Happy Thanksgiving! We’re most thankful this holiday season for all the support of our readers and followers as we roll on in year two of the AA relaunch here at Bloguin. We have a lot of fun at AA poking fun at all kinds of announcers from all over the world of the sports media. They keep us in business after all! But, we’re also thankful for our favorite announcers. We’ve even got the chance to interview a few of them throughout the last months. So while everyone is giving thanks this holiday season, we thought it’d be only fitting to sit a few of our writers down and ask the question – which announcer are you most thankful for?
Ryan Yoder: Surprisingly it’s hard for me to pick just one announcer to be thankful for at this time of year. In our vast world of Awful Announcing, there’s actually quite a few who make the game more enjoyable. Right now though, I don’t think anyone does a better job on the biggest stage than Brent and Herbie on college football. Their partnership has reached the point where viewers know it’s a big game just based on their presence. And despite Brent’s constant worry over the spread and Herbie’s layer of ultra-polish, they do an outstanding job.
Dave Kelsey: I am most thankful for Kevin Harlan and Marv Albert. Being an “NBA Guy” their voices are just perfect for the game and really resonate with me. I also love their insights and mannerisms. (speechisms?) My intense joy for Kevin Harlan goes way, way back to the early days when he was toiling away as an announcer for my Minnesota Timberwolves. I’ve always loved him.
Brady Green: Bill Raftery. Honestly, few things make me happier than the opening seconds of a game when Raftery busts out his trademark “MAN TO MAN” line. His enthusiasm for basketball never seems phony and it always shows through on his broadcasts. Pathetically, phrases like “nickel-dimer” and “ONIONS” have indeed become part of my lexicon. In this crazy world we now live in where Gus Johnson won’t be there in March, Raftery is who I want doing the call for a game that’s coming down to the buzzer.
Ben Koo: For nearly a decade, I’ve been a huge advocate of Brent Musburger. For a while I missed him pairing with Gary Danielson, who had a keen eye for the game and was meticulous in his analysis. Herbstreit has grown on me over time but the one constant is Musberger’s distinct voice and expansive historical knowledge of the game. Maybe it’s the pageantry of college football, the crazy atmospheres, or the deafening crowd noise, but no other weekly television event looks and sounds as exciting as Musburger’s weekly assignment. No other announcer seems to have a hit rate in terms of having Instant Classics unfold on a consistent basis. Even with the more lackluster games, he seems to keep you a bit more enthralled with the game than you probably should be.
Matt Yoder: Although it’s tough to pick just one, I’m most thankful for Ian Darke. As a huge soccer fan, it’s been fantastic to see Darke rise to prominence since the 2010 World Cup. As crazy as it is to think of a gray haired British play by play man as one of America’s rising broadcasting icons, it is a reality. He has now firmly established himself as America’s soccer announcer and has provided the definitive voice to the sport in this country.
Which announcer or announcers are you most thankful for?
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