Seriously. Whenever I watch college basketball on TV, the game features at least two color commentators--in fact, one game I watched, just the other night, boasted of three "commentators," according to the graphic at the beginning of the game--but there is a depressing paucity of play-by-play announcing. Even when nothing of special note is occurring, this is not really good. Serious in-depth analysis--the various players' strong points and weak points, and their respective histories--makes for good pre-game and post-game commentary; but such matters are best suited to a calm and dispassionate demeanor--whereas the game itself is conducive to passions that are simply incompatible with detached analysis. Moreover, these commentators often disregard what is actually happening, and leave it to the viewer to try to decipher just what has occurred. (Was it a charge? Or a traveling violation? Or...well, what?) Has anyone else noticed this shift away from actual play-by-play announcing in recent times?
it's too fast paced. American football is much easier to call as is baseball. I like descriptions given after a great play was made. Let's tune into a baseball broadcast shall we 0:00 pitcher looks for the signal 0:12 pitcher shakes off the signal 0:19 pitcher nods agreement 0:22 pitcher scratches his head 0:30 batter leaves the box 0:40 pitcher grabs his crotch 0:48 pitcher spits on the ground 0:55 batter spits on the ground 1:00 pitcher looks at first base 1:07 batter scratches his chin 1:15 pitcher throws first pitch repeat until everyone falls asleep
