re: Can we talk about Chris Blair?

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The tv announcers are quicker to describe what is going on.

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Lol you know for television the producers match the video feed with the announcer sound, right?

No play by play, doesn't tell you when the pitcher is in his windup or stretch.... he's horrible.

I don't have a problem with Blair. I knew I would miss Jim but Chris has been serviceable.

No one will match Jim ever and I think it has many fans yearning for a past that is long gone.

Hawthorn sucked

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No one will match Jim ever and I think it has many fans yearning for a past that is long gone.

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John Ferguson in his prime eats Jim Hawthorne for lunch and spits him out in chunks!.

I agree. Although overall I like Blair, his home run calls and others have been very flat lately.

Blair's best attribute is that he does his homework. But sports fans want more than just information- they want excitement and emotion and energy- especially when the game is slower-paced or lopsided (the true test of a play-by-play man).

Blair falls into the same rut of many announcers who subconsciously think that for baseball they have to be boring or without energy to match the pace and sound of the game. In my opinion, Blair's greatest enthusiasm is basketball (check Will Wade games). With his background in Kentucky basketball, you can understand why. Football he's okay. Baseball he has the info, but he often falls flat.

As a former play-by-play guy and teacher of young sportscasters, the following is what he should aspire to- and this is a great young TV play-by-play guy, the same play-by-play guy teaming up with Rebecca Lobo right now for WBB March Madness. I really like him. Check him out for baseball here:

Ruocco

Typically radio needs to be even more animated than TV because the audience can't see the action (at least for the most part these days). Now you say that this guy Ruocco is a pro for the Yankees- which is correct- but there are plenty of young guys out there right now who are extremely talented and hungry for a sports play-by-play gig like Blair currently has.

Probably the greatest baseball announcer of all time was Vin Scully of the Dodgers, who did both radio and TV. Granted, this following reel has dramatic moments, but note how he builds the drama for the audience and then pays it off with emotion, and how he presents some fresh new story each game. For the Dodgers' 162 games each season, it's said he had brand new and fresh stories for each game from just getting to know the players and coaches. Made listening to Dodger baseball a joy:

Scully

Now it's a reach to compare any university-hired play-by-play announcer to Vin Scully or the Yankees announcer above, but the point is that baseball doesn't have to be delivered "flat" and with constant "dead air". Announcers can make it interesting and fun. Even Scully and Ruocco had to start off in humble beginnings.

I think the problem at LSU as in other universities is that a Chris Blair is an athletic department hire who has to do every game of all of the sports year round. And after years of doing this you get worn out, especially with multiple games of different sports in the same week. It's not as exciting anymore unless you're winning at Omaha or the college football playoffs.

Obviously, most announcers aren't great at every sport. And I'll give Blair the benefit, I've been impressed with his basketball calls (back in the Wade days). His football to me has been kind of meh. His baseball has been a wealth of helpful info although too dry for me. And to be honest, he's better than a lot of announcers working for universities.

Ferguson was the best at football. Classic calls. When Hawthorne arrived I thought he was better at basketball.

Blair calls a game like a national broadcaster that has no affiliation to either team. No real excitement for the home team. He's a good announcer but not a lot of emotion or passion for the school who signs his check.

At least that's what I get. That's all sports he announces.

“Hey now” might be the worst catch phrase in all of sports broadcasting

Hawthorn was good until the last few years when he got super bitter.

ETA: he reminded of the rant tbh. its like you were listening to a spoiled child whining because someone wasnt giving them everything they wanted. was just zero appreciation or gratitude, hope, joy, excitement in the calls the last few years.

but blair has always been flat and bland