The best announcers don’t need a stupid side-kick. Growing up in Los Angeles in the 60s and 70s I heard the best: Chick Hearn for the Lakers, Dick Enberg for the Rams, and Vin Scully for the Dodgers (he’s still at it). Thank G-d PC didn’t infest the country back then, otherwise these three would have been sorely missed. Yeah, they had help announcing, but mostly their sidekicks kept quiet.

FrenchKiss on May 22, 2012 at 5:59 pm

You can always tell a fricken’ feminist because even if they describe themselves as “Conservative” their feminist knee-jerk thoughts are hard to kill. They can’t help it…their old feminist thoughts die hard. They can’t give up the identity politics of their favourite group…WOMEN.

I say all that because I notice it and it drives me crazy! I used to be as militant as they come (w/out being a lesbian) and I have seen the error of my ways and agree with DS (who NEVER had to be a feminist!) 100%. I don’t have those “muscle memory” spasms because the truth wins!

Just give the men what they want and STOP using identity politics. We are all much happier when the best MAN (or woman) gets the job they excel at and affirmative action is NOT used!

Skunky on May 22, 2012 at 6:12 pm

I’m hardly a misogynist, but I LOATHE any and all women football announcers, sideline and locker room reporters. It’s unnatural, stilted, forced and they sound silly and annoying spouting off stats that they clearly only just rehearsed and memorized for their content as opposed to something they eagerly learned from their passion and love of the game.

Excellent article and commentary, Debbie.

DS_ROCKS! on May 22, 2012 at 6:36 pm

DS, I watch NCAA Football on ESPN each fall, and to be honest with you Debbie, I didn’t care too much for Pam Ward and ironically, she was never a student-athlete in her day as a young person. Thankfully on “College Football Saturday” on Fox Sports Net, they don’t have female play-by-play announcers or color-commentators, and it’s not that I’m a misogynists, I’m FAR from being one, I have nothing but respect and appreciation for women in general.

When I watch Womens NCAA basketball games, either on ESPN or Fox Sports Net there are some female color-commentators such as Deb Antonelli, Brenda Vanlangden, Abby Waner, Cynthia Stein (former Missouri womens basketball team), etc. But they don’t call or commentate Mens NCAA basketball games, and those female color-commentators that I named in this message of mines are “former” student-atheles in their day.

“A nation is defined by it’s borders, language & culture!”

Sean R. on May 22, 2012 at 7:24 pm

She’s as goo or better than half the sports announcers and homers who are calling sports today. Plus they fill airtime with retire concussed jocks as commentators.

Bill on May 22, 2012 at 7:33 pm

Listening to females talk football is awful. Every time one of the vaunted sideline “reporters” comes on, Kolber, Pam Whoever, Lisa Guerrero, all of them, I mute the television (Granted, I do the same with Tony Siragusa). It’s insulting to be expected to want to have a woman talk football when the vast majority of women in men’s actual lives piss and moan about how much football they watch and don’t know anything about the game. The worst, imo, was Guerrero asking Brett Favre, following the scorching he gave the Raiders a couple days after his dad died, “We’ve seen you play with a broken thumb, how did you play with a broken heart?” PUKE!!!!

Matt on May 22, 2012 at 8:51 pm

She looks like Julie Myers…BTW/ask Vin who was the best and he will likely say Red Barber (before my time). But Chick Hearn was every bit as brilliant. Is hockey a sport?

#1 Vato on May 22, 2012 at 9:54 pm

LOL Debbie. I thought it was only I. That woman was just awful.

GianniV on May 22, 2012 at 10:25 pm

Here and there, there are women who know their stuff about football.

Unfortunately, the networks don’t care whether they “know their stuff”. They care about whether they are sufficiently attractive to a male audience. That sucks!

Men love women who “know their stuff”. They don’t have to be fashion models.

There is NO Santa Claus on May 22, 2012 at 10:33 pm

Debbie I for one like seeing women covering football and basketball but only as sideline reporters and only if they have nice tjts.

A1 on May 23, 2012 at 12:39 am

Over the years I’ve become sick of all the announcers. A game is timed for sixty minutes but takes at least three hours to play. I’ve done this for years: Mute the sound and read, listen to the radio, or check out your favorite websites (especially Debbie’s) while the game is on. I can usually get at least a couple chapters read in the course of a game. Dividing attention isn’t too difficult since football doesn’t take that much brain to keep track of. You can go back and forth watching action while reading during huddle-time, commercials, and other sights/sounds that have no relevance to the game. Works for me.

CornCoLeo on May 23, 2012 at 9:04 am

One grain of PC BS down and a desert-ful to go… One less moron I have to mute out on rare occasion when I tune in. As pro sports becomes more “entertainment” I find I rarely watch or care anymore. B-ball is about the same with all the drama and bad behavior. Unfortunately, as the NHL becomes increasingly pussified, the day may come when I’ll stop watching it too. Rant off.

GC on May 23, 2012 at 9:24 am

Not sure I totally agree. Pam Ward was always prepared and gave a very professional and dispassionate view on the games she broadcast.

No I do not want women broadcasting football games and please spare me the models roaming the sidleines asking their marshmallow questions. But I also don’t want some stupid retired jock trying to be politically correct either. Sickening.

I also do not want nor will accept force placements based on gender. However, I would listen to a game broadcast by anyone prepared to do the broadcast that did their homework and Pam Ward did that.

Bottomline, I am mad she got the job over gender but I also feel she earned the job with her ability thereafter. Joe Montana played the game but he was a lousy announcer. Give me Pam over him in the box anytime.

bill Ford on May 23, 2012 at 9:25 am

Both Pam and Beth were doing college softball last weekend. Pam is actually good doing the early ESPN football games for the Big 10. Beth is good at softball, basketball and volleyball.

colt13 on May 23, 2012 at 9:37 am

I get only the basic cable which does not include ESPN. So I have not experienced Pam or Beth.

However, reasons many men watch football be it college or pro include getting away from the wife, and PC crap and feminist BS. Sorry about the wife but it happens.

There are few men that take the “hey Edith get me a beer” approach. However, feminizing football is like greening NASCAR. Which is now underway. What disaster. Men want things their way on a few occasions when viewing sports on TV, and do not want a bunch of PC crap messing it up.

Panhandle on May 23, 2012 at 10:13 am

Well, we seem to prefer different presentations. In general, I’ve grown weary of hearing women’s perspectives on many things that interest me. I’d much rather hear a man’s perspective, especially if that man was a participant. Even Montana, a good example. Though a poor broadcaster, his comments and perspective came from his personal experience. I find I like those views over most others. JMHO.

GC on May 23, 2012 at 10:42 am

Does anybody remember back in ’87 when NBC put someone named Gayle Sierens on to become the first female NFL play-by-play announcer? Don’t know how many games she called. Who knows what she’s doing now? Crying “sexism”?

Kurt Toy on May 23, 2012 at 11:24 am

I never heard Ms. Ward or any other woman cover a football game, so I have no real point of comparison. However, I do have a memory of Howard Cosell covering a professional tennis match (I think ABC was slowly exiling him to retirement). He was so bad, I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Maybe Ms. Ward will be covering the MLB playoffs beginning in the fall.

Concerned Citizen on May 23, 2012 at 12:47 pm

Debbie – wouldn’t you bet that ESPN hires another woman to replace her, though?

Chris on May 23, 2012 at 1:18 pm

She probably had a longer tenure than Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football back in the early 2000s.

Speaking of which, as much as I like Dennis Miller, he was clearly not a good fit for MNF. I don’t know what ABC was thinking at the time, perhaps inject some comedy into the commentary and play-by-play? The problem is that Miller makes references that go over the heads of your average football fan…

Alan on May 23, 2012 at 1:53 pm

I enjoy the “Sideline questions” from the female announcers – especially the one who wears hats during football season. “Hey, coach. Your quarterback was just taken off the field with a skull fracture and a broken leg………..do you think he’ll be able to play in the second half?” “Hey, coach. The score is zero – zero. Do you think you think if you score more points than your opponent you could win the game?”

We also have affirmative action “Twofers” on ESPN.

Who is the “Lady” whose voice gets deeper by the week – deeper than James Earle Jones? Was it this Pam Ward? I’ve heard a very deep voiced one do women’s college softball…..she sounds like she is in the middle of a sex change.

Herbster on May 23, 2012 at 2:15 pm

Let her cover soccer. That’s a girl’s sport…

PDMac60 on May 23, 2012 at 3:30 pm

DS: You have a way with words(used tampons)…lol Feminists harbor feelings of incertitude as it is, and this incident will certainly trigger further misandrist behavior. Moreover, CBS must be taking a sound beating financially- with the PMS basketball games that they piggyback as a “lead-in” to the NBA game.

Patrick on May 23, 2012 at 4:11 pm

If a woman is a football fan who’s been following the game all her life then she would know football as much as men do.

Laura on May 24, 2012 at 7:20 pm

I understand men may not want to hear female voices broadcasting football, however its unfair to claim that women couldn’t possibly have as much knowledge of the game.

Laura on May 24, 2012 at 7:29 pm

“In general, I’ve grown weary of hearing women’s perspectives on many things that interest me. I’d much rather hear a man’s perspective”
………………………………………………….
Why do you come to Debbie’s blog?

Laura on May 24, 2012 at 7:33 pm

RIGHT ON!

Casey on October 6, 2012 at 3:33 pm

I don’t think ESPN knows who their market is. I think if they did they wouldn’t force women sports announcers down our throats the same way that the NBA or WNBA forces women’s basketball on us. Whether the women are competent enough to do the job isn’t the issue. Men, who I believe are the vast majority of the ESPN market just don’t want to hear women talking about their sport. I don’t understand exactly why, but for my part, I their voices grate on me, and I can’t relate to them the same way as I can a man. I can’t help thinking about the man who lost the job for this apparent affirmative action.

Nick on October 14, 2012 at 10:15 am

Gotta admit – I HATE it when they have a female play by play announcer for football…..how can a woman RELATE to playing this sport? I know it’s sexist – but it’s true. Mowlins sounds GREAT at calling womens hoops – but football???….She “pukes” – and when a woman does this on the mic – it is HORRIBLE for the audience. You’ll say it’s a “guys’ club” – but maybe it is. Maybe there IS a reason you don’t see half naked men with pom poms on the sidelines…..this is a trend that has run its course. The Purdue?OSU game was awful….teaming her with Galloway didn’t help. Back to the hardwood…..PLEASE

Chuck on October 20, 2012 at 2:20 pm

These “bitches” just REFUSE to understand that a man does not to be LECTURED about football by some damn woman who usually doesn’t have the foggiest idea what she is talking about!!!!
There have been times when I passed on a game that I wanted to see because it featured a woman broadcaster.
Thanks for the gripe time!!!

Jim Ingram on November 30, 2012 at 10:10 pm

Got to agree with all the Guys who don’t want Women announcing male Sports, whatever they are…..We hear enough whinny Chicks on our nightly news….It used to be all men newcasters now it’s virtually all women…
We can tell there is a Femminist agenda behind all this, and most of TV is a Show Case of Leftist ideas and viewpoints….A Propaganda tool like no other.

Knute Rockknee on December 9, 2012 at 4:22 pm

The women on espn announcing the East Carolina 2012 game sucks-bring back Ron Franklin

ronj on December 22, 2012 at 1:12 pm

From solely an audio point-of-view, women’s voices are not made for doing broadcasting in play-by-play, EXCEPT in women’s sports.

Their voices are high-pitched, making it impossible for their voices NOT to rise in pitch when they’re excited…and THAT makes it VERY ANNOYING to listen to!

The feminist party line should stand back when it comes to calling football which is A MAN’S SPORT…unless they want to call the lingerie league.

I won’t watch a game with sound up at all if a woman is calling it. It’s just not worth it…TOO MUCH EAR PAIN!

Women: you have LOTS AND LOTS of places to make your mark. Leave men’s football, baseball and basketball to the MEN!!!

Thomas Condon on December 22, 2012 at 3:40 pm

Sorry to reopen this but I’m a michigan state fan in Dallas. I’m just watching the game on tv and it’s annoying , depressing and sad. Espn is pushing female announcers again. They sound stupid, butch and annoying. Can anybody please grow a pair and tell them to please get the hell away from men’s sports? What has this country come to?

Dallas d on October 5, 2013 at 12:24 pm

And to all the angry comments from people for being a chauvinist – I am all for women doing the same things as men and rightly so. But please leave our sports alone!

Dallas d on October 5, 2013 at 12:26 pm

I tip my hat to you. How refreshing to hear the plain, non-PC comment on this trend stated by another woman. Thank You for being honest .

Robert Cassini on October 6, 2013 at 11:27 am

It’s Monday night. And damn, there’s another woman analyst doing pregame telling me what she thinks I want to know about football. No. I take that back. She’s telling me what someone told her that men want to hear about football. That immediately brought back a flashback I had over the most sacred of holiday football offerings other than what used to be bowl week. My Thanksgiving weekend of football. One of the special occasions that men wait all year for. I was searching the tube for the best game on and found one to my liking. Damn, damn, damn it, there’s a woman announcer. Screw that. I’m not watching that game …. ever. It was a week ago and I’m still mad about that. I like women, don’t get me wrong. But I absolutely hate women in football or baseball: (pregame, during, or after a game.). I wish the networks would take a hint. If I was an advertiser I would listen.

Gary David on December 2, 2013 at 6:56 pm

Good ol liberal ESPN. Trot out some inane female as a football announcer to push your left wing pc crap. KEEP THE BROADS OUT OF THE BOOTH!!!! Liberal pukes.

jimmygotgame on December 23, 2013 at 2:41 pm

Pam Ward is absolutely repulsive. Is that chick a dyke? Liberal pc puke.

jimmygotgame on December 23, 2013 at 2:42 pm

To you all :

I don’t know the other announcers you’re all complaining about, but I just listened to Beth Mowin doing the Liberty Bowl, and thought she did an acceptable job. Stop being haters, and encourage your sisters and other females to sit-in, and learn as much about football as you claim to know. Also, you should sit and try to announce a game in the privacy of your home ; let DS. try this also. It might give her, and you a new appreciation for the skill level you have to develop in order to do the job. The people who hire at ESPN, may or may not have an agenda to put more females on the air ; I say, more power to them.

Bill

Bill on December 31, 2013 at 8:40 pm

DS:

I just read all of your info.; I don’t understand with all the stands you’ve taken, and good that has been done, how you can attack so many people and ideas. With the training you’ve had, and help from men (and women), why is your vision for other women so clouded with venom? I’m pleased that you have done all that you have for the Jewish nation and it’s people, and yet as knowledgeable as you appear, you fail to understand that whomever is in a political position of power, will not affect the plan as outlined by God for this world, his chosen people, and the end-times. I am impressed by your many achievements, but am discouraged that you seem to delight in taking shots at others who also appear to be accomplished in various fields. You also,due to your exceptional academic awards, have had more than a passing relationship with many notables; how does that match-up with the people you judge as “schmoozing”?

I thank you for your stances on many topics; I can “love you, but dislike some of your ways”.

Yours,

Bill

Bill on December 31, 2013 at 10:31 pm

FIRST and BIGGESTcomplaint – the female voice can’t be heard over the noise of the crowd.
SECOND but equally important complaint – they detract from what 99.9% of viewers want to watch…. the ball game.
THIRD – The female side liners are all self centered, narcissistic beauty queens who use their physical attributes and exploit corporate America’s (t.v. networks) fear of Political Correctness and big mouthed, venom spitting FEMINISTS and LESBIANS to move up in the world without ‘paying their dues’ or being competent. Uhhh…. Isn’t that the classic definition of a GOLD DIGGER… and/or self centered, ego-tripping FEMINISTS ??? Yup!!!!!

candidlytruthful on October 11, 2014 at 9:02 pm

Females have high pitched, squealy, fingernails on a chalkboard voices. Not designed for announcing or the PA booth. Great for screaming during sex though.

jim ray bubba joe king 111 on October 24, 2014 at 10:35 am

Women announcers and men’s sports just don’t mix. As men get older one of the first things that goes is their hearing. The hearing range that goes first is the range in which women and children speak. There are lots of men out there watching sports who are in the group in which I’m speaking and find it nothing less than VERY FRUSTRATING to try to listen to women sports announcers. Enough already!

Richard on January 12, 2015 at 7:36 pm

The masculine voices of John Facenda and Bill King are what helped transmit the swashbuckling image of the Oakland Raiders. Today, both men would have go the route of a post-op tranny Bruce Jenner route be hired. Just douche, baby.

Paul on August 1, 2015 at 3:16 pm

Charlotte Hornets have a female commentator….. just **** off ! I will never watch a game when one of the 2 commentators is female…….the sideline reporters is more than enough.

Female voice and men playing a game don´t mix.

alex on January 4, 2016 at 4:37 am

What the hell is wrong with men commentating when it is men sports and women commentating female sporting events….absolutely nothing.

This feminist crusade is ruining everything

Dennis on January 27, 2016 at 3:21 pm

No women in NFL.

Eddie on April 28, 2016 at 10:55 pm

God bless women. Even the ridiculous ones, who attempt to talk about men’s sports. Honey, hush. There is no man alive, who listens to you. If she is fire hot, we may tolerate the insubordinance. If not, good luck. We don’t attempt to commentate on figure skating. Accept it, and go shopping!

Mike on May 27, 2016 at 8:17 pm

if the political correctnes at espn has women calling nfl games,i will not watch the games,many of my friends feel the same way.we don’t want to go into womens sports or other areas

joe johnson on September 11, 2017 at 11:30 pm