Can I ask an honest question,...

Goomlah

Junior
Jul 29, 2011
3,127
312
83
Why is Hub Arkush doing 7A and 8A state finals? I don't remember his high school commentating credentials,...
 
Jun 17, 2015
195
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let me get on my soap box.

The way the media coverage hs football in this state is awful. All outlets wether its the Harold/comcast, they all just go through the motion and provide no depth. Thank god we have edgy, the only person who seams to put pride in their work. Ex. off thr top of my head are having Garret Wolfe as a sideline reporter, constantly getting score updates wrong, and broadcasters having no idea about x's and o's in football or anything about the team except a cliff note paragraph they read before they go on air and then they try to squeeze their narrative in. I understand it's only high school football but that does not give an excuse for giving a bad product, especially when we live in Illinois and have the 3rd most populous city in America. Illinois should have a higher standard when it comes to football. For a state with our population (roughly the same size as ohio/florida, we should cover the sport in the same way) I feel like we only have our guy edgy who give said us that depth we thirst for. I understand if this was Iowa/Montana or something but as a state we should be better, the media needs to be better, the IHSA needs to be better.

As for Hub Archish, he is excellent for NFL insight and really know football. How well does he know about the current landscape of Illinois football? probably not much. But what I'm saying it could be much much worse, Hub is a professional media person and knows football, so it should be barable.

The one year they got it right was when they had Matt Bowen in the booth. Some of the finest hs analyst I've ever heard during a hs game. Too bad it was just one year.

If I hear one more narrative how, " not only is this kid an all star on the field, but he is an all star off the field" narrative I think I'm going to vomit.

I was thinking of just relaxing on Saturday and watching the games at home but then when I watched that WV vs Marist game, I thought my ears were going to explode with how bad the analysis was, just awful. It made my choice clear to make the hour drive to dekalb.
 
May 18, 2015
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I guess I am happy to be going to the field. Sounds like this is not going to be pretty for the home viewer.

This does make you the front runner in the annual who loves Edgy the most race.
 

jdhitters

Freshman
Aug 31, 2013
234
71
0
let me get on my soap box.

The way the media coverage hs football in this state is awful. All outlets wether its the Harold/comcast, they all just go through the motion and provide no depth. Thank god we have edgy, the only person who seams to put pride in their work. Ex. off thr top of my head are having Garret Wolfe as a sideline reporter, constantly getting score updates wrong, and broadcasters having no idea about x's and o's in football or anything about the team except a cliff note paragraph they read before they go on air and then they try to squeeze their narrative in. I understand it's only high school football but that does not give an excuse for giving a bad product, especially when we live in Illinois and have the 3rd most populous city in America. Illinois should have a higher standard when it comes to football. For a state with our population (roughly the same size as ohio/florida, we should cover the sport in the same way) I feel like we only have our guy edgy who give said us that depth we thirst for. I understand if this was Iowa/Montana or something but as a state we should be better, the media needs to be better, the IHSA needs to be better.

As for Hub Archish, he is excellent for NFL insight and really know football. How well does he know about the current landscape of Illinois football? probably not much. But what I'm saying it could be much much worse, Hub is a professional media person and knows football, so it should be barable.

The one year they got it right was when they had Matt Bowen in the booth. Some of the finest hs analyst I've ever heard during a hs game. Too bad it was just one year.

If I hear one more narrative how, " not only is this kid an all star on the field, but he is an all star off the field" narrative I think I'm going to vomit.

I was thinking of just relaxing on Saturday and watching the games at home but then when I watched that WV vs Marist game, I thought my ears were going to explode with how bad the analysis was, just awful. It made my choice clear to make the hour drive to dekalb.
Didn't Bowen do game of the week one year also? I agree, great job.
 
May 18, 2015
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I agree that Matt Bowen did an amazing job when he sat in.

It is one thing to praise a play that works, but it is another thing altogether to describe in precise detail why a play worked. Bowen is superb at that.
 

Oddy

Junior
Aug 28, 2008
1,349
396
83
I could not agree more WestSuburb, your whole post. And Matt Bowen was just ridiculously good with his analysis. I recall him doing the MC/GBN game several years ago, the guy spouted out more accurate information in one play than the other guys do in a whole game.
 

illini14

Sophomore
Jun 12, 2014
468
117
0
I agree highschool coverage is at an all time low
The announcers on the comcast games through the playoffs have been terrible. Is there no way they can get a coach from a school in the area that is well known, and well liked to do some analyst work during the finals games? Pay the guy some money, and actually have someone who can use correct terminology during the broadcast.
 
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Jun 17, 2015
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Didn't Bowen do game of the week one year also? I agree, great job.

I forgot what year but he was in the booth for all the state games one year. It was fantastic.

I heard him interview on the score, he said one of his is that one day he want to be a head HS coach. He says he isn't ready and needs a couple years to learn as an assistant. But if im an AD I am blowing up his phone and hiring him right damn now. I coach a team that plays IC grade school and talked to some of the coaches who know the ins on the IC program and they say players love him and that his x's and o's are above and beyond most HS coaches and the way he communicates with his players is suppose unbelievable.
 
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pjjp

All-Conference
Aug 26, 2001
5,618
2,877
113
Why is Hub Arkush doing 7A and 8A state finals? I don't remember his high school commentating credentials,...

I hear ya, gooms, but he has to be better than Jack McInerney. Then again, that's not saying much.
 
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GMAN81

Junior
Aug 21, 2013
1,686
243
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While I agree you do need someone to be an analyst who knows the game, you are forgetting something that is HUGE in broadcasting...personality and delivery. I can't tell you HOW many times I have listened to a play-by-play or analyst broadcaster who was well schooled in knowledge but was AWFUL at broadcasting, a.k.a Ed Farmer and Darrin Jackson. That, my friends, will kill a broadcast as quickly as lack of knowledge to the common viewer.

I will give you an example right here that may get me in a little trouble, but I am being honest. The host of this board, Edgy, has probably forgotten more about high school football than anyone here posting. That is a given, But, I had the chance to hear him broadcast on the radio and quite frankly he is well below average as far as projecting a personality or in his delivery. It is NOT as easy as some of you think. Knowledge only gets a person in the door. When the broadcast starts you had better be able to deliver what is required. You have to be able to reach out and grab an audience.

Please understand, I am NOT taking a personal swipe at Edgy. I am just being objective and broadcasting is just not what he does best. And I am sure it isn't what I do best either, I have never tried it. But, like all of you, I do pay attention to what is being said and how it's delivered. I don't give a damn what a guy knows. If he can't deliver it well and doesn't bring any excitement and personality to the broadcast, I am not going to watch or listen. At the same time you can't have an "entertainer" on there without any knowledge either.

I don't know who Matt Bowen is and I have never heard him broadcast. But without hearing him, and if you guys liked him so much, I will guarantee he knew how to make the broadcast better with his personality and delivery as well as his knowledge.

As far as Arkush goes, I thought he was OK when he was on the radio for the Bears games. But that was the NFL. Like it or not the reality seems to be that in the scheme of things, high school football and the broadcasting of it isn't very high on the priority list of a lot of people. Maybe they can do a better job, but I don't think they feel it is all that important, which is probably why we are getting this result.
 
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kpjasion

Senior
Oct 12, 2014
1,182
916
113
Hub has done lots of high school pieces of his TV show..especially on big rivalries. He did one last year on Palatine-Fremd rivalry that was very well produced:

 

Wassup13_rivals219252

All-Conference
Nov 9, 2002
5,846
2,728
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I really cannot stand Hub Arkush, Not a fan of Matt Bowen but really enjoy Jack McInerney.

I guess I'm in the minority here.

If I could make my choice of someone new I'd choose these exciting guys from Texas....



Wassup
 

Dino brown

Freshman
Aug 30, 2015
396
59
0
I really cannot stand Hub Arkush, Not a fan of Matt Bowen but really enjoy Jack McInerney.

I guess I'm in the minority here.

If I could make my choice of someone new I'd choose these exciting guys from Texas....



Wassup

I don't think there has been a crazier game that's ever been played like that one.
 

Robert Maszak

Freshman
Oct 2, 2015
244
59
0
I really cannot stand Hub Arkush, Not a fan of Matt Bowen but really enjoy Jack McInerney.

I guess I'm in the minority here.

If I could make my choice of someone new I'd choose these exciting guys from Texas....



Wassup

What bothers you about Bowen?
 

BretEpic

Heisman
Jan 27, 2005
16,866
22,189
113
Matt Bowen is amazing. Dude breaks down the game as good as any. That voice too...
 

MC63

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
6,530
2,472
113
I hear ya, gooms, but he has to be better than Jack McInerney. Then again, that's not saying much.
After all these years, McInerney still calls my school "Mont" Carmel - which is almost as bad as Kenny McReynolds saying, "Marnt" Carmel.
 
May 18, 2015
1,666
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I knew that. Thats why I remarked that he sounded more less like somebody from west DuPage or further west than he did with some fam or upbringing in Chicawgo proper.
Test - does he say Illinois or Ellinois?

I come from a place of no accents, but love trying to discern regional dialects. I will start listening closer
 

SilverHelmets

Junior
Nov 29, 2014
553
212
0
Why is Hub Arkush doing 7A and 8A state finals? I don't remember his high school commentating credentials,...
Hub has not been too bad. Struggling with the invisible numbers and didn't realize the clock was running after the penalty when Libertyville called a TO but otherwise decent analyst
 

Dino brown

Freshman
Aug 30, 2015
396
59
0
Hub has not been too bad. Struggling with the invisible numbers and didn't realize the clock was running after the penalty when Libertyville called a TO but otherwise decent analyst
Was just thinking the same thing I think the broadcast has been pretty good for the Loyola game.
 

SUNDOWN

Junior
Jun 29, 2001
1,369
201
0
Was just thinking the same thing I think the broadcast has been pretty good for the Loyola game.

Hub is fine. He has covered football for decades and knows the game. He was in the booth for Bears games for years. I think he can handle doing a couple of high school games.
 
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Ballyard8

Redshirt
Sep 24, 2012
299
4
0
At least Hub didn't say "running downhill" every other run. Matt, while being quite knowledgable (understatement of the year), his delivery made me put the tv on mute a couple of times. When announcers start recalling their playing days, I get turned off. And that goes for a couple of the ESPN guys, too. I agree that a prepared, professional announcer is needed. M B could be the color guy as long as he sprinkled the seasoning without overdoing it.