I have to be honest, I don't really get the "Tale of the Tape" comments, but then, I never really got the hype about "Let's Get Ready To Rumble", either. To me, Buffer never added much of anything to the excitement before a fight, and eventually, his ring announcements became these long drawn out recitals of resumes and anything else he could squeeze in, to the point they became a nuisance more than anything. Instead of getting right to the action, you had to wait until Buffer got all of his seemingly ever-increasing moment in the spotlight. There was a time when Merchant would have a line or two right before the bell that were often pretty good, and then some words at the end of a broadcast that at times encapsulated the event pretty well - not saying they always were good, sometimes they weren't, other times they were great - but he's not at that level anymore, and Kellerman gives a poor impression of him when he tries it.
This is completely true, but I think producer has as much to do with it as he does. Producers these days (at least over here) cry for drama in TV
I guess it is tough to know for sure unless he is afforded the same opportunity to call a thrilling high profile bout. What's the biggest or best fight he has ever called? Has he had any memorable quotes to date?
Lampley can do that definitely but I don't think it has ever been too bad or forced. Certainly don't think he creates drama that isn't there as opposed to just overhyping it a tad. And he definitely is biased, but so is everyone imo.
Don't worry guys... give me a few years, and I'll restore the credibility of boxing broadcasts around the globe.
1. Lampley 2. Ron Franklin 3. Brad Nessler 4. Mike Patrick All the NFL play by play guys are crap. Summerall was the best. Keith Jackson was good too.
I think Lampley is a terrible homer who yells inappropriately for things that he thinks are going to happen before they actually do, or regardless if they actually have Barrera/Morales II is a classic example ... "Big Morales Right Hand!!!!" and yet I counted maybe one handful that actually truly LANDED the whole fight... he made it seem like Morales was killing him when he was in fact doing no such thing I think Bob Papa is excellent, he's professional and calm TLC is gonna come in here and say I'm Bert Sugar or some nonsense like that, but I love listening to Don Dunphy call a fight... totally unbiased, accurately depicts the action, no histrionics, just did the job smoothly
It is hard to top Dunphy --- but this comes from someone who actually likes (for the most part) the handiwork of Teddy Atlas, Larry Merchant, Jim Lampley, & Bob Sheridan...putting me in very exclusive company, indeed ::
yeah when morales turns lefty against Pac in 1st fight, he acts like pacquiao was just hammering him with no response. Morales lands his best punch of the fight in the 12th.
You can go back to the De La Hoya-Whitaker fight and find some examples of Lampley's cheerleading...as he erupted when Oscar tried to steal rounds with late flurries in the last 10 seconds.
as much as hbo may have wanted to amp up morales it cant be overlooked that lampley has always had an intense thirst for la verga de barrera. after barrera defeated hamed i saw a drunk lampley come up to barreras cut man tony rivera, around midnight, and have a 10 minute orgasm as he heaped praise and adulation on barrera and insist it was one of the happiest nights of his life.
Lampley has always had a soft spot for him --- but, to his credit, he called Barrera's awful, awful display in the rematch with Pacquiao for what it was.
One of my favourite Lampley lines: "Prince Naseem told anyone who would listen that if he were to lose tonight it would be because it was written by Allah. Well the 12 rounds you've just seen suggests that Allah knows how to spell Barrera: B-A-R-R-E-R-A!!"
And Lampley will always be in my good books for that. To see the little Proselytizer being smacked around by Barrera, butt-fucked up against the pillar and swiping at thin air always made me feel really really good. It alludes to what I was talking of earlier, the feel-good factor, great commentary complementing an ass-whipping.
Maybe it is the language barrier but to me spelling the word in the end does not make sense. Otherwise it is a clever line My favorite quote by Lampley btw: "Prayer's good. Left hook to the body is usually better"
Lampley borrowed that sentiment from "The Harder They Fall". Towards the end of the film, Toro Moreno, the stage-managed heavyweight flunky, is seen praying on his knees in his dressing room when one of this handlers looks at him and says....."That only helps if you can fight"
This is one time where I have to agree with you...wholeheartedly. This is perhaps most most feel good moment in boxing history (Alongside Tyson whupping Larry Holmes from pillar to post in round 4)
Hamed was a mean-spirited little shit who never gave a damn about anyone other than himself. Barrera was a classic example of a man who took a series of setbacks and turned them in his favour, becoming a more complete fighter and a more complete individual. It showed on the night he beat Hamed.
That's a favorite of yours? Seriously? I thought Foreman's reaction was about right for those comments.
I tend to think Lamley has a soft spot for boxers with some 'education' in their background. Barrera the law student being a possible example of it.
yea i remember lampley nutting over barrera in the third morales fight. he told roy jones during the telecast that roy is one of the smartest fighters in the ring, but barrera is smarter.
foreman sucked. i've always preferred jones instead. i remember george hating on hopkins during the tito fight which larry called him out on and said 'why don't you just give hopkins credit?'