Our Announcers

I almost forgot to write something about the game yesterday, given my pleasure in the outcome, but the two guys who were announcing the game appeared to me to be totally unaware that there was an audience, other than each other. They not only spent way too much time talking about irrelevant stuff, but they were almost whispering, making it almost impossible to understand what they were saying. Every once in a while they would pay attention to the game and their voices would increase in volume, but generally they were a drone in the background. Extremely annoying and frustrating. I didn't realize that these two could get worse, but yesterday they accomplished it.

My thoughts on Musberger are well known here, so I won't rehash them again.

I agree on the sound though. Some background: among my many activities, I've played music for my entire life, and have learned quite a bit about microphone use and sound mixing during this time. Many people who don't know what they're doing hold microphones too far from their mouth for the sound to be picked up clearly. When this happens, the sound guy often has to "raise the volume" (gain) on that microphone. As you move further away from the sound source, more background noise bleeds into the microphone...so if you're 10 feet from a microphone in a crowded stadium, turning up the "volume" (increasing the gain) on that line will also increase the volume of background noise.

In Allen Fieldhouse where the crowd noise can literally be deafening, or at Kemper where it can be very very loud at times, having a microphone a few inches away from the sound source allows that background noise in, and when the sound guy tries to turn it up, it doesn't do anything to get the announcer's voice clear of the background noise.

What's maddening is that a guy at home watching on TV who dabbles in live sound and recording can figure this crap out, yet the production team at ESPN (who are allegedly professionals, not mere hobbyists) can't figure it out. The solution is stupidly easy: a producer needs to adjust Brent's mic placement, and if/when he adjusts the boom on his headset into an incorrect position, somebody needs to either tell him to fix it through his headset, or physically go readjust it for him.

Just a guess, but I'm betting that the producers have given up on it with him. I'm sure they've told him what to do, I'm sure he puts the mic where "it's comfortable" and despite repeated admonishments, the "on air talent" (technical term, not a reflection on actual skill levels) overrule the guy in the van with a leatherman on his belt.

No doubt great analysis. I like Fran most of the time, but when with Brent, he devolves. Since they rarely talked about the game, it didn't bother me that I could barely hear them, Start a petition drive for Simon & Schambi.

Being the "homer" that I am, I mute the tube and listen to Bob and Greg.

RC

Typically when watching from home, I'm giving the DVR a serious workout. Good play? Rewind and see how it developed. Was that a foul? Go take another look. Opponent gets an open dunk? Who blew the coverage? FFwd through the commercials and stoppages to catch up. For example, with Jamai had his above the rim dunk vs. Texas, I probably fell 5 minutes behind after frame-by-frame advancing that thing to see if his head was above the rim (looked that way to me).

I find the delay to be minute and tolerable. But, I have to review the game the next day or so . . .

My OCD won't let me not watch live play.

As long a people have the KU option, then all is good,

RC

Somewhere someone is having more fun than me

But a good KU bball win takes care of everything!

RC