Enjoyed listening to Bradel on the GC studio shows....but this week at the Phoenix was the first I've heard him as an in-the-booth analsyt. I was impressed. The more I listen to Faldo, the less I get from him on the players / course / tournament play. Obviously BC doesn't have the major (that I guess is the prerequisite of an analyst), but I'd like to see / hear more of him on the weekend on tv telecasts. Thoughts?

Brandle kind of grows you after a while! He is actually my favorite announcer and I am not sure why. Very understated but definitely a pro at what he does. He just has a friendly yet knowledgeable persona and comes across very well, as does Frank Nobilo. Faldo was a great player and does a great job breakdown swings and stuff like that - but he just does not have a bit of personality and warmth IMO.

On the other hand - what can we do to get Andrew Magee barred from TV?

Very short sample but so far I think he's far superior in studio. Last week I thought he was a bit cutesy in the booth, and also too much praise for lower tier players. I'd like to see him paired with Faldo in the booth. Just an impression it might work, some competitiveness bringing out the best of each of them. Chamblee is terrific in studio, one of the best I've seen. Put him alongside Faldo, dissecting various games and it could feature some of the old Faldo/Zinger qualities but minus the post-Ryder Cup awkwardness.

From my impression, Faldo really ups his game when he's paired with another pro on the air. His interviews with Palmer are always insightful and impressive, likewise when he's briefly alongside Miller, and of course the old ABC days with Zinger. But put Faldo in a booth with Kelly or Lerner or even Jim Nantz and he drifts through the telecasts, half goofball and half irrelevant. Although it does appear CBS is challenging him a bit more this year. The new features last week were fairly good, like rolling the chip shots or cutting them off.

da higher ups at the golf channel have been replaced and i guess the new guy in charge is goign to be trying out everyone this to get a feel at where they should be studio etc and that is why you will be seeing the lineup change week to week for who is doing what, the guy in charge wants to make TGC more like an espn or something a little bit better than golf every now and then and alot of infomercials

Who cares that Brandel doesn't have a major. Hell, NBC had MATT MILLEN analyzing the Super Bowl. He was the worst GM for the Detroit Lions in the history of that franchise and he ran that team into the ground. Then NBC goes out and puts him in the booth. Why? Because he sounds like he knows what he is talking about and he sounds knowledgable of the game. It's just like saying a "teaching pro" isn't as qualified as a "tour pro" to teach the game. Well, tour pros generally aren't good teachers, and teachers aren't good pros. Being able to teach the game and play the game are two very different things. When I give people tips, that is all I give them. One swing thought. A teacher is trying to build a process of thoughts with the student. Just like Brandel, who may not be able to play at top level anymore, can make up for that by relating the thoughts and processes easier to the audience. Rather than getting a pro that says, "I just do what I do, because I do it." Thanks, great analysis. I've learned nothing.

imo - faldo plays to the level of his playing partner - er, commentating partner.....lerner and tillman brings marginal stuff - faldo's c game if you will.......zinger and or miller by way of example would bring his A game..........enjoy chamblee quite a bit........imo better in studio (excellent) than in the booth (good to very good).

I like Brandel because he's been there-done that. My world is better now that Kelly is gone. Now if we could just boot Rich Lerner and have Brandel and Faldo in the booth we'd be set.

Is she gone? Is she really gone?

Well, i haven't seen her in the booth in a while. Not sure if she's out of the booth for good or just taking a break from traveling. Would be good if she were a permanent fixture in the studio, because I never watch that anyway.

I can't believe I'm going to do this, but Matt Millen was a very knowledgeable guy for NBC back when they had regular Sunday football. It's part of why he got the gig in Detroit. I'm not saying he was great in Detroit because he wasn't, but I thought he was very good in the booth back in the day.

As for Chamblee, I thought he did a good job in the booth and wouldn't mind seeing him and Faldo paired up.

I think he is very good either way.

Brandel is outstanding. He and Nobilo are my favorites.

Millen was good, and you're right in the fact that he got the Lions GM job because of that insight. However, how come he couldn't translate that into a decent draft pick or a winning season. Maybe because he only can repeat what others are saying and analyze other great moves made by GM's and not actually make a great move himself. Just like a Jim McLean can't actually go out and win golf tournaments with all of his philosophies. He just analyzes what he has seen the greats do, and break it down for people.

I am a fan of the SMU Mustangs. Craig James (who I saw play in high school) was very good in college and a solid pro. He is a fantastic announcer. Eric Dickerson got hosed out of the Heisman and was a Hall of Famer as a pro. He was a train wreck as an announcer. So were Montana and Namath.

It kills me when networks (particularly ESPN) think Hall of Famers are automatically who we want to hear. David Feherty was a mediocre at best golfer, great commentator.

All I want is excellence in the booth, it has little to do with their skill as a player.

In any area this happens. Knowledge doesn't translate into skill. Ever hear of Isaiah Thomas? Hall of Fame player, Hall of Shame GM. Michael Jordan hasn't exactly lit it up. Your argument about Jim McLean makes no sense. If that's your argument why aren't any of the great teachers taking their theories to the course and making it big? Why aren't pitchers the best hitters if they know the mechanics of a pitch better than anyone? Like onebulldogs said, excellence in the booth is what it's about and not past skill.

Brandel C. is easy on the ears in any spot they put him in. His stock is gonna rise in the corporate shuffle.

Faldo has too many marbles in his mouth...half the time I have to REALLY concentrate to understand what he is saying. He has some good things to say but lately way to much flirty blabber with the now deposed (mostly) Kelley. I thought his turn on that GC show Playing With the Pros was excellent, so you know he has it in him. He needs to hang out with the Euro announcers and learn to keep it short and sweet. A N N U N C I A T E !

That guy Byrum from the Nationwide is also easy on the ears.

Could it be! Can I stop playing XM on my computer when the Golf Channel is on?

I,m with Onebulldogs. I think BC and Frank N are excellent. They don't talk at you and they think about what they are saying. Maybe the ABC crew could take note. Quality rather than quantity Mike.

Love Brandel! Wish we saw more of him.
Like Kelly. She's okay.

But I turn off the sound when Rich Lerner opens his mouth. If he's in the booth with Faldo, I listen to music and watch the channel muted.

Big fan of Brandel, just a matter of time til one of the major networks pick him up.

Kelly wears me out and think she needs to be gone.

Golf Channel does a great job with their coverage just way too many commercials..even with golf central, its 10 mins of substance and 20 of commercials or promos!

Well, I'm obviously in the minority here, but Chamblee is a tool. I caddied for a friend on the tour and this guy was an idiot.

He's had more than one run in with tour players and the restaurant incident with Vijay is classic. He knows nothing of the golf swing and I just cringe when he tries to break things down.

I agree with everyone else, Tilghmans got to go, Rich Lerner is way better but is a Jack Whitaker wanna be. Frank Nobilo is a stud, nobody likes Nick Faldo. The best guy they have is Curt Byrum, calls it like he sees it.

OK, let me have it.

Okay...here you go Derek!

Not sure about the reference to Brandel and Vijay - my understanding was that Vijay was at fault in that incident, but you are implying it was BC. Didn't Vijay give Brandel "a rude gesture" in a restaurant after Brandel wasn't too impressed with Vijay's views on Annika playing on the PGA? From my perspective, this is classic Vijay, not classic Brandel.

If the incident was as you describe it, my respect for Brandel Chamblee just increased a lot. Especially if he confronted him about it.

Despite the St. Jude stuff on the commercials, my impression of Vijay Singh is that he is out for himself, and doesn't mind taking some advantage when he feels he can get away with it. Not a fan.

Brandel = creepy... especially during that "Glenlivet" hour.