I have to admit that I was just as confused as some of you this morning with ESPN’s coverage. For some reason the network didn’t go into “total coverage” until 1pm, but I had no idea that’s what they were planning. For two hours to start the day we got a few shots of the “Big Three” teeing off and putting but it was interrupted by 10 or so reports on players and the course itself. Karl Ravech and Andy North waxed ecstatic for the better part of the two hours and went to Tom Rinaldi and Colleen Dominguez early and often for the reports mentioned above. It’s not that the reports were bad, there was just zero golf and no explanation for it.
Well right before 1pm, Ravech explained that they were currently in “ESPN U.S. Open Extra Coverage” and that Berman would be coming on with Roger Maltby and Dottie Pepper. The network went to break and then magically transformed into a regular Golf telecast. It makes sense to wait until most of the players are on the course, but it was very confusing to say the least.
Now that we’re over 30 minutes into actually coverage, I have to say that it’s actually pretty good. Chris Berman is doing a good job of not being “over-the-top”, and while most of the coverage is on Tiger Woods, they’re spreading it around just enough to other players. Not a bad start at all. Sure Berman has had his moments, specifically when referencing Chargers fans after the gallery cheered for Tiger, but he’s not bothering me (yet) in the least.
I know a lot of you are TIVO’ing the first round so I’ll skip on telling you about the play and just leave this spot as a running open thread for quotes and videos. Here are some of the early comments by the crew at Torrey Pines….
Day One Quotes:
“This is his mini-driver, 11 and a half degrees.”- Andy North
“And let’s not confuse the people at home who may think Minnie Driver might be walking around following Phil. It’s not Minnie Driver the actress, it’s Minnie Driver the golf club he’s hitting.”- Karl Ravech
“That 50% mental really applies to you Karl considering how much you do with Baseball.”- Tom Rinaldi
“Sounds like a Chargers crowd at home here.”- Chris Berman
“He’s [Tiger Woods] have never finished out of the Top 10 here. Pretty remarkable at Torrey Pines.”- Roger Maltby
“He knows where the bodies are buried…….and he knows where the putts are buried.”- Chris Berman
“He buried that one.”- Roger Maltby
(P.S.- Berman has some seriously wide shoulders these days.)
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