Gus Johnson being prepped by Fox for 2018 World Cup

[ammtd34]

I think this is a good move. He's a professional with 5 years to learn and nearly unlimited resources. He's already taken a 3 week trip to Europe, shadowed Martin Tyler, and called a dozen Earthquake games on radio. I don't, however, think he should be assigned CL and FA Cup games this soon. Baptism by fire.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130205/gus-johnson-world-cup-fox/

[GoMuskies]

I hate soccer. I might watch it if Gus Johnson calls it.

[MarvAlbert]

http://www.GusJohnsonGetsBuckets.com

only 5 1/2 years til GusJohnsonGetsGoals.com

[DC Muskie]

Epic.

[X-band '01]

Is 2018 the year Qatar gets the World Cup?

[BBC 08]

Is 2018 the year Qatar gets the World Cup?

No it's 2022.

[Porkopolis]

It doesn't matter if you like soccer. It doesn't matter if you find it even remotely tolerable. Gus Johnson will make a 0-0 draw between Iran and North Korea the most exciting thing you've ever witnessed.

[GuyFawkes38]

I had no idea that FOX got the World Cup rights. As much as we all bitch about ESPN, they've done a fine job with the World Cup. I have a bad feeling about this. Gus is fun, but he can get exhausting. I loved the ESPN World Cup crew. Very subtle, yet entertaining and insightful. They spent their lives around the game.

Of course, I loved his call of the X/K state game. Hopefully he can make it work.

[X-band '01]

It doesn't matter if you like soccer. It doesn't matter if you find it even remotely tolerable. Kim Jong Il will make a 0-0 draw between Iran and North Korea the most exciting thing you've ever witnessed.

Fixed that for you.

[X-band '01]

No it's 2022.

That's right - per this classic thread (http://www.xavierhoops.com/showthread.php?16672-qatar&highlight=Qatar) JimmyTimesTwo said it was Russia. I just couldn't remember the exact years.

But as far as the Qatar thread, I had forgotten how classic that thread was. An example (BigDiggins gets credit here):

"A new 200,000-population city called Lusail, north of the capital, is scheduled to be built over the next decade and will feature the stadium that hosts the World Cup final. "

So not only does the stadium need to be built, the city in which the stadium needs to be built needs to be built. This sounds brilliant.

[DC Muskie]

I had no idea that FOX got the World Cup rights. As much as we all bitch about ESPN, they've done a fine job with the World Cup. I have a bad feeling about this. Gus is fun, but he can get exhausting. I loved the ESPN World Cup crew. Very subtle, yet entertaining and insightful. They spent their lives around the game.

Of course, I loved his call of the X/K state game. Hopefully he can make it work.

American coverage of the sport in general sucks. ESPN was bad and Fox is just as bad. It will be interesting what NBC will do with the EPL.

[paulxu]

Hey, Singapore has all the games fixed anyway. What's the diff?

Liiiiiiiiiverpool

[Muskie]

I had no idea that FOX got the World Cup rights. As much as we all bitch about ESPN, they've done a fine job with the World Cup. I have a bad feeling about this. Gus is fun, but he can get exhausting. I loved the ESPN World Cup crew. Very subtle, yet entertaining and insightful. They spent their lives around the game.

Of course, I loved his call of the X/K state game. Hopefully he can make it work.

Im giving it a wait and see approach but im sure soccer purist will be upset. Some believe you shouldt call the game without a British Accent

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[ammtd34]

Im giving it a wait and see approach but im sure soccer purist will be upset. Some believe you shouldt call the game without a British Accent


Those people are stupid.

[MD Muskie]

I am not a big fan of this move. I am a huge fan of Gus Johnson, especially regarding college basketball. But I never took to his calling a football game like I did with college basketball.I think the game of basketball best fits his face paced loud announcing style, while only certain plays of a football game fitted that. I just not sure how this will take to soccer. I guess only time will tell.

[DC Muskie]

Im giving it a wait and see approach but im sure soccer purist will be upset. Some believe you shouldt call the game without a British Accent

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2


Those people are stupid.

I personally like it when the announcers know what the hell they are doing.

Would you rather have Ian Darke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4F6YsAL6mE

Or say Jack Edwards with such catch phrases as:

"Climb the ladder!"
"Speed Move!"
"Torpedo header!"

British or not, I'm taking Darke.

Hell this guy is better than any non British guy who has called a game in awhile:

http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/nick-deleon-dc-united-v-new-york-red-bulls/

[ammtd34]

Of course I'm taking Darke over Edwards. I'll readily admit that British commentators are miles ahead of Americans and always have been. That doesn't mean that you have to be British to be good. Fox is showing a commitment to development with Johnson and he has 5 years to prove himself. I understand being skeptical about the hire. Those afraid that he won't develop enough have a valid concern. Those upset simply because he's not British are stupid.

[fellahmuskie]

Those people are stupid.

Try listening to a Euroleague internet broadcast with the British announcer they often use. The guy does soccer play-by-play for basketball games....you get an update on the action approximately every five minutes. It's terrible. The same is true with American broadcasters and soccer. They don't care about the game, they don't love it and they don't know how to build it. Culturally speaking, soccer runs completely counter to American life and that's why most Americans don't know how to talk about it. Soccer isn't about the outcome, but the process. It's about appearances and flow and style, not winning! Most Americans don't get that. Anyway, that's just my opinion. I'm sure most would disagree with me, which is totally fine.

P.S. If Gus does a great job at the WC I'll be the first to congratulate him. I love the guy and hope he immerses himself in the sport for the next five years. I'm just skeptical of people like him. You need to live and breathe it for it to work. The reason Joe and Byron are so good doing X radio is because they are completely, 100% invested in the program and will never go anywhere else. Throw in their natural ability and they're automatically better than 90% of the basketball broadcast teams out there in the country.

[SM#24]

Martin Tyler is my favorite announcer ever in any sport.

[ammtd34]

Try listening to a Euroleague internet broadcast with the British announcer they often use. The guy does soccer play-by-play for basketball games....you get an update on the action approximately every five minutes. It's terrible. The same is true with American broadcasters and soccer. They don't care about the game, they don't love it and they don't know how to build it. Culturally speaking, soccer runs completely counter to American life and that's why most Americans don't know how to talk about it. Soccer isn't about the outcome, but the process. It's about appearances and flow and style, not winning! Most Americans don't get that. Anyway, that's just my opinion. I'm sure most would disagree with me, which is totally fine.

No, I totally get it, but dismissing Johnson when the assignment is 5 years away is pretty short-sighted. Those Euro league basketball announcers and, frankly, all previous American soccer announcers have never had 5 years to prepare and nearly unlimited resources. Has there ever been an assignment when the announcer has had 5 years to prepare? I can't think of one.

When I said it was stupid, I wasn't saying that current American commentators are on the same level as Darke or Tyler or Hudson. I was saying that the thought that you had to be British to be good was stupid.

[fellahmuskie]

No, I totally get it, but dismissing Johnson when the assignment is 5 years away is pretty short-sighted. Those Euro league basketball announcers and, frankly, all previous American soccer announcers have never had 5 years to prepare and nearly unlimited resources. Has there ever been an assignment when the announcer has had 5 years to prepare? I can't think of one.

When I said it was stupid, I wasn't saying that current American commentators are on the same level as Darke or Tyler or Hudson. I was saying that the thought that you had to be British to be good was stupid.

Right, I understand what you're saying. I didn't mean to jump on you, I just felt like venting about it:)

[Kahns Krazy]

I repped as many of you as I could for not referring to soccer as "futbol".

[DC Muskie]

For the record I think Johnson will be great.

[bleedXblue]

A couple of thoughts.

I have no idea why some people have to tell you that they hate soccer. Good for you. I dont give a s*&t if you do or dont.

The sports gaining popularity in the States slowly but surely.

We've come a long, long way.

You can watch EPL games on ESPN from time to time. Some MLS teams sell out almost every game. The league is going to make it, where 10 years ago there were serious doubts.

As far as whos going to color commentate the WC, I really dont have that much of a preference. I just love the sport and can pretty much watch any match.

I mean, if you can watch baseball (which is the most boring TV sport going) or if you can watch the first 3 quarters of an NBA game.....whats the difference ?

To each his own I say !

[ammtd34]

This article was just posted on a blog I read. I like his take. It's pretty close to mine.

http://wrongsideofthepond.com/2013/02/06/premature-outrage/

[GoMuskies]

Perhaps by 2018 the U.S. will be good enough again to beat powerhouses like Honduras and make the World Cup.

[ammtd34]

Perhaps by 2018 the U.S. will be good enough again to beat powerhouses like Honduras and make the World Cup.

What a nightmare. And if Gus Johnson did the game today, he would have been better than those clowns.

[DC Muskie]

Perhaps by 2018 the U.S. will be good enough again to beat powerhouses like Honduras and make the World Cup.

Perhaps in 2018 someone will care what you think concerning the sport of soccer.

Seriously though we are terrible on defense. And Honduras continues to get better. Bad combination.

[GoMuskies]

Perhaps in 2018 someone will care what you think concerning the sport of soccer.


Perhaps by then you'll get laid. We all have our dreams.

[paulxu]

Ouch.

[DC Muskie]

Perhaps by then you'll get laid. We all have our dreams.

Hopefully you will spend the next five years coming up with better material. Much like your soccer commentary, your ability to bust balls is seriously lacking.

[Pluto]

I honestly think the less an announcer says in a match the better. I also wish they would pull the camera back more so you can see the field. The big thing that soccer has going for it over just about any other sport is that it is way better to watch it in person than on TV. To see a movement progress live is a thing of beauty but to see it on TV you don't get the same perspective.

Oh and to all of the people that don't like soccer that post on here...congratulations. Now f off and let us continue our conversation.

[MarvAlbert]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl35d7-lAaM

I got bored, so I crudely inserted some Gus Johnson soundbites into the clip of USA's goal against Algeria in 2010 to get an idea of what he'll be like in 2018.

Well, youtube took it down because of a copyright, so I put it up on dailymotion because that's where I got the video originally. That got taken down. I have a mirrored video (I think that takes care of the copyright claim) on youtube and a vimeo link I'll try if the mirrored video doesn't work. I'm done if that doesn't work haha. This has become a mission of mine.

[paulxu]

The FIFA police strike again.

[xubrew]

Perhaps by 2018 the U.S. will be good enough again to beat powerhouses like Honduras and make the World Cup.

Perhaps. Just perhaps, though.

CONCACAF is the Conference USA of soccer confederations. One good team in Mexico, a couple of decent #12 seed caliber teams that may be capable of winning a game if they play over their heads, and that's about it.

I guess everyone knows that Copa America will be in the USA in 2016. It's the biggest soccer tournament the country will have hosted since the 1994 World Cup. Of the 16 teams in the tournament, the USA may literally be the 15th best. Nevertheless, I say we dispatch Gus for that tournament.

[murray87]

How do we get Bill Rafftery paired up with Gus? Onions!!

[DC Muskie]

Perhaps. Just perhaps, though.

CONCACAF is the Conference USA of soccer confederations. One good team in Mexico, a couple of decent #12 seed caliber teams that may be capable of winning a game if they play over their heads, and that's about it.

I guess everyone knows that Copa America will be in the USA in 2016. It's the biggest soccer tournament the country will have hosted since the 1994 World Cup. Of the 16 teams in the tournament, the USA may literally be the 15th best. Nevertheless, I say we dispatch Gus for that tournament.

It drives me nut when people keep telling others that Mexico is a good team. In your scenario Mexico is somehow a legitimate contender for the Cup. They are not.

CONCACAF is Mexico and the US. The rest fight for the remaining spots.

[ammtd34]

I guess everyone knows that Copa America will be in the USA in 2016. It's the biggest soccer tournament the country will have hosted since the 1994 World Cup. Of the 16 teams in the tournament, the USA may literally be the 15th best. Nevertheless, I say we dispatch Gus for that tournament.

You're right about the tournament, but it's probably stretching a little to think that the US will be 15th best. 12 participants are known and the other 4 are from CONCACAF. Since none of those four are Mexico, we can probably assume that the US will be ahead of them in FIFA rankings (Mexico and the US are 1 and 2 right now in CONCACAF, Haiti is 3 at #38 in FIFA).

In the most recent FIFA rankings, the US are ahead of Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela, which would put them at the 7 "seed" if the tournament began today. I have no illusions that we'll win the tournament, but being the 15th best team would set US Soccer back decades.

[nuts4xu]

I enjoy watching some soccer on tv (mostly the big games with good teams) and Martin Tyler is great. Some of the phrases and cliches you hear from him and other Euros are unique to the sport of soccer. If you watch the game, they don't have a true "play by play" announcer that reports every pass and shot like you are used to for basketball or baseball. Gus will need to adjust his style to better fit the sport, but I believe he will do well.

Gus Johnson could read the phone book, and I would still enjoy listening.

[xubrew]

It drives me nut when people keep telling others that Mexico is a good team. In your scenario Mexico is somehow a legitimate contender for the Cup. They are not.

CONCACAF is Mexico and the US. The rest fight for the remaining spots.

I compared CONCACAF to CUSA. In my scenario, Mexico is Memphis. Good enough to be solidly in the cup, and much better than most of the other teams in CONCACAF, but probably not a contender to win the damn thing. I guess I wasn't specific enough when I said "one good team."

[xubrew]

You're right about the tournament, but it's probably stretching a little to think that the US will be 15th best. 12 participants are known and the other 4 are from CONCACAF. Since none of those four are Mexico, we can probably assume that the US will be ahead of them in FIFA rankings (Mexico and the US are 1 and 2 right now in CONCACAF, Haiti is 3 at #38 in FIFA).

In the most recent FIFA rankings, the US are ahead of Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela, which would put them at the 7 "seed" if the tournament began today. I have no illusions that we'll win the tournament, but being the 15th best team would set US Soccer back decades.

I get what you're saying, and perhaps it is a stretch, but it's a stretch the day after we lost to Honduras and looked the way that we did, so it's an understanable stretch.

[DC Muskie]

I compared CONCACAF to CUSA. In my scenario, Mexico is Memphis. Good enough to be solidly in the cup, and much better than most of the other teams in CONCACAF, but probably not a contender to win the damn thing. I guess I wasn't specific enough when I said "one good team."

Memphis also went to the Championship game. Mexico will never do that any time soon. It's wrong to suggest that they are so far ahead of the USA.

[DC Muskie]

I get what you're saying, and perhaps it is a stretch, but it's a stretch the day after we lost to Honduras and looked the way that we did, so it's an understanable stretch.

We have the same problems as we always have had. We have no elite defenders. We do not develop them. Honduras on the other hand has developed some Premier league quality players.

Don't get me wrong, it was a tough loss, but one I would be more concerned about had we lost it in one of our stadiums.

Don't forget, yesterday Mexico was very fortunate to gain a draw against Jamaica. At home.

[xubrew]

Memphis also went to the Championship game. Mexico will never do that any time soon. It's wrong to suggest that they are so far ahead of the USA.

You are mistaken. Memphis didn't win a single game that year. Well, okay. I guess they practically did, but technically didn't.

Outside of the Calipari years, Memphis had never been seeded better than #5th, at least not that I can recall. A good team. A team that is generally solidly in, but ultimately a team that bloats their record up against weaker teams, and typically ends the season ranked below where they started (as they have done every year under Pasner) and that generally gets more praise as a program than what they are probably due.

But, if it makes you feel better, I will re-analogize. CONCACAF is like this year's addition of the Missouri Valley. There are two good teams in Creighton and Wichita State, and although both will likely be solidly in the field, neither are great. Wichita has been to one Sweet Sixteen. Creighton has been to ths second round a few times, but never further.

There is also another semi-decent team in Indiana State who may get in as a #12 or #13 (similar to a Jamaica, or Honduras, or someone else that may make the cup). Perhaps they're good enough to win a game if they get the right match-up and play over their heads, but in all liklihood that is their ceiling.

Although, if youi look at the number of bad teams in all of CONCACAF, it is probably more proportionally along the lines of CUSA than the MVC.

[DC Muskie]

You are mistaken. Memphis didn't win a single game that year. Well, okay. I guess they practically did, but technically didn't.

Ha! Right, I forgot about that.

The MVC reference is much better. Thank you.