Longo Time Gone

The Longo aftermath of Spanish-language soccer commentators isn't very promising. Colombian Ricardo Mayorga (Univision) is knowledgeable but hyper-fluent: He needs to shut up on dangerous plays way before new plays come up, so that his color narrator (responsible for the worst GOAAAAAL pig snort you'll ever hear) doesn't have to interrupt him so much. Then there are Radio Unica's commentators, the only real competition Cantor has. Jorge Ramos is the backbone, an excellent voice (though derivative of South Americans like Uruguayan Víctor Hugo Morales, perhaps the best ever). Fellow Uruguayan legend Alvaro Riet loves to fight with listeners, and Mexican Samuel Jacobo is so bad he's original, having created an awkward new style that allows him to actually stand up on-air to his condescending Argentine or Uruguayan colleagues. But his player knowledge is limited. Colombia's Hammer Londoño is neat, educated, subtle, and dead boring. And Argentine Hernán Pereyra knows fútbol but has lousy timing and rhythm.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TELEMUNDO

Norberto Longo reported on over 2000 soccer matches; he also did tennis and boxing

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More About

• Norberto Longo
• Andres Cantor
• Howard Cosell
• TV Networks
• Television

Concludes Cantor: "Norberto was a friend, and a well-prepared man. That's a valuable thing in a TV world in which intellectual ability is becoming less and less important."