but no I do not care for then. Dan is alright but usually sounds bored and disinterested. Al is just dumb and I get the impression that he hates his job.

Dan is OK.

Al is surprisingly ignorant of things like hitting, and some aspects of pitching, and just regurgitates the conventional wisdom.

All of this is surprising given that the XMO camera often points out that what they say is wrong.

because I love listening to Dan and Al. I live in Miami, Florida, and have to watch all the games via Extra Innings or MLB.tv. Most of the time, I’ll get the home team telecast, so I get to hear all the announcers from all over the league. Our FSN Midwest gang is one of the better ones. Besides, I think they’re hilarious together. Also, I think Dan is great during his in-game interviews.

I guess I dont know what people are looking for in their commentary…I have yet to hear someone name an announcer and the commenters jump in and say “oh yeah! that guy is AWESOME.” I like Dan. I like Al. I like when Dan makes fun of Al. I like when Dan makes fun of Al and AL doesnt even notice it. They are better than most. except Vin Scully.

I’m not a fan of either. I miss Wayne hagan…(yes I know he was radio)

Dan is ok, I think he tries to be objective and just call the game, but he’s kind of a monotone. He’s gotten a lot better with that though over the years.

Al is a windbag of the highest order. He’s convinced of his own intelligence and seems to have the idea that he was was the greatest reliever ever. I’m not a fan of him. However, he’s better than “Shades” Shannon and Randolph, who are utterly intolerable.

for all the wrong reasons. They’re like a married couple, they fight so often. It’s hilarious.

Dan does something really annoying though. Anytime a Cardinal hits a fly ball, even if it’s only moderately deep, he uses his “might be, could be!” voice. It gets really irritating sometimes. The thing I like best about Al is his ongoing man crush on Reggie Sanders: “Just look at that smile…it’s made for TV.” That was always fun to hear.

Boomer.

Dan’s nothing spectacular, but he’s still relatively young for a play-by-play guy, so he still has plenty of room to improve.

As far as Al goes, I can understand how people can have wildly different views on him. He’s a complete, unabashed homer who’ll grasp at any straw to defend the powers that be in the Cards’ organization, but on the other hand, he doesn’t take himself or the game too seriously while still maintaining a proper level of respect for the game.

Strictly as an analyst, Al isn’t exactly great, but then again, there very few people who are good TV analysts. And I’d still gladly hear’s Al’s take on a situation over many people in more prominent broadcast teams.

Can’t say the same for Joe Buck who would rather watch a soap opera or some reality show.

calling a good game much the same as we prefer watching a good game. They kind of rise to the occassion and are better than many.

So few great announcers, so many games.

In a slow, boring or one sided game, Al often lapses into his “droning stream of consciousness snore-casting” where he’s mumbling like Shaq seemingly forever about something remotely related to pitching philosophy until some event on the field or Dan abruptly cuts him off. If the camera were on them, I’d bet Al’s eyes are closed and Dan is rolling his trying to stay awake and figure how to flip Al’s drone switch off.

Good ole’ Al single handedly got me Edmonds, Renterias and Walkers autographs on a BP ball after a game while he was waiting to do an interview with Edmonds. He did that on his own accord, didnt even ask him. He was just being a good guy while he was waiting in line for Edmonds. He asked me if I wanted a “Hall of Shamer’s” autograph on the ball too, meaning of course….the Hungo.

we can clearly see what is happening on the field (even though you aren’t talking about it) and then when they DO talk about it, they will sugar coat it until the last possible second. Finally they will relent (Dan – “Yeah, you just can’t give up 6 walks and 2 grand slams in one inning. But these Cards are scrappy.” Al – “Right, and that’s all you can ask of a ballclub. Play a Hard 9 down 17 runs and not walk off the field mid game. Hey, how’s Luke?”)

They are slightly better than that drone Darren Sutton, both the guys on FSN Milwaukee, the Cubs television announcers and FSN Pittsburgh. I’d take the STO, SNY, FSN Kansas City, CSN Bay Area, and of course FSN Prime Ticket over Danny (as Chip Carey refers to him) and Al.

but as a subscriber to MLB Extra Innings for the past season and a half and an avid Cardinals fan, I am always relieved when I get to see an FSN Midwest broadcast. My first impression of Dan was that, yeah, he’s pretty boring, monotone and disinterested. And Al obviously plays the role of the blowhard extremist. But they are generally pretty entertaining, especially when you least expect it. And comparing them to most teams’ announcers makes them stand out. I won’t say they are anywhere near the legendary class that Vin Scully and a few select others are in, but I enjoy the way they call the game in the current “we are team employees so we always put the best shine on things” way that most regional broadcasts are these days.

I think my least favorite announcing teams, in order, are:
White Sox, Cubs, Marlins, Giants, Yankees (mostly because of Michael Kay)

Anyway, I think Dan ‘n Al are comfort food. Certainly not gourmet, but not Top Ramen, either…

are the worst. When I got the extra innings package I really expected the Cards to have the best. It is difficult to listen to joe morgan and John Miller, but i rather listen to the espn blow hards than Al and Dan. Now I hope every game it is the other teams announcers doing the game. The met series i have been watching the met broadcast, and Kieth Hernandez is better than Al. Kieth does too much of the I, Me, and When I played, but the Met guys have been more informative then the Al and Dan.

that the Cardinals do not have the Braves/White Sox people in the booth.

From the former players category, I like what Orel Hersheiser, Harold Reynolds, John Kruk, and Mark Grace have to offer to a game. Jeff Brantley isn’t bad at times either.

Steve Stone and Thom Brennaman also seem to do a good job.

I can’t stand Bob Brenly/Tim McCarver/Joe Morgan/John Miller/Steve Phillips/Steve “Psycho” Lyons.

about “analysts,” few of whom do much real analysis, BTW, I pine for the day when I hear an analyst that does not believe he must say something after every pitch. A little blessed silence would be a beautiful thing on a TV broadcast.

I prefer simple announcing that just talks about the game going on, thats one reason I like Dan and Al. Unlike Miller and Morgan who talk about every random stupid thing that I dont give a crap about(mostly Barry Bonds)....then it zooms in on them when they tell a stupid boring story and you miss 3 pitches…........

Shannon is awesome!!!!!!!!!! one time I heard a beer can pop open LOL it made everyone in the room bust out laughing!! Shannon is by far the best.

sorry about the typo in the post, but other than that i’m liking the buzz im getting back

because I can hardly stand listening to his nasally voice. But I will agree that when him and Al go back and forth heckling each other it’s pretty funny. Both groups of TV announcers are pretty annoying (FSN is much more tolerable than KSDK though). Too bad there is a slight delay with the TV broadcasts because I’d just mute the TV and turn on KTRS during the games.

I guess I’m in the minority when I say I really like Jon Miller. Morgan is horrible, but Miller does a fine job, doesn’t Americanize the pronunciation of foreign names, and I enjoy his home run calls.

Dan is ok. Rooney and Shannon better. Al – good days, bad days – but more eh days than anything else. Dan is always good for the seemingly innocuous comment that comes acrosss completely different than he meant it. Dan and Al’s relationship is a draw – they can crack me up in a bad game if they get on each other.

Rooney – solid play by play. His clean voice matches well with Shannon’s gravelly, drowned in an ice cold Budweiser voice. Decent stories, and Rooney knows enough to bring it back to the game when Shannon starts to wander. Shannon is good, ok, but somethimes, ok, he says ok, too much, ok.

Randolf and the other stiffs on Sunday broadcasts – fucking horrible. The 13-inning game against the Red Sox showed just how incapable they are at calling a good game. They need to go back to calling little league or UMSL basketball or some shit. They are like nails on the goddamn chalkboard.

Other announcers/sports guys in StL:
- KFNS morning show: Dorks with dick jokes. eh.
- Hadley: The biggest homer in StL, makes Al look like a single.
- Don’t watch the nightly news, so I have no comments.

I don’t know how I missed this thread for two whole days. This irrestistable. Thank you, nextgen. (I know we’ve never met, but I feel familiar enough with you to drop the “the.”)

Dan knows very little about baseball, although he has gotten better. These means that he feels he must deferential to a former player our of respect. The problem is that this means Al’s lack of knowledge and insight is the hallmark of the broadcast. He says baseless, clueless things that are not at all true or supported by any facts or data. Al clearly does very little in the way of prep work. And Dan just lets his statements go. They are not a good duo at all.

One of my friends is a Red Sox fan and he texted me during the Cardinals game (because we live in Iowa and the FSN Midwest broadcast is carried):

r the cards broadcasters always this horrible? they know nothing about baseball. i m sorry you have to listen to this on a nightly basis.

That sums it up.

Personally, I think Dan is great. I disagree with the earlier poster who suggested that he comes off as bored and disinterested at times. I listen to quite a bit of radio in STL and the guy even sounds pumped about Cardinals’ baseball when he’s off the job and being interviewed as a guest on local shows. He’s had some great calls this year… and has even been dubbed the “kool-aid man” because of an over-the-top “Oooohhhhh Yeeeeeeaaahhhhhh!!!” call on a Rick Ankiel HR earlier this season. He’s also not afraid to second-guess in-game decisions.

As for Al, he sells bottles of Budlight for $6 at his bar down the street from Busch. Not a big fan; although he does provide convenient comic relief at times.

I like Shannon as much as the next guy. I grew up listening to him and Buck. But he has to stop nicknaming everybody with some variation of their name and then “man”. He used to do “The So Man”. I thought that was kinda funny. Now this year I have heard “The Izzy Man”, ” The Skip Man”, “The Ank Man”, “The Lud Man”.....I think maybe that’s it but it’s too many. Somebody has to tell him this insanity has to stop!

At least I haven’t heard him say “The Pu Man” yet. If he does that one, I’m writing a letter.

Joe Buck. As in he would always try and throw in a out of the blue reference to pop culture or try too hard to be funny…when he didn’t need to be. I always got the feeling that Dan spent most of his time watching tapes of Joe and to copy his style. And I always found it funny when Joe would do his handful of Cards games for FSMW he would tease Dan or make a wild comment about him to Al. I think Joe knew he was his “idol” and was making the most of it with tongue in cheek stuff.

but down on al. got extra innings for the first time this year and get to listen to lots of broadcast teams. all i can say for dan and al is that it is better than listening to white sox broadcasts, but there are many better duos out there.

Al is terrible. He’s a big name dropper. He thinks he was this great part of Cardinal history. He is a clown. I really dislike his arrogance and his shitty attempt at humor. Dan just kisses his ass all day.

vin scully and harry kalas are the best in the business today. there aren’t a whole lot of others close. of the cardinals folks, i agree, it’s rooney > moonman > dan > al.

one thought: the phillies broadcast team switches radio/tv folks twice during the game (other teams might do this, but i can’t think of any offhand). kalas works the tv feed from innings 1-3, then switches to radio for 4-6, and goes back to tv for 7-9. why the cards couldn’t do something similar for dan/al/rooney/shannon is beyond me. it’d be great to get shannon on the tv broadcast more than just ever so often on sunday games. although i would think listening to dan & al on the radio in more than small doses would quadruple the suicide rate in the st. louis area.

but yes, the kalas gushing. if you ever have the chance or the means, watch/listen to the local broadcast of a phils game. the man is incredible.