Radio Announcer displays poor sportsmanship!!

[wildcatfan]

I was the voice of BGA for three years and am now currently the voice of the 5A Farragut Admirals. Over the years I have adopted an honesty policy. While I do't sugarcoat loses- I do not single out individuals and try to make them look bad. There is a difference between making a comment about a defender's coverage in football or a lack of defense show by a basketball player and actually cutting down a player. I can remember a regional game at MTCS a few years back, their team had turned the ball over about 7 or 8 times in a row, and I made the comment (they were the #7 team in D-II Womens' basketball) that either they were just having a bad evening or there was now way that they should be ranked seventh in the state. Their school took offense, but truthfully what was said wasn't bad. I could have understood if I had said, "well, so and so really stinks". I did not and have not. THe duties of a play by play or color analyst are to report the action to the best of their ability and to be honest about what is happening. One should never abuse the awesome power of the radio to attack a high school athlete. It's terrible that a radio announcer has stooped that low. He gives us all a bad name. Most in this business are good folks who love the game and enjoy watching kids bust their butss on friday nights.

 

By the way- Farragut Football can be heard live and on tape delay right now on 1180 WVLZ, Knoxville, TN.

[DCCATVOICE]

I am not one to write as much on any subject but this one reminds me of a situation that I was witness to back in 1997. Oak Ridge High School was playing Clinton at Oak Ridge. Clinton had not won at Oak Ridge in 50 years but they did on that night. The Clinton fans stormed the field and took down one of the goalposts. I can tell you, even if you are on the radio calling a game, you are still a human with emotions. As much as you try to hold in your true feelings it is hard when you are tied to a team. My color guy said something about it and the Clinton fans became very angry. They said, let the kids have fun. Its been 50 years ect.. He didn't say anything about them being classless but pointed out how wrong it was to do such a thing on "our" field. He said that is typical of their attitude towards Oak Ridge. This brought call after call wanting his head. They didn't see that tearing down the goalpost was wrong but they thought their community had been attacked. My color guy is a former player who took pride in his program and the field he played on. Attacking a kid is wrong in any situation but radio guiys are human too and sometimes like fans yelling at the quarterback, coaches ect for poor play. they say the same things that are said in the stands. I still want to know what he said. If he said they were classless during his broadcast well that was wrong. Radio guys still have a right to opinions though. I am done rambling now

[tiredbbmom]

Based on what I've read here, the radio announcer was wrong and should offer a public apology to the players and their parents. He is after all a professional and needs to hold himself to a high standard. After that, forgive and forget. I'm sure he was caught up in the moment and regrets what came out of his mouth.

 

All we have to do is look at numerous threads on this website and see that adults are capable of saying cruel and terrible things about kids. It doesn't make it any more right just because the majority of us are not announcers or reporters.

 

I don't know these players but I'm sure they're good kids. I hope they'll forgive a grown up his childish mistake and just go on.

[vic]

Just to add one more thing to this. The comments were not made during the heat of the game. They were made in his post game remarks. I was also informed that one of the Forrest coaches was on the show and he displayed a lot of class by not talking about any players in a bad manner. He discussed the game and the announcer was the one that seemed to have the problem.

[rocketman]

First off, and I don't know why it matters, but Chapel Hill games are broadcast over a FM station. Lewisburg has a station that broadcasts in AM and FM. Since the AM signal doesn't reach Chapel Hill as well, the station splits the signal on game nights. Chapel Hill over FM and Marshall County High School over AM.

Second, I listened to some of the game (missed the postgame show) and the only thing "negative" I heard said about Victory, from any of the 3 announcers, was that he was holding some of our receivers on defense, which, if true, is really a knock on the refs for not calling a penalty, not the player. I not saying that anybody's wrong about what they heard I just saying if someone did say something in poor taste I missed it.

Third, let's put things in perspective. If something out of line was said do we really need to do something as dramatic as call in the FCC, as one post said. If a listener had a problem with something said over the radio broadcast, wouldn't it be smart to pick up the phone and call either the radio station or the school as apposed to the federal govt. Comparing a small town radio announcer to Howard Stern is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on this message board.

If one of the announcers did say something way out of line he should at the very least apologize. But I think a lot of the parents need to look at themselves too. As a former high school athlete, I was able to hear a lot of what the "adults" in the stands had to say about me. And being called "classless", as is evidently the case here, would been a step up from some of the things I was called.

I won't make an excuse for the announcer if something bad was said. I just hope everybody keeps this in mind the next time a fan or announcer or coach from whatever team (not directing this at Collinwood) you support says or yells out something like this. Are you going to say something to that person too, or do these rules only apply when someone is talking about you team?

[thelma]

Hey Rocketman,

 

I think where you are missing the point here is in the fact that these guys have been HIRED to do a job and to report things to the people who couldn't or didn't come to the game. There really is a major difference in a fan screaming from the stands and an announcer sending it out over the waves. Look, it's really nothing to me and honestly if it had not happened to Collinwood I probably would not have even posted on this thread. I just see a slight injustice here and I feel like lessons need to be learned on both sides. I guess the bottom line is what tiredmom said, grown-ups are capable of saying some pretty cruel things. I just don't think that it should be considered "something you should get used to". Good luck Rockets (and Tiremom, looks like you guys are pulling together nicely) and Go Trojans!!!

 

T

[tiredbbmom]

Vic, as a parent myself I do understand how you feel. I'm sorry you and your family were hurt by the announcers comments.

 

It doesn't change my opinion whether the comments were said in the heat of the moment or the emotional aftermath of the game. I still believe that a public apology should be sufficient. If he commented that the players were classless, he only showed that he was in the same category on that particular night by making the comment.

[southernpride]

This is not big news! I hate it that the announcer may have said something negative about a fine athlete or football team, but it happens all the time. Move on people! Just be happy for the win and the fact that a small rural radio station covers the football game(s)!

[imasoftballer]

I think you were wrong when you said that college and pro sports announcers don't make comments like that. Remember Roberto Alomar? The announcers crucified him. At the time he was one of the top players in the league. But the announcers let him have it. Remember Mike Tyson? How many time have the announcers went off on him? Were these comments justified? I think all of us would agree yes. I don't know what happened at the game and I don't know what the radio announcer said, but sometimes comments like that are truely justified, high school kid or not.

[rocketman]

thelma,

 

I think we probably agree more on this subject than disagree. But I have never listened to a sports event on the radio where the announcers only reported the facts. They always put in their opinions and sometimes they put their foot in their mouths when they say something without thinking.

Like I said earlier if one of our announcers really did say something that was way out of line, he should apologize but I don't know what was said. If vic really upset, I think he should make a few calls and get in touch with the announcer directly. I think any of the three announcers that cover Chapel Hill games would be willing to talk to him.

And by the way, I could be wrong, but I think all three announcers volunteer their time and were not "HIRED" as you put it.

And I agree with you that there is a difference between parents in the stands and announcers on the radio. Parents yelling negative things at the games can be heard directly by the players (especially basketball, baseball, etc.). If an announcer says something stupid on the radio, the player hears about it second hand. Both are probably not the brightest things in the world to do.

And I also agree with you that if this didn't involve my hometown team I probably wouldn't have posted either. It just seems that people get more offended when someone says something derogatory about their team and don't care as much when its their own fans yelling stupid things at the other team.

[vic]

I myself never had any intention of calling the FCC or any other big agency. I just wanted to point out how I felt about the comments made against my son and J. Ward. I was informed at practice a few minutes ago that the coach from Forrest called and apologized for the comments. Even though he had nothing to do with this I really appreciate his effort and it shows how much class he has. Thank you coach.

[mrorange006]

look dandy i think ur a bit moronic....and don't tell me about my attittude.are you goin to keep ur kids locked in their houses all their lives?mmmmmm no. what will happen when the get out of ur house?the world does not build you up with self-esteem it tears it down and the sooner kids learn that the better.personally i think you need to keep ur mouth shut on issues that you have no idea what your tallkin about