Johnny Miller vs Ken Venturi

[GolfBookie]

I think that Johnny Miller is the best golf commentator ever. How many of you while standing over an iron to the green ever thought to yourself...."green light situation here?" In contrast, I never got a positive swing thought from Ken Venturi. The Venturi quote that sticks in my mind is "Unless you've been there, you don't know what it's like." Not very inspiring.

Johnny's commentary brings you into the action; Venturi's always reminded you that you were on the outside looking in.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Miller tries to relate what's going on to how amateurs play. "Now pay attention here because this is how you should be doing it," along that line.

Venturi was better at presenting the tournament from the pro's point of view.

It depends on which style you like.

Miller was the first, and maybe still the only one, who calls a spade a spade when someone makes a bonehead decision, or (gasp) chokes.

Cary Middlecoff was a very good announcer, too.

[NI4NI]

I personally like Johhny Miller's style as a commentator.  He has the resume, plus the perceived cockiness / condifence  to state his mind.  I have picked up more tips from JM while watching golf than from anyone else.  I can see why some would dislike him, but it's good by me.

[Kieran123]

I like Nobilo.

Good point of views, interesting, and thinks before he speaks unlike Miller or Chamblee who seem to ramble.....

[Fourputt]

Johnny Miller all the way.  Miller has a forthrightness that puts some people off, but I find it refreshing.

Venturi was ok, but he toed the party line too rigidly.  The only controversy I ever recall from him was the time he nearly went into hysterics when the fans helped Tiger move the boulder.  He still hasn't admitted that he was wrong in ranting that it was against the rules.  Otherwise he was pure vanilla.

[GaijinGolfer]

Anybody but Johnny Miller.  He's downright horrible as a commentator.  Most of the time his ramblings make no sense whatsoever.  He makes Gary McCord seem intelligent by comparison.

I dont doubt that Miller has the experience and credentials to me a good commentator but he doesnt seem to be able to articulate himself very well.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

Johnny Miller all the way.  Miller has a forthrightness that puts some people off, but I find it refreshing.

Venturi was ok, but he toed the party line too rigidly.  The only controversy I ever recall from him was the time he nearly went into hysterics when the fans helped Tiger move the boulder.  He still hasn't admitted that he was wrong in ranting that it was against the rules.  Otherwise he was pure vanilla.

Let's not paint one guy as a loon for having an issue with that particular incident. I taped over comments made by Miller et al during this years WGC match play event that seemed to echo Venturi's general impression of the event.

[Bigtank]

David Feherty....all the way, and Nantz a second.  Miller and Venturi are douche bags!

[Blades4me]

I'll take Johnny, the rest are PC pukes.

Yeah Johnny is such a poor golf commentator. Thats why NBC has had him do the golf for some many years.

[dbuck]

I like Miller fine. His candor is edgy sometimes, but honest.

This is the 25th anniversary of Nicklaus's Masters victory, and the CBS crew on that telecast did an outstanding job of conveying the emotion and electricity of that event.  Venturi, Summeral, Verne Lundquist, Bob Rosburg, Jim Nantz, Ben Wright, and others

[allin]

Most TV people who are on for a long time kind of wear out their welcome.  Jay Leno has someone to write material for them.  Golf commentators over time will naturally tend to repeat themselves and point out issues repeatedly based on their personal perspective. Probably they should change up personnel at least every two or three years.  Give Johnny a new partner periodidcally, preferably someone with golf chops.  I remember when Brent Mussberger was on golf, he was absolutely awful.

[nickel_aTm]

Personally, I'm not much of a Johnny Miller fan.  I respect that he won two majors, but they were 35 years ago.  I like that he is willing to speaking freely, but there are plenty of other guys out there that speak freely without being a prick about it.  Say some guy like Hunter Mahan or Rickie Fowler is in the hunt with 4 holes to go on Sunday and only hits a 9-iron to 20 feet or runs a 30 ft. putt past the hole 4 feet and Miller makes some comment about how that's just a bad shot.  It makes me want to say, "Hey Johnny, they're not all Tiger Woods in his prime.  Pressure makes shots more difficult, and don't knock these dudes when you weren't exactly some great closer either."

I enjoy some of his commentary.  Even if I don't agree with his tone or comment at times, I don't appreciate how he can be condescending at times.

[Noonan1]

I like them both but Johnny seems to always bring up how good he was at the US OPEN and how amazing he is. It gets a litle annoying to me...

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Noonan1

I like them both but Johnny seems to always bring up how good he was at the US OPEN and how amazing he is. It gets a litle annoying to me...

I'm amazed at how often this comes up.  Provide some evidence if you're able to.  I watch just about every broadcast that he does, yet I don't see him bragging about anything.  Most often when he says anything at all about himself he's responding to a question or comment by his co-announcers.    At his peak he was acknowledged by his peers as one of the best ball strikers ever, but he was always an inconsistent putter, something he mentions regularly with regret.

Even so, most people would consider 25 wins, 105 top tens and 2 majors as a career worth boasting about.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by Noonan1

I like them both but Johnny seems to always bring up how good he was at the US OPEN and how amazing he is. It gets a litle annoying to me...

Something that "gets a little annoying" that doesn't even happen, eh?

But you say it ALWAYS happens.

This is complete fabrication.

Miller does like to suck up to Nicklaus, but I have NEVER heard him bring up his U.S. Open victory, and I have heard him for hundreds of hours over the years.

Let's see you find two examples of when he's brought up "how good he was at the U.S. Open and how amazing he was."

Better still, find ONE example.

Complete bulldust.

You're just repeating an urban myth: Miller "always" does x, when in fact he NEVER does it.

[The Recreational Golfer]

One thing for sure, the Masters will never have Miller on the air. They couldn't tolerate his honesty.

[TheGoIfer]

Johnny Miller is a great commentator.  He really tells it like it is, and explains things better than most commentators.  I find it hard to disagree with the guy!

[ghalfaire]

I am a Johnny fan.  He pretty much tells it like he sees it and doesn't have favorites.  I think he has been there and done that and knows what he is talking about. There are a couple of others that speak their minds (Feherty and Chamblee) but they were never the golfer that Miller was.  But I find these guy a breath of fresh air in what has become a PC world.