NCAA d1 indoor champ commentators were hilarious

i loved them

So we çan tell the high school kids that NCAA Div 1 champ times are slower than a good training run. Thanks colleges for giving our kid$ a full scholarship to run slower than high school times.

My favorite comment was during the 5k they said Grant Fischer from Colorado State got 5th at XC nationals.

Remember Dan versus Dave ?

Dave won.

He went to the OGs

Some how the viewing audience got stuck with Dan tong term.

Larry Rawson is a disaster as a commentator. With all the articulate former collegiate stars out there it's a total joke to see Rawson continue to get these announcing gigs. If not hiring someone like Chris Derrick, who was an awesome commentator for Nike XC nationals, ESPN would be so much better off putting the mic on Mike Jay who is he best in the business and was announcing to the live crowd.

iowakidscanrun wrote:

Larry Rawson is a disaster as a commentator. With all the articulate former collegiate stars out there it's a total joke to see Rawson continue to get these announcing gigs. If not hiring someone like Chris Derrick, who was an awesome commentator for Nike XC nationals, ESPN would be so much better off putting the mic on Mike Jay who is he best in the business and was announcing to the live crowd.

Probably because a) the people know that working for ESPN or NBC isn't worth it, or b) they get recruited by TV groups, i.e. BBC, who actually know how to broadcast these meets.

C/M Runner wrote:

iowakidscanrun wrote:

Larry Rawson is a disaster as a commentator. With all the articulate former collegiate stars out there it's a total joke to see Rawson continue to get these announcing gigs. If not hiring someone like Chris Derrick, who was an awesome commentator for Nike XC nationals, ESPN would be so much better off putting the mic on Mike Jay who is he best in the business and was announcing to the live crowd.

Probably because a) the people know that working for ESPN or NBC isn't worth it, or b) they get recruited by TV groups, i.e. BBC, who actually know how to broadcast these meets.

Going way out on a limb here, I'm going to suggest that the knowledge and way you should announce a high school xc meet is slightly different than announcing ncaa pole vault, high jump, long jump, hurdles, 60m, shotput, weight throw.

Don't get me wrong, it is possible that Chris Derrick somehow has hidden a background in competing or coaching at a high level in those events, but otherwise, I wouldn't automatically jump to him. Obviously he would likely do well in the distance events, although the prep work to learn a dozen high schooler's names for nike XC is a lot easier than learning the many dozens who will be potentially in the mix in NCAA nationals just for the distance events.

iowakidscanrun wrote:

Larry Rawson is a disaster as a commentator. With all the articulate former collegiate stars out there it's a total joke to see Rawson continue to get these announcing gigs. If not hiring someone like Chris Derrick, who was an awesome commentator for Nike XC nationals, ESPN would be so much better off putting the mic on Mike Jay who is he best in the business and was announcing to the live crowd.

I can't understand why the US networks aren't picking up Michael Johnson (the former 200m/400m world and Olympic champion and world record holder) for these gigs. He regularly commentates on the athletics events for the BBC in the UK, and is fantastic - he gives great commentary and a realistic evaluation, plus technical insights. He isn't fake, and is critical where he should be. He lives in the US, has amazing credentials and is a fantastic commentator - it is crazy they aren't picking him up.

The only one who is better than him is Steve Cram. Truly brilliant.

I've wondered the same thing. I also think he is great in the bbc commentary. Maybe he only wants to work the really big events?

Ato bolden is pretty solid too, but he only does an occasional event.