Super Sunday on FSC has the trio of Andy Houlihan, Gary Richards, and Christian Miles. They discuss the Premiership, MLS, and the Serie matches at a studio done up as a pub. Richards makes it interesting with his anti- Arsenal comments and pungent criticism of Newcastle fans who have gone ga-ga over Keegan’s return. He also analyzes clips of the games and talks tactics. Houlihan is an unmitigated disaster and aside from one refrain “they need more players” adds very little, usually getting shunted aside by Richards. Miles is a glorified time-keeper. It can’t be mistaken for MOTD.
And please can we not have an “interview” conducted by Max Bretos. He is the Chris Matthews of the soccer broadcasting world, tone deaf, in love with his own voice, and not particularly insightful. The victims this time were Paul Caliguiri and his university soccer team, Cal Poly Pomona. We never got to know them as Bretos continued his backslapping fest and constant patter.
We got to know that he kept up with Caliguiri because they called a few games together. Having not had the same luxury, my only hope would have been to rely on Bretos to bring us up to speed with Caliguiri. I was rewarded when Bretos informed viewers that Caliguiri was a good coach and a good sort or words to that effect.
Christian Miles would inform us grandly after every commercial break that they had the Cal Poly team in the studio which would lead to great expectations that they were not just there to just provide the decor but finally, we would get to know whether anyone of them had gone to see the Spice Girls in their re-union tour. But sadly, it was not to be. I only hope they got to drink enough Bass Pale Ale because Max Bretos can drive you to drink and a bad hangover.
Contrast this with the face time that football programs get.
2 comments on “A note about FSC’s Super Sunday”
FSC does not know what makes a good football announcer. Christian Miles seems like a nice guy but he’s boring as hell and, like many bad announcers, too often lauds ordinary run of play as “breathtaking,” “beautiful,” or “world-class.” I recognize the game is very hard to play at a professional level, and yet I would hope game commentary would gauge professionals against their peers and not Sunday afternoon pick-ups.
Half an hour of the guys I can’t stand to hear during the game (usually I choose mute over the alternative, losing the crowd noise)? Sounds pretty bad.
Super Sunday is terrible. On the few occasions I’ve watched it, it’s easily the most cringe-inducing TV program I’ve ever seen (Britney’s come-back concert included).
The one point that really sticks out in my mind is when they were covered the Club World Cup about six weeks ago. I think it was Gary Richards who kept going on and on about how Waitekere United (the team representing the OFC) “didn’t deserve to be there.” First of all, that’s absolute bollocks, and second of all, who the hell is he to write of the entire OFC with one dick-ish statement like that?
As you mention, Andy Houlihan is, well, shit. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him say anything particularly insightful; he’s a master of the obvious. And I kinda feel sorry for Christian Miles, because it seems like he’s on the show just to make up the numbers.
At least FSC gets it right with Fox Football Fone-in.