EPL Talk » Phil Schoen

Famous Soccer Celebrities On Plaxo

The Gaffer — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:00:12 +0000

Previously on EPL Talk, we identified some of the top footballers on MySpace and Facebook. Now it’s the turn of Plaxo, the online address book used by more than 40 million people worldwide.

Steve Sampson. It’s pretty sad when someone spends practically his entire career in sport and what he’s remembered most for is his role as manager of the 1998 U.S. World Cup side which lost every game in the first round of the tournament. Still, at least you can request to be a contact of his on Plaxo.
Thomas Dooley. German-born Dooley played 81 times for the U.S. national team, and was a key player in the U.S.’s successful 1994 World Cup tournament. Dooley went on to play for Columbus Crew and the Metrostars in Major League Soccer.
Marcelo Balboa. Known by many as the other half of the comedic duo Balboa and O’Brien (Dave), for their so-bad-it-was-hilarious commentating during the 2006 World Cup, Balboa was a former captain for the U.S. national team as well as a central figure at the Colorado Rapids from 1996-2001.
Jeff Agoos. The former DC United defender was just inducted into the Soccer Hall Of Fame. Born in Switzerland, Agoos (nicknamed Goose) won five MLS championships (three with DC United, and two with San Jose).
Juergen Sommer. When pundits talk about American goalkeepers having played in Europe, Sommer is often overlooked despite the fact that he played more years in England than he did in the United States. In England, he played for Luton Town and Queens Park Rangers, before playing in the United States for MLS teams Columbus Crew and New England Revolution.
Derek Rae. Everyone’s favorite ESPN commentator has elevated the quality of the Champions League in the United States with superb commentating and a unmistakeable voice.
Fernando Clavijo. The former Colorado Rapids and Haiti national team manager played 61 times for the United States and was a veteran of the indoor soccer game in the country having played for the San Diego Sockers, among other teams.
Janusz Michallik. Michallik is now best known as one of the co-hosts of ESPN’s PressPass show, but the Polish defender made 44 appearances for the United States national team as well as playing in Major League Soccer for the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution.
Phil Schoen. The voice of American soccer is Phil Schoen, GolTV’s quality lead commentator who knows the ins and outs of most major (and minor) soccer leagues in the world.
Adrian Healey. Last but not least, the commentator is a regular part of ESPN’s soccer coverage whether it’s Euro 2008, Champions League, World Cup or, on NBC, the Summer Olympic Games.

Interview With Ray Hudson: Questions Please

The Gaffer — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:00:36 +0000

If you’ve ever had a question you were dying to ask Ray Hudson, here’s your chance. Post your question in the comments section below, and I’ll pick out the best ones to ask Ray this Saturday when Kartik Krishnaiyer and I embark on our behind-the-scenes visit to the GolTV studios in Miami.

Kartik and I will be spending the day in the studio with Ray Hudson, Phil Schoen, Lindsey Dean and Pablo Alsina — and the GolTV crew — as we chronicle what a typical Saturday is like behind-the-scenes in the studio. In addition to Ray Hudson, feel free to post your questions in the comments below for Phil Schoen, Lindsey Dean and Pablo Alsina, too, as well as any production questions for the people behind the scenes at GolTV.

Here are the games that Kartik and I will be watching from the studio, and watching the commentators call:

Hamburg vs Borussia Dortmund, 11:30am; commentator: Phil Schoen
Real Madrid vs Malaga, 2pm; commentators: Phil Schoen and Ray Hudson
Barcelona vs Vallodolid, 4pm; commentators: Pablo Alsina and Lindsey Dean

As well as videotaping what it’s like to see Ray and Phil commentating on games from the studio, Kartik and I will be interviewing each of the commentators and publishing the interviews later via the Major League Soccer Talk Podcast and EPL Talk Podcast. During Saturday, I’ll be twittering what’s happening behind the scenes, so feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Ray Hudson played with Newcastle United in the 1970s before moving to the United States where he played in the NASL for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Hudson later became the head coach for the Miami Fusion and DC United, and is now a successful commentator for GolTV, a 24/7 soccer network in the United States.

How Should Fox Soccer Channel Commentate International Matches?

The Gaffer — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:57:53 +0000

What would you do if you were in charge of Fox Soccer Channel’s TV coverage? The dilemma is that you’re trying to establish your own brand and to build an audience with your own personnel, but soccer fans — as you’ll probably agree — are difficult people to please. We always want perfection.

A perfect example is this past Saturday’s England against Kazakhstan World Cup Qualifier that was shown live on Fox Soccer Channel. Hosts Nick Webster and Warren Barton did a fine job in the beginning of the show with expert analysis and discussion. But when the game started, soccer fans were startled to hear that Webster and Barton continued their discussion into the game and didn’t hand over the commentary, as is customary, to the international feed — which would have been Clive Tyldesley and Gary Stevens.

While Webster is a decent analyst, he is no soccer commentator. So instead of commentating the game, it feeled like Webster and Barton were simply talking over the game and providing their analysis. Webster’s style improved later when he began commentating on the game itself, but I always had the feeling that I was missing out on something — that one of the commentators from the international feed would have been able to impart some wisdom that Webster would have missed.

The dilemma for Fox is that GolTV does the same thing but with better results. Few people seem to complain when Ray Hudson and Phil Schoen commentate on the World Cup qualifiers that GolTV broadcast. It’s quite rare that GolTV will broadcast the commentators from the international feed.

So what would you do if you were Fox and you wanted to feature your commentators? Would you have someone like Max Bretos or Christian Miles do the main commentary instead, and have Webster and Barton provide the studio analysis only? Or would you suggest something different? Let us know by clicking the comments link below and sharing your thoughts.

Jack Bell Is A Wanker, Part II

The Gaffer — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:20:33 +0000

It’s pretty sad when two soccer columnists who represent what is supposedly one of the nation’s top newspapers are so incompetent and out-of-touch with reality.
Last November, I called New York Times soccer columnist Jack Bell a wanker for writing an idiotic article criticizing Fox Soccer Channel for broadcasting the Premier League, the world’s most popular sports league. Now Bell is criticizing ESPN for its Euro 2008 coverage.

Bell this time aims his criticism at ESPN’s decision to feature Euro 2008 commentators with British and Irish accents instead of those that are American. Jack Bell backs up his claims by including quotes from sometimes New York Times columnist Greg Lalas, better known as the brother of another doofus, Alexi Lalas.

Here are their inane comments:

“ESPN’s decision to import the Scotsman Andy Gray as an analyst has added a whiff of authority and some good insight. But would that insight be absent, for example, if Americans like Shep Messing or John Harkes were at the microphones instead?” – Jack, the answer is a definite yes. I loved John Harkes as a player, but he’s one of the most boring football commentators I’ve ever had the displeasure of hearing. Shep Messing is okay, but Andy Gray is better than Messing by a country mile. Gray’s ability to provide listeners insight into tactics and formations is fantastic as well as his ability to be direct with his criticism, which is so refreshing to hear.
“There’s nothing offensive about Derek Rae, the Scottish play-by-play guy. But is he any better than J.P. Dellacamera, the voice of M.L.S. and the U.S. national team on ESPN?” — Again Jack, the answer is yes. How incompetent can Bell be not to realize the world-class commentary that Rae provides and to suggest that Dellacamera could do better? I’m a big fan of JP, but Dellacamera has only recently returned to the game after being out for quite some time commentating hockey matches. Dellacamera, alongside Seamus Malin and Phil Schoen, are three of the best U.S. soccer commentators the country has to offer, but all of them pale in comparison compared to Derek Rae and Andy Gray. In a recent interview I conducted with Dellacamera, he himself admitted that he wasn’t on top of the latest European news since being out of the game for so long.
“ESPN has made it clear to its roster of mostly competent American soccer dudes that they need not apply for any job outside broadcasting Major League Soccer games” — That’s a ridiculous and childish statement to make. Rather than to go home and cry to mommy, Bell should realize that American commentators need to improve their work so they can compete against people such as Adrian Healey, Tommy Smyth, Rae and Gray. Would Bell and Lalas be more satisfied if we brought back Marcelo Balboa and Dave O’Brien? Both of them were an abomination in World Cup 2006. And do they realize how many American viewers ESPN and ABC lost because they switched to the Spanish language network Univision for better commentary?

Obviously ESPN knows what they’re doing. ESPN’s Euro 2008, with a few exceptions, has been spectacular and the ratings have been higher than ever. Instead of being so negative in a national soccer column, Lalas and Bell should be embracing the game not ridiculing it.