Chris Berman Defends Shtick, Will Be in the Booth for U.S. Open

This is great news for, well, Chris Berman: the ESPN "personality"/gasbag will be at Torrey Pines next week doing the play-by-play for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open. He's been a fixture at the event since 1986, so it's hardly surprising, but much like a scheduled colonoscopy, just because you know it's coming doesn't make it any more enjoyable.

Earlier this year, there were concerns that Berman could be part of ESPN's Masters coverage; fortunately, the Green Jacket Mafia* had no interest in being associated with the traveling one-clown circus.

Interestingly, the consensus seems to be that Berman, golf announcer, is a bigger train wreck, than Berman, angry guy with combover. Quite a feat, for sure, yet, ESPN keeps trotting him out for the Open.

Yesterday, the San Diego Union-Tribune's Jay Posner spoke with Berman about the perception that he's a buffoon, and, predictably, he defended his shtick:

"First of all," he said, "it's unfair because if you're on the air for six hours and heaven forbid I say, 'Ground control to David Toms,' you're writing it like I said it 500 times. Not the case."

Yes, because nothing makes a golf telecast more enjoyable for the viewer than to be distracted by the banal ramblings of a guy in love his own voice. But it gets better. In response to the charge that he puts himself above the event he's broadcasting, Berman offered this:

"It's unfair if people say I'm trying to make it my show. Then you haven't paid attention. Then you haven't done me fair. 'Cause I'm not. But I'm trying to be me and have a good time with it as someone who's an avid follower of the game; someone who's like most of the audience who are watching, a 16-handicap give or take, not a 3 (handicap) or a scratch.

"...So is it going to please everybody? No. I'm not doing the final round, either. You've got to remember that. I'm doing the early rounds. ...

"It's the only way I know how to do it. There's a lot of ways to announce it; I'm just being me. I'm not trying to overdo it at all. If anyone thinks I come in to overdo it, you're not being fair and you're not listening."

First, I find it very hard to believe that somebody with this swing is a 16-handicapper. Second, I fail to see how Berman's act is any less offensive because it's Thursday or Friday. Finally, I can't disagree with his last point: nobody's listening. Intentionally, anyway.

Previously on FanHouse
ESPN's Masters Coverage Draws Huge Ratings Even Without Chris Berman
Augusta National Might Want to Consider Televising 'Patron Race Walk' Next Year
Mike Tirico Doesn't Want to Talk About Why Chris Berman Isn't at The Masters
ESPN Will Televise the Masters; Thankfully, We Won't Be Subjected to Chris Berman

* No idea if the Augusta blue hairs had anything to do with Berman's fate, but it seems plausible.