Sports Announcing Hits a New Low
Hey, when did Gary Danielson sign on to be the official University of Florida announcer? What's that? He's not? Boy, would never have known it from listening to the second half of the SEC Championship game yesterday. Gary head his head so far up the Gators' ass, I thought maybe Urban Meyer was holding one of his kids hostage.
And it was an absolute embarrassment to the sports broadcasting profession.
It's one thing for the guys calling the game to give their opinion on who should get the BCS title nod, but for someone to actively lobby for an entire half - as Danielson did in the third and fourth quarters - is totally unprofessional. Maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't think such shilling was what the broadcast team is supposed to do during the game they're calling!
If you're the guy back in the studio or doing some wrap-up show, get on your soapbox all you want. But as one of the two supposedly professional, allegedly unbiased announcers for a national network, to openly shill for the team that just happens to be in the conference whose games are televised by the network that pays your check is totally bush.
I mean, the game was on CBS, right? Or was that the Gator Network, because it was hard to tell during Gary's slurp job. Then again, since CBS televises the SEC games, does that make them one and the same?
The worst of his complete hack-job was when he "compared" Michigan's schedule with Florida, giving the advantage of a win or loss to one team or the other. While the exercise itself is subjective to begin with, Danielson matched the schedules up in such a way that was ridiculous. Even worse, game results that were correct to have been compared were "awarded" as a plus to Florida which made no sense.
For example, according to Danielson's "expert" analysis," he called Michigan's 20 point victory over Vandy a "push" with Florida's six point win over the Commodores (in which Vandy outgained the Gators). And in comparing Michigan's (admittedly) close victory over Ball State, the third place team in the MAC, Danielson gave Florida the "advantage" for their stirring blowout victory over 2-9, 1-AA Western Carolina, whose two wins, back in September, were against something called Chowan and Eastern Kentucky (to go along with blowout losses to Elon, Wofford and Jerry Falwell's Liberty University).
Hey, I'm not saying a win over Ball State is some great accomplishment. But compared to a horrible 1-AA squad? C'mon, Gar, you're the one who brought this little bullshit ploy up so at least pretend to be balanced. Although it's too late to fix anything. The subliminal damage is already done vis a vis poll voters who just saw that graphic for the few moments it was onscreen - with all the check marks in the Gator column.
You know, I never liked Gary Danielson when he was a QB for the Lions. I just didn't think he was that good. And judging from last night, he's an even worse announcer.
Re: Tressel abstains from voting... spineless = tressel
