Audio Commentation

I try really hard not to bring up anything negative on this site but I have to post it... I am so frustrated with the commentation ( or should I say lack there of) in the audio broadcasting booth. It is not adding anything to the game and at one point I got up and actually turned it off. I just could not take the immaturity and lack of knowledge of the game play.
Most of last weeks game was not even being talked a play by play... it needs to stop...hope opposing teams are not listening...how embarassing and unprofessional.
Lets get back to the normal commentation folks!

I agree completely (I was waiting for someone else to bring it up )

Not sure if this is part of what you are referring to, but during the games vs. USF, Megan Sweeney seemed completely useless as an announcer, in my opinion. It thoroughly distracted from the game and I also eventually turned my audio off.
I don't feel I am exaggerating when I say her contributions consisted of 75% giggling and laughing , 20% talking about Halloween and costumes, 3% giving insight into the current players' lives, and 2% referring to the game being played.

It seems like the guy's role is just to keep talking, regardless of how meaningful his words are. I suppose that is the job of a radio announcer, though.
It was nothing compared to one of those games on tv last week (San Diego?), where the announcer had a lengthy interview with the men's soccer coach during the women's game.

Just my thoughts...

I disagree. Watching the games at home with my daughter, we've enjoyed the commentary and some of the "insight" Megan has provided about various teammates, the friendly competitions they have that are not soccer related. From my daughter's point of view, it's given her a chance to hear that the girls she looks up too are people just like she is, goofy from time to time and serious at others.

Quite frankly, if you're watching a soccer match for outstanding commentary, you may need to reset your expectations, especially at the college level. View it for what it is. A "local" college sport covered by the SID and a student. It gives the student a chance to develop some skills and get experience in an area that the student may or may not go into when they enter the professional world. If you can't do accept that, turn the volume off. Nothing says you have to listen.

I also want to add that it's great that the Pilots have made the games available for free this year and hope they continue to make them available in the years to come.

I'd have to agree with scrfn and uclabobby. The chatter from the commentators is really distracting. The color commentator does not do her homework. For example she didn't know who the team was playing the next week or the next several weeks nor did she did know there was an article in the paper about Halley. For a former player not to know this stuff is unfortunate. I realize she is a student, but if she is going to do the job, she should approach it like a class. Be prepared, keep up with the team, read the team website as well as opponents websites to get some insight into their season.

As far as having lower expectations because it is an assistant AD and a student I can't agree. When the assistant AD does games alone he is a very good announcer. I don't think we should expect less when he has a colleague in the booth with him.

I do understand Keeper's points, with it being a local college sport, and I can't denying that Megan's presence provides Keeper's daughter a unique listening opportunity. I also do really value the live feed that UP does provide...it's extremely generous that they provide it at no charge.

I just think, overall, it seemed almost like the male announcer (I thought he introduced himself once as the assistant sports information officer...is he the Assistant AD?) seems to be talking to his co-announcer basically because she was there and he had to involve her.

Though I was watching via the website also, I believe that if I had been listening to them on my radio, I would have eventually shouted "Please shut up and tell me what's happening in the game" or something like that.

Assistant SID, sorry.

I remember when it was just audio and I heard "too much mustard on that pass" at least 28 times per game. So I find Megan Sweeney's commentary surprisingly delightful.

If I couldn't see the game and were only listening on the radio, perhaps I would feel differently. As a fan of the Pilots, I'm charmed. I find myself wishing she could be hired to commentate my work day.

When charged with delivering more serious analysis, she's up to the task, but I think they're letting her have a little fun. Serious or goofy, I think they should keep her.

I appreciate everyones comments positive and negative and respect you opinion however I agree that the commentary is lacking professionalism and for the most part enjoy the male announcer much more when he is by himself. I did not mean to come across unappreciative for the live feeds and or the overall commentary. I would gladly pay for the video/audio broadcast and it is great to get it free but seriously if I was paying for the Sweeny feeds I would cancel my subscription and would rather have no audio.
I Love seeing the games when I cannot attend. If I did not have the video I would be screaming "talk about what is happening instead of eating a burnt burgers from the club tent"... they are always dry and burnt nothing has changed there in years. We are lucky there is food in there. If I had the priviledge of being in the booth commentating I certainly would not complain about a free meal especially as a student or in training to be in future broadcasting. If I wanted to hear about the players off the court I would log into Emma's Blog to get my info like the years before.

ninjapizza wrote:I remember when it was just audio and I heard "too much mustard on that pass" at least 28 times per game. So I find Megan Sweeney's commentary surprisingly delightful.

If I couldn't see the game and were only listening on the radio, perhaps I would feel differently. As a fan of the Pilots, I'm charmed. I find myself wishing she could be hired to commentate my work day.

When charged with delivering more serious analysis, she's up to the task, but I think they're letting her have a little fun. Serious or goofy, I think they should keep her.

Lots of Haterade being served on the library side of Merlo it appears.

What would really be funny is if people started following me on Twitter thinking they were getting serious updates on the Pilots.

To summarize, we have premier facilities, a juggernaut program with exceptional student-athletes, the biggest fan base, and the best game-day atmosphere, but our expectations have been driven so high that the free video feed UP offers is being citicized for the commentary provided by the two amateur commentators. There isn't a single program in the country that wouldn't love to have our problems.

For those looking for professional commentary, set the alarm clock on the weekend and watch the EPL. This is a video feed and the announcers don't need to say every little thing that happens. It's not radio.

If you don't like the commentary, please feel free to mute it.

small point: I think we have been talking specifically about the audio feed, not the video feed.

The video feed that is available has the TrueTalk800 radio feed overlaid on it, so the commentators are broadcasting to a radio audience, not to a video audience.

For what it's worth....

VillaGorilla wrote:To summarize, we have premier facilities, a juggernaut program with exceptional student-athletes, the biggest fan base, and the best game-day atmosphere, but our expectations have been driven so high that the free video feed UP offers is being citicized for the commentary provided by the two amateur commentators. There isn't a single program in the country that wouldn't love to have our problems.

+1

Seriously, I don't know what's with people this year... maybe the crummy Spring/Summer weather got to everybody.

I suppose you get a group of people together and they'll always find something to complain about, but sheesh... you guys do realize that the SID department that provides you: weekly notes, game recaps, video highlights, free live video, free live audio (even on several ROAD games), photo galleries, live stats, game programs, player blogs, the interactive media guide, Twitter updates, Facebook updates, gets players nominated for weekly honors (teams/players of the week), and gets stories written/arranges interviews (you think Graham Hayes or Geoffrey Arnold just wave wands and get info?)... you realize this is a department of only two employees, right? Two people who also have men's soccer, volleyball, M & W cross country, and M & W basketball going on at the moment.

I'm not saying you should just be thankful for whatever is put in front of you - of course there is a place for constructive cristicism and feedback - but COME ON people.

As I read through this thread and do realize that I contributed a contrary opinion to the original post, I'm reminded of my daughter recently asking me "Aren't sports supposed to be fun." While her comment wasn't a result of something I had done, it reminded me that sometimes we as adults take some of this stuff too seriously...

So I think I'm going to sit back and appreciate what I have and the weekend.

Stonehouse wrote:
+1

Seriously, I don't know what's with people this year... maybe the crummy Spring/Summer weather got to everybody.

Well, we found out one of our men's soccer announcers is Gonzaga in disguise.

Radio commentary and play-by play is an art. And hard work. That's why baseball fans revere their broadcast idols like Vin Scully. I've not yet heard the Pilots radio games yet so can't comment firsthand. But I do love that there is at least a chance to follow some games by radio. No way will it be Bob Costas at the Olympics, but any source of live sports beats just reading about it the next day in the daily O. Women's sports on the radio? Where else is that happening? Just a thought: we have umpteen Pilot Nation contributors with ample opinions to sit in and add commentary to any game, any medium, any time -- for free, I'll bet, just to pad our resumes.