Thread: Thoughts on tonight's HBO/ Showrime commentating

Roy Jones was great tonight - a total value-add and the best I've ever heard him.

Max and Al Bernstein remain my two favorites.

I enjoyed Paulie on Showime. I figured he'd be good.

But why the fuck did Showtime replace Steve Farhood with that jackass from Strikeforce. That monster-truck style of announcing cheapens the experience big time. Offensive. Leave it on MMA please.

I was stuck with Benny Ricardo and Wayne McCulloch for the Martinez fight. Ricardois OK but is a Top Rank man and from about the third round was claiming that Chavez was so bad because he has a broken nose. McCulloch is practically unintelligible. This is about the third time I've heard him as co-commentator and I'm convinced someone is trying to take the piss out of me by having him commentate.

Just about to watch the Alvarez fight.

After watching the Alvarez fight I've got to say I like Paulie as a commentator. He's definitely got a career ahead of him commentating.

Thought Roy was excellent.

The first thing he said was - "Chavez looks a good size cruiserweight here"

I like Mauro Ranallo, he always has his facts right but the big thing for me is his honesty, he doesn't try to slant the fight one way or the other. The big surprise for me was Pauli, he was good, held his own with Mauro, reported only what he saw and has better analogies than Teddy. I think Pauli could work well with anyone.

Monster truck style announcing from the Showtime guy is spot on, and does feel like it cheapens the experience. I didn't see the PPV card so I can't comment on that but from what I'm reading here it seems Roy has improved as a commentator.

The big surprise to me was Paulie, I don't remember him once trying to inject his own boxing career into the broadcast. You can tell he loves watching boxing, he was giving genuine props to fighters without seeming to favor a type of style, made jokes when appropriate and gave decent insight about what he was seeing. He also seemed to have a good grasp of when to talk and when to let others say their share, as someone else already said he could probably work with any broadcast team and fit in, hopefully we will see him in this role more often.

2 thoughts:

1-Paulie M was good as an analyst
2-the MMA guy is not an analyst. He was not replacing Farhood. Farhood does not do the job that the MMA guy was doing.

You have the guy calling the fight (blow by blow announcer) and the analysts. Farhood is an analyst. He doesn't call the fight.

I prefer the MMA guy over Gus Johnson.

Originally Posted by captainanddew

2 thoughts:

1-Paulie M was good as an analyst
2-the MMA guy is not an analyst. He was not replacing Farhood. Farhood does not do the job that the MMA guy was doing.

You have the guy calling the fight (blow by blow announcer) and the analysts. Farhood is an analyst. He doesn't call the fight.

I prefer the MMA guy over Gus Johnson.

I know what you're saying about Farhood, but Showtime has done plenty of shows where they've paired Bernstein with Farhood (before and after the terrible Gus Johnson era -- and I do agree with you that Johnson is even worse than the MMA guy. He's about as bad as it gets.)

I thought Paulie did a really good job. He definitely has a future as a broadcaster ahead of him.

Originally Posted by shza

Roy Jones was great tonight - a total value-add and the best I've ever heard him.

Max and Al Bernstein remain my two favorites.

I enjoyed Paulie on Showime. I figured he'd be good.

But why the fuck did Showtime replace Steve Farhood with that jackass from Strikeforce. That monster-truck style of announcing cheapens the experience big time. Offensive. Leave it on MMA please.

I just don't care anything about listening to Jones Jr., and part of that has to do with the way Lampley and Merchant are always hanging on his nuts, that's just the way I feel. I usually mute him, and i've gotten to where I mute that blithering idiot Manny Steward, who I used to like.

As for Showtime, Bernstein is rather generic, but I can listen to him. I like Barry Tompkins, I wish Showtime would use him along side Bernstein and delete the MMA guy, there's a chance Gus Johnson may return, but I sure hope not. As for Pauli, I didn't get a chance to hear him last night.

Monster truck style That is as accurate and literal as it gets. That barking human cartoon delivery, a huckster. All part of them inbreeding the boxing and Strike force coverage....any chance of seeing a boxing guy on a Strike force show

Saw Pauile on FNF two weeks ago and again last night he was top notch. He does seem to just like calling fights and has a good eye. Does not preference everything with his own dealings. Bernstein is solid as is Kellerman who has calmed down ALOT from his early ESPN day. Jones is ok but have never really liked him on the mic but liked his perspective on Chavez and Martinez.

I am trying to develop an auto default to tune out Lampley these days. Never liked him at all and I think he's a close second to the aforementioned Moster truck guy.

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Monster truck style That is as accurate and literal as it gets. That barking human cartoon delivery, a huckster. All part of them inbreeding the boxing and Strike force coverage....any chance of seeing a boxing guy on a Strike force show

Saw Pauile on FNF two weeks ago and again last night he was top notch. He does seem to just like calling fights and has a good eye. Does not preference everything with his own dealings. Bernstein is solid as is Kellerman who has calmed down ALOT from his early ESPN day. Jones is ok but have never really liked him on the mic but liked his perspective on Chavez and Martinez.

I am trying to develop an auto default to tune out Lampley these days. Never liked him at all and I think he's a close second to the aforementioned Moster truck guy.

More often then not, I mute the sound whenever the fights start, I really don't need anyone telling me what i'm seeing. And lately the judges have been horrible at scoring fights, I mean Bradley really beat Pacquiao? Come on, something is seriously wrong with that shit.

Originally Posted by Mars_ax

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Monster truck style That is as accurate and literal as it gets. That barking human cartoon delivery, a huckster. All part of them inbreeding the boxing and Strike force coverage....any chance of seeing a boxing guy on a Strike force show

Saw Pauile on FNF two weeks ago and again last night he was top notch. He does seem to just like calling fights and has a good eye. Does not preference everything with his own dealings. Bernstein is solid as is Kellerman who has calmed down ALOT from his early ESPN day. Jones is ok but have never really liked him on the mic but liked his perspective on Chavez and Martinez.

I am trying to develop an auto default to tune out Lampley these days. Never liked him at all and I think he's a close second to the aforementioned Moster truck guy.

More often then not, I mute the sound whenever the fights start, I really don't need anyone telling me what i'm seeing. And lately the judges have been horrible at scoring fights, I mean Bradley really beat Pacquiao? Come on, something is seriously wrong with that shit.

I'm as challenged with technology as they come but I'd pay top dollar to find a way to mute the announce team and keep the crowd and ringside audio. It makes it a whole new experience, ebbs and flows.

I thought Malignaggi was great. On par with Jones, who is my favourite boxer-turned-commentator of all time.

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Originally Posted by Mars_ax

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Monster truck style That is as accurate and literal as it gets. That barking human cartoon delivery, a huckster. All part of them inbreeding the boxing and Strike force coverage....any chance of seeing a boxing guy on a Strike force show

Saw Pauile on FNF two weeks ago and again last night he was top notch. He does seem to just like calling fights and has a good eye. Does not preference everything with his own dealings. Bernstein is solid as is Kellerman who has calmed down ALOT from his early ESPN day. Jones is ok but have never really liked him on the mic but liked his perspective on Chavez and Martinez.

I am trying to develop an auto default to tune out Lampley these days. Never liked him at all and I think he's a close second to the aforementioned Moster truck guy.

More often then not, I mute the sound whenever the fights start, I really don't need anyone telling me what i'm seeing. And lately the judges have been horrible at scoring fights, I mean Bradley really beat Pacquiao? Come on, something is seriously wrong with that shit.

I'm as challenged with technology as they come but I'd pay top dollar to find a way to mute the announce team and keep the crowd and ringside audio. It makes it a whole new experience, ebbs and flows.

There'll be a box of chips that splits your sound up into component parts and lets you listen to the bits you want. Do they still have Radio Shacks in America?