I typically can't stand Helmuth near the mic but last nights commentary was surprisingly good, 100x better than his buttinski commentary on last years ME stream.

Worst: Hellmuth, Norm McDonald
Best: Norman Chad, the guy from Welcome Back Kotter

Tuchman and Olivier...
Turn the broadcast into a coaching video...
With wildly random coaching levels.

Watching poker is a lot like baseball...
You have to understand the detail.

If Tuchman was doing baseball, he's ask:

Why did the shortstop touch 2nd base...
Before throwing home?

(Olivier: It's called a double play...
You get 2 outs at the same time.)

Why did the batter swing at a pitch in the dirt?

(Olivier: To protect the runner stealing 2nd)

Etc, etc, imagine 3 hours of this on baseball...
You get my feelings about Tuchman's Schtick.

Yes, but i think that's a good thing for the ESPN audience. Left to his own devices Olivier would have probably stayed at intermediate-to-advanced commentary for the entire broadcast. Having Tuchman there to make sure that Olivier would explain what it means to "float" or "level" made it so that they didn't totally alienate the casual poker watcher.

Showing live poker is already alienating enough for poker watchers used to only seeing the big hands. I really enjoyed that team.

Ali Nejad is bad. His voicing and tone/attitude are good but his actual jokes are lame. The worst thing about him though is him trying to do analysis, especially in the heads up format on NBC heads up champ. Awful commentary where he second guesses people who have so much more of an understanding of the game. Just shut up with that Ali you have no clue what you are talking about. Go be a weather man or hell even host a late night show- you have hosting talent but it doesn't fit with poker because you don't know enough to provide insight and always drifts into cornball jokes.

Isac Haxton has a horrible "I've lived a white washed sheltered life" feminine voice but he is the only guy I have ever heard who actually knows what he is talking about. I would watch any poker show he was hosting and just get used to the voice.

I had to revive this thread to complain about how bad David Tuchman was yesterday for the Main Event Final Table. All day long everything was wonderful with Lon and Antonio doing a fantastic job and Norm and Phil coming in to change it up, also doing a great job being themselves. Vanessa didn't really add a whole lot.

But then, during the after dinner broadcast they bring in this Tuchman guy who is just awful. I'm sure he's a decent guy and maybe he'd be good on other sports, but I think 2+2 needs to speak up and get this guy off any future poker broadcasts. Whadya say people?

Norman Chad. I don't care about your 4 ex-wifes

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS

I mean, this guy has absolutely no idea what a range is and he is so ridiculously result oriented it's unberable.

Oddly enough, he is still just the 2nd worst commentator in the world with RW III being worst by far.

I agree 100% with this! I am not sure why Lon was gone after the dinner break, and PH took over for Antonio. I would guess that PH probably wanted the air time during the final segment because he thought there were more people watching after football had concluded for the day. Perhaps Lon and Antonio were just tired after doing 8 hours of commentary. The good news is that it will be Lon, Norm , and Antonio on Tuesday.


p.s. Had to laugh when Antonio commented on Matts ex-gf, wondering aloud if she had returned to him after he had made the final table. No filter = great commentary.

Vicki Coren and James Akenhead - yawn yawn
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Newbie.
I miss the raging cajuns
Norma chad is the only norm
along with gabe would be a spectacle without any table vision

Gabe Kaplan is terrible. Kara Scott also tilts me. Jesse May too. Everyone except Norman Chad and Lon

Gabe Kaplan has at least some clue what is going on in the minds of the players. And his sarcasm is hilarious. I don't understand why Lon McEachern and Chad are commentating the WSOP for over 8 years and are still so bad in poker.

Antonio Esfandari on 2011 wsop FT.

Antonio certainly deserves a lot of props for what he did during this WSOP ME FT livestream.
He nailed the perfect balance between color-commentating and analysis. It wasn't too dry and it wasn't too over-the-top.
Having Lon and Norm together in the booth with him also enhanced that whole experience.


The worst is still RWIII by FAR!

Jesse May gets my vote. WAY to excited over mundane action.

Best is Joe Stapleton by a mile. His comment about Amanda's figure skating outfit was the tits.

Jimmy the Greek

Anyone who starts their analysis with "I think he's got nothing"......

After the cards were shown "I knew he was strong!!!"

I'll give you a hint.....

_hil _ellmuth

wow. i found antonio esfandiari intolerable. endless speculation on what someone could possibility do as if we don't know that:

someone may bet or check!!!!!!
if there was a bet, someone can FOLD, CALL OR RAISE!!! OMG!!! Antonio!! be sure to tell us all of this NEXT TIME, TOO!!!!!

Norman Chad rules.
Norm McSaturdayNightLive needs a sidekick. Although, once, when someone (Laak?) called a raise with 63o, he says "Laak misreads his cards and calls." I thought it was funny. But kind of like finding a good slice of bread in a moldy loaf.

Hellmuth is the worst ... and further solidified himself into that category during this year's WSOP final table. He did get a couple of hands right, but that's only because he only ever puts someone on the nuts*—*and they occasionally have it. That's how he plays too.

The only thing worse than Hellmuth live is his pre-recorded segments ... so, so, so awful.

Lon

Sexton.

Oh i dont like this play vince

he shudda put a raise in somewhere to find out where he was in the hand

Nick Wealthall is the only guy talented enough to combine humour/play by play and a smidgin of analysis. Great voice, doesn't take himself seriously, cares about the UK poker scene. My favourite by a mile.

David Tuchman is my pick for the worst. Don't like his voice or approach.

Just watched Million Dollar Cash Game on Youtube. Now in no doubt, Robert Williamson III is the worst commentator ever. He really tilted me off when I was watching that show. What a great lineup in MDCG. It would be a great show without him.