Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

"He's got the check-mark, He'll win this hand as long as he doesn't fold" - This is a fine thing to say when a guy has a marginal hand that he could bet bluffed off, but Lon seems to say it in spots where it is just dumb.

"Putting his tournament life on the line" - we know.

There are many others that I can't remember right now.

This guy is so annoying that I am beginning to like Norman Chad.

Also Lon and Norm should wear ties.

That is all for now.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

He just has to stop laughing whenever Norm says something.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

I was watching a kickboxing match and something was weird about it. Finally I realized it was Lon doing the commentary.
It was weird hearing him in something other than poker. Not sure why. Also not sure why I posted this.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

Lon is a good announcer, as you may or may not know, he does all kinds of different events, from boxing, to K-1, to poker, to (i believe he did some of the great outdoor games). He is a good play-by-play because he doesn't sound insanely stupid but caters to people that don't know anything. The poker players are watching to see some poker, and that can be their own entertainment, not for the play by play guy who isn't a poker player to inform them about some new deep insight.
He is just trying to explain the action to the general public, and he does a pretty good job. He's far better than the guys on FSN that's for sure

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

"And there's a useless card on the river."

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

Have you seen him do the World Scrabble Championships?? Fascinating television.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

My complaint is that he makes it too obvious that a "surprise" card is coming in his commentary. Last night, when Phil Gordon was in at AA vs. Pham's TT - you knew by his announcing before the T came on the turn that it was coming.

The worst example was the hand that knock off Bellande in the Circuit event. At the flop, it say that his opponent got the "wheel draw" with a very excited voice (even though it was a gut-shot draw). That makes it way too obvious that he'd complete the wheel, and there's no way anyone would annonce it that way if this was live.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
My complaint is that he makes it too obvious that a "surprise" card is coming in his commentary. Last night, when Phil Gordon was in at AA vs. Pham's TT - you knew by his announcing before the T came on the turn that it was coming.

The worst example was the hand that knock off Bellande in the Circuit event. At the flop, it say that his opponent got the "wheel draw" with a very excited voice (even though it was a gut-shot draw). That makes it way too obvious that he'd complete the wheel, and there's no way anyone would annonce it that way if this was live.

[/ QUOTE ]The percentage of hands that something specials happens during is significantly higher on ESPN coverage than in real life. That's simply the way it is when the hands are selected for TV.

I don't mind Lon. I can't stand Norman.

One must remember that ESPN is attempting to appeal to a broad audience. If real poker experts with real expert poker commentary were used, it would bore most of the audience into switching to Buffy re-runs.

The same sorts of complaints are made by baseball and football fans. Those fans that really know about the game almost always think the commentators are bad because they cater to the masses.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
I was watching a kickboxing match and something was weird about it. Finally I realized it was Lon doing the commentary.
It was weird hearing him in something other than poker. Not sure why. Also not sure why I posted this.

[/ QUOTE ]

"You see that check-mark next to his name, that means he'll win the round as long as he doesn't get his ass kicked."

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

I will take Lon every day of the week over Micheal Konik.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

Lon is play-by-play.
Michael Konik is color-commentary.

The FSN play-by-play announcer is Chris Rose (who I think does a pretty decent job).

I agree with the general sentiment that the play-by-play announcer needs to cater to the masses.
That's just how it is.
It is Lon's responsibility to explain what the check-mark means...as long as he stays in the hand, he will win.
He's not necessarily specifically addressing the praciticality of a player folding with the best hand. He's just saying, "this guy has the best hand."

Over and over there are players who don't understand how someone could have folded the winning hand just because they can't picture how the scenario would look if they couldn't see both players' hole-cards.

It looks obvious to the casual viewer, "of course he's not going to fold...he has the best hand."
many casual viewers would think this even if a player just had pocket 2's vs an opponent's unimproved-any-cards.
"How could he fold?? He had the best hand!!"


The fact is....the coverage isn't going to change.
The drama is in the situations where someone's "tournament life is at stake".
People that don't know much about poker are really only interested when someone gets the guts to push all their chips in or someone gets eliminated. This is espeically true if someone gets eliminated on a bad-beat.


Poker on TV is as much about personalities and eliminations and big-money as it is anything else.


I'm not thrilled with the announcing and coverage on ESPN and WPT either. But there's been a lot of talk lately about the annoying player-profile pieces and all the all-in's that they show.
I think that to expect for anything more than what we are currently getting is quite unrealistic.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

"Phil used to play a lot of Ultimate Frisbee, but he couldn't take all the bad beats."

Wait that was NC...
I actually LOLed at that...

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

i think he needs to stop being so hard on norman chad

norman chad is just trying to have a little fun and then lon just steps over the line

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

Also Lon and Norm should wear ties.

... strung from the ceiling rafters.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
i think he needs to stop being so hard on norman chad

norman chad is just trying to have a little fun and then lon just steps over the line

[/ QUOTE ]


No, Lon need to hit Norman in the head when he tells his next ex- "joke"

Too late
 

because he doesn't sound insanely stupid

Oh, he's getting there pretty quickly.

The problem that fans have in all of these cases
 

<font color="blue">The same sorts of complaints are made by baseball and football fans. Those fans that really know about the game almost always think the commentators are bad because they cater to the masses. </font>

The problem that we have is that it would be very very easy to add some intelligent commentary during the broadcasts, instead of prattling on about failed marriages and turkey legs and whatever inane comments you hear on any sports or poker broadcast.

It doesn't have to be completely incisive, but just yapping in my ear to make noise serves no purpose.

And while FSN reporters have their faults, at least they try to give something a little more subtle and in-depth, that any three-year-old couldn't see on their own. They may not deliver it in a subtle manner, but don't knock them across the board.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

norman chad is running out of clever poker related quips. it makes me sad.

Re: The problem that fans have in all of these cases
 

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="blue">The same sorts of complaints are made by baseball and football fans. Those fans that really know about the game almost always think the commentators are bad because they cater to the masses. </font>

The problem that we have is that it would be very very easy to add some intelligent commentary during the broadcasts, instead of prattling on about failed marriages and turkey legs and whatever inane comments you hear on any sports or poker broadcast.

[/ QUOTE ]It would be easy for NBC to actually show sporting events during Olympic coverage rather than tegh fluff profiles of various athletes. But, they don't. Because they are trying for the largest audience possible.

Intelligent commentary will turn more people away than the way it's being done now. At least that is what the broadcasters have determined.

Sometimes it sucks to be one of the smart people in a world full of stupid people.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

"unsuited" need I say more?

Also, when it's an all-in situation and Lon gets excited that the player who is ahead in the hand picks up a draw on fourth street, even though it is totally irrelevant.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
"unsuited" need I say more?

Also, when it's an all-in situation and Lon gets excited that the player who is ahead in the hand picks up a draw on fourth street, even though it is totally irrelevant.

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, totally.

With A5 vs. KJ on a board of 48T, the turn comes a 3 and Lon goes "AND HE PICKS UP A GUTSHOT DRIVING THE NAIL INTO THE COFFIN!"

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

"OH IT'S AN EIGHT!!!"

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

If I hear Norm say that the ace of spades is the prettiest card in the deck one more time I'm gonna fly to California and make him eat an ace of spades. "Pretty." This is poker, man, words like pretty don't apply. "Beautiful", sure, I'd let that slide, but pretty. And he wonders why his marriages failed. And, somehow, I don't doubt that he's as bad of a player as he says. Anyone ever seen him play?

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

Since watching my first episode of WSOP, i have turned it on mute every episode since. I thought it was dumb when i didnt know how to play

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

If he could play, would he be announcing?

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
Also Lon and Norm should wear ties.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not going to hold the announcers to dressing up until the players do. I've seen enough shorts and windpants on poker television coverage to last a lifetime.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Also Lon and Norm should wear ties.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not going to hold the announcers to dressing up until the players do. I've seen enough shorts and windpants on poker television coverage to last a lifetime.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's why devilfish should make the final table more. He's so suave.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
That's why devilfish should make the final table more. He's so suave.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wine at the final table. Classy.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Also Lon and Norm should wear ties.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not going to hold the announcers to dressing up until the players do. I've seen enough shorts and windpants on poker television coverage to last a lifetime.

[/ QUOTE ]

The word windspants makes me laugh.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
If he could play, would he be announcing?

[/ QUOTE ]

gabe kaplan and lederer are both very capable announcers that are both probably much better holdem players than you are

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
gabe kaplan and lederer are both very capable announcers that are both probably much better holdem players than you are

[/ QUOTE ] I hope you're not talking about me. As far as Gabe is concerned, yes, he is a much better announcer, but I've seen him play, he's way way way too conservative. Howard, I know better than to sit down at a table with him unless it's for play money.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
gabe kaplan and lederer are both very capable announcers that are both probably much better holdem players than you are

[/ QUOTE ] I hope you're not talking about me. As far as Gabe is concerned, yes, he is a much better announcer, but I've seen him play, he's way way way too conservative.

[/ QUOTE ]

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/play...=r&amp;n=14510

remind us all....how many WSOP/WPT final tables do you have under your belt?

tool.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying

[/ QUOTE ]

"Have I told you that before that the A of spades is the prettiest card in the deck?"

That's the one that gets me.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
The same sorts of complaints are made by baseball and football fans. Those fans that really know about the game almost always think the commentators are bad because they cater to the masses.

[/ QUOTE ]

Man, you couldn't be more right. I'm a football enthusiast, and I despise John Madden.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
remind us all....how many WSOP/WPT final tables do you have under your belt?


[/ QUOTE ] You know, there is a big difference between cash game players and tournaments. But you would know that, you're such a pro. Who gives a f#@$ how many WSOP/WPT final tables I made? You know, if I plaster my face all over t.v., then I'm a marked man. I make my profits by sucking in the fish, which I think would be harder if they knew I was good. I blend in with them, they think I'm one of them, and I'm a damn good actor, so they never know that I am outplaying them. My wife and daughter have nice clothes, they eat well, and we have a good life, partly because I play poker. Anyone that plays as tight as Gabe would get eaten alive in my world, period. I think Greenstein only has one braclet, you gonna tell me Hellmuth is better than him? I don't think Phil has the stones to sit down with him at a cash game. You're mixing apples and oranges.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
I make my profits by sucking in the fish, which I think would be harder if they knew I was good. I blend in with them, they think I'm one of them, and I'm a damn good actor, so they never know that I am outplaying them. My wife and daughter have nice clothes, they eat well, and we have a good life, partly because I play poker. Anyone that plays as tight as Gabe would get eaten alive in my world, period.

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah, lemme know how its going while you tear up the world of 10/20 to support your family, chump.

i hear all the top players emulate jackasses they see on WPT broadcasts too

quote from you in another thread -

[ QUOTE ]
I sometimes wear shades, sometimes I don't. I do often wear a hooded sweatshirt when I play live, it keeps them from seeing my face and neck.

[/ QUOTE ]

you are a [censored] joke, kid.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
You know, if I plaster my face all over t.v., then I'm a marked man. I make my profits by sucking in the fish, which I think would be harder if they knew I was good.

[/ QUOTE ]

OT but related to your quote

i was wondering about this in the shower yesterday. why do WSOP winners wear their bracelets in tournaments? wouldnt you want the donks to have no idea you're any good? or is it the intimidation factor, perhaps you can push them off some pots?

then again a lot of the WSOP bracelet winners are well known anyway... but not all

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
That's why devilfish should make the final table more. He's so suave.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wine at the final table. Classy.

[/ QUOTE ]

it was actually. we saw him take a total of one sip in the coverage. afterwards he was drinking water. so whats A GLASS of wine?

devilfish is the freakin man.

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

Usually I don't wear the hood on my head, I wear it in such a way to cover my neck mostly, to keep them from seeing my pulse. I've been doing it long before I ever saw Phil on t.v. My hulk-like build makes me look foolish in turtlenecks.
As far as tearing up the world of 10-20, I don't play limit, I play no-limit, and at a higher level than 10-20.
Let me ask you, tough-guy, how many final tables you make it to? How did you do?

Re: Things Lon McEachern needs to stop saying
 

[ QUOTE ]
My hulk-like build makes me look foolish in turtlenecks.


[/ QUOTE ]

I laughed so hard here.....