What is wrong with Mike Rice?
by kuhnsmith on Mar 30, 2009 8:00 PM PDT
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PrintHas anyone been who's been watching Blazers Courtside tonight noticed something seems "off" with Mike Rice? He makes some off the wall comments, and it seems like he and Antonio Harvey are on the verge of getting in a fight. I don't think it's acting-it seems like they really don't like each other. He also seems on the verge of harrassing Rebecca Harlow. Mike B. has been stepping in to keep Rice from saying really crazy stuff.
What's going on here?
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well, the common rumor has been alcohol...
i’ve never known whether that’s meant to be a joke or not.
ignacio
if you look him up on wikepedia it says he drinks gin and tonics at halftime
by eclecticspider on Mar 30, 2009 9:25 PM PDT up reply actions
JUUUUUST a bit outside
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions
true but that is what it says and while not always accurate fairly reliable
by eclecticspider on Mar 30, 2009 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions
I could say that Mike Rice uses cocaine and has hookers over every night on Wikipedia. That doesn't mean it's true. Generally speaking, I don't trust (cntd.) ...
… Wikipedia if the article is about a famous person.
...
How does stuff get on Wikipedia? If true, gin and tonics at could well explain “incoherent comments”. No one should be dumping on someone if they’ve got a drinking problem, but if he does, no one’s doing him a favor by ignoring it.
the people that post on wikipedia
are pedophiles and furries.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on Mar 30, 2009 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions
I'd perhaps trust your comment...
…if you could source it on wikipedia.
by JordanLeDoux on Mar 31, 2009 12:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Not Gin and Tonics
During courtside he said Gin doesn’t agree with him, but Vodka Tonics work great!
If you watch him at the RG you will see he often has an adult beverage courtside
On a few occasions he has definitely exhibit signs of a little alcohol buzz… which seeing as though he is the color commentary guy it seems alright with me. It would be a shame though if the guy was laid to rest early because of liver failure or something like that.
Interesting off-topic side note: since Wheel’s is so overweight the Blazers radio network has a button to switch to the TV audio feed if Wheels were to have a heart attack during the broadcast. That is sort of funny, sad and true all in one. I hope Wheel’s surgery is still helping him shed the pounds/
I used to work at the Rose Garden
Before every game Mike Rice was in the Rose Room eating dinner and having a couple drinks. I never saw him out of control or anything, but most of the time he’s got a couple in him before the game starts. I think it’s funny actually. Otherwise the color commentary would just be boring.
Blazers Prophecy.
3-5 championships in next decade.
You heard it here first.
if it's only a joke
it’s pretty pervasive. at BE night, a blazer employee remarked that if the agency had promised free drinks, rice would be there in a heartbeat.
i haven’t watched courtside, but the boys always joke about ‘adult beverages’ during game broadcasts, and ricey usually sounds a little slurry during blowouts and draft coverage. barrett is ALWAYS trying to reign the ol’ fella in.
i'm ready to graduate now.
kthx.
Mike would have been there
if they were giving out FREE anything, he loves give a ways.
lol... so true
I have heard his ability to pocket the entire per diem from a long road trip is second to none.
No he is just
trying to be funny, sometime it works and everyone laughs, sometimes it bombs. Doesn’t know when to zip it up sometimes imo.
His name is "The Wild One" for a reason
Tony Luftman Is an Animatronic Robot created by Cyberdyne Industries for the purpose of the destruction of the entire human race, no one shall be spared.
Umm I call me perceptive, but dude is old, really old.
He’s totally got the thinning face going on, he’s doing the Pat Sumerall I don’t remember guys names right, he gets chippy easily. Rice was old when he joined, I like him, but if the team has no problem dumping the Shonz because he’s old then I would say this is very well the last year for Rice. It will be for health reasons, or something. But he’s at the age his game is starting to slip. He’s an awesome guy, just old is all. Just old.
I have to agree,
100%.
"- It was "mascot night" at the Rose Garden, which apparently translates to a dozen inflatable versions of various NBA mascots being chased around the arena by Portland's "Blaze", which is some breed of rapist dog."
Seth: Posting and Toasting
Draft Mychal Thompson
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
They'll have to drag him away from the mic, kicking and screaming
and who would replace him? ’Tone?
Be careful what you wish for…
wrong
He is a good announcer. Very insightful and entertaining. We are blessed with two fine tv announcers. I much prefer them to the morons on ESPN or TNT.
I hope this is some kind of a joke.
Our announcers are gigantic homers who get facts wrong (names, statistics, records, etc) and Rice in particular embarrasses himself on TV. The only announcing duo worse is the New Orleans guys.
completely disagree
I love the guys, they are homers, but I want them to be, the idea of not being one is just fantasy land stuff. Every sports broadcaster has their fav team, i would rather know than not know.
If you have league pass and watch a lot of games,
you know that the Mikes are not the worst duo out there. Most announcers suck. The Mikes can be bad, but they at least try to be objective and will admit when a we get a call we maybe shouldn’t have. It’s particularly disrespectful, constantly butchering pronunciations, but I suspect that’s all part of the act. My favorite, and the ones I view as the most humble, and a clear cut above the rest, are the Clipper announcers. I’m sure I haven’t heard every team available yet, but most for sure. So far, the Clips guys are the best, hands down.
Hear comes Rodriguez, no look to FerNANDEZ - WHAT A PLAY!!?!! HOW did they Pull That Off - FERNANDEZ THE STEAL - GOOD IF IT GOES -AAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!! - Kevin Harlan
by Screen Name on Mar 31, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions
I disagree as well
The Mikes are huge homers who really want us to win (and it shows), but nowhere near as bad as, say, the Hornets surprisingly abysmal team. Or the Celtics.
When the Mikes are good, they are really good. When they are bad (whining about calls and the various injustices our Blazers are facing from evil forces), they are bad. Both the bad and the good make the other stand out.
They are usually pretty good and (in my opinion) better than ever right now, because they have become more congizant of their criticism of refs and the global audience watching at home. To me, it’s important to root for your team and be happy they’re winning, but be aware that non-home-team-fans are watching and it’s a national/international product these days… not just showing on KGW for a few thousand people.
They ain’t anywhere close to the worst, but they are homers. They don’t get a lot of stuff wrong compared to most broadcasts, especially ones who don’t factor in pace adjusted numbers or other non-complicated-and-necessary stats to understand.
Mortimer
Utah and LA announcers are pretty homer too.
pretty much any team that is decent enough to be playing for anything meaningful. When something means a lot to you it is extremely difficult to not show your bias.
The Mikes aren't any more homer than any other team
for instance when you listen to the film of the Trevor Ariza flagrant on Rudy. Rice calls it right he says Ariza will be ejected and that Odom would be suspended. If you listen to the LA broadcast they say that no flagrant should be assessed. Now according to the NBA Rice was right and the Laker’s Homer announcers were wrong. Just one example. Also Rice just comments on officiating in general I have heard him say that the Blazers got away with one or correct himself after seeing a replay. No doubt they are all fans though.
disagree..
and you couldnt be more off..
there are at least 20 worse announcing teams
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 12:35 PM PDT up reply actions
I think Wheels is a much sharper announcer than Rice is. For that matter, a better analyst. Try listening to his Wheels at Work program on 95.5 and I think you’ll agree with me.
As for age being what’s up with Rice, I’m not so sure about that. I’m 60, but I don’t think I say and do embarrassing things in public. Whether it’s age or another cause, I just don’t think all’s right with him and if it’s not, then I think it’s the Blazer’s responsibility to make sure he gets help. Yes, the Schonz was getting a bit forgetful toward the end of his broadcast career, but even now he doesn’t go off the deep end like Rice often does.
Wheels is 10x the homer Rice is
I’ve only had to listen to him 5-6 times this year, but it annoys me to no ends.
Isn't that the truth.....
I’ve tried to listen to the games that I can’t watch (thanks again Comcast), and I enjoy a reasonable homer broadcaster (Mike Barrett), but for heaven’s sake…….Wheeler is just so far over the top. To listen to him, every referee in the NBA is out to get the Blazers. Wheeler makes Rice sound like a paragon of impartiality.
by antediluvian on Mar 31, 2009 10:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Schonz was da bomb
We used to listen to the radio and mute the TV, back in the days of Snapper and Pat “laugh-at-me”
Nowadays, I only listen to the radio broadcast in the car when I “have” to
Those were the days...listening to Schonley
on the radio. Man, he sure could paint a picture.
by antediluvian on Mar 31, 2009 4:52 PM PDT up reply actions
apples and oranges
compare Wheels to Barrett
compare Antonio Harvey to Rice
Harvey is a moron.
On way way home from games we listen to Harvey and what’s his face and Harvey is a tool. His assumptions and logic are just bad bad bad.
Wheeler is a very competent and generally solid PBP guy.
But he’s just about the biggest homer I have ever heard in my life for a pro sports announcer (nothing tops the junior hockey broadcaster who literally prayed to God for a tying goal on air.)
Yes! Yes! In the face!
What's wrong with being a homer?
Would you want to hear wheels barely raise his voice for a nice blazers play? Or would you rather have him go crazy like he does? His job is to call the radio games for the Portland Trailblazers. He is getting paid by the Portland Trailblazers. He and every single other radio and tv guys for their specific teams are homers for those teams, because they get paid to do that.
Red Hot and Rolling
by BlazerFan88 on Mar 31, 2009 7:16 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
You make it sound like there's no middle ground.
Listen to a guy like Kevin Harlan on TNT sometime. He’s got emotion in his broadcast too. When exciting plays happen, you can clearly hear it in his voice. Do you remember Calabro for the Sonics was very similar. He would obviously be pleased if the Sonics did well, but he would be enthusiastic any time he saw a big play happen.
By your rationale the only options available to Wheeler are to be completely monotone the entire broadcast, or what he does now which involves near weeping on the air when a call goes against the Blazers.
You’re not wrong that broadcasters tend to be paid to have further homer tendencies. I realize that it goes on in most places. That doesn’t mean I have to condone it or say it’s not obnoxious.
Yes! Yes! In the face!
for the playoffs and big national games
it’s great. on the other hand i want broadcasters that are fans along with me for the local feeds. it wouldn’t be right at all of these guys WEREN’T fans of this team.
ps. luftman needs to go far away.
Our halftime show just sucks
It’s awful, I hated it last year and quit watching. Someone brought up the point that they coulda changed, so I gave them another chance a month ago. Still suck!
+1 on Luftman
You know, I think Rice’s drunken antics and discussion would be perfect for the halftime show. Kick out Luftman and Holton and put in Schonz and Rice. THAT would be entertaining!
Yes! Yes! In the face!
although Harlan works for TNT not for a team
his check isnt cut by the team he is calling
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 12:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Exactly...
Yes Harlan is a great announcer and is definitely not a homer to any team, but he isn’t getting paid by any specific team.
Red Hot and Rolling
by BlazerFan88 on Mar 31, 2009 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions
lol, there has to be a link to this, please, there just has to be...
Hear comes Rodriguez, no look to FerNANDEZ - WHAT A PLAY!!?!! HOW did they Pull That Off - FERNANDEZ THE STEAL - GOOD IF IT GOES -AAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!! - Kevin Harlan
by Screen Name on Mar 31, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions
I quote
“It’s been a tough road trip…… playing on the road” Mike Rice talking about playing on the road during the game against the Bucks.
straight from section 326
Huh?
I think doing play by play is a much harder job than being an analyst. Wheels can do both, in my opinion. I’m not saying Rice didn’t do a good job at some point in his career, or maybe even when he first came here, but now….something’s just not right.
I think basketball pbp is tough, because you don’t get the benefit of many replays, unlike in football, where every play can be replayed
by inroywetrust on Mar 30, 2009 10:06 PM PDT up reply actions
or Harry Carey
If the the Blazers let Rice hang around long enough, he could go down that road
Beloved, but still a buffoon at the end
I agree that he sometimes has some really weird comments
On the other hand, much younger and respected national analysts like Van Gundy talk a lot of crap too if you listen closely. Jon Barry can be horrible. During an away game this year, the local announcers wandered completely away from the game to talk about college football unsolicited for 3+ minutes. The examples are endless.
I don’t hear Barry or Van Gundy very often. Do they sexually harass the women they work with on air? I think sexual harassment on the job (much less on the air) went out of style maybe 30 years ago.
When Harlow came on the set tonight Rice made a “speaking of tweeter” comment. It was pretty obvious what he meant. Harvey put his head in his hands and Mike B. stepped in to shut Rice up and said something like “Rebecca, I’m here to protect you”. This kind of stuff happens fairly often on this show, and Harlow (to her credit, I guess) just ignores it. What else can she do on air? Harvey gets in Rice’s grill when Rice says something over the line. Back when Rice was doing that Karnac imitation (which was yanked fairly abruptly for some reason?) he seemed to be out of control.
The boys were discussing Twitter just before Harlow entered the scene. Rice’s comment, though no doubt intended to be funny, was pretty clearly a sexual inuendo-not only to me but also to Harvey and Mike B. judging by their reactions.
You are right
at least according to urban dictionary. I’d post the link but it is extremely vulgar.
Hello Dum Dum
Actually there are 15 different definitions
on urban dictionary.
this is my favorite
the tweeter is a rolled up peice of paper that is folded in half and then launched by rubberband, they hurt like hell if u are hit by one on the skin
Hello Dum Dum
I'm sure Rice meant SOMETHING sexual with it
But more in vague terms… I seriously doubt Mike Rice knew Tweeter is slang for vag’.
It just SOUNDS dirty, in that context, even if one doesn’t know what it means.
Mo—
yea i dont think he is an avid reader
of the Urban Dictionary
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions
"tweeter"???
oh come on. you can’t honestly think that mike rice actually knew that or would call rebecca a “vagina” on the air. no way. 99% of the population doesn’t recognize tweeter in that way. you’re seeing something that’s just not there.
Although I did find that definition on the net
I still agree with you. I don’t think Mike Rice knew it meant that. I think he was referring to the convo about twitter. There is also a definition that explains that.
Tweeter
A person who uses Twitter to update countless people on the stupid things they are doing at any given time
Hello Dum Dum
My question then
is does Harlow tweet on twitter?
Subjectively, I must admit that hearing old guys throw down vulgar innuendos ...
makes me chuckle at times. Besides, Mike Rice at least didn’t tell Rebecca Harlow that he’d “see you next Tuesday” to her as a follow-up to using the double entendre “tweet” earlier.
Regardless, Rice deserves to be fired due to being an abysmal color commentator and basketball analyst. At this point in Rice’s career, he’s an over-the-hill, washed-up has-been. Indeed, the dude’s a joke.
I imagine Harlow is pretty thicked skinned
Being a women in sports entertainment is a tough job… lots of sexism in that field. Why do you think the women are always on the court and the men upstairs?
Sorry, I don't see it as harassment
I’m a woman and I see it as old guy/young woman bantering. I’ve done it myself and haven’t been offended by it.
Wow, I must have worked with hyper sensitive women, then! Actually, they were right.
What you can get away with in a bar or some other social setting is a whole different ballgame than what you can do in the workplace.
I hear ya.
Some of the gals I work with are actually more catty than the guys :-o
"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)
The ladies I work with
only complain about sexual talk when the person talking looks gross. Funny how that works. . .
Hello Dum Dum
nah, it's still in style
Hear comes Rodriguez, no look to FerNANDEZ - WHAT A PLAY!!?!! HOW did they Pull That Off - FERNANDEZ THE STEAL - GOOD IF IT GOES -AAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!! - Kevin Harlan
by Screen Name on Mar 31, 2009 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions
/s
Hear comes Rodriguez, no look to FerNANDEZ - WHAT A PLAY!!?!! HOW did they Pull That Off - FERNANDEZ THE STEAL - GOOD IF IT GOES -AAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!! - Kevin Harlan
by Screen Name on Mar 31, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
nothin's wrong
the wild one was a great coach and a talented tv alalyst. His insight is great and he’s hilarious. why are you guys ganging up on him? I love his goofy style, now lay off the guy already!!!
Aw, c'mon . . .
The guy was drafted in 1962 after his senior year in college. So he’s in his late sixties. I don’t know if that qualifies as “old, really old” like Titlein2011 suggests, but it’s old enough to cut him some slack and let him say some silly stuff. I know his title may be analyst, but he’s really there to entertain and be little bit wacky. If you’re looking for stellar analysis, a local TV broadcast ain’t the right place.
P.S. Could one of you technostuds play with his Wiki page? It’s disrespectful.
You're not going to find someone harder on announcers than me
And I am a huge fan of Mike Rice. He’s got too much on the ball to be a on air drunk but if anyone could pull it off it’s him. He’s funny, insightful, relaxed on air and knows Bball.
I would like to here Wheeler’s talk radio show and here is insights sometime but I can’t listen to his play by play during Blazer games. He annoys the living crap out of me.
by Blazersaurus on Mar 30, 2009 10:00 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Yeah,
I don’t know why people think Rice is an idiot. He is an ex-coach and really knows basketball. I think people are getting his delivery style and his knowledge base mixed up. I know that, supposedly, Doug Collins is a good coach, but CANNOT stand that guy on the tv. If ever there truly existed a super hero with the powers of dictating the obvious and named as such: CAPTAIN OBVIOUS, it would be Collins.
by llublazerfan on Mar 30, 2009 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Collins does do his homework though
When he does the Portland games it is evident he reads most of the recent press he can get his hands on regarding the team he’s covering.
"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)
just doesn't make for insightful banter during the game,
that’s all. He just sort of says what’s happening, but he supposed to be the color analyst, not the commentator. And, note, I did say that I realize he is, allegedly, a good coach.
by llublazerfan on Mar 30, 2009 10:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah I see what you mean. Yeah he's pretty dry
"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)
You know what I think is funny?
When someone is considered to be well-prepared, but then you look at the gamenotes prepared by the team and they’re just repeating what the team P.R. department gave them.
(I don’t mean to pick on Collins; he’s one of the few who doesn’t piss me off with blather.)
I didn't think of that
"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)
Teams make it pretty easy, if you can manage to sound like you are not reading something off
http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/notes.pdf
Full of not-so-obvious stats, player infos with little anecdotes, etc. It even explains how to pronounce difficult names, so it’s not like the announcers had no chance to get it close to right. Not all teams put the same effort into it, but you get something from all of them. So when you download and study the notes provided by at least the home team (as a national announcer) or the one you are not familiar with (as the local home announcer), you can look pretty knowledgeable.
Rice doesn’t articulate very well, and it results in him phrasing even insightful comments in ways that make him seem like a patronizing child at times.
"Alright Mr. Rice. We know how important this stat is. * pat pat * "
He’s not very well-spoken, no matter his intelligence or his ability to understand basketball. And in addition to not being well-spoken, his mouth sometimes gets ahead of his brain.
by JordanLeDoux on Mar 31, 2009 12:11 AM PDT up reply actions
I get really confused whenever I hear someone say
That Mike Rice really knows the game of basketball. Because he doesn’t. He really doesn’t. Mike Rice is not insightful, or knowledgeable. Mike Rice amazes me every time I watch him, because I’ve never seen anyone who is less aware of what’s going on in the basketball game in front of them. Mike Rice is a moron. I can’t stand him. I couldn’t imagine coaching with him. It would drive me up a wall. I hate you, Mike Rice. Not personally, of course. Just professionally.
I want Greg Oden to tuck me in at night and tell me stories about the old times
I never thought of it that way
That was an terrific point, robrun. You’ve turned my world upside down with your well thought out and extremely articulate argument. I’ll never look at Mike Rice the same ever again. How could I have been so shortsighted about the incomparable Mike Rice?? In fact, after the overwhelming evidence you’ve just provided me about him, I think we need to fire that no talent ass clown Mcmuffin and replace him with…..You got it!!! MIKE RICE!!! He’s clearly the best candidate for the job. You’ve shown me the light, robrun, and when Mike Rice is leading us to our 8th NBA title in 5 years(with The Wild One, anything is possible!), you’ll be the one I’ll thank.
I want Greg Oden to tuck me in at night and tell me stories about the old times
Funny, both of you
But what is anyone going to say other than “Wrong” to what you said? It’s not Mike Rice who doesn’t know ball, it’s you Juiceman if you don’t know that. You think you know ball, you want and need to think it, but… wait. I’m being a D head arn’t I? Perhaps it is I and Robrun who are Wrong about basketball. It’s all perception right?
I think I’d better go outside and excersize a bit. I’ll be watching a three hour game soon.
by Blazersaurus on Mar 31, 2009 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Rice does his homework & knows the game.
Just 1 example: for years he’s been calling my attention to various under-appreciated players around the league.
The only point I was trying to make
is that the statement “Wrong” isn’t much of an argument to try and disprove my theory that Mike Rice is an idiot. The least I could hope for is some attempt at providing evidence that Rice knows what he’s talking about. I might not agree, but I’m more than willing to listen. The one word response is just humorous to me.
And to clarify, I coach basketball for a living, so I do know a little about the game. But having said that, if coaching basketball means that you know the game, than at the very least makes me as qualified to talk about it as… Mike Rice. So, touche. I’ve proven your point. Well played, sir.
I want Greg Oden to tuck me in at night and tell me stories about the old times
I agree that there seems to be some friction between Rice and Harvey.
I think Harvey often rubs the whole crew the wrong way, however. He’s abrasive.
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
I've only heard the radio version also so his looks don't influence my opinion. :0
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
That's dumb of him
He can’t afford to be so abrasive, he ain’t Steve Jones.
Harvey is nowhere talented enough of an announcer to be hard, or annoying, to work with. He’s still pretty bad at his job.
If The Snapper is pushed aside from being hard to work with, Harvey ain’t got a chance.
Mortimer
He may be knowledgable but Snapper seems to do but nothing but snap at his
colleagues. I’ll bet that’s how he got his nom de plume.
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
I loved it when Snapper and Walton would do a game together
Jones would pretty much just make fun of everything Walton said.
Hello Dum Dum
Snapper=
probably the best NBA commentator. Plus, pair him with Bill Walton’s idiotic platitudes and you’re watching/listening to TWICE the entertainment! The Snapper spent most of the time laughing at Walton and pointing out his self-contradictions. Quite often, no less!
by llublazerfan on Mar 30, 2009 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Snapper or Kevan Callabro from Seattle
are the best announcers. Kevin’s doing soccer games in Seattle now.
If KC would move to Portland
he should be offered whatever it takes to get him down here and replace Wheels. But I heard he has kids in school and may not want to relocate?
He might be tough to work with on the local leve
But I loved The Snapper.
He is always right. Like, literally. Very smart guy, and very honest, which isn’t always the best combo for a local broadcast during trying times.
I think Rice knows his stuff too, but in a different way, but he at least stays current with NBA news and rumors, reading the papers and stuff online.
Morty
ball movement, player movement
man, I got tired of listening to that broken record
and the calls always even out…even when they’re egregious…the refs can’t be wrong
20 years of listening to Jones was enough for anyone’s lifetime
If Snapper came back I would have to hang myself til my necked "Snapped"
Or turn the sound off so I don’t have to listen to him say the EXACT SAME THING EVERY SINGLE GAME. Dear god, the horror. The horror.
by Blazersaurus on Mar 31, 2009 4:09 PM PDT up reply actions
RE: The WILD ONE:
I love the guy. He has a goofy style all his own. PLUS: I think he’s the only tv analyst to be ejected by a ref. He called it like he saw it, and let Javie, no less, know about it back in the days of Clyde and Terry. I was listening to it on the radio.
Wild one is THE MAN
Mike Barret said it best. He’s extremely knowledgeable and we’re very lucky to have him, and hes a clown.
Barret is so used to Rice, I don’t think he could stand a only serious color analyst. It would be like drinking water after only having champaign all your life.
by mrwonderfulone on Mar 30, 2009 10:49 PM PDT reply actions
Barrett "broke in" with Jones as the pbp
I think Mike would have kittens if he had to work with the Snapper again
(he’d do it, ‘cause he’s a professional, but his enjoyment level would take a dive)
Rice is a hoot. He's one reason my wife learned to like basketball. Now, I
don’t claim he’s a great analyst or announcer or whatever, but he’s hysterical. If you don’t like Mike Rice you’re way too serious.
I agree with you
I love the Mikes and they appear to have pretty good chemistry. I also understand why anyone who isn’t a Blazer fan hates them, they can be pretty big homers. But I’m a big homer so I can relate.
Hello Dum Dum
Epic if true
Hear comes Rodriguez, no look to FerNANDEZ - WHAT A PLAY!!?!! HOW did they Pull That Off - FERNANDEZ THE STEAL - GOOD IF IT GOES -AAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!! - Kevin Harlan
by Screen Name on Mar 31, 2009 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions
I luvs me some Mike "Paella".
The Mikes are a free-style combination of seriousness and humor, knowledge and and frivolousness, impartiatily and homerism, etc.
Sergio + Rudy = 16
Sergio + Bayless = 16
Batum 8+8=16
by amlmart1 on Mar 30, 2009 11:13 PM PDT reply actions 7 recs
I love them for all that
And the fact that they drive other team’s fans insane.
Karma
by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 30, 2009 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions
That's a good point
Hear comes Rodriguez, no look to FerNANDEZ - WHAT A PLAY!!?!! HOW did they Pull That Off - FERNANDEZ THE STEAL - GOOD IF IT GOES -AAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!1111!!!!!!!!! - Kevin Harlan
by Screen Name on Mar 31, 2009 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions
I like the Barret and Rice combo
FAR more than Wheels. His crazy emotional homerism makes me drives me nuts. I don’t even know if he’s gotten better in the last year or two because I avoid listening to him like the plague.
by levelhed on Mar 30, 2009 11:19 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I like Wheels commentary better
but he really gets down on the game when the Blazers aren’t ahead. We could only be down by 5 but he acts like its a lot. He calls the game better i think.
Sometimes i dont know about Mike Rice. He’s always a little weird. He doesn’t really call the game, he just comments on what he thinks about things.
Travis Outlaw fan from the beginning.
The games are on TV for Rice
You don’t need to call the game as much.
And yeah, Wheels gets downright arrogant during wins and gets emo during losses.
WHEELS on the other hand...
Wheels is great! I have only one annoyance I have is anytime the other team does something good or the blazers bad, he whines like someone just stole his car, his house, nailed his wife and took home his dog.
by mrwonderfulone on Mar 30, 2009 11:26 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Good thing he's not married and doesn't own a house. That cuts your
annoyance potential in half. :p
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
Good plays by them or bad by us happens 30 times a game
Which makes his broadcast quite the whinefest.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s not so bad that I won’t listen if I’m on the road, but hyping him and bashing Rice is just… weird to me.
I wish i had the links but..
I have seen multiple credible sources talk about Rice drinking during the game. I swear I have seen Barret mention it in his blog.
I love the Mikes, and the Wild One is great, his BBIQ is off the chart. He does mix his words at times, mainly player names, but he is old so give him some credit.
I think it is funny to call them homers, cause the Blazers announcers give more credit to the other teams players that anyone I have ever seen.
Also, I love Wheels, his emotion puts you in the arena as if you were watching the play first hand. When we are down he is down cause of our teams inability to defend/rebound etc.
I think it is good to have announcers that are truly fans of the team.
OOOOOH!!!!! That was NASTY!!!!!!!!
I'd love to see some links
Everything I’ve ever read about Rice drinking during games hasn’t been from a credible source. Also, I’ve read all of Mikey Baretta’s blogs and I don’t remember him saying anything along those lines. I’ll buy that Rice is getting on in years and that he could be on medication that makes him a spacy (blood pressure meds did it for one of my relatives), but the whole drinking thing is an urban myth that ought to be on Snopes.
I can't imagine that he would seriously call out his announcing partner publicly. On a blog owned & operated by the team, not even his personal one.
‘You know, when we come across as incoherent homers sometimes, that’s because Ricey is drinking adult beverages at halftime and sometimes during timeouts’. Really??? I mean it’s possible, but would the guy he needs to have chemistry on-air with make that public.
You used my nickname for Mikey Baretta!
My life is complete.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Rice took a drink here and there, but nothing that makes him incompetent. Everyone on talk shows takes a shot before going on as well… or at least they make drinks available to loosen up some. If Rice, nearing 70, takes a drink here or there and gets lubed up before going on… well, oh well.
I think a LOT of it is the ‘act’. He’s The Wild One, out of control, saying the wacky stuff, etc. It’s part of the schtick.
Mortimer
Yep, it's part of the schtick
That just about covers it for me. He’s a nutty guy who’s always been a little outrageous (and sexist) and that’s what he’s paid to do. A little lubrication is probably part of the picture. He’s also getting old. But I was frustrated with a couple of lines in his Wiki page that made it sound like he’s some sort of jolly W.C. Fields character.
I put the Mike Rice-is-a-big-drunk stories in the same place I put the Brandon-got-rid-of-ZBo stories and the we-almost-had-Devon-Harris stories. Possible, but saying it a whole bunch of times on the internet doesn’t make it the gospel truth. And if someone says there are sources, then gimme the links, doggonnit!
P.S. I knew I stole the Mikey Baretta thing from someone; I should’ve figured it was you!
Mortimer always forgets to copyright
Karma
by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 31, 2009 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions
I found a way around all of that silly copyright stuff, just in case he remembered this time
Mortimer spelling = Barretta
Corvid spelling = Baretta
A correction on the giving due to other teams players.
Knicks announcers are in love with BROY. I remember watching us play there and they literally spent 1/3 of the game just talking about him.
OOOOOH!!!!! That was NASTY!!!!!!!!
Clips announcers did also.
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
Clips announcers HAVE to pay close attention to the visitors every night, otherwise they're stuck talking about their own team...
…………………………………… and who wants to listen to THAT?!?!?
Pontiff of the Pryz for Prez Posse...
by timbo on Mar 31, 2009 12:39 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
This has been mentioned before
Bad teams always hype the opponent’s stars. It makes their losses look better. Mike and Mike give props to the savy veterans (Spurs) or the crazy skilled players (CP3) as well.
The older the announcer
The more in love with Brandon Roy they will be. It’s an actual mathematical formula scientists created n’ stuff.
Any former player from the 70’s will want Roy’s baby too.
Roy is a perfect player for bridging that gap between old and young… great fundamentals and pace and humble attitude for the old folks, lotsa game winning shots and dramatic crossovers and big plays for the young folks.
Roy is the Will Smith of NBAers! EVERYONE can agree on him.
Mortimer
by Mortimer on Mar 31, 2009 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
so true
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
it truly is ALL announcers
the older and whiter, the more they love him
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
i don't mind the mikes. their voices don't get on my nerves.
the worst ever in my lifetime was eddie doucette. just a very bad, superwimp sounding voice plus bad bad jokes that he just wouldnt lay off. worst announcer i’ve ever heard in any sport in my life.
ignacio
one reason I love my cat is....
becuase it’s just so darn smug it’s almost annoying…
I guess it’s alot like that with rice, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world…..well….maybe it and the moon ;)
The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.
lol Mike Rice is fine
The people that don’t like him are the stat freaks and the kind of dudes who listen to 95.5 The Game in the morning.
Blazer Fan
Ha ha, I wonder if that's true.
I like Rice a ton, but then again, I get jolts of joy whenever he says something particularly goofy so maybe I’m not watching him for the right reasons…
The way I look at it is like this: if you want polished, professional announcers — they are out there. But there is a strong likelihood that a switch to Ultra Professionalism would also be ultra boring. The polar opposite of loopy chain-of-consciousness commentary is ultra-technical and ultra-dry. Appealing to some, perhaps, but by no means something that everyone could get behind.
Nor is Rice and his style necessarily really that far from the mean. I just watched a Nets game called by Marv Albert and Mike Fratello. Now, admittedly, it was a 30 point blowout at home — but these guys were just as flippant and loopy as Mike Rice, but with NONE of the passion for their team. You couldn’t tell in the least that it was family members being dismembered on national TV by a team wearing pig’s heads and wielding chainsaws.
The polar opposite of homerism ia a detached boredom with the team — and trust me, no true fan wants that.
So yeah, Mike Rice. Not everyone’s cup of licorice-flavored tea, but I like him…
Sometimes Rice is off topic, but the payoff is humor — intentional or not.
Pontiff of the Pryz for Prez Posse...
Andy Rooney anyone?
Does a bear (poo) in the woods?
an over worked circus bear could (poo) in his pants…
Why do they say “up (poo) creek without a paddle”?
Why would you be up (poo) creek, and why would you not bring a paddle?
Maybe Paul Allen can swoop in and land Gus Johnson.
I love that guy.
He’d make “slowest pace in the NBA” seem like Usain Bolt on cocaine.
Give the man his "M"!!!
by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Mar 31, 2009 10:29 AM PDT reply actions
I grew up listening to
Chick Hearn and Vin Scully. These guys were both the ultimate professionals. No one doubted who they were rooting for, but they were so knowledgeable and so respectful of not only the other team, but to the game itself! This created a different atmosphere around the games, not so desperate (like Wheels), not so disrespectful (like Rice), and yet not league pawns, selling the cool aid like the network guys do. I have heard better team announcers (that strive to be more fair, respectful. and knowledgeable) than our guys, but I have heard quite a few worse ones too (Boston and New Orleans jump to mind). Barret is the best of ours, by far.
Barret is OK,
but just like Blazers Courtside, without Rice it would be BO-RING.
I like that there is someone down there on the court
2 feet from the refs telling them when they missed a call on the Blazers. You know when Mike Rice says something like: “After seeing the replay you can clearly tell that the call was missed by the officials.” Then 2 plays later comes a make-up call. Those guys really help. Plus the NBA officials have said that Wheel’s is the worse and that Rice and Barrett are some of the fairest team announcers in the league.
They said it during the broadcast so take it for what it is worth.
I can’t remember which official said it but the officials are required to watch the broadcast of the first half at halftime to determine if any players are getting away with holding that they aren’t seeing or for a variety of other reasons. A lot of times the only video of the game is the local broadcast so the officials watch the game and listen to Mike Rice and Barrett sometimes. One of the officials (can’t remember which one) told the Mikes that they may be critical but they are fair. Which I agree with. They are always saying something like: “It looked like a bad call from this angle but the refs was right there so I believe him”. Or they will see a replay and realize they are wrong and say something like: “well that call was clearly right and we missed it.” Or I have seen Rice pretend to put on make-up when the Blazers catch a call after a bad call. I am not saying they aren’t homers but they aren’t as bad as some people think.
i love that about them.
admit when we get a lucky break, and everytime the other team misses, it isnt because of our defense, its cuz they MISSED..
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions
Point: Counterpoint
I give you my previous post:
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 12:45 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I love the Mikes--
I have to listen to other announcing teams all the time, and our crew is very good. Except the halftime show—worst ever. I have never seen or heard ONE person who likes the halftime crew…I think Wheels is very talented, but whines alot when something doesn’t go our way.
and rec for GreatOden’sRaven previous post
It's spelled "PRZYBILLA."
vanillathrillagorillaprzybilla
by RenoBlazerFan on Mar 31, 2009 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Wheels is great
You are out of your mind if you don’t like Wheels. The whole Batoom-shakalaka, listening to every point that Brandon made of the 52, Right in Prince’s face, posterized, etc. etc. Is all part of his homerism, and you are going to say that you don’t like that stuff? I just don’t get it.
And also since you are listening on the radio, how would you even know if he is acting Homeristic on his calls? Are you somehow able to see what is going on and you are making an independent judgement? And if that is the case, then you obviously like him enough to play the radio over the television announcers, but you still don’t really like him? I am just not following your line of reasoning…
From the back of Travis Outlaw's Franz card: Travis leads the team in monstrous thunder dunks, wins awards for post game interviews, and often gets extra points for degree of difficulty.
From the back of Greg Oden's Franz card: Nickname: Jaws. Has an insatiable desire to tear rims apart while cruising the open court, and was once interested in using head-gear for his profession.
Wheels is a man of extremes
Which is great when he calls Brandon hitting the buzzer beater but can also go over the top or drag you down when it is uncalled for. You always feel like he gets really amped up to the highest highs when the team is clicking, and makes everything sound end of the world is near depressing when things go wrong. A day or two ago the Nets lost horribly at home, and Marv + Fratello kept their stoic cool arguing over reasons, bad defense or just a lack of scoring, if they had ever experienced their team playing so bad, etc. Rice would have lost it in that situation likely insulting the refs or someone else, and Wheels would have gone ballistic.
my problem with Wheels
is the extreme depression he gets into if we start doing poorly.
The rest of it I can deal with. Sure he’s a homer but he knows his hoops pretty well. We could sure do a lot worse than Wheels. – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
"Extreme depression"
is an exagerration. His tone of voice will change along with the ups and downs of the game. If you pay attention, you will note that his reactions unfailingly predict the reaction of the Rose Garden crowd. This is part of being plugged into the game, the crowd, and the team, and it’s a sign of a good announcer. The great Schonely was similar. You could tell just by his tone of voice whether something went good or bad for the Blazers, before he even described exactly what happened. I find that Wheels emotions are, for the most part appropriate to what is happening on the floor. When Portland is playing like crap he will not hide his dissappointment. When a game is clearly out of reach, he will become reflective and start talking about the future, etc. But he never writes things off when there is a chance of a comeback. Schonz was the same way. Nothing is more ridiculous than an announcer remaining falsely upbeat during a miserable stretch. I think, “Do you even care?”. My only issue with Wheels is that his catch phrases and nicknames aren’t that creative.
NO ONE makes you feel like you are there watching the game like Wheels. NO ONE.
Cause of Comcast I am forced to listen to all the CSN exclusive games. So I hear a ton of Wheels calls as I have tried to listen/watch as many games as I possibly could.
Wheels makes you feel like you are there watching the game. His emotion us your emotion. No one does it like him. I mean NO ONE! What makes him so great is that he would claim he is PTB’s biggest fan like most of us probably would. It is the only way to convey the emotion one would have watching the game as a fan.
That is very unique and some of his quotes are epic. I mean epic like;“I can’t believe what I just saw”(Greatest Call ever and the biggest momemtum giving play of all time.) Wheels is that good.
OOOOOH!!!!! That was NASTY!!!!!!!!
I can't stand Wheels
If I made a list about the best and worst about the Blazers organization, Wheels would be the worst. I hate catch phrases.
Anyone read Rice's wikipedia page?
Some good stuff like this quote that is so funny: “Rice likes to complain about calls that happened in the first quarter when it’s currently the fourth quarter. At halftime he has a few adult beverages while fantasizing about Rebecca Harlowe’s amazing ass.”
Who wrote this? lol
by Escrote on Mar 31, 2009 1:42 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
You can check out the page history and figure out who wrote it that way.
I’m a serious Wiki contributor, so I don’t pull such shenanigans — but I love the Rice page!
Pontiff of the Pryz for Prez Posse...
The Becky's Bottom revision was made from IP address: 75.170.68.195 -- Vallejo, California.
Pontiff of the Pryz for Prez Posse...
I cleaned it up a little bit -- the robot would get that stuff.
Pontiff of the Pryz for Prez Posse...
Ho-leeee-crap!!!
With the second-highest TV ratings in the NBA, behind only LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Blazers Broadcasting is under pressure to produce during its broadcasts, which include 76 of the team’s 82 games. (—Quick)
Rice isn’t due for a pink slip, he’s due for a raise…
Pontiff of the Pryz for Prez Posse...
by timbo on Mar 31, 2009 2:15 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Casey also insinuated during the live chat that Rice would leave that position only over his dead body
And nobody there to force him out.
+1
I don’t get all this hate for Rice…
It's spelled "PRZYBILLA."
vanillathrillagorillaprzybilla
by RenoBlazerFan on Mar 31, 2009 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Think of all the people who can't watch the game due to comcast
WE WOULD RULE THE WORLD OF TV RATINGS IF STUPID COINCAST WOULD STOP BEING SUCH JERKS!!!!
Karma
by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 31, 2009 6:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Watching streams on line has put a lot of various announces from around the NBA in my ears
Some are solid, some are horrid but none has yet to match Mike and Mike.
agreed, with league pass I have had to listen to some really bad announcers. I can’t think of any now but some were just awful.
I hope I can get a bunch of championships, like 15. " - Greg Oden
N.O., GS. Hou, LAL,
I think the Spurs and Clippers and Kings are all pretty good. NJN is ok
Other than death and taxes, only 4 things in this world are indisputable:
Brandon Roy is the BEST player in the NBA in the clutch.
Montana to Rice were the greatest to ever play the game.
The Four Horsemen of Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine and Avery were unstoppable.
No one protects the pipes like Luongo.
by GreatOden'sRaven on Mar 31, 2009 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions
mike and mike
typically i listen to music during games and especially when the blazers are on comcast or channel 8. i listen to their game on espn and tnt but not locally… i was a big snapper jones fan… he did color for the hawks when i lived in atlanta also… i think he got a raw deal… and yes i think race had a lot to do with it… but i’ll leave it at that.
much rather listen to lil’ wayne or jane’s addiction or the sound of my dog snoring or anything other than the mike’s constant whining about officiating, bdowngrading other teams’ players and coaches and their incessant homerisms…
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