How do you rate the Twins radio broadcasters?

[071063]

I listen to the Twins on the radio a fair amount, in the car, while I am working in the yard in the evenings or on the computer at work. I am curious what everyone thinks of the radio broadcasters, Cory Provus and Dan Gladden.

 

My thoughts...so far, I really like Cory Provus. I think he does a great job of "painting" the game for the listeners. He sounds good and has a very good feel for the game.

 

I am not a fan of Dan Gladden. He seems to state the obvious way too often and adds very little to the game. The way he talks seems very condescending at time, to both the fans and, IMHO, to Cory Provus. I don't recall him doing that to John Gordon. Has anyone else noticed this? Also, it doesn't always sound like they get along real well. Not sure if that is accurate but just something I think I have noticed.

 

I really like when Jack Morris is in the booth instead of Gladden. I am hoping he might be a replacement for Gladden in the future. Does anyone know if he is planning on doing some Twins games this year again or has he moved on to other things?

[perkins7]

I agree, Cory Provus does a really good job of making sure you can enter into the game at any time and paints the scene. He's easy to listen to.

[Guest @_2244]

Like Provus a lot. As 071063 mentions, he does a great job painting the picture, which I believe is the essential goal for radio PBP.

 

Not at all a fan of Gladden as a broadcaster. His PBP is turrible. Way too often I end up asking myself after many an at-bat, "What just happened there?" And my biggest pet peeve, he shows no inflection in his voice on potential homers. There is virtually no difference in his call at the crack of the bat if the batter has hit a lazy fly ball or blasted one way out of the yard. "Willingham goes back, to the track, looks up, and he'll watch it leave the park." My preference would be to have an inkling that the ball could leave the park right away, as opposed to waiting until the play is over that it was a home run.

[Guest USAFChief]

Love Provus so far. Gladden is terrible but I actually think he's improved slightly with Provus in the booth. Maybe listening to Provus is good for him.

[powrwrap]

Provus is excellent. Gladden is OK when he's doing color, not very good when he does play-by-play. Gladden has the tendency to use the same phrases over and over never varying them to give the listener a fresh perspective. For example, when someone is not a very speedy base runner Gladden will say, "he doesn't run well" or "he doesn't run all that well." Hey how about saying, "he's doesn't have the fastest set of wheels on the team" or "he lacks running speed". "Doesn't run well" conjures up images of Monty Python's Twit of the Year competition in my mind.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqObJtGrKaA

[TwinVike61]

I've only got to listen to one game this year on Gameday Audio but was impressed with Cory who seems like a vast improvement over John Gordon. I didn't notice a difference with Dan Gladden's smug condescending attitude...mostly to the young players he gives advice to on the air. I do smile though at his thinly vieled disgust calling pop-ups.

[TwinsGuy55422]

I have enjoyed Corey Provus so far as well. He seems very well spoken and knows how to describe the game to listeners. I do appreciate Gladden's honesty in telling it like it is, but he is hard to listen to when he does play by play.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Ahh, my favorite subject...

 

First, I would like to say that Provus is doing a fine job. He does a fine job describing the situation and brings the right level of excitement to each play.

 

Dan Gladden is awful. Plain and simple. I could easily spend the next 1000 words talking about the poor job he does, his poor language, and his inability to know or care about what is happening on the field, let alone adequately describe it to the listening audience. But, I don't want to do that.

 

I have two questions I would like to get serious responses to:

 

Is there anybody out there that actually likes the job Gladden does?

 

With what I know is an overwhelmingly negative response, why is he still on the radio?

 

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Boom Boom]

Provus is vanilla. I can't complain but I don't sense him adding anything to the conversation. He's better than Kris Atteberry was, who I thought got way too nostalgic and poetic in his play-by-play.

 

I like that Gladden is more free with his comments on the team than some other Twins broadcasters, but his play-by-play is bad. He'll say something like "a fastball outside" and then five seconds later add "called a strike". All he needs to do is wait for the umpire's call. His game-calling is completely incomprehensible at times.

[ossieO]

When I moved back to Minnesota in '03 I thought Gladden was unpolished, but for several years he has been my favorite Twins broadcaster. I like that he speaks his mind a little and how he gives an inside-the-clubhouse perspective on team relationships, player approach, etc.

 

Provus has been a good addition. I have always liked the radio guys better than Dick & Bert, and the Dazzle man is light years better than Bert. I think the TV guys appeal more to the casual fan, while the radio guys go more in depth. In fairness to Dick & Bert, the team needs them to appeal to the casual fan, and I'm probably sick of them (years ago) because I hear them more.

 

I agree with those who enjoy when TK or Jack Morris are in the booth. I think they are good, but part of their appeal is that they are fresh/different.

[Riverbrian]

Provus is OK... Gonna take some getting used to but he will be fine. To me Herb Carneal is the standard. Everyone will pale in comparison to Herb. That guy meant summer to me. I always thought that Gordon was terrible but he became a part of it and now I miss Gordon. If Provus stays for awhile he will be a part of my family. As for Gladden... He's doing great. Wouldn't trade him. I like Twins broadcasting Twins to Twins fans.

[one_eyed_jack]

Agree, RB, Carneal was king.

 

I understand some of the criticisms of Gladden, but I still enjoy listening to him. He may be a homer, but he's no cheerleader. I like that he tells you what he thinks without sounding like he's afraid of offending anyone. He doesn't sugarcoat it.

 

When Dick and Bert watch Valencia boot a grounder, they'll say things like "Danny did a nice job getting in front of that ball but he just couldn't quite come up with it. I'll bet he would like to have that one back", Gladden will say "that's routine right there, Valencia needs to make that play".

[TwinsFanLV]

I like this thread and the responses, but think we are debating the wrong question. I find the radio braodcast too cluttered. Why is it impossible to come out of a commercial before missing the first pitch? Does there need to be a "drop in" ad between every pitch? "Get you eye care here! Buy your Harley Davidson here! Prepay for your own funeral here!

 

Seriously, I listen to almost every team's radio broadcast from time to time on XM. The Twins' broadcast is easily the most heavily cluttered with advertising nonsense. Any response?

[TwinsFanLV]

Agree, RB, Carneal was king.

 

I understand some of the criticisms of Gladden, but I still enjoy listening to him. He may be a homer, but he's no cheerleader. I like that he tells you what he thinks without sounding like he's afraid of offending anyone. He doesn't sugarcoat it.

 

When Dick and Bert watch Valencia boot a grounder, they'll say things like "Danny did a nice job getting in front of that ball but he just couldn't quite come up with it. I'll bet he would like to have that one back", Gladden will say "that's routine right there, Valencia needs to make that play".

Love Bremer, but Ted Robinson was better. Blyleven used to be amusing, but hasn't said anything new or offered any new insights for at least 5 years. Tired of the "circling". Tired of hearing about his Birthday. Still don't think he belongs in the HOF.

[Riverbrian]

I like this thread and the responses, but think we are debating the wrong question. I find the radio braodcast too cluttered. Why is it impossible to come out of a commercial before missing the first pitch? Does there need to be a "drop in" ad between every pitch? "Get you eye care here! Buy your Harley Davidson here! Prepay for your own funeral here!

 

Seriously, I listen to almost every team's radio broadcast from time to time on XM. The Twins' broadcast is easily the most heavily cluttered with advertising nonsense. Any response?

It was discovered that Harley Davidson and eye care specialists will spend money for those drop ins. This is money over and above the regular avails.

 

Also broadcast rights are exclusive. Therefore you don't have to worry about being beat by a non cluttered broadcast. If the other teams are not as cluttered as the Twins... Give them time... They will be.

[mikeee]

I haven't heard provus call a homerun that was caught by the outfielder the way Gordon often did...

 

I follow the Twins mostly on the radio since we don't have fox sports/cable.

[Cody Christie]

Do you think the Twins would ever go to a three man booth and just have Gladden there for color commentary and not actual play-by-play?

[Zoilo Pascual]

Been a serious Twin fan since the 69 season and have lived far away from Minny since 1970 and survived on listening to radio broadcasts throughout all that time. Too bad WCCO quit on the Twins and Vikings.

 

So I think I have plenty of comparative listening experience. FWIW, Gladden is very refreshing. He tells it like it is instead of conforming to the "Gosh, I'm just happy to be a paid cheerleader for the Organization!" I like Cory, the new guy because he paints the picture I can't see. John Gordon and Carneal were NOT good. They just didn't fully inform and were nothing more than paid cheerleaders.

 

Jack Morris is a fantastic broadcaster because he is Gladden times two. Love his honesty. You can fell the disgust in Morris' voice when the Twins are not performing professionally. Dig it.

 

I still play fast pitch baseball and can tell you that Gladden and Morris really understand the game precisely because they are ballplayers and it really comes across in their verbal descriptions. John Gordon and Herb Carneal were nice guys but they simply would not criticize Twins players -- and fans deserve to hear the negatives about the Twins!

 

Damn, I miss Halsey Hall. He was hilarious.

[Nick Nelson]

Do you think the Twins would ever go to a three man booth and just have Gladden there for color commentary and not actual play-by-play?

I think that'd be ideal. Or just have Provus call the entire game. I agree with the comments about Gladden's refreshing willingness to speak his opinions without holding back (the comment from one_eyed_jack about a hypothetical Valencia play was spot on) but his play-by-play is brutal to listen to.

[DJSim22]

Provus has beenfine so far, he hasn't been around long enough for me to get worked up either way. Atleast I can understand the game unlike when Gordon was literally making mistakes every five minutes.

 

Gladden as a color man is great, as others have said the PBP is brutal. I thought it would get better over time but it really hasn't.

 

Paycheck Morris is a arrogant prick. Can't stand him, can't stand his attitude, can't stand his huuuuuuuuuuuge ego.

 

If Provus does PBP and Gladden does color, its fine. Buy Morris a one way ticket to Japan, he can do games over there.

[J-Dog Dungan]

provus has earned my dad's respect, and he has earned mine too. A baseball broadcaster has a hard time earning the respect of my dad, (especially after Gordon) so he is really good

[StormJH1]

I enjoyed Dan Gladden as a player and I'm not too familiar with him as a person. But I hate his style on the broadcasts. As was written above, he has no level of excitement for big plays, and fails to explain half of what's going on. I would much rather have a broadcaster with the Dick Bremer problem (getting TOO excited for plays that turn out to be routine) than killing the energy level of what you're being paid to convey to the fans.

[BigSkyTwinsFan]

I'm loving the game tonight - not the score so far, but the call. After reading this thread over the weekend I really listened closely to the game on Sunday and Gladden's approach (lack of approach?), trying to "see the game" based on his descriptions. Pretty tough. He's not very good. Guess I knew that, though. I'm doing the same tonight with Provus and Atteberry broadcasting. What a difference.

 

I appreciate the occasional player-type insight that Gladden offers, but the overall experience of "seeing the game" based on the broadcaster's description is much more important to me. Give me Provus and Atteberry during the game and let Gladden and Morris take care of the occasional after-game talk/chat on the weekend.