[HookEmHorns]

In your opinion, Who are the best announcers in the NBA or College Hoops (Play by Play or Color)? It can be regional or national. I like Brett Musberger for college hoops, I think he did a real nice job this year, including that Illini-Iowa game that went to OT. I also like Steve Lavin for color, adds a flavor and excitement to the basketball game that isn't annoying like Dicky V. I don't really have a clear cut favorite NBA announcer, don't mind Walton though.

 

[mizenkay]

two words:


marv. albert.

 

[dkg1]

I like a few of the people you threw out there. Lavin is enjoyable on color. I like Musberger and Marv on pbp. Most of the national guys for the NBA are pretty good. I miss Durham as a Bulls announcer.


Our announcers blow. Red Kerr sounded like he was talking into a plastic cup all night long (technical problem?).

 

[SecretAgentGuy]

two words:


marv. albert.

Ditto.

I also like whichever ex-coach is on the scene as well. Doug Collins provides great insight, as has Fratello in the past.

 

[ScottMay]

My favorites, in no particular order:

Kevin Calabro, TV play-by-play for the Sonics.

Mike Breen, TV play-by-play for the Knicks. I think the duo of Breen and Walt Frazier is probably the best in the business overall.

Chuck Swirsky, TV play-by-play for the Raptors. Jack Armstrong and Leo Rautins are terrific analysts, too, even though a lot of Raptors fans don't seem to like them.

Neil Funk, radio play-by-play for the Bulls. When he was paired with Pax, that was as good a tandem as I've heard in my lifetime.

College hoops -- why CBS hasn't booted Billy Packer in favor of Bill Raftery, and like twenty years ago, is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our time. Raftery knows more than Packer and is about 100 times as entertaining / less irritating. As long as I've got Raftery on the mike, the play-by-play is practically irrelevant.

 

[spongyfungy]

I'd like to add Kevin Harlan. If you heard him on radio, his descriptions are crazy. He let's the crowd do the play by play on gametying/winning shots. ie Arizona vs. Illinois game : Deron Williams shot on CBS Westwood radio.

Freakin Lebron James' gametying shot on us "right between the eyes" drove right through my heart and his call "no regard for human life" is awesome.

I like Ralph Lawler as well.

 

[dkg1]

College hoops -- why CBS hasn't booted Billy Packer in favor of Bill Raftery, and like twenty years ago, is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our time. Raftery knows more than Packer and is about 100 times as entertaining / less irritating. As long as I've got Raftery on the mike, the play-by-play is practically irrelevant.

I love Raftery! I always enjoy his signature "man to man" call to open games. Scott May, I enjoyed Swirskey's time in chicago. He was solid at whatever sport he was covering.

 

[spongyfungy]

Raftery's commentary at the NIT was great. Onions! More Onions! Onion Soup!

 

[Wynn]

Ditto.

I also like whichever ex-coach is on the scene as well. Doug Collins provides great insight, as has Fratello in the past.

I've got to second this Doug Collins vote. He's excellent.

 

[The Truth]

I like a few of the people you threw out there. Lavin is enjoyable on color. I like Musberger and Marv on pbp. Most of the national guys for the NBA are pretty good. I miss Durham as a Bulls announcer.


Our announcers blow. Red Kerr sounded like he was talking into a plastic cup all night long (technical problem?).

Doug Collins is the best color man in the NBA.

Scott May, I couldn't agree more about Raftery vs. Packer....Raftery brings such a positive passion to the game, I have no idea why CBS wouldn't want him doing the final 4.

I've heard some talk that CBS might be transitioning Jay Bilas in to eventually replace Packer as their big game guy.

 

[Darius Miles Davis]

In terms of pro basketball lead announcers, Marv is the man. Kevin Harlan is very good as well.

As for color men, I think Doug Collins is excellent. I am also pleasantly surprised with the rapid development of Steve Kerr. I think he is very solid. I used to love the Marv Albert/Clyde Frasier tandem in NYC. One time Clyde referred to a rookie as a "precocious neophyte," and I was sold. He has kind of a funny voice (he sounds as if he's perpetually smiling), but I grew to really dig him.

Color commentary wise, I also like Sean Elliott. I always find he's about as knowledgeable about the Bulls as any color guy out there, which means he must really do his homework. I don't really watch too many Spurs games, so I don't have a large sample size. I also must admit that I love the controversial Bill Walton: "THAHT WAS THE WORST DISPLAY OF TEAM DEFENSE IN THE HISSSSTORY OF ORGANIZED SPORTS!" I can see how he pisses people off, but I think he's a riot.

As for college ball color men, I really love Raftery and Dickie V. I love the enthusiasm and the passion. I know Packer is often hated on, but I think he's very competent.

I want to mention one announcer I really don't like, though he doesn't do basketball. I really can't get into Joe Buck. He is a solid, professional announcer, but his delivery is so flat that it sucks the energy out of a game. Hearing John Miller call a baseball game over Joe Buck makes it so much more fun. John Miller is the man!

 

[UMfan83]

Neil Funk is by far my favorite. Regrettably though I don't know a lot of the broadcasters throughout the NBA because I don't own League Pass

 

[Showtyme]

I miss the days when the NBA was on NBC, and once in a while we'd get Bob Costas in there.

Otherwise, I also like Kevin Harlan and Steve Lavin. The better the commentator, the worse the coach, maybe, although that doesn't apply to Hubie Brown (but I wasn't much of a Fratello fan, and I think Collins is a horrible coach but a good guy for basketball insight).

 

[spongyfungy]

for college I like Majerus. He speaks in basketball and doesn't water it down at all. Raftery just looks like he should be everyones' grandpa.

 

[PC Load Letter]

NBA play-by-play:

Marv - He's still my favorite. I don't think he's the best, but I love his style and I enjoy listening to him (especially if he's next Fratello).

Jim Durham - My 2nd favorite. I can't believe the Bulls let this guy go and replaced him with Dore. Merriam-Webster should use this as the example for the word "travesty."

Kevin Calabro - ScottMay, good call, as usual.

Honorable mention for whoever Denver's tv pbp guy is. Actually, that duo is quite good.

There's not many NBA color guys I'm overly impressed with. Fratello is good when paired with Marv, because of their chemistry, but without him, he's average. I feel Doug Collins is a bit overrated, as well. He's good, but he says a lot of things that don't make sense and sometimes talks just to talk, which is annoying for any color guy.

College color:

Bill Raftery - My absolute favorite color guy of all-time in any sport. Not only does he know his stuff, he gives actual analysis and is funny and entertaining...all at the same time. I'm constantly quoting him during games. "Oooh, the kiss!" on a bank shot is my favorite. I agree it's also unbelievable that he's been #2 behind Packer for as long as I can remember. (Also, here's an example of what makes Raftery so cool: he also does NBA analysis on NBA-TV. And he knows his NBA just as well as college. Impressive.)

Clark Kellogg - He gives really good analysis, whether he's doing color or studio work. One of the keys to being good, in my mind, is NOT coming off as an arrogant know-it-all (I hope Billy Packer reads this). Both Kellogg and Raftery do a good job of this.

College play-by-play is like NBA color guys to me; nobody that impresses me much. Dave O'Brien is ok (ESPN) and Jim Nance used to be, but that's all that comes to mind (I'm probably forgetting about someone).

UNfavorite college play-by-play:

Brent Musberger - Sorry DKG, but I think Musberger is the most overrated announcer of all-time. I can't stand his melodramatic style and his over-the-top attempts at hipness and humor. Horrible.

Dick Enberg - Just annoying and not good. Thank god he was relegated to doing a short, video "vignette" during the final four.

 

[such sweet thunder]

Play by play there is no one better then Marv. I wish he still teamed with Walt Frazier on the pass. What an odd and priceless combination. . .

Oh one more name; Best color man:

JOHN PAXSON :biggrin:

I used to love his radio work.

 

[L.O.B]

Jimmy Durham is one of my favorites.

Collins is good and Bill Walton has me in stitches most nights when I watch him. Funny thing is I used to hate Walton until I realized he didn't take himself seriously. After Walton called Keith Kloss the most dominating bigman in the game today after Keith's best 5 minutes of his career, I was hooked.

 

[grace]

I wish no one had brought up when the NBA used to be on NBC. Man, do I miss Bob Costas. As for the best color commentator IMO its Clark Kellogg.

As for Marv Albert his brother Al does the Pacer games. All I can say is Al is no Marv, not even close.

 

[Hustle]

II am also a big Doug Collins fan, it would be great if he came back to Chicago, but he'll make more money on TNT or coaching even.

 

[BealeFarange]

I really like Neil Funk a whole lot...listening to him describe Ben Gordon is always a riot.

"Ben circling, he drives down and loops back up, around, loops to the outside and spins baseline, wrap around, dribbles, stops, twirls and OH MY!"

Bill Wennington is pretty likeable if not particularly earth-shattering. I think he tries really hard and does a lot of research but I'm not sure how well he and Neil work together. They seem to have a relatively cold relationship they try to play off for laughs every once and a while but it doesn't work for some reason...but maybe I was spoiled with the laugh-out-loud banter of Chip/Steve Stone when they'd rip one another.

I really like Marv, he's clearly the best in the business with Costas a close second. Kevin Harlan is, indeed, quite good as well.

I really think Hubie offers better color commentary than Doug Collins...but I'll take Bill Walton as the third man in my dream booth because he is guaranteed to make me laugh at least three times a quarter. I like laughing. I therefore like Bill Walton.

"Oh, Eddy Curry...throw it down, big man, throw it down! His grace, his size, his presence...one of the best pure offensive players in the history of sport...like the Grateful Dead always say 'Casey Jones, you better watch your speed.' THAT'S music! "