Max Kellerman and the HBO Crew Last Saturday

I rewatched the fight last night and even though commentary doesn't matter that much when the fights are that good, I thought that was a shockingly crap performance by the HBO crew last Saturday. Firstly, Kellerman at several dramatic points in the fight starts blathering on about the real lineal light weight title, sanctioning belts etc., ignoring the on screen action as he engaged in speechifying. That happened at least twice, very annoying.
Secondly, there were some errors (e.g. telling us castillo was beaten by casamayor before correcting himself later, mixing up casa and katsidis in his recap at least twice.
Thirdly, Kellerman almost managed to piss on the ending by going on and on and on about whether the stoppage was premature, even though everyone in the arena and watching likely disagreed.
Fourthly, Lennox just sucks, his "insights" were so banal, the most rubbish poster on this forum could do a better job.
Max is obviously a fan but he needs to be reined in from indulging himself with his rants on air. Lennox just needs to go, full stop.

 

I've said it before, lennox is like a plank of wood. A nice big chunk of balsawood could rival lennox's abilities as a commentator.

And max? I just hate the guy, he is an annoying little prick that seems amateurish and stupid.

I noticed that too. Blabbering like an idiot about the lineal title etc, instead of actually following the action and conveying it to the viewer.

And of course saying Casamayor holds a win over Castillo ::

He is meant to be a pro commentator, and that was the sort of mistake that the majority of this forum wouldn't make.

 

HBO's ENTIRE Broadcast is ALWAYS Agenda Driven...They NEVER Commentate a Fight just for the SAKE of THAT Fight Anymore & it's Sad...

REED Loooooooooooves Max Kellerman, but Thus Far, he's Been a B or B- @ Best, as an HBO Commentator...Max was PERFECT N his Studio Role On Friday Night Fights, where he Could Give his Opinions on past or Future Fights & Rant All Day about "Real" Champs, Sanctioning Bodies, History & Whatever Else...

But He Still Needs to "Find Himself" when it Comes to Commentating a LIVE Fight though...



REED

 

"Definitely"


REED:laughing:

 

I've purposefully steered clear of anything kellerman related in the past, because I don't like him.

But since he's been on HBO, I've been forced to listen to him, and I'm quite surprised you do like him REED, and others too, and I'm surprised he even has the job.

Subjectively, I find him annoying, but looking at him as objectively as possible, he's just a crap commentator.

 

I'll give you this much, Max is better than Lennox ::

So is almost everyone else. I miss George actually. He said mind bogglingly stupid things, bur he was entertaining and I also find him quite likeable.

 

REED has a Soft Spot for Max Kellerman Cause he was THE FIRST "Gen-X'er" to INFILTRATE the Ol' Fogey Boxing Scene...

Until Max Came Along, All we Had were Bert Sugar Types w/their Played Out Cliches & Old School BIASES...

Max DEFINITELY Knows his Shit, but his Style CAN BE on the Abrasive Side...& his Voice ISN'T the Most PLEASANT to Listen To...REED Loooooooves the Cat but Can See why Some DON'T...

But Being Honest, Max has Been Rather UNDERwhelming thus Far, as an HBO Commentator...He Seems More UPTIGHT To REED than he Used to B...Like he's Trying to APPEASE the HBO Brass...He's Become a "Corporate Guy" Instead of the "Boxing Geek" he Used to B...The Old Max would Throw N Contemporary Cultural References & had a More RELAXED Delivery & Demeanor...

REED Would Advise Max to RE-Watch THE WAY he Performed on the FNF Studio Segments & Adopt THAT Approach Again...REED Thinks Max can Improve as a Commentator...He's Still "Finding" Himself...



REED

 

agREED...

Big George was a Buffoon, but he was QUITE Entertaining...By Comparison, Lennox is just a BORING Dumbass...Other than his ACCENT, it's ALL NEGATIVE w/Lennox...


REED

 

Hate to say this, but...
If we're talking about boxers as commentators, the best IMHO is Roy Jones Jr. As long as you can tolerate the self hype, it's not even close. HBO should've really let go of their pride. So what if he didn't show up to prep meetings...he STILL made better in-fight observations than the rest of the cast.

Kellerman shouldn't be talking during a fight. Period. I'm one of his few supporters, but it's definitely not for his HBO stint.

 

Even though I think Lewis is a cool person, he is indeed a crap commentator. For a while it seemed that he was finding himself a role there and actually did better, but no. Either he is not nearly as clever as some want to suggest or he has real trouble expreing himself (or both). For example Foreman had no trouble in expressing himself, he was just plain stupid

 

Pretty much agreed, although I think HBO was correct firing Jones. If he is an employer, then he has to hold his end of the deal. Wonder though why they don't find anyone new, there are tons of boxers with outspoken personality out there.

Agreed completely with Kellerman. With his extremely biased views he is just not a good commentator. Larry Mechant is miles better

 

My favorite crew would conisist of either Tessitore or Papa, with Max and RJJ

Steve Albert is aright too

Keep Lampley, Lennox, Teddy, and Merchant the fuck away at all cost

 

U Hit the Nail on the Head...

Foreman has Uttered Some of THE Most ABSURD Statements N the History of Boxing Telecasts, but he ARTICULATES his Points BRILLIANTLY...Even when George is Saying NATHAN, he Says it WELL...He STRADDLES that Line btwn GENIUS & LUNACY to Where U Wonder if he's PURPOSELY Being Stupid...

w/Lennox, he MIGHT have the Most Brilliant Boxing Mind EVER, but he Articulates TERRIBLY...OR, he's just NOT a Bright Guy @ All, like U Said...


REED

 

I wanted Lennox to do well but...he's neither articulate nor bright enough and he doesn't seem to be able to channel his boxing experience into any insights on an ongoing fight. Get rid. RJJ was definitely one of the best for expert commentary, once you got past his ego, he had a good eye for what was happening and how a fight might go.

 

That's fair enough REED, I can see what you're saying. I look at it slightly differently though.

Boxing has a certain classic allure and old school charm doesn't it? And people like Larry sort of add to that.

Personally I love listening to the funny voices/accents and vocal delivery of the old school commentators, all the way from the Robinson era to the Duran era.

What do you think of the UFC commentators for example? I think they're all a bunch of twats.

Somehow I don't mind Rogan though, as he has genuine enthusiasm and passion.

I guess that's why you like Kellerman, though he just doesn't seem to work as a commentator. Even as a hater, I can see Kellerman being better as a studio guest or presenter, rather than commentator.

 

Yeah you are right. They do have an agenda. I've tried to wonder how Corrales/Castillo would have been called by HBO's A team, but now I realize that they would have been talking about PBF beating Castillo and Corrales.

 

You and I both know I am a lewis hater, and I've talked a lot of smack about Lewis in the past.

One thing I was always serious about that, is this whole chess playing intellectual persona is a complete and utter facade.

I've seen lewis interviewed since early in his career, and he is simply not a very bright man to say the least.

 

::

 

And one thing that's sometimes overlooked with any "performer" or TV personality so to speak, is how memorable they are.

Just think about the amount of "George's best moments" threads there have been ::

George was affable, entertaining, and memorable. Bring back the Foreman.

 

I agree completely. In addition, I couldn't stand Kellerman's unending desire to compare Katsidis to Arturo Gatti. For fucks sake, does any fighter want to strive to be Arturo Gatti?

To me, up until he got KTFO, Katsidis brought back pleasant memories of another Aussie fighter named Jeff Fenech. They have the same buzzsaw approach and in-your-face style.

Naturally Kellerman didn't make that comparison.

 

Aussie fighters dont tend to bring Greek flags into the ring, I never understood what he meant by that, until he got wiped out by an old man, now it makes perfect sense.

 

No Doubt, REED Looooooves MOST of the Old School Boxing Voices...Don Dunphy, Howard Cosell, Tim Ryan, Gil Clancy,Marv Albert, Ferdie Pacheco...Or the Old School Ring Announcers like Jimmy Lennon Sr., Chuck Hull or the Dude who Did the MSG Fights Back N the 60's & 70's...

That's the BEST Part of Trading for Old School Fights!!...REED Even Likes the Jim Jacobs Voice Overs, but CAN'T STAND the Bob Sheridan Voice Overs...

But what's Cool about Max is that his KNOWLEDGE of the Sport is ON PAR w/that of a Bert Sugar(for Instance), yet he's a YOUNGER Guy...He was a FRESH Face N the Otherwise "Ol Fogey" World of Boxing...REED SERIOUSLY Thought he was ALONE, as a 20ish Cat who Loooooooooved Boxing, Until he came Across Max Kellerman...REED IMMEDIATELY Identified w/Max...

REED Can't Really Comment on the UFC Commentators, Cause REED is NEW to that Sport...For the Most Part, they Talk OVER REED's Head (when they Speak of Kimura's, Triangles, Breaking Guard & all that, REED is CLUELESS:: )...

But Despite REED's Love & Admiration for Max Kellerman, he HASN'T Done as Good a Job on HBO as REED Thought he Would...Not yet Anyways...



REED

 

And as one of Lewis' bigger fans I have always agreed with that take. He might or might not be a good chess player but a verbally clever, witty or bright guy he is not.

 

HBO needs to take a page out of ESPN's handbook and have a guest expert commentator for each broadcast. Lennox is terrible.

 

This is a good idea because it helps fanbases identify with different fighters.

 

Why doesn't HBO just hire Roy back. Roy might actually want to be there now.:dunno:

 

The problem with Roy is that he has been fired twice now. It doesn't really matter who announces the fights anyway HBO like to talk about anything that doesn't involve the fight they are watching.

 

The same actually with Klitschkos. They also "play chess".
I'm no grandmaster at chess, but Klitschko's level of play is childish.
They know how to move chess pieces around, that's all.
By the same token, I can claim to be a boxer, because I know how to throw a punch or two....

 

Curious: have you seen their games somewhere.

Somehow I am pretty suspicious about Vitali's PhD. I tend to think that it has been given to him for other achievment than actually studying. Could be wrong of course

 

Hear that Alabama, you should apply for a commentating position with HBO. :bears:


J/K