Donny sucks. Help me Celtics fans.

[ACF]

I just wrote a message to Comcast regarding Donny Marshall.  Please help me and the rest of the community by doing your civic duty as a Celtics fan, in putting in a little time and writing them a message with your feelings on Donny.



My poorly written letter:

Donny Marshall is terrible.  Get rid of him.  Please give Cedric Maxwell or somebody a call.  Its almost unwatchable.  I am not the only one who feels this way.  He is trying to use this as a launching pad to get a national job and is petrified to step on anybody's toes.  He only says nice things because he wants people to like him.  Its boring, its bland.  He offers nothing in terms of commentary or experience.  He was a terrible player in his own right and when he offers meaningless insight its vomit worthy.  All he talks about is "by the way I was in the NBA", "I watched Jason Kidd for a bit", "By the way Ray Allen invited me to his house for mac and cheese at uconn".  Its awful. 

Here are examples from one of the largest online communities dedicated to the celtics on fan response to Donny.

http://www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=64&topic=23019.0

http://www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=64&topic=22932.0

http://www.celticsblog.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=64&topic=22988.0

"I can barely watch the game, because this guy just doesn't know when to stop talking.

Somebody please tell him that it's not the pre-show and he doesn't have to fill every second with his commentary....

This is the best guy the world champion Boston Celtics could get for a commentator to sit next to Mike Gorman? Even Scott Pollard would be better.

I can't take it... please tell me I'm not alone."

"3 things suck big time here:

1.  no more Cous - for 10 games a year, yeah the man was great.  I loved hearing him for 10 games a year.  Cousy wanted to come back but this guy  - Comcast general manager and vice president Bill Bridgen - decided no.

How can I send this guy an email?

2.  Tommy for only half the time - that's what happened the end of last year and I thought it was because of Tommy's health(hip?).  If this is what Tommy wants, then so be it.  Is it what Tommy wants?  Maybe its because of the old redhead's health.

3.  More Donny Marshall - oh my God I am just sick of him.  This guy - Comcast general manager and vice president Bill Bridgen - thinks Donny is good.  What a load of crap.  Donny Marshall PLAIN VANILLA BRAN CEREAL THAT YOU EAT WITH WATER.  He's as boring as watching paint dry.  How many times do I have to see him introduced wearing Nets or Cavs uniforms?  For the color guy there should be a law - only Celtics are allowed.  And certainly not anyone with no personality who is as political correct as they come."


Donny's bland, uninteresting form of commentary is ruining my Celtics experience.  His attempt to not burn any bridge and just say nice things schtick is wearing thin.  He tries to be the "anti-Tommy" at the expense of his own integrity and ends up making excuses for the other team and the referees.  In his attempt to sound objective, he ends up being the complete opposite since he tries to side with the other side just trying not to be a homer. 

As an example, last year against the Nuggets was in my opinion one of the worst referree'd games i had ever watched.  Donny made one negative comment about the referee'ing all game and said.  On a blatant charge he decided it was a "tough call" for the ref to make but he could understand it.  After watching that debacle, the numbers backed it up and it was one of the most lopsided officiated games in the history of the league and Donny failed to make any mention of it. 

This bubble gum, cotton candy commentary is a disgrace.  With a championship level team and organization it is a shame to have such a non-qualified, untalented man be the voice of this team.  I am a life-long fan and it really has started to bother me.  I am on the verge of watching it on TV and just turning the radio on, and I am not alone.  Those are just a few examples of many from the largest online Celtics community as well as many people i know personally feel the same way.  Please make a change or look into it because he is a reflection of your organization and frankly it is embarrassing.

Bad day?

[The Incredible Hulk]

You know, I'm guessing no one here has made it to the NBA. You gotta give Donny a ton of credit for making it to the most elite level of basketball in the world. He could probably still absolutely kill anyone on this blog in a game of one on one.

Who cares... the dude is the worst color commentator in the NBA right now.

He spends too much time complimenting the other team's players... no personality and no emotion... very little insight about the players, according to him every player in the NBA has "LONG ARMS" and "DOESN'T PLAY OUTSIDE HIMSELF".... name drops too often... talks WAY too much... and has never seen a ref make a bad call....

I could go on and on, but I think it boils down to one thing... He's really not a Celtics fan. He's very neutral and seems disinterested with the actual team's success. The point of a color commentator in Boston is to show emotion for the team and let Gorman be the straight man. He fails miserably at this. He's a GREAT in studio commentator, but those skills just aren't translating to in game stuff.

If we are going to be stuck with him, at least if he reads this he may change his approach and get better.

Now, how all of this translates to Cousy I'm not sure, but the letters they sent to people who complained about Cousy specifically mentioned how Donny "was brilliant" last year... I'm not sure their reasoning for mentioning him in their response, but that is the only connection I see between the two.

And yes, I think they should bring Cousy back for his 10 games a year... He was great with Tommy, and should be a part of the broadcasting team in that limited role.

[The Incredible Hulk]

What about someone like Robert Parish?

What about K. C. Jones?

He's been doing color commentary for the University of Hartford according to Celtics.com: http://www.nba.com/celtics/history/WhereAreThey_Jones.html

There are so many great Celtics players, and it seems like a good majority of them would be more than willing to do road games.

The greatest franchise in sports shouldn't have to settle with a bench player who averaged 7 minutes a game in his playing career and doesn't give a crap about the Celtics.

[crownsy]

You know, I'm guessing no one here has made it to the NBA. You gotta give Donny a ton of credit for making it to the most elite level of basketball in the world. He could probably still absolutely kill anyone on this blog in a game of one on one.

Who cares... the dude is the worst color commentator in the NBA right now.

He spends too much time complimenting the other team's players... no personality and no emotion... very little insight about the players, according to him every player in the NBA has "LONG ARMS" and "DOESN'T PLAY OUTSIDE HIMSELF".... name drops too often... talks WAY too much... and has never seen a ref make a bad call....

I could go on and on, but I think it boils down to one thing... He's really not a Celtics fan. He's very neutral and seems disinterested with the actual team's success. The point of a color commentator in Boston is to show emotion for the team and let Gorman be the straight man. He fails miserably at this. He's a GREAT in studio commentator, but those skills just aren't translating to in game stuff.

If we are going to be stuck with him, at least if he reads this he may change his approach and get better.

Now, how all of this translates to Cousy I'm not sure, but the letters they sent to people who complained about Cousy specifically mentioned how Donny "was brilliant" last year... I'm not sure their reasoning for mentioning him in their response, but that is the only connection I see between the two.

And yes, I think they should bring Cousy back for his 10 games a year... He was great with Tommy, and should be a part of the broadcasting team in that limited role.

while i find this a bit to harsh on donny, it gets to why i dislike him. He's trying so hard to not offend anyone so he can get a national job that he's the most vanilla commentator ive ever seen. every story goes.

"you know mike, player x is great at y. y is more difficult than people think. most players wouldn't have the kind of drive to get good at y like X does. i know he might only see 2 minutes a game, but he's just great."

i don't dislike the man, he's just forgettable. He's trying so hard for PC that instead he hits boring.

[CelticsWhat35]

I don't think Donny is that bad, but I can see what people mean when they think he's prepping for a national gid.  That was never more apparent to me than during the Knicks game.  The Knicks looked awful, and have been for quite some time, but he still had pretty much nothing but good things to say about all the players.

[Bankshot]

I think Donny is an ok guy, but I can't stand listening to him do the games. It seems that every time someone does something good, regardless of what team he is on, they are one of the best in the league at it.  Every single player is "one of the best in the league" at a certain skill. LOL  That's not the only reason he bugs me, but that is just one example.

Don't care for Cousy doing the games either.  He complains way too much and it gets on my nerves.  I don't mind criticizing players, because I do it too, but he goes way overboard and it gets old and tired.

That being said, as much as I can't stand listening to Donny, I wouldn't be an advocate of removing him from his position.  That's the guy's employment I would be messing with.

[Coach D]

Someone who has any input please help! Donny is almost as bad Clyde for the Knicks.  I live in Indiana and purchase the New England Sports channel so I can get the Tommy and Mike. Now I have to listen to Donny, please I would rather listen to the others team. Donny is a good guy but he is terrible. We have the best team and had the best call guys but now that is over.

[crownsy]

Someone who has any input please help! Donny is almost as bad Clyde for the Knicks.  I live in Indiana and purchase the New England Sports channel so I can get the Tommy and Mike. Now I have to listen to Donny, please I would rather listen to the others team. Donny is a good guy but he is terrible. We have the best team and had the best call guys but now that is over.

look at it this way, at least you'll get tommy for home games

[KGamblePreBigContract]

I just want to second that comcast should have gone after an former celtic (or a local Dickerson 'Homer' news guy type, i.e. I chose to do sports news because I knew I'd never play professional sports but I LOVE professional sports and wanted to be close to it) who could actually be happy for the team.  I'm not saying we need a 'Johnny Most' aka Tommy Heinson, who I love, but the reason I always felt Heinson and Cousy worked so well is exactly because while both of them bleed green and can feel the excitement in a Celtic win, the 'Couse' always kept some semplance of rationality and non-Homerism, even if deep in his blood he was a homer.  Thus the 'Couse' is more reserved in his agreeing with Tommy Points, in giving credit to the other teams players who make a good move or deserve a 'Tommy Point', and usually tempers Heinson's attacking all those bad ref calls.  That is why IMAO they worked so well, they both were Celtics fans, but while Cousy still tried to give some semblance of 'impartiality', Heinson could go off the deep end everytime into total Homerism.  But you never doubted Cousys love of the Celtics. 

The problem with Donnie, is as has been stated, it seems all too obvious that he has no real love for the Celtics as a team or a franchise, he has just as much love for the Celtics as he has for most other teams and just as much love for most players on other teams as the Celtics players, definitely implying that he's just riding time on the Comcast pine waiting for the moment one of the nationals calls him up to Big Stage.  Further, I have to believe comcast chose the guy because they think, relatively speaking, that he's 'handsome' and 'young' and hoping this will attract some ladies and younger folks.  In the process they spit in the face of any Celtic and Boston fan in general, who likes it when THEIR announcers are like them, i.e. fans, be it a wear it on your sleeve like Heinson, or wear it in your heart like the 'Couse' man. 

And it does seem like Donnie (sounds like a Ken and Barby doll or New Kid on the Block pin-up) is trying way to hard to remind us all that he really did play in the NBA in case we like forget it after each mesmerizing commerical break or when we go to bed at night before we listen to him do the next game.


Casting call: calling Rick Fox, calling Rick Fox

[LB3533]

I am still voting for Cousy to come back and if not, get Dee Brown.

[crownsy]

my other dislike, and he may grow out of this as he gets more experiance live, shut the hell up once in awhile and let the play by play guy call the game.

be quick and concise donny. your not in the booth at halftime. he talks about a play for 2 or 3 possesions sometimes, pausing to let mike say "eddie for 2" and then picking right back up.

your job is to be color donny, not to ramble on for 2 or 3 possesions without a break so the top play by play guy in the game can't call it.


so, to sum it up for me.

1. stop witht he vanilla "everybody in the leauge is the greatest!!!" bull. how can you praise eddie curry last night and say he "still has a chance to be a bosh or howard type player, he just needs a little time"

you don't have to say "wow, curry sucks" but dont lie to me donny. just son't say anything at all.

2. slow down your motor mouth and long winded stories that stop mike from doing play by play for long stretchs. if you MUST tell me a story about how you and a player on the bench used to say x about so and so, wait until a break in the action, like FT's. i don't want to hear about it during live action, im more focused on the flow of the game, and for that i want short comments from you and mike gorman calling the play.

[FatjohnReturns]

Donny doing the pre/post game or magazine show is fine. Donny doing the away games is just bad. His commentary is bland and boring. Last year when DM did a game I found myself watching the game with the volume down and my mp3 player on. I agree Comcast is  allowing him to do away games cause he is young and handsome. Ten games of the Couz was ten too many, he is just too negative.

[Eeyore III]

I'm with crownsy and KGamble: Donny is Mr. PC.  We have been really, really lucky to have had Tommy, Mike and Cooz all these years, and we're spoiled, but still...

All of the corporate stuffed shirts at Comcast probably see Donny as one of their own.  Barf!  I'd vastly prefer Mad Max.

[coco]

I don't mind Donny Marshall.  He is better than average.

[jay_wfu06]

I agree that the letter was pretty harsh, but I can't see Donny as a permanent replacement for Tommy.  I keep trying to tell myself that it will just take time for Mike and Donny to mesh, but I just don't see it happening.

Mike is the ideal color guy, I agree that he is one of the best in the league. The problem with the current commentary team is that it almost like a comedy duo. You can't have two straight men, then where does the entertainment come from?  That's why Tommy has been so great.  The raving homerism is a perfect foil to the color commentary of Mike.  Donny just doesn't provide the excitement.

I also think that the permanent replacement needs to be an ex-Celtic, but no one really comes to mind.  Tommy truly bleeds green and that's what we need.  Any ideas?

(I saw mention of Dee Brown, but I don't know about him.  Remember that next ESPN reporter show a few years back?  Dee really didn't impress me, even though he went pretty far on the show.)