Yeah I don't care too much for Doug Adler, but he's tolerable when you combine him with the GOAT commentators in Robbie Koenig and Jason Goodall.
I don't understand why those two guys can't call the matches for every major tournament.
Anyone care to mention what they dislike about Doug Adler? These are the guys commenting on WatchESPN and TTC.
Agree, Koenig and Goodall are the best, bar none.
THey need to be on major networks Right Now. I saw Koenig did some kind of ESPN work at the China tourney last week he was the guy calling the Djok dance during the trophy ceremony, on some kind of ESPN feed so hopefully he'll be on ESPN soon and bring in Goodall too.
Yes Koenig and Goodall are good, and their silence when Adler is talking speaks volumes!
I just know they are thinking, 'what an idiot'...
I'd like to mention Fred Stolle. It's always a pleasure to listen to him commentating, especially when he was with Cliff Drysdale and Mary Carillo on ESPN back in the day. It was bonkers to break up that team. Jim Courier and Mats Wilander are excellent commentators. There's Frew McMillan. There's John Barrett too. I miss his commentary since his retirement.
Suprised no one thinks Darren Cahill is a good commentator.
I agree Adler is annoying and his voice is pitch higher than the other two. He interupts and ruins the majesticity of Federer shots.
When Wawrinka got that superb point in the tiebreak....Damm Adler ruined it with his squels.
I like Vijay Amritraj on Star Sports too. He's always a laugh
Need to add Donald Young and bring some youth to the mic. He is available most weeks.
LOL, I almost thought I was reading one of my own posts. How on Earth do you get 'Vee-jay' where you are at. I thought only us guys in Asia got him -- during WO and maybe AO.
I've not noticed Adler really, will pay more attention to him next time. Mostly get Doug, Koenig and Goodall here.
I absolutely agree with the author of this thread. I hate this guy. The commentating he does is pretty bad. He uses a lot of filler to kill dead time, when he is not doing that he says some really cliche things that are just annoying. "In order to beat the other guys, you just need to fight harder than the rest." Nice cliche that means nothing idiot. Then he says a lot of things that are common knowledge and throws in some false statements here and there. His voice is really bland and sounds so monotonous. You know when Romney was caught saying stuff when he visited michigan like, "i like the trees," "I like the streets," "I like the houses." So on and so on, that's what he does, he just drones on and on. Somebody should just fire this guy. The only time he can ever talk about something interesting is when he's paired up with a good commentator and that person makes a good observation or an anecdotal comment, then he'll just take it and run with it like he said it. He just parrots and drones on and on. Him and Luke/Murphy Jensen are some of the worst commentators out there. For some reason Tennis has some pretty bad commentators and I don't see how they made it through the filtration process as I think some people on these forums could do a better job.
Is sad that they are getting paid for what a lot of people (some here) would kill for and would do an infinitely better job. It to me feels like when you go to a crappy restaurant that only exists because it's situated on a busy street full of tourists. They keep it alive because they don't know any better, but that place should go extinct if left to the locals and their dinning habits. He just blathers on because execs who know nothing of tennis hired him because he did the reps and is commentator ready as opposed to someone new and fresh, someone with good ideas and good insight.
BTW, worst NBA commentator. Bill Walton. Great player, but he sounds like a over eccentric cliche machine. His cliches are so trite and never ending, that's why ABC ended their contract with him. At least tennis doesn't have that guy, but the Jensen brothers come very close.
This week a site did a feature about players discussing their favorite TV commentators. Adler was not mentioned :/
http://www.tennis-prose.com/articles/players-talk-about-their-favorite-tv-tennis-commentators/
Players Talk About Their Favorite TV Tennis Commentators.43 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop · Edit
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Vince Spadea: “I like Patrick McEnroe and Luke Jensen. I like the former players. The guys who are young and hungry and excited about doing it. And they know the information and they know the players. And they get the inside scoop much easier than someone from a computer. I’m not trying to knock anyone who is doing that. I like to listen to people putting enthusiasm and personality into talking about tennis, not just about the exact match. Patrick is a very intelligent guy, been around a lot of years, obviously had a great career himself. He has a brother who is a legend. There’s so many aspects from tennis that he can kind of dig from. Luke is high energy. He’s inspiring. He comes up with little phrases, little nicknames, little inside stories about each player or certain individuals. He’s always been into participating and trying to inspire tennis fans and trying to grow the game. I like Chris Evert too. Articulate and smart and obviously a legend in her own right.”
James Blake: “Cliff Drysdale is my favorite. He’s the most underrated. Because he’s so good at kind of playing the straight man and like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about [smiles]. And if you really listen to him, you know he knows exactly what he’s talking about. And was one of the great players. And he has one of the great voices that can do anything with that voice. So he’s my favorite to listen to. He does a great job whether he’s teamed with Patrick McEnroe or whoever, he’s my favorite.”
Justin Gimelstob: “Patrick McEnroe. I think he does a great job with the combination of combining inside experience yet still being supportive of the players. And yet honest enough to give an honest critique. I think some of the commentators are too hard on the players. And some are too soft. But I think Patrick does a great combination.”
Scott Lipsky: “I like to listen to John McEnroe. I like both McEnroes, Patrick and John. I loved Bud Collins. They’re both kind of the same, kinda tell it like it is. Those two guys I really think are the best two.”
Ivan Ljubicic: “Patrick McEnroe and Cliff Drysdale, they’re pretty cool, I like them. And I like the guys from Eurosport as well, David Mercer and Frew McMillan. You can see they play tennis and know a lot about tennis. And it’s a really relaxed feeling. They talk like they only commentate techniques or tactics. I have to say I don’t like Pam Shriver. She’s always so technique that it’s, I mean, it’s really boring. But the other guys, they know how to laugh, they know how to entertain people I think.”
Bob Bryan: “I like to listen to Jim Courier. He’s been there. He knows what he’s talking about. I think Pat Mac’s good. I like Cliff Drysdale. I think all the guys are pretty good. As long as they’re positive about tennis.”
Brian Baker: “I like John McEnroe a lot. And I think Patrick’s very good. Overall I think tennis is good right now, commentating. I really like Cliff and Patrick, they are always an excellent team and they compliment each other pretty good.”
Jonas Bjorkman: “John and Patrick McEnroe. They know the game very well and they know the players very well. They sort of know the weaknesses and strengths of the game. And the players. That’s important. Some guys who commentate are not down in the locker room and checking out things. Both of them are down here. They know a lot of the players still, even if they are not playing. So I think that’s a strength as a commentator. There’s a few out there who are very good. But those are the guys who I find are doing a good job.”
John Newcombe: “John McEnroe’s good when he doesn’t talk about everything besides the tennis match. When he sticks to the tennis match it’s pretty good. When he starts talking about everything else that’s important to him, I kind of lose it then. But when he’s talking about the match I think he has something good to say. I think Cliff Drysdale does a good job. And I like Jim Courier, I think he does a good job. I think his analysis of what’s happening out there is quite good. Tony Trabert I’ve always thought was great. I worked with him on CBS for ten years. And I’ve worked with him on Australian television for 12 years. I really enjoyed working with Tony.”
Greg Rusedski: “Whether you like him or whether you don’t, John McEnroe’s always interesting. He’s got a great knowledge of the game. Sometimes he’s fair with the players sometimes he’s not [smiles] but he’s always interesting. I think Patrick McEnroe does quite a good job as well. Patrick is quite interesting to listen to because he was never a top player like his brother John but he was quite astute and he did the best he could with the game he had and got to #30 in the world. He had to find different ways to win rather than pure talent and ability. So he’s got a different perspective on what it takes to succeed in tennis. He’s seen the top side of tennis but he’s also seen the side where the guys are struggling a little bit out there. So it’s nice to have the double perspective out there. Cliff Drysdale – his history of the game, his knowledge of the game. He’s been out there since when the players had their first union in 1973. He’s seen what tennis has become nowadays. So his knowledge of the game and his insights are quite good to have.”
He's up there with the worst of them. He and the Jensen Brothers can suck my fat hairy *****.
I like the Macs, but they're only around during the slams
^^^Joe Buck - insufferable.
Enberg is absent minded. It was good for him to stop. Chris Fowler is half decent, but he gets on my nerves at times because he constantly questions player injuries, even though he is technically right, he just says it a lot. JMac is good when he sticks to tennis and doesn't change his mind about who the GOAT is every two minutes.
Enberg is nearly 80 so obviously that's a factor. But he gave a match that 'main event' feel just with his voice and credibility alone. He's tennis' Vin Scully. He didn't really stop, he does play by play for SD Padres games now which means we get Bill Macatee and Ian Eagle for the CBS televised slams...which is fine. I like Macatee a lot. Eagle has no personality and I'm fairly certain he's a robot, but he's technically sound. I can understand why some wouldn't like Brad Gilbert. I prefer him in the actual commentating on match role or the side-court whisperer role as opposed to the studio or outside of the stadium at the desk - role where he turns into a carnival barker.
I also forgot to mention Jim Courier who sparingly commentates now. I'd like to see him more as well. I know he has Davis Cup commitments and I know international broadcasting companies use him for majors as well, but if he could takeover the slams for the gigs that Mary Carillo lands here in the US I'd be pleased with that.
Enberg is nearly 80 so obviously that's a factor. But he gave a match that 'main event' feel just with his voice and credibility alone. He's tennis' Vin Scully. He didn't really stop, he does play by play for SD Padres games now which means we get Bill Macatee and Ian Eagle for the CBS televised slams...which is fine. I like Macatee a lot. Eagle has no personality and I'm fairly certain he's a robot, but he's technically sound. I can understand why some wouldn't like Brad Gilbert. I prefer him in the actual commentating on match role or the side-court whisperer role as opposed to the studio or outside of the stadium at the desk - role where he turns into a carnival barker.
I also forgot to mention Jim Courier who sparingly commentates now. I'd like to see him more as well. I know he has Davis Cup commitments and I know international broadcasting companies use him for majors as well, but if he could takeover the slams for the gigs that Mary Carillo lands here in the US I'd be pleased with that.
Doug Adler and Jimmy Arias are the bottom of the bucket for me.
I know Enberg still commentates SD Padres games. I meant it was good for him to stop commentating on tennis. I never found Enberg to be all that exciting personally, but I guess you'd have to be older than me to get the nostalgic main event feeling. I'm the same way about Bob Cole. A bit off topic here, but he's a hockey commentator, and he's been around a while so he makes more mistakes than he used to, but he's Bob Cole, and when he commentates, if you don't get excited, IMO you don't have a heartbeat.
Suspect many would be happy with no announcers, just a feed.
is there no volume controls or mute buttons on the TVs where you/they live?
Worst thing about addler other then his voice, picky negative comments and sence of superiority is he is faking it, he knows very little about the finer details of pro tennis.
I know Enberg still commentates SD Padres games. I meant it was good for him to stop commentating on tennis. I never found Enberg to be all that exciting personally, but I guess you'd have to be older than me to get the nostalgic main event feeling. I'm the same way about Bob Cole. A bit off topic here, but he's a hockey commentator, and he's been around a while so he makes more mistakes than he used to, but he's Bob Cole, and when he commentates, if you don't get excited, IMO you don't have a heartbeat.