Great job FOX

[NEforceUConn]

Even with yesterday’s FS1/FS2 shuffle I thought their coverage was wonderful!

 

[msf22b]

Agree
But I would still prefer more old-time in-game details...Foul on, who subbed for whom and the like.

 

[huskeynut]

Camera coverage was excellent in both games. Fanta and Adams for the Marquette were very good. Really enjoyed them.

Tonight not so good. Kostok spent way to much time on Georgetown's high ranking on defense. Also talking Georgetown's offense which was not flowing. That is her MO on any other game I've watched were she is behind the mike.

Missed to many plays tonight and who fouls were on.

Call the game as it is being played.

 

[Geesworld]

They definitely get a standing O

 

[SoCalCanine]

Camera coverage was excellent in both games. Fanta and Adams for the Marquette were very good. Really enjoyed them.

Tonight not so good. Kostok spent way to much time on Georgetown's high ranking on defense. Also talking Georgetown's offense which was not flowing. That is her MO on any other game I've watched were she is behind the mike.

Missed to many plays tonight and who fouls were on.

Call the game as it is being played.

I think Fanta is great, Kim Adam's was good yesterday and that woman today was AWFUL! Talked WAY TOO MUCH and about things that had no relevance to the game while ignoring fouls being called, players entering and exiting and other things we needed to know about.

 

[Bald Husky]

Fox is the network for Big East basketball, right? Is it just me, or does it sound like the announcers for all our games on Fox sound like a UConn broadcast? I can understand it when we play out of conference games, but even when we play in conference the tone is set by the announcers as if they were UConn people. Don't get me wrong, they do a fabulous job for us, but for National broadcasts I find it over the top for any regular WBB fans who want to see a national game on a national network with neutral announcers. As I said, maybe it's just me, or is it?

 

[Kat]

More play by play and less color. Save the stories for halftime, or timeouts.

 

[jaydee602]

Camera coverage was excellent in both games. Fanta and Adams for the Marquette were very good. Really enjoyed them.

Tonight not so good. Kostok spent way to much time on Georgetown's high ranking on defense. Also talking Georgetown's offense which was not flowing. That is her MO on any other game I've watched were she is behind the mike.

Missed to many plays tonight and who fouls were on.

Call the game as it is being played.

Yeah, Sarah Kustok is notorious for talking nonstop throughout the game and ignoring the game. John Fanta tried to keep up with the play by play while getting drowned out by Sarah's comments.
This was still much better than when Kustok is paired with Lisa Byington who would rather provide analysis than call the game. They miss several minutes of the game while conducting lengthy, boring conversations.

 

[Linart]

I think Fanta is great, Kim Adam's was good yesterday and that woman today was AWFUL! Talked WAY TOO MUCH and about things that had no relevance to the game while ignoring fouls being called, players entering and exiting and other things we needed to know about.

Reminded me of sitting behind people at a theater who jabber away throughout the movie

 

[my2cents]

My opinion is different, Sarah Kustok is an excellent analyst and one of the best. Every analyst is almost always required to over talk in a non competitive game. At 44-15, the game is pretty much over.
Kim Adams did an amazing job in the awards ceremony, a real talent.

 

[WiseWillie]

It is interesting that some BY'ers liked the coverage of the Big East games by FS1.

The announcers, John Fanta and Kim Adams, hardly ever give a play by play. Many times while the game is underway they will rattle on with dialogue on subjects completely unrelated to what is taking place on the floor. Replays on critical points in the game hardly ever. You're left to wonder what happened. The announcers are not skilled at play by play. They are more side color analysts. I mostly turn the sound off while watching a game on FS1 and listen to the radio while the game is being played.

As far as game analytics and commentary including on-the-mark camera coverage I'll take SNY. Allen Bestwick's play by play along with Meghan Culmo game analysis and pre-game, halftime and post-game analysis by Gary Apple and Kara Wolters with Chelsea Sherrod on the sideline is 110% better. There's really no comparison. There's streaming of course but too bad SNY does not have a national feed so that it could reach all of the areas of the BE and they could cover the tournament instead.

 

[Cheddie]

Setting aside the in-game coverage, I was pleased that Fox devoted so much time to the post-game interviews, awards and general celebration.

 

[WiseWillie]

I think Fanta is great, Kim Adam's was good yesterday and that woman today was AWFUL! Talked WAY TOO MUCH and about things that had no relevance to the game while ignoring fouls being called, players entering and exiting and other things we needed to know about.

John Fanta is great. He is a B-ball fanatic. He knows all the teams - especially men's teams, women's not so much - and can rattle off statistics that will make your head spin. He is extremely smart and likable but I think he will even admit he is not a P-B-P announcer. As far as the other Fox Sports announcers on the women's games I think it is time for Fox to put a stop to the non-stop talking on unrelated topics other than what is going on while the game is being played. Save it for before after or halftime but not during the course of a game. Silly. Shows that the announcers really are unqualified to be calling a game. Period.

 

[cohenzone]

Camera coverage was excellent in both games. Fanta and Adams for the Marquette were very good. Really enjoyed them.

Tonight not so good. Kostok spent way to much time on Georgetown's high ranking on defense. Also talking Georgetown's offense which was not flowing. That is her MO on any other game I've watched were she is behind the mike.

Missed to many plays tonight and who fouls were on.

Call the game as it is being played

Generally ok. My minor issue with Fanta is that sometimes he kinda screams. Glad we get to see our team. It really doesn’t matter to me what happens in the Big Dance. These kids are winners.

 

[Jeff H]

Fox is the network for Big East basketball, right? Is it just me, or does it sound like the announcers for all our games on Fox sound like a UConn broadcast? I can understand it when we play out of conference games, but even when we play in conference the tone is set by the announcers as if they were UConn people. Don't get me wrong, they do a fabulous job for us, but for National broadcasts I find it over the top for any regular WBB fans who want to see a national game on a national network with neutral announcers. As I said, maybe it's just me, or is it?

I actually thought they spent an inordinate amount of time yesterday talking about how great Georgetown was while they were getting their butts kicked, but maybe that's just me.

 

[Bone Dog]

My opinion is different, Sarah Kustok is an excellent analyst and one of the best. Every analyst is almost always required to over talk in a non competitive game. At 44-15, the game is pretty much over.
Kim Adams did an amazing job in the awards ceremony, a real talent.

I agree. Fanta-Kustok-Adams is a good team. It’s not Kustok’s job to do the play-by-play. She’s the former player who’s there to give experienced analysis. Fanta is the play-by-play person, and he’s usually pretty good at it. If anyone has a gripe about a lack in that department, it falls to Fanta, not Kustok.

Also, in a lopsided conference final, I’d expect the analyst to look for things to praise about “the other team.” Otherwise, they’d be showing up kids playing their hearts out on a big stage, not to mention making the Big East look weaker than it is.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Happy for the national exposure. Can’t overlook the SNY coverage we get but Fanta really, really loves what he does and he does his homework, which should serve as an example for Bestwick.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I was very happy with Fox coverage of the Big East Tournament!

 

[Redux]

I would still prefer more old-time in-game details...Foul on, who subbed for whom and the like.

Agreed. Only plus: it allows you to show off and seem to be an expert to guest viewers when you do your own play-by-play in the living room. Especially on those occasions when three minutes later they notice something happened and catch up with you.

Of course some changes of possession/play stoppages remain mysteries forever unless you go to the trouble of piecing them together later.

But I do agree this Fox team is lots better than some and SNY is OK in this respect. I just roll my eyes when I see it's going to be broadcast by others. There may occasionally and randomly be some good color: Rebecca is decent for example, but play-by-play is almost always awful.

 

[OldSchooler]

As to camera work, I hate the court-level view from the midcourt sideline as the team is bringing the ball up. It shows you nothing, except the face of the point guard. Would much prefer the standard downward overlook of the court. Reminds me of when -- many years ago -- they focused one camera solely on the basket, and used that view on each foul shot. So you got to see the ball swishing through the net, but you couldn't see any of the jockeying for a rebound. Basketball is a team game, and I want to see all 10 players in action as often as possible. Isolation shots should be reserved for replaying outstanding plays from different angles.

As to the play-by-play, I've gotten used to synching up the video with Bob Joyce's radio broadcast. And I also have nearby the ESPN play-by-play, which is about 10 seconds ahead, so I know what to expect.

As to on-court interviews, I can't stand hearing any question that starts with "What does it mean to you that . . .?" Plenty of time to prepare for that interview; is that the best you can do? Dumb questions elicit dumb responses. I'd rather hear questions about specific important plays in the game, or the strategy that went into defending the other team's star. In the world of sports, I think there is no more enlightening immediate-after-event interview than the woman on horseback who converses with the winning jockey after each Triple Crown race, as they head to the winner's circle.

 

[Redux]

Dumb questions elicit dumb responses

Artificial Intelligence for writing scripts is all the rage right now, but we've been seeing it for years. Programmed meaningless questions and naturally the boilerplate the players are trained in, in response.

Sometimes the person holding the mike becomes an actual human being and asks an insightful question: you see the player's eyes do a quick "this does not compute to anything in my memory banks" and you get a real conversation. Makes you keep watching hoping for one of those moments.

 

[Bald Husky]

Happy for the national exposure. Can’t overlook the SNY coverage we get but Fanta really, really loves what he does and he does his homework, which should serve as an example for Bestwick.

He better since he also does some Mens games for Fox.

 

[SoCalCanine]

I agree. Fanta-Kustok-Adams is a good team. It’s not Kustok’s job to do the play-by-play. She’s the former player who’s there to give experienced analysis. Fanta is the play-by-play person, and he’s usually pretty good at it. If anyone has a gripe about a lack in that department, it falls to Fanta, not Kustok.

Also, in a lopsided conference final, I’d expect the analyst to look for things to praise about “the other team.” Otherwise, they’d be showing up kids playing their hearts out on a big stage, not to mention making the Big East look weaker than it is.

I have to defend Fanta. How do you do adequate play by play when the color analyst won't shut up? John valiantly tried to catch folks up on game details when the motor-mouth paused to take a breath. Color analysts should say nothing until the PBP guy asks them a question. The PBP guy should be in control. These days it seems to work the other way around and the viewer has to fend for himself. As far as the screaming, thats what networks want. Look what they have done to the once classy Rebecca Lobo, they have her screaming like a preteen!

 

[Bone Dog]

I have to defend Fanta. How do you do adequate play by play when the color analyst won't shut up? John valiantly tried to catch folks up on game details when the motor-mouth paused to take a breath.

That’s not how it seemed to me in the moment. I enjoyed Kustok’s contribution, but I wasn’t attacking Fanta. If folks wanted more play-by-play — I didn’t — they should look to him not her. She didn’t seem to me to prevent anything important. Also, by the 4th quarter, when the game was out of reach for Georgetown a detailed play-by-play just isn’t as important as giving color to the moment and the season.

 

[SoCalCanine]

That’s not how it seemed to me in the moment. I enjoyed Kustok’s contribution, but I wasn’t attacking Fanta. If folks wanted more play-by-play — I didn’t — they should look to him not her. She didn’t seem to me to prevent anything important. Also, by the 4th quarter, when the game was out of reach for Georgetown a detailed play-by-play just isn’t as important as giving color to the moment and the season.

Agree to disagree. The important stuff we missed was "who was the foul on? how many do they have? who entered and left the game?" Trivial stuff like that. I didn't need to be told twelve times that GT was still playing hard.