What are your thoughts on John Murphy as our radio announcer?

[BADOLBILZ]

4 hours ago, Einstein said:

I vaguely remember the amazing Hyde INT in the playoffs last year went something like “Mac throws it deep. And it’s caught. Oh wait. Maybe Hyde got it? Yes, Hyde got it, interception.”  Just … meh.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh that was a GREAT call compared to him screaming "TOUCHDOWN!' on the critical Allen to McKenzie 4th down incompletion in the end zone that bounced 10 feet short late in the Miami game this season.        

 

He was never good but he's truly bad now.

 

I think teams just don't value the radio play-by-play guy.    Radio isn't very important anymore.

 

The Yankees have a couple of fossils calling baseball games and they are just woeful at this point but I guess they figure the radio audience highly skews toward senior citizens anyway so no urgency to change out the old familiar voices.  

Edited November 18, 2022 by BADOLBILZ

[Peter]

He is no RJ.

[What a Tuel]

Anyone is better than the people they get on TV besides Romo. 

 

[Airseven]

The few times I’ve listened to Murphy I’ve found him terrible.

[par73]

He is tough to listen to. Has major trouble following the game-- identifying players, yardage (1st down, or not, for example), obvious calls where there is a catch, or not. Eric Wood must constantly correct him and explain what is going on.

[Since1981]

Doesn’t matter. Radio was made or made baseball. Fixing your car in summer describing “7th inning stretch”, wake up! “no hitters”.
 

Time has passed Murph and nfl radio. Amazon is the future, goodbye radio Murph. 

[Nextmanup]

He's horrible.  He's--shouldn't have a job--bad.

 

 

[BillsGuyOutWest]

“Allen…steps back…FIRES A STRiKE…caught by Knox. That will make it 2nd and 4.  No wait, they’ll mark it as a 3 yard pickup, 2nd and 7 coming up…”

Edited November 18, 2022 by BillsGuyOutWest

[iccrewman112]

7 hours ago, Einstein said:

We have had a lot of coaching/weather threads lately so I figured this may be a welcome distraction.

 

Pat McAfee posted the radio call of the Vikings winning (sorry, I wish there was a different example) and I was blown away at the quality, tempo, and enthusiasm of the Vikings radio guy. In my opinion, it puts Murph to shame.

 

It seems like Murph is always sputtering and second guessing and the calls have little enthusiasm. I vaguely remember the amazing Hyde INT in the playoffs last year went something like “Mac throws it deep. And it’s caught. Oh wait. Maybe Hyde got it? Yes, Hyde got it, interception.”  Just … meh.

 

What is everyone else’s opinion? Do you agree with my take or are you a Murph fan?

 

Anyway, if you have the stomach for it, this is a great radio call to listen to, even if it was at our expense:

 

 

this guy is right up there with Greg Papa (former CNY guy) who did the raiders for years and now does the 49ers. His preparation and the way he gets the formations described is very impressive.

 

[Buffaloflash]

Murf is a great announcer!

[Straight Hucklebuck]

Dave Lapham in Cincinnati is like that as well.

 

Cheering as the play is happening. 

[Xwnyer]

11 hours ago, davefan66 said:

I turn down the TV and listen to GR for games.  Can’t stand the TV announcers most of the time.

 

That being said, murph isn’t much of an upgrade.  Misses a ton of calls, calls the wrong player, calls first downs when they are obviously short. I love when he tries to show off his football acumen, only to be corrected by Wood.  Dude is borderline terrible.

 

Who was the dude that filled in for him last year?

Edit: Paul Dottino.  Did a great job.

Agree but rather listen to him and wood versus TV announcers.  

[Johnnyp566]

I wonder who the successor is and do teams ever hire from out of the area for this..like a big name. Have no idea what a salary would be like for this kind of position. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

If you listened to Bills games years ago, Van Miller would run through a whole series of 'thank you's at game end, acknowledging the crew up in the booth and technical staff.  I seem to recall at least two spotters (Dr. Ed Gusevitch being one), who I would guess would pass along info to Miller.  Is it possible that staff has been pared down over the years, leaving the play by play and colour announcers to figure out what's occurring on the field.

Edited November 18, 2022 by Ridgewaycynic2013

[eball]

Murph is by all accounts a super nice guy.  He’s an awful PBP announcer.

 

[Thurman#1]

13 hours ago, Matt_In_NH said:

He has never been good but he is going downhill.  Some key plays he shows like no excitement. And when he gets excited his voice cracks.  Bring in Kevin Harlan please e

 

 

Haven't heard him for years and years after getting NFL Game Pass.

 

So recently I have no idea. But as recently as around ten years ago he was really really good.

[RunTheBall]

Murph is so f’n horrible I have no idea how he keeps that job.

 

I had to listen to the KC game on the radio as I was driving home from Syracuse to RI. He was so horrible I had to change to the Sirius KC feed, and I hate those guys! 

 

While listening to Murph, I had absolutely no idea what was going on in the game. He get’s our own players wrong. He has no idea what actually happens on a play (It’s a TD!!! No wait, it was dropped at the 10 yard line), he consistently gets the yardage wrong, and if it’s like 3rd and short forget it wait until commercial break to see if they made it. God awful. My listening to him I could not get a picture in my head of what was actually happening on any given play. He’s that bad.

 

 

[May Day 10]

If/when Murphy retires, I hope they dont go the route of that dummy for Minnesota or have someone in like Ron Wolfley for Arizona.  I get being a homer, but yelling and screaming, calling the team "us" and "we", and taunting the other players over the air is terrible.

 

Van Miller used to paint the scene so well.  Down, distance, direction, formation, fluidity of the play, distance, player names, etc.  It was all given in such a clear manner.  His voice and delivery would subtly change at important points of the game to give an air of urgency.  What a gem, we were so lucky.

 

Murphy's voice is alright.  I like the guy and don't think he is embarrassingly bad.  You can definitely do a lot better though.  He fails at all those things Van Miller used to nail.  

Edited November 18, 2022 by May Day 10

[damj]

I haven't listened to a game call in forever

[thenorthremembers]

Its 2022 about to be 2023, why does anyone care how the radio announcer sounds?  Cant stream it legally, and most of the time the radio isnt in sync with the TV broadcast.  

 

I may be in the minority, but I cant even stand to listen to the TV announcers let alone the radio call.     That said, if I had my choice, and the radio was in sync with the TV, I'd turn off most of the guys on TV to listen to Murph and Wood.

 

Otherwise, I feel like arguing the ability of a radio announcer in 2022 is akin to asking who the best Chimney Sweep is.