Tommy Smyth
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| Tommy Smyth | |
|---|---|
| Born | Thomas Michael Smyth 1946 Knockbridge, County Louth, Ireland |
| Occupation | Sports Commentator, ESPN |
Thomas Michael "Tommy" Smyth (pronounced Smith) (born 1946 in Knockbridge, County Louth, Ireland[1]) is one of the most recognized soccer commentators in the United States. He is a color commentator for ESPN, which he joined in February 1993 as a football analyst. He provides co-commentary or in-studio analysis for major soccer events. He also commentates on Gaelic games, horse racing, and harness racing for ESPN.
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[edit] Career
[edit] Playing career
Smyth moved to the United States in 1963 following a brief football career with a local Irish team. In America, he played with the Shamrock Club in the German American Soccer League as well as for the Boston Beacons of the North American Soccer League.
[edit] Commentary career
Tommy was much loved by the New York Irish and Irish-American communities for having commentated at Gaelic Park in the Bronx, NY. He commentated for Irish football and hurling matches for the local leagues from U-12 up to senior level. Inasmuch, it is a pleasing thing for any of these youths and their families to see Tommy work on the global level. He, at least once, made a comical remark in regards to the poor level of play in a UEFA Champions League game, saying "I've seen better games played at Gaelic Park in Riverdale" which is home to unprofessional football and the Gaelic games.
Smyth was the voice of the MetroStars of Major League Soccer from the team's inception in 1996 to the early 2000s, when his ESPN contract prohibited him from working for the MSG Network.
He currently commentates regularly for ESPN International covering matches weekly for La Liga, Serie A, International matches and the FA Cup and is one of the regular panelist on ESPNSoccernet PressPass which is hosted by Derek Rae. He also commentates matches from the UEFA Champions League coverage on ESPN networks outside the United States. In 2007 he joined ESPN's MLS broadcast team and has also done a few World Cups for ESPN, including 2006, where he partnered with Adrian Healey. He commentates on the UEFA Highlight show on Thursdays and Fridays. Mr. Smyth will occasionally be a phone-in guest pundit mostly during the UEFA Champions League campaigns on the CSRN radio programme, The 2 G's, sharing his opinion regarding the upcoming matches.
During ESPN's coverage of Euro 2008, Smyth shared commentary duties with Andy Gray, the two of them generally alternating matches. Smyth was an ESPN analyst for the 2010 World Cup, and has become an outspoken proponent of instant replay.[2]
[edit] St Patrick's Day Parade
Smyth was the 2008 Grand Marshal of the 247th St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City. He has been the co-host for WNBC coverage of the New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade since 1998.
[edit] Style
Smyth's trademark is analysis adding color commentary to Derek Rae. Smyth is known for signing off when commentating as "Tommy Smyth... with a Y" (perhaps to differentiate himself from Tommy Smith) and for his description of a ball flying into the net when a goal is scored as "a bulge in the old onion bag". He also is known for saying "a peach of a goal."
