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Post by itsallrelative on Jul 31, 2012 7:15:03 GMT -5
Isn't the color analyst supposed to give their opinion. Obviously, the guy has played the game at the highest level, host a weekly media show concerning the sport, continually is around the players on both teams, and has a good working relationship with both coaching staffs. SOOOOO, not sure how this guy is not qualified or even better not doing what he is being paid to do. Let's not forget he is not being paid by USAV, but instead by the network that is hosting the games. Just like Gruden for MNF/NFL, Jeff Van Gundy or Jon Berry for NBA, or Tim McCarver for MLB. All of the above have a different working knowledge of their game (player or coach) and use that knowledge and connections to draw conclusions (aka opinions). So I ask this, if Barnett is NOT the guy, who is? Because I'm pretty sure that there is no one that comes to mind that carries the same credentials that Barnett does other then Karch (at times can be very VANILLA and NEVER gives his opinion) and Hugh (who seems very busy with finishing one position and starting another). That's it...Sunderland is great but just is not around the game, same for Marlow, Cox is busy getting paid for working much bigger sports, McPeak couldn't tell you how she likes her eggs cooked (I'll have them however you'll cook them), Tennant is very young and inexperienced at the international level, Geeter is THE MAN, but like Cox is getting BIGGER paychecks ala NBA and Wong is an up and coming. At the end of the day I appreciate someone giving their opinion especially when it has merit behind it. Is Barnett critical of coaches and players at times and the answer is YES, but what we haven't thought about is the fact that in most other sports that list is LONG and it is hard to keep track of the many opinions. In volleyball the list is very short and it becomes easy to remember. Besides, don't you think it is great that someone is critical of coaching and players especially when you are talking about programs that are at the top of their sport. It's not like the US has dominated the sport the past 20 years. Sure, Beijing was awesome, but let's continue to hold our sport that we love to a higher standard. Let's stop talking about the "GLORY DAYS" and realize that was almost 30 years ago. Let's start appreciating and promoting what we have now...and that begins with being somewhat critical. I think Barnett does a good job, and brings a pretty high level view of the match, bringing up items that Sunderland, Marlow, Karch didn't, and someone like Cox probably doesn't know.....however, if you closely follow volleyball and hear him a LOT, he does get a bit repetitive....especially in defense of Riley Salmon and the other '08 vets (which is where I think most of his criticism of Knipe comes from). It will be interesting to see how Barnett does as the group of guys he played with retires, and he becomes less of a teammate and more of an annoucer to the next generation of players.. I also think commenting on the game has changed---as volleyball is now being shown in high Def, with slow motion and multiple camera angles--things that previously were unable to be seen now are. Just my $.02.
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Post by thuglife on Jul 31, 2012 7:37:04 GMT -5
itsallrelative...all great points. I think it will be interesting to see how Barnett progresses over to the captain's chair (play by play) if/when he gets that chance. I think most people forget that the positions are totally different. Just like in any other sport the play by play person tells the story while the color analyst tells the back story and all the random facts of the story...including giving their opinion. The play by play person is not asked to give their opinion as much. Give the guy some cred for having the stones to put his opinion out there and standing behind it.
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Post by pogoball on Jul 31, 2012 8:34:46 GMT -5
I don't have a problem with his opinion. I agree he is well educated and I agree that he should express it. As a color analyst, however, he needs to help educate the audience by expressing that it is an opinion and that there may be reasons for the coaching staff to continue to not follow his opinion. In a way, he insults the team and staff by not doing this -- and he misses out on the opportunity to educate the audience on the subtleties of the sport.
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Post by wang pu on Jul 31, 2012 13:13:52 GMT -5
I don't have a problem with his opinion. I agree he is well educated and I agree that he should express it. As a color analyst, however, he needs to help educate the audience by expressing that it is an opinion and that there may be reasons for the coaching staff to continue to not follow his opinion. In a way, he insults the team and staff by not doing this -- and he misses out on the opportunity to educate the audience on the subtleties of the sport. I have watched a few more matches and have come to appreciate what Barnett brings to the table. He does have insights that others may not have, due to being so recently removed from his playing days. I do notice that sometimes Sunderland still leads Barnett in....."explain to us why bringing an additional DS is better than an additional OH" (which we have heard on both US Women's matches). It will be interesting to see him grow into a seasoned commentator. He definitely has the potential.
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Post by itsallrelative on Aug 1, 2012 6:11:40 GMT -5
It will be interesting to see him grow into a seasoned commentator. He definitely has the potential. Yeah, I hope he sticks with it, and doesn't get swiped by another sports (ala Geeter).
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Post by pogoball on Aug 2, 2012 18:12:08 GMT -5
FWIW, I think Barnett has been doing much better since the first match. Maybe I was being too sensitive, maybe he was just getting warmed up to the Olympics, maybe he made some changes. In any case, I think he's doing well and no longer making the kinds of heavy-handed comments that I found irritating.
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Post by Phaedrus on Aug 2, 2012 21:07:45 GMT -5
I'm thinking Destinee threatened to kick his ass.
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Post by guest2 on Aug 3, 2012 19:54:49 GMT -5
Barnett seems alright. I do like that he got the job despite not being a real star and seems to want to do it and work to improve. I think the biggest problem tends to be that in sports like volleyball, the people that get shots to commentate tend to be the ex-stars (Holly and Karch for example) even though almost anyone could see that Karch, and Holly, dont have the personalities for it.
A commentators dual job is to explain and entertain. If the person is not someone who the average person would like to sit and have a beer with, then its likely he wont be a good commentator.
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Post by midwestpride on Aug 4, 2012 1:30:04 GMT -5
Hi people. It's my first post and I'm new a newbie to the sport (got interested while participating in pep band in college).
I just watched the US vs Serbia match and Barnett seems like a douche as others have said. The "Kool-Aid" snide remark in the third set and his comments towards the Serbia team after the match was rather juvenile and seemed bitter. I know he competed in two Olympics so does Serbia play a role in his past? He sounded like he had an axe to grind. Yeesh.
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Post by VolleyTX on Aug 4, 2012 1:51:54 GMT -5
I probably shouldn't comment on this thread since I'm out of the country and have not had a chance to hear any of the commentary.
If I do have one gripe with him commentary (mostly from what I've heard on "The net live", it would be his California surfer boy way of speaking.... and the expressions he uses... and the way the topics he likes to discuss sound rather juvenile. He comes off .... well a bit like he is still 19 years old.
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Post by volleytology on Aug 4, 2012 11:57:57 GMT -5
All this talk about Barnett, who I think does a great job, yet no one has mentioned Kevin Wong, who I personally think is horrible ! Couple times I thought Markowe was going to tell him to shut up
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Post by Phaedrus on Aug 4, 2012 14:59:42 GMT -5
I thought the whole Kool-aid thing was terrible. He built it up too long and it just wasn't funny. Then today, after the US Men's got beat, Sunderland brought it up, something about the coaching staff preparing the kool-aid for the Tunisian match. Very awkward, I think Barnett knew this wasn't good so he kept it minimal. The man is learning.
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Post by Tex_VB_Fan on Aug 5, 2012 17:16:26 GMT -5
Barnett is just a douche. I don't care how much someone understands the game of volleyball, he comes off as spiteful and all-knowing. Definitely a douche. Has a double standard for various players.
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Post by silversurfer on Aug 5, 2012 18:33:16 GMT -5
Yeah that Kool-Aid comment came off as really snide, whether he meant it to or not.
Cox is perfect for sideline reporting, which is pretty innocuous in and of itself.
I don't mind Wong really.
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