Comments on: My new soccer broadcasting pet peeve for 2013

By: David Josef Clark

David Josef Clark — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:50:24 +0000

A simple “brilliant positioning” or “he read the play well there” or anything not REFLEXES related. Reading the game is part of what makes a great keeper. Misreading the game is what often makes a great save.

By: docstraw

docstraw — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:15:35 +0000

Perhaps it is because all anyone talks about is how bad officiating is these days … therefore when a guy does what he is supposed to do, it’s a big deal. Not saying I agree with that line of reasoning, just throwing some words out there.

Remember when ESPN hired Dave O’Brien to do World Cup games? That was a good one. “Into the mixer …”

One of my pet peeves is use of the word “restart.” It’s a free-kick, ffs.

By: edlut63

edlut63 — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:24:13 +0000

I deplore the Spanish speaking announcers who feel obliged to announce a score with “gooooooaaaaaaallllllllll.” It is painfully annoying. Is there no real originality?

By: bobinkc

bobinkc — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 19:40:11 +0000

I disagree that announcers are paid to know lots of words; they are just paid to USE lots of words. If they have a profound tendency to repeat themselves constantly, it is precisely because they don’t know lots of words so they just keep repeating the same stock phrases over and over. Back in radio days when announcers actually gave you a play-by-play of basketball games, you had to draw a mental picture of what was happening as described in detail by the announcer. Now the only thing an “announcer” has to do is fill air time with banalities.

By: Steve Davis

Steve Davis — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:53:40 +0000

They are paid to know words! Lots of words. So, yes, “competent work,” “nice reflexes there,” “Howard turns away a shot” … whatever. Just don’t tell me something is spectacular when it isn’t. (Darnit! I forgot about the king of them all … “Spectacular save!”)

By: pensfan603

pensfan603 — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:39:09 +0000

Ya i Hate when they prod people for basic things, my other pet peeve is when they build up plays or act like a terrible shot is like amazing, the spanish ones do this all the time, My other thing is probably hometown announcers talking up players actions when they arent that good but thats it

By: dfstell

dfstell — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:11:33 +0000

Agreed on the refereeing stuff. Honestly, some commentators give more analysis of the refereeing than they do of the actual game being played. All I wish for are commentators who add something to the game that I’m not seeing myself.

By: charliej11

charliej11 — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:22:51 +0000

You can’t have pet peeves about British announcers because they aren’t talented enough to be any better. Overusing the same old tired phrases like “he did very well” and “brilliant” is the best you can expect.

By: greej1938l

greej1938l — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:41:59 +0000

great article steve, i really enjoy reading all your work. To be honest though, what are they gunna say? Nice reflex? Nice deflection? i hear ya though…ive noticed and it gets very annoying.

By: Steve Davis

Steve Davis — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:28:19 +0000

Yeah, the whole British-isms is probably a whole conversation unto itself. I will say, though, a lot of time we hear them from people who are actually, you know, British! So I suppose they get a pass on that one, eh?

By: mrtuktoyaktuk

mrtuktoyaktuk — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:27:54 +0000

Excellent article!

(wink)

Happy New Year, Steve!

By: capsfan19

capsfan19 — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:24:36 +0000

I like one and an irritated by one:

Like: “ohh… He got a sniff of the ball!!”
Dislike: “he’s bein hampered by a niggling injury”

Wtf is niggling??? These are made up british words.

By: edlut63

edlut63 — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:01:27 +0000

I really get bugged by “he put the ball into the BACK of the net.” Why must the announcers always say “BACK of the net” The man scored or he put the ball into the net. But, really, there are a lot of things in soccer in which to voice an opinion. I have a bunch. One thing that constantly bugs me is “why does the star of the team take the penalty shot instead of the man on whom the foul was committed? And, I could go on and on.