49ers vs. Cowboys: Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick Handling FOX Announcer Duties
by David Fucillo on Sep 14, 2011 7:30 AM PDT
in San Francisco 49ers News
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PrintThe San Francisco 49ers welcome the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday in what really is a fairly huge matchup for the 49ers. A victory over the Cowboys would have them 2-0 heading into Cincinnati and give them a little bit more credibility following a fairly ugly victory against the Seahawks.
This weekend's game will be on FOX and the announcing crew will consist of Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick and Laura Okmin. Brennaman has a bit of that generic announcer's voice but he's a perfectly capable play-by-play man. As for Billick, he is a bit of a lightning rod for criticism on occasion but I actually enjoy his work as a color guy. He knows what he's talking about and while he does seem to have a certain air about him, I enjoy his analysis of games.
Brennaman and Billick are the number three crew for FOX behind Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa (#2) and Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pam Oliver (#1). Arguably the most intriguing FOX crew is the one listed last (among full timers): Sam Rosen and Chad Pennington.
Rosen is a solid play-by-play guy, but I really like the idea of Chad Pennington as a color commentator. He's doing this while rehabbing his assortment of injuries. Pennington is a smart guy (finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship) and I just have a gut-feeling that he would make a good announcer before the network's cliche police get their hands on him.
Are you a fan of Billick's announcing performance, not a fan, or indifferent?
On a side note, while doing some research on the announcing crews I came across video of Sky Sports FanZone. I had heard about it before but never seen video. For those who have never heard of the FanZone, it is basically an alternative to traditional announcing for English Premier League soccer. Sky Sports gets one fan from each of the two teams playing in a given game and has them basically "announce" the game together in a booth.
Below I've posted some truly spectacular video from a Liverpool-Arsenal match. You can also view some of the best moments in recent FanZone coverage. I probably couldn't handle a full game of the FanZone, but are you telling me you wouldn't switch to it every so often during the game to see opposing fans talking trash and going crazy on the air?
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9ers first offensive play.... a surprise!
Cowboys probally expecting a run Gore…. so instead a flea flicker, Alex hands off to Gore, then Gore pitches back to Alex, then Alex throws it down the middle to Veron for a 35 yard pick up, and BOOM the 9ers are on their way!!!!!!!!!!
last year Billick made some errors in his analysis of 49ers players
it was kinda obvious that he didn’t really know everyone on the team (and I’m not talking about 3rd stringers), which I guess national audiences wouldn’t notice and is why he’s not a #1 guy.
I like Tim Ryan because not only does he know our team inside and out, but he does color work with passion, that of a former player.
Aldon Smith will have 10 sacks in 2011.
I tweet, therefore I am
I prefer ANYONE other than...
the bozos who announced the Seattle game.
I now understand the phrase, ‘bored to death’. Obviously I didn’t die, but it was touch and go there for awhile. One of the announcers referred to the Niner’s punter as someone other than Andy Lee. No clue about the team, and no insights.
Billick?
Brian will spend all game talking about alex smith and the turnover with the coaching staff. Not a big fan of his. Hopefully they focus on the overall team and not just all the negatives like Fox usually does.
by STR8CASH..HOMIE on Sep 14, 2011 8:57 AM PDT reply actions
AMEN
Dick Stockton needs to retire. The man is losing it BIG time. I wonder if any of the suits at FOX ever review his performance because his inaccuracies are so numerous I can’t beleive the man still has a job.
I completely DISAGREE, because ... Dick Stockton has been a TERRIBLE announcer for 25 years!!! (i.e., no need to retire if he never started in the first place)
Honestly, I don’t understand how Stockton ever got a job in broadcasting in the first place. It doesn’t matter which sport, which team, which network … always, always TERRIBLE! You have to feel sorry for whichever Analyst is assigned to work with him … Stockton is such an embarasment … and he doesn’t seem to realize just how bad he is!
I like Brian Billick … not because he is always the best-prepared Analyst, he’s not, but because he’s very candid and not affraid to tell you exactly what he thinks. Now, if he put the same effort into game broadcast preparation as he did as a head coach … then he could be great. Alas, I don’t believe that he will do that because he doesn’t value the venue in the same way he valued coaching.
For real knowledge of the Niners … can’t beat Ryan as the best Analyst.
To me, the real bummer is that the NFC is covered by FOX. I dislike ALL of their broadcast crews and respect only Howie Long and Michael Strahan among the “studio crew”.
by 49erFanSince1950 on Sep 14, 2011 4:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Rosen
Is one of my favorites, might be a bit biased because im a die hard NY Rangers fan tho lol. I hope pennington can be just as good.
Maybe Pennington, but no way Rosen.
He did the game a few years ago when Favre threw that last-minute TD pass against the Niners. He was an insufferable Favre-worshipper.
Of course, it took Dick Stockton most of the first quarter to get the line of scrimmage and down and distance right.
but then I have a reading problem...
by Bob In Beaverton on Sep 14, 2011 9:02 AM PDT reply actions
I like Billick
He really understands the game (as you would expect a coach to). He messes up on things like personnel, and isn’t always that colorful, but he really understands football and that’s fun.
"probably get some stitches too! you have a good night! go warriors!" - david lee
Anyone but Dilfer...
Watching the Raiders-Broncos game, I was about ready to hang myself if Dilfer didn’t stop running his mouth. I think he has some good insights every now and then, but he does not take a breath and seems to like the sound of his own voice at the expense of the game. It was really taking away from the game, but thankfully that’s why the mute button exists.
On another note, he was in love w/ the Raiders and seemed to be slobbering all over them. Why, I don’t know.
"The principle is competing against yourself. It's about self improvement, about being better than you were the day before." ~Steve Young #8
I like Billick enough
I think Fox has the worst announcing crew in general though, starting with Buck (I don’t mind Aikman). I think their #2 team is their best.
I know some people don’t care for Jim Nance, but I think he is my favorite followed closely by Al Michaels even though Michaels mispronounces names all the time.
Has anyone noticed
that Joe Buck has dropped an octave or two in his voice? I noticed it first during baseball season, so I might be imagining things. I still don’t like Buck at all.
I like pretty much everyone else on Fox except for Brian Billick. There’s just something about Brian Billick I don’t like, and I’m not quite sure what. Tim Ryan might the most improved on TV, and Jim Mora Jr is going to be a delight,. Fox’ crew is looking better than it has before, and I’m digging it.
by Andrew Davidson on Sep 14, 2011 9:44 AM PDT reply actions
If I recall
Buck had some sort of throat surgery last year didn’t he? Could have something to do with it.
He’s still boring as hell.
by Virginia9er on Sep 14, 2011 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Sunday September 18, 2011
The 49ers were supposed to suck! Why do we keep losing?
A pie can be divided into many pieces. For MOST people the goal is to get as many pieces of that pie as possible. It is my goal to eat the WHOLE pie.
Billick
Mostly indifferent. He’s not nearly as bad as most other announcers, but he actually seems like a decent guy.
A lot of others come off as arrogant and act like everyone watches the games just to hear their opinions…
announcers
I keep the sound on so can’t help but listen. I don’t really pay close attention to many play-by-play guys, but if the color guy is solid it can be helpful.
by David Fucillo on Sep 14, 2011 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Unfortunately, I can't deploy my favorite scheme anymore ...
I have always disliked most on the national TV broadcasters … pompous, unknowledgable, ill-prepared. Conversely, I loved listening to the Niners’ radio broadcasters … especially Joe Starkey. Has anyone ever been better prepared to do a game broadcast than Joe?
So, my simple solution was to turn the video volume to zero and listen to the radio broadcast while watching the game. Alas, that doesn’t work anymore because they have added a time delay to the audio broadcast … listening to A while watching B can drive you crazy within about one minute. Damn!
by 49erFanSince1950 on Sep 14, 2011 4:39 PM PDT reply actions
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