Should announcers be critical of their own teams?

[Steak]

Bob Raissman, the fine TV critic of the NY Daily News, wrote a piece about how Luis Gonzalez apparently was steamed at D-Backs PBP man Thom Brennaman for calling him out for not coming through with the big hits. With what happened with the Cubs players getting Chip Caray and Steve Stone fired because of similiar incident, this has me thinking about why should players give a damn what the PBP announcers has to say. Isn't a players job to go out and produce? He shouldn't be wasting his time watching what the announcers have to say. Announcers have a job to do and that's to tell it like it is to the viewers who are watching the games. I think it's great that some announcers like to tell the fans what they are seeing. Guys like Mercker, Dusty Baker, Gonzalez,and others should not be wasting their time worrying about what the PBP guys have to say or if they are being criticial. Who are the players or management to go tell the PBP guys what to say and what not to say? It's one thing to be optimistic, but to go sugarcoat things is not good.

[Lynch]

I don't see why not. If your team is sucking, do you go the route of a typical packer fan and drool over "the glory days" or do you tell it like you see it? Personally, I'd rather not get spoonfed BS from some slobbering commentator like we see on MNF with Madden whenever Bart Farve throws a 60 yd interception "Gee, it's confidence like that that makes Bart so special". Huh!??! The guy just lost the game because of overconfidnce, selfishness and pisspoor decision making, yet doughhead is still playing with himself at the thought of what he used to be like.

I don't want want sugarfrosted BS with my sports. I'm a man and I can handle it. If my team is sucking, admit it, don't lie about it.

[realmofotalk]

Luis Gonzalez, a supposed class guy, chewing out the respectable Thom Brennaman? How does that even happen?

[Steak]

realmofo: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/col/braissman/

Lynch: Dick Bremer, who I think is the one of the underrated baseball announcers in the business, can really sugarcoat things a lot too especially when Guzman and Rivas were stinking it up the last few years. That drove me crazy. He was saying that how we should wait and be patient with those two. C'mon! Tom Hanneman, who does the TWolves games, is really horrible. He was praising the Timberwolves for making it a game against the Warriors after falling behind by 25 points at home. First off, the team lost and second, the team should have never been in a position to fall behind like that. I hate it when announcers try to be optimistic and praise teams for effort. If you are an athlete, you should pride yourself by having a great effort every game.
Chris Carino, who does the Nets games on the radio, kisses up to the team and the management over the years hence why the Nets fired a tell it like it is announcer Bob Papa and hired Carino, who just BS a lot when he does the radio games.

I think most announcers tend to BS because they work for the organization and they are paid by the organization so they can't cross the line. That's very unfortunate. Fans live and die with their teams so announcers should not insult their intelligence.

[Porter99]

I have to deal with the complete sugarcoating of Rick Rizzs who has to be one of the worst PBP announcers in recent memory. At least Niehaus and Valle, are straight up once in a while.

[joek]

If you are paid by an entity to speak for it, I would think it only reasonable that the entitiy would encourage you to speak in favor of it. Or pay the consequences.

[Element]

Originally Posted by Porter99 I have to deal with the complete sugarcoating of Rick Rizzs who has to be one of the worst PBP announcers in recent memory.

That is exactly who I thought of when I read the topic.

[love_that_reefer]

Sometimes the truth hurts. Instead of trying to prove the guy wrong , he goes and complains about it to the press? People are pussies sometimes.

[riverdunesrat]

From the NY Daily news article.....The reality of the Giambi fiasco clearly has penetrated the YES TV booth. Michael Kay, Ken Singleton and David Justice offered no exuberant swill following Giambi's double.

So this is where Justice ended up????? Thank God he is somewhere I won't have to hear him. He used to do ESPN2 games and I hated him. Sounds like he is where he belongs now.....

[Steak]

Originally Posted by joek If you are paid by an entity to speak for it, I would think it only reasonable that the entitiy would encourage you to speak in favor of it. Or pay the consequences.

Well then I think organization should encourage the announcers to speak their mind for the viewers. Heck maybe they can learn from those guys. I for one think it would be a great telecast if announcers just tell it like it is. Fans stopped watching the games altogether when you got people sugarcoating. As a former Nets fan, I enjoyed hearing Bob Papa telling it like it is on the radio. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind. I recalled that Papa would always rip John Calipari and Don Casey (former Nets coaches) when it comes to strategy and getting them prepared. Unfortuantely, that got him fired.

To me, you do a subtle way of critiquing a player in a constructive manner. You don't have to make it into a personal thing. With what Thom Brennaman said, Thom never attacked Gonzo or his teammate at all. He was just being constructive critic here. There is nothing wrong with that. Heck I go rip players all the time on my teams, but I do it in a professional manner rather than go all out on that guy.

[rockin500]

the players didnt get steve stone or chip caray fired. thats horseshit. For one thing, chip Caray was given an offer by the cubs to return. they werent enthralled with him all year but he was left dangling even from the offseason. He got something like a 25% higher offer to return home to atlanta. As for Steve Stone, he resigned (after saying he was coming back).

The chances of Chip returning for the 2005 year were slim and none even as early as the 2003 season long before any problems developed between a couple of players and the broadcasters.

[BuckFoston]

Yes. For one the annoncers have every right to. I mean if a player is in a slump then they need to speak out and tell the players and the fans how they feel. If I was an announcer and one my team was in a slump. Then I would try to speak out to them and try to give them support and supportive critism at the same time. I think sometimes it would help the team to hear something not just from the coaches or the organization.

[Steak]

Originally Posted by rockin500 the players didnt get steve stone or chip caray fired. thats horseshit. For one thing, chip Caray was given an offer by the cubs to return. they werent enthralled with him all year but he was left dangling even from the offseason. He got something like a 25% higher offer to return home to atlanta. As for Steve Stone, he resigned (after saying he was coming back).

I got this source from Jay Mariotti, who I am good friends with. Jay Mariotti told me the whole story and Mariotti would never lie to me. I tend to believe what Jay says. Jay is man of integrity and ethics.

Chip got an offer? That's news to me. Chip never mentioned that in a column that I read in the Sun-Times. Chip ripped the Cubs for the way he was treated and he talked about how happy he is in Atlanta where he can be himself. Chip clearly wanted out after that loser, Dusty Baker had some words with him.

I am going to email the Cubs writers and get the whole story. I am 100 percent sure Chip and Steve left after what happened with Cubs players speaking out on them last year.

[Fishercat]

Announcers should simply tell the truth. If that means being critical when a player is disappointing, so be it. This is not to say they should be critical naturally, but if it comes up, no need to sugercoat it.