Curt Schilling - really????

[FP26]

Overall, Schilling sounded like a fish out of water. However, he did say some good things IMO. He talked about how good these ladies really are. He talked about setting batters up. He talked about how pitches being called from the dugout appeared to disrupt the tempo of the pitcher. He talked about how the pitcher needs to own the inside of the plate. He talked about how the pitcher knows better than the coach calling the pitches what pitch the pitcher feels she has better command. He talked pitching philosophy. If I had to take a guess, I would say he will do better tonight. I would rather listen to him or John Kruk than Smith and Mendozza.

I have to admit I definitely feel as though I am in the minority on this one. Glad to see a few people agree with my viewpoint. I appreciate how willing Mr. Schilling is in admitting his challenges. It is clear that there are many out there that don't have the same understanding or appreciation of the sport as the DFP faithful. But I don't need to watch ESPN to learn that. All I need to do is stand anywhere near the bleachers of one of DD's high school games. When compared to listening to most of those parents, Schilling is a fastpitch genius!!

 

[Lenski]

Lots of good discussion here and I mean no disrespect to Schilling (compared to my HUGE disrespect for ESPN - Should have known since it IS a Disney company.....)

To me the salient long-lasting takeaway is that ESPN truly believes womens softball is a lesser sport than baseball evident through thinking this mens baseball connection needed to be made. Ya he said things like "wow these girls are talented - big deal => politically correct rhetoric....)

Of course the men's baseball connection needs to be made. That's how you get more viewers! That's how you get more future players! I can't tell you how many baseball fans I've seen watch a competitive softball game for the first time and they say or give the impression "Wow! I had no idea!". And when Schilling stated that the girls were talented......he meant it and said it with respect and that goes a long way.

 

[CoogansBluff]

To me the salient long-lasting takeaway is that ESPN truly believes womens softball is a lesser sport than baseball evident through thinking this mens baseball connection needed to be made. Ya he said things like "wow these girls are talented - big deal => politically correct rhetoric....)

From ESPN's perspective, it makes sense - to try it. ... You've got two former legends of the game (Smith & Mendoza). It's the same perspective. Why not make the booth more diverse? Let's add the point of view of not only a former MLB star (and professional analyst), but someone whose daughter plays and who has become a fan of the sport through that. He's a dad who has been drawn to this game because of his daughter, like most of us here. If I'm in the meeting room at ESPN, I'm thinking this is definitely worth a shot. He might appeal to a part of the audience that the other two don't, which is critical. As a fan of softball and MLB, as a parent of a player like him, I'm very interested in what Schilling has to say.

One of the mistakes we make as viewers is to assume that everybody watching a sporting event is watching for the same reasons that we are. The crowd on this forum is unusual. There aren't enough of us crazies to keep softball on ESPN. You have to reach a broader audience. You have to reach people who have never heard of Jessica Mendoza. There might be viewers who are more interested in Curt Schilling's comments than a more expert opinion from somebody they don't know.

That said, I didn't see last night's game. I won't miss Game 2 because I want to hear Schilling for myself.

 

[riseball]

Anyone is better than Mowins with her inane comments and a voice that is like fingernails on a chalkboard.

 

[rdbass]

Didn't he pay any attention at his own DD's games........had to learn something.

 

[beachsoftballmom]

Well of course any one of us would have done better ... it is my dream to call a softball or baseball game on TV! I agree with most that he was not a great commentator, but that was mostly because his pacing was off and he mumbled too much. When he did speak, it was generally amusing although it showed he did not do his homework (like, why is the pitcher batting?) um hello, player of the year?? And sometimes he had good insights, like when he was comparing the baseball pitches and softball pitches. I found the perspective interesting, but perhaps a more skilled media personality would have carried it off better

 

[Coach JV]

Hard to believe that a clueless announcer can make a broadcast so difficult to watch. Not discounting his limited
knowledge of the game-the constant stumbling over his own words was far worse

 

[NoVA Softball]

Seems like a conscious (and probably smart) decision by espn. I am guessing they figure that a lot of generic sports fans will tune in to watch a national championship who wouldn't watch any other contest in that sport. So you get some percentage of baseball fans who tune in to see what this is all about... then they hear a famous baseball guy going on and on about about how awesome the athletes are while also filling in some of the "here's why they do this differently than in baseball" questions that help bridge them over to the new sport.

Whether he did the best possible job of that is open to debate, but I think the concept was sound.

ETA: I thought he was pretty bad, btw... but thought the concept made sense. It seems like the whole announcing crew could have done a better job of working off each others' cues so that when Schilling was wrong or just flat out said "I don't know why [X]" that the other two stepped in to explain.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Surely he won't be on tonight. I'll turn the audio off, if he is. And that can't be what the sponsors want. 10-20 yo girls have no idea who he is. You can bet he won't be in the booth during the MLB World Series. He isn't good enough.
So, they assigned him to us. ?!!!

 

[texas4life]

It was so annoying to watch the game and have him just moving his mouth. I don't mind some of the announcers that call the game. Most are incorrect from time to time but no one is perfect. But wow did her really set me off. I find it very hard to believe her coaches his daughters team I think he is more a stand in guy because who he is and that it will get the team publicity.

But lets be honest most male announcers of the game are lacking in the basic of the game. I'm just waiting for them to hold open auditions for softball announcers so that the majority of us on here and give it a try and save face of the males who truly understand and know the game.

I think my biggest problem with him is that they used him during a championship game. I could handle hearing his comparison to baseball and constant complement to the girls during a regular season game but not as a distraction to what was one hell of a game.