Erick Blasco Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 ESPN/ABC Mike Breen's ascension to the lead role on the league's marquee broadcasts has been a pleasant development after ESPN/ABC struggled at first to find a signature voice. (Remember Brad Nessler or Al Michaels' brief foray into the NBA? Me neither.) Breen calls a good game and is enough of a presence not to be overwhelmed in a three-man booth while at the same time making room for colleagues Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy. If there's one quibble I have with Breen, it's his tendency to drift into lectures on morality from the booth, something that comes out much more regularly when he's calling Knicks games on MSG than in his national work. Still, he's earned his spot courtside on the NBA's biggest games. Jackson is perhaps the most frustrating commentator in the game in that he can bring solid insight for an ex-player at times, but too often he falls into predictable trends, both in terms of his catch phrases and a rigid viewpoint of the game. Jackson and his former coach, Van Gundy, trade well on their past relationship when teamed together and clearly enjoy verbally sparring. Van Gundy has reinvented his image as an analyst, showing a light-hearted side that was rarely on display during his time as a head coach (who can imagine Van Gundy the coach suggesting with mock seriousness that McLovin' should win Best Actor?). Van Gundy knows the Xs and Os as well as anyone, but occasionally that takes a backseat on the national broadcasts, and he could probably do well to mix them in more frequently among the wisecracks. Hubie Brown is a legend in the NBA blogosphere, and deservedly so. He won Coach of the Year before I was born, and also won the award six years ago. In between, Brown taught both the game and the second person on TNT. Now 76, Brown hasn't lost a step as an analyst. Basically, what I'm look for a color commentator to do is explain to me something I wouldn't know because I've never been in an NBA huddle or called a play. That's precisely what Brown does, and he respects his audience enough to expect them to be able to follow along. Mike Tirico, a consummate pro as a play-by-play broadcaster, has built a nice rapport with Brown as part of a long-running pairing. http://www.basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=948 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted February 27, 2010 Owner Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 He didn't mention Cheryle Miller. I'm seriously disappointed. I was hoping for an earful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erick Blasco Posted February 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 He didn't mention Cheryle Miller. I'm seriously disappointed. I was hoping for an earful. I think it's cause she doesn't announce games. She just makes a fool of herself on NBA TV and on TNT sideline reports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owner Real Deal Posted February 27, 2010 Owner Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 I think it's cause she doesn't announce games. She just makes a fool of herself on NBA TV and on TNT sideline reports.Good point...but he did add Barkley, Kenny and EJ in there. Probably because they are awesome, and Cheryle is the most annoying thing walking the Earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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