By Paulie Knep
Love of Sports Correspondent
For most sports fans, color commentators are a lot like referees; they're only noticed when they say something the viewer doesn't like or believes is incorrect.
Still, there are many color commentators who add great value to the broadcasts of sporting events with their expert analysis.
There are a number of factors which go into making a great color commentator, including knowledge of the sport, preparation for the broadcast, enthusiasm for the sport, appreciation for the moment and a fan-friendly tone and disposition.
If you ask 100 sports fans to name their favorite color commentators, you'll receive 100 very different lists. Well, this is my list of the top color guys around.
Bill Raftery - CBS and ESPN
Bill Raftery has been a color commentator for college basketball the past 23 years. He brings an enjoyable mix of enthusiasm and expert analysis to his telecasts. He's known for some of his catch phrases such as "send it in" after a big dunk or "with the kiss" when a player banks a shot off the glass. When the action becomes intense, he knows when to drop the schtick and focus on the game instead. He's quick to get excited about a great play and is always willing to provide kudos to a kid who's having a great game, but he doesn't get hung up on one kid throughout the course of the game. His self-effacing humor is also refreshing at a time in which many commentators take themselves too seriously.
Ron Jaworski – ESPN
"Jaws" is part of ESPN's "Monday Night Football" crew and an a member of NFL films. In preparation for every game, he studies film of the teams until his eyes are red. His preparation enables him to point out things the average fan wouldn't pick up on their own, such as a breakdown in a certain defensive formation or that a quarterback's delivery is slightly altered due to an ankle injury. The reason fans like Jaws so much is his happy go lucky personality. Some find his childlike chuckle endearing and appreciate how much he loves football.
Hubie Brown - ABC and ESPN
Brown's like that professor from college who at one time or another taught every class required for a certain major, because he knows every aspect of that subject so well. If you watch a game covered by Brown, you'll walk away a wiser basketball fan. He leaves no aspect of the game uncovered, from the players' conditioning, to their mindsets, to their defensive rotations, to the angle of release on their shots, to what they need to do to improve their game. During a timeout in a late game situation, he'll tell you what each coach should be telling their respective teams in the huddle. With uncanny accuracy, he can predict what play the offense will run on a big possession and how the defense will try and stop it.
John McEnroe - USA and CBS
Not surprisingly, one of the things that makes McEnroe a great commentator is that he tells it like he sees it. He's not afraid to criticize a player, an umpire or the USTA, which makes for engaging commentary. His passion for tennis is as great as ever, but without the emotional tirades that were associated with his self interest in the outcome of a match. His brilliant understanding of the game provides the viewers with interesting insight into technique and strategy. He also brings the unique perspective of a player who's been ranked No. 1 in the world and won multiple U.S. Open and Wimbledon championships. He thinks outside the box and regularly provides creative ideas for improving the game of tennis and its popularity. He also has a surprisingly nice repoire with co-commentator and long time friend Mary Carillo.
Joe Morgan – ESPN
Morgan and John Miller are ESPN's top broadcast team for Major League Baseball. Morgan possesses a tremendous knowledge and understanding of the game. More than any other baseball commentator, he points out the intricacies of the game even experienced fans don't notice. He may inform viewers that a certain baserunner leans towards second base when he intends to steal a base or that the reason a certain third baseman has made a number of errant throws is his tendency to dip his arm angle. Morgan's also effective at explaining a managerial decision within the overall context of the game. His one shortcoming is his infatuation with his "Big Red Machine" teams of the 1970s. Far too often Morgan compares current players to his former teammates.
Jay Bilas - ESPN and CBS
Bilas is a former college basketball player and assistant coach at Duke before he became a college commentator in 1995. He's overflowing with college basketball knowledge, studying the game down to the finest detail and preparing for each telecast as well as anybody - and it shows. He does a superb job of breaking down the Xs and Os in gametime speed and providing the viewers with in-depth analysis of the recent history, development, strengths and weaknesses of the teams and players he's covering. If there's one negative to Bilas as a commentator, its that he talks fairly quickly and in a somewhat dry, monotonous manner. However, he generally mixes in enough humor to keep listeners from becoming bored.
Jesse Ventura – Retired
Jesse "The Body" is no longer providing color for wrestling, but I have no doubt he could pick right up where he left off. He provided commentary for the WWF from 1984-90, and his deep and powerful voice was perfectly suited for the role of villain. He openly rooted for the "bad guys" in every match he covered, infuriating fans in the process. Ventura had a way of making you want to reach into your TV and grab him by the throat by saying something to the effect that your favorite wrestler got what he deserved when another wrestler hit him over the head with a chair. His catch phrase was "Win if you can, lose if you must, but ALWAYS CHEAT!" He was at his best when he worked with Gorilla Monsoon and the two exchanged verbal jabs throughout the telecast.
Al Leiter - YES Network and FOX
Leiter pitched in the majors for a number of teams from 1987-2005. He's gotten his feet wet as a national broadcaster by doing commentary for Fox in the postseason. He's very intelligent and is able to explain the intricacies of baseball, especially pitching, in a manner which is very accessible to both the casual and experienced fan. He's excellent at predicting what a pitcher will throw in a given situation and always follows it up with a coherent explanation as to why they selected that particular pitch. He uses his personal experiences to effectively shed light on a point he's making without generalizing from that experience or referring to such experiences too frequently. He also brings to the booth the unique perspective of how he pitched against current hitters, since he played in the league through the 2005 season.
Bill Walton - ABC and ESPN
Love him or hate him, you must admit that Walton brings the "color" to color commentary. Always the individualist, he presents an inimitable adaptation of the role of commentator. He's known for his over-exaggerations like, "This is the worst shooting performance in the history of basketball". He uses an argumentative style to engage his co-commentators, which is most effective when he's paired with Steve "Snapper" Jones, who plays along with Walton's outrageous banter. Walton openly espouses his love for his alma mater, UCLA, his former coach, John Wooden, and his belief in the superiority of big men over guards. Some of Walton's catch phrases are, "Throw it down big fella. Throw it down!", "That pass was terrible. Terrible!" and "Make a shot!"
Honorable mentions: Orel Hershiser, ESPN; Jeff Van Gundy, ESPN; Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN; John Madden, NBC; Doug Collins, ESPN; Cris Collinsworth, NFL Network and HBO
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