Christian Pyles as Move-by-Move Matside Announcer

[GreatWhiteNorth]

8 hours ago, Ohio Elite said:

He's ok, alot of knowledge about the wrestlers. 

He reminds me of Shane Sparks - they are very similar that way.

Both pretty knowledgeable and pretty good. They are quite OK.

Edited December 3, 2023 by GreatWhiteNorth

[GreatWhiteNorth]

7 hours ago, MNRodent said:

Flo is Monday Night Football compared to ESPN+ at the Cougar Clash today.

The fact that the Cougar Clash was even on ESPN+ was a pretty big bonus, IMO.

That was a win for wrestling.

[wrestlingshoe]

I find it funny, first there was a thread complaining about DT's commentary at the All Star Classic. Now there's a thread complaining about Pyles commentary CKLV. No need for color or play by play. Everyone watching knows enough. Just play the silent video feed.

 

[1032004]

12 minutes ago, wrestlingshoe said:

I find it funny, first there was a thread complaining about DT's commentary at the All Star Classic. Now there's a thread complaining about Pyles commentary CKLV. No need for color or play by play. Everyone watching knows enough. Just play the silent video feed.

 

Was there a thread complaining about Taylor?  I thought there was one were people were saying they thought he had potential to be the best announcer of all time?  I disagreed and thought he was OK as well, similar to my opinion on Pyles (and the kids from the Pitt/Maryland dual).

[Husker_Du]

1 hour ago, Wrestleknownothing said:

I am pro-Pyles, though I love that Sonnen calls him Pyle.

same. it's one of my favorite things. 

[wrestlingshoe]

10 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Was there a thread complaining about Taylor?  I thought there was one were people were saying they thought he had potential to be the best announcer of all time?  I disagreed and thought he was OK as well, similar to my opinion on Pyles (and the kids from the Pitt/Maryland dual).

In the All Star Classic thread there were some naysayers. I pointed out  n that thread that we are fortunate to have access to as much online wrestling as we do and Tayler adds a level that many can't. A few found fault with his take on matches... I like both he and Pyles. 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

1 minute ago, wrestlingshoe said:

In the All Star Classic thread there were some naysayers. I pointed out  n that thread that we are fortunate to have access to as much online wrestling as we do and Tayler adds a level that many can't. A few found fault with his take on matches... I like both he and Pyles. 

The naysayers seemed to think DT was announcing like he was a PSU commercial. (Which wasn't entirely wrong.)

Aside from that, DT was dang impressive with his technical breakdowns. His announcing is really quite good.

[1032004]

6 hours ago, wrestlingshoe said:

In the All Star Classic thread there were some naysayers. I pointed out  n that thread that we are fortunate to have access to as much online wrestling as we do and Tayler adds a level that many can't. A few found fault with his take on matches... I like both he and Pyles. 

I was probably considered a naysayer in there, but it was mostly in response to the numerous posts saying how awesome he was. I thought he was fine but he was basically coaching the guys.  Honestly I’d take Pyles over him.

[KennyEBHS]

16 hours ago, SocraTease said:

I don't get the really strong anti-Pyles sentiment.  He's knowledgable and passionate about the sport, and especially the hundreds of wrestlers who inhabit it, including their past matches, tendencies on the mat, records, and so on.   I suspect some folks don't like his asides, wisecracks, and personal opinions, and maybe some of that comes from his FRL FLO show.  Who knows?  I tend to prefer when he is commenting on a match with someone else as well: Bader, Taylor, Spey, etc. since can balance each other out: PBP vs. color commentary, etc.   

I agree with you. Pyles is very good for the sport and I also do not understand the anti-sentiment.

[alex1fly]

17 hours ago, SocraTease said:

I don't get the really strong anti-Pyles sentiment.  He's knowledgable and passionate about the sport, and especially the hundreds of wrestlers who inhabit it, including their past matches, tendencies on the mat, records, and so on.   I suspect some folks don't like his asides, wisecracks, and personal opinions, and maybe some of that comes from his FRL FLO show.  Who knows?  I tend to prefer when he is commenting on a match with someone else as well: Bader, Taylor, Spey, etc. since can balance each other out: PBP vs. color commentary, etc.   

Same. 
 

David Taylor will be good once he slows down a bit. DT gets in these moods where he does not stop talking AT ALL and it gets distracting. But I do believe that commentating is a harder job than it appears. 

Edited December 3, 2023 by alex1fly

[Gus]

Pyles is good. Where else are you going to get commentary about Kai Orine giving himself his own tattoos and being the team barber?

[TNwrestling]

Here's a fun story. 

 

Many years ago, when Bader left Flo they did a contest. The participants submitted a short video explaining why they should be hired by Flo. The winner would get the job. My video garnered the most likes and support. 

 

Flo hired Pyles instead, out of the blue, and left the participants of the contest on read. Not Pyles' fault. Still bitter over it though. 

 

Here's the entry video, still up on flo.

 

https://www.flowrestling.org/video/5467661-thadd-little-floposition-1

[Barracuda141]

On 12/2/2023 at 3:17 PM, MadMardigain said:

Been saying this about many video based wrestling commentary for years.  Those watching know the basics of the sport.  We don’t need the play by play especially when much of it doesn’t even end in a point.  I’d prefer more wrestler background info, keys to the match for each wrestler, and strategy adjustments as the points go up with the occasional move hype when a big point shift occurs. 

I'm convinced people will complain about anything. Everyone knows the gist of baseball, football, and basketball, yet they all have play by play announcers. The color commentator is there to provide background info, keys to the match, and adjustments each wrestler needs to make. (Football ex: Al Michaels & Cris Collinsworth, Jim Nantz & Tony Romo)

[1032004]

4 hours ago, TNwrestling said:

Here's a fun story. 

 

Many years ago, when Bader left Flo they did a contest. The participants submitted a short video explaining why they should be hired by Flo. The winner would get the job. My video garnered the most likes and support. 

 

Flo hired Pyles instead, out of the blue, and left the participants of the contest on read. Not Pyles' fault. Still bitter over it though. 

 

Here's the entry video, still up on flo.

 

https://www.flowrestling.org/video/5467661-thadd-little-floposition-1

Is Pyles’s video still up too?

[TNwrestling]

10 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Is Pyles’s video still up too?

Pyles was not a part of the contest. Nobody who participated in the contest actually won the prize. 

 

Here's Bader announcing the contest

https://www.flowrestling.org/events/5008401-work-flo/videos?playing=5467637

And Flo announcing they hired Pyles

https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/5035397-christian-pyles-added-to-flowrestling-team

 

 

I'm not salty...clearly...

[MNRodent]

8 minutes ago, TNwrestling said:

Pyles was not a part of the contest. Nobody who participated in the contest actually won the prize. 

 

Here's Bader announcing the contest

https://www.flowrestling.org/events/5008401-work-flo/videos?playing=5467637

And Flo announcing they hired Pyles

https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/5035397-christian-pyles-added-to-flowrestling-team

 

 

I'm not salty...clearly...

You probably exceeded the height limitations.

[MPhillips]

As @Hammerlock3mentioned. It's not radio. We can see the action. There aren't many, 'non wrestling' fans watching CKLV on FLO. It's not always necessary to explain the action. By the time he spits out, "And Mendez comes up around the waist."  Mendez has two seconds of RT. Take a breath, fill in when it's important. We're watching with you. I feel the same way about all announcers who try to fill in every empty space, so this isn't a Pyle's exclusive. 

"Don't play what's there; play what is not there."

 

 

[MadMardigain]

5 hours ago, Barracuda141 said:

I'm convinced people will complain about anything. Everyone knows the gist of baseball, football, and basketball, yet they all have play by play announcers. The color commentator is there to provide background info, keys to the match, and adjustments each wrestler needs to make. (Football ex: Al Michaels & Cris Collinsworth, Jim Nantz & Tony Romo)

But be honest play by play isn’t all equal.  And it sure doesn’t need to call every single motion that occurs.   Nor do most wrestling broadcast have a team or designated roles.  Heck most two person broadcast groups are screaming play by play over each other. Key moves are all you need to point out not every movement, fake, touch, and motion.. The equivalent of some of this wrestling play by play would be similar too a play by play guy doing this:

Basketball:  Plater 1 is dribbling, dribbling more, still dribbling, he looks left, dribbles some more, stands and dribbles, dribbles, looks at defender, dribbles, dribbles, fakes left, passes, now Player 2 catches the ball, he now dribbles, still dribbles, continues to dribble, looks at defender, dribbles, jumps off his left foot, stretches out with his right hand, flicks the ball off his index fingers, the ball flies 3 feet, bounces off the left side of the glass, now bounces off the rim, the ball goes in the basket, now the balls falling to the court, still falling, now it bouncers off the court, now a player walks over to it……

 

Football equivalent:

Hes running, running, running more, shifts left, running, looks at defender, running, fakes right, rolls left, running, he’s tackled from behind, now he’s laying there, still on ground, now he stands up, walks back to huddle, he’s walking, walking, walking and he reaches the huddle, now they are standing and talking, players seem to be bunched up, still huddling, now they clap, players jog to their position, the running back bends over 90 degrees with his hands on his knees, he looks up at the offensive line, still looking, he moves 3 feet off center, he looks right at his guard, he’s waiting for the snap, …..I think you get it.  ut maybe they have to dumb down football some to accommodate for half the audience being drunk and 10% of them now being Taylor Swift fans. 

Edited December 5, 2023 by MadMardigain

[Wrestleknownothing]

1 hour ago, MadMardigain said:

But be honest play by play isn’t all equal.  And it sure doesn’t need to call every single motion that occurs.   Nor do most wrestling broadcast have a team or designated roles.  Heck most two person broadcast groups are screaming play by play over each other. Key moves are all you need to point out not every movement, fake, touch, and motion.. The equivalent of some of this wrestling play by play would be similar too a play by play guy doing this:

Basketball:  Plater 1 is dribbling, dribbling more, still dribbling, he looks left, dribbles some more, stands and dribbles, dribbles, looks at defender, dribbles, dribbles, fakes left, passes, now Player 2 catches the ball, he now dribbles, still dribbles, continues to dribble, looks at defender, dribbles, jumps off his left foot, stretches out with his right hand, flicks the ball off his index fingers, the ball flies 3 feet, bounces off the left side of the glass, now bounces off the rim, the ball goes in the basket, now the balls falling to the court, still falling, now it bouncers off the court, now a player walks over to it……

 

Football equivalent:

Hes running, running, running more, shifts left, running, looks at defender, running, fakes right, rolls left, running, he’s tackled from behind, now he’s laying there, still on ground, now he stands up, walks back to huddle, he’s walking, walking, walking and he reaches the huddle, now they are standing and talking, players seem to be bunched up, still huddling, now they clap, players jog to their position, the running back bends over 90 degrees with his hands on his knees, he looks up at the offensive line, still looking, he moves 3 feet off center, he looks right at his guard, he’s waiting for the snap, …..I think you get it.  ut maybe they have to dumb down football some to accommodate for half the audience being drunk and 10% of them now being Taylor Swift fans. 

Is this meant to encourage shorter commentary?

[MPhillips]

11 minutes ago, Wrestleknownothing said:

Is this meant to encourage shorter commentary?

 

1 hour ago, MadMardigain said:

it sure doesn’t need to call every single motion that occurs.

 

[ionel]

2 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

 

 

^

[MPhillips]

2 minutes ago, ionel said:

^

[Husker_Du]

On 12/4/2023 at 3:58 PM, TNwrestling said:

Pyles was not a part of the contest. Nobody who participated in the contest actually won the prize. 

 

Here's Bader announcing the contest

https://www.flowrestling.org/events/5008401-work-flo/videos?playing=5467637

And Flo announcing they hired Pyles

https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/5035397-christian-pyles-added-to-flowrestling-team

 

 

I'm not salty...clearly...

i mean, i was part of this.

pyles was kind of a front runner for one of the positions. he was already freelancing a ton, including doing our college rankings. he did good work and we were familiar with him. 

[TNwrestling]

7 hours ago, Husker_Du said:

i mean, i was part of this.

pyles was kind of a front runner for one of the positions. he was already freelancing a ton, including doing our college rankings. he did good work and we were familiar with him. 

In the end he was the right person for the job. Im not disputing that.

 

The only issue i had was why say they're going to do this contest for Joe's replacement then ghost all of us who participated. 

[steamboat_charlie]

Pyles is a solid solo commentator.  If you're turning on tournament feed and he's casting one of the mats, you're in luck.  Navigate to another mat, turn on any dual on television, watch the NCAA tournament and tell me who's a better option. 

The rest of the conjecture about over-calling the match or doing too much play-by-play is down to personal preference.  That being said, how are you going to compare this to football or basketball?  It's a single 7 minute match that lasts maybe, what, 10 minutes of real time?  Football and basketball commentators have hours to fill during a single game.