Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucdavis.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!ucdavis!cccallan From: cccallan@ucdavis.UUCP (Allan McKillop) Newsgroups: net.sport Subject: Re: tennis commentators Message-ID: <270@ucdavis.UUCP> Date: Sat, 9-Nov-85 19:53:58 EST Article-I.D.: ucdavis.270 Posted: Sat Nov 9 19:53:58 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 10-Nov-85 10:21:27 EST References: <233@ucdavis.UUCP> <580@ihlpm.UUCP> Distribution: net Organization: University of California, Davis Lines: 75 > Blah, blah, blah...: I do have a great number of other good > topics I'd love to dicuss: extravagant costs of junior tennis, > disgust with Bud Collins, etc, but work+school... > hmm, i personally try not to let such insignificant things as school and work get in the way of usenet...:-) anyway, i think this brings up an interesting point: among tennis commentators, who do you like and dislike? i'll start with my good/bad list. Favorites: Dick Enberg - when he doesn't try to get too cute with collins, he does a superb job. i love him at wimbledon, and the french. Cliff Drysdale - very intelligent. knows his stuff, and he has the ability to get the info to the audience. Virginia Wade - yeah, i know i am going to take a lot of flack on this one, but i happen to like her. she still plays enough to be humble when talking about martina or chris when they miss a shot. she is even better on the BBC during wimbledon when she isn't forced to constantly chatter to fill dead air. Dan Maskell - not really widely watched here in the states unless you watch wimbledon on HBO or remember the old Brannif World of Doubles telecasts that used to be in syndication. i wish more of the american commentators could be like him. just wishful thinking, i guess... Most Hated: (where, oh where do i start?!?!) Tony Trabert - constantly talks down to the players ("you know, newk, i don't know WHY they try that shot.") except when jimmy or john are in the booth, then it's nothing but mindless compliments. he is just too wrapped up in himself, and his past history in the game. John Newcombe - did i say trabert is wrapped up in his own self importance? sorry, newk takes the cake here! we are always being forced to listen to "well, when the aussies were #1 we did/didn't do this or that". I just want to scream "newk, you never had a backhand, so shut up!" Joanne Russell - send her to broadcasting school. Pat Sumerall - he should stick to football. i don't care if the man used to be a ranked junior in florida, he doesn't know how to commentate a tennis match. Stan Smith - send him out to get a personality. Authur Ashe - far too wishy-washy to be a good commentator. when was the last time you remembered something he said for more than the next two points? Howard Cosell - i will be glad the day ABC pulls out of tennis coverage all together. howard is soooo bad, i won't go into it here. it would be like shooting a caged animal, far too easy. The rest: well, you might have noticed the lack of the name of Bud Collins. you see, i don't think he is among the best, but (um, well, er...) i kinda like him. he knows his stuff (he is the first person i ever heard tout sabatini as the next wunderkind of tennis). you just have to suffer through "the angelic assassin", "Mac the Knife", "the Ice Maiden" and who could ever forget "Count Dracula" (Ian Tiriac)? i guess i just think that his good points (his tennis knowledge) outweighs his bad ones (his tv personality). so, lets hear other peoples opinions! mike, you can take a few minutes off to tell me why you hate bud, can't you? and the rest of you, speak up! lets get some discussions going! -- Allan McKillop (...ucbvax!ucdavis!deneb!cccallan) "Where there's a will, there's a relative..."