Arlo White Officially Joins NBC Sports Group
by Dave Clark on Nov 30, 2011 10:34 AM PST
in Major League Soccer: News & Analysis
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PrintAny dreams that Seattle Sounders fans had that the Arlo White to MLS on NBC thing was going to fall apart is gone. The loss for the Seattle Sounders and its fans will be the gain of MLS and the United States national team. White's comments on twitter today clearly show an appreciation for the team, the players and the fans.
In the press release from NBC he makes it even more clear to the national audience.
"It is a tremendous honor for me to join the NBC Sports Group, an organization that I have revered from afar for many years," said White. "I am extremely passionate about the future of Major League Soccer, and this partnership with NBC will provide a huge boost for the sport in the United States. I am very proud to have been called up to play a major role in it.
"I am indebted to the Seattle Sounders FC and the club's wonderful fans," White added. "Joe Roth and Adrian Hanauer provided me with an opportunity for which I will always be grateful. It was a privilege to serve as the voice of the Sounders, and I thank the supporters for giving me such a warm welcome."
White's weekly radio show with Gas and Hot Shot Scott on KJRAM (950AM & 102.9FM) is expected to continue next season to quote Gas "I know good radio." So Seattle fans will still get some of his insight into the team and the league.
Also announced in the release from NBC is the first game they will carry. It will not be the Sounders, nor the Los Angeles Galaxy, but instead it will be one of the Sunday March 11 games. This means that the first national game on the new network with Arlo White doing play-by-play will feature either Chivas USA or FC Dallas. While nabbing Arlo is great for NBC the game selection is a bit lacking for a season opener.
Here's a classic Arlo call to relive the magic. It's the late Fucito winner against KC.
Jeremiah and myself will miss seeing Arlo at practices as much as we miss his calls of the game. We will also never be able to thank him enough for his time when he came to Temple Billiards for the Q&A with you.
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Congrats to Arlo
A well-deserved promotion to the big stage.
Does this mean that he’s also #bigtime?
"It's scintillating, it's sensational, it's Seattle Sounders FC soccer."
by LoiteringWithIntent on Nov 30, 2011 10:39 AM PST reply actions
I bet he'll be pleased not having to do DQ commercials within matches, though.
by Kirsten Schlewitz on Nov 30, 2011 10:45 AM PST reply actions
I bet he'll miss them...
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Nov 30, 2011 1:47 PM PST up reply actions
I know this is great for MLS as a whole
and Arlo deserved it, but I’m really bummed about this. Arlo was an amazing voice for the team. Feels like losing a friend even though I’ve never met the guy.
"The fans are excited. And the stadium, well, it ignites with explosion."
by DarthGreedo on Nov 30, 2011 11:08 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
It's a bitter pill to swallow, but the silver lining is that NBC gets truly top-notch announcing for this extremely important period for the league
It’s one of those “take one for the team” moments for Sounders fans, but boy will he be missed.
Does this mean we’re back to Kevin Calabro?! I kid, I kid.
Jebus freaking tebow christ
I hope not.
by luckystriker on Nov 30, 2011 11:31 AM PST up reply actions
Harkes?
Sorry, that’s not even funny.
by chrisperry1983 on Nov 30, 2011 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
What a terrible offseason so far.
Riley, Wahl, now Terry Boss retiring and Arlo leaving. Come on, Sounders, help me out with some good news here.
Seriously.
All bad news all the time. Its like we’re the freaking Mariner’s or something.
"The fans are excited. And the stadium, well, it ignites with explosion."
by DarthGreedo on Nov 30, 2011 11:23 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
I really have to disagree that the offseason has been so terrible
Riley and Boss are the only players we’ve lost so far that we didn’t give up voluntarily. Losing Riley hurts, but it’s not impossible given his $90K in salary to find someone comparable. I feel personally bad for Boss, but it’s not likely he’d have gotten a ton of playing time next year and there’ s no guarantee he would have made the roster over Ford and Meredith after they fought it out in training camp.
Losing Arlo hurts, but I have faith the Sounders will find a replacement who isn’t terrible, and in the end I care more about how the team plays than how the team is described by the announcer. Also, if Arlo can create more MLS fans nation-wide, his move to NBC could potentially help us out in the long run, given the single entity nature of the league. As we are reminded this time of the year, it’s better to give than to receive.
Mauro's getting re-signed
That’s amazing news.
by nicktjacob on Nov 30, 2011 11:36 AM PST up reply actions 3 recs
And at something close to the salary he deserves!
I still feel pretty demoralized, though. Can we have an Arlo wake or something?
by Kenneth Jung on Nov 30, 2011 11:37 AM PST up reply actions
I hope to see some gigantic Arlo tifo
for the first NBC nationally televised game here.
by Patrick N on Nov 30, 2011 11:56 AM PST up reply actions 10 recs
Perhaps covering the entirety of the Hawks Nest?
Reading:
“You helped make this possible. WE will NOT see better than that!”
if this doesn't say THANKS FOR THE REDQULOUS MEMORIES, ARLO the ECS have failed.
They need to do everything in their power to get Arlo to crack up on air, because every game he’s a wall of awesome professionalism. Rib him!
I'm sorry?
Riley got picked in the expansion draft and then traded. If you’re implying that he had some part in keeping himself off of the protected list, then maybe you have some knowledge that I don’t; but in either case his departure is still a loss to me, a fan.
by Kenneth Jung on Nov 30, 2011 12:34 PM PST up reply actions
Well he has a brother, right?
Thanks for the calls and memories, Arlo. (I feel like I’ve been thanking too many people for their service recently)
Go banana!
Its a great reward for Arlo who deserved it.
And its a slap in our face being new york’s b—ch yet again as usual. Hateful.
Who can we possibly get to take his place?
Seattle has developed a certain standard of quality for their broadcasts and its not going to be easy to live up to.
"The fans are excited. And the stadium, well, it ignites with explosion."
What pisses me off about this
is that Arlo, being the professional he is, will have to be neutral when calling any games the Sounders play.
I imagine he won’t be able to freak out and give us those calls that we love so much.
by butterGlory on Nov 30, 2011 12:08 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
He'll try to be neutral
If I had to guess though, I’d say some of his old ways may leak out from time to time.
Somebody needs to go back and watch the Hassli goal again...
He’s perfectly capable of being neutral.
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Nov 30, 2011 3:22 PM PST up reply actions
Yes, he can call a neutral game
and that is what bums me out.
I would rather listen to “It’s scintillating! It’s sensational!! It’s Seattle Sounders Soccer!!” Hopefully we can make him lose his cool a little.
Officially not an Arlo fan anymore
I’m not denying that he the best, I’m just saying I feel scorned. I think he deserves our gratitude for a couple great years here, but he does NOT deserve our unabashed head-nodding and back patting for every decision he makes from now on. He’s no longer on our side.
FRIMPONG ought always be written in full caps #DEEEEEEENCH
I never consider
announcers on my side. I just think he is a great announcer and that is true regardless of who his employer is.
You didn't consider Niehaus on the Mariners' side?
FRIMPONG ought always be written in full caps #DEEEEEEENCH
by Kyle Ritter on Nov 30, 2011 12:17 PM PST up reply actions
I do not consider
baseball a sport worth listening to.
But yeah… he is a mariner fan. And I suspect Arlo is a Sounder fan. But my point is I like Arlo because he is good at announcing, not because he seems to like the team that he was paid to announce for.
Dude...
Niehaus, at the very least, MADE baseball worth listening to.
by Agent_J on Nov 30, 2011 2:04 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
This
I grew up with Bob Murphy on the Mets, who was my gold standard, and all I ever heard from my wife who is a die-hard Mariners fan from birth is NIEHAUS NIEHAUS NIEHAUS. He was special. Grand salami? Awesome call on par with Murph’s awesome radio home run calls, which usually went like this, said in the most relaxed, sedate radio voice you can imagine:
“Hit deep, it may be going, let’s watch… (pause) home run.”
Totally opposite sides of the coin, and I grew up with the idiot but funny hysterics of Yankees announcers on one side, and Murphy on the other, who just quietly told you everything good and awesome about baseball, like he was your ancient grandpa. Niehaus, though, was that storyteller… who would sometimes flip his shit for the Mariners in awesome fashion.
Kind of like Arlo.
Counterpoint:
Mike Blowers is “on the Mariners’ side” but he is bad, so I do not like him.
by Aaron Campeau on Nov 30, 2011 12:27 PM PST up reply actions
Fair enough.
But I’d rather listen to the inane tag-team of Fairley and Blowers than some disinterested blowhards like Joe Buck. That’s all I’m saying. Arlo had the potential to be a Calabro/Niehaus-type legend in this community. I’m sad—and, I guess bitter—that he didn’t choose to do so.
FRIMPONG ought always be written in full caps #DEEEEEEENCH
by Kyle Ritter on Nov 30, 2011 12:41 PM PST up reply actions
But it's not either or.
You can be excellent and neutral.
by Aaron Campeau on Nov 30, 2011 12:43 PM PST up reply actions
Right, but to be a legend in a community
you have to be excellent AND at least slightly biased. A la Niehaus. Blowers is never going to get a road named after him or be painted on that bar in Walligford. But Arlo could have, ya know? Just potential that didn’t realize, and it was his choosing. So I’m butt hurt about it
FRIMPONG ought always be written in full caps #DEEEEEEENCH
by Kyle Ritter on Nov 30, 2011 12:46 PM PST up reply actions
I understand
It would have been cool for him to be a local legend but I do not think anyone can blame him for going on to bigger things.
I like Arlo because he's tremendous at his job, not because he is or was "on our side"
by Aaron Campeau on Nov 30, 2011 12:26 PM PST up reply actions 10 recs
Agreed
Blatant homers bug me. The WSU football announcing crew is a prime example.
by look4wrd on Nov 30, 2011 12:27 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
I think there's a fine line...
Between openly rooting for your team and clearly having a rooting interest.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
by Jeremiah Oshan on Nov 30, 2011 2:20 PM PST up reply actions
Agreed
I mean, he was employed by the Sounders so he had to cheer for them at least a little. To be fair his call on Hassli’s goal was genuine excitement.
Go banana!
Arlo was no where near a blatant homer
Have you listened to a broadcast with those jokers that call DC or Revs games? Totally ignore the opposition goals and continue talking about other crap. Those are blatant homers. They don’t even try.
It is definitely obvious that he had a vested interest in the Sounders, but he always got almost equally excited about the other teams great plays.
What has changed
I used to want as few national broadcasts as possible. Now I want as many as possible.
by lysander on Nov 30, 2011 12:16 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
John Harkes ↔ Arlow White
Sounders 'til I die
by SounderJunkie on Nov 30, 2011 12:19 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
Arlo handles everything with class
No reason why we can’t handle his accepting a huge opportunity the same way.
Nos audietis in somniis, Nos audietis in altum: You will hear us!
by chrisso on Nov 30, 2011 12:16 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
I'm hoping SSFC finds
the soccer equivalent of Mike Curto, an up and coming announcer, passionate, knowledge, humorous and friendly.
by look4wrd on Nov 30, 2011 1:08 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
They did.
His name is Arlo White
I met a possum.
by s0merand0mdude on Nov 30, 2011 3:25 PM PST up reply actions
Getting ready to interview Arlo at 2:15
If you have questions shoot them to me now.
Editor/writer at Sounder at Heart, MLS editor SB Nation. Follow me on Twitter. You'll Never Yacht Alone.
Does your brother have any broadcasting experience?
If not, are four months enough to help him get the hang of things?
This is actually a question for anyone that knows...
Does Arlo have a house/apartment in Seattle? If so, is he going to keep it?
Ask him if NBC is going to insist on having a broadcast partner? (please no)
If they are going to insist, can he pull some strings to make it Nick Webster?
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Nov 30, 2011 2:02 PM PST up reply actions
Suddenly, I think this was NBC's vision all along.
No wonder they have White’s voice at the end of the MLS promo they released a few months ago.
Sucks to lose Arlo. You know what really doesn't suck though?
Knowing that in a few months we get to see Rosales, Zak, Montero, and Ochoa/OBW on the field at the same time
THAT, is rid-q-ulous!.
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Nov 30, 2011 1:58 PM PST reply actions
Hopefullly, barring additional complications with Zak/White/Rosales.
Four of those Five missed time with some moderate-severe injuries, Rosales’ being the least worrisome.
Any chance the Sounders can throw their life savings at Ian Darke?
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
I don't want someone who hates the league
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
Huh? I don't think he hates the league. He hates some of the things MLS does.
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
He hates rainbows. Oh, and puppies, he hates puppies too!
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Nov 30, 2011 2:07 PM PST up reply actions
He probably hates John Harkes
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
by SSreporters on Nov 30, 2011 2:09 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
A announce that shows little regard for players' names and abilities as Darke
Doesn’t think highly of the League. He seems aloof and disinterested. He’s clearly not a fan, which is fine. He was signed by ESPN to do EPL games.
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
That's on ESPN then
For just randomly assigning him MLS games when he does nothing in the regular season.
I respect your opinion even though it's wrong.
Random
LIke the MLS CUp Final
I am not a Supporter | I am not a Fan | I am a Sounder
Sounder At Heart
U.S. and France are kicking off right now btw.
by DaveValleDrinkNight on Nov 30, 2011 2:05 PM PST reply actions
I rarely watch non-league matches anymore, save for a 8 year-old's "games"
Watching this, compared to watching Sounders matches, is like golf.
That might not be a revelation to most, but regardless…
I'm still a bit bummed by this, but...
as with all the rest of us, I’m excited to see Arlo doing the national stuff. To me, it shows that at least NBC has some good judgment in this, and is going all out… “Who’s the best soccer announcer in the country? Let’s get him now,” is a great mentality, instead of what we’ve been getting broadcast-wise from ESPN and FSC. Beyond that is the fact that Arlo will make me watch games I would not have otherwise watched and put a real MLS fan in the seat.
What has me in a decent mood about this, though, is the realization that the club had the good judgment to bring over Arlo in the first place (“hey, let’s bring a cricket announcer over” is not exactly an easy call… they had to have done good work scouting him), so I trust that they will continue that level of quality in finding his replacement. Good thing is that there is still a little bit of time before the season, and just like the eventuality of a Fredy leaving, the club had to expect that a right-thinking national concern would try and pick up Arlo and begin scouting alternatives for the future.
I just hope that we got a decent transfer fee for him.
You do all the work for us, Honey Badger, and we'll just eat whatever you find.
In the interview with Seattle Times
He said he gave the team a few names of guys he recommended for the job, and that they had a list of their own that they were working with.
They had to know this was coming
I trust our FO, all a prospective announcer would have to do is look at our highlight reel over the past few years to get excited about coming here to call matches.
Go banana!
What game was that -- road game, I believe...
…where Arlo said something to the effect of, “Well that was a terrible call by the officials,” waited a beat, and then quietly added something like, “But not that anyone asked me.”
It’s stuff like that which makes Arlo awesome, because unlike most patronizing announcers, he does the role of objective sports journalist as well. He’s not just a play by play or color man. He tends to tell it like it is, and is hilarious to boot.
Hear Andy Gray's looking for a job
yuk yuk yuk
FRIMPONG ought always be written in full caps #DEEEEEEENCH
Two hours of Arlo
"No homo" ?
If you have to reassure yourself then that is your deal man. :-)
But I highly doubt anyone here cares what you do with your genitals.
Thanks for sharing the podcasts!
by butterGlory on Nov 30, 2011 10:18 PM PST up reply actions
Seattle Inventions
Glad to see MLS and NBC acknowledging the latest of our many inventions. Here’s a list of our previous inventions:
2009:
- Soccer
- Selling out every game of the season
- Making the playoffs as an MLS 2.0 expansion team (though a hat tip to Chicago in MLS 1.0)
- Giving a crap about the USOC
2010:
- Giving a crap about the CCL
- Host a USOC final with attendance > MLS Cup
2011:
- How to embarrass 2 rivals in the same season
- 3-peats
- Quality play-by-play in American Soccer
You’re welcome MLS.
Anyone else have additions to the list?
by K61 on Nov 30, 2011 6:36 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
First round exits.
Let’s not start fellating ourselves quite yet, shall we?
by Steen on Nov 30, 2011 6:46 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
You obviously don't listen to Nos Audietes
They throw outrageous claims like this around all the time. It’s a joke. Of course we didn’t invent soccer or any of those things (well maybe some of them actually). Obviously the humor was lost on you.
I admit, with the word you used, I actually had to look it up before I was fully insulted by the comment. Thanks for completely missing the point.
by K61 on Dec 1, 2011 10:47 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
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