Announcerless Game (NYJ@Mia, '80) discussion

[74_75_78_79_]

I actually do remember the hype leading up to it and actually watching a bit of it that Saturday. Anyone else watch it, remember it more vividly? Anyone think it'll ever happen again; should happen again? Any other thoughts?

It actually was a good game which many seem to forget whether the reason being it being overshadowed by the whole 'announcerless'-notoriety or the simple fact that it was a 3-12 team (just coming off a painful loss to you-know-who the previous week) playing an 8-7 one.

[BD Sullivan]

I actually do remember the hype leading up to it and actually watching a bit of it that Saturday. Anyone else watch it, remember it more vividly? Anyone think it'll ever happen again; should happen again? Any other thoughts?

It actually was a good game which many seem to forget whether the reason being it being overshadowed by the whole 'announcerless'-notoriety or the simple fact that it was a 3-12 team (just coming off a painful loss to you-know-who the previous week) playing an 8-7 one.

The idea was announced on October 27 by Don Ohlmeyer, the same day that the Dolphins played a MNF game at Shea. Entering that game, Miami was 3-3 and the Jets 1-5, and Ohlmeyer said that if either team was still in playoff contention, they would mothball the no-announcers idea.

One review of the game trashed the Dolphins' PA guy for hamming up his calls, given his sudden importance to the game.

In order to provide some TV sense, more graphics were added and over 100 interviews with players were prerecorded.

[Bryan]

Anyone think it'll ever happen again; should happen again? Any other thoughts?

My TV remote has a mute button now, and back in 1980 I had to actually walk to my TV set to change the channel or volume, so I think a present-day 'announcerless game' would be unnecessary.

[John Grasso]

What would really be appreciated would be a commercial-less game.
Even watching in person you are bombarded with commercials at the stadium.

[Mark L. Ford]

I actually do remember the hype leading up to it and actually watching a bit of it that Saturday. Anyone else watch it, remember it more vividly? Anyone think it'll ever happen again; should happen again? Any other thoughts?

It actually was a good game which many seem to forget whether the reason being it being overshadowed by the whole 'announcerless'-notoriety or the simple fact that it was a 3-12 team (just coming off a painful loss to you-know-who the previous week) playing an 8-7 one.

I watched it, and remember it pretty well. It was an interesting experiment, but without the announcers, what I remember was the long pauses of silence between downs where you might hear the PA announcer or twittering birds. It had the feel of sitting in really good seats, but being the only person in that section of the stadium. For obvious reasons, they didn't want the microphones to pick up anything that you would hear the crowd chatter you would hear around you, and definitely didn't want viewers to hear the, uh, colorful comments Miami fans would have about, say, Mark Gastineau. Even when they would crank up the volume to hear the roar of the crowd during a big play, it wasn't quite the "you-are-there" feel that NBC promised.

Would it happen again? No, although a modern NFL game has a lot more things that weren't done in 1980, like rock anthems between downs and the crowd being encouraged to be loud.

[JuggernautJ]

What would really be appreciated would be a commercial-less game.
Even watching in person you are bombarded with commercials at the stadium.

On this we are in 100% agreement.
And it is not just sporting events/television.
One can hardly open their eyes (or ears) without being bombarded with advertising wherever one goes.

As an experiment try stopping what you are doing at a few given moments during the day and try to count all the ads you see at that moment. It is truly staggering to consider the amount of subliminal advertising to which we are constantly subjected.

[Evan]

I seem to recall that back when this game occurred there was a backlash from the public toward TV announcers, particularly the lightning rod of Cosell. His act was wearing thin on viewers by that point, and I remember a segment on "Real People" I think it was about the "TV Bricks" which were foam bricks that you could throw at the TV when an announcer (particularly Cosell) said something you didn't like. It just seemed like a lot of people just wanted announcers in general, and Cosell in particular, to shut the heck up.

So the announcer-less game went off, and I remember it seemed to ignite a surge in a sentiment of "Oh no, this was even worse than droning announcers" further underlining the old adage of be careful what you wish for.

[SixtiesFan]

I seem to recall that back when this game occurred there was a backlash from the public toward TV announcers, particularly the lightning rod of Cosell. His act was wearing thin on viewers by that point, and I remember a segment on "Real People" I think it was about the "TV Bricks" which were foam bricks that you could throw at the TV when an announcer (particularly Cosell) said something you didn't like. It just seemed like a lot of people just wanted announcers in general, and Cosell in particular, to shut the heck up.

So the announcer-less game went off, and I remember it seemed to ignite a surge in a sentiment of "Oh no, this was even worse than droning announcers" further underlining the old adage of be careful what you wish for.

I remember the anti-Cosell sentiment by that time. I think there was a bar that would have an old TV every week for someone to throw something and break the TV screen when Cosell came on. It was a weekly ritual.

I watched some of the announcerless game. It was oddly off-putting. It didn't work for me.

[rhickok1109]

Every game is basically announcerless for me. I turn the sound on perhaps 2 or 3 times during a game, usually when I'm puzzled about why the officials are huddling about something.

[MarbleEye]

What is needed is a one announcer game. Play by Play only, no "color".

Also, if MLS can broadcast games with no commercials during a half, no reason why the NFL cant at least try it once.