WCWS Announcer Wrap up

[mo99]

We all as umpires watched,and unfortunately listened to the WCWS games on ESPN cringed at the announcers obvious lack of rules knowledge.To the casual observer,ie players,fans,etc.,their biased announcing against umpires was bad for all of us as umpires.Michelle Smith,Jennie Finch,and Stacy Neuvman are players at the top of their sport of softball.They were top notch,All American Collegiate players and now members of our USA Olympic Team.They played this game all the way up the ranks from childhood,but quite obviously,didnt bother to learn the rules of their sport.You would think they would at least have a clue,but their mindless babbeling,showed how liitle they know,or care about the rules.It is not hard to see why we have difficulty at times with coaches,players,parents,etc.when at the top they havent even got a clue as to the rules of the game.They should be ashamed of themselves!While I respect their skills on the field,they should definitely not be put in position as ambassadors of Womens Softball.

Jeff
NCAA Umpire
NFHS Umpire
ASA Umpire

[kellerumps]

I(We) agree with your sentiments as umpires who also personally knows and works regularly with 3 of the 6 WCWS Umpires. I thought they(the umpires) did one hell of a job working this tournament.

However, tonight as I played a round of golf with my dad I saw the light regarding the Other side. My dad(average older man who just enjoys all types of sporting events), who only knows softball based on the conversations we have, thought that ESPN's presentation was entertaining and enlightening. He watched several games, not as an umpire but as a spectator and he was entertained. Did he find some of the comments asinine? You bet......But no more so than any other sports broadcast(He refused to listen to Dick Vitale).

In the end, he was entertained AND despite the announcers 1-sidedness against umpires, gained new respect for what my wife and I(along with thousands of others) do for a hobby.

If dad is part of the demographic ESPN was trying to reach, then they succeeded. I personally hit mute and just watched the game while listening to a music cd. My dad, on the other hand became a fan.

Womens softball on T.V. is in it's infancy and will endure alot of growing pains. However, if they can reach more open-minded sports viewers like my dad, then the future is very very bright.

[LT]

While most of us aren't pleased with the quality of the broadcasters...we must be very happy that NCAA & ESPN teamed up to broadcast this many games.

I hope they continue the coverage next year.

Hopefully they have heard some of concerns expressed on this website as well as the other fastpitch websites...through e-mail messages or even telephone calls from viewers.

They can grow from this experience and create a product that all can be pleased with.

ESPN took the "names" of fastpitch softball and attempted to make them play-by-play and color announcers thinking it may increase the size of the viewing audience. Maybe they can get some additional training during the next year, but to be honest the games would have been much better with professional broadcasters.

You know, we saw the same broadcaster problems during the regular college season. Watching Pac-10 games on the Fox Sports Network had the same problems of broadcasting people that didn't know the rules, nor the game.

Anyway, we did watch some great games.

[BktBallRef]

I don't know how many of you officiate other sports but this is something that basketball and football officials CONSTANTLY face. As these two sports are more widely broadcast than softball, I can tell you that the WCWS TV analysts are no worse than there male counterparts.

Of course, the most detrimental thing is that fans listen to these talking heads butcher the rules. Then they show up at games and want the misapplied pro and collegiate rules applied to the high school game. It doesn't work.

Bring on the CWS and hit the mute button!

[IRISHMAFIA]

Kellerumps. I can appreciate that there is a new fan in your father, but to be perfectly honest with you, I do not believe he is part of the demographic group they are seeking. They most likely are seeking the young players and coaches who are the future of softball. I think that is why so many of use get upset with the inane and inaccurate statements made by the on-air personalities.

It is hard enough to get them away from comparing what they saw happen in last night's MLB game without them buying into what some icons of women's softball states on TV. Some of the idiots on Usenet newsgroups are slamming Mike Mazur for just outright costing Cal the national title. Forget the softball rule, they know baseball and it must be true for all games. Even a baseball umpire or two are defending softball's rules.

People who are considered "experts" should pass on correct information. If these experts had any respect for the game, they would ask to have someone knowledgeable of the rules to assist them. Over the years, it is apparent this isn't going to happen.

[IRISHMAFIA]

LT,

Problem is we may be complaining to the wrong people. The NCAA doesn't have a contract with ESPN. Their contract is with CBS Sports.

The NCAA championships which CBS chooses not to cover is subcontracted to ESPN. Granted, ESPN usually does an outstanding job with these championship tournaments regardless of audience as they demonstrated with the Lacrosse Championships.

I'm curious as to why these announcers did such a great job, yet in softball, they put a group of popular softball names no the air, but with zero backing of anyone with substance. Are they more intelligent of their game or do they just care more about it's integrity?

As we all know, the only things on TV are programs which draws sponsorship regardless of popularity. Money talks on TV and that is the bottom line. ESPN has an obligation to televise the entire package if they want any of it and that is fine. However, I doubt that I am the only one who noticed the repetition of quite a few of the commercials during the softball tournament. To me, that indicates marketing sponsorship is lean and may be a problem in the future. I hope not, because I enjoy watching the games in spite of the announcers. Of course, I can't turn down the volume or I wouldn't have anything to ***** about

Here's hoping they can continue coverage in the future and somewhere along the way, someone figures out that they need some brains in the booth, not just pretty faces.

Of course, JMHO,

[kono]

Now you guys know how all of us LL umpires feel when we hear Harold Reynolds spouting off at the LLWS

[kellerumps]

I know my dad is probably not in the demographic they want....

My point was, here was a sports fan, who knew nothing about the game of softball, and from his point of view he was entertained. He will now continue to watch games(When they are on T.V.), is now interested in the Olympic Softball team, and wants to travel with either my wife or I next year to watch a game live.

If that can happen with him, then I'm sure it happened with alot of other Fans in the demographic.

Like I said, I hit mute and turned on the music.

[Dakota]

ESPN's objective is to make money (duh!), not educate the viewing public.

Remember the Monday Night Football crew in the Howard Cosell era? The commentary became so annoying to so many that CBS radio started advertizing themselves as the better soundtrack for MNF. But, ratings soared.

I suppose we could view it with some hope that softball is seen as a sport worth putting "entertainers" in the booth instead of "experts" - Lacrosse probably had the experts because of a judgment that in order to capture the audience, they needed to explain the game.

Those of us in the umpiring avocation look at the game differently than does the ordinary fan. Even though we are also fans, we are much better educated in the rules.

While it feels "wrong" to have so many people blaming the umpire's correct call for Cal's loss, controversy sells.

Look at it this way... the booth crew was nothing more than a very loud fan in the stands.

[wadeintothem]

I think overall - I enjoyed it. While I found the various OBS explainations painful, I doubt there is a very short list of sports personalities who would please an ump/official/ref in any league or sport. I was glad to be able to watch so many softball games at that level. I think it is good for the girls to be exposed to the college softball game as well, I know my daughter enjoyed it.

[LMan]

While I agree with the opinions on the broadcasters, I must say I was mightily impressed with the skill and competitiveness demonstrated by the teams in the WCWS. I got hooked and watched every single game they televised. My wife thought I was nuts LOL

It is a particular shame that the commentators failed to explain the calls adequately, since in this sport unlike some others, calls are not announced to the audience. If the commentators get it wrong, then the spectator is left to his/her own devices to figure out what happened. I thought the umpries did a fine job overall.

The commentary was like having 3-4 "color" guys in the booth without a competent "play-by-play" man....sorta like having 4 Don Merediths and no Al Michaels.....hopefully, as everyone here says, next year they will leaven the booth with some real experience along with the 'fluff'

Overall, I'm sold! So where do I go to be a softball umpire?

[IRISHMAFIA]

I don't think anyone could complain about the players. I even noticed that the F3s I have routinely noted were not taught to play the position correctly, overall displayed much better mechanics this year than in the past.

If anything, I believe this tournament demonstrates why it should once again considered to move the plate from 40' to 43' at most levels of FP softball. I wouldn't be overly opposed to moving the bases to 65', either.

[whiskers_ump]

Best part it all is, it is over....Now we can watch them
play ball, cause they can certainly do that...as long as
no one interviews they for their opinions on the rules.