TV Commentator Review Series: Washington

by Oppy on Dec 3, 2008 7:59 PM PST

Since the subject of teams' commentating crews has sparked so much discussion lately, I thought I'd get something a little more regular going for everyone that has the (good?) fortune to listen to the Mikes every game. Like many others here on BE, I follow the Blazers via NBA League Pass, so I get to hear the opposing team's feed a lot of the time. In the interest of offering a little comparison between The Mikes (who haven't been getting the best publicity lately) and the rest of the field, I'll try to offer my take on the opposing crews when I hear them on League Pass. Any other League Passers are encouraged to chime in.

Tonight's crew: Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier of the Washington Wizards. Detailed bios of each can be found here.

Knowledge: B

Clarity: B+

Energy: B-

Objectivity: A

Overall: A-

Summary: These guys might have been the most unbiased crew I've ever listened to. If not for their obvious familiarity with the Wizards, a casual observer might not have known which team they worked for. They called the game very evenly, with almost no complaints about the referees. They were quick to acknowledge missed calls that would have favored the Blazers, and they were very evenhanded in their assessment of our talent and our organization.

They seemed to have a solid knowledge of the Blazers' players, and it was clear that they had discussed the team with the Mikes beforehand (which they even mentioned). They weren't the most excitable crew, which might be for the best on television, but for those of us accustomed to the energy and enthusiasm of the Mikes, that was a small negative. Otherwise, they were on point, objective, and very easy to listen to.

Conclusion: This is a very solid, if somewhat unexciting, crew that knows the game and the teams well. One of the best I've heard all season.

Tweet Comment 14 comments | 4 recs |

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Comments

Should we get some from other blogs to do a review of our guys?

This could be kinda cool.
I heard M&M.
Drunk is the word I have heard used and would use to describe that color guy. He is funny like Walton and Barkley are funny. That is, funny only to people who are beating the Blazers by a lot or funny to Blazer fans.

by staylost on Dec 3, 2008 8:14 PM PST reply actions

not a bad idea

I was thinking about doing a similar write-up or review of the Mikes the next time I got the Blazers’ feed, but maybe it would be better to have one of the other blogs do it. If nothing else, it would be brutally honest.

by Oppy on Dec 3, 2008 8:21 PM PST up reply actions

Celtics won't really be worth a try because they will probably try watching on national TV rather than Blazer TV

If we could set up critereon we might even be able to get composite scores from multiple people.
They would need to know it was in fun and no one is trying to hurt anyone.

About M&M, I think many of us are already brutally honest about them, but at least it would have less bias if someone non-blazer does it.

Out of curiousity for anyone that heard the NY feed, how did they compare to the Wiz crew? hehe

by staylost on Dec 3, 2008 8:29 PM PST up reply actions

Isn't the NY crew typically Mike Breen or Gus Johnson along with Clyde Frazier?

I know what Breen and Johnson are like from their national TV exposure. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a game with Clyde as the color man – is he any good?

by royroty on Dec 3, 2008 8:53 PM PST up reply actions

Clyde is good....nice and laid back.

Sounds like he’s having fun just by being at the game.

That is really hideous
--jscot

by prezofdeath on Dec 3, 2008 9:51 PM PST up reply actions

I posted about this after the last game,

but I’m not a Clyde Frazier fan. He understands the game, an d he’s not a HUGE homer, but I find him pretty annoying. He’s a little like Walton in that he’s constantly using over the top vocabulary. I guess some people find it entertaining, but I just found it distracting, and after a while, I would get really annoyed with some of his commentary. Mike Breen is solid, though.

by Oppy on Dec 3, 2008 10:08 PM PST up reply actions

Walt Clyde Frazier sucks

He knows a ton about strategy, way more than typical sports jock, which is good.

His problem, is that he is reacting to the game – not talking about it AS it happens. He can’t forge stories from the game the way the great ones do effortlessly, he seems to see each play as more or less an independent event.

M, period. Fresh, comma.

by manzell on Dec 3, 2008 10:36 PM PST up reply actions

that could be true

but I still think there should be some respect for one of the best players to have played the game.

That is really hideous
--jscot

by prezofdeath on Dec 4, 2008 12:40 AM PST up reply actions

not that i'm saying you're not giving it to him...

i’m just sayin in general

That is really hideous
--jscot

by prezofdeath on Dec 4, 2008 12:41 AM PST up reply actions

can we please please please

get Kevin Calabro doing a TNT broadcast of a Blazer game? Or a LeBron game?

Calabro is one of the best announces of all time – he is especially popular among the blind communty – and easily superior to overrated Chick Hearn and Marv Albert. It’s kind of a shame he didn’t stick with the Team Name Redacted, if only because we don’t get to hear him. Here’s to the Sounders I guess, but I doubt he’ll ever be able to talk about Freddie Ljeuwenberg to get on up for for the downstrike, get on his magic carpet and ride, or “give it here and don’t say nothin”.

M, period. Fresh, comma.

by manzell on Dec 3, 2008 10:34 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Fortunately Kevin stayed with Seattle

but honestly I was hoping we could lure Calabro to Portland. He is one of the best commentator in the NBA. Kind of the opposite of Walton (ie entertaining and says intelligent things).

by NWfan on Dec 3, 2008 10:47 PM PST up reply actions