tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post115077593160598984..comments2024-02-09T08:07:26.090-08:00Comments on Dodgy At Best: Swindle On Soccer, Vol. 5: ESPN's Coverage Is Teh Suxorz!Kanuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02959256951835399304noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150876348300596732006-06-21T00:52:00.000-07:002006-06-21T00:52:00.000-07:00BB-Agreed. And even funnier is how they only refe...BB-<BR/><BR/>Agreed. And even funnier is how they only refer to Beckham as "Spiceman".Kanuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02959256951835399304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150865815540976952006-06-20T21:56:00.000-07:002006-06-20T21:56:00.000-07:00The difference between ESPN and Univision is the d...The difference between ESPN and Univision is the difference between two guys sitting in a hotel room watching soccer and two players sitting on a bench during a game and watching soccer. I've had lots of great times watching my teammates play, and making fun of them or the other team, while also being able to appreciate a beautiful pass, a great goal, or a hot girlfriend. I think Univision captures the essence of this perfectly -- they are less about explanation and more about appreciation. Soccer has more of an aesthetic element to it than any other sport, thus "joga bonito", and so appreciation works much better than explanation.<BR/><BR/>My favorite moment was in the last England game when they kept referring to Crouch as "Mr. Roboto" because of his dance exploits. That's just the kind of thing I say to a teammate on the bench and it captures the essence of the soccer playing experience.<BR/><BR/>baconboy<BR/><BR/>p.s. Swindle makes me proud to be a Gator.Lux Intellectushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08653354182766601485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150862989400667512006-06-20T21:09:00.000-07:002006-06-20T21:09:00.000-07:00Of course Chila is a ham, but you have to take it ...Of course Chila is a ham, but you have to take it all in stride, including the ratings that he gives the refs. But he still has international playing expereince which gives him a unique perspective on the action.<BR/><BR/>Moin, I did not even know that sports broadcasting had to be PC. That sucks if a good braodcaster was canned for being emotional and having a a good time.<BR/><BR/>I also love the fact that the games are repeated in their entirety later on in the day.<BR/><BR/>My personal favorite line from the Univision broadcasts, "Como se dice torre en Aleman?" - "Mertesacker!" "How do you say tower in German?" - "Mertesacker!"<BR/><BR/>Of course when Ricardo Fiore comments on an attractive female in the stands during the pregame and halftime is pretty funny.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150856119651444722006-06-20T19:15:00.000-07:002006-06-20T19:15:00.000-07:00I am only a casual soccer fan, but I don't miss th...I am only a casual soccer fan, but I don't miss the World Cup. This year, discovering the brilliance and insanity that is Republica Deportiva was a bonus. I don't know if non-Spanish speakers understand that RD IS a republic with the women as the Senators and the mustachioed guy as the President. <BR/><BR/>The broadcast teams for Univision are definitely homers for the US as well, they call the US "el equipo de todos" -- "everyone's team". I find the play by play hilarious. The calls bounce back and forth between the poetic and the silly. If it weren't for the darn delay in ESPN HD, I'd mute ESPN and play the Univision audio.<BR/><BR/>Does anyone sense that ESPN may be trying (too hard) to make futbol "safe" for its American audience? They use the same format as every other sport and the play by play sounds like hockey at best. Univision just knows that their audience understands and loves the game and tap on the fun aspect of the game.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150854670302262482006-06-20T18:51:00.000-07:002006-06-20T18:51:00.000-07:00I could pass on Chilavert (who's an assclown of th...I could pass on Chilavert (who's an assclown of the highest degree) - but I agree, Univision's coverage is infinitely better than ESPN's simply brutal attempt.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00804974232287087217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150848871997027212006-06-20T17:14:00.000-07:002006-06-20T17:14:00.000-07:00All of this begs just one question to me: was the ...All of this begs just one question to me: was the ESPN broadcasts better when they had Jack Edwards doing the play-by-play? Sure the guy was shamelessly rooting for the US, but it was fun to hear him give himself a hernia everytime the US passed the ball closed to the penalty area (and in 2002, put it in the net quite a number of times). Then, after he dared to refer to the US as "home of the brave, land of the free" after the US defeated Mexico, ESPN got rid of him because people complained about his bias. In light of what people are saying about the Univision broadcasts (especially those who understand Spanish), I'm left to ponder who complained.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150846421601169752006-06-20T16:33:00.000-07:002006-06-20T16:33:00.000-07:00Chilavert's comments also detail what his experien...Chilavert's comments also detail what his experiences have been with the ref since he is the one with the most recent playing time. Which is pretty helpful as in the case today between Ecuador and Germany. Despite being partisan to Latin American countries and the motherlands of Portugal and Spain the broadcast duos do not hesitate to rip on a lackluster effort such as the one Brazil has performed on the field or on the bias in the fouls called by the officals against an underdog team such as when Australia played Brazil, and just bad playing by any team (the elbowing by some italians whi shall not be named comes to mind). To put it simply the broadcast duos seem to be selected for a good match of chemistry, intelligent speaking (which is probably more difficult when you consider the large amount of regionalism that occurs in Spanish), humor, etc. In short these are guys that you could sit down and have a drink with and they would be friendly, knowlegable, and witty. I have not really watched the English broadcasts but from various blogs the opinion is that they should be hanged in effigy for making fútbol seem boring. Also watch the final on Univision since ESPN will cut away from the match as soon as it is over and Univision will still have the entire award ceremony till it is concluded.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25555967.post-1150826776945462322006-06-20T11:06:00.000-07:002006-06-20T11:06:00.000-07:00Swindle you magnificent bastard! I have been work...Swindle you magnificent bastard! I have been working on a ESPN soccer slam piece for about a week - the working title is "Worldwide Leader In Shite", and I have been planning to sit on it until the end of the group stage. But after reading your post it seems that I don't even need to bother with it any more, because you wrote alot of what I was thinking in an infinitely more eloquent way. <BR/><BR/>"Top notch, son. Top notch!"<BR/>-Judge Smailes, Caddy ShackKanuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02959256951835399304noreply@blogger.com