What do you guys think of him at the halfway point of this season? I think he's improved a lot since the first game where he had trouble remembering player's names and didn't do a great job of conveying what was going on the field at times, but now he seems to have fixed that and it is pretty good.
With that said...I'm still not a fan of his voice. When he gets excited it gets kinda...grating I guess (Pretty good example of that here), and he also shows his Hokie bias a bit too much at times. I mean that's not necessarily a bad thing considering he is a Hokie announcer, but Bill Roth used to get excited regardless of team at times if it was a good play which really changed the listening experience.
Of course it's kinda unfair comparing him to Bill and he is doing a very good job, but, still...he ain't Bill :(
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All things considered, he's doing well.
Tough to follow a Hall of Fame broadcaster. I only catch highlights from Laaser, e.g.:
Little gritty for my taste, but I do like the emotion. Sounds like he really gets into it, which is a good thing for those listening and not watching.
The look on Dadi's face in the picture for that sound cloud clip:
No complaints from me about Laaser, especially since I went back to the radio for audio portion of watching games last night. I'll stick with that. The TV announcers are sometimes downright awful in their analysis, and the Hokie in me sometimes feels they're trying to jinx us
Another good run by Williams!
Also, seemed as if a Mack Brown was trying to channel is inner Madden. Gotta score points to win the game.
As we were essentially playing on the QVC Network last week, I didn't get the channel. Listened to the game in the radio. Laaser does a good job.
I have no problem with Hokie bias. After all, VT is paying him.
The tone of his voice sounds very very similar to Bill's at times, which to me is a good thing. He does get a little growly when big plays happen in our favor, but compared to how I react in the heat of the moment, I think it's forgivable. I don't think he's very biased one way or the other, at least not compared to other teams' broadcasters that I have the misfortune to hear from time to time. He's still easing into the job, and I think he'll keep improving with time.
I personally like that kind of rough rising tone of voice that he gets when something big is developing or happening. It shows the passion that the guy has for the game and for his job.
It's allowed for a Hokie announcer to be biased towards the Hokies.
Was listening during ECU because I couldn't get to the TV. Not being able to see, his excitement when the other team made a big play against our defense made it hard to tell if it was good or bad for us. I know Bill showed the same excitement, but I was thinking "interception" or "sack" when it was "huge gain" or "touchdown Pirates".
edit: with the growly/nasally tone, he sounded kind of "giddy" rather than just passionate when ECU made the play.
I like him from hearing him so much in Richmond. That said, I have not enjoyed his radio/TV appearances as the "Voice of the Hokies" I think Allegreta would have been a better choice.
It kills me to hear so many UCLA highlights with Roth calling the action while I listen to SiriusXM College Sports Nation during the week. We were very fortunate to have Bill for all those years.
I would have loved for Allegretta to get the gig. He has paid his dues having to sit through every women's basketball game himself, plus covering baseball and other olympic sports. It'll be interesting to see how Laaser calls men's basketball. That will tell me if they made the right choice or not.
He's definitely a different style from Bill, whose voice went up in excitement like the famous "Has a man open! Danny Coale! All the way!"
It takes some getting used to but in time I'm sure it'll become just as familiar.
I agree with OP in that I dont like the grating sound of his voice when he gets excited. But when he's doing interviews or standard chatting he sounds fine. I chalk up him forgetting names and stuff in the first game vs OSU to him just being nervous, he's never had this many people listening to him so I understand it took him a bit to comfortable
Honestly, I don't listen to the broadcasts and never have. Always watch the games so no real opinion.
Overall, I think he's doing a great job. I personally don't mind the growl in his voice when he gets excited. Definitely shows he passionate and hey, who doesn't have some kind of "trademark" sound when something exciting happens??
I also think it's very, very unfair to compare him in a negative way to Bill. No one was going to be able to fill those Shaq sized shoes. Miss you Bill! VT will never be the same without you...
Don't like him. Professionally he's doing fine. Just personal taste I guess. But when replacing the man he did can t ask for more. I just hate the growls etc..
Reminds me of John Forslund (Carolina Hurricanes/NBC Sports Hockey) announcer. That is not a bad thing, but it hasn't been a seamless transition ala John Ward to Bob Kesling.
Good pull French, he does sound a lot like Forslund, who in my opinion is one of the best hockey announcers in the NHL
I think he's been good. Just wish he could contain a running QB.
I I like him because of the raspy growl & no, VT doesn't pay him....IMG does....Allegreti is growing but I don't think he's seasoned enuff IMHO......
Oh ok. Thanks for clarifying that. I kind of questioned myself after I posted that. He's still the voice of the Hokies. I'd be disappointed if he wasn't biased.
my only complaint is that he's a little quiet during normal play-by-play. Typically at the start of a play he's on point then gets quieter and quieter as the play continues. Then if something dramatic happens he gets really loud.
Kind of a 50% -> 40% -> 30% -> 90% volume range.
Does anyone have anything that Roth did in his first year? I bet Laaser gets better over the years.
Reminds me of a milder version of Mike Keith for the Titans. Both have that graty sound when things get exciting. I personally think he's doing a good job and I think he will only get better.
Hate to bump such an old thread, but this is a good video on Jon and how he got to Virginia Tech.
HokieVision has seem to have gotten better and better. Props to them for such good content.
Just when you think they've settled on a camera angle, BAM new angle.