Comments on: Approval Ratings – Gil Santos

By: Paul Donahue

Paul Donahue — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:28:11 +0000

Gil was a reporter whom I enjoyed listening to every day on WBZ…and his Patriots play by play was still very solid. He will be missed! One only has to tune into his replacement on WBZ, Bob Lobel, to realize what we have lost. We’ve gone from steak to hamburger or maybe a Sloppy Joe!

By: Mike F

Mike F — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:28:06 +0000

Try listening to the broadcasters that do the broadcasts for the Dolphins, Cowboys and Indy. There is no greater way to appreciate what we have in Gil than to compare him to the truly aweful broadcasters that are out there. Gil is about the sport, the team, the game. You listen to him and he doesn’t take over the game, he enhances it. I agree that he may not be as sharp as he once was, but in my book he is still tops.

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:13:00 +0000

Assuming for a split second this is even true, then why is “flashboy in the morning” always using any opportunity or excuse to rip or take a contrarian position relative to the Pats?

By: Char

Char — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:19:55 +0000

“It’s good! It’s good! It’s good!”

Greatest. Call. Ever.

I don’t care if he’s lost a step. He’s comfort food for the New England Patriots fan. APPROVE!

By: Lyle

Lyle — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:44:53 +0000

Shout out APPROVE!!!

The more I understand and appreciate the Pats, their history and their divisional opponents, the more I love his broadcasts. Their depth of knowledge of the Pats and their opponents greatly exceeds the television networks and their insight is terrific. I just wish I could synch the timing better with the TV broadcasts.

By: Joan

Joan — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:30:51 +0000

Clearly Tom doesn’t watch the TV broadcast. Dick Enberg misidentifies EVERYONE.

By: Joan

Joan — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:28:33 +0000

I guess I’m too late to vote but approve, approve approve.

By: James

James — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:58:43 +0000

APPROVE for his overall career and ability to call a game… APPROVE for his iconic TD calls.

But DISAPPROVE going foward, his time has come and gone… too old to call games anymore. Anyone who heard the end of the Ravens game this past season knows exactly what I’m talking about. The most exciting ending of any game of the season, and Gil MISSES the game winning touchdown, calls it as :

GIL : “Aannnnnnnnnnd…. Brady just heaves it up and throws it out of bounds.”

GINO : “Touchdown.”

GIL : “Touchdown ? ……… (someone obviously tells him what happens in his ear) Touchdown Tom Brady ! … Gino, my view was obstructed… from where we are I couldn’t see it…”

M&T stadium is less than a decade old, I highly doubt they built the visiting broadcast booth with an obstructed view of one of the endzones. And even if that is the case, how then did Gino see it ?

That’s just the most glaring example of it… it’s not just missed names and numbers anymore… listen to a game and follow the play on tv, Gil can’t follow the action very well any more and is miss-calling plays because of it. As much as I hate to say it, it’s time for Gil (and Gino) to hang it up.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:31:52 +0000

Scott,

Not trying to argue here and my last post came off that way. That was my mistake. I have only heard Gil in the last few years, so that’s what I’m basing my opinion on because that’s all I have to go by. I certainly respect your opinion and that of anyone else who feels differently.

By: media-tor

media-tor — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:15:55 +0000

I also approve of Gil’s dulcet tones, but in the interest of full disclosure it should be noted that during Vinatieri’s 48-yard FG in SB XXXVI Gil originally called it a 47-yarder, but NFL Films has since edited the call so it sounds seamless and that’s how we now always remember it.

Agree with all those who say Gil could use a better color analyst (Gino’s best days are long gone and hard to find). As for WBZ Newsradio, it jumped the proverbial shark when they lost both Gary LaPierre and Jay McQuade and let Tom Cuddy work at least three bad puns into every afternoon sportscast. But props to Doug Kope, former WHYN radio news director a generation ago and still going strong.