Analyzing the Analysts: Improving on the Wildly Successful ASP Webcasts

NOTABLE MENTIONS

MIKE PARSONS: Great with technical analysis, solid competitive background but a straight-laced company man to the bitter end. He knows how to walk the fine line, and his sincerity lacks because of it. During those crucial moments of analysis, what Snips is really thinking and what we actually hear are two different things. Parsons is super bright and super articulate and could be surfings version of Johnny Miller if he allowed himself the candor. Doesn’t want to upset the apple cart and that’s understandable.

Pottz and Shmoo: So good they have Secret Service agents.

TODD KLINE: Kline’s good-natured ribbing with co-anchor John Shimooka keeps things light. Kline, like Parsons, is very articulate. Unfortunately for the viewer, like so many of the ASP announcers (the list is long), Kline is too close to the industry to really offer scathing analysis. Again not his fault, just the way it is.

JOHN SIMOOKA: Shmoo is smooth as silk, but If I wanted silk I’d go to India. All stupid jokes aside Shmoo does a great job of setting things up for the viewer. He’s more of an all-star host than a top-notch analyst. These guys are asked to wear both hats, and Shmoo can wear both equally but falls into the ‘bro-brah’ trap, as do they all.

NEEDS SOME GUIDANCE

GREG TOMLINSON: GT, as he is affectionately referred to, is always on ‘full-bore, bro-brah hookups’ with his pals. GT’s energy, excitement and good vibes deserve kudos, but he sounds as if he’s a junior in high school on a limo ride to the prom. GT, feel free to mix in a Valium with your decaf this year.

DINO ANDINO: It sounds as if Peter Townend’s old PSAA announcing days definitely wore off on Andino. Dino could be great because his competitive credentials are incredible, and his son Kolohe’s arrival in the arena can only help with Andino’s insight. Andino needs to relax, and mix it up a little. His biggest problem is that he wants to put on a jersey. If I hear the phrase “committed rail surfing” one more time I’ll simply ride straight into the beach, on all of my waves, for the rest of my life.

NEIL RIDGEWAY: Nice guy, but nothing of critical note will stumble from his lips. He needs to tell us when he sees his Aussie mates drinking too much the night before a heat... and tell us their names for God’s sake. Neil, a little conflict please. No good story is without some. Take off the Rip Curl goggles and enjoy the view that candor and spontaneity offers.

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT INSIGHT

Mike Parsons. Snips could be the best. Instead walks the public relations high wire like Tinkerbell. Has a ski to take care.

PICTURE IN PICTURE: The ASP has played with this a bit and they need more of it. We DO NOT want to see a replay if it means missing the real thing. Show us both via picture-in-picture, and direct it properly (the ‘live’ shot can be the small image unless something of consequence is happening live). Good direction from the “truck” is crucial in this regard.

INTERACTION: More emails from the people. More trivia questions. More online polls. Give the people some ownerships of the broadcast through interaction and you’ll start a viral community. Live chat rooms should be made available and message boards too. The web offers many interactive portals; the ASP needs to take advantage of them more.

(NOTE: I didn’t catch every waking minute of every webcast. These are simply my observations of the webcasts I did watch. I know the ASP crew works their asses off. Congrats on a great year. FYI: I missed the GLOBE Fiji event; away on assignment. But I've always enjoyed Chris Cote's humor and I'm sorry I missed it.)