Larry Merchant is the man

disagREED...

Merchant's "Job" is to ANALYZE...To COMMENTATE...

It ISN'T Merchant's Place to Flat-Out Question the MANHOOD of Chris Byrd & Other Fighters, Is It???...

It ISN'T Merchant's Job to ALWAYS Complain about Black Fighters w/Rap Related Entrances, Is It???...Where's his ANGST When Wlad Klit, Gatti or Kelly Pavlik Enter the Ring???...

It ISN'T Merchant's Job to MOAN Cause a Fight ISN'T a Gatti-Ward Slugfest...

Again, Al Bernstein is VERY HONEST & OPINIONATED, but he ISN'T a PRICK about it...

Merchant Comes Off as a Guy who DISLIKES Boxing Thoroughly, but has No Other Means of Income...

EXCLUDING the Heavyweight division, REED Thinks the Sport is Doing FINE...


REED

 

To add to this, the biggest criticism I have of Merchant is that he begins broadcasts with a pre-determined view of how a fight is going to play out. If he thinks a fight will be a stinker, or a tactical match, and it shows signs of it early, he's all over it. If he thinks a fight will be a war and is instead anything less than blood shed from every punch, he starts whining with his "I went to a fight and a boxing match broke out" rant.

What's funny is that it's a contradiction to his own admission that he'd much rather perform an autopsy than predict the future.

There's plenty I do appreciate about what Larry brings to the table, and to be honest, I rarely enjoy any HBO broadcast from which he's absent. Conversely, I do enjoy shows where he's on and someone else is sitting in for Lampley (other than Fran Charles, anyway).

 

Say it with me...

HBO LATINO

 

but I hate Raul Marquez most of all ::

 

I have to admit, I like Larry Merchant. He's not PC and I like that.

 

:bears:

 

Lol...HBO Latino's announcers suck even bigger dick.

::

 

I don't agree to this extreme, but do agree that Bernstein seems to get far more shine than he deserves. His tone offers the suggestion that he's objective, but I often find myself asking just what the hell he's watching. Even with Showtime's alleged "great fights, no rights" mantra, you can tell the fighters they have an interest in, and also that Bernstein has no problem sporting the company blazer.

 

Me no speakie espanol!!

 

Larry Merchant has some good quotes. However sometimes i wonder what he actually brings to the telecast.

 

SHOCK Value & BITTERNESS...

That's about It...

Guys Like Merchant Cause they "Can't Believe that Old Guy just Said That"...He's the Howard Stern of Boxing Commentators...PURPOSELY Confrontational...

But U NEVER EVER Hear ANYBODY Touting Merchant for his KNOWLEDGE of the Game...

NEVER...

REED

 

marquez is a bitch and a loser. he has no right to criticize and talk down to any world class fighters.

 

Commentate, yes, but criticize also. I specifically heard a member of HBO's commentating staff say that they want merchant to criticize.

The name of the game is entertainment. People don't find fighters like Chris Byrd entertaining. The average person that tunes into a fight does not care for technique. They want to see violence. Deep down inside, we all want to see violence too.

Excuse him for thinking Chris Byrd is a waste of airwaves.

The guy might make wierd comments, but it is expected out of him. That's how it is with lots of broadcast teams. Lampley will always root for the home team, lewis will always agree because he's a stiff on the air, and Merchant will disagree and it levels the playing field a bit. As a former journalist, that's what he has always done...give every perspective to the reader.

It's like playing devil's advocate with Lampley and Lewis.

Tessitore and Atlas do it on a much more subtle level.

Watch his maxboxing interviews or anyone else that is able to get in depth with him. You might be surprised.

It's his job to be opinionated.

 

I can see why people don't like Merchant and I find him annoying too but I have to admit, it feels like something (good) is missing when he isn't on the air

 

Lampley is the guy who stops watching after about 3-4 rounds. After that, he's decided what's happening in the fight, and it's just a recital of his thoughts - nothing much to do with reality. He's even admitted it - something to the effect that, "until a pattern emerges I'm at a loss of words." In other words, until I can take for granted what's happening, and stop watching actual events, I can't provide you a coherent and tidy Lampleyhood of what's happening. Well, Lampley. Save it. We don't need your B.S.

 

sounds like it's his opinions, not the fact that he's expressing them, that makes you hate him. is that possible? if so, then call it what it is. don't pretend to object to him on a journalistic basis, and then remark that Bernstein gets a pass for the same approach, just because you find "his" opinions easier to swallow.

 

What we're DISagreeing on is THE WAY Merchant Operates...

U Can EASILY Point Out that Chris Byrd ISN'T the Most Fan-Friendly Fighter in the World, w/OUT Showing CONTEMPT for the Man, Can't U???:dunno: ...

This Cat has FRIENDS & FAMILY Watching his Fight & THEY Gotta Hear some Sawed Off DRUNK Talk about Chris as if HE Could Whip Chris' Ass HIMSELF ...

Being CRITICAL is Much Different from CLOWNING a Man...Being DISRESPECTFUL just Isn't Cool...It's some CONTRIVED, Shock Value, Jim Rome BULLSHIT...It's SCHTICK...

& Merchant PLAYS that Card ALOT...(Though, Giving Credit, REED has Noticed Larry TONING It DOWN a Bit, since Kellerman Joined the Team...He Even Gives the Winning Fighters More Mic Time than he Used to)...

We GET IT, Larry...U Can't Stand Rap Entrances (when the Fighters have the Rappers THERE w/them During the Ringwalk)...Yet EVERYfuckingTIME, there Larry Is, Voicing his OWN PERSONAL Displeasure w/the Shit...

Perhaps it's HBO's INTENT...Maybe Larry IS there to PISS OFF 50% of the Audience & AMUSE the Other Half...If So, it's WORKING...

REED just Thinks there's a Way for a Guy to B HONEST, CRITICAL & OBJECTIVE w/Out Being an ASSHOLE in the Process...REED's a POSITIVE, OPTIMISTIC Cat by Nature & as Such, Merchant's STYLE just IRK's REED...



REED

 

I don't really recall Merchant shitting on a rap entrance before. I could be wrong I just haven't noticed.

I just remember him getting all over Oscar when he made that Mexican sombrero entrance, I think in the Carpentier fight.

 

REED, what you fail to realize is that when Merchant files complaints like he does, and disses fighters, he's simply giving a voice to thousands and thousands of fans. You don't think Merchant is alone in his contempt for the likes of Byrd, do you?

It makes watching boxing much less infuriating when somebody like Merchant is there to say the things that we as fans are thinking. And let's be honest here. Most of the time, until recently at least, Byrd is a stinker to watch. Do you disagree?

And pro athletes catch sht from writers and commentators all the time. It goes with the territory. It's just another of the many sacrifices that athletes must make in order that they make their millions.

What I find hilarious is when athletes act all hurt, or victimized, because they can't believe someone in the press would say something bad about them. Meanwhile, they're earning a living peforming on our TVs. ::

 

REED I hear ya in part, but I can't stand Chris Byrd and therefore anyone who criticizes Byrd is a friend of mine...

Also...I loved Larry's contempt for Cory Spinks. Spinks is a guy that none of us particularly want to see fight again, given his annoying spoiling style. Granted, Merchant wasa bit harsh on the kid, but I have no sympathy given the way Spinks entered the ring (most annoying ringwalk in the history of boxing) and the way he fought.

 

I like rap music but i still crack up when Larry puts that stuff down. Just not when it's Roy Jones! :nono:

 

I don't think he's ever criticized Roy's entrances. In fact, he even tried to segue one of his entrances into his pre-fight analysis.

I don't really care for Larry speaking out against rap-themed entrances, particularly when he gears it towards a fighter he already doesn't like (Vernon Forrest, for example).

The one entrance I thought warranted ridicule, though, was when Oscar came in dressed as a Mariachi singer for the Charpentier fight.

Larry: (laughing) "What... is that?"
Roy: (laughing)
Lampley: "If you're gonna wear an outfit like that, you better have a record of 27-0, with 22 knockouts."

 

So is Kelly Pavlik an asshole for pounding on Taylor even though Taylor's family is watching?

That's his job, Reed. He is supposed to be critical. Asshole or not, this is boxing, a sport where everyone is critical. When you're a public figure, like boxers are, critics will critique.

And he has every right to rip on spinks. He's terrible and doesn't deserve to even be on tv let alone waste eight minutes dancing.

The rest of the rap stuff...I think it's a joke because he's old.

 

yeah i meant putting him down in general... maybe he didn't even do that before but i just wanted to make sure! :nono: ::

 

ah gotcha. yeah, he was real prickish toward Roy especially after the Johnson knockout. sometimes it's a little funny (like the one on the Floyd-Bruseles card) but for the most part it was annoying. But Roy's gone from the booth, so I guess mission accomplished.

 

Yeah that's probably the reason why REED likes him so much... ::

Well if that was his intention fuck him... I liked Roy a lot as a commentator and he's probably the only person who could make up for Larry leaving the commentary team (just in my groupie eyes :: ).

But Larry still does a lot of things right in there for me... :bears:

 

Larry Merchant >> Reed.

 

exactly...there is a HUGE difference between being constructively critical and outright disrespectful and merchant is often disrespectful.

 

agREED:clap:

 

Larry is the best thing about HBO telecasts. Sure he can be an asshole but whatever he makes the broadcasts interesting by speaking his mind. He adds a flavor. a much needed flavor. larry is the man!