response 1 of 46:

Nov 28 18:39 UTC 2000

Here's my lists.  I'm going to stick with sports announcers, because 
that's what I listen to the most, although you can cover any type of 
announcer.  When I list some people as a pair, it's because they work 
together on the air.

Worst:
- Steve Levy, ESPN (TV)
- Josh Llewin, Fox Sports Detroit (TV)
- Dick Vitale, ESPN (TV)
- Stoney and Wojo, WDFN Detroit (Radio)
- The 2 announcers who did the Minnesota-UMich hockey game last weekend, 
Midwest Sports Channel (TV)

Best:
- Don Cole and Harry Neale, CBC (TV)
- Ken Kal, WJR (Radio)
- Al Randall & Jim Hunt, WTKA (Radio)
- Keith Jackson & Bob Griese, ABC Sports (TV)

I like announcers to be knowledgable about the sport they're covering, 
have enthusiasm, but not make a mockery of the game.  I also like 
announcers that at least try to learn the names of the players.  

I have never watched a game that Steve Levy did where he didn't totally 
butcher at least 1 or 2 names.  Josh Llewin is often assigned to do play 
by play for a hockey game, and he doesn't know anything about hockey.  
Same with the MSC announcers.  Vitale is just a disgrace to the game, 
and Stoney and Wojo just irritate me.

Cole and Neale are probably 2 of the most informed hockey announcers you 
will ever find.  Both coached in the NHL, and know a LOT about how the 
game is played, and the rules.  Ken Kal has great enthusiasm, and is 
also very knowladgeable.  Randall and Hunt make a great team, they've 
been working with each other for a long time, and really compliment one 
another.  Jackson and Griese both played football, both in college and 
professionally.  They also get along well with each other, and can 
remain neutral in emotional situations.

response 3 of 46:

Nov 28 19:19 UTC 2000

Re #2 Dick Buttons?

response 5 of 46:

Nov 28 21:03 UTC 2000

Re #1, #4 - oops, how could I forget to put Harwell on my list of the 
best?  *kicks self*

response 7 of 46:

Nov 28 21:25 UTC 2000

Ernie Harwell is my favorite announcer as well.

For most of my life, the "voice of summer" was Detroit Tiger TV 
announcer George Kell.  He'd start the game by saying "Hi everybody" and 
continue to announce the start of the new season and the baseball game.

I like Dick Vitale as a basketball announcer.  He has unmatched 
enthusiasm, and very detailed expert knowledge of the game of college 
basketball.  He has passion that no one else has.  He studies all the 
teams, not just the few at the top.

My leaast favorite college basketball announcer is Bill Raftery.  He 
seems to be stuffed full of himself.  He'll pick some irrelevant 
comment, then emphasize it like it's an exciting discovery.  "The player 
is DRIBBLING THE BASKETBALL!!!"  I think that Bill Raftery has his HEAD 
UP HIS BUTT!!!

WTKA-1050 sports director Doug Karsch is pretty interesting for his 
daily radio show, weekdays 3-7 pm, if you like U-M sports.

I like PBS political commentator Cokie Roberts a lot.  

I liked Jim Lehrer as the mediator in the presidential debates this 
year, but can't imagine watching him on TV for long.  I don't watch TV 
news, so don't know any of the anchor people.

response 9 of 46:

Nov 28 23:32 UTC 2000

My first two choices are head and shoulders above the other ones:

1)  Felix Grant, best remembered for his evening jazz program on WMAL-AM
    in Washington DC from maybe the 1950s into the 1970s.  He had a 
    smooth silky voice, his knowledge of the field was encyclopedic.
    I do have one of his shows on tape, a treasure.  He was a big musical
    influence on me as I was growing up.
 
2)  Augusta LaPaix, the original host of CBC Stereo's "alternative music"
    show "Brave New Waves" back around 1984.  She was the essence of 
    cool urban sophistication.  The music was great, but she had little 
    to do with it -- I read once that she actually liked very little 
    of what got played on that show, but she didn't let it show until 
    the end of her tenure when she programmed a few shows herself.
 
----------

3)  Garrison Keillor, who probably everyone is familiar with through the 
    "Prairie Home Companion" series.
 
4)  David Wisdom, the final host of CBC's old weekend overnight show
    "Nightlines."  Wisdom is a crazed music enthusiast and loved digging 
    stuff out of the trunk.  I remember when he was choking back tears on 
    the final "Nightlines" broadcast.
 
5)  Charlie Gillett, a London radio presenter who was one of the first to 
    bring "world music" to a wide European audience.  His show 
    "Saturday Night" can be heard at http://www.wen.com/radio
 
6)  For sports: the 1980s Tigers team of Ernie Harwell and Paul Carey, 
    and Frank Beckmann.
    One of my regrets is that Harwell and Beckmann never did the 
    Tigers broadcasts together.

response 11 of 46:

Nov 29 01:47 UTC 2000

Beckman is okay.  Not a standout, but he definitely gets the job done.  I'm
sorry that I never got a chance to hear Bob Ufer do a live game.

Keith Jackson and Ron Franklin are probably my top choices for college
football.  Franklin is more on top of his game than Jackson is at the moment,
but both are classics to call classic games.  The color commentator currently
working west coast games with Jackson, I forget his name, uses the term "he
can flat-out fly" at least three times in EVERY BLOODY FOOTBALL GAME HE CALLS.
I hate him.  Griese is okay, but I prefer Gary Danielson.  

I like the play-by-play of Greg Gumbel and especially Al Michaels in the pros.
I'll take Dierdorf and Millen for commentary, both of whom know the game and
love it as well.  Summerall and Madden have gotten too old for me.

I agree with Eric about Bob Cole and Harry Neale.  Considering what they
cover, the CBC has fantastic announcers across the board, and these are at
the top of the list.  Back in the day, the CBC used to rebroadcast BBC F1
racing coverage, which gave me a look at Murray Walker, who calls sporting
events with more vigor and enthusiasm than anyone else.  He's funny, too. :)
I have a sentimental attachment to John Motsen's soccer play-by-play, and I
dislike most American soccer broadcasters.

Brian Williams deserves, and will get, a major network weekday anchor position
someday.

response 13 of 46:

Nov 29 12:35 UTC 2000

So Mary, does that mean that Bonds is your most or least favorite?  ;)

Among favorite voices (not just sports announcers, which would limit the field
drastically in my case) are:  Ernie Harwell, The Electrifying Mojo (DJ on WJLB
years ago), Garrison Keiller (it's really the writing more than the voice).

response 15 of 46:

Nov 29 18:27 UTC 2000

I was flipping around this morning on the way to school and happened onto
WTKA's run of the mill morning show.  While clearing the phone lines, they
ran across a long distance call from "Richard from Sarasota."  He started
talking, and everybody on the show and listening on their radios cracked up.
It was the almight Dick Vitale, driving to East Lansing with his producer,
and he was *already* hyped for the game that night.  At 9:30 am.  He was
crazy, and apparently rather bored. :)  He put on a good show.  Despite some
of his more annoying habits, I appreciate people like Vitale who communicate
genuine enthusiasm for what they are covering.  Too much broadcasting has
become objective and emotionless.  I appreciate hearing announcers get lost
in the moment when the moment deserves it.

response 17 of 46:

Nov 29 23:10 UTC 2000

Then Vitale went "psycho" and ended up coaching the Pistons.

2nd the admiration for Tom Hemingway, who did UM football (maybe basketball
too) while WUOM covered UM sports.

response 19 of 46:

Dec 1 19:23 UTC 2000

Don Pardo.

response 21 of 46:

Dec 3 04:02 UTC 2000

Hugh Downs was a Tonight Show announcer?

response 23 of 46:

Dec 4 14:33 UTC 2000

Re #21:  Yep, Downs was Tonight Show announcer during Jack Paar's
tenure as host.

I didn't know that he was also a singer.