Category Archives: Announcing

Russell & Scully: Two Icons Gone

Announcing, Baseball, Basketball,
Boston Celtics Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson in action. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images)

Rare is the occasion when you can consider a person, and can say beyond peradventure, “They are the best ever at what they do.”

We lost two this week.

Bill Russell, the greatest winner in American sports. Not only basketball.

Vin Scully, the greatest broadcaster in American sports. Not only baseball.

 * * * * *

I have a vague memory that I might have seen Bill Russell play in person once.

At some point in the early to mid 60s, if memory serves, there was a preseason NBA doubleheader at Freedom Hall. One of the games featured Philly — either the Warriors or 76ers — because I remember walking up and standing next to Wilt Chamberlain, who was the biggest human being I’d ever seen

Though my memory is shoddy, I believe the Celtics played the other game. Continue reading Russell & Scully: Two Icons Gone →

Hump Day Hustle: Hoopaholism; Price of Fandom ++

Announcing, Basketball

This is not a regular meeting of Hoopaholics Anonymous, but I need to vent. So I shall.

My name is Seedy K, and I’m a hoopaholic.

I’m a lifelong Louisville Cardinal fan.

I understand that change and transition is more prevalent — rampant even — in DI basketball than ever. Only three schools, I’m advised, haven’t had a player enter the Portal. UCLA, Michigan and one other.

Assistant coaches are scattering about.

And, I realize that at U of L the moves have been explicable — DJ to the pros, Nickelberry to LaSalle — as well as inexplicable — Malik Williams returning — and mysterious, i.e. the nature of the situation where the contracts of Luke Murray and Dino Gaudio weren’t renewed.

There is turmoil throughout my most favorite sport. I accept it and understand it, even if I’m old school enough to really not like it. It’s not only here with my team.

I also understand that matters really won’t settle down at U of L until the entire NCAA quicksand is a thing of the past.

That said, there’s something about the Quinn Slazinski abdication that doesn’t settle OK with me. Not talking about the kid. He has the right to do what he wants. All the more power to him. Continue reading Hump Day Hustle: Hoopaholism; Price of Fandom ++ →

Hump Day Hustle: QBs x 3, Sound of Silence ++

Announcing, Basketball, Football, , ,

So, yeah, it’s Thurby, not The Day Before.

Mea friggin’ culpa.

Feel free to employ your barrister at the bar and file a Cause of Action.

  * * * * *

What’s your name/ Is it Mary or Sue/ What’s your name/ Do I stand a chance with you?

Wonder what Don and Juan are up to these days?

Anyway, former Cardinal star/ Heisman winner Lamar Jackson is approached on the street by a stranger. The guy says, “You’re a football player?” Or, something to that effect.

Jackson, as I’ve said many times before, is a really nice guy, ever engaging, tells the fellow he’ll give him a hundred bucks if he can say his name.

The guy makes a couple of wrong guesses about what position Mr. I Am A Quarterback might play.

LJ gives him the Benjamin anyway.

Speaking of former beloved U of L signal callers, Teddy B is house hunting in a new locale yet again. Late of Tobacco Road, he’s off to the Rockies to play under the watchful eyes of John Elway. Continue reading Hump Day Hustle: QBs x 3, Sound of Silence ++ →

Gridiron Journal: Those Darned Announcers +

Announcing, Football

Seems to me ESPN is being penny wise and pound foolish.

Which proverb it turns out, at least according to The Google, was coined by some guy named Robert Burton. When I was so very sure it was Willie the Shakes.

Anyhow, the World Wide Leader has obviously made a decision not to send its go to Friday Night college pigskin announcing crews to the stadiums where the games are actually being contested. Instead having the guys who ought to be in the booth calling games from their own dens.

More’s the pity.

Which saying again is also not attributed to the Bard, but some Olde English writer of the 16th C.

But, to coin a phrase, I digress.

Last Friday’s game was, reading from the accounts, pretty scintillating.

Maryland, led by Taulia Tagovailoa, who looks to be perhaps the equal of older bro, Tua, blasted ahead 21-7. Fell behind 21-38. Knotted it at 38. Then won 45-44 in OT when Minnesota missed a conversion.

I watched the beginning, but had to give it up, so turned off was I by the game coverage. Continue reading Gridiron Journal: Those Darned Announcers + →

Fan Moments VII: John Tong

Announcing, Basketball,

Let’s place the blame for the current state of shrieking PA announcers at the source.

Famous Philly 76er mouth at the mic, Dave Zinkoff.

“Here’s Juuuuuulius Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrving!!!!”

As Louisville Cardinal fans who have been around for awhile know, It didn’t have to be like this in this age of “Who wants a Kroger t-shirt?”, and “ThreeeeeEEEEEEEEEE!!! by Whomever.”

Once upon a time, there was John Tong, inviting the assembled to the thrill and excitement of college basketball in Freedom Hall, adding allure to games at what still stands as one of the most iconic basketball venues in all the land. Continue reading Fan Moments VII: John Tong →

Tuesday’s Hoop Dee Doo

Announcing, Basketball, ,

Late on weekday afternoons during hoops season on ESPNU, they show replays. Sometimes from games the night before, or from the previous weekend. Sometimes classics from the past.

On Monday, in advance of UVa’s bounceback W in Chapel Hill, the station showed a couple of Cavalier/ Tar Heels battles from yesteryear. Which I found both fascinating and telling, fostering memories.

The first was an ACC tourney semi from ’91.

Kentuckian Jeff Jones, then the youngest coach in the land, was leading the Wahoos. Rick Fox and King Rice were ballin’ for Dean Smith. The three point line was that short one they used in its early days.

They cut to the studio for an update from the SEC tourney. John Saunders sidekick was a fella named Rick Pitino with a full head of hair between coaching stops. They chatted briefly about whether Allen Houston, then playing for his dad at Tennessee, would leave early for the NBA.

The play by play and color guys were Mike Patrick and Dick Vitale.  Continue reading Tuesday’s Hoop Dee Doo →

Sports Shots 7/08: Hoops? Of course it’s Mostly Hoops

Announcing, Basketball, Boxing, Football, Olympics, Recruiting, Soccer, Tennis

b-ballYeah, I’m back. Miss me?

You think I’m really going to try and talk European soccer with you, France vs. Portugal for the title, or Tour de France,  or Wimbledon?

Of course not. Though I’ll reiterate, NBC bike race announcers Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen remain my favorite announcing duo in any sport.

What you care about is who’s hot at the Peach Jam? You know, basketball recruiting. Well, I’m not going to talk about that either.

Golden State with Kevin Durant. Of course, the buzz is, how many titles are the Dubs going to win with their New Death Lineup?

And all I’m thinking is, how come you guys never listen? Have you not learned yet that the best conglomeration of players does not necessarily the best team make.

Let me remind you once again, as if I haven’t already ad nauseum every time talk of a super team comes up.

Lesson #1. Los Angeles Lakers, three seasons from 1968-71.

Three players on that team were among the very best in the NBA at the time. In fact, those three players remain among the Top Ten guys who balled in the 20th C.

Wilt Chamberlain.

Jerry West.

Elgin Baylor.

They never won a title. Continue reading Sports Shots 7/08: Hoops? Of course it’s Mostly Hoops →

Hump Day Harangue: Rose vs. Rose, Tiger vs. Lance, ‘Dores vs. ‘Hoos & 3 vs. 3

Announcing, Baseball, Cycling, Golf, Hockey

allsportsWith the majority of my readership located in the heart of Hoopsylvania, and therefore obsessed with and frothing at the mouth over tomorrow night’s NBA draft, I daresay few have noticed the great move by the NHL Board of Governors.

So, yes, I’ll get to other stuff soon enough, but first a high five to hockey.

I’ve oft said, and shall now repeat, that there’s nothing as exhilarating as OT pucks.

It’s harum scarum. End to end. Chaos on ice.

Now the prospect of a more open competition, should the clubs be tied after 60, is a comin’. Three on three, may the swifter on skates, the more adept at avoidance, prevail.

Only after five minutes of such careening into the corners and across the blue lines will regular season games resort to the reasonably exciting, but skewed decider of a winner, those singular skater against goalie shootouts.

Every once in awhile hockey’s muckety mucks get it right. This is one of those times.

Now on to stuff you may care about. Continue reading Hump Day Harangue: Rose vs. Rose, Tiger vs. Lance, ‘Dores vs. ‘Hoos & 3 vs. 3 →

Monday Morning Breakaway: Soccer, Cycling and, Of Course, College Basketball & LeBron

Announcing, Baseball, Basketball, Cycling, Golf, Soccer, , , ,

cardsNow that the silly ol’ World Cup foolishness is over, you know the fütbol tournament without Jim Nantz calling play by play, the one to which only 800 million people watched the final. Now that it’s out of our minds for another four years, we can get back to what really matters.

Which is what 12 year old future superduperubersuperstar baller is dazzling the recruiting gurus at the Sebastian Telfair Humpty Dumpty Jamboree? And which 47 middle schools are still on his narrowed list for possible attendance?

* * * * *

I was going to talk about various topics in a different order, but, trying to serve my public, I’ll get to what you want to read about most, first.

College hoops. Continue reading Monday Morning Breakaway: Soccer, Cycling and, Of Course, College Basketball & LeBron →

Hump Day Hits & Misses

Announcing, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Olympics, Soccer, , , , ,

cards✔︎✔︎✔︎Hit: Louisville Cardinal Athletics. For the second year in a row, cbssports.com has recognized the transcendence of U of L sports.

The Cards, of course, dominated the ratings for the ’12-’13 school year.

You know, the old NCAA hoops title, BCS bowl W, CWS appearance and womens’ hoops runner up quadrafecta.

It was, you might say, a good year.

By the site’s point rankings, Louisville bested second place Oregon by a hefty 113 points, 625-512.

Think Secretariat in the Belmont. Continue reading Hump Day Hits & Misses →