Comments on: Erin Andrews Doesn’t Belong In Broadcast Booth

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:01:29 +0000

The argument that Erin shouldn’t be doing pbp about Football is valid. For pbp commentators have to know what they are talking about when they editorialize about penalties, play calling, what should be done etc.

Erin might be great on the sideline but it requires instinct based on previous battles to be able to spontaneously comment on a play choice.

Jamie Sale is great pbp during Figure Skating or Chris Evert during tennis. But, when it comes to football give me John Maden,Terry,Steve,Chris and people who have actually played the game.

If Erin wants to do pbp about football then let her go out and get banged up (no sexual innuendo intended, I mean,, well no way to describe) feel what it’s like to be 4th and 20 with 20 seconds left down by 5 on her opponent’s 25 in The Super Bowl then I’ll turn up the volume.

By: DaveH

DaveH — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:07:15 +0000

As an addendum to the comment at 8:25 pm on February 3, 2009, I think it's safe to assume that it is not all she straddles.

By: JIM

JIM — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:12:05 +0000

Why ya gotta dog on soccer?

By: Phil Bama Slamma

Phil Bama Slamma — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:13:49 +0000

I say whoever wins Playboy's Sexiest Sportscaster Contest gets the chance to do play-by-play for a major league game.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:34:11 +0000

let them do play by play for a cooking show

bernstein couldnt get that nose of hers in a play by play booth

erin andrews can do play by play on my crotch

By: Steve Harvey Delay

Steve Harvey Delay — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:04:33 +0000

Valentine's Day is coming up. Letting a gal call a game from the booth would be a great present from any producer who's currently dating a sideline reporter.

By: ieatbunnies

ieatbunnies — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:03:33 +0000

who the hell wants to listen to a women in play by play

By: Brad James

Brad James — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:25:21 +0000

I think Bonnie Bernstein is one of the few that can make it work. She is hot and knows her football so that's all right with me. Otherwise, no I don't want ditzy women that don't know anything. I would love to be a sideline reporter myself, but I'm a man who never played beyond Manti High so in honor to my Italian heritage I say fuhgedaboutit.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:15:04 +0000

let them do the WNBA….noone watches that anyway

By: Rick in Seattle

Rick in Seattle — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:49:22 +0000

This conflict is similar to the conflict which first emerged in the late 1970's over women as news anchors. Originally the networks and broadcast journalists were very resistent, preferring to put their most experienced, gray-haired journalists in the anchor booths, both to establish credibility and trust, and as a reward for decades of hard experience in the reporting trenches. But putting young women at the anchor desks increased ratings (followed thereafter by young men, also), and TV news became more of an entertainment vehicle than an information source.

So it really depends upon whether the NFL audience wants to be "entertained", or whether they prefer to have someone with intricate knowledge of the game be the announcer. If they switch to having women in the broadcast booth, the broadcast of the game will shift dramatically, with frequent shots of the broadcasters, as opposed to the action on the field or replays.

Most NFL viewers played the game at least at some level, if only at the high school level. They, and the friends/family members they are watching the game with, already know quite a bit about the game. Most prefer booth broadcasters who can provide accurate information which is not obvious to the average viewer, as well as background information acquired by years of being involved with the game, both on the field and off. There may be some women broadcasters who can fit that role without having played the game at the college or NFL level, but not many. Ironically, by the time most can fill that role, they would be too old to be the "eye candy" that gives them the best chance to get such a position.

We also have to ask how many have put in time as broadcasters of minor college games. It's a bit of a mistake to assume that a sideline reporter can make the jump to the NFL broadcast booth without several years of experience doing play-by-play in the boonies.