It seems every game that mid way during every game a frustrated Lion fan posts how angry they are with the announcers. Even posters who turned the sound off post how bad the broadcast team was performing!!! Go figure that one.
I read that brutal comment but had been thinking wow, how great it was of the announcers, especially Steve Armitage, to add in nice touches like the 15 Pierce family members holding a family reunion in Crescent City and watching the game. Can you imagine an NFL announcer making that comment about some family gathering in a small Canadian town in similar circumstances. Armitage talked of what the coaches said the day before and gave a lot of information on individual BC Lion players.
Greg Frers doing sideline commentary wasn't nearly as good as Brenda Irving but then again Greg is more used to being on the panel but he will learn.
What I think people miss is that this generation of announcers like Steve Armitage make it their business to know the athletes and add the personal touches about family, etc and that is something that fans should want to continue.
I think Rick Ball is one of the best play by play guys in all of football at any level. I enjoy his every broadcast and at times switch on the same play to hear how he calls it when something big happens in a game. Guilio is great too and lucky for us now, he didn't get dumped when he was learning.
I like Cuthbert and Suitor and the TSN guys. I like most of the guys who used to play the game and do some decent dissection of a play.
I still like both CBC and TSN doing games as it is competition and when one adds a feature the other guys have to follow with something to keep up.
It seems to me that a lot of Lion fans don't appreciate that Canadian broadcasters are as good as any anywhere in the world. They know these coaches and these players and there is a mutual respect that is evident between them in the CFL which is not the case in the NFL as it bigger, larger and the size and numbers in the NFL make it impossible to know people like CFL announcers do. We are lucky in that sense, not poorer.
I know they chop the Canucks colour guy, Tommy Gun Larscheid - not me.
Armitage and Jones were awesome last night!
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Toppy Vann
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"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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TheLionKing
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Armitage might have more crediblity if gets the players' name right for a change. For all we know, it could be the Geroy Simon clan that was holding a family reunion and watching their son play. 
As I posted on another thread I was not impressed by Armitage saying the Lions will be 5-0 when there was still about 2:30 left in the game 
and the game was still far from over!!
and the game was still far from over!!Thank you for everything you did for OUR Lions Mr.Ackles, we will never forget you...RIP
Sorry to sully such a "positive" thread, but Steve Armitage did not impart that Pierce family anecdote because he's a nice guy, nor does he know the players. In fact, I think his knowledge of the B.C. Lions is poor, especially considering he lives in Vancouver.Toppy Vann wrote:I read that brutal comment but had been thinking wow, how great it was of the announcers, especially Steve Armitage, to add in nice touches like the 15 Pierce family members holding a family reunion in Crescent City and watching the game. Can you imagine an NFL announcer making that comment about some family gathering in a small Canadian town in similar circumstances. Armitage talked of what the coaches said the day before and gave a lot of information on individual BC Lion players.....
......What I think people miss is that this generation of announcers like Steve Armitage make it their business to know the athletes and add the personal touches about family, etc and that is something that fans should want to continue.
No, the CBC has crew members - production assistants to find these things out and research departments who compile game notes for him, so he'll have certain "topics" to share with viewers about each player. He was at the Surrey Training facility for one practice last week trying to learn the numbers of all the skill positions.
I think you're giving him entirely too much credit, but to each his own I guess.
DH 8)
Roar, You Lions, Roar
Have to admit I really don't focus that much on the announcers so I don't feel that I could offer a good "Siskel and Heibert' critique!
Besides, critiquing announcers, isn't the most exciting topic...along with how many people attended the game or kissing your sister!
However, I did notice in the game that Khari Jones made some astute comments.
I think bashing commentators and announcers must be some kind of special blood sport that I don't get! Guess if I've had a bad day at work, or want to let out some aggression, or feel better about myself I'll have to try it!
I find them peripheral to the game (peripheral is in the same league as plethora Canuck 4 Life...it's a word longer than 3 letters so it can be upsetting ) and don't pay that much attention to them once the game is going on. I do watch the pre-game and half time shows and they are usually well done on both TSN and CBC.
Besides, critiquing announcers, isn't the most exciting topic...along with how many people attended the game or kissing your sister!
However, I did notice in the game that Khari Jones made some astute comments.
I think bashing commentators and announcers must be some kind of special blood sport that I don't get! Guess if I've had a bad day at work, or want to let out some aggression, or feel better about myself I'll have to try it!
I find them peripheral to the game (peripheral is in the same league as plethora Canuck 4 Life...it's a word longer than 3 letters so it can be upsetting
) and don't pay that much attention to them once the game is going on. I do watch the pre-game and half time shows and they are usually well done on both TSN and CBC."When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)
Armitage was HORRIBLE last night, it was hard to believe he was watching the same game as I was. He referred to the Lions as "argos" twice and kept getting obvious things wrong as well as names.
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prairielion
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I think Armitage should stick to calling curling. That's much more his thing.
Still in Riderville, hating the Riders!
Perhaps his speed as well.prairielion wrote:I think Armitage should stick to calling curling. That's much more his thing.
There will always be things that we can pick apart on announcers coverage of a game, but even though Suitor makes mistakes (didn't he suggest having sex as the key to onfield success by accident IIRC) and dwells upon one or tow players each game (generally Lion players though), he brings in energy, and that is what helps make his input bring up the game. Armitage is very monotone, asks questions that are ill timed, and is beginning to sound more and more like he researches the names of players from the Bob Cole school of announcing.
Entertainment value = an all time low
Actually I think it's Wittman who does most of the curling calls on CBC. I keep hearing Armitage as the v/o in a tv ad for some jeweller.prairielion wrote:I think Armitage should stick to calling curling. That's much more his thing.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
I've been a vocal critic of CBC's football commentating for years, especially for Lions games.
I tend to turn down the sound on the tv and listen to the play-by-play of Rick and Guilio on 1040.
However, yesterday, I was rather impressed by Armitage and Jones, especially Jones. Actually, I was just impressed by Jones. I agree, Armitage should stick to calling curling matches. But Jones.... man, he really sounds good behind the mike.
Cheers
I tend to turn down the sound on the tv and listen to the play-by-play of Rick and Guilio on 1040.
However, yesterday, I was rather impressed by Armitage and Jones, especially Jones. Actually, I was just impressed by Jones. I agree, Armitage should stick to calling curling matches. But Jones.... man, he really sounds good behind the mike.
Cheers
Go Lions!
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Larry Key
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Armitage is way too monotone for my liking. I just don't like the guys voice.... it's horrible. Ball and Caravatta are great to listen too. Lion fans don't know how good they have it until they listen to Greg Petersen doing the color for the Stumps. Talk about being a homer.... you ought to listen to him on the air! Their play by play guy doesn't even come near Ball. What I'd like to see and hear is Vic Rauter do some games for TSN. He used to do the soccer broadcasts for the national side a few years back. Love it when he gets excited, he sounds like Cuthbert!!!
Kinda ironic to see you suggesting Vic "make the final" Rauter -- a curling commentator -- as a football pbp guy given some of the comments on this thread :lol:Larry Key wrote:Armitage is way too monotone for my liking. I just don't like the guys voice.... it's horrible. Ball and Caravatta are great to listen too. Lion fans don't know how good they have it until they listen to Greg Petersen doing the color for the Stumps. Talk about being a homer.... you ought to listen to him on the air! Their play by play guy doesn't even come near Ball. What I'd like to see and hear is Vic Rauter do some games for TSN. He used to do the soccer broadcasts for the national side a few years back. Love it when he gets excited, he sounds like Cuthbert!!!
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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WestCoastJoe
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As another blogger noted, Armitage was at practice last week. He spent most of it asking a pal of mine who the different players were.
He seems like a nice enough guy. I gather he even played the game (QB I hear).
But he is a dead boring announcer with nothing to say except platitudes.
He gets the names and numbers wrong a lot.
On his announcing ability my vote is
Let him call figure skating with Rod Black ... another
He seems like a nice enough guy. I gather he even played the game (QB I hear).
But he is a dead boring announcer with nothing to say except platitudes.
He gets the names and numbers wrong a lot.
On his announcing ability my vote is
Let him call figure skating with Rod Black ... another
Here's how any conversation involving Armitage, Jones, and the word "excellent" should go:Blitz wrote:Have to admit I really don't focus that much on the announcers so I don't feel that I could offer a good "Siskel and Heibert' critique!
Besides, critiquing announcers, isn't the most exciting topic...along with how many people attended the game or kissing your sister!
However, I did notice in the game that Khari Jones made some astute comments.
I think bashing commentators and announcers must be some kind of special blood sport that I don't get! Guess if I've had a bad day at work, or want to let out some aggression, or feel better about myself I'll have to try it!
I find them peripheral to the game (peripheral is in the same league as plethora Canuck 4 Life...it's a word longer than 3 letters so it can be upsetting
"You mean it isn't Armitage and Jones calling the BC game tonight?"
"Yes."
"Excellent!"
For those of us with a degree in the field and some PBP/Host/Studio experience, (college games, not pro ones) it is an interesting/exciting thing to observe and comment on, actually.
Here's the problem. I'm stuck with whatever camera angle the director chooses to give me, and as such I'm limited to that perspective, and because I'm limited with that perspective I'm somewhat dependent on what the announcers have to say, because individual performances that are integral to the play are taking place off screen while the camera is focused on a QB with the ball in his hands. Often times, without the benefit of replay I don't know if a sack is a coverage sack (and if so why) or due to a line breakdown. Therefore, I'm dependent on Marble Mouth and Monotone Man to give me that information.
Blitz, I think your experiences cause you to draw conclusions on a play based on your known tendencies, whereas I believe what I see. As such, I'm dependent on the announcers to tell me what I've missed.
If I could sit in my living room with my own choice of camera angles (coaches tape views from the end zones, thanks) and access to the stadium PA, I wouldn't need announcers at all. But until I can, I'm stuck with the announcers being a factor in the game.
I do agree with pre-game and halftime, as far as TSN is concerned. CBC was painful to watch last year, Benefield improves that show considerably, to the point that it's almost watchable. If anything, I'd like more from TSN on the late games, and I'd like them to do the one good thing ESPN still manages to do, which is integrate their post game analysis into a Sportscentre segment.