Joe Garagiola In the top 50 Network announcers of all time? How is he even in the top 15 to begin with? Was the person or persons who did these rankings on drugs? For those who don’t know what I’m talking about Yahoo posted the top 50 sports announcers & here are the rankings. Let em know what you think->
50 greatest network announcers
1. Howard Cosell
2. John Madden
3. Brent Musburger
4. Al Michaels
5. Dick Enberg
6. Curt Gowdy
7. Keith Jackson
8. Bob Costas
9. Jim McKay
10. Pat Summerall
11. Jim Nantz
12. Dick Vitale
13. Joe Buck
14. Marv Albert
15. Frank Gifford
16. Vin Scully
17. Mike Tirico
18. Chris Berman
19. Billy Packer
20. Dan Patrick
21. Greg Gumbel
22. Tim McCarver
23. Jon Miller
24. Mel Allen
25. Joe Garagiola
26. Bryant Gumbel
27. Don Meredith
28. Joe Morgan
29. Phyllis George
30. Ray Scott
31. Terry Bradshaw
32. Jack Whitaker
33. Al McGuire
34. Dick Stockton
35. Tony Kubek
36. Chris Schenkel
37. Mike Emrick
38. James Brown
39. Hubie Brown
40. Lindsey Nelson
41. Jim Simpson
42. Verne Lundquist
43. Jim Lampley
44. Ernie Johnson
45. Don Criqui
46. Tom Hammond
47. Bud Collins
48. Ken Venturi
49. Jim Gray
50. Harry Wismer
I could ramble on about this list for hours. The long and short of it is this, Vin Scully is the greatest baseball play by play announcer who has yet lived. Mel Allen is a very close second, very close! Joe Buck has no business on this list. For Pete sakes his father Jack isn’t even listed and he was the voice of the Cardinals for decades. A great play by play man.
I remember Howard Cosell as a youngster who worked for WABC in New York at the time. He had a nation wide radio show titled, "Speaking of Sports". It was an up to date format of all the current happening throughout the world of sports. It was also a self promoting vehicle. Howard had big plans for himself and his show was the stepping stone for future endeavors. Ali and Ali alone made Cosell a household name.
The only truly great announcers on this list besides Vin Scully are:
Al Michaels
Dick Enberg
Brent Musburger
Curt Gowdy
Keith Jackson
Jim McKay
Marv Albert
Jack Whitaker
Chris Schenkel
Ray Scott
Linsey Nelson
Dick Stockton
As far as Joe Morgan and Billy Packer are concerned, they are both frauds. The worse kind of announcers. Both self serving and unprepared.
Besides Jack Buck not being on this list the likes of the great Ernie Harwell, Harry Kalas, as well as Bob Prince are absent. What could Yahoo have been thinking?
The rest of the list is filled by those who have yet to separate themselves from the pack. Maybe in years to come some might actually be able to do that.
Obviously it’s only someones opinion but it’s a bad one nevertheless. Ain’t sports great? lol
The Mick "7" | Feb 20, 2009
Politics!
jimi | Feb 20, 2009
Joe in the Top 15
and the Gumballs in the top 26 Joe MOrgan
they are so boring they put me to sleep
Wheres Harry
Wheres the Uke
nas88caror 300(RIP 3) | Feb 20, 2009
Lot of people on that list that make you put the mute on your TV. Ray Scott brings back memories from my youth. He did all the Packer games back in the sixties when they were the champs every year. I always liked Tony Kubek also, another Wisconsin boy. Howard Cosell was terrible as are Madden and Musburger. Make your own list and go with that.
jonds | Feb 20, 2009
not sure, joe buck is not better than vin scully, but why does everyone like scully so much? he is so boring, not as much as joe buck but still. is it just because hes been around for a while?
metfan1245 | Feb 20, 2009
John Madden number 2? He shouldn’t even be in the top 50.Yes, this is quite a joke. Scully should be in the top three at the minimum.
Slappy LaRue | Feb 20, 2009
I liked you until you called our beloved Joe Buck a "loser"
BLOCK
(kidding, but I do like Joe Buck’s style and I know I’m not alone)
PediC | Feb 20, 2009
Just goes to show you that Football still dominates the "Hype" game…
I’ve got three problems with the list. First is all the "coat tail" guys….I mean, without Cosell would there even BE a Gifford or Meredith. And without father Jack, would Joe even be in th booth, let alone "the list?"
Second, I don’t like seeing ESPN guys on this list….Berman isn’t an "announcer" he’s a "performer." I consider Dan Patrick and MIke Tirico "hosts" and "journalists" than I do "broadcasters."
Which brings me to my last complaint…It seems the line between "host," and "announcer" has been seriously blurred. I use this simple test: Imagine if you went blind today. You would never again see, in person, your beloved sport…whatever it be…Who, on that list would you want to be the one describing it? Who could go beyond analysis and actually paint a picture of the action….rather than just coming up with hyped catchphrases and witty commentary?
To me, that would be Scully…
a_man_could_stand | Feb 20, 2009
Three problems with that list. First, why is Dick Vitale in the top 15? I know how much he did for college basketball, but I think he shouldn’t be in the top 15. Secondly, Chris Berman is number 18. Put him back, back, back, back, gone. (Wow, that was lame). Third, Tim McCarver and Jon Miller are top-25. Why the hell are they top 25? Fourthly (Yes, I know I said three things but I noticed more), Joe Buck should not be top 50.
So yeah, those are my problems with that list.
EDIT: Oh, and Joe Morgan is number 28. He shouldn’t be on there.
Gabe | Feb 20, 2009
And this is the guy who said he’d rather watch "Bachelorette" than a game. I can’t explain it, maybe he paid off the voters.
Jenn Brewers Girl | Feb 20, 2009
wow…Chick Hearn—the man who invented the term "slam dunk" isn’t in the top 50…what a terrible list…
guerrero82 | Feb 20, 2009
You actually looked at a list compiled by Yahoo!
You only have yourself to blame.
whalers | Feb 20, 2009
I think the key part of the phrase may be "network announcers". While Scully and Mel Allen were certainly deserving of being up there, as well as many of the other names presented by other folks, Scully and Allen were more local guys for one team then they ever were network guys. Yes, you did hear them on occasion on national TV, but most of their careers were spent doing play by play for a particular team, as opposed to a national broadcast.
Might be comparable to someone trying to say that Babe Ruth was the greatest Braves player of all time. Certain one of the all time greatest (or THE greatest), but not known for his time with the Braves.
To me the biggest joke is Madden being #2. Only ever did one sport, and while he’s entertaining, he has never been more than an analyst.
Fozzy | Feb 20, 2009
He’s where he is because of daddy!!!!
The Sophisticated One | Feb 20, 2009
I can’t believe it but I am in complete agreement with Slappy La Rue on this one.
Why so much haterade for Buck on the east coast?
Montana 16 | Feb 20, 2009
I agree with you on Buck, but I’m surprised Jim Kaat is not on that list.
Dark New Day | Feb 20, 2009
It’s a totally subjective list. I agree that JOE Buck doesn’t even belong on it, but Vin Scully is not Jesus. He is overrated because he’s been around forever. Having Cosell at the top is the right call.
sarrafzedehkhoee | Feb 20, 2009
I hope they meant Jack Buck instead of Joe, because Joe Buck is one of the worst all-time! Jack, however, was a great announcer ("I don’t believe what I just saw"… "Go crazy folks, go crazy!").
Joel D | Feb 20, 2009
What’s even more messed up is that John Madden is #2! He is and always has been awful.
But I agree with you, I can’t stand Joe Buck either.
JenJen | Feb 20, 2009
Forget about the people he was ahead of. The fact that he is even on the list at all is ridiculous. But this list was from Yahoo. We have been on Answers long enough to know that anything that has to do with Yahoo is stupid.
*Elizabeth* | Feb 20, 2009
The way I see it is that he might be good "under the desk."
…and Lindsey Nelson #40, how the hell are Joe Morgan and Phyllis George ahead of him?
Bert Weidemeier | Feb 20, 2009