I will never again complain about the SNY announcers

[HopJim]

And they never mentioned Carol being hurt….even though the camera was on her in the bench several times

In some non-SNY games, it has appeared that the announcing crew did the bare minimum research. Have to wonder if they even knew who Carol was. Frustrating as well when they try to make points based on lack of facts.

 

[CL82]

Lol, are we really complaining that multiple sports networks want to broadcast our woman’s basketball games? I think the vast majority of us on the board remember when just being able to watch our team on TV, men or women, was a treat.

The broadcast team last night wasn’t perfect, but they weren’t so bad as to be distracting. We could’ve done worse. Monica McNutt comes to mind as an example of that.

For what it’s worth, even our much beloved SNY team isn’t perfect. It amazes me the number of times during the game that Alan Bestwick has no idea what the call is. Someone needs to tell him to watch the refs. And it seems as frequent is not then he’ll call a travel a foul, stopping on the end line a foul, etc. He is just not a basketball guy. Meg is good about gently correcting him. On the other hand, while Meg clearly knows basketball, watching her use the telestrator is so bad that it is actually funny. That said, I am grateful to have them and enjoy their personalities.

 

[Bama fan]

I find that far too many women's game broadcasts suffer a similar fate. And that is seemingly unrelated to any particular network. We watched Arkansas play Old Miss yesterday after the UConn game. It was on an ESPN channel, and Tiffany Greene and Nikki Fargas were the two announcing. Neither was at the game, and they never stopped yakking about everything but the action on the floor. We would have been far better off to have had the feed from the floor announcer. I would be happy with that at any game, so I know who fouled, or what action caused a turnover, or anything game related. Instead, we get promotions for upcoming games, and stories that often tell nothing related to the current game. Yesterday, watching South Carolina play Bama, they spent time showing us Dawn Staley's shoes, her Eagles shirt, and talking about Pat Summitt while ignoring live floor action. I would say it is free, but nowadays cable and streaming services cost so much that it is far from free. Go Huskies!

 

[npignatjr]

Don’t know about that, but surely better than tonight.

For fun, tell Culmo before a game she can’t say the words “heads-up” or “smart play” and she would be silent the entire game. She’s sometimes like a woody doll from Toy Story. She can only say a few key sentences.

There’s a snake in my boot!

Also not allowed to cackle. And no, "pass up a good shot for a great shot or 2 fouls must come out or she can run or she can shoot". How many plays on SNY while the camera is on a coach or player.

 

[huskyd]

I don't think I have heard a worse job of announcing since I've been watching WCBB. It was less the play-by-play person than the alleged color commentator, whose windy stories (seemingly told only to prove she'd researched the teams) cut into time when we should have been hearing the play-by-play guy call the game.

It seemed to me that she must have been told to fill all the available air space with words. The resulting verbal diarreah was distracting at best and downright annoying at worst, which was most of the time. Most of what she said was irrelevant to the action on the court at the time. Very little of it had to do with the on-court strategy or other things that would allow the audience to relate to what they were seeing.

The play-by-play announcer was too meek, allowing his sidekick to dominate the air at times when he should have been describing the action.

These folks made Bestwick and Culmo look really, really good.

Is it too much to expect well-paid talking heads to speak grammatically? If I hear "could have went" one more time, I'll (fill in the blank). If we're going to try and communicate, shouldn't we all be speaking/writing the same language? What you say and write defines you and affects your credibility.
I mute all audio on UConn games; hate being told what I'm seeing. I could also do w/out the summarizing of games the instant I finish watching them. Critical thinking means collecting, assimilating, and THEN coming to conclusions. What's the rush to get your thoughts out?

 

[psconn]

I get that it is not a radio broadcast and that we can see most of what is happening but a play by play needs to enhanmce our "vision" by ensuring that we are aware of key facts, stats, strategies and situations. This is especially true in "local" broadcasts where we don't have as many camera angles and slo-mo opportunities. When Lou hit that siiick turnaround jumper from the left baseline neither announcer seemed to notice. That was a remarkable shot in a women's basketball game and was worthy of comment. The announcers were into the ...blah, blah, blah... chat-mode and you wanna scream (and I sometimes do) "are you even watching this game?!? Get your head out of your 'fun chat-notes' and pay attention!!"

I also don't need constant close-ups of coaches and player on the sidelines while the game is in progress. Unless some notable action is taking place there (an interesting interaction or reaction that adds to my understanding or enjoyment), keep the cameras on the game! I am a long-time bench watcher at live games, you can get some real insights BUT the live experience is way different. You can observe both at once.

Anyway, I agree that SNY does a pretty good job overall despite some flaws that were already mentioned.

 

[Nyskier]

I had to mute the sound yesterday because the commentators were making me crazy. I’ll take SNY any day.

 

[HuskyBaggins]

For the love of god, please, no more games on CBS. That was horrendous. I can't say I've ever heard two announcers more excited about a possible upset before it happens. They were willing it to happen in the second quarter.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Didn't they say she was a former Nova player or her sister was?

 

[Zanzman]

Didn't they say she was a former Nova player or her sister was?

Sister

 

[GoUconn7961]

Don’t know about that, but surely better than tonight.

For fun, tell Culmo before a game she can’t say the words “heads-up” or “smart play” and she would be silent the entire game. She’s sometimes like a woody doll from Toy Story. She can only say a few key sentences.

There’s a snake in my boot!

You mean like Doris Burke used comportment and how every single announcer (men and women) overuse the word physicality?

 

[tomcat]

I get a little grumpy about SNY because I don't think Bestwick is as good as his predecessor, Eric Frede. I thought he was pretty damn good.

 

[Inthepaint]

For the love of god, please, no more games on CBS. That was horrendous. I can't say I've ever heard two announcers more excited about a possible upset before it happens. They were willing it to happen in the second quarter.

Unfortunately they are doing Senior Night.
WHY!!??

 

[snowkot]

I grew up obsessed with play-by-play of sports, with Marv Albert for basketball and hockey (Dan Kelly on TV), Marty Glickman for football, and Rizzuto, Coleman, Red Barber and Mel Allen for baseball. I was the co-play-by-play voice of our basketball team on the college FM radio station, training incoming freshman and sophomores.

FOR ME (horses for courses), women's basketball broadcasts are sub-par, SNY particularly so. Unlike the men's games, where the the analyts are tactical, the women's side amplify what we are seeing. "That was a great cut." "What a block!"

Much prefer the late Billy Packer's dissection of offense and defense tactics. Al McGuire's (my personal favorite) idiosyncratic analysis laced with humor and deprecation. "Get it to the senior" in the last minutes, "Stop the ball" - things I took into my own coaching dalliances. They'd question coaching decisions, discuss upcoming critical choices. Jim Nance (who I don't fancy as a football announcer) conveyed a seriousness about each play. Things like playing "2 for 1" against the shot clock at the end of a quarter.

The women's game has all the same nuance and strategy as the men's. For me, it's disappointing the network talent doesn't treat it as such.

 

[TexRon]

I don't think I have heard a worse job of announcing since I've been watching WCBB. It was less the play-by-play person than the alleged color commentator, whose windy stories (seemingly told only to prove she'd researched the teams) cut into time when we should have been hearing the play-by-play guy call the game.

It seemed to me that she must have been told to fill all the available air space with words. The resulting verbal diarreah was distracting at best and downright annoying at worst, which was most of the time. Most of what she said was irrelevant to the action on the court at the time. Very little of it had to do with the on-court strategy or other things that would allow the audience to relate to what they were seeing.

The play-by-play announcer was too meek, allowing his sidekick to dominate the air at times when he should have been describing the action.

These folks made Bestwick and Culmo look really, really good.

Who did the game on CBSSN?.....Only game of the year that I missed on TV, because my provider doesn't have CBSSN....Just an old guy in Texas (sitting right between Baylor and UT) who has followed the Huskies since '95...I love your coverage and the comments on here from REAL WBB fans....!!...Also appreciate the Boneyard 'rules'....Keep up the good work.....Texron

 

[Biff]

I grew up obsessed with play-by-play of sports, with Marv Albert for basketball and hockey (Dan Kelly on TV), Marty Glickman for football, and Rizzuto, Coleman, Red Barber and Mel Allen for baseball. I was the co-play-by-play voice of our basketball team on the college FM radio station, training incoming freshman and sophomores.

Marty used to do the UConn men's basketball play by play on the radio (70s/80s?) That's pretty much all you could get for coverage back then in the field house days. I used to love his call. As an aside I had no idea of his sports history back then. Quite a story.

 

[Drift]

I appreciate broadcasts which don’t insist on telling us what we just saw or inform us minute by minute about how many points so-and-so has. Worst is the time-wasting absurdity of supposedly meaningful stats wherein, for example, player X is shooting 48% from three this year but “only” 2-6 in the game right now.

And as to cliches — someone should write a book. They probably have.

 

[snowkot]

Marty used to do the UConn men's basketball play by play on the radio (70s/80s?) That's pretty much all you could get for coverage back then in the field house days. I used to love his call. As an aside I had no idea of his sports history back then. Quite a story.

Absolutely! Without elaborating so as not to sidetrack the topic - folks should G00gl3 him. Quite a story indeed!

His football broadcasts with Al DeRogatis were sensational and revelatory.

 

[luminosity]

To me, a lot of the complaints are first world problem level of complaints that is pretty representative of how spoiled the fanbase is.

I guarantee that fans of Stanford, South Carolina, and other great teams would KILL to have the game availability and dedicated local coverage that UCONN has, games that won't be preempted by a men's game like what the Big Ten teams have to deal with. Bestwick and Culmo aren't perfect but they are good.

 

[Bama fan]

Anyone who listened to Carolyn Peck call the game between LSU and Tennessee last night should appreciate the SNY team. She usually has a player she picks to highlight and points them out during her broadcasts. And last night's player du jour was Ms Angel Reese from LSU. Peck referred to her as "Bayou Barbie" in a most repetitive and annoying manner. I find Ms Peck very hard to take. Give me the SNY team anyday!

 

[MSGRET]

For the love of god, please, no more games on CBS. That was horrendous. I can't say I've ever heard two announcers more excited about a possible upset before it happens. They were willing it to happen in the second quarter.

The last televised SNY game is on 2/21 against St. John's at the XL Center. They have five games left, @Providence, Marquette 2/8, @Georgetown 2/11, Creighton 2/15 at Gampel, and the St. John's game. Fox has 3 games South Carolina 2/5 at the XL, @Nova 2/18, and @DePaul 2/25. CBS Sports has the Senior Night game at Gampel on 2/27. By the way the pecking order of who gets to choose the games that they want to televise is FOX, CBS Sports, then SNY when it comes to home games and non ESPN televised road games.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

I do not know if I am the only one to notice this, but lately, Meghan laughs at things that are not remotely funny and her laugh is like nails down the chalkboard. Just saying. Har har har.... Oh my.

 

[fomalhaut]

I seem to be able to mostly tune out Carolyn Peck. There are really only a few excellent analysts (Rebecca Lobo, Kara Lawson before she switched to coaching, Doris Burke before she was promoted to the NBA); I just let the others roll off my back. It should be noted that Peck was the only one of the three pregame commentators who correctly picked Connecticut to beat Tennessee (choosing with her brain instead of her gut?). One analyst I miss from watching hockey in the glory days (late 1980's) is Bill Clement.

 

[Jaml]

Meghan Culmo: "Nika got away with one there!" (repeat throughout the game)

 

[psconn]

Nika's been bodying up opposing players all over the floor. Great D as long as the wwhistles don't blow. She HAS gotten away with a couple and I'm good with it.