MLS - July 5 - Charlotte (Home)

[ZYanksRule]

This broadcast crew might be the worst one Apple has, and that's saying something.

Did MLS tell all the broadcast teams to be as dull and boring as possible?

Lloyd Sam, of course, brings up the 7-0 game, then has something to say about the Lampard, Pirlo, Villa NYCFC teams. As if that's the last NYCFC game he's watched before broadcasting this one. Those guys haven't played here for six years -- maybe you could do some work and learn about more recent NYCFC teams, Lloyd.

You don't have anything to say about the more recent NYCFC teams? Did you do any prep to figure out what NYCFC has looked like this season, or even last year? Or do you just waltz into a broadcast booth and think you can do a broadcast without even doing the minimum amount of preparation?

This really shouldn't be acceptable for national broadcasts. This league deserves better.

As for the game ... we just need the reinforcements at this point. No use really breaking it down, because it's the same story every game. Shocking by Haak on the conceding goal.

 

[mgarbowski]

Reported attendance 15,122. I thought there were way more. The sideline upper deck behind the benches was more crowded than I have ever seen it. The walkways were crowded before and after, and food lines moderate to long. I didn't believe we had as much as 30k hosting Columbus and I don't believe we had a few as 15k last night.
Now I just need to develop a conspiracy theory that explains both.

 

[FootyLovin]

Talles is softer than charmin ultra soft. He is having a legit shocker, weak on the ball and his shot is legit weak right at the keeper.

FWIW, Talles had xG of .37. Gabby had xG of .55. I know, off night for Gabby is easily forgiven while Magno's night seems to continue a trend. Just saying I remember a time when Talles looked fantastic for us. I still believe in him. There was one time last night when he put his dancing shoes on for a few seconds. Reminded me how much better he can be (and has been for us in the past).

 

[FootyLovin]

BTW I’ve been touting Cufre for weeks. He put in great crosses and finished clinically tonight.

While I totally agree with your general take on Cufre, his "clinical" finish only scored because of a deflection. Otherwise it was right at the keeper. Very lucky.

 

[FootyLovin]

Reported attendance 15,122. I thought there were way more.

Wifey and I thought even less. Quickest we've ever experienced getting into the stadium (maybe because of arrival time but not sure) and out of the lot after the game.

 

[JCMore]

I’ll take some heat. Sam wasn’t really all that bad in the commentary booth. Yeah 7-0 note was annoying but he also apologized for the comment and went on to say NYC beat RB to a cup so our team can just flash their rings. He made comments about last years team as well. His co-announcer was the one who kept saying this team needs a 9 ad-nasium. I think both were about par with the MLS season pass announcers all season. Which is in general lack luster.

About the game, we really became a different team with Gabe on the field. It stretched the Defense how we needed the defense to be stretched the whole damn game. He works hard and while he didn’t get the goal this time, he opened up spaces for a Ledesma shot that I think was squandered.

I’m not so down on Talles but I do that this stretch for him has been pretty rough. He could learn a lot from the pariah of this club, David Villa. Villa while less silky and “dance-y” was a more out and out goal scorer (obviously). But Villa also had the moves to open up those half chances and take on a player 1v1. Perhaps Magno should watch some old tape.

 

[mgarbowski]

21 shots ties for the most the team has taken all year. The other 21 game was against Dallas at Citi. We average 18.0 shots at Citi and 13.2 at Yankee Stadium. I don't find meaning in that except we do have a slight better record at Citi. Away is just 8.2.
But I'm very glad the boys took a lot of shots last night. Talles tied his season best at 4. He's only averaging 2.1 per 90, which is in line with his numbers in 2021-22.

FWIW, Talles had xG of .37. Gabby had xG of .55. I know, off night for Gabby is easily forgiven while Magno's night seems to continue a trend.

Gaby compiled his in 28 minutes and Segal managed 0.42 in just 18 minutes.

Segal has the highest per 90 xG on the team. He has the most shots per 90. Also has the highest goals per 90 and second highest G+A per 90 (both excluding Thiago).
I don't expect he'll get more time going forward when we get other strikers but I can't figure why he has not gotten more time to date. I understand, age, experience, raw talent level, blah etc. But he has been the only option to provide what the team desperately lacks and has produced when he plays.

Finally, I noticed in the second half that Charlotte was consistently giving us tons of space on our left attacking side. Every time we switched the field that way it seemed someone had a clear line to goal, including Cufre's goal. I don't know if they thought we were weak on that side, or if they're just undisciplined or what, but it just kept happening.

 

[mgarbowski]

Wifey and I thought even less. Quickest we've ever experienced getting into the stadium (maybe because of arrival time but not sure) and out of the lot after the game.

You see, an explanation that I'm just bad at estimating crowds is less interesting than the conspiracy angle I'm sill working on.

 

[FootyLovin]

I can't figure why he has not gotten more time to date.

This. Segal seems to make the team better. I was sure he would get the start last night with Santi out. Can’t understand why not.

 

[mgarbowski]

This. Segal seems to make the team better. I was sure he would get the start last night with Santi out. Can’t understand why not.

Even if he can't convert consistently, which we don't really know because the sample is so small, he makes the runs into the box nobody else is making.

 

[Shwafta]

You see, an explanation that I'm just bad at estimating crowds is less interesting than the conspiracy angle I'm sill working on.

Welcome to the dark side you're always fighting against!

 

[moogoo]

Reported attendance 15,122. I thought there were way more. The sideline upper deck behind the benches was more crowded than I have ever seen it. The walkways were crowded before and after, and food lines moderate to long. I didn't believe we had as much as 30k hosting Columbus and I don't believe we had a few as 15k last night.
Now I just need to develop a conspiracy theory that explains both.

dang that eye test...

 

[gbservis]

I’ll take some heat. Sam wasn’t really all that bad in the commentary booth. Yeah 7-0 note was annoying but he also apologized for the comment and went on to say NYC beat RB to a cup so our team can just flash their rings. He made comments about last years team as well. His co-announcer was the one who kept saying this team needs a 9 ad-nasium. I think both were about par with the MLS season pass announcers all season. Which is in general lack luster.

About the game, we really became a different team with Gabe on the field. It stretched the Defense how we needed the defense to be stretched the whole damn game. He works hard and while he didn’t get the goal this time, he opened up spaces for a Ledesma shot that I think was squandered.

I’m not so down on Talles but I do that this stretch for him has been pretty rough. He could learn a lot from the pariah of this club, David Villa. Villa while less silky and “dance-y” was a more out and out goal scorer (obviously). But Villa also had the moves to open up those half chances and take on a player 1v1. Perhaps Magno should watch some old tape.

I'm not really bothered by the 7-0 comment, the announcers filling the commentary role in all sports just talk about random things. I agree with you that they were bad but it's all been pretty bad this season.

My main gripe about the coverage in general is that the announcers know next to nothing about the players or the teams. When you listen to interviews of great national sports announcers they talk about how much research they do. So far it's very clear that none of the Apple TV announcers are putting in that sort of work. They also do not seem to have any sort of stats or info-graphic support either.

The most glaring example to me was the last game when Benalcazar subbed in. They clearly knew nothing about him the only thing they said was Benalcazar coming on and then they never mentioned him again. It was a homegrown player making their debut, any announcer should know enough or be queued by production to at least mention that.

 

[LionNYC]

I'm not really bothered by the 7-0 comment, the announcers filling the commentary role in all sports just talk about random things. I agree with you that they were bad but it's all been pretty bad this season.

My main gripe about the coverage in general is that the announcers know next to nothing about the players or the teams. When you listen to interviews of great national sports announcers they talk about how much research they do. So far it's very clear that none of the Apple TV announcers are putting in that sort of work. They also do not seem to have any sort of stats or info-graphic support either.

The most glaring example to me was the last game when Benalcazar subbed in. They clearly knew nothing about him the only thing they said was Benalcazar coming on and then they never mentioned him again. It was a homegrown player making their debut, any announcer should know enough or be queued by production to at least mention that.

Apple should just save money, have no national commentators, and rely solely on the team radio feeds.

 

[Shwafta]

I'm not really bothered by the 7-0 comment, the announcers filling the commentary role in all sports just talk about random things. I agree with you that they were bad but it's all been pretty bad this season.

My main gripe about the coverage in general is that the announcers know next to nothing about the players or the teams. When you listen to interviews of great national sports announcers they talk about how much research they do. So far it's very clear that none of the Apple TV announcers are putting in that sort of work. They also do not seem to have any sort of stats or info-graphic support either.

The most glaring example to me was the last game when Benalcazar subbed in. They clearly knew nothing about him the only thing they said was Benalcazar coming on and then they never mentioned him again. It was a homegrown player making their debut, any announcer should know enough or be queued by production to at least mention that.

This is one of my favorite videos.

Also Peter Drury:

You can see how much prep goes into it, and it's really a lot. I'd be curious to know what prep these apple commentators are doing prior to matches. I have to assume they're also doing their due diligence to some degree as this is their job... Could just be lack of experience doing it? Hopefully it just improves over time.

...Or, you know, bring back the regionals because they were so much better lol

 

[mgarbowski]

I think most, maybe all, MLS announcers generally do some prep, but I don't think it is anywhere as detailed as the video Shwafta posted. I think they also don't have the team of stats gurus and producers prompting them with factoids that major networks have usually provided to their announcers. And while local broadcasts also never had that backup, the locals did have week in week out familiarity. I expect most of the MLS talkers look up and create a list of about a dozen items they prepare and then sprinkle throughout the game. Probably only half are player specific and the rest about the team. so they know almost nothing about most of the roster.

And that's why the RB alumni like Sacha, BWP and Sam keep talking about 2015-17 because they all left RB years ago and it's all they know about NYCFC and nobody is making or helping them catch up with research.

In contrast, Steve Cangialosi has been a NY sports reporter and announcer for 40 years and despite calling Red Bull games for more than a decade, I bet he knows more about NYCFC than any other current MLS announcer, and probably more than any media person outside of Ian, Joe, and the fan-generated outlets, because he's a pro and that's what he does and he called almost every derby. Hell, I bet even Shep knows more about NYCFC than all the MLS talkers after Cangialosi.

 

[Gene]

In contrast, Steve Cangialosi has been a NY sports reporter and announcer for 40 years and despite calling Red Bull games for more than a decade, I bet he knows more about NYCFC than any other current MLS announcer, and probably more than any media person outside of Ian, Joe, and the fan-generated outlets, because he's a pro and that's what he does and he called almost every derby. Hell, I bet even Shep knows more about NYCFC than all the MLS talkers after Cangialosi.

Totally agree. As a matter of fact Shep had an excellent take on NYCFCs situation on the pre game show last night.

 

[Shwafta]

I think most, maybe all, MLS announcers generally do some prep, but I don't think it is anywhere as detailed as the video Shwafta posted. I think they also don't have the team of stats gurus and producers prompting them with factoids that major networks have usually provided to their announcers. And while local broadcasts also never had that backup, the locals did have week in week out familiarity. I expect most of the MLS talkers look up and create a list of about a dozen items they prepare and then sprinkle throughout the game. Probably only half are player specific and the rest about the team. so they know almost nothing about most of the roster.

And that's why the RB alumni like Sacha, BWP and Sam keep talking about 2015-17 because they all left RB years ago and it's all they know about NYCFC and nobody is making or helping them catch up with research.

In contrast, Steve Cangialosi has been a NY sports reporter and announcer for 40 years and despite calling Red Bull games for more than a decade, I bet he knows more about NYCFC than any other current MLS announcer, and probably more than any media person outside of Ian, Joe, and the fan-generated outlets, because he's a pro and that's what he does and he called almost every derby. Hell, I bet even Shep knows more about NYCFC than all the MLS talkers after Cangialosi.

One would think that if your full time job was preparing for a game you're commentating on, you'd do hours of research before the game to get info and details. Say there's 25 possible players per team - that's 50 players, you do 30 mins research on the main 22 players, then maybe some quick glances on the new ones "debut, homegrown, etc." - and then you're looking at about 15-20 hrs of prep for a game. If you're doing more than one game it might be difficult to do that kind of prep, but how many games do they commentate per week? (plus once you have your notes once you've got them again for the future with some minor changes to make.) -I'd say if you do your work properly you should be about 30-40hrs not including the actual game itself on the first time commentating for a team.

Maybe these guys _are_ doing that and just haven't reached the point where they have the familiarity, i guess we'l only know in future years. Assuming they don't rotate the crew out.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Important point to keep in mind.

Apple is distributing the games, but MLS is producing them. That means that the announcers are hired by and employed by the league.

 

[LIexpat]

Highlight of the game that I forgot about was the Jumbotron shot of the Charlotte player trying to get up and getting a face full of crotch