Jim Williams » Playoff-quality broadcasters right here in D.C.
By: Jim Williams
Examiner Sports Columnist
October 7, 2009
The Major League Baseball playoffs begin this week and Washington is painfully aware that the Nationals will not be in the postseason this year.
However, the MASN broadcasters who followed the 103-loss Nationals were worthy of playoff consideration for keeping fans interested to the very end.
The team of Bob Carpenter, Rob Dibble and Debbi Taylor was entertaining, informative and fun despite all the losses.
Carpenter, once again, proved that he is one of the best play-by-play men in the business. His understated and dry sense of humor was the perfect foil to the "Nasty Boy" newcomer, Dibble.
In contrast to the bloggers and print critics, I thought Dibble was a great find for the Nats' broadcast team. He was a fair homer that cast a critical eye when needed, but clearly was on the side of the Nats calling them "us" and "our team."
Dibble is just what a home broadcaster should be: happy when the Nats win and just as mad as the fans when they lose, but able to add just the right amount of spice when needed to keep the telecasts worthy of watching.
I look forward to this team being together for a long time.
In over 28 years of hiring and, yes, firing my share of local broadcasters, the Carpenter-Dibble-Taylor trio is the perfect match. They are homer broadcasters who aren't afraid to challenge the team and aren't afraid to show them some love when needed.
Local broadcasters need to care about the team as much as the fans. It's why Dodger fans love Vin Scully. It's why a standing-room-only crowd stood with tears in their eyes as legendary Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who has cancer, thanked them for allowing him to be a part of their lives. It's why, when the Phillies won the NL East, they all went out to the banner in right field and shared their joy with a picture of the late Harry Kalas.
Johnny Holliday, Ray Knight, Bryan Kerr and Phil Wood all were outstanding on the Nats Xtra side of the broadcasts.
In terms of radio, the WFED AM 1500 pair of Charlie Slowes and Dave Jagler quickly is becoming one of the best broadcast teams in all of baseball. Slowes "Curly W" and "Bang, zoom" are now part of the Washington baseball vocabulary.
Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this! on washingtonexaminer.com.
