Radio Torture

balken

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2006
2,745
345
83
It was only one and I followed it up with a Bud Heavy. I make no apologies.
 

chuckd4735

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 29, 2006
28,864
10,634
113
40
Indianola
I don't listen to Gary to often as I am more focused on Iowa State, but I have known Gary since I was a little kid as he used to live next door to my grandparents, and I still talk to him often when I am back in Dubuque. He is a class act, and gives ISU credit when they are not playing Iowa.
 

CyPride

Well-Known Member
Oct 12, 2008
2,543
80
48
102
Inexplicably, I again tuned into the radio broadcast of the Hawk game. I can handle Ed Podolak, but Gary Dolphin may be the most annoying play-by-by man in the country. Some recurring themes:


  1. Hyperbole: "Eddie, I hope you went to church last week because it looks like the rapture may be here. We are seeing the second coming on the field. No mortal being could have made the run Shonn Green just tore off. The NFL may need a special round in the draft because no one else deserves to be in the same round at Mr. Greene."
  2. Missed calls: "A five-yard completion to Brodell and Iowa has the ball at the Purdue 37. Check that, it was to DJK for 13 yards and it puts the ball at the Iowa 29."
  3. Odd similes: "Mitch King just made Siller look like a circus clown without the make-up. Eddie, how do you like life under the big top, Buddy Boy?"
  4. Total homer: "Come on Hawks, we need a big stop here. Let's stuff 'em here and take this thing over." or "How could they possibly call holding on that play. Every call is going against the Hawks today."
  5. Ridiculous descriptions: "Stanzi was about to be sacked but did a loop-d-loop move and the LB spun to the ground like a corkscrew."
Unlike Zabel, however, you can generally tell who has the ball and a little about the situation.


Nice when we clones take solice in our misery by taking shots at Iowa.

And speaking of horrible play call, have you listened to Walters? Ben Bruns? Talk about homers and people that should be on suicide watch during the games......it is easy to tell when the opposition scores or makes a great play - radio silence.

MO has about 52 points right now and the comment is: "i think the cyclone defense has lost it's edge......"

Wow!
 

balken

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2006
2,745
345
83
Nice when we clones take solice in our misery by taking shots at Iowa.

And speaking of horrible play call, have you listened to Walters? Ben Bruns? Talk about homers and people that should be on suicide watch during the games......it is easy to tell when the opposition scores or makes a great play - radio silence.

MO has about 52 points right now and the comment is: "i think the cyclone defense has lost it's edge......"

Wow!

If it will make you feel better, I can take shots at Walters:

  1. Not understanding the ruling on the field
  2. Gets too excited at bad calls by officials
  3. Homer tendencies
That said, Walters is not annoying, as is Dolphin, which was the main thrust of the post. Furthermore, I reserve my right to take unprovoked potshots at the Hawkeyes and their ilk at anytime, especially when ISU FB blows. I take not just subdued solace but truly great pleasure in this endeavor. Schadenfreude at its finest.
 

Clonefan94

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
10,480
5,079
113
Schaumburg, IL
Sorry balken, I have no pity for those who would willingly listen to or watch anything related to the Hawkeyes. :wink: You reap what you sew, sir.

LOL, no ****. There is a thing called the "Tuner" it actually changes the channel, or better yet, there's this new invention called TV. Turn it on and find out other games are going on around the country.

To be honest though, missing where the ball is one thing, but not to expect homerism from Hawkeye announcers is wrong. That' the great thing about local radio. Your guys do the game. If you don't like it, don't listen. I'll give you the nod on Zabel though. Even as a hawk fan, it had to be frustrating finding out after the game that your team actually lost.
 

TarHeelHawk

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2008
8,595
190
63
44
W. Des Moines
LOL, no ****. There is a thing called the "Tuner" it actually changes the channel, or better yet, there's this new invention called TV. Turn it on and find out other games are going on around the country.

To be honest though, missing where the ball is one thing, but not to expect homerism from Hawkeye announcers is wrong. That' the great thing about local radio. Your guys do the game. If you don't like it, don't listen. I'll give you the nod on Zabel though. Even as a hawk fan, it had to be frustrating finding out after the game that your team actually lost.

You have to remember that for a good period of time while he was doing games (however long that was), Iowa was terrible. He had to sell the game somehow. Sure he was over the top at times, but a lot of the announcers back in the day were like that.
 

JonDMiller

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2006
2,538
192
63
I don't mind if it is evident that the broadcast is for the Hawks, I just don't like outright cheering and rooting for the team. Pete Taylor was the best at this, IMO. Walters is fair, Dolph is awful. Even Greg Sharpe isn't as much of a homer as Dolph.

This all depends on what side of the street you are living on. I like John Walters a lot. He is a great person.

He is also a shill for ISU, and he should be. The announcers are approved by the schools. They are not looking for 60 minutes inquiries. Ben Bruns' on air apologies make me sound objective. But that is a part of it.
 

Clonefan94

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
10,480
5,079
113
Schaumburg, IL
You have to remember that for a good period of time while he was doing games (however long that was), Iowa was terrible. He had to sell the game somehow. Sure he was over the top at times, but a lot of the announcers back in the day were like that.

I know he's a radio legend, but his best work was done on "Let's go bowling, not Hawkeye broadcasts" Even in the days I didn't hate the Hawkeyes, I couldn't listen to him. Sell it however you want. IT was rare you actually knew it was a loss on the play. "He runs left, spins, up the middle pushing breaks a tackle outside." To find out the play was stuffed at the line. Sorry, but if anyone should be selling games now it's our announcers.
 

Bobber

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
8,880
575
113
Hudson, Iowa
Dolph doesn't bother me much. I've never heard him run down ISU like I've heard Hayden Fry do many times.

Ed Podolak is really good to listen to. Love the way he breaks down what's going on.

Silly thread. If you don't like them why the heck are you listening?:confused:
 

agcy68

Well-Known Member
Feb 9, 2007
2,551
785
113
77
Iowa
This all depends on what side of the street you are living on. I like John Walters a lot. He is a great person.

He is also a shill for ISU, and he should be. The announcers are approved by the schools. They are not looking for 60 minutes inquiries. Ben Bruns' on air apologies make me sound objective. But that is a part of it.

I think shill is a little harsh for what Walters does. If that is the case, are you admitting that Dolph is a shill as well? How about yourself.

Half the reason that UofI fans are as arrogant as they are is because of the way that Zabel and Dolph portray the game.
-Both of their play - by -play is bad "hands the ball off, runs, avoids a tackle and still of his feet and FINALLY brought down for a loss of 2" no good references in the calling and they make it seem like the players are performing much better than they are if you are watching the game
-They (hawks) are never really beat by the other team, they just beat themselves. If I were a hawk fan and listened to their rendition of the UofI games, I would think taht uofi was just a few coaching corrections from being national champions every year as well. No wonder so many hawk fans are delusional.

Taylor and Walters offer a much better representation of what the fans in the stands see even in the tone of their voice. Sometimes painful to listen to, but an honest representation.
 

NobodyBeatsCy

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2008
3,750
633
113
Clive, IA
This all depends on what side of the street you are living on. I like John Walters a lot. He is a great person.

He is also a shill for ISU, and he should be. The announcers are approved by the schools. They are not looking for 60 minutes inquiries. Ben Bruns' on air apologies make me sound objective. But that is a part of it.

I think "shill" is carying it a little far. I would label you a "shill" for your fan web site and reliance to the U of I. I would call Walters a school sponsored play-by-play man. He does have career in television news should the ISU gig drop by the wayside. What will you have after your 2 hr show fizzles?
 

Bobber

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
8,880
575
113
Hudson, Iowa
Taylor and Walters offer a much better representation of what the fans in the stands see even in the tone of their voice. Sometimes painful to listen to, but an honest representation.

Oh come on. Watch tonights game and you'll know why our announcers have the tone of voice that they do and watch the Iowa game earlier today or last week and that's the reason their announcers have the tone they do...
 

TarHeelHawk

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2008
8,595
190
63
44
W. Des Moines
I know he's a radio legend, but his best work was done on "Let's go bowling, not Hawkeye broadcasts" Even in the days I didn't hate the Hawkeyes, I couldn't listen to him. Sell it however you want. IT was rare you actually knew it was a loss on the play. "He runs left, spins, up the middle pushing breaks a tackle outside." To find out the play was stuffed at the line. Sorry, but if anyone should be selling games now it's our announcers.

That wasn't my point. Zabel did what he had to do (or thought he had to do) to keep the people interested. A non-Hawks example would be Harry Caray announcing for real bad Cubs teams. Yeah, the team may suck, but you can come out Wrigley and sit in the sun, drink some beer, and stare at all the Trixies in the bleachers...and if the Cubs win thats cool too. Harry was selling the experience and the atmosphere, not the team itself.

I don't listen to Dolph very often, because every Iowa game is on tv, and the broadcasts don't match up.
 

TarHeelHawk

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2008
8,595
190
63
44
W. Des Moines
I think "shill" is carying it a little far. I would label you a "shill" for your fan web site and reliance to the U of I. I would call Walters a school sponsored play-by-play man. He does have career in television news should the ISU gig drop by the wayside. What will you have after your 2 hr show fizzles?

Jon, aren't you in line to take over as Sports Director at WHO Radio after Z retires? I guess there would be that.
 

agcy68

Well-Known Member
Feb 9, 2007
2,551
785
113
77
Iowa
Oh come on. Watch tonights game and you'll know why our announcers have the tone of voice that they do and watch the Iowa game earlier today or last week and that's the reason their announcers have the tone they do...

It's not just this week. Go back when they were 3-8 and you heard the same examples. Maybe it was selling the product and maybe we need more of that, but it wasn't accurate. From the meaninglyness of "goes left" to the over-characterization of the performance of the team, it didn't represent the true story on the field. Again, no wonder their fan base is delusional.
 

TarHeelHawk

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2008
8,595
190
63
44
W. Des Moines
It's not just this week. Go back when they were 3-8 and you heard the same examples. Maybe it was selling the product and maybe we need more of that, but it wasn't accurate. From the meaninglyness of "goes left" to the over-characterization of the performance of the team, it didn't represent the true story on the field. Again, no wonder their fan base is delusional.

Bad radio announcers = delusional fan base. Makes sense. How about this - maybe if your radio guys did a better job of selling the team, or if the Athletic Dept. as a whole did a better job of selling the team, Iowa State would have more lifelong fans? Isn't that what Pollard is trying to do - sell the Cyclones?
 
Last edited:

NobodyBeatsCy

Well-Known Member
Apr 17, 2008
3,750
633
113
Clive, IA
Jon, aren't you in line to take over as Sports Director at WHO Radio after Z retires? I guess there would be that.

I would contend that "shill" and WHO radio sports director are essentially the same thing given Zable's record. How much of the day-to-day do you think Zable actually manages anyway?!? :biglaugh:

Next thing you'll be telling me is that the DSM Rag is "objective"!
 
Last edited:

ISUAlum2002

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
22,474
4,763
113
Toon Town, IA
I liked when he called the Iowa fans morons last week. Even though KxNO had to delete the clip of him saying it.....I have it recorded and saved on my laptop here. :wink:
 

JonDMiller

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2006
2,538
192
63
I think shill is a little harsh for what Walters does. If that is the case, are you admitting that Dolph is a shill as well? How about yourself..

Yup, Gary often shills for Iowa during broadcasts. When I use the term, I mean root. If there is a more dark meaning to that word in the minds of some, then I used the wrong word.

As for me, I make no bones about the fact that I am an Iowa fan, I want Iowa to win every game, and I root for them to do so.
 

JonDMiller

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2006
2,538
192
63
Half the reason that UofI fans are as arrogant as they are is because of the way that Zabel and Dolph portray the game. .

The reason you perceive them to be arrogant has everything to do with your being an ISU fan, and Iowa is your rival. It's the reason why some Iowa fans look at you as a little brother, because you are their rival.

Again, all of this garbage depends on which side of the street you are working. For folks on either side to think their crap doesn't stink is plain silly.