"TMC" wrote in message
news:b573f554-7d4e-4cad-b246-b68006784414@w3g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bal-orioles...
By David Zurawik
The Baltimore Sun
8:03 a.m. EDT, October 8, 2012
Up until the ninth inning, it was a great game, and TBS provided
coverage worthy of it.
As I said in my review of Friday night's wildcard game, the broadcast
team of Ernie Johnson on play by play and Cal Ripken and John Smoltz
as analysts is a winner. Johnson's easygoing style creates a solid and
steady baseline that allows Ripken and Smoltz to concentrate on taking
viewers inside the game.
Smoltz was especially sharp Sunday in explaining how C.C. Sabathia
managed to keep the Orioles off balance at the plate all night.
Mark Reynolds struck out looking on a pitch low and away early in the
game, and you wondered how he could take a third strike that was that
close.
But as the pitch, a slider, was being replayed, Smoltz explained how
when it is thrown perfectly as that pitch was, it is a ball 95 percent
of the way, and only at the last second, does it get a piece of the
plate making it a strike at the farthest point away from the batter.
Long-time Orioles fans might remember Orioles closer Randy Myers
living off that pitch the year the O's went wire to wire in first
place. I have never seen it explained as clearly as Smoltz did Sunday.
Nor have I see it captured as cleanly by the cameras.
And the replay and Smoltz were in perfect synch. Kudos to the
director, producers and technicians for that. All night, TBS had near-
instant replays and multiple camera angles of major plays.
The only important live moment the TBS cameras missed was a big catch
by Chris Davis deep along the right field line to end a Yankees rally
late in the game. But the corner in which he made the catch is a
tricky one to cover. And within a second of him reappearing with the
ball, the director was showing us replays from another angle so that
viewers could admire the play.
I have sung the praises of the on-air folks in the booth enough. What
I really liked Sunday was the effort by the camera persons and the
director to allow viewers to feel some of the emotion at the park.
When Alex Rodriguez struck out in the first inning and wheeled on the
home plate ump because he didn't like the call, the director took us
instantly from A-Rod to the umpire up into the stands alongside home
plate to show us in close-up the faces of the Orioles fans rising to
their feet. We were close enough to see some of them yelling, "sit
down," to Rodriguez. One or two might have been a little more graphic.
But it was the perfect extension of what I was doing in front of my TV
at home as I saw A-Rod start to complain about the call. I came out of
my seat and yelled at him to quit crying.
I can't recall the last time I felt so connected to a TV sports
moment. But going that extra step and moving the cameras into the
stands for close-ups of the fans rather than just holding it on A-Rod
and the umpire was a brilliant directorial choice.
From that point on, TBS had me in its pocket. I trusted myself to the
director, producers and the team in the booth, and I never felt they
let me down.
That is not to say it was a perfect viewing experience. For all the
glory of cable as the home of great TV drama, you are reminded if you
watch as much playoff baseball as I have this weekend, how junky a
channel like TBS can be at times.
If I see one more commercial for Captain Morgan rum, I am going on a
bender myself until the World Series ends. And please, please, TBS, I
beg no more "Cougar Town" promos. I thought I was done with Courteney
Cox after "Friends."
As for Debby Boone and "Lifestyle Lift," I have no words. But I do
want to thank TBS for reminding me of why I stopped watching Conan
long ago. And I loved the Obama campaign commercial that tried to spin
part of Wednesday night's debate into evidence that Obama is The One
and Romney's a loser.
The promotional and commercial clutter between innings is astonishing.
The only things that were missing Sunday night on TBS were ads for
knives that never need sharpening and religious dating services.
But, hey, we all have to make a living, and I am glad for the coverage
that TBS is providing with the money the channel is making with
commercials for shows and stars that I am not so crazy about.
Seriously, I know some Baltimore fans will be angry about the loss and
want to take it out on the channel that covered the game. And from
emails I received I know some fans are still mad at Ripken for saying
Friday night that Adrian Beltre is a better third baseman than Brooks
Robinson was.
Getting mad at TBS about the loss or Ripken about his opinion is
ignorant. Don't be ignorant.
I'll take Ripken's word on who plays third base best. And I urge you
to take my word on what a fine job TBS is doing -- and enjoy its
coverage of the games that remain. Maybe things will go better for the
home team in Game 2.
need to get rid of the homers when broadcasting--tired of ripkenesque on
every play-guy couldn't carry Jetter' jockstrap--
Phil
