Are You Missing Out?
Let me just disclose this is about hockey. If you have no desire to read about hockey, skip to the next post. Let me also add this is not about those playing hockey (I’ll probably be posting something on that in the next week). Nope, this is about someone broadcasting hockey games.
People debate and discuss the merits, strengths and weaknesses of baseball, basketball and especially football announcers regularly. Everyone has an opinion about Joe Buck, John Madden, Al Michaels and Marv Albert. Some might think they are good; some might think those guys suck. I am not here to talk about any of them.
I’m here to give praise the best play-by-play announcer in all of sports. He’s better at his job broadcasting sporting events than anyone broadcasting any other sporting event anywhere in the United States (I don’t have the pleasure or understanding of foreign languages to tackle broadcasters outside this country). His name is Mike Emerick.
He’s been a local broadcaster for the Devils for quite a while, and now also does games nationally for Versus (formerly the Outdoor Life Network). He’s broadcasted Olympic hockey, as well as water polo (yep, he made that fun to watch too). He isn’t a homer like most broadcasters, whether he is doing the local game or the national game. He gets equally excited when the home team scores a goal as the visitor. He never sounds rushed. He's been calling games long enough to know quite a bit about everyone in the league. The occasional mistake on a name is corrected before you know it.
All this and hockey is the toughest sport to do play-by-play (as far as team sports go – horse racing is probably pretty difficult too). With players shifting in the midst of action, it makes it tougher than baseball, football or basketball. He is about as smooth calling a game as the best players are at skating across the ice.
You might not like hockey, but if you appreciate the art of broadcasting a sporting event, take even just a few minutes to listen to Emerick. He really is the best at what he does. It’s not often that people get to witness the best, but Emerick is an opportunity to do just that. Who knows? He might even hook you on a sport that really is a lot of fun to watch.
People debate and discuss the merits, strengths and weaknesses of baseball, basketball and especially football announcers regularly. Everyone has an opinion about Joe Buck, John Madden, Al Michaels and Marv Albert. Some might think they are good; some might think those guys suck. I am not here to talk about any of them.
I’m here to give praise the best play-by-play announcer in all of sports. He’s better at his job broadcasting sporting events than anyone broadcasting any other sporting event anywhere in the United States (I don’t have the pleasure or understanding of foreign languages to tackle broadcasters outside this country). His name is Mike Emerick.
He’s been a local broadcaster for the Devils for quite a while, and now also does games nationally for Versus (formerly the Outdoor Life Network). He’s broadcasted Olympic hockey, as well as water polo (yep, he made that fun to watch too). He isn’t a homer like most broadcasters, whether he is doing the local game or the national game. He gets equally excited when the home team scores a goal as the visitor. He never sounds rushed. He's been calling games long enough to know quite a bit about everyone in the league. The occasional mistake on a name is corrected before you know it.
All this and hockey is the toughest sport to do play-by-play (as far as team sports go – horse racing is probably pretty difficult too). With players shifting in the midst of action, it makes it tougher than baseball, football or basketball. He is about as smooth calling a game as the best players are at skating across the ice.
You might not like hockey, but if you appreciate the art of broadcasting a sporting event, take even just a few minutes to listen to Emerick. He really is the best at what he does. It’s not often that people get to witness the best, but Emerick is an opportunity to do just that. Who knows? He might even hook you on a sport that really is a lot of fun to watch.
posted by Steve Bernard @ 7:03 PM
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