Doris Burke "NOT" the President of the Saniya Chong Fan Club

[ju6381]

Its not the job of Doris to be the President of a players fan club. There were many calls I thought were very questionable including the charge calls that went Saniya's way. It is her job however to talk about them. I was as happy as anyone that UConn got the calls but i would say the bigger issue was the refs awful performance, both ways, rather then Doris analyzing the call.

 

[Kaizen]

Chong played solid 38 mins. Her defense is awesome last night.
When Katie Lou and Kia had a bad night I am glad Chong and Crystal both had a solid night.

 

[schmendrick]

Doris is a champion for women's college hoops. Of which there can never be enough, particularly someone with Doris' platform. She didn't get there by being a homer for any program. I thought she was even-handed last night, even if her waxing on and on about the implications of a UConn loss through most of the first half grated on my already frayed nerves.

 

[BigBird]

I have always dislikes Doris' tendency to critique the referees more than the game. I still haven't gotten over her saying that the referees shouldn't have made a call in a NC game because e"there aren't enough stars in WCBB and you cant risk fouling them out!"

I have defended Doris Burke against posts and criticisms that I felt were ill-considered. But that example from the NC game made me want to draw my Ruger and pump a few rounds into my giant Samsung. OK, maybe not, but cripes, what a dumb-butt comment. She is better than that.

The only thing I'd add is that if you speak in any medium to any audience, and do it long enough, the "normal curve" will catch up to you, and you'll eventually say something pretty dumb. Mrs. BigBird will back me on that.

 

[Monte]

I haven't been attuned to this issue, but it sounds like you may have a good case.
I will say, though, that I don't care for Doris' commentary at all. She has always questioned calls against UConn opponents and rarely questions calls against UConn. Moreover, she is never quiet, and often is talking about other stuff while the game is going on.
But for this game, I avoided all the stress that builds up when I listen to her and her usual partner (I like Lawson). I muted the sound and tuned into WTIC radio! What a joy to listen to commentators who are staying focused on the game and doing a good job.

A lot of broadcasts in many sports are getting that way: TOO much talking about "other" things, rather than what is happening at that time. I now have the MUTE button on during 50% of basketball and baseball broadcasts. Vin Scully(just retired as Dodger voice) said it best. "When someone hits a timely home run, I keep my mouth shut and let the viewers WATCH what is happening." I would like to see basketball telecasts with just ONE broadcaster. That would cut down the chit-chat about superfluous things.

 

[Orangutan]

*Looks at OP's username and avatar*

Hmm...I wonder why this poster would be hyper-sensitive to criticism of Chong...

Whether or not you like the job Doris is doing, it's not her job to be "equitable" in her analysis. Sometimes your favorite player's good plays will go unnoticed and their bad plays will be critically dissected. That's just how it is.

There is way too much going on during a game to expect every analyst to give a perfectly even-handed critique of each player's game...

 

[BroadwayVa]

I haven't been attuned to this issue, but it sounds like you may have a good case.
I will say, though, that I don't care for Doris' commentary at all. She has always questioned calls against UConn opponents and rarely questions calls against UConn. Moreover, she is never quiet, and often is talking about other stuff while the game is going on.
But for this game, I avoided all the stress that builds up when I listen to her and her usual partner (I like Lawson). I muted the sound and tuned into WTIC radio! What a joy to listen to commentators who are staying focused on the game and doing a good job.

I have issues with a commentary that has issues with nearly all calls but and egregious call should be seen in the light of day. I don't think the "analysts" should be discussing anything except what the PLAYERS are doing. LAWSON==is my favorite announcer/analyst for basketball--men or womens--this woman knows the game and the players--and is positive about Uconn winning

 

[UConn990411]

LOL Doris is THE biggest UConn shill out there. This is known as a fact. Like the sun rising in the east. She just can't shut up is her biggest problem.

Correct - and that's why, on occasion, it seems like she's going out of her way to not sound like one. But the notion that she's a Saniya Chong hater is ridiculous.

 

[BroadwayVa]

And I can't recall it ever raining on a Monday.

And I recall it snowing every weekend

 

[BroadwayVa]

As usual, I watched the game with the sound off. Why should we listen anyway? When we go to games, we just watch. We're certainly smart enough to know who's doing what and how without the announcers telling us. I often do that with sports and really like it.

When I do have the sound on--for games where I don't know the players--most of the time I can't stand listening to Doris (although I do admire her spunk). I think she's (terrible to say, but we're being candid)--not very smart. She is slow to grasp things and, when she does, usually grasps them simplistically and then won't let go of what she's "discovered," repeating them like a mantra. So, she's usually a couple of insights behind the rest of us. But she does have heart, so I do admire her in other ways.

You don't "twice on the pipe"/?? When I could still hear and lived close enough to get TIC radio--I too turned theTV sound off and listened to the Radio --always better play by play. Now -the sound is off and I try to read the captions--impossible--so I watch and enjoy the heck out of these Women--Amazing as they are!!

 

[Sonny44]

Doris Burke has always made my ears bleed. I can't ever recall her giving praise or making a fair comment about UConn or a UConn player. Thank God for the mute button!

You gotta be kidding.

 

[bags27]

You don't "twice on the pipe"/?? When I could still hear and lived close enough to get TIC radio--I too turned theTV sound off and listened to the Radio --always better play by play. Now -the sound is off and I try to read the captions--impossible--so I watch and enjoy the heck out of these Women--Amazing as they are!!

The radio is around 45 seconds behind. Even though it's really weird, I sometimes do....

 

[Sonny44]

Last evening, as I watched this very exciting game against South Carolina, with the ESPN Analyst Team of Doris Burke and Kara Lawson, I was hoping to hear a fair and equitable analysis of the play by play both. Sadly "AGAIN" while Kara Lawson continued her fair and balanced analysis of the game, and notably the players on the court for both teams, Doris Burke "CONTINUED" her apparent (at least to me) bias against Saniya Chong's game. Outside of the errant 3 point attempt in the 2nd half, that I agree (as would Saniya Chong if you would ask her today) was not a smart shot to take at that point in the game, I feel that Saniya's overall game last night (Especially on the defensive end) was ROCK SOLID. However, Doris Burke continued to slam Saniya's game, being critical every chance she had, and when Saniya had a moment in the game where she 'shined' Doris had NOTHING to say (however, Kara Lawson was quick to mention how well Saniya has played this season). What put the dagger in my back, was the great play that Saniya made, taking the charge call, late in the game. But there was Doris Burke, coming on an saying that the charge call was 'questionable' at best. If Doris's style is to be super critical, then fine, but make it across the board for all of the players, on both teams (UCONN and South Carolina).

Sorry folks, but I for one, has gotten very tired of Doris Burke as a Women's Basketball Analyst for ESPN and believe that Kara Lawson is leaps and bounds better than Doris Burke (as it Meg Cuomo for SNY)

You want a cheer leader instead of a commentator.

 

[BroadwayVa]

The radio is around 45 seconds behind. Even though it's really weird, I sometimes do...

Actually the TV is 15 to 30 seconds behind the Game tracker--sometimes--not always --I supposed they put in the 7 second delay to take out Colorful words--on tV--but when I watched Uconn WBB and TIC they were in sync---they didn't use sats just telephone connections to Hartford from Gampel or the old field house--no notice able delay-- For a while here I got TIC , Bob Joyce, via the internet and didn't notice any delay between his voice and the TV sound---probably because they were both bounced off a Sat.
I typically have Gametracker on my laptop and game on tv---and read instantly the foul calls--often before the analyst prints them in Closed Captioning. I like gametracker---I have data at my fingertips--

 

[Waquoit]

Burke describes Chong's play straight-up. I think some her would prefer to frame Chong as a plucky, little underdog. She starts for a team that just won 100 in a row, fer cryin' out loud.

 

[UConnNick]

I didn't say she hasn't, I said I couldn't recall her doing so. And I've been watching UConn for over 20 years now.

This take is pretty funny, considering after one of the champ seasons (2004, I think) we gave Doris and Jim Nantz NC rings. They're both considered to be huge UConn fans, even by the folks in Storrs. I recall there being a little controversy at the time about giving out rings to media members. Nantz and Packer were hilarious during the 1999 men's final vs. Duke, with both of them unabashedly rooting for the two different teams. Packer played at Wake Forest, so he's an ACC homer. Nantz lives in CT.

I've also grown a little tired of Doris, but she knows the game. What surprised me about her last night is she wore a dress that couldn't have been more spot on in both of USC's colors. Media members, at least if you're sitting on press row, are supposed to wear colors neutral to the two teams competing, and obviously nothing with either schools' name or logo on it. Not that it matters, but I'm wondering if she chose her dress colors deliberately in an attempt to distance herself from being characterized as a UConn homer? How many women have a throwdown garnet and black dress in their closets? Maybe a lot, I don't know.

 

[UcMiami]

Not a fan of many game commentators, but absolutely love Kara - she has been doing this for a number of years and unlike almost every other commentator since MNF and Howard (probably predates that, but a nice starting point) I have yet to detect her creating her own personal shtick, She continues to come to each game and each commentary with fresh eyes and new research, and continues to actually watch and react to what is happening and not some preplanned concept of how the game or the teams will play.

 

[wire chief]

I have no general conclusion about her fairness, but I will say I screamed at my TV" Oh, shut up!" 3 times.

 

[UConnNick]

I have no general conclusion about her fairness, but I will say I screamed at my TV" Oh, shut up!" 3 times.

Unfortunately, there are some announcers who seem to think they've become bigger than the games they're announcing, and they've fallen in love with the sound of their own voice. "Dollar" Bill Walton is example No. 1, and he has no close seconds. Vitale also qualifies for this club, and Doris is flirting with becoming a member.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Gotta agree, I have no idea what the Chong-Master is talking about. I'm thinking the Chong-Master might be a bit partial.

Ya think!

 

[DaddyChoc]

I have no general conclusion about her fairness, but I will say I screamed at my TV" Oh, shut up!" 3 times.

I got you beat my about 3

 

[DaddyChoc]

Chong played solid 38 mins. Her defense is awesome last night.
When Katie Lou and Kia had a bad night I am glad Chong and Crystal both had a solid night.

Who would've ever thunk Chong would get 38 minutes in a big game... Go Saniya!

 

[mhshuskies]

All this back and forth discussion because Doris didn't explain how Saniya "COMPORTS" herself on the court?

 

[DaddyChoc]

All this back and forth discussion because Doris didn't explain how Saniya "COMPORTS" herself on the court?

Her "frame" allows her to not get it "twice on the pipes"

 

[HuskyNan]

Good grief, you'd think people would take 24 hours to enjoy the 100th consecutive victory but, no, let's complain about something irrelevant.

Geno knows Saniya's value, her teammates know, and the fans know. Who cares what Doris thinks, although I think you are reaching really far for that perceived insult.