Wednesday, February 25, 2009

4 Things you must say when broadcasting an Indiana basketball game this season


I hope Bracey Wright was welcomed back to the Indiana basketball family.

For whatever reason, I have caught bits and pieces of almost every Indiana basketball game this year. Early in the season it was to watch the come from ahead losses to Northeastern and Lipscomb and the thrilling 3 point win over IUPUI. Lately it is because I am a glutton for punishment and like to watch Big Ten basketball. I have noticed that there are 4 main points the announcers must be contractually obliged to hit on during every game:
  1. Tom Crean is 100% the right man for this job. That may be true. Tan Tommy is a master salesman and motivator. He should be able to bring in good players to Bloomington. Coaching them to be successful will be another story.
  2. Indiana basketball has reached out and reconnected with former players and invited them back in to the Indiana basketball family. When this is the highlight of your season, you know its been a rough year. Maybe they can bring in Isaiah to be some sort of administrator. He usually does so well in that capacity.
  3. These young Hoosier players are receiving a ton of valuable experience this season. That's great, but these guys are a bunch of Dave Maders and Tanner Bronsons. If and when Crean brings some real players to Bloomington, these guys are going to be the 9th and 10th guys.
  4. Indiana's recruiting class for next season is ranked in the top 10 in the nation. I don't have a problem with this one. If these guys are any good they will be starting next year. I think point #3 may be more applicable to the guys playing next season since they will actually have D-1 basketball skills.
These phrases join "Marcus Landry is married with 3 kids and his wife played at Marquette", "Mark Vershaw is the only married player in the Big Ten", "Maurice Linton wants to be a chef after he graduates", "tiny Tony, Wisconsin", "Anthony Davis could dunk a basketball in 7th grade", "Donnell Thompson sold sodas at Camp Randall as a kid" and "Jess Settles has been cleared by the NCAA for a 9th season of eligibility" as guaranteed go to phrases during a telecast.

In other Big Ten thoughts, this conference blows this year. I am a die hard Big Ten supporter, but I just don't see why announcers keep saying the Big Ten is much improved this year. The middle of the conference isn't strong, it is just a big mass of poo. Honestly, I can't see Illinois, Ohio State, Minnesota or Penn State winning a NCAA game. Maybe it's the Badger in me, but I can see the Badgers winning a game against the right opponent. State looks like a team that will be bounced in the second round. Too inconsistent. If Hummel was 100%, I could see Purdue making a run, but I don't see him as begin effective when having to play 2 games in 3 days.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Mike Wilkinson wants to be a dairy farmer after his playing days."

"Mike Miller played his HS games at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD."

Goldy said...

"Joe Krabbenhoft has had 47 'stitch events' since he started playing for the Badgers."

Forgot about the Wilkinson one. You also need to have a shot of his fiance and note she sings the national anthem.

Anonymous said...

what about that wisconsin player who played the tuba a few years ago.

Anonymous said...

Scott Kavanaugh will be a better person in the long run for losing the starting job to Brooks Bollinger.

Anonymous said...

"Mateen Cleaves, Mo Peterson, and Charlie Bell are all from Flint."