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A shining moment for Mike Goldberg
By Zach Arnold | May 29, 2007
Mike Goldberg has taken his fair share of criticism from hardcore MMA fans online for his announcing work. Some of it is fair and some of it is not fair. However, this video clip illustrates a big blunder by Goldberg during the ring introductions for the Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Chuck Liddell fight. About two minutes into the clip, Goldberg is trying to put over Rampage’s first win against Liddell in the PRIDE ring — which happened on November 9th, 2003 at the Tokyo Dome in the PRIDE ring. In a rush to try to put over Rampage’s first win over Liddell, Goldberg says: “And in January or November of 2005, he beat Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell.”
The embarassment of this blunder was compounded by the fact that ESPN on television, since Saturday night, has been displaying graphical video packages displaying the correct information about the fight history between Rampage & Liddell.
Topics: Media, MMA, PRIDE, UFC, Zach Arnold | 22 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
That was a big blunder, but in general Mike Goldberg does a lot more good than bad. Also, ESPN has gotten things correct except for the fact that when they showed clips of Saturday night’s on ESPN and ESPNEWS on Monday, it said in the corner “PrideFC” (as in footage provided by PrideFC), even though it was video from their UFC fight, not their Pride fight.
Yeah, I caught that Goldberg remark…it was humorous. Goldberg makes alot of mistakes and just says awkward things sometimes — “HIS EYE IS ROCKED!” — but overall, I think he’s done a fine job. Looking at PRIDE and every other promotion out there, it’s clearly hard to find announcers who both know MMA and know how to do sports play-by-play/commentary.
It certainly wasn’t any worse that Rogan accidentally calling Nick Diaz an “MMA faggot”. 🙂
Goldberg along with Rogan is the voice of the UFC. He does a great job and is allowed to make mistakes every now and then. Like he said above, he does MUCH more good than bad. Goldberg for president !!!!!
I’d rather have Mike than Bill.
This is nothing. Goldberg is human, and can make mistakes. Now, if he had called Rampage Ricardo Arona, that would be a blunder.
All in all, Goldy does a great job, and this is much ado about nothing. Can we now go back to wild speculation and conjecture about the “Pride asset sale” and the “handshake at Rappongi Hills ovr 6 weeks ago”?
Mauro > Goldberg! What makes me awkward is how close he speaks into Rogan and Randy’s faces…
If Goldberg says “meteoric rise” in reference to the UFC one more time (or, heck, in reference to anything at all) someone needs to administer a swift punch to his testicles. He uses that expression something like ten times per broadcast. Would someone PLEASE get the guy a dictionary or a crash course in allegories? English isn’t even my native language and I can do better than that. Or maybe it’s some trademarked and/or contractually stipulated catchphrase? If so, it’s even dumber.
I agree on the “meteoric rise” thing. Everyone seems to be riding one compared to his standards.
And personally, I think the ultimate team would be Mauro and Quadros. Bas was good, but he always got on my nerves when he would say “What he needs to do here is ” and his favorite quip about Wanderlei Silva…”he gave up a picture perfect armbar on Sakuraba”
And I don’t like Goldberg that much. Everything is SO DRAMATIC!
Mike is turning into a pile of cliches and exaggerations. I really don’t think Mike really watches MMA at all outside of his UFC work, nor has the passion for the sport that Rogan has. He has his gifts, a great voice and is generally good with saying the lines, which frankly are not things I value in sportscasting. Actually, I prefer his work from the UFC 40 era.
I’m starting to miss Lon McEachern, he did the Goldberg schill job but he seems to have a grasp of reality.
Lon McEachern is good too and was certainly a lot better at the BodogFight job than The Colonel Bob Sheridan.
Also, the UFC 71 fighter salaries are up on MMAWeekly at this URL: http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=4031&zoneid=2
Who cares? He made a mistake. Not even a very noticable or big one at that. Keep up this crap and I’ll make sure to never come back to your site. Your very anti-UFC and its stupid. I’m an MMA fan. I don’t care about the UFC, Pride. I love MMA. Too bad nobody cares what you say on your radio show, they could find an error or three, maybe your jealous. I like the host of fight opinion radio but your a grade A wanker. You must live in west LA or you want too.
Zach, when did this site change from sharp analysis and insight to just making fun of people who make mistakes? So he said 2005 instead of 2003. Maybe he had the right year on his brain and the wrong year came out. Maybe someone was barking so much crap into his headset that he got distracted. Have you never made a mistake in your life?
Zurich is dead on about how close Goldy gets to his booth buddies. It cracks me up, but I have to say, both Rogan and Goldy were on their best behavior the other night and they did a great job. That is what happens when HBO go tells your whole production team to f themselves. I think they know they have to do better and they seemed like they were trying a bit harder to deliver something good, instead of just have a great time for themselves and saying dumb things. Its ok — people make mistakes. Now where the hell is Fedor???
They mentioned the 2003 fight and date a million times during the broadcast. Making a big case about one singler SLIP OF THE TONGUE during the peak of the excitement is pretty damn pointless IMO. He didn’t come off as not knowing the date and it as not something that repeated itself multiple times during the broadcast. If THAT was supposed to be funny or embarrassing to Goldberg in any way I really don’t see it.
On the scale of screw-ups, this is pretty weak, I must say. Mauro made far bigger blunders than this on average (such as miscalling someone (Randleman?) as Rampage, realizing it and then Rampage saying ‘It’s OK, we all look the same, anyway’.) Even adding in that ESPN was reporting it like a hawk, it’s not the blunder that will haunt Goldberg and/or the UFC for generations to come.
You could tell Mauro was never a fan and was doing it for the paycheck. He has to amuse himself by dropping in pro wrestling references and you could tell he was just reading facts from a crib sheet with no genuine insight.
Goldberg is okay for the play by play and the shilling – he can get a bit over the top, but that’s his job.
Rogan has been less annoying as of late, but still has the shrill disagreeable voice and keeps making stupid pronouncements that are proved wrong seconds later.
They could do with a fighter on commentary as Rogan and Goldberg lack the insight from having been there.
I actually think Mauro is a legit fan. He came up with Stampede Wrestling and transitioned to MMA, but keeps tabs on both areas. He’s done a good job (albeit in his annoying pbp voice) with the Fight Network Radio show.
Actually, with the UFC putting on so many shows, perhaps the UFC could do well to mix/split up their broadcast team? I mean, Goldy is pretty annoying, and if I have to listen to him three times in three weeks.. ugh. Dana “wants them all” – so get Mauro, Quadros, Trigg, etc. and split the work between ’em.
I’ve learn to block out Goldberg during the broadcasts so I didn’t even notice what happened. Was it a silly mistake? Yeah, but it’s not that bad and life as we know will continue to go on.
Besides there will be only one idiot who will be forever remembered as the worst announcer in the history of the UFC, hell in the history of all television.
And that’s Brian Kilmeade, the little turd who is now on Fox and Friends.
Ultimate Judu and Sumu!
Bring back Jeff Blatnick.
Bruce Beck wasn’t that bad either.
Any one ever wonder how legendary announcers from the past would have done doing MMA? Guys like Gordon Solie or Howard Cosell.
I could just here Cosell
“Quinton Rampage Jackson a tremendous human interest story”
I think Goldberg does a fine job. Every sportscasters make mistakes and he’s no different.