Jeff Van Gundy: My new favorite play by play

[Steve Weinman]

(I don't think Jackson is a moron... but can't stand him as an announcer any more... "Come on ______, you're better than that."  "He puts him on his hip..." "That is a grown man move."  "And Kobe says, 'not in my house', and Pierce says, 'yes in your house,' and he says 'blah blah blah'."

I apologize for the off-topic nature of this comment, but I feel obliged to add the incomprehensible "Mama, there goes that man" to BT's list of dopey Jax catchphrases.  Thanks for getting the ball rollin' on this, Big Ticket.

-sw

[RebusRankin]

I like him and Jackson (Jackson was right Hitch was a great movie). Breen however has turned me off with his pro Kobe stance in the finals.

I'd still would have liked to hear Tommy calling the games three and four to hear his comments on the refs.

[TrueGreen]

Jeff VanGundy is the reason I've had to turn to sound down. ESPN has done itself and the NBA a disservice with this broadcasting and production crew. What little I've listened to, it seems to me that Marc Jackson is the best guy there. In Boston we have one of the best play by play announcers in the business and in LA I believe Chick Hearn, a legend, is still doing the games. If I was in charge I would have Mike and Tommy do the Celtic home games and Chick Hearn and his color commentator do the LA home games. I would also use their own production crews. I love what's happening in the series, but ESPN has taken some of the joy away.

[Finkelskyhook]

Van Gundy not only knows the game.  He knows the tendencies of the coaches.  He's like Doug Collins with a sense of humor.  Collins saw the game in front of the game.  So does Van Gundy.  Van Gundy and Collins seem to know what's going to happen before it happens. 

Jackson knows the game pretty well as well.  His PG analysis is sharp although he overdramatizes a single play to draw a conclusion than changes his mind on the next play with the same player.  The euphomisms are tired and old.  It's like Jackson thinks nobody over 14 is watching the telecast.  I can't imagine Jackson as a coach.  If he talks to adults like they're kids, imagine how he'd talk to the kids he'd be coaching.

Good post, TrueGreen.  I disagree with you on Van Gundy but the other two, especially Breen, (who is sickening and disconnected) are like high school football announcers who moonlight as announcers on weekends.  Unfortunately, we're stuck with Breen and Jackson. 

[RebusRankin]

Hearn died in 2002.

[Cooldude5t5]

Van Gundy actually makes jokes that are funny, which is very rare for a announcer. He also knows the players and coaches, very well having coached against them only a short time ago.I like Jackson and Van Gundy's chemistry, they seem to actually like each other. I'll take Breen over that idiot Kevin Harlan who said "LEBRON JAMES, WITH NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE" after that lebron dunk over KG. What does that even mean?

[BirdNerd]

The Dream team would be Marv, JVG, and Mark.   Mark and JVG are both very good, the best the playoffs have had in a long time.

Doug Collins talks like he's doing radio (constantly).    I glaze over when his lips move.   my wife and I were stoked when he got what was supposed to be the bulls job. 

JVG is hilarious.  its even better when him and Jackson are turning on each other.    and its the best when they turn on Breem, who's a bit of a herb.

[ManUp]

I used to think JVG was annoying, but i definitely like him now.

Might be a side affect of listening to Marc Jackson, and Mike Breen.
Marc Jackson is an idiot. If the play works out it was brilliant if it doesn't it was a horrible play. I hated Breen before i even knew his name. Before the whole "Breen is anti-green" thing. It p---ed me off when he would call every shot Rondo put up a "wild shot" no matter whether it went or not. Now everything the Laker's do is brilliant.

[CLeht11]

Man, I got a good laugh out of this thread. From the blatant 'Hearn died in 2002' to the 'What does that even mean?' to the Harlan comment, it was a good laugh.

Anyways, I definitely agree with most of you.  I think JVG's commentating has grown on me over these playoffs.  I use to think the guy was nothing more than a sorry, tired and old looking talking head.  However, now I listen to him in a whole different light knowing that he is pretty [dang] intelligent when it comes to basketball and some of the stuff he says just cracks me up.  I'm convinced Jackson is a robot which uses the phrase 'Mama there goes that man' 65% of the time, and Breen really doesn't fit in well with those 2 at all. 

I'm not sure if Breen doesn't fit in with Jackson and Van Gundy, or if Van Gundy doesn't fit in with the other two.  I would definitely scrap both Jackson and Breen and bring in Mike and Tommy though!  Mike, Tommy, and JVG would be amazing.  Sooo many arguments between JVG and Tommy, meanwhile Mike just tries to call the game - I can hear it now.

[FallGuy]

Put me in the JVG is a terrific analyst department.

I love he'll criticize the refs. He's periodically funny (pretty good comic timing). And it's clear the NBA knows he's good -  having assigned him to the finals.

[soap07]

I apologize for the off-topic nature of this comment, but I feel obliged to add the incomprehensible "Mama, there goes that man" to BT's list of dopey Jax catchphrases.  Thanks for getting the ball rollin' on this, Big Ticket.

Steve-o, I must chime in here with KG's appointment with the rim line he sometimes uses.

However, as much as Mark Jackson annoys us, how hilarious was his "To the left, To the left" reference to Beyonce when Rondo hit a left-handed lay up?

[Steve Weinman]

I apologize for the off-topic nature of this comment, but I feel obliged to add the incomprehensible "Mama, there goes that man" to BT's list of dopey Jax catchphrases.  Thanks for getting the ball rollin' on this, Big Ticket.

Steve-o, I must chime in here with KG's appointment with the rim line he sometimes uses.

However, as much as Mark Jackson annoys us, how hilarious was his "To the left, To the left" reference to Beyonce when Rondo hit a left-handed lay up?

Fair enough, Soap.  I'll concede that one.  Jax is a goofball; glad he's familiar with Ms. Knowles though.

-sw

[bbc3341]

Harlan was just expressing that James was so intent on scoring that in his mind he didn't care if anyone died as a result. LeBron has spoken about this at length and it's a huge issue. Someone is going to get killed. It's too bad Stern has to oversee all the gambling and game fixing mess when he should be focused on LeBron's murderous inclinations. You thought Artest going into the crowd was bad? Just watch the next time James dunks with no regard for human life. It's inhumane.

[freshinthehouse]

He's like Doug Collins with a sense of humor.

Great description of Van Gundy.  With Van Gundy, Collins, and Hubie Brown, we've been blessed with some really good color commentators during this playoff run.  And Mark Jackson doesnt do much for me, but all I got to do is think back to Bill Walton doing games on NBC during the 90s, and suddenly Jackson seems fine. 

Walton's only bright spot was that sometimes he'd sometimes say something so ridiculous, you could actually hear Steve "Snapper" Jones almost swallow his tongue.  The best Waltonism I ever heard was during an early season (poss. pre-season?) Lakers game during the 03-04 season (the year they added Malone and Payton).  Walton mentioned CASUALLY that this Lakers team could win 80 games.  Jones couldnt even talk.  He just scoffed for half a minute.

[TrueGreen]

Hearn died in 2002.

Thanks for the correction. See how limited my world is?