2008 Championships Webcast

[Steve W]

The difference is that they are sports announcers and that they don't announce to the audience or the teams at the event. Can you see these announcers saying that player XX made a huge mistake and should smarten up or that the home team is playing like doggie-do-do. This just wouldn't fly. If the announcing was just over the web or TV I might tend to agree with you but to say negative things at the event would just cause harm.

I am sorry if I come on strong on this issue but I know that there are tons of instances where teams have talked to me and told me how I have encouraged them. I have also been spoken to at this years events being told that I was influencing the Refs when all I did was announce that a flag was raised. Teams are not as forgiving as you believe.

[Andy Grady]

Originally Posted by Steve W

The difference is that they are sports announcers and that they don't announce to the audience or the teams at the event. Can you see these announcers saying that player XX made a huge mistake and should smarten up or that the home team is playing like doggie-do-do. This just wouldn't fly. If the announcing was just over the web or TV I might tend to agree with you but to say negative things at the event would just cause harm.

I am sorry if I come on strong on this issue but I know that there are tons of instances where teams have talked to me and told me how I have encouraged them. I have also been spoken to at this years events being told that I was influencing the Refs when all I did was announce that a flag was raised. Teams are not as forgiving as you believe.

I think there is a happy medium for calling plays and strategies in matches. I think with the proper creativity, you can point out any play that is going on. You can point out a play that might be somewhat "out of the normal" by using humor or "surprise" to nail down the point, as opposed to outright saying "what they heck are they thinking!!!".

For example, there were a few instances where I witnessed a team hurdling a trackball over the wrong overpass, and I essentially said "There goes team XXX, hurdling the red trackball over...the....blue....overpass. Not sure if that action will benefit them, but hey, whatever works!"

I think this points out the play at hand, while making light of the situation.

Remember this though...FIRST is not the NBA. While a competition such as this appears to play in the same flow and excitement of the sport, the ideals through which we play are much different. This is an important point for someone who is game announcing. It is our job to relay the ideals of Gracious Professionalism with every call. Being constructive and positive is at the very root of that ideal.

I hope you all had a great weekend at championships, or watching from home wherever you may have been. In particular, thank you to all of you who came over to Galileo this weekend to check out the action...and truly brought an amazing energy with you.

See you in the offseasons!