More CWCS talking head drivel.....
 

Did anybody else catch this one last night.....

The DP was coming to bat for one of the teams. When her name and position was shown on the screen, this was the comment (italics are mine):

"The Designated Player is similar to the Designated hitter (somewhat true) in basketball,(wrong sport) but the substitution rules in softball are different(what does this have to do with anything?)"

I can forgive the basketball slip, when she meant to say baseball, especially if Mowins would stop talking for a second or two and give up the endless history repetitions. What I hate is not explaining a rule in its entirety as it exists and w/o useless analogies. E.g., a player can re-enter when subbed for, period, not just when the sub is a pinch runner.

Someone, either ESPN or NCAA is trying to attract baseball fans by
- including a recognized baseball figure in the broadcast
- having him constantly reference baseball similarities and players
- explaining the game as if no one ever played before, especially freshmen

It's about time we treated the sport like every other sport and explain things that apply in their own context. No other sport mentions re-entry each time a sub comes in. It's also about time they call it SOFTBALL, not "the womens' game". How about the College Softball Championship instead of WCWS. The sport is SOFTBALL and the WS is a misnomer in both SOFTBALL and baseball.

Yes, I noticed it and made mention of it on another board.

The TH just open their mouth and whatever comes out is what you hear. They do not stop and think.

I'm going to get heat on this one, but they are much like all the women in my life. They have this belief that there must always be sound and silence is the workshop of the devil. Doesn't make any difference what is being said, as long as someone is talking.

They should do themselves a favor and occasionally let the pictures do the talking. The audience doesn't need to be told 10 times a broadcast that the picture they see returning from a break is the Bricktown section of downtown OKC especially when there is a large neon sign "Bricktown" on the screen.

I don't care who ya are....that there is funny!!!

Well I can't disagree with really any of the posts BUT I do have to say I am just glad as he!! that we have softball plastered all over ESPN, I am glad that I personally have the chance to DVR the games and watch them and replay things to "pick" at the umpires:D . And the chances to roll my eyes and scream at the TV when the talking heads say something not quite right. Even with the trying to baseball up Softball I think it is worth it to get the games on TV. I can put up with it, especially if it gets more recognition to the sport I have grown to love!

True. :cool:

Guys, you all just don’t get it. It’s great that we all want to promote the sport of Softball, and it is frustrating when the talking heads don’t know the rules like we umpires do, but here’s what your missing. ESPN isn’t broadcasting this to promote Softball! They are looking for market share. That’s how they make their money. They have a baseball guy there to compare it to baseball because the vast majority of the audience they want to capture know and are more familiar with baseball then softball. In other words, most of the audience know less about the rules of softball than the parents and coaches we always complain about.
They, (ESPN), put one baseball guy and 2 softball “experts” in the booth who in their (ESPN’s) mind should know the rules. (Joe Morgan ring a bell).
This is about ratings and market, do you think they are interviewing Jenny Finch in the stands because her kid is cute? Just be happy we are seeing so many good games. It will all help softball and maybe we can get the game back in the Olympics after 2008!

They're playing in Bricktown?

[/quote]
Let me see...how should I put this....bull! Yes, they are attempting to catch their market share and make money and they will. However, ESPN is broadcasting this because it is part of the NCAA package which they share with CBS.

Softball has been doing okay without the help of baseball. And softball does not want to be associated with baseball since that was one of the primary issues with being removed from the Olympics.

BTW, Joe Morgan was a helluva ballplayer. Other than that, he isn't any higher on my list than Tim McCarver who is just as bad as any of the TH on a softball game.

They interview Jenny Finch because she is presently the poster child for USA/ASA Softball and the Olympic team. Of course, it didn't help that there was some big grumpy-looking guy from Michigan in the picture sitting behind her. They also interviewed Osterman, Kretchmen, Candrea and any other indentifiable member of the Olympic team.

I think they have production issues and need to fill time. If they would keep to the game during the play, there would be plenty stuff to talk about between the action. Maybe I'm just missing it, but I don't remember seeing a promo for the participating schools which is required to be run during each broadcast.

That's a good point. I watched quite a few games this weekend and don't remember one school promo.

Which is interesting since that is a requirement of NCAA broadcast contracts.

Have they been showing promos during the regular season? Maybe ESPN talked them into foregoing the promos because of the increased viewership of the WCWS. You know to increase the popularity of the sport. :rolleyes:

Man, some of you are real whiners about this whole deal. Who gives a rats *** if they goof up a rule? Coaches are not going to goof them up more or less now than before.

Hell I'd be happy if umpires on the fields would study and get the rules right.. talking heads on TV? Not an issue. At least its on TV.

Watch the games and shawdup.

Some of you are worse than 12U B Travel Ball mothers at their annual sewing circle meeting.

I care for the same reason I believe IPs should be called at this level. When I saw Team USA, there were coaches and parents having their children study the likes of Monica Abbott. Great pitcher, but illegal as hell. Heard one coach tell his team, "see the way she steps up and gets her entire foot in the dirt for traction to push off".

Unfortunately, in our game, the coaches are almost as impressionable as the players. On multiple occasions, I have had coaches cite what they had seen or heard on TV as the rule. I have a hard enough time just to keep from laughing in front of them.

Of course, as officials, we wouldn't want to worry about the integrity of the game or the manner in which it is being promoted and presented to the public and future fan base. You see, not all of us are in it for the money or acknowledgement.

Practice what you preach. If you don't care for the content (and the subject line of this thread couldn't be any clearer), don't open and read the thread.

Here's the difference. Most of us know what we are talking about and we obviously worry more about it being done right, on and off the field.

I think you are just pissed because this crew is wearing the classic powder over navy and using common, yet very distinctive signals :p

Quote:
Originally Posted by bigsig
Guys, you all just don’t get it. It’s great that we all want to promote the sport of Softball, and it is frustrating when the talking heads don’t know the rules like we umpires do, but here’s what your missing. ESPN isn’t broadcasting this to promote Softball! They are looking for market share. That’s how they make their money. They have a baseball guy there to compare it to baseball because the vast majority of the audience they want to capture know and are more familiar with baseball then softball. In other words, most of the audience know less about the rules of softball than the parents and coaches we always complain about. They, (ESPN), put one baseball guy and 2 softball “experts” in the booth who in their (ESPN’s) mind should know the rules. (Joe Morgan ring a bell). This is about ratings and market, do you think they are interviewing Jenny Finch in the stands because her kid is cute? Just be happy we are seeing so many good games. It will all help softball and maybe we can get the game back in the Olympics after 2008!

[/quote]
Let me see...how should I put this....bull! Yes, they are attempting to catch their market share and make money and they will. However, ESPN is broadcasting this because it is part of the NCAA package which they share with CBS.

Softball has been doing okay without the help of baseball. And softball does not want to be associated with baseball since that was one of the primary issues with being removed from the Olympics.

BTW, Joe Morgan was a helluva ballplayer. Other than that, he isn't any higher on my list than Tim McCarver who is just as bad as any of the TH on a softball game.
Quote:
This is about ratings and market, do you think they are interviewing Jenny Finch in the stands because her kid is cute? Just be happy we are seeing so many good games. It will all help softball and maybe we can get the game back in the Olympics after 2008!

They interview Jenny Finch because she is presently the poster child for USA/ASA Softball and the Olympic team. Of course, it didn't help that there was some big grumpy-looking guy from Michigan in the picture sitting behind her. They also interviewed Osterman, Kretchmen, Candrea and any other indentifiable member of the Olympic team.

I think they have production issues and need to fill time. If they would keep to the game during the play, there would be plenty stuff to talk about between the action. Maybe I'm just missing it, but I don't remember seeing a promo for the participating schools which is required to be run during each broadcast.

Irish. Interesting approach. First you say it’s bull, then you agree with most of my points and clearly don’t understand the others. Let’s see: You agree that ESPN is doing this for market share (that’s how they set their rates for advertisers) and you point out that it’s under contract with NCAA & CBS. What’s your point? Does that make it not for $?
You missed the whole point as to why they have one baseball commentator, their demographic (18-40 year old males) has a greater familiarity with baseball than softball. Instead you go on an irrelevant diatribe about softball not needing baseball, and baseball is somehow responsible for softball being eliminated from the Olympics.

You totally missed the point about color commentators not always knowing the rules and instead thought my comments were degrading Joe Morgan’s baseball skills? But you do correctly point out that I could have used Tim McCarver as well.

You agree that Jenny Finch is the poster child for softball but some guy sitting in the stands bothered you.

Then you complain that there were no school promos? Other than 8 Director of Admissions who cares?

Irish, I have great respect for your knowledge and experience as an umpire. Maybe you should stick to your area of expertise.

Gosh, your post is a lot of work to decipher the quotes from your response. You might want to edit your vB code. Just sayin'...

Web sites where you might find other people who might be interested in your point of view on talking heads in sports ... ;)

Shutupptimmccarver

I Hate Tim McCarver Home Page

FIRE JOE MORGAN

Thanks, I didn't know that. I'll try it>

It's pretty much painfully (very painfully) obvious to me that the IP call is not looked upon in a friendly manner... at any level. The token IP call per game.. and thats about it. "Call it early" is code for "Call it with no runners on".. and then leave it be is about how it is wanted to be called IMO.



HA!

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention how horribly robotic and uncomfortable the umpire looked in the last game?

He literally could have been replaced by a umpire McRobot painted an ugly light blue over navy.

:D

No way, those little ball guys who exist with their panties in a twist over Tim McCarver can be pretty brutal. They may just hunt me down.

I did not agree ESPN is doing this for market share. I state they would try to capture their market share and make a profit, that is business. However, my point is they are going to show it anyway whether or not it is profitable. It is part of the package, just like LL softball. If you want to show the LL Baseball WS, you are going to include the softball side whether you can market it or not.

Yes, they are going to try and make it profitable, that is common sense. However, that is not "why" it is on the air.

No, I didn't miss the point. You are stating that the purpose of John Kruk in the booth is to draw a young-middle age male market. If that were the point, ESPN would have been advertising it. Did you see any promos declaring John Kruk would be in the booth? There are different opinions and stories concerning Kruk's appearance including him requesting the assignment. Did it add a nice touch? Yeah. Did it improve the quality of the broadcast? When he kept to the pertinent issues like hitter's mechanics, yeah. Did they overuse his baseball connection? I think so, but that is me.

BTW, it was pretty much common knowledge to anyone who wanted to find out that many of the IOC representatives believed softball and baseball were one in the same. Baseball being eliminated was a no brainer for the IOC and their lack of intelligence killed softball in the Olympics. Get rid of that level of ignorance, and Jim Easton's refusal to vote doesn't come into play and the young ladies we watched this past weekend would have been tageting London for 2012. Hence, the need to insure softball's stand-alone status. In this country, the only place were there is a need for baseball is in staffing the men's national teams.

I simply noted that while Morgan's on-field accomplishments are admirable, it doesn't make him, or any other former player, an announcer.

Don't know where you were when they handed out a sense of humor, but don't you think it strange that I would know he was from Michigan? If you knew the gentleman to whom I was referring, as some on this board do, you might understand how Bill's expressionless face could sour any picture, even one of Ms. Finch-Daigle and Ace. Maybe this will help :D

Why do you think everything one posts is a complaint? I made an observation about what was an NCAA requirement and asked if anyone else had seen a promo. There is an exception for institutional PSA's for ESPN & CSTV which place the burden of PSAs and the cost upon the individual school as opposed to comp time from the contracted broadcaster. CBS is not included in that paragraph.

John Kruk was funny.

Now Dennis Miller on MNF was an abomination.

Kruk was the fat slobby drooler guy checking out the chicks playing baseball with a big yellow ball.... like probably 50% of the people watching the game that night.

Hell, even with that, he knew the game better than many coaches I've known.

John Kruk was even funnier when played by Chris Farley on SNL.

The problem with Dennis Miller on MNF is that he is a little more intelligent than Michaels and Fouts and half the audience.

Yeah, so. We dont want smarts ruining a perfectly good game of football.

Now that is an oxymoron if I have ever heard one!