I think I blame Wrubel!

Last night I listened to Wrubel and Durrant while I watched the game. I had this epiphany that the more I think about it the more merit I think it has:



Greg Wrubel's homerness has a lot to do with why a lot of BYU fans are whiny and feel like everything goes against us.



Seriously, think this through. He is homer to the MAX (Which I like by the way) but he backs up so much of his homerness with statistics that make us believe we are getting screwed at every turn. His ability to change levels of excitement on a dime is uncanny. When we do something even marginal he acts like it was the most amazing Diamond Jewell play of the game. When something happens against us his tone is flat and discouraged just like we all feel except with a microphone and thousands upon thousands nodding their heads in agreement at home!



What think ye all? Truth? Myth?



Go Cougs!!!

J. Child

Ammon, ID

I think Wrubell does a good job at what he does, entertain.



I think we as fans don't do a good job of realizing that and are guilty of hearing what we want to hear.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

If you think Wrubell is a homer, you really need to listen to a radio play-by-play guy from some of the schools in the south (among others). Wrubell does a FANTASTIC job of balancing giving the fans what they want (homerness) with not making a mockery of his profession. The interviews he does with opposing coaches are extraordinarily well done. This year I've noticed him showing a little negative emotion when the opposing teams make a great play, but it's nothing (NOTHING!) compared the the stuff I've heard from other pxp guys (Utes, Clemson, VaTech, UVA, GaTech, etc.) which is just shameless.

I haven't heard him for awhile. But he has been much less homerish than many leads. But he does bring more "color" than Durrant, who brings more reasonability and logic, as an attorney might.

But if this is any reference to the "egregious" (mark durrants words after the SMCgame) calls made against BYU vs SMC in the first half, then they are warranted. Tyler gets grabbed, held, pushed, picked, etc and there is a total double standard. He could spend all night at the FT line and the WCC Refs know it. So do the other coaches which is why they have complained to the WCC--bank on it. And as for reality check, consider the second half of the SMC game when at one point the foul totals were 7-1 favoring BYU. The refs know they muffed the first half and were correcting in the second half.

So, ya, Wrubell ought to be whining bc we had been getting hosed.

But to your point, I agree. He probably has trended more toward homer-land than when he took over for the last guy.

Wait. Why is this in the dormant football side?

BerliNY wrote:
If you think Wrubell is a homer, you really need to listen to a radio play-by-play guy from some of the schools in the south (among others). Wrubell does a FANTASTIC job of balancing giving the fans what they want (homerness) with not making a mockery of his profession. The interviews he does with opposing coaches are extraordinarily well done. This year I've noticed him showing a little negative emotion when the opposing teams make a great play, but it's nothing (NOTHING!) compared the the stuff I've heard from other pxp guys (Utes, Clemson, VaTech, UVA, GaTech, etc.) which is just shameless.

^^^THIS^^^

You don't even have to go listen to a southern school's call. Just tune into ESPN700 during a Ute game to see how much better Wrubell it.

Yeah, I used to think Wrubell was a homer, not to the max, but a clear proponent of BYU, until I listened to other schools play by play guys, especially when I travel to away games or listen to Bill Reilly if I want to check in on how bad the Utes are being beaten, and man, Wrubell may be the most unbiased call guy I've ever heard in my life.

This is the nature of play by play. A bit of a cheer leader spin without totally selling out. I listen to Wrubel a lot - I do not get Root. He is a homer, but not a sell-out. There is enough honesty. And he is knowledgeable enough and well-prepared.



I think back to some Chicago Cubs and White Sox and Dodgers and Angels broadcasts - those were Homers - Colorful - entertaining.



The OP has substantial truth re effect on fans.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

I do think that Wrubbel does more to get the hype machine going than anyone else who covers BYU. But I also don't think BYU fans are any more whiny than any other fan base. EVERY fan base is whiny and thinks their team routinely gets hosed by the refs and that their bitter rivals are chock-full of tools.

But BYU does endure the worst of the calls. Go Greg! You can always listen to the ESPN announcers to enjoy unbiased game calls...

I think Wrubel is just as he should be. I've heard him express excitement and admiration regarding exceptional plays by BYU opponents, so he does provide some balance. We would not want to hear him celebrating BYU's misfortunes, so it is expected that his tone reflect some sympathy for the home team. KSL would not feel like "The Home of the Cougars" if it were any other way, and the home fans would mostly tune out. I like him; reminds me of the former Paul James.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

SenorCougar wrote:
But BYU does endure the worst of the calls. Go Greg! You can always listen to the uninformedESPN announcers to enjoy unbiased game calls because they've never seen these teams so are just guessing about the teams...

Fixed it.

BOID wrote:
I think Wrubel is just as he should be. I've heard him express excitement and admiration regarding exceptional plays by BYU opponents, so he does provide some balance. We would not want to hear him celebrating BYU's misfortunes, so it is expected that his tone reflect some sympathy for the home team. KSL would not feel like "The Home of the Cougars" if it were any other way, and the home fans would mostly tune out. I like him; reminds me of the former Paul James.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Paul James had a ton of info at the tip of his tongue and this was before the days of computers. I remember him rattling off all sorts of statistics about players and I loved his comments.



The thing I remember him best for is when Kresimir Cosic was having a great game and ended up on the floor with the basketball. Sitting on the floor, he threw the ball up, surrounded by all sorts of people from the other team, and the ball went into the basket. The place erupted and Paul James played it up like he had never done before. I loved it.

SpiffCoug wrote:

But BYU does endure the worst of the calls. Go Greg! You can always listen to the uninformedESPN announcers to enjoy unbiased game calls because they've never seen these teams so are just guessing about the teams...

Fixed it.

I stand corrected ... Great fix!

SenorCougar wrote:

SenorCougar wrote:
But BYU does endure the worst of the calls. Go Greg! You can always listen to the uninformedESPN announcers to enjoy unbiased game calls because they've never seen these teams so are just guessing about the teams...

Fixed it.

I stand corrected ... Great fix!

There is another way to look at this. KSL is doing a localized / focused national broadcast of the games targeted mainly to BY fans. Ditto for BYU TV broadcasts. So, there is a homer, cheerleader component to it. Rah rah rah. Blue Goggles. Packaged that way.



When ESPN or ABC or CBS or NBA does a broadcast, they are targeting a broad regional or national audience depending on the game and want viewers beyond the fan base of the two teams involved. Such fans tune in to watch a game not a goggled event. They do not want to listen to homers.



WCC, PAC, and other conference networks target a conference focused audience and rah rah rah the conference.



Three different products. Kind of like Internet sports and local sports reporters. The more objective they get they may appeal to general readership, but rile up the fan base of specific teams. Example: Ute fans think Monson is a BYU homer. BYU fans either think he is a U homer, or just likes to rile people up. Different product.



I listen to or read all of them. Look for consensus amongst them. Filter out non-sense. Occasionally insights are gained. But, when I watch the game, the announcers do not have much effect on my enjoyment - my eyes take over. Now, listening to a game on the radio, then announcers do impact more because my eyes cannot provide that primary sensory input.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougarbib wrote:

SpiffCoug wrote:

But BYU does endure the worst of the calls. Go Greg! You can always listen to the uninformedESPN announcers to enjoy unbiased game calls because they've never seen these teams so are just guessing about the teams...

Fixed it.

I stand corrected ... Great fix!

There is another way to look at this. KSL is doing a localized / focused national broadcast of the games targeted mainly to BY fans. Ditto for BYU TV broadcasts. So, there is a homer, cheerleader component to it. Rah rah rah. Blue Goggles. Packaged that way.



When ESPN or ABC or CBS or NBA does a broadcast, they are targeting a broad regional or national audience depending on the game and want viewers beyond the fan base of the two teams involved. Such fans tune in to watch a game not a goggled event. They do not want to listen to homers.



WCC, PAC, and other conference networks target a conference focused audience and rah rah rah the conference.



Three different products. Kind of like Internet sports and local sports reporters. The more objective they get they may appeal to general readership, but rile up the fan base of specific teams. Example: Ute fans think Monson is a BYU homer. BYU fans either think he is a U homer, or just likes to rile people up. Different product.



I listen to or read all of them. Look for consensus amongst them. Filter out non-sense. Occasionally insights are gained. But, when I watch the game, the announcers do not have much effect on my enjoyment - my eyes take over. Now, listening to a game on the radio, then announcers do impact more because my eyes cannot provide that primary sensory input.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">

Cougarbib, once Wrubel has spoken, the thinking has been done.



:whistle:

I love Greg Wrubel. Back in the day when BYU games often were not available, I would pick up a Justin TV feed on my PC including the live chat at the bottom - ignoring what the idiots and haters typed about the Church and BYU - and then pull up KSL Internet radio with a 30 second delay from the game feed, and then follow CBS Sportsline Game Tracker for stats. Those were the days.



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] http://cougarcorner.com/images/mobile.png" alt="" loading="lazy" style="max-width:100%">