USA Commentators and WC 2018

[Barcon]

Not sure who's doing the yammerin on my telly but it's not terrible.

 

[TCIB]

That Jorge fella is indeed positive. I had just been in the garden listening to the birds and feeding them, tending my pit with a cold beer. Everything was serene and this fella put an end to that.

 

[bavarian blue]

Fox commentators sound like they have been dragged in from a baseball game , totally different planet.

 

[basokla]

Alexi Lalas makes me want to punch something.

Alexi Lalas makes me want to punch Alexi Lalas.

He makes me want to punch his dad.

For impregnating his mother.

 

[acquiesce]

After being blessed with NBC and their coverage and commentators, I just can't listen to anything Fox puts out. It's so far behind......besides Kate Abdo. Love me some Kate Abdo.

 

[better dead than red]

Fox network has broadcast rights in the US for the 2018 World Cup.

And for me - and I think a large segment of US football fans - that's really bad news.

Fox seems intent on building a bigger American audience for "soccer" - and for them, part of that recipe is having a US announcer and a US color man in the booth - and then, copying the US Tackle Football way of things (that is, the sport played with an oblong ball where handling by all and sundry is allowed) - they'll augment the broadcast team with an on-field member as well as a rules expert.

The biggest problem I have with the Fox recipe, is that knowledge of the game has very little impact on selection of broadcast team members.

To wit... Fox hired Gus Johnson - who has zero clue about world football - with the intent of grooming him to be their lead announcer for WC 2018. Time and again, Gus covered important matches - C/L final for example - on Fox, totally ruining the broadcast for knowledgeable fans. Time and again he'd butcher names; he'd make it a point to introduce a player by stating that they were a German International or a French International or, whatever - as if we had no clue where they were from.

And his biggest gift - voice rising in volume to make plays exciting - was laughably wasted. His "catch phrase" for football commentary was "INTO THE BOX" - shouted at maximum volume. For example, Ronaldo would receive a pass and then dribble into the box, covered by several defenders and posing no obvious danger... and good ole Gus would shout at the top of his lungs "RONALDOOOOO!!!! - INTO THE BOX!!!!"

This, and other such gaffes eventually lead to Gus quitting his role as lead "soccer" commentator - thank God! - but I fear that the "let's put American's into the booth" attitude continues.

I'm tired of hearing John Strong butcher names while Eric Wynalda drones on and on about obvious/trite details - providing content free color commentary. And the "on-field" announcements are equally bland - while FIFA rules expert Joe McNamara is just way too condescending/over-the-top.

Here's hoping that Fox wisens-up and just uses English commentary like ESPN did in 2014 - otherwise - WC 2018 is going to be really dire in the US.

They should talk about Klopp more, shouldn't they? Maybe about the cigarettes he smokes or the toothpaste he does not use.

 

[chicagoblue23]

God its fucking awful. Enough has been said about Lalas. Hiddnik seems like a nice guy, but the main requirement for being a pundit on an English speaking channel should be the ability to speak fluent English. Its just ridiculous how shit that crew is.

The commentators aren't any better. My girlfriend makes me to go to the bar to watch any game Stu Holden announces.

 

[Impeccable One]

Problem solved with a VPN and TalkSport.

Stick pause on the Fox coverage at Kick off, startup the TalkSport commentary using a VPN and wait until the commentary gets close to Kick off (It’s always 2-3 mins behind) then un-pause.

UK commentators with Fox TV coverage.

 

[idahoblues]

I've just been watching on Telemundo..Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooloooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal

 

[idahoblues]

After being blessed with NBC and their coverage and commentators, I just can't listen to anything Fox puts out. It's so far behind......besides Kate Abdo. Love me some Kate Abdo.

NBC has been great the last year or two