Atlas should replace Max Kellerman

[He Hate Me]

I had really High hopes for Max when he emerged on the scene. Don't you notice that Larry Merchant isn't getting bashed anymore on this site.I think now people are realizing just how good he is. You don't realize what you have until it's gone, not to say larry is fully out of the game with hbo, but you can sense that with no larry to compliment lamply hbo is in deep water. Max was struggling in his last two broadcast to formulate ideas. If hbo is smart they will lure atlas away from espn. If that doesn't work I wouldn't even mind if they bring roy back. anything but max.

[Danny Ocean]

and if atlas struggles do we replace him with someone and if they struggle replace them

this is like a real madrid situation

someone who has arrived at the big time is still ad******g yet he is still bashed

fuck sake kellerman is a good commentator

[Guru_Too_You]

Oh my god no.

Its bad enough that I have to hear the same thing repeated two thousand times in an hour when watching ESPN fights to get from one big fight to the other.

Please dont ruin the big nights of boxing with this asshole.

And I've personally spent time with him. He's not a nice guy at all, and repeats himself just as much off camera as he does on.

[Thread Stealer]

Oh my god no.

Its bad enough that I have to hear the same thing repeated two thousand times in an hour when watching ESPN fights to get from one big fight to the other.

Please dont ruin the big nights of boxing with this asshole.

And I've personally spent time with him. He's not a nice guy at all, and repeats himself just as much off camera as he does on.

I thought you said Teddy was alright in person.

Are you on the anti-Teddy Atlas bandwagon? You can be the 2nd member.

[Thread Stealer]

Despite the need to talk about himself, Roy was a good commentator IMO. It's too bad he burned so many bridges at HBO. For the most part, I enjoyed his commentary work.

[Guru_Too_You]

I thought you said Teddy was alright in person.

Are you on the anti-Teddy Atlas bandwagon? You can be the 2nd member.
His son was alright.

He was a dick.

The funny thing is the first night I met his son, he said his dad worked for Friday Night Fights and I almost said that I can barely stand to watch FNF because I couldnt stand Teddy.

Teddy Jr. might have knocked me out.

But yes, I'm on the bandwagon.

[Zakman]

At least Atlas knows something about the sport. Virtually ANYBODY would be better than the unqualified Kellerman

However, Atas is hardly the guy they need at HBO. They need someone knowlegable and mature - but also polished. What they really need is a former journalist like Larry Merchant who paid their dues and consequently knows something about the sport - someone like Al Bernstein or Steve Farhood.

[acb]

I like Atlas the same way I like cheep beer, sometimes and only on certain nights. He just istn refined enough to do the HBO shows. He is best on Friday night.

Max definently has to go though, Im in agreement.

[acb]

However, he is hardly the guy they need at HBO. Someone polished and mature, a former journalist who paid their dues and consequently knows something about the sport should replace Kellerman - someone like Al Bernstein or Steve Farhood.

Yep.

[Thread Stealer]

His son was alright.

He was a dick.

The funny thing is the first night I met his son, he said his dad worked for Friday Night Fights and I almost said that I can barely stand to watch FNF because I couldnt stand Teddy.

Teddy Jr. might have knocked me out.

But yes, I'm on the bandwagon.

:lol:

I had really High hopes for Max when he emerged on the scene. Don't you notice that Larry Merchant isn't getting bashed anymore on this site.I think now people are realizing just how good he is. You don't realize what you have until it's gone, not to say larry is fully out of the game with hbo, but you can sense that with no larry to compliment lamply hbo is in deep water. Max was struggling in his last two broadcast to formulate ideas. If hbo is smart they will lure atlas away from espn. If that doesn't work I wouldn't even mind if they bring roy back. anything but max.

No, Teddy is too repetitive and psychotic.

One thing I liked about Max is during Calzaghe-Bika, Bika did something dirty, and Lennox says "I wouldn't have done that". Max says "Michael Grant might disagree". After a long silence, Lennox says "no comment". :lol: Max should've brought up Acey as well.


Maybe if Teddy replaces Lennox, he can go on his rant about how they need a commission and how mismatches are a disgrace to the sport. Then Max can tell Teddy, "well, Elvir Muriqi might disagree".

[box03]

Atlas might repeat things more often than he should but i cant think of a commentator who knows or loves the sport as much as him. I dont see him ad******g well with the hollywood look of hbo, I would rather watch a fight on mute then have to listen to listen to an obvious homosexual who looks like hes nutting his pants while doing interviews with fighters like pretty boy floyd mayweather

[tragicliston]

Oh my god no.

Its bad enough that I have to hear the same thing repeated two thousand times in an hour when watching ESPN fights to get from one big fight to the other.

Please dont ruin the big nights of boxing with this asshole.

And I've personally spent time with him. He's not a nice guy at all, and repeats himself just as much off camera as he does on.

I've never met him, so I can't speak to that side, but otherwise I'm right there with you. He's self-aggrandizing, reptitive and boring. I can't even watch Friday Night Fights with the sound on anymore.

[Amsterdam]

At least Atlas knows something about the sport. Virtually ANYBODY would be better than the unqualified Kellerman

However, Atas is hardly the guy they need at HBO. They need someone knowlegable and mature - but also polished. What they really need is a former journalist like Larry Merchant who paid their dues and consequently knows something about the sport - someone like Al Bernstein or Steve Farhood.

I wish you were the commentator.:D

'Oh jeez, this guys gonna get KTFO any moment, god what a china chin'.:yep

[Zakman]

I've never met him, so I can't speak to that side, but otherwise I'm right there with you. He's self-aggrandizing, reptitive and boring. I can't even watch Friday Night Fights with the sound on anymore.
That why HBO should go to the major leagues if they're gonna raid talent!!

GET AL BERNSTEIN. For crissakes he's the best in the sport and he, not this unqualified punk Kellerman, deserves to be at the top network in the sport!:yep

[tragicliston]

That why HBO should go to the major leagues if they're gonna raid talent!!

GET AL BERNSTEIN. For crissakes he's the best in the sport and he, not this unqualified punk Kellerman, deserves to be at the top network in the sport!:yep

Or, here's a thought: dump Max and bring back Larry.

[Ted Stickles]

I had really High hopes for Max when he emerged on the scene. Don't you notice that Larry Merchant isn't getting bashed anymore on this site.I think now people are realizing just how good he is. You don't realize what you have until it's gone, not to say larry is fully out of the game with hbo, but you can sense that with no larry to compliment lamply hbo is in deep water. Max was struggling in his last two broadcast to formulate ideas. If hbo is smart they will lure atlas away from espn. If that doesn't work I wouldn't even mind if they bring roy back. anything but max.

While i agree max sucks teddy would be just as boring because how many times can you listen to him try to tell you about character and whatever else he says that Cus taught him........I have also met him several times and he is a bit of a tool

[Lampley]

Roy really isn't in this conversation. He was in the trainer/fighter spot, while Max/Larry are in the journalist/big picture spot. Atlas is sort of a hybrid, mostly because he talks enough for two people.

I think Farhood would be very good in that position, because I think he knows how to fill gaps a little better than Bernstein, who is more verbose. But I also like the ShoBox crew the way it is, so ideally it would be someone from somewhere else.

But I'm OK with Max. He's not my favorite, but at least he genuinely likes and follows the sport. He's also a bit more respectful to the fighters than Larry, which in many ways I think is good. You can ask tough questions but still be respectful, which Merchant has not always done, and fuckface Jim Gray never does.

[tragicliston]

But I'm OK with Max. He's not my favorite, but at least he genuinely likes and follows the sport. He's also a bit more respectful to the fighters than Larry, which in many ways I think is good. You can ask tough questions but still be respectful, which Merchant has not always done, and fuckface Jim Gray never does.

It's one thing to be respectful, it's another thing to be obsequious. Max is the latter.

[marting]

Anybody but Atlas. He's the worst.
He doesn't call a fight. He preaches his crap and forgets the fight. I wish I had a share of ESPN for every time he's driveling on and on about boxing 101 and completely ignoring the action going on in the ring.

At least Kellerman calls a fight. He's not great and prone to some of the same crap that Atlas gets into but he doesn't miss near as much of the action.

I miss guys like Dun Dunphy who CALLED THE ACTION GOING RIGHT ON IN FRONT OF THEM and spared us from trying to prove how much they know about boxing.

[pipe wrenched]

I agree 100% as Atlas is one of my personal favorites. In Max's defense, though, I felt he did a much better job on the last card where he was East Coast for Cintron and Gatti's fights. Maybe he has had a chance to read all the criticizm goin round and decided to only do one speedball before the telecast.:lol: (But IMO he did do a better job).

[Zakman]

Roy really isn't in this conversation. He was in the trainer/fighter spot, while Max/Larry are in the journalist/big picture spot. Atlas is sort of a hybrid, mostly because he talks enough for two people.

Kellerman is NOT, nor as he ever been a journalist. Before Bill Cayton plucked him from obscurity and put him on ESPN for no good reason the ONLY thing he'd ever done is "host" some rinky-dink cable access show in NY. And therein lies the problem. All the really good "journalistic" commentators - Bernstein, Farhood, and Merchant worked for YEARS as boxing journalists, and therefore have INSIGHT into the sport. Kellerman didn't, and doesn't.

[Icemmann]

Kellerman sucks. Bring back Merchant, or bring in Roy Jones.

[Calroid]

HBO have just announced Kellerman's replacement:

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

:happy :happy :happy :happy :happy :happy

[Icemmann]

HBO have just announced Kellerman's replacement:

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

:happy :happy :happy :happy :happy :happy

His *meep meep meep* would be more lenjoyable then Kellermans prattling.

[barneyrub]

They should just bring in Steve Holdsworth. The guy who does the fights on Eurosport.

[Icemmann]

They should just bring in Steve Holdsworth. The guy who does the fights on Eurosport.

Fuck that. If they are going to look overseas they should just snatch up John Smeaton.

[Lampley]

Kellerman is NOT, nor as he ever been a journalist. Before Bill Cayton plucked him from obscurity and put him on ESPN for no good reason the ONLY thing he'd ever done is "host" some rinky-dink cable access show in NY. And therein lies the problem. All the really good "journalistic" commentators - Bernstein, Farhood, and Merchant worked for YEARS as boxing journalists, and therefore have INSIGHT into the sport. Kellerman didn't, and doesn't.

I know all that, but that spot on the broadcast is reserved for that person with the journalistic backcourd, and like it or not, in today's age that's the category that fits Kellerman.

He brought TV experience to the team as a host of his own (totally shitty) national show, and he had served as studio analyst at ESPN, so his position is different from that of the more trained (and usually more raw) boxing analyst.

But I think I mostly agree with the opinions on Max, I just wish he'd be given a chance to improve.

[ajohnfp]

Awesome username. XFL was sick.

[Lampley]

It's one thing to be respectful, it's another thing to be obsequious. Max is the latter.

That's been true at times, but lately he has started to disagree with Lennox on the telecast (a pet move for Larry over the years), and he at least challenged Hatton slightly on whether he was facing a truly viable Castillo.

But yes, I agree that he needs to get a little meaner -- just not as dismissive as Larry has been at times during post-fight interviews.

And obsequious is a tremendous word. Very much underused in today's environment of ESPN-ization.

[Thread Stealer]

And obsequious is a tremendous word. Very much underused in today's environment of ESPN-ization.

I remember learning that word in class in 5th grade.

I asked all my uncles and aunts if they knew what it meant. They were like "huh???"

[Lampley]

I remember learning that word in class in 5th grade.

I asked all my uncles and aunts if they knew what it meant. They were like "huh???"

Isn't it great? It's a razor-sharp insult, yet also carries an air of sophistication. I need to unleash it more often.

[lefthook31]

Atlas can only fill the role of what Roy Jones, George Foreman and Emanuel Steward represent, and he would do that very well. They always want to have an experienced "boxing guy" calling the fight. I think Lennox Lewis will eventually fill that gap for HBO, because he is doing quite well lately. Max Kellerman was brought in to fill Larrys spot, and he clearly has not lived up to their expectations. He just doesnt meld well with the other guys and hasnt experienced enough to call the fights like Merchant. I think a lot of what made Kellerman so good was his co partner in the studio, Brian kenny, who is an old Catskill guy, who knows more about the sport than Max does from a technical standpoint. Max has a lot of history stored in his head from studying fights, but thats as far as it goes. He isnt that good calling live fights from a technical position. If anyone should take his place its Brian Kenny.

[Mrboogie23]

no max kellerman or teddy atlas. I say we get Al Bernstein or Farhood. both guys know their shit.

[lefthook31]

no max kellerman or teddy atlas. I say we get Al Bernstein or Farhood. both guys know their shit.

Farhood and Bernstein dont have enough emotion, especially Farhood, I dont know what it would take to get that guy excited. What makes a guy like Lampley and Merchant so great is the emotion and drama they bring to their telecast.

[box03]

I agree with you there left hook theres really no excitement in there voices on showtime for the most part Im just not looking forward to max trying hold back wood everytime hes talking to fighters like mayweather and hopkins I could see why they took max factor off the air hes gay and annoying to say the least

[Ted Stickles]

They really need to try and lure Big George back......

[Thread Stealer]

They really need to try and lure Big George back......

In other words, pay him more $$.

As strange as he was, he could be entertaining as well.

[Lance_Uppercut]

Teddy almost seem to turn into a caricature of himself. Like it was someone else doing an impression of Atlas, who just looked exactly like him.

[houseboy]

Bernstein would be a nice fit.:good

[Beebs]

Why the hell would anybody even suggest Roy? He was flat out terrible, Foreman is the much better fighter announcer.

Lon McEachern would be great, but he's more of a play by play guy. Hell, replace Lamply with him, now theres an idea.

[He Hate Me]

Awesome username. XFL was sick.

He hate me

[He Hate Me]

Why the hell would anybody even suggest Roy? He was flat out terrible, Foreman is the much better fighter announcer.

Lon McEachern would be great, but he's more of a play by play guy. Hell, replace Lamply with him, now theres an idea.

One thing I did like about roy was he was one of the few who wouldn't back down from larry's subtle insults.

[Hank]

I had really High hopes for Max when he emerged on the scene. Don't you notice that Larry Merchant isn't getting bashed anymore on this site.I think now people are realizing just how good he is. You don't realize what you have until it's gone, not to say larry is fully out of the game with hbo, but you can sense that with no larry to compliment lamply hbo is in deep water. Max was struggling in his last two broadcast to formulate ideas. If hbo is smart they will lure atlas away from espn. If that doesn't work I wouldn't even mind if they bring roy back. anything but max.


They both suck. They came up together, and I think have same agent. We lose with either. Atlas sucked as trainer, bullshits about his past, and thinks he's a phychologist. Kellerman is worse. I heard him on ESPN, he's in love with self.

[Thread Stealer]

They both suck. They came up together, and I think have same agent. We lose with either. Atlas sucked as trainer, bullshits about his past, and thinks he's a phychologist. Kellerman is worse. I heard him on ESPN, he's in love with self.

Nice to see how more people realize that Teddy was as overrated trainer.

"Oh, bu..bu...but he inspired and willed Moorer to victory"

Please. :roll:

[PR Boxing Lore]

Max can go to hell! Bring back Larry.

[Zakman]

Al Bernstein is awesome. I miss hearing him announcing fights. He does a big fights boxing show sometimes on versus. He had to go along with Gil Clancy and act like he agreed with him when Clancy said he thought Duran deserved a THREE point round in the eleventh against Iran Barkley. A two point round was really right but Bernstein was being polite and acted like he agreed with Clancy. I like Bob Papa too. Steve Farhood is good too. I think Joe Tessitore is a rising star in announcing.

Exactly. Why anyone would prefer an unqualified, unknowlegable punk like Kellerman to solid, knowlegable, EXPERIENCED, boxing journalists like Bernstein or Farhood, I'll never know.

Kellerman needs to go, and he need to go soon. He will ruin the HBO annoucing team when Merchant retires. I frankly expect that he won't last long anyway before they replace him with someone good.

[He Hate Me]

Is bernard hopkins to controversal? If he toned down his rhetoric he might be a good commentator. I would much prefer him over the likes of lets say tarver. Both guys have some degree of articulation weigh in.

[box03]

bernard is a pretty good hype man smacking winky in the face was pretty good but when he took titos flag and tore it and created a riot of sorts in the arena that was bernard at his best

[Lampley]

I thought Roy could be a great analyst, because he seemed to have a sense of what was happening before you could see it, but he just didn't care enough. He was so lazy about everything, talking about himself, whatever whatever.

But he did a really good job in Pacquiao/Morales I. When Erik turns southpaw in the 12th round and gets caught by a right hook and wobbles a little, Roy goes "ohhhhhhh". It was great.

Please, never again Foreman. He blabbed on too much and never made sense. I was finished with him after the Hopkins/Trinidad fight. What a joke.

[Lampley]

Actually, my idea would be to have a rotating series of analysts in the Steward/Lewis position. I'd have Manny there for the PPV fights, then maybe a regular of group of guys from about the same weightclass as the fighters in the main event.

So for HW, you could have Lennox or Joe Mesi(?), Roy at 175, Hopkins at 160, maybe Mosley at 154/147, something like that.

But I guess HBO probably wouldn't want to have to train that many people.

[SwollenGoat]

At least Atlas knows something about the sport. Virtually ANYBODY would be better than the unqualified Kellerman

However, Atas is hardly the guy they need at HBO. They need someone knowlegable and mature - but also polished. What they really need is a former journalist like Larry Merchant who paid their dues and consequently knows something about the sport - someone like Al Bernstein or Steve Farhood.

Al is simply the best in the buisness.

HBO needs to steal him away.....

[Hank]

Nice to see how more people realize that Teddy was as overrated trainer.

"Oh, bu..bu...but he inspired and willed Moorer to victory"

Please. :roll:

Plus some reporters have started saying Atlas was Tyson's early trainer. He wasn't, he helped D'Amato along with Rooney, and was allowed to work corner a few times till he fucked that up.

[Dorfmeister]

I think that is ultimately unfair, Max is a student of the game and he brings to light so many great points using clear comprehension and emphazis to topics in a coordinated, short phrased speech that he is a rightful heir to Merchant I believe... Atlas is a trainer and just like Manny oughta know better but there is another kinda analysis that complements Jim's work and that is Kellerman's/Merchant's - why do you people give so much importance to Larry's or Max summaries anyway? It is not supposed to add credit to the fighter's performance, you know like Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao or M. A. Barrera speaking in english, ODLH's smiles or Bernard's intimidation lines, that's just part of the entertainment buziness!

[He Hate Me]

Max is a loose cannon but he knows boxing history very well.

[Jambon]

Atlas is the worst shit ever to comment a boxing match. he does makes pretty pre-match analusis, but afterward all he does is trying to validate what he said no matter what happens in the ring. He will then go on repeating is shit over and over no matter what happens in the ring, without commenting on whats going on in the ring.

He is to stubborn and dumb to adapt to whats happening in the ring, was obviously a bad coach with such a narrow mind. And becomes horribly biased if things dont turn out the way he originally predicted them.

[RafaelGonzal]

You just cant replace want larry Merchant brings to the table he adds substance and credibility to the telecast he has been around the sport and seen them all. The Hbo telecasts would become like wrestling or like MMA telecast with out Larry. That touch of class would be gone....it will happen and well its inevitable.

[box03]

You just cant replace want larry Merchant brings to the table he adds substance and credibility to the telecast he has been around the sport and seen them all. The Hbo telecasts would become like wrestling or like MMA telecast with out Larry. That touch of class would be gone....it will happen and well its inevitable. The fact that there weeding out merchant sucks but he kinda dug his own grave on many telecasts he would made little comments like "I would rather watch grass grow then see another round of this" Im sure they warned him about it,not only that but his ignorance towards fighters after fights has grown with age. When hbo considered firing him people were up in arms,some because they like larry but most because of his homo-sexual relplacement max kellerman who might be the most hated boxing commentators of all time replacing one of the best of all-time it makes no sense to me.

[paulfv]

If Atlas were to replace Max "Zab's sack in my mouth" Kellerman, I would be incredibly happy. Atlas' accent is annoying, but at least he knows the game.

[TheGreat]

No, I am not high on Max but I fucking hate that POS Atlas.

[Hank]

I think that is ultimately unfair, Max is a student of the game and he brings to light so many great points using clear comprehension and emphazis to topics in a coordinated, short phrased speech that he is a rightful heir to Merchant I believe... Atlas is a trainer and just like Manny oughta know better but there is another kinda analysis that complements Jim's work and that is Kellerman's/Merchant's - why do you people give so much importance to Larry's or Max summaries anyway? It is not supposed to add credit to the fighter's performance, you know like Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao or M. A. Barrera speaking in english, ODLH's smiles or Bernard's intimidation lines, that's just part of the entertainment buziness!

Max is astudent of game--so is everyone here. Atlas is not a trainer. He barley trained anyone, he claims to have trained everyone though. He got lucky with Moorer, who would have defated Holyfield easier with Steward and many others. Who does he train? Who has he trained to success? No one.

[Hank]

Atlas is the worst shit ever to comment a boxing match. he does makes pretty pre-match analusis, but afterward all he does is trying to validate what he said no matter what happens in the ring. He will then go on repeating is shit over and over no matter what happens in the ring, without commenting on whats going on in the ring.

He is to stubborn and dumb to adapt to whats happening in the ring, was obviously a bad coach with such a narrow mind. And becomes horribly biased if things dont turn out the way he originally predicted them.

Amen

[jecxbox]

I think we should give Kellerman sometime...Hes young and inexperience and he is filling in some BIG shoes in Larry Merchant.

[He Hate Me]

Did you hear mk rant on the radio address about vick, the link is in esb lounge. Very disturbing, it just gives you some insight into his way of thinking and he is out there. How long before he translates that during one of his lame post fight interviews.

[Flatlander]

I like Kellerman. I wish he was back on ESPN. I loved it when Max would contradict Atlas and Teddy would start stuttering and stammering. :lol: Max was the only one on that show that would not lick shine Teddy's shoes. They way the other guys fawn and paw all over Atlas now is just damn pathetic. I like the fact that Max would point out Atlas's errors in fact and not kiss the man's ass.