Champions League Broadcasts on Fox

[Z.I.P.]

I have mentioned earlier that I do not enjoy the over-Anglicization of football on American airwaves. The idea that an English accent makes the game more authentic sets my blood boiling. That's one reason why I really enjoyed the Fox Soccer broadcast with Gus Johnson today. Good to see not just that Fox is paying their own people, rather than re-broadcast the Sky Sports (or whoever it belongs to) simulcast when the game begins -- but that an American voice is calling play-by-play. I thought Johnson was completely reliable as far as his knowledge of the game went. I was actually more concerned going in about Warren Barton. Barton, however did a great job of being second fiddle. When he first arrived on Fox Soccer Channel he had a propensity for being overbearing, and downright arrogant toward his broadcast partners. I hope Eric Wynalda played a part in taming him, and that EW gets next shot at the broadcast booth.

Did others watch? Whattidja think?

[fknbuflobo]

I have mentioned earlier that I do not enjoy the over-Anglicization of football on American airwaves. The idea that an English accent makes the game more authentic sets my blood boiling. That's one reason why I really enjoyed the Fox Soccer broadcast with Gus Johnson today. Good to see not just that Fox is paying their own people, rather than re-broadcast the Sky Sports (or whoever it belongs to) simulcast when the game begins -- but that an American voice is calling play-by-play. I thought Johnson was completely reliable as far as his knowledge of the game went. I was actually more concerned going in about Warren Barton. Barton, however did a great job of being second fiddle. When he first arrived on Fox Soccer Channel he had a propensity for being overbearing, and downright arrogant toward his broadcast partners. I hope Eric Wynalda played a part in taming him, and that EW gets next shot at the broadcast booth.

Did others watch? Whattidja think?

Good thread! I watched. I get your point, and it definitely catches my interest. Not sure that I entirely agree.

As an English major, I enjoy the idiomatic differences between our two languages. There are so many sayings I have adopted from English broadcasters, too many to count. “Oh, and he really should have done better with that.” “It was a chance to prove his quality.” “Arsenal is are more than happy to split the points away.”

Regardless, if one has played, one can identify another who has played. The accent is only flavor. I too would like to see Wynalda get a color job. I also would like to hear more accents than just variations on English. Not quite ready for a foreign language broadcast, though I did watch many matches 2010 WC en Espanol (at my fav MexRes).

Your Spanish is much better than mine.

[Ando]

I've never thought there's anything inherently wrong with American commentators, but the one's I've always heard I thought were mostly bad. Admittedly, the color guys are worse than the play by play guys for me (Harkes was awful, and Twellman is somehow worse), but I've never been crazy about most Americans in the booth.

That said, I thought Gus did a really bang-up job on the Man U/Madrid match. He was distinctly 'American' in the way he called it, but still quality.