Personally, my favorite NFL announcers are Gus Johnson and Greg Gumbel although Bob Papa is right up there.

America's favorite hockey play-by-play announcer is Canadian (Jim Hughson). Too funny. No love for Doc Emrick apparently.

Still can't believe people love that drunk Raftery. More annoying than Vitale.

I'm sure that's supposed to be Rod Allen in place of Vin Scully's second mention, AA.

Bob Papa!? Sitting through one of his games on NFL network is like sitting through an hour of detention being lectured by a cross school marm in the old west circa 1910. I mean shit, the guy never cracks a smile, is always super curt with his partner, and just generally is way too annoyed it seems. Its a game - make it enjoyable for me to listen to and relax with! God, talk about NY Bias. Bob Papa isnt just whatever, he's noticeably annoying.

Where is the love for Sharks announcer Drew Remenda. One of the best in the buisness.

The double Vin Scully could just be a way of saying they like him in the booth alone...that he's better working alone (as he does for FSN West/PrimeTicket) than having an Analyst in the booth with him.

That must have been a typo when they put Doug Collins on this list.

Enrico Polazzo is the best singer/umpire (it's the new "player/manager") in baseball history.

Just ask GMoney's icon! Maybe SI doesn't have love for color guys in baseball.

Re: John's comment about Vin Scully:
I have the magazine in front of me, and Scully is listed twice: "The Dodgers have all you need." It says a lot about Scully maintaining such a high level of quality for so long...as well as nobody else apparently being good enough to be listed with him(Jon Miller's stock seems to have fallen nationally).

Always nice to see Ron Franklin get the appreciation he deserves for being one of the best in the college football business. Mark Jones also really grew on me this year. I like the Jones/Davie pairing and hope that ESPN recognizes that they deserve some higher level games.

What no Kornheiser on the list.

Raftery is awesome. Knows the game, very enthusiastic, and not in love with his own voice, like Vitale is. When Bob Knight calls more games, he'll be on that list.

If only CBS would pair Raftery with Gus for the tourney, we would have something special.

Vin Scully is probably there twice - once for radio and once for TV. When I lived in Southern California he did a simulcast - so his broadcast was for both.

Rick James Bible Owner said...
I'm sure that's supposed to be Rod Allen in place of Vin Scully's second mention, AA.
--------------------------------
You get on with your bad self. Keep bringin' that filthy, nasty, change piece.

I'm a huge Ron Franklin fan...I miss the old Franklin/Gottfried pairing for SEC games on ESPN.

I agree. The Franklin/Gottfried combo was about as good as it got for NCAA football. Too bad ESPN split them up.

Mark Jones also really grew on me this year.

They make creams for that.
At the end of the Celtics-Hawks game, after Ray Allen hits two free throws to make it 88-85:

Jones: "That last free throw makes it a two possession game."

NFL: Jim Nantz
NBA: Marv Alberts
MLB: Vin Scully, Jon Miller
NHL: Gary Thorne (unfortunately, ABC/ESPN no longer has the NHF)
NCAAF: Brad Nessler, Ron Franklin
NCAAB: Jim Nantz, Brad Nessler

Marv!!!

Gus Johnson & Bill Raftery are god.

Has anyone here ever heard Brian Hayward do a hockey game? Talk about pompous blowhard. And he does Ducks games...so who exactly voted for him?

I also still don't know how people question Marv as the best NBA play-by-play man out there. Not to take anything away from Breen, but Marv can make a game feel big, and that's something the NBA needs.

I agree with JFein...Doc Emrick got hosed in the NHL category.

I'm always disappointed when the Wings are on Versus and he's not doing play-by-play.

Vin Scully is all you need.

@anon midnite:


Vin Scully is god


...there's little debate about that

Bob Papa???? Just another reason why Sports Illustrated has become totally irrelevant.

JFein needs to get a life.
He reminds me of a twerp in the back of a fourth grade classroom throwing spitballs. A weasly little creep.

why am i not on the list. there are awards named after me?

pam ward

just kidding guys, that last one was me.

-dan

Doug Collins? Really? I can't believe I'm the first one to call that selection out.

That guy pisses me off almost as much as Reggie Miller.

Bob Papa will always sound like the boxing guy to me, he also sounds distracted, like he's eating or reading a book and remembers that he needs to say something...

He needs Teddy Atlas elbowing him and shadow boxing to keep on his game.

The only one I will give an award to this year is Dan Fouts, because he talks football and not five minute National Enquirer relationship gossip essays like Simms, the giggling Aikman and all the other flaming douchebags.

Gus Johnson is awful. I don't understand the fascination.

I mean....


GUS JOHNSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON IS AWWWWWWWWWWWWWFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL
HA HA!
I DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON'T UNDERSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND THE FASCIIIIIIIIIIINAAAAAAAAAAAATION
HA HA!

ugh

Sad statement on US-based hockey announcers that the best PBP man doesn't work for an American network. Hughson's finally getting his due landing on CBC's top HNIC team this year. He's great, but unless you have Center Ice or live in a market like Buffalo or Detroit and get CBC on your cable, you'd only know him from EA's NHL XX series of games.

Doc Emrick, Mike Lange (although he's no longer doing TV broadcasts), and John Forslund are probably my top 3 US-based NHL announcers.

You haven't enjoyed hockey til you've seen Bob Cole, with Harry Neale, call a game. Just good stuff, old school and good. No soppy crap.

Hughson's broadcasts are on HNHL network BTW as they hold the USA rights to HNiC.

Vin Scully is listed twice because he does play-by-play and color. Look at the list - the first people listed are all play-by-play, then color. They're saying that Scully is both the best play-by-play guy and color guy in MLB - which isn't insane.

Ian Eagle and Gus Johnson are my favorites, but as I've watched NFL Network's broadcats, I think Papa is excellent as well. Because Herbstreit condones the BCS, I cannot in good faith rate him highly, although Todd Blackledge is the best college football analyst out there. Tastes of the town best hypothetical BC$ situations anyday.

I should be more specific

NFL: Ian Eagle, Gus Johnson
NBA: Dan Shulman, Mark Jackson
College Football: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge
College Basketball: Jim Nantz, Gus Johnson
NHL: Don Cherry
MLB: Jon Miller, Vin Scully

Don Cherry does studio. If you want PBP go to Doc Emrick and Bob Miller.

Oh my god, Brian Hayward??? He is the biggest homer in the league. The Ducks are a good team, but I hate them because of the animosity I have for Hayward and the shameless way he calls the game.

At least they got Jim Hughson right...

Drew Remenda is god awful. His girlfriend, Randy Hahn, is even worse though he used to be decent just a few years ago.