Jill Montgomery is the Worst

Misogyny on the Letsrun message boards? I am just so shocked.

You guys simply can’t stand hearing any woman talk, whether it’s Carol or Jill. Someone recommended Kara but even then they said it pains them to do so. Jill is one of the few commentators out there that can cover every single event on the track AND field. But you all just cannot take it because she’s a woman who is talking. It’s so pathetic, and yet so unsurprising.

urtheworst wrote:

Misogyny on the Letsrun message boards? I am just so shocked.

You guys simply can’t stand hearing any woman talk, whether it’s Carol or Jill. Someone recommended Kara but even then they said it pains them to do so. Jill is one of the few commentators out there that can cover every single event on the track AND field. But you all just cannot take it because she’s a woman who is talking. It’s so pathetic, and yet so unsurprising.

um, no, it is because she is saying a bunch of stuff that makes no sense, and not saying stuff that does.

Carrie Tollefson has been a well regarded announcer around here for years.

urtheworst wrote:

Misogyny on the Letsrun message boards? I am just so shocked.

You guys simply can’t stand hearing any woman talk, whether it’s Carol or Jill. Someone recommended Kara but even then they said it pains them to do so. Jill is one of the few commentators out there that can cover every single event on the track AND field. But you all just cannot take it because she’s a woman who is talking. It’s so pathetic, and yet so unsurprising.

Sanya Richards-Ross is outstanding

JohnR wrote:

That I had to learn elsewhere that the women's 5K champion was coached by her mom who had previously won that very same event,

Why would anyone who is a member of this board need to learn this from Jill Montgomery or anyone at ESPN? The NC State woman's program is mentioned fairly frequently on this board along with who the coach is. It's not as if Henes and mom are with some Div II school with only recent success.

Montgomery's problem is less in what she has to say in that she's constantly saying something......and at a breathless shrill pitch.

The NCAA Championship contract is with ESPN/Disney. While the Trials, Olympics, Diamond League, etc. are with NBC. Ato Bolden, Sanya Richards-Ross, Paul Swangard, Trey Hardee, Lewis Johnson, Kara Goucher, and Leigh Diffey (Indianapolis 500 announcer) have been announced as the track and field announcers for NBC.

urtheworst wrote:

Misogyny on the Letsrun message boards? I am just so shocked.

You guys simply can’t stand hearing any woman talk, whether it’s Carol or Jill. Someone recommended Kara but even then they said it pains them to do so. Jill is one of the few commentators out there that can cover every single event on the track AND field. But you all just cannot take it because she’s a woman who is talking. It’s so pathetic, and yet so unsurprising.

Here is some serious bs. There are plenty of solid woman PBP and analysts. Doris Burke is probably the best basketball analyst in the game today. In T&F give me Tollefson or SRR.

It's Montgomery. She is the problem. Not the fact that she is a she.

urtheworst wrote:

Misogyny on the Letsrun message boards? I am just so shocked.

You guys simply can’t stand hearing any woman talk, whether it’s Carol or Jill. Someone recommended Kara but even then they said it pains them to do so. Jill is one of the few commentators out there that can cover every single event on the track AND field. But you all just cannot take it because she’s a woman who is talking. It’s so pathetic, and yet so unsurprising.

If you criticize a woman your sexist. If you criticize a POC your racist. If you criticize someone who is gay your homophobic. Ever think maybe someone is just not good at what they do and has nothing to do with what label you put on them

Opinionated guy wrote:

Flagpole wrote:

I never understand why people get so upset at what broadcasters say...unless they say something inappropriate

I felt offended for the 200 winner, an unheralded and fairly unknown sophomore, when after completing an NCAA 100-200 double, the first words from Montgomery's mouth was (paraphrasing) "Abby Steiner who dominated the 200 indoor is hurt and that allowed runner X to and others to have a chance." Nothing wrong with mentioning Steiner was tough indoor and hurt, but not at that moment and not in a degrading way to the winner and others. After all, getting to the line healthy is a major part of track & field. I thought it was very inappropriate.

What Flagpole said!!!

FastTuohy wrote:

urtheworst wrote:

Misogyny on the Letsrun message boards? I am just so shocked.

You guys simply can’t stand hearing any woman talk, whether it’s Carol or Jill. Someone recommended Kara but even then they said it pains them to do so. Jill is one of the few commentators out there that can cover every single event on the track AND field. But you all just cannot take it because she’s a woman who is talking. It’s so pathetic, and yet so unsurprising.

um, no, it is because she is saying a bunch of stuff that makes no sense, and not saying stuff that does.

Right. Montgomery literally tried to claim that the 1500 was a "sprint." If a male announcer had something that asinine (among many other idiotic things), they would be justifiably ripped for it as well.

welikecarrie wrote:

Carrie Tollefson has been a well regarded announcer around here for years.

Right. Tollefson did a great job at cross country nationals, and I was hoping that they would bring her in to just call outdoor nationals as well. She's a million times better than Montgomery.

That's great for you, but it seems a bit arrogant to tell other people that they shouldn't care. Like it or not, the quality of the announcers is an important factor in many people's enjoyment of a broadcast.

Montgomery is retiring, that was best thing she said since the meet started.

Marty Liquori was far worse than Craig Masback. I rate Masback as a 5. Liquori as an obnoxious 2. Carol Lewis as a -5

cancel culture wrote:

If you criticize a woman your sexist. If you criticize a POC your racist. If you criticize someone who is gay your homophobic. Ever think maybe someone is just not good at what they do and has nothing to do with what label you put on them

How you push your agenda America styles 101!

Hey what's your favorite color?

"black"

WHAT THE F--K HAVE YOU GOT AGAINST THE COLOR WHITE!!!!!

The first amendment? Hahaha

How about this one. Jill Montgomery who as far as I know identifies as a women and is biologically a woman is an absolutely awful commentator. SHE sucks.

Javman wrote:

Marty Liquori was far worse than Craig Masback. I rate Masback as a 5. Liquori as an obnoxious 2. Carol Lewis as a -5

Liquori was susceptible to run on sentences, but Masback IMO was worse. He's like the guy you invite to your Super Bowl party that won't stop talking about irrelevant stuff during the game. The worst was the 2016 Olympic 1500 Men's Final, when he spent at least 200 meters of the race talking about one of the runners serving tea. He's always talking about stuff that you don't really care to hear about during the race, and he actually ends up missing important things like runners falling mid-race.

The truth is, the announcing got worse as track got less popular. Google races in the 70's and 80's, and you'll hear the likes of Jim McKay, Al Michaels, Jim Lampley and Charlie Jones. Michaels was especially good during the 1984 Olympics (with OJ Simpson doing color for the sprints!). As for women, Donna De Varona and even Katherine Switzer were very good sideline reporters, and Missy Kane was very good in the booth. They just don't send the best announcers to these events these days.

Side note about Liquori - I think it was in the early 90's during the NYC Mini Marathon (I could have that all wrong), and some kook from the sidelines jumped on the course and started running right on the heals of the leader (can't remember who) to get on TV, and it was really starting to frighten the athlete. Liquori, who was doing the broadcast while riding on the lead vehicle, jumped off the truck and actually semi-tackled the guy on live TV.

Liquori’s greatest moment is with frank shorter in the 92 olympics, (blue channel?) 10k. Not sure if that is streamable anywhere.

Similar situation. I believe it was a lapped Moroccan runner trying to help his fellow countryman in the final 600 by blocking the another runner with a shot at winning.

Passionately, Liquori said through the mic, as if yelling to the officials “DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT MAN!! TACKLE HIM IN THE FINAL STRAIGHT AWAY!!”

Classic and life changing race announcing.

Hopefully someone knows where to check it out.

Opinionated guy wrote:

Flagpole wrote:

I never understand why people get so upset at what broadcasters say...unless they say something inappropriate

I felt offended for the 200 winner, an unheralded and fairly unknown sophomore, when after completing an NCAA 100-200 double, the first words from Montgomery's mouth was (paraphrasing) "Abby Steiner who dominated the 200 indoor is hurt and that allowed runner X to and others to have a chance." Nothing wrong with mentioning Steiner was tough indoor and hurt, but not at that moment and not in a degrading way to the winner and others. After all, getting to the line healthy is a major part of track & field. I thought it was very inappropriate.

If that offended you, then you have thin skin.