Favorite / Least Favorite Sports Announcer/Analyst

[Andarvi]

There are so many and I am curious as to who everyone's favorite/least favorite is. I would make a poll but it would be too long and I would surely omit someone.

My favorites:

Al Michaels - his voice in one of the major ones i associate with football, perhaps this is because he commentates with that baffoon John Madden (more on him later). I just like the guy.

Marv Albert - he may be a freak in the sack but hes a great sports announcer.

Stephen A Smith - I know many people hate him, and i can see why people don't like him, because he can be a major prick. However, I love watching him sit there and listen to Bill Walton, or whoever he is with really, and then when they finish absolutely berate them if he disagrees. His lack of politeness and overall prickness is actually humorous to me at times.

Michael Wilbon - Obviously the better half of PTI (imo) and I like his basketball knowledge. Also it seems the players like him too. He has good chemistry with them and it shows.

Phil Rizzuto - I used to love him when listening to Yanks games. He will be missed.

Jerry Remy - I am definately not a Red Sox fan and loathe the pink hats but he is a funny guy and it the only thing I can stand when having to watch NESN at a friends.

Craig Sager - I dont even listen to what he is saying. His outfits and the way the guys in the booth rag on him is always good for a laugh.

Charles Barkley - Another that many will disagree with, but I find him funny and entertaining.

THE BAD/UGLY

Shannon Sharpe - I mean the guy is a blubbering idiot. Hes a terrible dresser and not intentionally like Sager. And what the fuck has been up with his eye lately? Is that the worst sti I have ever seen? I just dont know.

Michael Irvin - His analysis is 50/50 for me but his wardrobe, like Sharpe's, puts him on this list for me.

Kevin Blackistone - You will only know him if you watch around the horn, and he is by far the worst one on it. Terribly uningaging.

John Madden - Maybe its because I am tired of him telling me to run the clock out in the forth quarter in Madden when I am up and want to run the score up, but its amazing how much his repetitive video game commentating relfects his real life commentating. If he alone was commentating the super bowl without al michaels i would seriously consider not watching it.

So, agree or disagree with me, or add your own guys. I am curious.

[Viq]

I'll only post the good and avoid the bad:

Radio
Dave O'Brien - he does TV and Radio, but his calls of baseball on the radio are second to none
John Sterling - WCBS Yankee play-by-play
Ron Santos - Cubs color commentary
Sean Grande + Cedric Maxwell - WEEI Celtics broadcasts
Dale Arnold + Michael Holley - Namesakes of the WEEI Dale & Holley mid-day radio talk show.
Fred Smerlas - Former Buffalo Bills and New England Patriot nose tackle (5 Pro-bowls, was named to the NFL's all-1980's team). He hates refs, plugs his steakhouse too much, and talks like he has marbles in his mouth, but when he gets going on real football talk he's superb.
I can't remember their names, but the Tampa Bay D. Rays radio guys call a really smooth game.

TV
Jerry Remy + Don Orsillo - NESN Red Sox broadcast crew. Hands down the best TV baseball guys
Dave O'Brien - Seriously, he's good enough to get on the list twice
Jim Rice - Occasional Red Sox pre- and post-game analyst. Should be in the Hall of Fame as a baseball player, and offers equally stellar analysis
Peter Gammons - He's Peter Freakin' Gammons
Buck O'Neil - not sure if this one really counts, but he was the 1B for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League during the 1930's and 1940's. He was featured heavily on the 1994 PBS Baseball documentary. He was a fantastic speaker that truly understood both baseball, and the social climate of the era in which he played professional baseball.

Newspaper
Sean McAdam - Providence Journal baseball beat writer
Steve Buckley - Boston Herald baseball writer/historian
Tony Massarotti - Boston Herald baseball beat writer

EDIT: Had Santos listed as play-by-play mistakenly >_<
EDIT 2: Added a couple top tier newspaper guys. Being a Sox fan in RI, I obviously read Boston and Providence newspapers.

[Andarvi]

Ahh yes Peter Gammons, one of the greats I somehow forgot to mention. Not only is he great but you gotta love his speedy recovery from a friggin brain aneurysm, amazing for a guy his age.

Unfortunately I am not as well versed in the radio personalities ><

[Tyche]

Pre-game/Post-game:
TNT basketball crew is the best in the business.
The fox football crew

Play-by-Play:
Joe Buck is God
Norman Chad (Yes I fucking said it)

Talk Radio (will just include the ESPN crew, no local guys)
Mike and Mike - I don't really like them. Since DP is gone, they've gotten the better interviews of the lot, so it's at least worth it to listen for that.

Colin Cowherd - College football picks against the spread are usually ace.

Mike Tirico - I listen to Tirico and pray that he has Van Pelt on with him. Seriously, give Van pelt his own show.

I don't usually get into sportsnation, or doug's show, so I have no opinion of them. I really wish Eric Kussellius and DP were still on. I really loved their shows.

The Bad:

The NFL network crew. In specific, Cris Collinsworth. Their pre-game is usually decent, but play-by-play is horrible

Steven A Smith. He's almost so bad you have to listen to him. Hearing him justify unjustifiable actions is amazing.

[Viq]

The Bad:

The NFL network crew. In specific, Cris Collinsworth. Their pre-game is usually decent, but play-by-play is horrible

I'm the opposite on Collinsworth. I don't like him in studio, but I like him as an in-game analyst.

[Deejay]

Marv Albert and NBA on NBC was probably the theme song of my knicks fan childhood. Nostalgia at it's finest.

I always thought Steven A. was an idiot but he's got something about him that makes you like him anyway. He's about the polar opposite of Skip Bayless. Tyche reminds me of Skip Bayless sometimes in the NFL threads, lol.

[Weeks]

I was going to say that Stuart Scott is easily the worst sports personality on the planet and then I saw Tyche's mention of Norman Chad...

I probably dislike Scott a little more, but I'm closer to tracking Chad down and knifing him, if that makes any sense. I guess he's just harder to tune out.

[Ivaden]

Don't really have an opinion about anyone else except Madden. Too fucking redundant when he's covering a game, it's annoying.

[Ryany]

Ones I like:
Gus Johnson -- He may overdo things, but he seems to stay objective and he is easily the announcer I most remember from many of the best NCAA Tournament games the last 10 or so years.

Joe Buck -- I can't really explain the exact reason, but he seems to do a very good job calling games.

Brent Musburger -- ..similar reasons to Joe Buck.

Mark May -- I'm glad ESPN has him for College Football to counter Lou Holtz. Then again, Holtz was probably just hired for entertainment purposes to get ratings. (like how he picked Notre Dame to win every week this year....I don't think even the most biased domer would have done that)

Ones I don't like:
Dick Vitale -- Vitale is just like Gus Johnson, only Vitale can't stay objective. It is disgusting how he always has to bring in Duke Basketball, Coach K, Notre Dame Football, and Bobby Knight to every game he calls even if the two teams playing have nothing to do with any of that.

[Andarvi]

Wow i forgot about skip bayless. He makes an already bad show, 1st and 10, just completely unwatchable. His expressions remind me EXACTLY of Coughlin as far as just always amazed at something. at least Coughlin can be amazed at the inconsistency of Eli, I dont know why Skip looks so confused/baffled. Hes such a douche.

[Deejay]

Wow i forgot about skip bayless. He makes an already bad show, 1st and 10, just completely unwatchable. His expressions remind me EXACTLY of Coughlin as far as just always amazed at something. at least Coughlin can be amazed at the inconsistency of Eli, I dont know why Skip looks so confused/baffled. Hes such a douche.

He just takes his conservative opinions and multiplies them by about a thousand in front of the camera. Steven A. Smith does the same thing too, they both love to "play the act". It's the only way you can explain them being best friends.

[Weltall]

Ones I hate:

Joe Buck - Besides looking like a tard, he only has the job due to his dad.
Stephen A Smith - Changes his opinion/game pick almost instantly when it doesn't go with his original opinion. A complete joke
Joe Thiesman - Lol

Ones I love:

Jim Rome - Some of us actually make an event out of his yearly Smackoff. Hell, its bigger than tonight's College Championship. Lets go Terrance in 08!
Al Michaels - Always done a good job.
John Madden - Just because he is funny.
Colin Cowherd - He is great.
JT The Brick - Above

[Plow]

Fave: Parcells if he counts ;p


Least fave: Kornheiser

[Viq]

Steven A. Smith

^
WEEI poked a little fun at Steven A. Smith after he gave an interview on one of their shows.

[octopus]

Pre-game/Post-game:
TNT basketball crew is the best in the business.

Yes yes yes yes yes!

[Soarian]

Good
Troy Aikman and Joe Buck - best announcing crew in the NFL right now by far
TNT basketball crew
Fox NFL crew
Merrill Reese - Radio announcer for the Eagles, the man is a legend
Don Cherry - does Hockey Night in Canada

Bad
Joe Theisman - QQ's every time someone even breathes on the QB
Skip Bayless - made a career out of disagreeing with everyone and being loud about it. I don't think an original thought has ever come out of his brain
NFL Network - no explanation needed
Deion Sanders - Seriously just shut the fuck up already, you're stupid and you aren't interesting. The most overrated football player ever by far, he had what 12 career tackles? He was too busy trying to jump routes for picks instead of actually tackling anybody. He wasn't even a decent cover guy either.

[Fhqwghads]

Ok not so much a sports announcer or analyst, but for a ring announcer I like Michael Buffer. Perfect voice for intros.

Least favorite, and related (literally) is his half-brother Bruce Buffer riding Michael's coat-tails. Bruce has a boring, normal, perfectly disastrous lame imitation of his half-brother's voice. Seriously Bruce, gtfo. You suck, and you are not your half-brother.

[Artful Dodger]

martin tyler anyone?

[Weeks]

Deion Sanders - Seriously just shut the fuck up already, you're stupid and you aren't interesting. The most overrated football player ever by far, he had what 12 career tackles? He was too busy trying to jump routes for picks instead of actually tackling anybody. He wasn't even a decent cover guy either.

I'm guessing you caught maybe one or two seasons at the end of Deion's career. Deion is widely regarded as the best cover corner ever. He couldn't tackle, but you don't need to tackle when you turn any and all WRs lined up against you into the QB's last resort.

[tyven]

favorite play by play is al michaels. favorite to read are whitlock, wilbon, and ryan. favorite show personalities are mike and mike. but my absolute favorite guy in sports whether its an article, interview, or tv show appearance is michael smith.

skip bayless is trash, steven a smith is trash, they are the sarah silvermans of pro sports. half the shit they say is for shock value. sometimes when im watching first take i get the impression that the producers are actually paying skip to say half of the things that come out of his mouth just to make for more entertaining television. for anyone not familiar with bang cartoon, check out hour 84 for a good laugh with some skip and steven a smith moments.