ABC/ESPN Announce World Cup Roster

Sign the petition. The networks consider something like every one person’s opinion equivalent to four hundred others. They will listen if enough stink is raised.

Sincerely,

Don Quixote

Posted from  United States

And don’t forget…Julie Foudy, studio analyst. The icing on the cake of pain.

Posted from  United States

This argument was very well-defensed.

Posted from  United States

Agree on Foudy. I say bring back Lori Fair and Promote Heather Mitts. Give us some eye candy, dammit!

As far as the announcers go, I guess I’m sorta ambivalent as they all kinda suck to some degree. We should try to bring Dick Enberg into the footy fold.

Posted from  United States

How about John Madden (does he still work for ABC)? “The team that kicks the ball in the goal the most times wins.”

I’m signing the petition.

Posted from  United States

O’Brien, while a nice guy, I’m sure, is not even close to qualified to do these games. But it’s a done deal. They probably signed him up to do it 3 months ago. He’s clearly a novice, and one can only hope that he spends about 20 hours a week, for the next 3 1/2 weeks, watching and learning from some quality announcers. We can always dream.

And Marcelo, too, is surely a great guy. He played a lot in the 90s, and did a lot for the national game. But honestly, sometimes he makes comments that make me think he doesn’t know much about the game. Seems hard to believe, but he’s an athlete, not an authority on the sport.

Oh, and Marcelo: it’s MLS, not *the* MLS.

GEEZ.

Posted from  United States

Julie Foudy is pretty horrible, but nothing compares with having Brand Chastain as a field reporter.

Posted from  United States

I don’t have as much hatred for Dave O’Brien as some here do but ESPN/ABC should not be using a relative football/soccer novice to be their lead announcer. It is OK to use him on some games but not as the primary announcer. Marcelo Balboa is a horrible analyst. He adds absolutely nothing to a telecast. For an ex player he is unable to explain any intricacies of the game and ends up either saying the obvious and/or not taking any stands on any issues which arise during a game.

Too bad JP Dellacamera won’t be the lead announcer as he is probably the best US English language announcer for the sport (I’d rate Derek Rae ahead of him but apparently he is considered too ‘foreign’ for the telecasts.)

Too bad Davis/Messing and Healey/Smyth teams won’t be doing many games in the World Cup. They seem like better pairings than the ones who’ll get more matches.

For those of us who speak Spanish, Univision will be using their lead team of Pablo Ramirez and Jesus Bracamontes with Jorge Perez, Enrique Borja, Bruno Vain and Jose Luis Chilavetr also doing some games (I’m not yet sure how they’ll be divided but Borja and Chilavert, as ex players obviously will be the analysts.) I think I’ll be listening more to Univision than to ESPN.

Posted from  United States

The only reason why I will watch the world cup matches on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC is because they will be in high definition. That is the big advantage for those whom have HDTV and can get ESPNHD, ESPN2HD, and ABCHD. I definately think JP Dellacamera should be in the number one team along with Tommie Smythe they worked together doing champions league games and 2002 world cup. Balboa does not bring excitment to the commentary he will go silent for along period of time and most of all
he doesn’t sound confident in what he is saying at times.

Posted from  United States

Guess I’ll be watching Univision when O’Brien is calling games.

As for above questions, Madden and Al Michaels both jumped ship to NBC, and Dick Enberg DOES have a contract with ESPN, but only to do the Aussie and French Opens and Wimbledon.

Posted from  United States

JULIE FOUDY ROCKS AND IS ALL THE EYE CANDY I NEED!!!!

If ESPN and ABC insist on using ignorant nimrods to announce the games I will be forced to cancel the entire event. Kindly get an Englishman who undersatnds the beautiful game to give us the blow by blow. We’ve been waiting four long years…this is way bigger than the US network clowns realize.

Posted from  Spain

I guess I’ll be watching the whole cup on Univision, although their announcing team is not the best, at least it’s not as bad as the ABC/ESPN team. Wow. I expected more from ABC/ESPN, at least someone who knows the sport. Maybe 2010 ABC/ESPN can hire a Brit or Scot, even the Irish would do. I wish I could watch the cup on Azteca America with their announcers or Televisa’s announcers on Univision. Maybe 2010

Posted from  United States

Watching SWE-TRI, JP does a good job, his short delivery flows well with the game, Harkes works well with him.

Not missing Jack Edwards, but O’Brien brings nothing to the diehards in terms of knowledge nor to the casuals in terms of excitement.

Posted from  United States

I don’t care if Balboa played football-the guy has no business announcing any of these games. O’Brien is an Al Michaels starter kit. Bring on some gents that know the game.

Having watched the first two days of coverage, all of these guys are awful, with the possible exception of Tommy Smyth, only because it’s nice to hear his accent. Why does Shep Messing yell, and the stupid Big Dance reference has to go. They feel they need to talk constantly. Oh for the English Premier league announcers. Do you think they could do their homework on how to pronounce Gabriel Heinze’s or Steven Gerrard’s names???

How did ESPN get conned into using Tommy Smythe. This incompetent moron means we have to watch some of the games in silence. I have yet to find a football supporter who will listem to this silly little man. Get rid of him - there are many knowledgeble individulas who will provide intelligent commentaries and who have an understanding of the game.
Thanks

Posted from  United States

Marcello Balboa and all you other crap soccer announcers at ESPN… 2 pieces of advice… 1)Don’t say anything unless you know what you are talking about-I know you like the sound of your own voice, but if you keep talking shit, i’m going to kill myself. 2) Learn how to pronounce names and know who players are…STEVEN GERRARD (JER- ARD) don’t role the r’s! And he’s one of the, if not the best Center mid in the world-so get your stats right!

How can anyone like JP Dellacamera as an announcer? He is the most unlistenable, monotone, boring announcer I’ve ever heard. The main thing I expect out of an announcer is to bring out the exitement and enthusiasm for the game. Who cares if he gets a few facts right when you’ve basically tuned him out anyway. I’ve tried listening to him, but now when he’s announcing, I switch to univision (or the radio when I can get the game on espn in HD) … these guys really bring out the exitement of the game … and I don’t even speak spanish!!

ESPN/ABC need to bring in some quality UK announcers, or at least some with a pulse.

Posted from  United States

I have never been so ashamed to listen to soccer in the US. Balboa is the worst announcer in history. He makes ridiculous comments constantly (i.e. “Beckham will move to the middle next world cup so he doesn’t have to run so much) and contradicts himself every 2 minutes. He is a sham and I will never watch another game on ESPN/ABC if this idiot is calling it.
- I now watch the matches on the Korean feed where I dont have to be upset watching the beautiful game.

Posted from  United States

I can’t believe all you are saying that JP Dellacamera should be the #1. He’s such an idiot. He announces games like they’re on the radio! As is we need to be told every time the ball goes out, or which team will get a free kick or throw in, or that the shot went high or wide or straight to the keeper. As if we need to hear the name of EVERY SINGLE PLAYER when they get the ball, and who they got it from. As if we need the incessant “Ronaldo, looking!” or “Zidane, holding!” Gimme a break. This guy has the worst diarrhea of the mouth I’ve ever seen. DOB ain’t much better, but he’s still better. Too bad DOB isn’t paired with Harkes, cause Balboa’s an idiot too. He’s a total Monday-morning quarterback. Everything that happens on the field is something that “we talked about” earlier. Sheesh. American broadcasting companies need to get a clue and outsource for some announcers.

Posted from  United States

ABS announcers for World Cup 2006 are horrible. Saying over and over that Zidanes bumping the Italian player was viscious. I am sure he was intentionally provoked all game long and finally had enough. No athletic person just falls down wigth that kind of bump. Shut up and go announce tennis or something else

Posted from  United States

The headbutt…provoked or not was viscious and Materazzi was not faking that dive. Any intelligent human can see that he was not expected it and Zidane (Mr. 14 red cards) put all of his force into it.

[insults deleted, and a bar of soap is in the mail - daryl]

Posted from  United States

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA….LMAO AT HENRY GERRITS.

I didnt realize a fellow man could be so dumb. I am ashamed to call you a member of my species.

Posted from  United States

Marcelo is the fking worst broadcaster with the gayest look
We need some personality like vital or even a voice like keith jackson, if not that get some eye candy in there to lessen the pain of watching the afeminite italian cry babies