The Voice Behind the Game

The next time you watch a sporting event on television put the television on mute. Now try watching the game without the voice of the announcers while only listening to the sounds of the game. Now tell me, would it be the same? What if there was no announcer  for each team? All you would here was the crack of the bat or the squeaks on the basketball court.

Would watching or listen to a game without the announcers?

Many people take announcers for granted. They tell a story, they are like the narrator of a movie.  Announcers keep the action in a game going along, while giving you play by-play updates at the same time. What if there was an amazing upset and the underdog just scored the game winning goal or touchdown?

Sure, you would hear the crowd cheer and the players jump up and down, but it’s just not the same. A classic-line like, “Do you believe in Miracles?” was said by Marv Albert when the United States hockey team defeated Russia in the Olympics.

Classic lines like this are what make a game memorable.

Take away the announcer and all you have is a game with no emotion.

Sure, you have the fans, but for someone sitting at home they can’t feel what it is like sitting in a stadium. Even when you go to a game live it really doesn’t have the same feel as watching it at home. Sure, it is cool to go watch your players live and actually be there when your team wins or loses, but it just feels like there is something missing. That is why there are announcers to set up the stage and make you feel like you are in the game. They put the emotion in a game, for someone not in the stadium. They hit you with those classic one-liners that they are known for and share their excitement with the fans watching at home.

Announcers usually come in pairs. Vin Sculley is one announcer who calls the game by himself.

The clock is ticking down, this shot will send the New York Knicks to the NBA Finals, a place where they have not been in over ten years. The ball goes out to Carmelo Anthony, he looks right, dribbles down the lane, and puts it up! The ball bounces on the rim and it goes in and the New York Knicks are going to the Finals! Just try to compare that to the sounds effects of a ball going through the net, just to hear a crowds reaction.

Without the Vin Scully’s of the world sports would be not even close to the same as it is now. Announcers are a small part of sports that go unnoticed. There are still some annoying announcers out there who get overly excited when nothing dramatic really happened and  end up trying too hard to come up with some exciting commentary, but you can’t blame them because they are just trying to put some emotion in the game.

The next time you watch your favorite team play, take some time to listen to the announcer.

Try and turn off the television and turn on the radio and listen to the game, like how it was listened to back in the day. If you would listen to sports on the radio without the live picture you will really appreciate how these announcers can really paint a picture with words. Without their voice the game wouldn’t be the same.

Hardest Sport to Play?

Sitting at home and yelling at athletes on television is a hobby for some.

Fans get outraged at these over paid athletes. They think that they should perform at their highest level every time they go out and play a sport. They yell and curse at the television, whenever an athlete strikes out or misses a big shot in a game. Going out and performing in front of millions of fans, in the stands, and on national television is not as easy as it looks.

An athlete is someone who posses a skill or a talent that makes them capable of playing a sport. Every athlete is different, some are good at being strong, others are good at being smart. Each game requires a different skill set for an athlete to succeed at that particular sport.

Some sports, people are just born to play.

If you were born 7-foot, can catch a ball and put it into a hoop, then you are destined to play basketball. If you were born 5-foot, 110 lbs you could make the perfect jockey.

There is one sport though that doesn’t require any height or weight requirement. This game takes both strength and smarts. It is one of the most watched sports today but doesn’t get the credibility of a sport such as football, baseball or soccer.

I am talking about the most difficult sport to play, that requires the greatest skill set. That sport is golf.

Take your golf club, get your tiny little golf ball and hit it into a hole that is 4.25 inches. Did I mention that you only have a certain number of tries to do this and that the location of the hole is anywhere between 100 and 600 feet away?

I think that golf is the hardest sport to play. With sports such as football and basketball, you can practice and build up muscle and strength to become better. Golf is a sport that requires a unique skill set. People of all ages can play golf, unlike any other sport. There have been golfers the age of forty who have won the Masters. In sports like baseball and basketball you can define the odds of age and play, but you are at a greater disadvantage.

Golf is similar to wine, as you get older you get better.

Golfers become smarter and learn how to angle their shots and judge what golf clubs to use on different shots. It is not easy judging a shot with gusty winds trying to alter the direction of your shot.

Each sport requires a particular talent to succeed. I am not attempting to say that tennis or soccer is easy to play. Sports like boxing and football take a lot out of you. Those are sports of determination and heart. Who can outlast the other opponent to the end?

There are individual positions that are tough to play. Such as a pitcher or a quarterback. Each of these posts requires smarts and skill. It is not easy trying to read a defense and throw a perfect pass or throw a baseball in an exact location on the edge of the plate.

The difference between golf and those awkward positions are that you can overcome being a quarterback or pitcher with other talents. What I mean by that is: if you can’t throw a perfect pass, you can succeed in other ways.

Running for a first down by yourself or throwing quick passes to your star receiver, can take the pressure off of you. A pitcher throwing 100 miles per hour can intimidate any batter.

As a golfer, you are out there on your own. You get help from your caddy, but it is you against the wind and the course. There is no alternative way out you can use to help get out of a bunker or a forest. Reading the wind and choosing the best club is your only way out.

Playing any sport is difficult and requires a ton of skill, of course.

I’m just saying the next time you turn on the television, just think about how hard it is actual to play the game of golf. Reflect on the unique skill set it requires to hit a golf ball into a hole that is 4.25 inches big and over 500 feet away.