OK, I'll admit it: I think Doris Burke is awesome

[Huskee11]

She is an intelligent person who has great knowledge of her sport. And she does her homework for sure. No argument there. When she first started I couldn't get enough of her. That is until she fell in love with the sound of her own voice. Every single second of coverage does not have to filled with banter. If she learned that I think she could regain the popularity she had in the beginning.

This post from Blueballer pretty much sums up my opinion of Doris.

Sometimes the action will speak for itself - and droning on and on about it is annoying. If you replay Pulido`s magical shot, you will happily note the silence from the booth and will likely conclude (as I did) that no one needed to immediately explain the sheer, glorious joy of the moment. We may have caught a break there, as Doris was likely on her way to do postgame interviews. But as Blueballer notes, she does have some very positive qualities as well.

 

[BigBird]

There is an audio level control on your TV, right? Then use it. I prefer Doris to most any other BB analyst, though I also like Van Gundy and Doug Collins.

 

[bballnut90]

but she rightfully drools when UConn is on the court... there's not too much bad you can say about UConn when they're playing, now if Tenn Fans would only admit that. Give respect where its due, all that other stuff is silly.

I agree and respect what UCONN has done, my posts over the last few years 100% reflect that. That said, every announcer sans Doris is capable of admiring what UCONN does on the court without blatantly cheering for them or focusing solely on Connecticut throughout the broadcast. Doris takes it to another level whenever UCONN is playing and has done so over the last decade plus.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I agree and respect what UCONN has done, my posts over the last few years 100% reflect that. That said, every announcer sans Doris is capable of admiring what UCONN does on the court without blatantly cheering for them or focusing solely on Connecticut throughout the broadcast. Doris takes it to another level whenever UCONN is playing and has done so over the last decade plus.

UConn has been that good tho...

as long as UConn is the team on the tube that she's announcing about I see no problem... if Tenn is playing South Carolina, UConn shouldnt be mentioned as much unless talking about rankings during down times of the game

 

[Jingo]

The best men's hoops analyst was Rick Barry ... the best women's analyst was Stacy Dales [orig paired with Kara Lawson] ... and Rebecca Lobo has come a looong way! ... currently, I like Doris Burke the best except for one thing: constantly attributing Breanna Stewart's prowess to her long arms, her wingspan ... I think Breanna is a LOT more than long arms, eh?

 

[RegisteredUconn]

This post from Blueballer pretty much sums up my opinion of Doris.

Sometimes the action will speak for itself - and droning on and on about it is annoying. If you replay Pulido`s magical shot, you will happily note the silence from the booth and will likely conclude (as I did) that no one needed to immediately explain the sheer, glorious joy of the moment. We may have caught a break there, as Doris was likely on her way to do postgame interviews. But as Blueballer notes, she does have some very positive qualities as well.

Don't know if you ever heard of Bud Greenspan but I suspect you'd have liked him. Bud produced excellent pieces on the Olympics (maybe he still does). He was the master of the understatement. Once he was explaining how he handled Dave Wottle's 800 meter win ('72 was it?). He said he could have embellished Dave's accomplishment by shouting something to the effect of "And Wottle unleashes the greatest kick in the history of track and field!!!" as Dave headed into the stretch. Instead he let the action speak for itself simply noting "Wottle makes his move."

 

[Biff]

Don't know if you ever heard of Bud Greenspan but I suspect you'd have liked him. Bud produced excellent pieces on the Olympics (maybe he still does). He was the master of the understatement. Once he was explaining how he handled Dave Wottle's 800 meter win ('72 was it?). He said he could have embellished Dave's accomplishment by shouting something to the effect of "And Wottle unleashes the greatest kick in the history of track and field!!!" as Dave headed into the stretch. Instead he let the action speak for itself simply noting "Wottle makes his move."

I believe Bud passed away a few years ago. His Olympiad series was fantastic.

This isn't Bud's coverage of Wottle's 800, but it is the live coverage and I remember being glues to the set as it unfolded. And it isn't hard to imagine the Greenspan version with a controlled voice of his brother David who did most of the voice over work for Bud's films.

Anyway, it's still a great race with Jim McKay announcing....

 

[BigBird]

The best men's hoops analyst was Rick Barry ... I like Doris Burke the best except for one thing: constantly attributing Breanna Stewart's prowess to her long arms, her wingspan ... I think Breanna is a LOT more than long arms, eh?

Right, right, and right. We are of one mind. You should therby be worried.

 

[Huskee11]

Another good example of "less is more" is Vin Scully`s call of Kirk Gibson`s home run in the 1988 World Series.

 

[RogueDave]

I feel at times Doris can go Dickie V. Too much hyperbole! What I am uncertain about is it her or are producers pushing for that...

 

[Buzzyboy]

Absolutely awful!!! Horrible voice. Spewing out irrelevant factoid after irrelevant factoid. Talking about nothing at all, when silence would be preferable. I can't stand Doris Burke.

Get her off the air!!!!

Maybe we ought to try and get you off the Boneyard! That may be a bit harsh but your comments really are very seriously in the minority. There are very few people who feel as you do and that should suggest something. I've heard some announcers and broadcasters who I'd have to agree are ill prepared and do little but babble endlessly and mindlessly. She is far from that type and I think you'd be hard pressed to find very many people better at their craft than her. I think I'll stick with the majority of people because I ACTUALLY ENJOY her broadcasts.

 

[Buzzyboy]

The best men's hoops analyst was Rick Barry ... the best women's analyst was Stacy Dales [orig paired with Kara Lawson] ... and Rebecca Lobo has come a looong way! ... currently, I like Doris Burke the best except for one thing: constantly attributing Breanna Stewart's prowess to her long arms, her wingspan ... I think Breanna is a LOT more than long arms, eh?

I agree with just about everything you've said but I do have to say that as far along as Rebecca has come, she still has a long ways to go. She can have a moment or two where I'm highly impressed and then comes those, "Wow, what just happened?" moments where she is a total disaster and devolves into I don't know what. In my opinion she's where she is because of her having been the face of women's basketball when UConn erupted onto the scene in 1995. She's always been a sweetheart but when she was first on the air she was really bad. She's so much better now (thankfully) but I wouldn't regard her in the upper tier of her trade.

 

[cookie447]

Doris has fallen down and can't shut up! Her all too frequent talking over the play as it goes on speaks volumes and can be extremely annoying. Sorry all you DB supporters, but, just listen, this is true......

 

[Bronxjeff]

Doris is great. I agree that Kara is the greatest, but as someone noted above, Doris' role as color commentator is more demanding than Kara's op Ed spots.

Have you seen her dribbling in heels? It's probably on YouTube

 

[BroadwayVa]

ok, look, I know DB can drive you to-drink with her comportment and twice on the pipes silliness, but she is a groundbreaker on the women's side of basketball. She played it, she's calling every aspect of it, and she knows what she's talking about. Her struggle on behalf of women is inspiring. Hell, she's even doing sideline reporting for the freaking NBA Finals. Doris is big-time!

I'm not saying I know what this means, but she could get comportment from me any day. Doris is a savant who represents the hell out of pro ball, college ball, women's ball, and basketball in general. She's slavishly devoted to her sport, and deserves all respect in the world for that. She certainly has it from me.

She did make an obscure word popular, didn't she. When you learn a song in your teens it stay with you (obviously) "twice on the pipes""

Except for that "silliness" as you say--until then--I liked her a lot. Avoided her with the repeat after repeat after repeat of the highlighted portion above. She has the knowledge and experience to be excellent (if she comports her self better and knocks off the pipes).

 

[BroadwayVa]

Doris has fallen down and can't shut up! Her all too frequent talking over the play as it goes on speaks volumes and can be extremely annoying. Sorry all you DB supporters, but, just listen, this is true.

My pet-test of peeve! Let me know and understand what just happened, who is shooting, who fouled--how many?? That's not hard --the data is written in front of her on her laptop/I-pad. She has the knowledge and experience ....

 

[BroadwayVa]

Doris is great. I agree that Kara is the greatest, but as someone noted above, Doris' role as color commentator is more demanding than Kara's op Ed spots.

Have you seen her dribbling in heels? It's probably on YouTube

I've said this before, maybe a dozen times here on, I disliked Kara when she beat Uconn in Hartford, and early in her broadcasting she was Tenn biased--when that ended she became the best of the best --and NOW I look for Kara she know every twist and turn and nuance of WBB--she's a keeper and promoter..

Like Pat Summitt or not--Kara was a true blue friend (maybe in this case Orange) to Pat and spent many days with Pat in her final years. I'd pay mucho bucko's (my Spanish) for someone to be that kind of friend. Kara is the kind that if she is your friend--SHE IS YOUR FRIEND..

 

[bags27]

Absolutely awful!!! Horrible voice. Spewing out irrelevant factoid after irrelevant factoid. Talking about nothing at all, when silence would be preferable. I can't stand Doris Burke.Get her off the air!!!!

Same feeling; as I often mute the TV. But I strangely admire her: she's got a lot of soul, just a very bad (to my mind) announcer. Part of the problem is that she obviously holds the belief that those who watch WCBB need a lot of background. The opposite is true: we are few, but knowledgeable!

 

[cbraarj]

Generally, I like DB, but her back and forth with Pam Ward in this year'c NC game while Syracuse scored 16 unanswered points in about 4 minutes of the third quarter forced me to turn off the sound. Neither announcer seemed to care, or even be aware, of what was happening on the court. The
first responsibility of the announcers is to report on the game as it is being played. All of the other stuff should be aired only when the game permits.

Beth Mowins did the NC game with DB not Pam Ward.

 

[cbraarj]

When doing Uconn games and they are constantly blowouts. IMO is harder for them to do commentary than it would be in a close game. Also out of all the analyst Kara Lawson is No.1 and I would like to see her back at Tenn. as Head Coach. The lady just knows the game.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I agree with just about everything you've said but I do have to say that as far along as Rebecca has come, she still has a long ways to go. She can have a moment or two where I'm highly impressed and then comes those, "Wow, what just happened?" moments where she is a total disaster and devolves into I don't know what. In my opinion she's where she is because of her having been the face of women's basketball when UConn erupted onto the scene in 1995. She's always been a sweetheart but when she was first on the air she was really bad. She's so much better now (thankfully) but I wouldn't regard her in the upper tier of her trade.

As in all things sports or politics: View points vary, not all shall agree on specifics--obviously , I agree and dis agree.

Rebecca Lobo owns a corner stone of the WNBA. She owns the foundation of the UConn WBB.
Rebecca took a lot of hit when she first started talking BB--it is not a perfect transfer from playing the game to talking about a specific game. Many women consider Rebecca as the face of WBB.
It has been years since, if ever, Rebecca devolved into "disaster".

Stacey Dales?? I was more than pleased when she exited stage left. Never liked her commentary/analysis. Kara Lawson has done Mens games and was good, she 's done "color commentary (the real stuff) on women's games I'd take her any day rather than any female "color" .
She didn't speak pipes or comport or any fluff ---or personal BS--she spoke the players and the game she was watching..

As for Mens games --Barry was good--Russell was better. He was the one I wanted to hear.

 

[OldAlum]

I, too get tired of Doris' constant stories. But I blame the seeming trend of everyone trying to be colorful . I appreciate when one person remains committed to doing play by play. And that they will interrupt to call the game when necessary. I don't know who is responsible for setting up the partnerships or establishing the guidelines , but that is what I would like!

 

[bags27]

I, too get tired of Doris' constant stories. But I blame the seeming trend of everyone trying to be colorful . I appreciate when one person remains committed to doing play by play. And that they will interrupt to call the game when necessary. I don't know who is responsible for setting up the partnerships or establishing the guidelines , but that is what I would like!

Great point. We live in the world of story journalism. Try reading an article in the New York Times because the headline attracts your interest: it usually requires getting through several paragraphs of "color" before getting to the facts on which the headline is based. Blah, blah, blah, everyone's a storyteller these days. Jack Webb knew what to do: Just the facts, mam, just the facts.

 

[pacific 44]

There once was a commentator named Doris
Who found comportment in a thesaurus
She studied the bard
And Shakespeare's real hard
All this so she'll never bore us

I find Doris to be far far above the Mendoza line as a broadcaster and quite lovely as a personality.

 

[UcMiami]

I think color analysis is the toughest job out there in sports. You are talking for 2-3 hours filling in the gaps in action and doing it over and over again. While the teams change most of the action does not, and they all tend to fall back on catch phrases that the first time are interesting, but by the 100th time you have heard them can drive you up a wall. I have always found the initial exposure to the color folks is refreshing, but they seldom can pass the long term test.

Analyst and sideline reports have it much easier - they generally have significant prep time, can count on a specific amount of uninterrupted time, and can complete there sentences and thoughts without being interrupted by something happening on the court.

Doris does not for me pass the test of time as a color person - she just grates on my ears, but I do not blame her for that. As far as knowledge I have no problem and she occasionally makes very good points - I prefer her outside of the color role, when she is less reliant on her standard 'patter'.