Teddy Atlas?

[Mars_ax]

I guess boxing needs its characters, as long as they're knowledgeable. And Teddy certainly knows his stuff. I think Howard Cosell (anyone remember him?) was the first bonafide true character in boxing. He spoke his mind... sometimes pissing off people, but he didn't care. But Howard quit boxing when Duk Koo Kim died following his loss to Ray Mancini in 1982. Since then, I guess the most colorful characters have been Larry Merchant and to an extent Teddy Atlas.

Larry had a penchant for the drunken-sounding soliloquy.... quoting Shakespeare, and enjoying the pauses, as if people were hanging on his every word. He could say some stupid things, too. But people by and large love their characters, so I guess if Teddy wants to talk about "charging the guy for real estate", "moving around like a pitcher moves his pitches", "going in and out like a surfer catching a wave"..... what the hell. As long as they keep a muzzle nearby just in case he goes off on a mega-rant and never comes back..... I guess it should be ok.

You mean 'ole Humble Howie? Sure I remember that asshole, one thing Cosell used to be good at, was calling a big fight, other then that I couldn't stand the drunken big mouthed muther-fucker.

Talking of drunken big mouths how is Merchant doing?

Merchant is doing OK for an 81 year old man, I like Larry 100 times better then I ever did Cosell.

[Julius Rain]

Teddy Atlas is a make or brake for Boxing. The beginner fans who don't have hbo or showtime will only get to watch espn fnf. Teddy Atlas is the main guy these guys have to listen to. IMO Teddy is way overrated. How many champs did this guy train? Did he even have a pro career? The guy talks like he is King of Boxing. These guys who don't really know boxing yet, believe Teddy Atlas is a great trainer and was a great fighting champ. So wrong

Please ESPN FNF get rid of him, so the ratings will get better, dude is retarded.

[roberto duran legend]

Atlas is ok i suppose ,does ramble on a bit.
I always hated Cosell,complete asshole.
Merchant is a legend how can you not love the guy.

[armin]

I don't mind teddy as far as boxing commentators go. Id rather listen to him than lampley having an orgasm over someone landing a phantom punch. Teddy's analogies can be retarded and wish he would stop with em tho

[Spicoli]

Teddy Atlas is a make or brake for Boxing. The beginner fans who don't have hbo or showtime will only get to watch espn fnf. Teddy Atlas is the main guy these guys have to listen to. IMO Teddy is way overrated. How many champs did this guy train? Did he even have a pro career? The guy talks like he is King of Boxing. These guys who don't really know boxing yet, believe Teddy Atlas is a great trainer and was a great fighting champ. So wrong

Please ESPN FNF get rid of him, so the ratings will get better, dude is retarded.

I don't know Rain, think new fans can sort it out. Teddy takes some flack for training ways and seems it's a bit warranted but thats why we don't see him that much. I don't think it negates first hand insight fans can take from him. Fans can count themselves lucky they have options as opposed to the HBO monopoly with guys who actually know what a gym smells like rather than some suit popping off trying to tell newbies about fighters they've already watched coming up on a Espn or whatever.

On a personal note they could also improve ratings by having REGULAR start times and a FULL 'season'

[beenKOed]

Atlas is ok i suppose ,does ramble on a bit.
I always hated Cosell,complete asshole.
Merchant is a legend how can you not love the guy.

Somebody once said there's no accounting for taste.
I've always liked Atlas and Cosell but could never stomach Merchant. Merchant always struck me as a pompous ass, who always asked the stupidest questions and in his
pomposity didn't realize how bad he sounded. Cosell was able to laugh at himself, remember the way Ali called him Howie and was always trying to grab his toupee? Atlas can take a joke too, remember when his sidekick pushed him in the pool? I can't imagine Merchant laughing at himself under any circumstances. I can't complain too much, what if all announcers were like Merchant. Thanks to the one above, we're all different!

[El Kabong]

Teddy is a good commentator, he gets excited a few times, but he can also stay relaxed as well. I don't think he's as over the top as Lampley can be. He also is a bit more fair to fighters than Sugar or Merchant are. I know Sugar did more writing than commentary but still he could be VERY harsh.

I do think on the whole boing writers & commentators can be responsible for expecting too much especially if the styles of the fighters do't mesh. They can also be a bit prone to hyperbole if a fighter does poorly or a fight is judged poorly. sometimes that's needed but other times when you can be positive about the sport I think you should be. If an underdog is beating a heavy favorite say what the underdog is doing well and don't harp on everything wrong thatthe favorite has done, it takes away from watching the fight and from the guy winning the fight.

[TitoFan]

Well..... love him or hate him... Teddy looks the part. He's got that weird scar running down the length of his face.... his face is weirdly asymmetrical, with sort of a lazy eye and generally a face only a mother could love. Then he's got this bad boy, wise guy accent (Jersey?), which completes the picture.

Only time he ruined that picture was when he was frolicking in a hotel pool with... Tessitore, was it?
That was disturbingly gay, but what the hell.

I'm telling you, the guy's a walking caricature.

[Hulk]

Well..... love him or hate him... Teddy looks the part. He's got that weird scar running down the length of his face.... his face is weirdly asymmetrical, with sort of a lazy eye and generally a face only a mother could love. Then he's got this bad boy, wise guy accent (Jersey?), which completes the picture.

Only time he ruined that picture was when he was frolicking in a hotel pool with... Tessitore, was it?
That was disturbingly gay, but what the hell.

I'm telling you, the guy's a walking caricature.

That weird scar is from getting in a street fight where someone pulled a knife and slashed him all the way down his face requiring 400 stitches to repair.

Atlas also served 6 months in Riker's Island, the most dangerous jail in the United States, along with L.A. County.

He's a bad ass.

And his Mom was a Miss America contestant. No joke. Unfortunately, he did not inherit her good looks

Teddy Atlas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[El Kabong]

Teddy Atlas is a make or brake for Boxing. The beginner fans who don't have hbo or showtime will only get to watch espn fnf. Teddy Atlas is the main guy these guys have to listen to. IMO Teddy is way overrated. How many champs did this guy train? Did he even have a pro career? The guy talks like he is King of Boxing. These guys who don't really know boxing yet, believe Teddy Atlas is a great trainer and was a great fighting champ. So wrong

Please ESPN FNF get rid of him, so the ratings will get better, dude is retarded.

Teddy learned his trade from Cus, a true legend and Teddy breaks boxing down in a simple manner for the new fans and he's entertaining for the older fans as well. I don't have a problem with him usually...I mean when he talks shit about the Klitschko's (which he hasn't done much of recently) he annoys me but other than that he's an amusing fellow.

Who would you replace him with?

[TitoFan]

Well..... love him or hate him... Teddy looks the part. He's got that weird scar running down the length of his face.... his face is weirdly asymmetrical, with sort of a lazy eye and generally a face only a mother could love. Then he's got this bad boy, wise guy accent (Jersey?), which completes the picture.

Only time he ruined that picture was when he was frolicking in a hotel pool with... Tessitore, was it?
That was disturbingly gay, but what the hell.

I'm telling you, the guy's a walking caricature.

That weird scar is from getting in a street fight where someone pulled a knife and slashed him all the way down his face requiring 400 stitches to repair.

Atlas also served 6 months in Riker's Island, the most dangerous jail in the United States, along with L.A. County.

He's a bad ass.

And his Mom was a Miss America contestant. No joke. Unfortunately, he did not inherit her good looks

Teddy Atlas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wow! Yeah bro.... those genes were definitely not passed down.

[DavilaJones]

I totally respect a paid commentator to go out on live TV and break down why corruption in boxing officials happen, how the machination of promoters and the compliance of the commissions. I respect a man who goes ape shit when he sees a fighter get robbed in front of his face...looking at you HBO fuck ups..looking at you.