meta-Jay Bilas

[BCGroup]

As a bonus, click on over to this link and vote against Gregg Doyel

http://deadspin.com/5013856/media-ap...#poll_=ETN5QTM

[weezie]

Let's hear it for the internets and another goofy poll.
Bilas is a true Dukie, he neither cares for the butt-kissing of others, nor does he kiss. He had the courage to call out Brodhead over the lax catastrophe and for that he deserves some serious recognition.
ESPN knows that have an intelligent commentator in Bilas whether he toes the Duke line or not...and besides, he rode that surfboard in his wingtips and suit at the unc game all---the---way---down---the---court.

[Duvall]

Where do we go to vote against the malicious douchebags of Deadspin.com?

[dukemomLA]

Took both links and voted. So cool to see approval rating for JayB. and the disapproval of Gregg D -- (can't finish his last name 'cause I'm sure I'd get censored...again). Again, thanks for the links and hope that tons of DBR folk will let their voices be heard.

[Edouble]

Jay Bilas is awful. He acts like he's reporting real news on World News Tonight. He comes across as very tight-assed and dull. He also goes out of his way to not say anything good about Duke. We're generally ranked in the top 5 or at least the top 10, but the number of complimentary things he says about Duke compared to the other top 10 teams is laughable. Sometimes it's like Duke doesn't even exist on his college hoops radar.

[Classof06]

While I can see how he'd rub some people the wrong way, I like Jay Bilas. His analysis is spot on and he's tells it like it is, something that is become harder to find with ESPN personalities.

As far as Duke goes, last season Bilas definitely had his reservations about Duke throughout the regular season. Many Duke fans, including myself, were up in arms about how we felt Bilas didn't give us enough credit. The problem was that all the reasons Bilas had for his skepticism towards Duke came to light in March, so it's hard to say he wasn't right.

[brevity]

I don't know if this has been said before -- or enough -- but Jay Bilas represents a possibly small but still worthy subset of Duke fans. We don't necessarily buy the gear or advertise our fandom; we just follow the game and quietly root for what matters. We get excited when Duke wins, and upset when Duke loses, but try our best not to embarrass ourselves or our team in either event. When we talk basketball to others who are not Duke fans, they are surprised that we can carry a conversation without steering it back to Duke every few seconds.

Oh, and we're still at the point where we can be pleasantly surprised if Duke overachieves because we set realistic (or intentionally low) expectations for them in the first place. Makes us less angry; helps us live longer.

Jay Bilas is a professional in the college basketball business that happens to have ties to Duke. Somewhat ironically, you can imagine more former players like him in the commentator world if they weren't so successful in the pros.

(As a side note, I have no problem with Mr. Bilas being dismissed as "Duke boy" because I know he can take it.)

[SilkyJ]

When asked by Wilbon if Jon Paxson should be "run off" if he doesn't select Derrick Rose, Bilas responds:

"first off all, jon has suffered a penance -he had to play for digger phelps- so he's suffered a kind of hell we can't even imagine."

he never even cracked a smile

Loved it.

[Gunnar Kaufman]

When asked by Wilbon if Jon Paxson should be "run off" if he doesn't select Derrick Rose, Bilas responds:

"first off all, jon has suffered a penance -he had to play for digger phelps- so he's suffered a kind of hell we can't even imagine."

he never even cracked a smile

Loved it.

Outstanding.

[weezie]

Bilas, a Dukie, through and through.

[CameronCrazy'11]

Anyone want to explain the backstory to an ignoramus like me?

[Son of Mojo]

A) Paxson had to play for Phelps....and Phelps sucks (he's still bitter at Duke for losing to us in '78)
B) Bilas works regularly with Phelps so he took a tongue-in-cheek shot at his broadcasting partner.

Glad to hear Bilas say something like that (storm took out the dish while PTI was on today) since the comments I've heard him give in the last 5 years have had me really question if his status as an on-air personality means more than his roots.

[Edouble]

Glad to hear Bilas say something like that (storm took out the dish while PTI was on today) since the comments I've heard him give in the last 5 years have had me really question if his status as an on-air personality means more than his roots.

Can't say I dug the Carolina blue tie he wore for the draft tonight.

[Highlander]

When asked by Wilbon if Jon Paxson should be "run off" if he doesn't select Derrick Rose, Bilas responds:

"first off all, jon has suffered a penance -he had to play for digger phelps- so he's suffered a kind of hell we can't even imagine."

he never even cracked a smile

Loved it.

Classic Bilas humor. Jay calls in to Charlotte sports radio during bball season fairly regularly, and he is as dry and sarcastic as they come.

Does anybody else remember if Jay was recruited by Digger at ND? From "Game of my life," I recall that a number of guys Duke landed in the 80's were near misses by ND.