Comments on: Jack Bell Is A Wanker, Part II

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:41:47 +0000

As an american (gasp, yes, one of those…), let me first say Jack Bell is a wanker, but Greg Lalas is not. Although the brother of idiot LA general manager Alexi, the guy is a very capable writer & insightful observer of the game. As for the ESPN commentating team, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Andy Gray does a nice job & provides insight. Are there americans as capable? How about hispanics? Yes on both accounts. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? The idea that we have to have americans calling games in america or involving american teams is downright imbecilic.

By: CFTV

CFTV — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:09:51 +0000

Call me a Premiership Snob but when I am watching a game I like my commentators from the UK. The accent works for me as does the cadence at which they call the game and knowing when to let the game breath and let the crowd provide the sound of the game. Like people have posted hearing a guy from England calling baseball or gridiron would just be weird! I am a sucker for a English accent when I am watching Golf, Soccer, and F1.

I agree with Kartik that Gray was unprepared for anything that wasn’t Premiership or one of the top sides in Europe however what he lacked in preperation he more than made up with it in personality and passion.

I hope in the World Cup that ESPN uses 3 or 4 commentary teams one of which is an american team that is dedicated to following Team USA around. I think it is important to have American’s calling Team USA’s games. I really hope ESPN continues to build up the World Cup throughout the next 2 years Team USA as well as the rest of the world.

By: Mookie

Mookie — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:58:42 +0000

I see you guys want O’Brien/Balboa back?

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:35:56 +0000

Kartik,

“If you are part of the American Soccer Community like me, you are tired of being lectured by many British ex-pats that we play the game wrong, that our domestic league stinks, that our national team is poor, our training methods are poorer ”

boy you’ve said a mouthful, I’m thinking this mentality is almost genetic, it comes from the fact of America being one of a few colonial powers which took it’s independence, the British never got over that. “Down the British”, and of course “Up the Rebels”.

Now as far as , “I’ll take Mustoe or Hislop” you have got to be cracked. Hislop is simply aweful as a commentator and it doesn’t matter what the sport.

If I wanted comedy hour assign Hislop and Seamus Malin together for a broadcast and see if I keep the volume on.

By: eplnfl

eplnfl — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:19:48 +0000

Gaffer:

I said above I thought anyone should read the whole piece and not just attack it based on extracted pieces. That is intended to for the audience here, I know you read the piece as you always do you homework well.

I find Hislop refreshing, he’s very informative without talking down to the audience and doesn’t mumble through things like a certain ex-Newcastle star. Hislop has good future in the booth. Let’s hope ESPN’s future broadcasts will be live from the stadium.