It’s hard to compare soccer announcers that you hear on English-speaking television with those that you hear on Spanish-speaking networks. The announcers in English are relatively unemotional. They give lots of stats. They rely a lot on the technology of the network they are broadcasting on.
Announcers in Spanish get excited. Really excited. They speak poetically. The other day, during the South Africa-Mexico game, I heard the announcer say, “Using his heart as a compass, the goalkeeper launched himself…” During the Argentina game the following day, I heard: “He went after that ball with heart, soul and body.” You just don’t hear expressions like that on the main U.S. broadcasts.
I was seeing that as a difference between the Latin culture and the mainstream U.S. culture until… they played a replay of Japan’s goal against Cameroon, listening to the Japanese broadcast. It was more like the Spanish broadcast than the English one. That rattled my assumptions, since I don’t see the Japanese culture as being particularly expressive.
So maybe I should avoid any sweeping generalizations about culture. I’ll just say this: soccer will be a lot more fun on U.S. TV when they start hiring announcers from Latin America rather than Europe.
agreed, this was even parodied on a simpsons episode
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noOHdTQd6H8
Interesting when you compare European style of play versus Latin style of play. European teams seem to concentrate more on strategy, defense, setting up runs, etc. Whereas it seems Latin teams often allow the players’ strengths to determine strategy, allow them to ‘have fun’ as they play, be a little more aggressive, etc. Those differences may easily bleed over into the broadcast booth.
true, true, TRUE
im mean we are just like that ha ha!
I have no idea how tha American broadcasters are, and I must admit that the Latin American announcers are much more effusive, but the announcers from Belgium can also get quite excited and wax poetic.
I don’t know if the stule of playing has anything to do with it (your example of Japan is a good case in point, I think).
In any case, I definitely enjoy watching the Latin American games and hearing “Goooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllll!!!!!” (Interested to know how the African broadcasters do.)
I have been watching the World Cup on Chinese television, and even though I don’t know everything they are saying-they also definitely get very excited!!
I do love watching it with Spanish commentators-tons of heart and emotion!! We could learn a thing or two ;)
LOL I get frustrated with all the “Heart and Soul” talk when it comes amid such overdramatic flops, fake injuries, etc. I guess their acting comes from the heart as well, but the refs seem pretty awful at discerning the difference between a flop and an actual hit.
Nick, there have been some TERRIBLE refs at this year’s World Cup. Add that to the scoring problem (the ball?), the vuvuzelas… and it’s been a less than stellar event so far.