Announcers not calling the game in front of them (yet again)

[Jimbo]

With about 5 minutes to go in the UConn-DePaul men's Big East Tournament game tonight, and UConn up by about 30, Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery spent a solid 1:30 of airtime (spanning several possessions in the game) talking exclusively about, wait for it… UConn women's basketball. Among the topics covered:

• "Maybe the best crowd" Gus Johnson has ever been around in all his years of calling games was UConn vs. Tennessee in Hartford back in the day.
• Paige Bueckers is really good.
• Paige Bueckers is only a freshman!
• Hmm, maybe Paige Bueckers could help the Knicks right about now? Somebody should give the Knicks a call about this.
• Gus Johnson once called a game with Rebecca Lobo at the RAC.
• Bill Raftery was on hand for Rebecca Lobo's Hall of Fame induction speech, and that was a very good speech.
• But that's not exactly surprising, because Rebecca Lobo is a very talented person.

During this entire time, neither of them said a single thing about the UConn-DePaul game they were calling. Since the more typical complaint around here involves women's basketball broadcasters/studio denizens digressing about men's basketball for no apparent reason, I thought it might make some people happy to know that, for this one time at least, it went the other way.

 

[MSGRET]

With about 5 minutes to go in the UConn-DePaul men's Big East Tournament game tonight, and UConn up by about 30, Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery spent a solid 1:30 of airtime (spanning several possessions in the game) talking exclusively about, wait for it… UConn women's basketball. Among the topics covered:

• "Maybe the best crowd" Gus Johnson has ever been around in all his years of calling games was UConn vs. Tennessee in Hartford back in the day.
• Paige Bueckers is really good.
• Paige Bueckers is only a freshman!
• Hmm, maybe Paige Bueckers could help the Knicks right about now? Somebody should give the Knicks a call about this.
• Gus Johnson once called a game with Rebecca Lobo at the RAC.
• Bill Raftery was on hand for Rebecca Lobo's Hall of Fame induction speech, and that was a very good speech.
• But that's not exactly surprising, because Rebecca Lobo is a very talented person.

During this entire time, neither of them said a single thing about the UConn-DePaul game they were calling. Since the more typical complaint around here involves women's basketball broadcasters/studio denizens digressing about men's basketball for no apparent reason, I thought it might make some people happy to know that, for this one time at least, it went the other way.

Maybe they did read all of the emails sent about the halftime show during the women's tournament and decided to do a little goodwill towards the women's game.

 

[Vowelguy]

The common denominator being a blowout.
Pretty standard in broadcasting to try to engage the viewer in other ways when the game has gotten out of hand.

 

[eebmg]

and Paige could help the Knicks. Good Analysis.

 

[Centerstream]

When it was first announced that a UConn WBB game was scheduled for the Fox Network, I posted that I hoped Gus would be the play by play announcer. Oh well...

 

[JoePgh]

I think announcers should get a pass re talking about topics that are irrelevant to the game they are broadcasting if that game becomes a blowout, as last night's UConn-DePaul game did.

They can't and shouldn't assume that the majority of their audience consists of such diehard basketball devotees that they would be interested in the fine points of a 30-point game.

If they talk about irrelevancies when the outcome of the game is still in question, that of course is another story.

 

[huskeynut]

Let's remember the whining of the FS1 half time reports during the women's tourney. The studio covered the men!

I was watching the men's game and completely enjoyed the references to the women's team.

 

[MD#12Fan]

When it was first announced that a UConn WBB game was scheduled for the Fox Network, I posted that I hoped Gus would be the play by play announcer. Oh well...

I personally give Gus a total pass, like a presidential pardon or get out of jail card, because of his voice and his general passion/attitude. If he says anything good, that's icing on the cake.

 

[my2cents]

With about 5 minutes to go in the UConn-DePaul men's Big East Tournament game tonight, and UConn up by about 30, Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery spent a solid 1:30 of airtime (spanning several possessions in the game) talking exclusively about, wait for it… UConn women's basketball. Among the topics covered:

• "Maybe the best crowd" Gus Johnson has ever been around in all his years of calling games was UConn vs. Tennessee in Hartford back in the day.
• Paige Bueckers is really good.
• Paige Bueckers is only a freshman!
• Hmm, maybe Paige Bueckers could help the Knicks right about now? Somebody should give the Knicks a call about this.
• Gus Johnson once called a game with Rebecca Lobo at the RAC.
• Bill Raftery was on hand for Rebecca Lobo's Hall of Fame induction speech, and that was a very good speech.
• But that's not exactly surprising, because Rebecca Lobo is a very talented person.

During this entire time, neither of them said a single thing about the UConn-DePaul game they were calling. Since the more typical complaint around here involves women's basketball broadcasters/studio denizens digressing about men's basketball for no apparent reason, I thought it might make some people happy to know that, for this one time at least, it went the other way.

Dude, the game was way beyond over by that time. Its called "garbage" time for a reason.