Did the U.S. open seal Azinger's fate?

[mosesgolf]

David Duval would be a great replacement for Zinger. 

[3whacker]

11 minutes ago, mosesgolf said:

David Duval would be a great replacement for Zinger. 

I think he is the best golf analyst in the business, but unfortunately both he a Justin Leonard are trying to get one last shot at the Champions Tour while they are physically able

[mstuewe]

For the people that like Azinger, what did you like?  Truthfully, all I ever noticed him say was how much pressure the player was under.  Hit a great shot?  That player handled the pressure.  Hit a bad shot?  Pressure got to him.  I dont remember any analysis.  It got to the point that during the Ryder cup, between him and the commercial load I grabbed a VPN and signed up for Sky Sports.  the Sky Sports broadcast wasn’t amazing, but it was enjoyable and I felt the announcers took a back seat to the on course action.

[DLBTide7]

16 hours ago, the bishop said:

Azinger sucks. Thank God he's gone. 

Agreed. But I will always be grateful for his Ryder Cup Captaincy. 

[cardoustie]

We need AI to put Alliss and Miller in the booth

[Louis_Posture]

1 hour ago, mstuewe said:

For the people that like Azinger, what did you like?  Truthfully, all I ever noticed him say was how much pressure the player was under.  

Azinger sometimes talked about lines of play options for players out of position, bunker technique for particular players, club selection from tee boxes, practice routines he used during his playing days etc...

[Titleist99]

1 hour ago, mstuewe said:

For the people that like Azinger, what did you like?  Truthfully, all I ever noticed him say was how much pressure the player was under.  Hit a great shot?  That player handled the pressure.  Hit a bad shot?  Pressure got to him.  I dont remember any analysis.  It got to the point that during the Ryder cup, between him and the commercial load I grabbed a VPN and signed up for Sky Sports.  the Sky Sports broadcast wasn’t amazing, but it was enjoyable and I felt the announcers took a back seat to the on course action.

I think that you're obsessing over the Analysts a little too much. No matter who they replace him with you'll pay far too much attention to the chatter instead of the wonderful golf being played.....If you're entertained by the golf, you won't even remember who the commentators were ..... JMO

[Ferguson]

1 hour ago, DLBTide7 said:

Agreed. But I will always be grateful for his Ryder Cup Captaincy. 

 

Grateful, really?

 

 

 

[Titleist99]

1 hour ago, cardoustie said:

We need AI to put Alliss and Miller in the booth

Two of my favorites and two of the best.....

 

but I'm pretty sure that WRXers will find something about them to trash....🙂

[Ferguson]

1 hour ago, cardoustie said:

We need AI to put Alliss and Miller in the booth

 

And an AI enabled Renton Laidlaw for on-course commentary.   

No one, I mean no one called it better at The Qatar Masters. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ferguson]

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like this guy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Didn't quite make it to 6 years, did you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phil, Zinger and Amy in Elvis glasses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perhaps too much for a single post? 

 

 

 

[Titleist99]

38 minutes ago, Louis_Posture said:

Azinger sometimes talked about lines of play options for players out of position, bunker technique for particular players, club selection from tee boxes, practice routines he used during his playing days etc...

100%....And a host of other things that help put the viewer in the player's shoes, if only briefly.

 

Most people watch golf to be entertained, to learn strategy and hopefully get a little better through technique. Take that out of the commentary and let the rest roll off your back......

[Obee]

4 hours ago, 3whacker said:

I think Colin Montgomery is the best golf analyst in the business, but unfortunately both he a Justin Leonard are trying to get one last shot at the Champions Tour while they are physically able

FIFY ....

[mosesgolf]

Imo Zinger was a good announcer.  Perhaps not great but good.  Plus Ill always like him for his 1993 PGA Championship win over the Mr Gag job in final rounds at Majors.  😂 And his Ryder Cup captaincy. 

[Duct Tape]

3 minutes ago, mosesgolf said:

Imo Zinger was a good announcer.  Perhaps not great but good.  Plus Ill always like him for his 1993 PGA Championship win over the Mr Gag job in final rounds at Majors.  😂 And his Ryder Cup captaincy. 

Forgot about that. Azinger birdies 4 coming in and beats Greg N in sudden death. All of a sudden I’m a bigger fan!

[farmer]

3 hours ago, Titleist99 said:

Two of my favorites and two of the best.....

 

but I'm pretty sure that WRXers will find something about them to trash....🙂

Johnny Miller was roundly trashed during his TV tenure.  DD is my choice albeit a dark horse.

[mosesgolf]

14 minutes ago, Duct Tape said:

Forgot about that. Azinger birdies 4 coming in and beats Greg N in sudden death. All of a sudden I’m a bigger fan!

Oh forgot about his bunker hole out at the Memorial on 18th hole final round to beat Payne Stewart.  I read that Payne put sand inside Zingers shoes in the locker room after that.  Those two were bros of the highest order.   

[Titleist99]

10 minutes ago, farmer said:

Johnny Miller was roundly trashed during his TV tenure.  DD is my choice albeit a dark horse.

Of course, Miller was trashed constantly for being overly critical of the players.

 

And how many times did Johnny mention someone choking during every telecast.....🙂

[golfheaven69]

Enjoyed Zinger. Some hate everyone. 

[st1800e]

6 minutes ago, golfheaven69 said:

Enjoyed Zinger. Some hate everyone. 

And some enjoy some announcers more than others.  

[mstuewe]

9 hours ago, Titleist99 said:

I think that you're obsessing over the Analysts a little too much. No matter who they replace him with you'll pay far too much attention to the chatter instead of the wonderful golf being played.....If you're entertained by the golf, you won't even remember who the commentators were ..... JMO

I honestly dont know the names of the people in the CBS booth right now.  I dont know the lpga announcers either.  I like Tirico when he is on.  I only notice repetitive nonsense and that’s what Zinger brought.

[ChrisL52188]

Honestly people forget Paul Azinger had cancer 30 years ago and he beat that. I am sure Paul knows important that was to his life and career and he won that battle. So I am sure Paul will be all right from this lay off. People love to criticize Paul but he already won the most important thing in life.

 

How would anyone else feel if they had cancer in prime years?  Everything Paul did is a bonus after his cancer.

Edited November 21, 2023 by ChrisL52188

[ChrisL52188]

6 hours ago, mosesgolf said:

Oh forgot about his bunker hole out at the Memorial on 18th hole final round to beat Payne Stewart.  I read that Payne put sand inside Zingers shoes in the locker room after that.  Those two were bros of the highest order.   

Absolutely. Paul and Payne were awesome together. Honestly if Payne were alive today, I can see Paul and Payne in broadcasting for sure together.

[dcfas]

On 11/19/2023 at 6:47 PM, chillybilly said:

 

It's been reported by multiple sources that was the desired/intended path for Phil prior to the LIV/gambling mess.

 

He would have made Johnny Miller look like Mr Rogers and he would have been 100x more entertaining in the process.

 

I am not convinced that Phil can't end up in that role - his degree of separation from the Tour would make him fearless in his criticism but obviously his name is mud at Tour HQ and they would likely veto his hiring.

No doubt Lefty would be amazing in the tower. But I think he would need some distance from the tour, maybe another five years. LIV has provided some of that, but I’m guessing Phil probably still feels too big for the booth.

[bladehunter]

Can’t wait to see who they replace him with.  And I’d bet 1000 % it’s way worse hire than what you had.  

[TiScape]

Reading this I’m picking up that a lot of WRXers don’t like Azinger… I Had no clue. 
 

 

🤣

[golfgirlrobin]

Would really like to see either Montgomerie or Justin Leonard get a shot. I think either might give up playing if offered the big chair.

 

I’m a little afraid it’ll be Faxon. Liked him very much at first but I don’t feel like he’s worn very well. The guys who coach also have a conflict of interest that really shouldn’t be acceptable.
 

I know people like Duval, but you have to pull words out of him and I don’t think that makes for a natural color guy.

 

 

[TiScape]

12 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Can’t wait to see who they replace him with.  And I’d bet 1000 % it’s way worse hire than what you had.  

And WRXers will 💯 start a thread about how much they can’t stand ‘em! 

[grm24]

Per SI.com Azinger was set to come back next year until Comcast/NBC lowballed him on his salary. Curt Byrum will be the lead analyst for Tiger's Hero event.

 

According to sources, Azinger was not fired but was actually in the middle of contract negotiation on a new deal. Parties had agreed on both a schedule for the 2024 season and other terms on a new one-year contract before a formal offer that included the financial terms was presented to the broadcaster.

 

Those terms were less than Azinger’s current contract on an annual basis that he signed in fall 2018 when he replaced Johnny Miller as lead golf analyst. Azinger decided to counter the offer, which is when he learned from longtime agent Rich Braund that NBC instead decided to go in a different direction and not renew his contract.

 

Then there is this.

 

So, was this a cost cutting move by Comcast-owned NBC?

In the same period of time that the decision was made on Azinger, Comcast-owned Golf Channel let go of 15-year veteran producer Brandt Packer as well as a coordinating and field producer. 

 

“Everything they've done is to make the telecast less expensive,” said a source familiar with the operations. “They're not out to make it better for the viewer. There are more commercials, they're cutting speed cameras, cutting drones, they don't have a blimp or an airplane for overhead shots.”

 

Next week’s Hero World Challenge will take place without Azinger and instead Curt Byrum with be in the lead analyst chair for Tiger Woods's return to competitive golf.

Edited November 21, 2023 by grm24

[Chunkitgood]

He got to where his face is not one people like to watch on tv.  Golf announcers can be old, they can be overweight, but this guy just looks like he went to seed.