I thought Chris Berman was funny about 25 years ago. The Berman schtick is really old, and has no place in golf. I was horrified this morning when I tuned into ESPN’s coverage of the 2011 U.S. Open when I heard his voice. I did throw up in my mouth a little bit. Dinner last night tasted much better the first time I swallowed it.
Already today we have some really lame “schtick” quotes and some other statements from Berman which really accentuate his lack of knowledge of the game and its players.
So far we have “How about putting on a par-4 for your second one.” Ryan Palmer putted for his second shot on a short par-4. “Second one” meant second shot.
We also have “Out there in the fields. I think that was a song by The Who.” Actually, the song is Baba O’Riley and the first line of the song is “Out here in the fields.”
Thankfully we probably won’t hear these dumb Chris Berman quotes
Looking at this gig, it isn’t looking too bad. There are a few opportunities for Berman’s horrid schtick which won’t happen because the players or conditions aren’t there.
Fortunately David Duval isn’t in the field this year for Berman to pronounce his last name incorrectly.
I don’t think Roger Maltbe is working this gig. Thankfully we won’t be hearing “Roger Chocolate Maltbe.”
There aren’t any fescues at Congressional, so we aren’t going to hear “he hit a fescue club, not a rescue club.”
No Bob Tway in the field, so no “Bob curds and Tway.”
No “Kenneth Staten Island Ferrie.”
Predictions
We’ll hear too many football and baseball related schtick quotes.
We’ll hear too many “wow” exclamations.
David Toms is in the field so we can be sure to hear a “ground control to David Toms.”
We’ll surely hear some names being mispronounced.
We’ll hear some oddly formed statements describing the game or the leaderboard, like “he’s three underneath par.”
I’m not alone
Apparently I’m not the only one who would rather not hear Chris Berman call golf, let alone a major championship. Here are a few recent tweets I found this morning:
BigDawgSports
Chris Berman please make it stop. Enough of the idiotic nicknames already. You are to play by play what Phyliss Diller is to hot chicks!
Luke Petrosino
He’s ruining the U.S. Open right now.
Robert Conroy
It’s painful listening to Chris Berman call the US Open. #stoptalking
Conor Banyon
Is that Chris Berman talking? ESPN ruins everything. #smh #commentaryfail
Jim Neveau
Memo to @ESPN: having Chris Berman anchor your golf coverage is a surefire way to get me not to watch it.
BK Golf Guide
It’s not that I won’t watch a golf telecast with Chris Berman announcing, it’s that I can’t. Broken too many TVs that way in the past.
Christopher Hrabe
I could really use a lot less Chris Berman on this ESPN US Open broadcast. Like, none at all.
Will Askew
Chris Berman on the US Open?!?!?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Whitetail Ridge
Another year with Chris Berman on the US Open telecast. Where is that mute button on the remote? Our pick for the winner…Steve Stricker.
Austin Collins
My god. Chris Berman calling the US Open? It’s hard to relax and enjoy golf with all that heavy breathing going on.
Jordan Ramirez
For the love of God how does Chris Berman still have a job…let alone cover the U.S Open!!!??? #gettingthenooseready
Jon P.
Chris berman covering golf makes my ears bleed.
Joe Leighty
The US Open is a historical treasure that shouldn’t have a pompous self promoting windbag like Chris Berman working the coverage. #usopen
Steve Flynn
Chris Berman as the main anchor for the US Open?? Did ESPN have a meeting and say “Ok..how can we make 5 hours of TV almost unwatchable?”
Jason Kirk
Chris Berman is calling the US Open, so I’m going with the Boston police scanner for audio again.
Set your DVR, but turn the sound off during ESPN’s broadcast because the not funny Chris Berman and his tired schtick is in the booth. Keep your barf bags handy. Rant to come shortly about that.
Thursday: ESPN 10:00am-3:00pm | NBC 3:00pm-5:00pm | ESPN 5:00pm-7:00pm
Friday: ESPN 10:00am-3:00pm | NBC 3:00pm-5:00pm | ESPN 5:00pm-7:00pm
Saturday: NBC 2:00pm-8:00pm
Sunday: NBC 1:30-7:30pm
All times Eastern
Shinnecock Hills - click to enlarge
The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced this morning that the venue for the 2018 U.S. Open will be Shinnecock Hills. Shinnecock has hosted the U.S. Open four previous times, the last being 2004 when Retief Goosen won. That was quite a performance and back then Goosen was like golf’s version of The Terminator. Another great memory from a Shinnecock Open will always be Corey Pavin’s 4-wood shot which sealed his victory in 1995.
“We are thrilled that our national championship will return to one of our country’s most-storied venues. We are confident that Shinnecock Hills will provide a true challenge for the world’s premier players, as it has for more than a century.” ~USGA President Jim Hyler
Shinnecock has a list of awards including top 100 in the world, top 100 in the U.S., top 500 holes in the world etc.
Here are shots of the Bridgestone staff bags for this week’s U.S. Open. Love the colors, especially since the 4th of July is coming up.
Click the image or click here for a full sized version.
2011 U.S. Open Players List By Name & Country
Brad Adamonis, United States of America
Robert Allenby, Australia
Aaron Baddeley, Australia
Sang-Moon Bae, Korea
Briny Baird, United States of America
Michael Barbosa (A), United States of America
Scott Barr, Australia
Brad Benjamin (A), United States of America
Bennett Blakeman, United States of America
Zack Byrd, United States of America
Jonathan Byrd, United States of America
Angel Cabrera, Argentina
Chad Campbell, United States of America
Michael Campbell, New Zealand
Patrick Cantlay (A), United States of America
Paul Casey, England
William (Bud) Cauley, United States of America
Alex Cejka, Czech Republic
Greg Chalmers, Australia
Kevin Chappell, United States of America
K.J. Choi, Korea
David Chung (A), United States of America
Stewart Cink, United States of America
Nicolas Colsaerts, Belgium
Ben Crane, United States of America
Jason Day, Australia
Christopher DeForest, United States of America
Bubba Dickerson, United States of America
Robert Dinwiddie, England
Luke Donald, England
Jason Dufner, United States of America
Johan Edfors, Sweden
Matthew Edwards, United States of America
John Ellis, United States of America
Ernie Els, South Africa
Rickie Fowler, United States of America
Harrison Frazar, United States of America
Hiroyuki Fujita, Japan
Fred Funk, United States of America
Jim Furyk, United States of America
Stephen Gallacher, Scotland
Sergio Garcia, Spain
Robert Garrigus, United States of America
Brian Gay, United States of America
Elliot Gealy, United States of America
Lucas Glover, United States of America
Andres Gonzales, United States of America
Retief Goosen, South Africa
Christo Greyling, South Africa
Bill Haas, United States of America
Adam Hadwin, Canada
Todd Hamilton, United States of America
Peter Hanson, Sweden
Padraig Harrington, Ireland
Andreas Harto, Denmark
Gregory Havret, France
Wes Heffernan, Canada
Scott Hend, Australia
Russell Henley (A), United States of America
J.J. Henry, United States of America
Justin Hicks, United States of America
Charley Hoffman, United States of America
Beau Hossler (A), United States of America
David Howell, England
Jesse Hutchins, United States of America
Trevor Immelman, South Africa
Steve Irwin (A), United States of America
Ryo Ishikawa, Japan
Fredrik Jacobson, Sweden
Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain
Brandt Jobe, United States of America
Dustin Johnson, United States of America
Zach Johnson, United States of America
Sunghoon Kang, Korea
Robert Karlsson, Sweden
Martin Kaymer, Germany
Dae-Hyun Kim, Korea
Do-Hoon Kim, Korea
Anthony Kim, United States of America
Kyung-Tae Kim, Korea
Kenichi Kuboya, Japan
Matt Kuchar, United States of America
Maarten Lafeber, Netherlands
Martin Laird, Scotland
Joey Lamielle, United States of America
Marc Leishman, Australia
Thomas Levet, France
Brian Locke, United States of America
Adam Long, United States of America
Davis Love III, United States of America
Shane Lowry, Ireland
Hunter Mahan, United States of America
Matteo Manassero, Italy
David May, United States of America
Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland
Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland
Phil Mickelson, United States of America
Jon Mills, Canada
Edoardo Molinari, Italy
Francesco Molinari, Italy
Ryan Moore, United States of America
Kevin Na, United States of America
Ryan Nelson, United States of America
Seung Yul Noh, Korea
Alexander Noren, Sweden
Nick O’Hern, Australia
Geoff Ogilvy, Australia
Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa
Jeff Overton, United States of America
Ryan Palmer, United States of America
Cheng-Tsung Pan (A), Chinese Taipei
Brett Patterson (A,), United States of America
Tim Petrovic, United States of America
Scott Piercy, United States of America
Scott Pinckney (A), United States of America
D.A. Points, United States of America
Ian Poulter, England
Michael Putnam, United States of America
Alvaro Quiros, Spain
Chez Reavie, United States of America
Matthew Richardson, England
Alexandre Rocha, Brazil
Robert Rock, England
Justin Rose, England
Rory Sabbatini, South Africa
Sam Saunders, United States of America
Charl Schwartzel, South Africa
Adam Scott, Australia
John Senden, Australia
Marcel Siem, Germany
Webb Simpson, United States of America
Geoffrey Sisk, United States of America
Heath Slocum, United States of America
Michael Smith, United States of America
Brandt Snedeker, United States of America
Henrik Stenson, Sweden
Kevin Streelman, United States of America
Steve Stricker, United States of America
Michael Tobiason Jr., United States of America
David Toms, United States of America
Kirk Triplett, United States of America
Ty Tryon, United States of America
Marcel Turnesa, United States of America
Peter Uihlein (A), United States of America
Bo Van Pelt, United States of America
Camilo Villegas, Colombia
Nick Watney, United States of America
Bubba Watson, United States of America
Lee Westwood, England
Michael Whitehead, United States of America
Will Wilcox, United States of America
Chris Williams (A), United States of America
Chris Wilson, United States of America
Mark Wilson, United States of America
Gary Woodland, United States of America
Y.E. Yang, Korea
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