This final table commentary with Greenstein and Raymer..

[ononimo]

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Whatever the case, I wish he would zip it up and learn a little something called humility.

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I don't understand why his humbleness is so important. Furthermore it makes the show more entertaining.

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I don't care if he's humble or not - I just wish he'd stop interrupting others while they are talking. He ran over Greg on countless occasions and, contrary to what Barry may think, there were many people who were interested in hearing what Greg had to say.

[barryg1]

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Whatever the case, I wish he would zip it up and learn a little something called humility.

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I don't understand why his humbleness is so important. Furthermore it makes the show more entertaining.

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I don't care if he's humble or not - I just wish he'd stop interrupting others while they are talking. He ran over Greg on countless occasions and, contrary to what Barry may think, there were many people who were interested in hearing what Greg had to say.

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I was out of synch initially, not knowing when Greg was done with his thought. If you stuck with it, you will notice that I eventually asked Greg first if he wanted to answer each question as it came up, and toward the end, I was pretty silent as Greg told his stories.

I have no disrespect for Greg, and I think one WSOP final bracelet is more than the sum total of about anything else in the poker world. And he even made a valiant run at a repeat.

Sorry I occasionally interfered during the broadcast.

Barry

[Muck off]

where are u gys listenin to this at

[therockofgibraltar]

log in to pokerstars and you will find it there.

[ononimo]

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I don't care if he's humble or not - I just wish he'd stop interrupting others while they are talking. He ran over Greg on countless occasions and, contrary to what Barry may think, there were many people who were interested in hearing what Greg had to say.

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I was out of synch initially, not knowing when Greg was done with his thought. If you stuck with it, you will notice that I eventually asked Greg first if he wanted to answer each question as it came up, and toward the end, I was pretty silent as Greg told his stories.

I have no disrespect for Greg, and I think one WSOP final bracelet is more than the sum total of about anything else in the poker world. And he even made a valiant run at a repeat.

Sorry I occasionally interfered during the broadcast.

Barry

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fair enough - i should have realized that coordinating a 4-way phone conversation when you are in seperate locations can often be problematic.

at times during the broadcast, it seemed like you were dismissive of Greg but it's good to hear that you respect him as a player, just as he respects you.

despite my criticisms, i want you to know how much your participation was appreciated.

[Neil Stevens]

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I was out of synch initially, not knowing when Greg was done with his thought. If you stuck with it, you will notice that I eventually asked Greg first if he wanted to answer each question as it came up, and toward the end, I was pretty silent as Greg told his stories.

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I guess the problem here is that some people expect you to be as good a broadcaster as you are a poker player. You might take it as a weird compliment!

[MicroBob]

Barry...I did not think you were arrogant (seems like I might have been the only one).
And yes, I did notice that you were constantly trying to defer to Greg.
It seemed like a VERY friendly conversation between two guys who have a lot of respect for each other's opinions and abilities.


There were interesting issues that came up and you clearly had some enthusiasm for your opinion so you were engaged in a debate with Greg a couple of times (regarding short-table play for example).


I thought the broadcast was terrific.
I didn't give a damn who won the WCOOP championship...I stayed up all night listening to you guys because the conversation was so intelligent and engaging (pretty much the same as the previous Sunday...except this time it was you WITH Greg).


To the point of Barry's supposed arrogance: Hello?? He really IS one of the best players in the world. He isn't even saying this much but we all know it to be true.

The concept of cutting one's way through a large field of mostly amateur players IS relevant. Sometimes you are playing against a good player...and other times you are playing against a bad player. That's just how it is.
Also relevant is the subject of how much the WPT and online-play has changed the game.


For Barry to pretend like he is just another amateur player would be ridiculous.
The big cash-game IS different and many people are interested in hearing what he has to say.


I look at Barry's ideas about playing in the big-game at the 'next level' to be no different than a baseball major-league manager or player talking about some young upstart trying to make it at the 'next level'.
You wouldn't think that a baseball manager or player would be arrogant if he was talking about a kid just up from the minor-leagues about 'needing time to learn the game at this level'.
Barry isn't talking down to ANYONE.
It's just fact that winning at the highest levels in poker takes a different set of abilities.


To the point of the supposed interruptions: It is indeed difficult on a 4-way phone conversation where the guys have never really worked with each other before.
Interruptions are going to happen.


In many of the 3-man broadcast booths in football for example it would not be uncommon at all for the play-by-play guy to point to the announcer who is to speak next (or for one of the announcers to hold up a finger to indicate that they have an idea they would like to interject).

I've done this in 2 person sports-broadcasts actually (pointing to the other guy when my thought is done so that he can jump right in quickly without fear of interruption).

This is not possible in the conference phone-call format obviously.


Barry and Greg engaged in some of the most interesting on-air poker-chat I have ever heard.
Sure beat most (if not everything) of what is said in most of the 'water-down for the totally clueless' TV broadcasts on ESPN, WPT and Fox.


Please don't listen to the nay-sayers Barry.
Every announcer everywhere gets loads of criticism from people who think they could do better.
I think you and Greg both did a fine job and hope to hear more and more from you guys in the future.

[Python49]

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I was out of synch initially, not knowing when Greg was done with his thought. If you stuck with it, you will notice that I eventually asked Greg first if he wanted to answer each question as it came up, and toward the end, I was pretty silent as Greg told his stories.

I have no disrespect for Greg, and I think one WSOP final bracelet is more than the sum total of about anything else in the poker world. And he even made a valiant run at a repeat.

Sorry I occasionally interfered during the broadcast.

Barry

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I do want to mention though that overall I thought the commentary was great and the only reason I stayed up also was to listen to yours and gregs words of wisdom. It didnt seem as though you were maliciously doing anything and you certainly aren't at the level of mike matusow, I thought mostly all of what you were saying was very intelligent and great insight. I guess the fact you were cutting off alot of what he was saying is why I got the impression a few times of you being condenscending but overall though you guys had great conversation. I guess in you trying to express the difference between beating the best in the world and beating amatuers this is what made it somewhat come across the way it did. But overall though you seemed very well spoken and knowledgable and im sure everyone appreciates your commentary as it made the WCOOP that much more exciting.

[wateronrock]

Nice post MicroBob.

I don't understand the critcism of Barry. I guess when you're a successfull public figure, it comes with the territory.

All Barry ever does, is respond with class. I've always been impressed with how he handles himself, and look forward to reading his book.

[MicroBob]

Not only do all broadcasters get criticized... but it is kind of interesting who likes whom in the broadcast industry.

News reporting - you might prefer a Peter Jennings to a Dan Rather for example...but, for the most part, they are generally saying a lot of the same things. It's just a style preference really.

Same goes for sports I think.

I still can't understand why anyone would like listening to Joe Morgan (an announcer who annoys me tremendously..I just don't think he's very good) while others can't stand listening to Tim McCarver.
I think McCarver articulates his ideas very well and comes up with some interesting insights. Others think he's just too damn cocky (not unlike the criticisms of Greenstein I guess) as well as a bit repetitive.

Different on-air personalities and styles work differently on listeners/viewers.


I was a pretty popular radio play-by-play sports-broadcaster for several years with my small market teams in Florida and Ohio.
I came to a new market and after my first game on the air there was a 140-post thread on a minor-league hockey internet board that was MOSTLY about how much I sucked and how much I was in love with myself on the air, etc etc.
I was the worst announcer they had ever heard and there was no way they were going to be able to survive a whole season of listening to me. (it was quite the blow to my ego to be sure).


After my 2nd and 3rd games a lot of these listeners/internet-posters thought that I had gotten MUCH better and CLEARLY had taken steps to improve my announcing.


Well...no, not really. After literally thousands of sports-broadcasts (mostly baseball and hockey) I had pretty much developed my style by then.
My 2500th game broadcast was not going to change THAT much from my 2499th game broadcast.
It was just that some of the listeners out there were starting to get used to my style a little bit.


(as it turned out...those who hated my on-air persona got their wish...I, and several others in the team-office, were fired at various points of the season by a REALLY psycho team-owner).