Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve W
Shawn I am surprised that you don't understand what announcers try to do. We call the match as we see it and try positive input on all teams. I for one would never call out a team unless it was my own, which I have done, and even then I got spoken to. Positive reinforcement is what FIRST wants and what most teams want and like. As announcers we enjoy the job but it is very taxing. Making sure that you don't give away strategies, tell teams how to play, speak about every team as evenly as possible and make the game exciting. We try to do this all in 2:15 and then we start all over with new teams.
Yes there are announcers that are annoying. Sometimes we get in a place that we don't want to repeat things but we do. We try but we are human.
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Steve, I do understand what they're trying to do. But what they're trying to do isn't effective, at least not with me.
Play-by-play announcing has evolved for generations in professional sports, it is effective, entertaining, and adds to the game. It involves pointing out both the good AND the bad.
When Jason Kidd dribbles off the side of his foot and out-of-bounds, an announcer shouldn't turn a blind eye because he's afraid of hurting the Mavs feelings. It was a bad mistake. Point it out, let us know, explain it, it's not personal.
When they throw a 3-2 zone out there, explain it, why is it good, why is it bad, how do you do it, how do you beat it, don't hide it for fear of "giving up a team's strategy."
I know exactly what the announcers are doing by not mentioning this stuff. I just feel that we would add far more to the value of the game if they did mention it.
The few "exceptions" in FIRST of excellent announcing that I've seen, they've mirrored pro-sports in this way. The comments are snuck in there once in a while, but they are meaningful.
But there's no reason why announcing like that should be exceptions, and not the rule.
I was at Kettering with Dan, and yes an announcer pointing out the folly of knocking down your own ball late in the match would've helped everyone.
On FTC, teams desperately trying to score 10 points worth of rings were passing up opportunities for 14 point goals which were far easier to get.
These are all bad moves, but is there really some unwritten taboo that announcers can't mention them?