I get downright irritated when I watch a golf event that Johnny Miller announces. It seems like on every hole, he says something (often many things) so stupid, self-aggrandizing or just plain annoying that I want to mute the telecast and watch it to music. But if he’s actually mentally disabled, I’d feel bad criticizing him as his “performance” would be admirable. Even then, I’d suspect the rest of the mentally challenged community would be embarrassed to have him as a representative at times.
So, is Johnny Miller a marginal disabled announcer or a terrible non-disabled one?
Why do the networks keep employing him and letting him open his mouth for all to hear?
May 13, 2008 at 2:00 am
Miller bugs the CRAP outta me.
In no particular order:
* “Fairway metals”: Dude, we know they aren’t made of wood any more – just like irons aren’t made of iron. But they are still “woods.”
* “3/4/5 Par”: What? It’s a “par 5” or a “par 4” or “par 3”. Stop inverting your words.
* “Boo-boo”: Mr. Miller, you are a grown man, and so are the players you are analyzing. They may make “mistakes”, “errors”, “poor decisions”, or they may flat out just “f*** up”, but they do not make a “boo boo”.
* “Isn’t that right Dottie”: She isn’t attracted to you, move on.
* “Callaway”: Don’t get me wrong, Callaway is a fine company and makes great golf gear. Moreover, I actually like hearing exactly what the players are using. But if if he is going to name Callaway gear by name, I also expect to hear “Titleist”, “Ping”, “Mizuno”, et al. Otherwise, it’s blatant sponsor ho’ing and it’s annoying.
I used to like Johnny Miller. I also used to like Pat Summerall. But at some point in their careers, they both started sounding half-drunk when the broadcasted.
(P.S.: GC, you said “Why do the networkS keep employing him” in your post, but Miller only broadcasts for NBC. However, why he is still considered the top golf analyst is beyond me. Give me Judy Rankin any day of the week and twice on Sunday.)
May 13, 2008 at 2:33 am
Amen, brotha! Thanks for listing some of his glorious gems. I was too irritated to do it myself, plus there are so many I couldn’t choose. And thank the good Dog that only NBC is idiotic enough to appreciate his “work.”
May 13, 2008 at 2:41 am
Oh dear. I just re-read my post. My apologies to Ms. Rankin for the unintended misinterpretation that is certain to occur as a result of my poor word choice.
May 13, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Nope – he’s not mentally imparred – unless you call egomaniacal arrogance a mental disease.
He is now and has always been incredibly in love with himself and pretty much considers himself to be the equal of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus…based on an almost two year streak of really good and great play.
He drives me nuts when he criticizes the shots of these professionals – and for what reason ? because HE would (might) have picked a different approach to the shot.
I wanted to rap a 2×4 across his forehead at 17 on Sunday when he got on Goydos, saying that “if he (Goydos) WAS thinking clearly…” WAS ?? Miller was already assuming that he wasn’t and had already passed the point where he could possibly have made a good decision.
And what the heck is a “goer” ??? On some shots, it used to be called a “flier” or “jumper” lie – but Miller calls those “goers”, then changes the definition for chips and putts out of the fringe.
Yep – terminal arrogance.
He couldn’t even help himself in the Callaway driver commercial when the guy in his foresome asked to hit his driver again – Miller replies “if you can afford the two shot penalty.” (jerk)
Oh – Judy Rankin will never be in the analyst seat for a PGA event. She has no concept of how far the men hit their shots (a 170 yard 8-iron just doesn’t register), and she doesn’t seem to have any depth perception. She can’t follow the ball or see where it is going to land. She’s VERY nice and knowledgable, but doesn’t analyze well. She does a decent job on the LPGA broadcasts where “nice” is job #1.
How about an analyst with Rankin’s manners and Miller’s understanding of the game ? He or she has to be out there somewhere – Nick Faldo can’t be the only one. I thought Fred Couples did an excellent job.
May 13, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Well, he is funny. He also knows a lot about the game. He understands the mental part of the game and is able to analyze how the pros are or are not thinking.
May 13, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Courtney-
Rankin has been both an on-course and a booth analyst for numerous PGA events. (Before her breast cancer sabbatical, I specifically recall her carrying around that rig that Feherty is famous for lugging around.)
And unlike broadcasters who keep their faces buried in a monitor, on-course commentators can’t always see where a ball lands. You’ll notice many of the male broadcasters with the same problem. Maybe that’s what you are recalling, considering her extensive experience in that area.
Or perhaps she just isn’t arrogant enough to “fake it” like I’ve seen/heard many other broadcasters do when they are unsure of something and then clearly wrong with their statements.
As for your “depth perception” comment, I have no idea where that one came from (left field?). I’ve never noticed Rankin have a problem with perception – depth or otherwise.
Then again, maybe you are just a fan of the Lanny Wadkins brand of analysis.
Golfguy-
I agree that Miller has significant insight into the players and the game. But Miller’s broadcasting “style” (and I’m being generous when I use the word “style”) is akin to homemade ice cream covered in a puréed haggis sauce – even if there is a good part to it, it’s still tough to swallow because of all the crap in which it’s buried. (And, no, I’ve never had puréed haggis sauce. It was just the most disgusting food item I could think of. 😀 )
May 14, 2008 at 4:37 am
guy – you may not have paid a whole lot of attention to Rankin’s on course analysis the last few years, but that “haggis sauce” comment is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
– the “rig” weighs almost 2 whole pounds – I never said that she couldn’t walk a golf course – I said she couldn’t follow where the ball was going. Next time she’s on, pay a little attention and you’ll notice that she has no real idea where the ball is going to land in relation to the pin…or even the green sometimes – and not when she’s blocked from view.
And that Lanny Wadkins comment was just plain MEAN ! lol
May 14, 2008 at 4:39 am
Oh – and haggis isn’t that bad – it’s mostly the idea of how it is made that turns people’s stomach. Properly served, the “sauce” is a healthy portion of whisky poured over the haggis.
May 20, 2008 at 11:39 am
I played in a Pro-Am with Dottie Pepper back in 2004, just as she was getting ready to retire from professional golf and head to the announcer’s booth. We asked her if she was excited to be working with Johnny Miller. Her response was “I can’t stand that a$$hole!”
Which is why I chuckle every time I watch them commentate together.
May 20, 2008 at 2:52 pm
^^^^ That is farking awesome! I’ve always liked Dottie Pepper.
By the way, am I the only one who thinks “commentate” sounds like a weird made up word? And “commentator” sounds even weirder.(I can’t help but think ‘common-tater’ every time hear it. As in, “Johnny Miller is a common tater.” Yes. Yes he is.)
May 20, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Sounds like Dottie is going to have a long and prosperous career as a commentator (unless you’re in Idaho where you’re just a common tater ?)…unless she is forced to smack Johnny Miller around the booth some day.