the safest bet. Workplace tirades + verified and incredibly skeezy bar pick-ups = kind of a douche.
My wife and I met him at the US Open at Pebble Beach back in 2000. He was pretty much a douche.
He also enjoys smuggling drugs in from Canada:
Christian Bale?
I used to love Boomer. But his act has really grown stale.
I remember when him and Stu Scott were the stars of ESPN. Now I shudder when either of them is on TV.
when again was Stuart Scott a star of ESPN? Was this before he thought he was good enough to play in the NFL and took a football from the JUGS machine to the eye??
were <i>the</i> SC team back in the mid 90's.
Eisen was and continues to be the man.
Who saw this?
Plus he's a Michigan Man.Guess I don't watch enough NFL Network. Thanks for sharing something I would have otherwise never have seen.
I miss Kenny Mayne and Dan Patrick.
ESPN at it's zenith.
What are guy's like Dickie-V and Berman suppose to do? Neither of them became household names beacuase they were blessed as incredible announcers with a gift...it's their schtick. You dance with the girl that brought you and you get paid. I understand it gets old but asking Berman to be a true play by play when he is simply a personality is senseless.
Craig Kilborn? He was my favorite anchor. Maybe he and the others got it right: use SportsCenter as a springboard tot something else while you can, or you are destined to be too old to do anything else. I feel sad when I see Berman; the poor guy must sense that he's over the hill, but maybe he's hanging on for one more dream season.
Kilborn was the greatest, simply for "Ohhhh Webber."
There is nothing worse than Hawk Harrelson. Nothing. He is about 1/5 of the reason I hate the White Sox and refuse to watch them on TV.
since when is being a homer a crime? hawk is a genuine fan of the game and he has an unrivaled passion for the white sox
first place cub fan...you wouldn't know what it feels like
Hawk is an a-hole. It has nothing to do with being a homer.
Is he the very annoying announcer who always goes "He gone!" whenever a White Sox pitcher strikes someone out? Because if he is, he's 100% of the reason I don't watch the White Sox on TV. (Of course, I'm a Tigers fan, but I live in the Chicago TV footprint, and do occasionally watch the Cubs, Hawks, etc.)
"Stretch, stretch, stretch"....
He is without a doubt the biggest homer I have EVER heard in my life. They aren't even that bad down south where they expect and want you to be a homer with the call.
- He is no Rick Sutcliffe.
- That is a good thing
than a lot of folks...Joe Morgan, Paul McGuire, Joe Theisman, Hawk, Chip Carey (battling Hawk for worst regular commentator, and I'm a Braves fan), Chris Martin. Kevin Millar is a new one I'm growing to hate.
But let's not delude ourselves, Berman is still unbearable, just less unbearable than a few others.
Edit: Just to be clear, "he" in the subject refers to Berman, not Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe goes on the Joe Morgan list...
Dude I love Chris Berman, I think he is very funny and gives life to otherwise boring MLB announcers.
I would rather listen to Chris Berman, then Chris Collingsworth. Boomer is still a lot more competent then him.
Chris Collingsworth and his Network lapse of judgement:
he can not even get an anology correct. Chris Berman Clip: this clip even comes with Woodson plays standard.
making us vipers look bad
that is how little i care about the man. Actually, I was in a hurry. mea culpa!
Edit: Just an FYI, im not a fan of either men. Just meant i can tolerate Berman more then Collinsworth.
There is a big difference in the two clips that you showed here. One is a live play-by-play witih Collinsworth and the other is a scripted highlight show with Berman. Berman is much more to the point when he is in his 3 minute drill or on primetime. When he is doing live play-by-play, it is a different story with all of the stuttering and bumbling that he does. I love berman for primetime with TJ, and while his play-by-play may not be the best, I can tolerate it more than others. One thing i didn't care for during the derby was the open lobbying Berman was doing toward Will Ferrell to do his Harry Carey impersonation. He just wouldn't let it go, and it seemed like Ferrell was resistant to do it until he finally gave in.
Best current announcer in sports.
Other greats to listen to:
- Vin Scully
- Thom Brenneman (when he's not salivating over Tebow)
- Brad Nessler
- Sean McDonough
- Dan Cunningham
- Mike Emrick
- Al Michaels
Guys I miss:
- Keith Jackson
- Ron Cole
- Curt Gowdy
- and, duh, Bob Ufer
Please do not forget Ernie Harwell. Radio, but still, one of the all time greats.
As an adult, I've had the pleasure of listening to Vin Scully call Dodgers games, and, as a child, to Ernie Harwell call Tigers games.
Him and Gottfried were outstanding on Saturday nights for ESPN.
He's terrible and I cannot stand him. He had absolutely no business announcing golf at the US Open earlier this year. I can't even watch the NFL recaps on ESPN in the fall because of his stupid sound effects.
But I have to agree that I did not like him for golf. Scott Van Pelt I do like for golf, he knows golf very well and if I'm not mistaken used to work for the Golf Network. I know Boomer's voice is kind of his trademark, but being loud and raspy just doesn't make for a good golf announcer. Maybe it's just because it is out of the norm for golf so it doesn't sound right. Even then though, his questions and remarks seemed often unintelligent, not very witty, and he provided more "filler" than necessary. This is probably because he is used to baseball (or in many cases football as well) where there is a lot of time where action isn't happening so you are forced to fill the dead air with questions and remarks, however, with so many people on the golf course and always having a shot to watch, not as much filler is needed for TV. I much preferred SVP.
At the beginning of ESPN, Berman was so bad that he was great to watch. He was fearless, and would cover sports he knew nothing about. He took his lumps and eventually got better. Winding the clock forward, I see two problems with Berman now. First of all, he was in his prime fifteen to twenty years ago, but hasn't gotten any better since. Secondly, everyone else in the business has raised their "game."
This combination has created a Berman who isn't as good as a lot of the newer talent, and appears to be a parody of his old self. I think he should retire, but where else could he get paid to watch sporting events? I think we're stuck with him for a long time.
but combine him with Joe Morgan and it's fucking terrible. Also, did anyone else find the whole WIll Farrell segment incredibly forced and awkward?
That segment was awkward, but somewhat funny for an awards show.
doesn't seem to have any idea about what's going on. He always seems lost and confused and stumbling over his words. Then he calls Big Papi, "Jose" Papi.
but for me, nobody inspires loathing and hatred more than the unsufferably smug and self-satisfied Dan Patrick.
I haven't watched anything with Chris Berman in years, but I give him a pass because he was, indeed, one of the pioneers on ESPN, and ESPN was still great to watch up until about 10-15 years ago. The entire network went south when it became self aware and started to make itself the attraction instead of the events that they cover.
Hannibal: Bermannet fights back.
The ESPNinator: Yes. It launches its missiles against the targets in Russia.
Magnus: Why attack Russia? Aren't they our friends now?
The ESPNinator: Because Bermannet knows the Russian counter-attack will eliminate its enemies over here.
I like Berman too and probably for the same historical reasons as others. Stuart Scott is just horrible though.
At least he gives the Derby some energy. His schtick is old but who else would you have do it? I don't mind him in this event at all.
I can't watch some of them at all. When they re-hired Matt Millen to do NFL for them I was absolutely ticked off, how can they do that. This guy just went through the worst tenure as a GM of a football team in the entire history of the sport and they hire him as an expert???? Completely baffling. I would lay down some green with JamieMac that Magnus or some of the other football knowledge types would be far better football analysts on ESPN.
Berman's broadcast for ESPN's US Open (golf) coverage drove me crazy. He can't go 5 seconds without making some obvious and lame pun and thinking it's the cleverest thing in the world.
Also, he can't say anything in a normal voice; everything is almost yelling. This is annoying all the time, but particularly inappropriate for a golf telecast.
I respect what he's done, and he generally knows his stuff, but it's time to come up with some new schtick (preferably none) or ride off into the sunset.
Im at work so i cant post the link, but has anyone seen the off-camera footage of Chris berman talking about whenever he is in Canada he buys some prescription drug (he calls them "dur-durs") to help him get through his day. Look it up on you-tube its actually pretty hilarious.
My favorite by far is Scott Van Pelt. there was a walk off homer recently and he goes (on air) "Oh, what the hell, it's been a while... he went Johnny Drama.... VICTORY!"
Which is my favorite SC schtick