HBO Analysts are finally ALL starting to piss me off...

For years, I've always defended them. I absolutely love Lampley as a play by play guy, Steward is very knowledgable, and well, Merchant is...Merchant. But during the Pavlik-Martinez fight, I FINALLY saw why some people hate their guts.

Martinez came into the fight weighing like 15 pounds less than Pavlik. Martinez did VERY well against Kelly in the first couple of rounds. Then Kelly began mounting a little bit of a comeback and fighting better in Rounds 4-6. Well during these rounds, Merchant's DUMB ass starts talking about how Martinez's style is boring and he's got a bicycle pedal on. Uhhh Merchant...wtf do you want him to do? Pavlik's 15 pounds heavier than him and a very strong puncher, do you want him to stand in their and trade as if he was Gatti? This is boxing not slugging. He just straight up schooled Pavlik and RIGHT when he has to back away and be more defensive because Pavlik is coming on a bit, then all of a sudden Merchant says he's running and starts talking as if Martinez is a coward. It freaking frustrates me, it's no classic slugfest, but I'm throughly entertained by the fight guys. STFU!!!

So then we get to the eighth round or so I think when Martinez really busts Pavlik up and bloodies the hell outta him. I remember Lampley and Steward start talking about why Pavlik's team chose this fight? And that Martinez was too quick and fast for Pavlik and they started talking about who else Pavlik could have fought? As if Pavlik's team should have picked up a more standard, straight-forward, come ahead fighter. Well, we know, Pavlik will walk through anything like that. Where's the intrigue in that? We know he looks good against those guys. Do these HBO guys want to see Pavlik fight the best competition or do they just want to see Pavlik knock out guys he SHOULD knock out so they can lather him up with compliments and claim that he's the American hope again? They said the same type of things during the B-Hop/Pavlik fight too.

I'm just a little tired of how they have these favorites. I know that's their job to build up HBO fighters but it still gets annoying. They're hypocrisy is amazing at times.

I think a lot of people feel the same way, but like a lot of us they work for people higher up. Of course they are going to hype thier fighters and the one's they are told to. Being fair and giving the fans an unbiased report of events would be nice but c'mon in this sport as shady as it is as a whole it wouldn't be worth giving up the paycheck those guys are getting to do otherwise. I could see one of us getting the chance to sit and report it the right way.....but that would probably last for about two rounds before your mic was cut off and they brought kellerman back. And all the fans clamoring to have a fair annoucer would forget your name before the fight was even over. Just the way things are.

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Originally Posted by Mar

I think a lot of people feel the same way, but like a lot of us they work for people higher up. Of course they are going to hype thier fighters and the one's they are told to. Being fair and giving the fans an unbiased report of events would be nice but c'mon in this sport as shady as it is as a whole it wouldn't be worth giving up the paycheck those guys are getting to do otherwise. I could see one of us getting the chance to sit and report it the right way.....but that would probably last for about two rounds before your mic was cut off and they brought kellerman back. And all the fans clamoring to have a fair annoucer would forget your name before the fight was even over. Just the way things are.

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You're speaking the truth.

And that's the reason why I turn off the volume when the fight starts, not just for HBO but for any boxing telecast. You can judge a fight better that way too without any bias commentating trying to sway you for a particular fighter.

If ONLY we could hear what I heard Saturday night at the fight... just the crowd and teh crack of good shots landing all night. At this point in my life, I do not have to be told why Pavlik is getting out-boxed, why he should have chosen another opponent, or why Martinez style is the way it is. I want to see the action. Maybe I should have been born 50 years ago before they had a "herd" commentators fighting over the chance to give their two cents.

In closing I have a few words I'd like to share. In the words of Jim Lampley:

"BANG BANG BANG BANG!!! You don't wanna fight? BANG BANG BANG. And another BANG BANG"

I don't really get why people get worked up by commentators.

It's not their job to make you agree with everything they are just to provide commentary and a feeling that aren't watching it alone.

I enjoy it when I disagree with them, it makes it more fun and involving.

I don't see the problem in them questioning Martinez as an opponent either. It's Pavlik's management team job to put guys in front of him who he can look good against and win, they clearly got that wrong so it's a legitimate call.

Plus if they sound a bit biased towards Pavlik so what, he's the American fighter, Martinez is an Argentine.

HBO is by the FAR the least patriotically biased network in the world, every other network around the world is openly and unashamedly partisan.

HBO (and to an extent other American networks) are far more balanced than any other networks in the world.

If Pavlik were British our British telecastors would be openly rooting for him, as they would in Canada, as they will for Kessler in Denmark.

And as for hating on Larry Merchant, he's damn near 80 years old, he's supposed to be a doddery old whiny coot! He's like the loveable grandad sitting in his chair swigging brandies and telling everyone who listens how it was better in his day. He's an institution! HBO are the premier commentating team in the world imo. Their flaws are what make them human, I don't want to listen to a bunch of automatons, designed to say only the right thing. I want to listen to real people, with silly opinions and strong feelings towards certain fighters.

There's no more Don Dunphy's anymore-wish there were

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Originally Posted by JonnyFolds

If ONLY we could hear what I heard Saturday night at the fight... just the crowd and teh crack of good shots landing all night. At this point in my life, I do not have to be told why Pavlik is getting out-boxed, why he should have chosen another opponent, or why Martinez style is the way it is. I want to see the action. Maybe I should have been born 50 years ago before they had a "herd" commentators fighting over the chance to give their two cents.

In closing I have a few words I'd like to share. In the words of Jim Lampley:

"BANG BANG BANG BANG!!! You don't wanna fight? BANG BANG BANG. And another BANG BANG"

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Yes I was there too and didn't need any commentating. Martinez was booed when annouced and cheered when he won and stole the crowd from Pavlik. When I came home to listen to the HBO announcers I agreed with what they were saying. Martinez earlier in the fight I did think was running and by time he cut Pavlik in the ninth he really started to trade with Kelly. So I could see where Merchant was coming from.

As for the whole HBO crew pissing me off I still like three of them. Like I said in another post get rid of Lampley,Kellerman and Lennox,Bring Bob Papa into Lampley's spot,and rotate Tarver and Steward with Merchant and once again you have an all star cast.

The only thing that annoys me aside from Larry Merchant...

is how Emanuel Stewart acts like he is predicting everything so that he isn't wrong.

Like round 1 or 2 when fighter A is winning

Emanuel Stewart: I knew this would happen i said before the fight this is the worst fight for him and it won't look good.

Middle rounds Fighter B starting to come on

Emanuel Stewart: This is how I saw the fight going and predicted it would happen, this is what i knew would happen.

End rounds Fighter A coming back strong

Emanuel Stewart: See this is what I said was gonna happen, Fighter B can't deal with it.



He is like the freaking Emperor from Star Wars, no matter the situation everything is happening the way he has forseen.

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Originally Posted by Majesty

The only thing that annoys me aside from Larry Merchant...

is how Emanuel Stewart acts like he is predicting everything so that he isn't wrong.

Like round 1 or 2 when fighter A is winning

Emanuel Stewart: I knew this would happen i said before the fight this is the worst fight for him and it won't look good.

Middle rounds Fighter B starting to come on

Emanuel Stewart: This is how I saw the fight going and predicted it would happen, this is what i knew would happen.

End rounds Fighter A coming back strong

Emanuel Stewart: See this is what I said was gonna happen, Fighter B can't deal with it.



He is like the freaking Emperor from Star Wars, no matter the situation everything is happening the way he has forseen.

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Just be grateful Taeth isn't commentating

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Originally Posted by generalbulldog

And that's the reason why I turn off the volume when the fight starts, not just for HBO but for any boxing telecast. You can judge a fight better that way too without any bias commentating trying to sway you for a particular fighter.

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Absolutely the truth! If you want to judge a fight nowadays you have to turn the volume down.

I've actually been more and more impressed with Kellerman recently. Maybe it's just me.

Merchant's verbal constipation has reached the point where I can now go to the reefer and open up a can of beer and drink half of it and return before he utters his second word.

As for Steward, am I the only one bothered by the way he butchers the English language? WTF, He makes more than enough money to take a simple grammar course. If Cotto can learn perfect English and Bute perfect French, then surly Manny can stop saying, " that was the best punch I have ever saw."

The othert thing is his "ability" to predict the outcome of a fight based on the first 10 seconds. Then, he flip flops more times than a pancake at a Fireman's breakfast.

Lampley whine has now exceeded the sound of someone scraping their finger nails across a black board.

Are you feeling me on this?