Moshier: High school football announcers should clean up act
Almost 30 years of covering high school football, and some things just never change.
Here we are, just one week into the season, and already a public address announcer has made me shake my head and wonder, yet again, why somebody hasn’t laid down the law about what should and shouldn’t be said when there is a microphone in your hand and a game going on.
The unwritten rules are really this simple: Keep it simple. Or, in other words, simply stick to the facts. Please!
OK, so this isn’t the NFL. Still, no announcer at a high school football game, or any other high school sporting event for that matter, should be saying, “Let’s hear it for your (fill in the home team’s mascot here),” while the game is going on. Leave that to the cheerleaders. That’s what they are there for.
Please don’t tell us this is a big fourth-down play. We know that. Please don’t sound a bit too thrilled when the injured player who “appears to be shaken up” happens to be the visiting team’s quarterback. We can see that. And never, ever tell us the visiting team has a third down and “a mile to go” for a first down. Phrases like that should be kept to yourself. Please.
When we’re talking football, the less said, the better. All we really need to hear is the who, the what, and the where. Just tell us who carried or threw or caught the ball, who made the tackle, at what yard line, and down and distance.
It’s that simple. And if you don’t think it can be done that simply and succinctly, then you’ve never been to a
Here’s to hoping at least some of you follow his example. And if you don’t, hopefully somebody at your school finds somebody else who will. Please.
posted by Ron Moshier at
8:33 PM
4 Comments:
is this all you could come up with for a story? high school announcers are not like john madden i agree, but you're no pulitzer prize winner buddy
maybe while you're at it you could pass this info to the soccer announcers and track and field competition announcers!
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well-said , as usual Ron! I'm glad you have this forum to point out some of the aspects of high school sports that need to be mentioned but can't make it in the newspaper.
I would think that some GOOD sportmanship exhibited on the microphone would help tame or eliminate the poor sportsmanship that is heard in the crowd. That sure would be nice to see as a spectator and as a parent trying to teach their children how to represent their school.
I'm sure that keeping the announcing simple and sticking to the facts makes the jobs of anyone covering the sport/game easier, not to mention making it easier for a spectator trying to keep track of what's happening in a fast-paced game.
Congratulations to the RFA announcer on his long run at a job well done! I'm glad he has caught your attention as well as that of many other appreciative spectators.
I'm also glad that you've chosen to dedicate over 30 years of your career to covering high school sports in the area you grew up in- the community is lucky to have your insight and talents.
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