Tommy Smyth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tommy Michael Smyth (born in Knockbridge, County Louth, Ireland) is best known as a color commentator for ESPN, which he joined in February 1993 as a soccer analyst. He provides color commentary or in-studio analysis for most major soccer events. He also commentates on Gaelic Games, horse racing and harness racing for ESPN.
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.
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.
Tommy's trademark is a strong Irish accent. Smyth is known for signing off when commentating as "Tommy Smyth... with a Y" (the Y sounds like wooooooy due to his accent) and for his description of a ball flying into the net when a goal is scored as "a bulge in the auld onion bag."
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 Press Pass which is hosted by Derek Rae. He also commentates matches from the UEFA Champions League which coverage is taken up by ESPN stations around the world including ESPN2 in the United States. Smyth has also commentated on MLS games and a few World Cups for ESPN, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he partnered with Adrian Healey.
