I can't watch anymore of this WPT author challenge

[EnderW27]

I managed to get through 30 minutes of it before giving up. Here's why.

There are six authors down there. Six legends in the poker world. Six people who play better poker than I can ever dream of doing.
Mike Caro makes his bread and butter out-thinking his opponents.
Helmuth is flamboyant and argumentative.
Skalansky is analytical and logical.
Doyle is the true legend, holding more bracelets than anyone (save Chan) in history. He literally wrote the book on poker stories.
Cloutier has played everywhere and won nearly everything.
Sexton has been an announcer for going on four years now.

You'd think they'd have something to talk about right? Something interesting. Psychological. Informative. This is my chance to learn from the masters.

But instead I get this:

"Sexton is re-raising with a little wired pair of sixes in the hole. He's putting it all in. On the line. What will Helmuth do? He's contemplating. And thinking. He has A4. What will he do? He's counting out chips. He's looking up in the air. Now he's..."

SHUT UP. Shutupshutupshutup.

I can see he has A4. The camera showed A4. The screen shows A4. I'm not blind. Oh he's raising? Well thanks for confirming what the screen just told me.


This annoys me with every single WPT. The announcers just repeat the exact knowledge we'd have if only we looked at the television! Meanwhile, the purposely and inanely talk over the player's comments.

This time the players are legends and this time the players are talking before during and after every single hand. Yet worse than not even being able to hear a word of it, I catch small snippets before the announcers continue to blather on and on and on, interrupting but giving no useful information whatsoever. This happens every single show but it almost seemed downright rude on this episode.

If you're going to show the players talking to each other, let me hear what they're saying!

[72off]

I agree with what you're saying. It's exactly why I love watching any broadcast with Lederer, I feel like I learn something new every time. Poker broadcasts don't really need play-by-play as much as they need colour commentary, with the emphasis on commentary rather than colour. People like Norman Chad and VVP don't provide much, if any, insightful commentary.

But they seem to think they'll bore the majority of their audience with good broadcasters like Lederer, and maybe they're right.

[bluef0x]

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But they seem to think they'll bore the majority of their audience with good broadcasters like Lederer, and maybe they're right.

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I rather watch the nature channel showing a hyena with a bad leg crawling through the sahara for 4 hours before a lion spots it and vultures finish him off.

Lederer, or should I say Mr. Monotone, is boring. Even for poker players.

[cold_cash]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
But they seem to think they'll bore the majority of their audience with good broadcasters like Lederer, and maybe they're right.

[/ QUOTE ]

I rather watch the nature channel showing a hyena with a bad leg crawling through the sahara for 4 hours before a lion spots it and vultures finish him off.

Lederer, or should I say Mr. Monotone, is boring. Even for poker players.

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I disagree about Lederer being boring, but even if he was, I'd rather have boring than retarded.

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There are six authors down there. Six legends in the poker world.

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Mike Sexton is a legend?

[KneeCo]

So by extension I guess you can't watch sports?
"I can see that it was a swing and a miss!!! SHUT UP!!!"

Or, in simpler terms:
Dude, chill.

[EnderW27]

mmm ok, a tad bit of hyperbole there. But I don't find Sexton's commentary to be as grating as VVP. I could spout on for paragraphs as to why I don't like VVP but that's not really the point of this rant.
The point is that there were people down at the table who each knew ten times what VVP could ever hope to know about poker and they were there talking about poker! How great of a situation is that? So what do the producers of the WPT do? Overdub the players' commentary with VVPs! What? Why? Who? Where? When? How does this make sense?

[EnderW27]

Well if it's Madden, yes [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

There's not much of an equivilant with other sports events. If baseball players wore mikes and started commenting on the strategic implications of the attempted pick-off play, then yes, I would be just as upset when the inane commentator interrupted that to say the pitcher is right handed and wearing a blue shirt today.

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There are six authors down there. Six legends in the poker world.

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Mike Sexton is a legend?

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Yes.

Sexton used to be one of the preeminent poker players in the world. Before he turned to the business side of poker, he was very respected for his play

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/play...?a=r&n=214

Not a bad career. And even if you don't think his results are spectacular, the fact that he is largely responsible for poker's popularity (through promoting his vision of televised poker) makes him a legend in my book.

Truthfully, I don't get Sexton. I know the guy is a good player and has had more success than I have and is probably better than I'll ever be, but he always looks overmatched when playing with the big boys (Poker by the Book, Poker Superstars, etc.).
What poker commentary needs is someone like Harry Carey (or however his name is spelled). Someone that discusses everything other than the game before him. Someone that could tell us amusing little anecdotes about the great depression, sausage, indigestion, bunions, etc. while superstars are getting felted five feet away from him.
Edit...I had a pretty funny example conversation that would be possible between Harry and VVP, however, my better judgement kicked in and I decided to remove it. I need to grow up someday.
I still think H.C. would've been good for poker, though. R.I.P.