1. KEN KORACH-A's
It's a shame that Korach doesn't get the national recognition and the A's pitfalls are a huge part of that. Korach, as I have said numerous times, is simply superb. A straight, no-gimmick, first-rate broadcast day in and day out. Korach keeps it simple, yet exciting. His non-homer style is a delight. And he constantly GIVES THE SCORE. What a delight.
2. RANDY HAHN-Sharks
Hahn reminds me a lot of Bill King. Lots of information, interesting, informative, and entertaining. And I'm not the biggest hockey fan, but Hahn has brought me into the building. It helps too, that Hahn has a terrific partner, color analyst, Drew Remenda. Remenda is not afraid to tell it like it is and while most guys tend to butter up the home team, Remenda will take note of bad play. That's refreshing, just like Hahn.
3. JON MILLER-Giants
While I think Miller is a tad overrated now and then, overall I like and respect his overall body of work. He is quite knowledgeable and gives a mostly crisp broadcast. The constant barrage of funny stories, the overuse of Miller's noted ability to impersonate people, (paging Vin Scully), and way too many "uh's" dilutes Miller's ability to keep the audience glued to both the TV and radio. And 20 years at ESPN and HOF status--that builds the resume too. Overly-good, but not great.
4. TED ROBINSON-49ers
Robinson, in my world, is the consummate professional. The fact that he doesn't scream seems to draw out the naysayers. I like the fact that Ted keeps it straight and will criticize openly if he has to---ON THE AIR. He isn't flashy and "hey-look at me" boorish. He simply tells the story and keeps it buzzing. Plus, knowing the game as astutely as Robinson does, doesn't hurt.
5. DAVE FLEMMING-Stanford/Giants
I actually like Flemming more on his Stanford broadcasts than Giants. While at first, I was put off by his vanilla approach, I'm now impressed by his highly-skilled delivery. Exciting and to the point, particularly on football. He's getting significantly better on baseball too.
6. ROXY BERNSTEIN-Cal basketball
This might shock people, but I'm impressed with Bernstein's straight-forward, excited, and generally first-rate broadcasts. Bernstein doesn't get a lot of recognition; again, call it a case of the team he's covering, but what he does, he does well.
7. GREG PAPA-Raiders
Papa is adept at providing all the information on this player and that player. He's a statistical marvel and generally provides a first-rate broadcast. I'm not comfortable on the "Touuchdooooown Raiders" call--although, of late, when it merits excitement, sure, Greg, go for it. You can be excited and elicit joy while at the same time, being legit. Just ask Bill King, a Papa disciple. But when it's out of sight, you have to be careful. When the Raiders were down 24-0 in the fourth quarter of a meaningless game last year, the call was simply inexcusable. When Darren McFadden goes wide left down the sidelines for 70 yards and a touchdown against the NY Jets, sure, let me have it.
8. DAN RUSANOWSKY-Sharks radio
Rusanowsky is a broadcast marval. Great pipes, superb preparation, and overall knowledge of sport. Again, I'm not a big hockey guy, but this guy brings me into the game. And his calls are generally exciting and non-homerish. "He scorrrrrres! seems more sanguine for the NHL too.
9. PAT OLSON-USF Dons basketball
Olson doesn't get a lot of play because the Dons have been essentially off the radar screen for many years. But give a listen to this ex-Knibber tonsil and he's, for the most part, very good and concise. In fact, if it weren't a Dons broadcast, you'd swear you were hearing a Westwood One MNF contest. Here's deserved props to the engaging Olson for making it sound real.
10. TIM ROYE-Warriors
I'm not a big Roye fan, but he's quick-witted and good. I could do without the much-to-much, "elevation-sensation" quips, but he keeps it straight. And he sure as hell distances himself from the Warriors, "Mr Shill", Bobby, "Rudy", Fitzgerald who will tell you with a straight face that the Warriors, "when healthy", are the greatest thing since sliced bread. Shut up, giggles!
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Tim Roye...one of the nicest, coolest folks I've ever worked with..back at KFBK in Sacramento..the kind of person who keeps his promises and certainly delivers on the air!!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe you picked Roxy Bernstein ahead of Greg Papa! What were you smoking Rich? Bernstein has one of those non-descript voices you hear all too often on the radio these days and sounds like he's still in college, while Papa is clearly network quality. Greg's overenthusiastic TD call can be a bit grating, but other than that, he's superb.
ReplyDeleteDave Flemming is better than Korach.
ReplyDeleteDave Fleming will be better after he goes through puberty. Can't stand the squeal and voice crack. Great orator, but seems to me like a Miller copy-cat.
ReplyDeleteyou didn't mention jesus, a simon peter disciple...
ReplyDeleteTed Robinson is the absolute worst. Bad voice, boring delivery, screechy, and a huge homer. Really, really bad.
ReplyDeleteYou're spot on about Rusanowsky, and he's one of the nicest human beings you'll ever meet too.
ReplyDeleteCLASS ACT!
Oooops, last time I checked Duane Kuiper was doing play by play in the Bay Area.... someplace? Even if your just talking radio.... Kuip is still on the list IMO.
ReplyDeleteJon Miller third??? Hahn maybe somewhere near the top.... but Korach ahead of Miller.... no way! That does a number on your credibility dudn it?
What about the great Joe Starkey? Doesn't he even deserve a mention? And no mention of Duane Kuiper? His brother Glen is pretty vanilla, but I think Kuip easily belongs in your top ten, far ahead of Rox Bernstein and Pat Olson. C'mon Rich, let's be realistic about this!
ReplyDeleteRusanowsky first and then Roye. Duane Kuiper a close third. The rest of them are clowns.
ReplyDeleteIf you think all of these guys are better than Duane Kuiper you need to put the crack pipe down and take a few blocks around the block to clear your head.
ReplyDeletePapa > Roye > Rudy
ReplyDeleteDan Rusanowsky is frigging tool, with his all too often incorrect pronunciation of Russian hockey players' names, and trying to sound Russian when he says the names. Alexander Ovie-echkin, anyone? Its just pronounced O-VECH-KIN, you TOOL!
ReplyDeleteYour blog used to be pretty interesting but now it's too sports-oriented. I've stopped reading it.
ReplyDelete1. Duane Kuiper - the voice makes all the difference. just sounds like baseball to me.
ReplyDelete2. Greg Papa - paints the picture really well, which seems hard for football. good voice as well.
3. Randy Hahn - keeps up with the speed of hockey while keeping it almost conversational. not many hockey announcers do that.
4. Dave Flemming - paints the picture the best of all the baseball guys, but the voice nuances drop him down the list for me.
5. Ken Korach - great at letting you know what's going on in the game. his downfall is that he just can't shut up between pitches. like never.
6. Jon Miller - he's a classic of course, but for me i just can't follow the game pitch to pitch as well with him.
Signature Pat Olson call....."baseline jumper....goooooood...." LOL!
ReplyDeleteI could argue the order...but I'm curious what you think of Joe Starkey's faults to leave him off the top ten,being he's an old timer?
ReplyDeleteFlemming is terrific. He'll be a bigger national presence soon. (He's doing NCAA hoops for ESPN and fill-ins on Sunday Night Baseball for ESPN Radio.) For a young guy, he has a very deep knowledge of baseball nuts and bolts and lore but I never get the feeling he's showing off. He knows when to get excited and when to spin yarns.
ReplyDeleteHe'll have a Vern Lundquist-like career if he wants it.
Glad Krukow is omitted!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see that tiresome Mike Krukow is not on the list although so many do seem to like him. To me, his endless homerism and sappy enthusiasm has gotten old. He has no edge or subtlety. Kuiper on the other-hand is a solid pro and belongs somewhere on the list.
BTW, there seems to be a fundamental difference between those who favor Krukow/Kuiper vs. Miller/Fleming. I prefer the intelligence of Miller/Fleming over the simple minded Krukow and his endless prattle. Also get the drift that at his core Krukow is a hard-core conservative.
Kruk's political views may sometimes be as far right as Atilla the Hun, but he's a prince of a guy and an excellent broadcaster to boot. I learn more about the subtleties and nuances of the game from Mike than I do from any other local baseball broadcaster. And what the heck is this whole thing about having to have an 'edge!?' What does that mean? Does a broadcaster have to sound like a cynical know-it-all like Jim Rome or Chris Rosso or Damon Bruce to be any good in the minds of the 'young demographic' today? I'm sorry, but if guys like Bob Costas, Vin Scully, Keith Jackson, Jim Nance and Brent Musberger are too 'old school' for you, then you need to realize that that's the way a real sportscaster should sound. And those guys set the standard that sports announcers used to try and live up to for many years. Now everyone wants to be a noise maker like Rome, 'The two Stews' or Stewart Scott...."Boo-yeah!" my ass!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, how can you not like Jon Miller? Miller has one of those wonderfully buttery voices that is meant for broadcasting, and his knowledge of baseball history plus his wonderful storytelling are all strengths. However, having done TV for so many years, Jon has lost a
little of his strength as a radio announcer. Many times I hear the crowd reacting to something before he tells you what's going on.
Tim Roye is okay, but he sometims comes across like a minor league announcer with his "elevation sensation!" You'd never hear the late, great Bill King stoop to such gimmicks on the air! But Roye is light year's better than Fitzgerald, who makes the Warriors TV broadcasts unlistenable,
even with a solid Jim Barnett at his side.
it's too bad greg Papa isn't working on TV side anymore because he and Barnett were great together. 'Giggles' is the consummate brown-noser and house man.
Roxie Bernstein doesn't do a bad job with play by play, but he still sounds like a young kid and doesn't give you much more than just stats and facts. He sounds like he never paid his dues.
Flemming is solid and will continue to grow. I actually like his football better than his baseball, although he does a fine job with the Giants.
Duane Kuiper is solid, with a nice smooth voice, and a friendly on-air demeanor, and a dry sense of humor. He and Kruk compliment each other well.
Brother Glen is boring and not very good. His voice is pleasant but he and Fosse are about the worst TV team among the locals.
Pat Olson tries hard, but his voice is very nasal and there's not much he can do about that. Plus he's broadcasting for a team that
only a handful of people pay any attention to.
Starkey is okay with Cal, but I hated it when he did the 49ers. You could never tell where the ball was, who caught it, or how the play unfolded. It's amazing to me that his call of the famous 'Play' of 1982 is considered an iconic one. If you listen to it, you have absolutely no idea what's going on. "Oh, there's another one, the ball is still loose!
Oh, the band is on the field! He's going to score! He's going to score" Who is going to score Joe, where's the ball, what the hell happened!
Vince Catroneo should be mentioned because he's solid, but nothing spectacular. A typically competant number two guy to complikent Korach who is really one of the best.
And Robinson and Papa? Solid veterans who are always prepared and can do football, basektball and baseball on either TV or radio. Both are versatile and very bright.
My list of all time local favorites:
1.) Bill King
2.) Lon Simmons
3.) Hank Greenwald
4.) Russ Hodges
Agreed, it wasn't quite right to complain that Krukow lacks an edge. A straight vanilla guy can be fine too.
ReplyDeleteI guess my problem with Kruk is that he isn't a straight vanilla guy - he gives us all his extra prattle and I hate his stupid prattle. He's not clever or witty, just a tired old guy spouting boring platitudes.
People: you must be able to translate this list. The people at the top at the least will actually acknowledge Rich in some superficial manner such as a quick response to an E Mail or phone call from Mister Insider. This is a mental thing with Liberman, he wants to be accepted, if you do that expect nice write-ups, if you don't expect the usual darts and hate. It's how his mind works. Of course he won't post this.
ReplyDeleteKruk's my fave, he loves the game, he's funny and I've learned more baseball from him than anyone save Joe Morgan. He does need to retire a few schicts(sp)
ReplyDeleteKorach is good but boring. All the A's broadcasters are deadly dull.
Greg Papa did a great job with the Warriors! And you want buttery? Shake his hand, like butta, amazing! He must moisturize.
ReplyDelete