Does Brian Anderson not get it?

[aracko]

Again - we had a pitcher throwing a no hitter(CC on Wednesday) and much like the last time we came anywhere near a no no - Brian Anderson is flapping his gums about CC having given up no hits yet, and the cards being hitless. Its almost like he knows what he is doing and trying to be an annoying worm.

 

Look, all superstitions aside, part of the thrill of a no hitter is the tradition of it. Nobody talks to the pitcher, nobody mentions no hitter or no hits. The pitcher is all alone in his part of the dugout. Its part of a buildup to a very special moment.

 

Sure enough after he says the cards have been held hitless, CC gives up his first hit. I am convinced that BA knows what he is doing. I am also convinced that BA is just one of those people that doesnt believe in superstition so goes about his way like any other day - but there are those of us that want it left alone. Either that or he lacks the creativity to say anything else.

[Principessa21]

I agree with your post aracko, but look on the bright side, at least he didn't go crazy like Yankee broadcaster Michael Kay.

[JoeHova]

It is weird the way he acts during potential no-hitters. I agree that he's being annoying on purpose because he should either just say that there is a no-hitter going on and totally ignore the superstition or he should not say anything. Instead, I feel like he's trying to be cute and skirt the issue.

 

I don't really care about the superstition, it's just jarring to have something that hasn't happened yet be constantly alluded to. And the production crew does the same thing, zooming in on the "H" section of the scoreboard after every inning.

 

On a related note, on Thursday after Braun's home run, Anderson and Schroeder acted like the game was already over and started talking about how it was the 6th time the Brewers had beat the cards in the last at bat this year and naming all the guys who had got the hits that won the game. Luckily, the Cards announcers were guilty of even worse hubris by naming Ryan Franklin the player of the game before he had actually closed the game out.

 

Is it that hard to wait to talk about things during sporting events until they actually happen? By constantly talking about things that haven't happened yet, all you do is set yourself up to look foolish. It's one thing to mention the possibility of something happening, but to dwell on it is annoying, at least in my opinion.

[Mr QL]

He knows what he's doing, just wants to be jerkface to the people who get upset about it. You can notice that he giggles like a little girl while doing it. I really wish he'd stop, he's not endearing himself to the fans by annoying them.

[eanelson4]

BA is a knob...whats new?

[Postseason2006]

Can we complain enough so he's gone after this year? I miss Mike Hegan....

[FVBrewerFan]

He actually used the term "no-no" going to break after the 4th or 5th. What kind of moron would do that? He's been around baseball long enough to know better.

[Bankjob]

I don't have a problem with him calling the game and announcing that the pitcher has not given up any hits. The way I always looked at it is you are calling the game for the public audience not us baseball fanatics that live by this superstition(like me). How else is Jane Smith from Reedsburg going to know something big is going on if she is a casual or new fan to the game. Its all about the masses not us die hards.

 

PS... has anyone ever tried to call a game on the radio while following this rule it would sound pretty silly.

[davego]

I don't care much that he decided to talk about it; but I agree that he comes off as a knob while doing so. Given this; if Sutton was still here...he might be a bit insufferable by now.

[bigredrobbo]

Sometimes comments on this board are just borderline ridiculous (spelled correctly).

 

It's his job to inform us what is going on. Sure, there is a superstition about not talking to the pitcher, but when did any of us start playing for the crew, since that's the ONLY context in which this stupid tradition is acceptable IMO? Not everyone watching is as knowledgeable as the collective Brewerfan.net brain.

 

It's not like he shouts "hey, kids, Santa doesn't really exist, and it's really your folks that hide all those eggs at Easter time, so forget about the Easter Bunny too!".

 

Bottom line is, some here don't like him and any stick to beat him with will suffice. I mean, Brian and Bill keep mentioning the consecutive HR streak and we keep extending it. Maybe the ridiculous superstition franchise didn't get the "no-talking about Fight Club" memo for that record...

[MickeyDavis]

Yeah I didn't get the whole "this game is over" attitude after Braun's HR. The Arizona 9th inning meltdown wasn't that long ago.

[naivin]

His job is to call the game and describe what is happening - not oretend that something that is happening is not happening. The fact that CC hadn't give up a hit into the 6th inning is rather significant, wouldn't you say? I don't need my intelligence insulted by having him pretend it isn't happening and not mention it for fear that doing so might have some sort of impact on what happens on the field.

 

There is a reason the players don't talk to him - they're in the game, on the field...that could actually have an effect on the pitcher (depending on the pitcher, I suppose). A guy in the TV booth doesn't. I'd much prefer that he simply call teh game, instead of making some silly veiled references for ridiculous reasons.

[lcbj68c]

I have mixed feelings on this. It's is Brian Anderson's job to report on what is happening. ESPN will often begin reporting it on the breaking news tracker, out by out once it reaches the 7th inning. Brian Anderson is not doing anything different than any other reporter. The supersition exists in the dugout amongst players and coaches and that is where it should stay. Where I do have a problem is with the early reporting of the event. Atleast let it clear the 7th before it becomes an issue. 5 and 1/3 innings of no-hit ball is not that big of a deal, IMO.

[Dmiles23]

I agree with both sides of this. Part of Anderson's job is to inform the watchers of what is happening. I know I'd be ticked if I turned on a Brewers game late, and didn't realize a pitcher had a no-hitter going. But the way Anderson does it is just wrong. He and Bill always joke about them talking in the booth doesn't have any effect on the game. And then he goes out of his way to try to prove that point. He jokes about it and, like was said earlier, giggles like a girl while doing it. It could easily be taken care of both ways if at the end of the inning he said something like "and the _____ go down in order again. Through __ innings, the ______ have no runs on no hits and no errors," saying it nonchalantly while still informing the viewers.

 

I'll agree with the "Anderson is a knob" comment. I frankly cannot stand the guy. It seems like every game he makes at least one really stupid comment that just makes me say "What?!" He also must think that nobody watches the Brewers broadcast more than once. I think he told us that Ludwick was an all-star about 30 times in that series. He also tells us that pretty much every shortstop is "one of the best in the league." In my opinion, he would be a good guy to listen to if you watch the games once in a while. But, at least for me, he's so repetitive that you can pretty much guess what he's going to say from game to game.

[Bluechip]

During the Bush near-no-hitter Anderson mentioned that he had previously talked to several other broadcasters to learn their approach to calling no-hitters. He said the consensus was that the broadcaster has to talk about it or else he is not doing his job.

 

I will agree thought that he starts talking about it prematurely.

[Playing Catch]

IIRC Vin Scully always thought that it was the announcer's job to let the audience know if there was a no-hitter going on, FWIW. I know that I'm in the minority on this, but I really like Anderson and Shroeder (sp?). I live in Minnesota, and if there is one thing keeping Blyleven out of the Hall of Fame it's his knob-ness. Living in Saint Paul, I also subscribe to the DirecTV baseball package so I get the feeds from the other cities. It is my opinion that Pittsburgh, Chicago Cubs (obviously, right?), Arizona (I don't like Sutton), and the epitome of bad announcing, Cincinnati, all have far more to complain about in their coverage. After watching a Cincinnati feed, Anderson seems awesome.

[Ennder]

The whole don't mention a no hitter thing is silly and plenaty of announcers don't pay attention to it. I could see not mentioning it say in the 8th or the 9th inning but not mentioning it in the 5th or 6th is just weird.

[Bankjob]

I am not a charter member of the Brian Anderson fan club, by I am certainly not calling for his head either. However...I love Bill Schroeder, not a popular opinion I know, but I think he is a great color man, has a ton of good Brewer stories and just seems like a decent guy.

Plus I saw him at 4th base with Tom Crean after a game last year and he was awesome to all the fans taking pictures, shaking hand, and such.

[fondybrewfan]

I really like BA, I think him and Bill from an above average team. I very rarely find them irritating, they aren't huge homers and they aren't crazy like Sutton but they will show some emotion.

 

I for one think we are lucky to have them. Between the TV crew and the radio crew we have listening and/or watching the game absolutey made.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

IIRC Vin Scully always thought that it was the announcer's job to let the audience know if there was a no-hitter going on, FWIW. I know that I'm in the minority on this, but I really like Anderson and Shroeder (sp?). I live in Minnesota, and if there is one thing keeping Blyleven out of the Hall of Fame it's his knob-ness. Living in Saint Paul, I also subscribe to the DirecTV baseball package so I get the feeds from the other cities. It is my opinion that Pittsburgh, Chicago Cubs (obviously, right?), Arizona (I don't like Sutton), and the epitome of bad announcing, Cincinnati, all have far more to complain about in their coverage. After watching a Cincinnati feed, Anderson seems awesome.

 

Could not agree more...anyone who has Extra Innings knows how much better Brian & Bill are than most of the league. Just because you hear a lot of the same things over a 162 game schedule, some get tired of the idiosyncracies of their given announcer, but I'm telling you...these guys are good, very good and we are lucky to have them.

[crewcrazy]

I don't have much of a problem with him mentioning a no-hitter if it's getting reasonably late in the game (if the guy makes it through 6th, by all means, go nuts). What I have a problem with is how he'll openly bash those who are superstitious and the hint of arrogance he gives off while he's doing it. At least during Bush's no-hit bid, Jim Powell sounded reluctant to mention the hit column -- you could tell he respected the superstition and tradition of the game while he was calling the action.

[phxMILWfan]

I like Bill but can't stand Brian. I live in Phoenix so I occasionally hear Sutton so I do get a reminder of just how bad someone can be at the job. A solo home run in the second inning is like a game winner in the bottom of the ninth in game 7 of the world series to him. I'd like to see someone else do the job next year though.

 

Also I want to climb into my tv and choke the life out of him during potential no hitters. Reporting what is happening is one thing, the occasional mention of it every few innings, great. But the way he talks about it, it's like the opposing team has one going and he's trying to jinx it. As the broadcaster for the Brewers he needs to shut his mouth. He's an obnoxious little twerp. I also can't stand that he can't identify what pitch was thrown to save his life. It was also strange when he first took the job and immediately started poking fun at Bill like they were old pals and Bill barely responded to it.

[lcbj68c]

I'm tired of his inability to know what is a "deep drive to left center field". It's similiar to 90% of fans who stand up and scream. People, it's a can of corn that is going to be caught 8 steps from the warning track. The premature excitement in his voice is annoying. But Bill Schroeder is worse. I understand that you played the game and therefore have insight, but I just want you to provide the game details and not try and dissect whether it is good or bad that the Brewers hit lots of home runs versus scoring via the sac fly.

[Playing Catch]

Just for comparison's sake, I would like those of you who don't like Anderson and/or Shroeder to name some guys that you do like, because it seems to me that many of the complaints could be made about announcers, in general. I dunno, it just seems to me that I'm always complaining to myself about what I'm watching on T.V. Even poorly written sitcoms draw my ire. So I guess my point is, that for me, there is an acceptable amount of annoyance on the part of broadcasters.

[jeffy]

What I have a problem with is how he'll openly bash those who are superstitious.

 

If you really believe that an announcer in the booth has any impact on what happens on the field, then you deserve to be ridiculed (or "bashed") and I'm no fan of B&B, but have had no problem with their calls in regard to potential no-hitters. I also have no problem with those announcers who inform you that it is a no-hitter while jokingly pretending that they are superstitiously not really mentioning it.