Paul Azinger Out as Lead Analyst for NBC Sports

[pantleggs]

Good riddance 

https://www.si.com/golf/news/paul-azinger-out-as-lead-golf-analyst-for-nbc-sports

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Likely a long time coming, never like seeing anyone fired however change is desperately needed in the golfing broadcast world. 

[jolter1]

I never really had an issue with Azinger as others did. You really do need an announcer who at times is not afraid to voice an opinion for that particular moment. Comcast/NBC must be looking for someone who might be more politically correct up in the booth.

[cnosil]

23 minutes ago, jolter1 said:

I never really had an issue with Azinger as others did. You really do need an announcer who at times is not afraid to voice an opinion for that particular moment. Comcast/NBC must be looking for someone who might be more politically correct up in the booth.

He's not my favorite broadcaster mostly because IMO he doesn't communicate accurate information about how the game is played.  

[Middler]

23 hours ago, jolter1 said:

I never really had an issue with Azinger as others did. You really do need an announcer who at times is not afraid to voice an opinion for that particular moment. Comcast/NBC must be looking for someone who might be more politically correct up in the booth.

+1. I didn’t have a problem with Azinger, he was a vast improvement over Johnny Miller IMO - who became WAY too full of himself for me. I can name several golf commentators who were way worse than Azinger. Could be Azinger was too expensive. We’ll see who’s next…

So who do you Azinger critics think it should be?

Edited November 20 by Middler

[cnosil]

7 minutes ago, Middler said:

So who do you Azinger critics think it should be?

Don't know;  hard job to fill that much air time.  I just want someone that talks modern course strategy and doesn't tell us that every ball is landing exactly where the players are intending on every shot.   Maybe not a former player. 

[Old Sarge 7997]

Fluff Cowan?  Or is he too old to travel that much and climb the stairs into the towers?  Bones was great but he's doing well with JT, don't expect them to split soon ... 

[Jim Shaw]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Don't know;  hard job to fill that much air time.  I just want someone that talks modern course strategy and doesn't tell us that every ball is landing exactly where the players are intending on every shot.   Maybe not a former player. 

for me, I want to have someone that has credibility in the game but can dumb it down for us mere mortals. 

A great example of who not to have is Jack Nicklaus, he dronned on and on about "stuff" that made no sense to anyone else but Jack. Even the GOAT doesnt necessarily have the skills to be a commentator. 

I seque to Brandell Chamblee and David Duval when the golf channel had them together to cover the Ryder Cup years ago. I could see David getting more and more frustrated with the information Brandell was being fed through his earpiece by the big shots at golf channel where David basically finally said "how many Ryder cup teams have you played on?" I still have a smile on my face about that....you need cred in this game in my opinion.

Maybe Stewart Czink would be good. 

[cnosil]

46 minutes ago, Jim Shaw said:

for me, I want to have someone that has credibility in the game but can dumb it down for us mere mortals. 

I seque to Brandell Chamblee and David Duval when the golf channel had them together to cover the Ryder Cup years ago. I could see David getting more and more frustrated with the information Brandell was being fed through his earpiece by the big shots at golf channel where David basically finally said "how many Ryder cup teams have you played on?" I still have a smile on my face about that....you need cred in this game in my opinion.

Maybe Stewart Czink would be good. 

I'll agree with Stewart Cink,  he follows DECADE and the course management strategies that I was referring too.  

I guess it depends on what is considered "credibility."  Your comment about Chamblee is like saying that big name coaches that didn't play on tour shouldn't be teaching PGA professionals because they haven't been on the PGA tour so they have no credibility.   Just because you were a tour winner or considered good at an aspect of the game doesn't mean you understand what you did or how to coach the specific skills.     

I am all for dumbing down what the players are actually doing and not just saying things just to fill air time. 

[Jim Shaw]

2 minutes ago, cnosil said:

I'll agree with Stewart Cink,  he follows DECADE and the course management strategies that I was referring too.  

I guess it depends on what is considered "credibility."  Your comment about Chamblee is like saying that big name coaches that didn't play on tour shouldn't be teaching PGA professionals because they haven't been on the PGA tour so they have no credibility.   Just because you were a tour winner or considered good at an aspect of the game doesn't mean you understand what you did or how to coach the specific skills.     

I am all for dumbing down what the players are actually doing and not just saying things just to fill air time. 

i don't know what DECADE is but whatever it is seems to work for Stewart. 

I consider "credibility" as someone who has experienced having to make a 6 foot putt to feed their family (as an example).

Your example of being a tour winner and not understanding how you did it doesnt wash with me, there may be a small percentage and I mean small that may not understand but I believe they all have a goal and a plan, I guess one example that may not have had one is John Daly but there are not many John Daly's around. 

I do agree that many great players are not great coaches however I would rather listen to a tour winner explain how they won than a coach telling me how they won, and take some gems from their explanation. 

[GolfSpy_BNG]

57 minutes ago, Jim Shaw said:

i don't know what DECADE is but whatever it is seems to work for Stewart. 

I consider "credibility" as someone who has experienced having to make a 6 foot putt to feed their family (as an example).

Your example of being a tour winner and not understanding how you did it doesnt wash with me, there may be a small percentage and I mean small that may not understand but I believe they all have a goal and a plan, I guess one example that may not have had one is John Daly but there are not many John Daly's around. 

I do agree that many great players are not great coaches however I would rather listen to a tour winner explain how they won than a coach telling me how they won, and take some gems from their explanation. 

There will be a ton of different ideas and examples of who someone may want to take Zing’s place but I believe he is the perfect example of why your credibility idea may not work. He did have to stand over and make a 6 footer to feed his family. Just because someone played the game doesn’t mean they have any ability to talk golf on a broadcast. 
 

With the way the Champions Tour is becoming more popular,  I doubt many older guys are gonna want to commentate. 

[Jim Shaw]

10 minutes ago, GolfSpy_BNG said:

There will be a ton of different ideas and examples of who someone may want to take Zing’s place but I believe he is the perfect example of why your credibility idea may not work. He did have to stand over and make a 6 footer to feed his family. Just because someone played the game doesn’t mean they have any ability to talk golf on a broadcast. 
 

With the way the Champions Tour is becoming more popular,  I doubt many older guys are gonna want to commentate. 

I liked Zinger, he was fine, a little grumpy maybe but of course he walked the walk, many times and went up against one of the best gammers in Seve Ballasteros. I don't think Stewart will go, that was just an example, he is still wanting to play on the regular tour and has the game, the tour seems to like Caddies for some reason like Bones Mckay. Who knows, way above my pay grade...

[CrazyGolfNut]

Nothing against him but I was never overly excited about him.  I thought he was rather "dry" if that make sense. 

[Dead Solid Bogey]

Annnnd… Just like that the rumor of Paige Spiranac being on air in some capacity for the broadcast of the Hero World Challenge is making the rounds… Golf plus soft porn. Sort of reminiscent of the late, late Hooter’s Tour. 
    With Zach Johnson and Brandt Snedeker losing their tour cards, they may add to the plethora of choices/ options out there.  
  

[Jim Shaw]

9 minutes ago, Dead Solid Bogey said:

Annnnd… Just like that the rumor of Paige Spiranac being on air in some capacity for the broadcast of the Hero World Challenge is making the rounds… Golf plus soft porn. Sort of reminiscent of the late, late Hooter’s Tour. 
    With Zach Johnson and Brandt Snedeker losing their tour cards, they may add to the plethora of choices/ options out there.  
  

3 interesting ideas.... will have to keep a look out for those options, Zack and Brandt lost their cards eh? Man those two have played some great golf, fun to watch...

[cnosil]

12 hours ago, Jim Shaw said:

i don't know what DECADE is but whatever it is seems to work for Stewart. 

I consider "credibility" as someone who has experienced having to make a 6 foot putt to feed their family (as an example).

Your example of being a tour winner and not understanding how you did it doesnt wash with me, there may be a small percentage and I mean small that may not understand but I believe they all have a goal and a plan, I guess one example that may not have had one is John Daly but there are not many John Daly's around. 

I do agree that many great players are not great coaches however I would rather listen to a tour winner explain how they won than a coach telling me how they won, and take some gems from their explanation. 

what you have been describing  is basically of the job of the color commentator, so yes, some credibility and experience is necessary.   I guess I don’t like the person that relives the old days and doesn’t communicate the modern game strategies.  
 

I wasnt talking about the game strategy, but how they did a certain aspect of the game.  For example I’ve read about lots of former tour pros that write instructional material on how they swing the club or putt or some other skill and when analyzed with modern tools it is not at all what they actually did; they described their feels and what they think they are doing not reality.   

 that goes back to the color commentator proclaiming how great of a shot someone hit and that it was amazing they were shooting at the pin at this point in the tournament and when you then hear an interview or they replay the shot with the caddie player interaction they weren’t downing anything like what the color commentator said.  It like during the LPGA event this past week, the leader at the time hit a great shot near the pin and the color commentator basically said there is no way she way aiming to hit the ball there.  

Chamblee is a controversial reporter because that is what his role has been designated to be.  But at least he is communicating the modern game that leverages data analytics to determine strategies.  

[billybogey]

No!! Liked Paul. Guess he was too direct.

He sure spoke & played the Game better than most!!

[Jim Shaw]

2 hours ago, cnosil said:

what you have been describing  is basically of the job of the color commentator, so yes, some credibility and experience is necessary.   I guess I don’t like the person that relives the old days and doesn’t communicate the modern game strategies.  
 

I wasnt talking about the game strategy, but how they did a certain aspect of the game.  For example I’ve read about lots of former tour pros that write instructional material on how they swing the club or putt or some other skill and when analyzed with modern tools it is not at all what they actually did; they described their feels and what they think they are doing not reality.   

 that goes back to the color commentator proclaiming how great of a shot someone hit and that it was amazing they were shooting at the pin at this point in the tournament and when you then hear an interview or they replay the shot with the caddie player interaction they weren’t downing anything like what the color commentator said.  It like during the LPGA event this past week, the leader at the time hit a great shot near the pin and the color commentator basically said there is no way she way aiming to hit the ball there.  

Chamblee is a controversial reporter because that is what his role has been designated to be.  But at least he is communicating the modern game that leverages data analytics to determine strategies.  

some really good points here, 

I started golf before video and you are correct, "what we feel isn't real" so once video was introduced (and it was pretty funny looking as the battery pack had to be strapped on the cameraman's back and it was huge) we really started to understand our swing, that was probably 50 years ago and we have come a long way from that.

The interaction between the player, caddy etc, is interesting, I have had some really funny interactions with my caddies, even at my level, I will give you an example.

In Red Deer Alberta at the National Championships I was playing i round 3, going along pretty mundane, even par after 4 holes, then hit a shot to 40 feet on 5 and sunk the putt, 1 under, got to number 6, pulled my drive a bit to a downhill lie in the rough, the direct line to a tight pin was tucked just over a pond about 140 yds away but there was a sliver of land about 20 yds right of the pin. I said to my caddy, "I am going to aim right of the pin to that sliver of fairway and catch a corner of the green.

I get up, hit a 7 iron, pull it 20 yds left and it lands 4 feet from the pin. I said to my caddy "don't tell anyone where I was aiming that" lol... so it does happen..

Yeah, Chamblee has thick skin when he is up against the elite players, he has cred though in my opinion as he has won on the PGA tour. He really does have alot of stats... 

[MGoBlue100]

22 hours ago, pantleggs said:

Good riddance 

https://www.si.com/golf/news/paul-azinger-out-as-lead-golf-analyst-for-nbc-sports

 

They'll find someone worse, mark my words.  Chamblee, anyone?!? 

[Middler]

Not for or against, but I would not be surprised if they put Mike Tirico in. Cheaper than hiring another NBC commentator. They seem to use him for lots of sports, and he's pretty sharp. 

There's no way they would put Paige Spirinac in, she's not qualified. She's certainly entitled to her audience, but not mainstream golf.

On a related topic, IMO Trevor Immelman is no substitute for Nick Faldo at CBS. YMMV

Edited November 20 by Middler