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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham

    Mr. Elmore

    This is more of a comedic thread but I've noticed a lot of you guys taking shots at Len Elmore the past few weeks and I just can't understand it. I know I'm in the minority here but I think Len Elmore is the best ESPN college basketball commentator. Furthermore, DBR is probably the only place I've ever been where Duke fans don't like him; many of the Duke fans I've met over the years actually like him a lot.

    He never gets caught up with extra-curricular stuff and gives straight-forward, concise analysis. His personality doesn't exactly have to most flavor but I can honestly say that I learn more about basketball listening to Lenny call games; you can't say that about many. I'm happy he does several Duke games a year.

    I will admit that he should have criticized Deron Washington more during the Duke-VT game, but that's the only negative example I can remember.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Meeting with Marie Laveau
    Quote Originally Posted by Classof06 View Post
    This is more of a comedic thread but I've noticed a lot of you guys taking shots at Len Elmore the past few weeks and I just can't understand it. I know I'm in the minority here but I think Len Elmore is the best ESPN college basketball commentator. Furthermore, DBR is probably the only place I've ever been where Duke fans don't like him; many of the Duke fans I've met over the years actually like him a lot.

    He never gets caught up with extra-curricular stuff and gives straight-forward, concise analysis. His personality doesn't exactly have to most flavor but I can honestly say that I learn more about basketball listening to Lenny call games; you can't say that about many. I'm happy he does several Duke games a year.

    I will admit that he should have criticized Deron Washington more during the Duke-VT game, but that's the only negative example I can remember.

    Thoughts?
    Your comments are refreshing.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Wake Forest
    Quote Originally Posted by Classof06 View Post
    This is more of a comedic thread but I've noticed a lot of you guys taking shots at Len Elmore the past few weeks and I just can't understand it. I know I'm in the minority here but I think Len Elmore is the best ESPN college basketball commentator. Furthermore, DBR is probably the only place I've ever been where Duke fans don't like him; many of the Duke fans I've met over the years actually like him a lot.

    He never gets caught up with extra-curricular stuff and gives straight-forward, concise analysis. His personality doesn't exactly have to most flavor but I can honestly say that I learn more about basketball listening to Lenny call games; you can't say that about many. I'm happy he does several Duke games a year.

    I will admit that he should have criticized Deron Washington more during the Duke-VT game, but that's the only negative example I can remember.

    Thoughts?
    I don't find him offensive and think, out of all the ESPN "analysts" he provides some of the best (I'm uncertain how much of a compliment that represents).

    However, he is one of the main media culprits in the "Duke gets all the calls" controversy. He doesn't even attempt to temper his remarks with actual game analysis by stating "... the more aggressive teams usually get the calls".

    If he's sitting in a studio and makes that comment, I would more readily let it go but, he's said it before while sitting on the sideline commenting on a game in which Duke is playing.
    Last edited by TNTDevil; 02-19-2008 at 04:11 PM. Reason: Spelink is my freend

  4. #4

    don't forget

    Quote Originally Posted by TNTDevil View Post
    I don't find him offensive and think, out of all the ESPN "analyists" he provides some of the best (I'm uncertain how much of a compliment that represents).

    However, he is one of the main media culprits in the "Duke gets all the calls" controversy. He doesn't even attempt to temper his remarks with actual game analysis by stating "... the more aggressive teams usually get the calls".

    If he's sitting in a studio and makes that comment, I would more readily let it go but, he's said it before while sitting on the sideline commenting on a game in which Duke is playing.
    I think it was 2006 when Elmore suggested not only that Duke gets calls, but gets them at opportunistic points in the game. This after JJ was clearly being held by a VT player who fell to the floor when JJ threw up his hands. Elmore went on a rant about JJ pushing off, calls and their timing apparently without viewing the replay that clearly showed there was no push-off. He then appeared the next night on ESPN to pseudo-apologize/explain himself.

    Don't get me wrong - I think he usually does a nice job but he gets carried away sometimes. Must be the Terp in him.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham at heart
    My favorite Elmore story...

    A few years back when I was coChair of the grad ticket committee, we gave out T-shirts from the campout weekend to all of the "distinguished" guests that we could (we had an ordering error and ended up with waaaaaaaaaay too many shirts). Anyway, most of the folks that we gave them to loved them, from broadcasters to coaches (John Cheney put his in his office!).

    In any case, Elmore showed up around 10AM to call a 12:00 game against GT, I believe, and we'd been outside drinking since about 5AM. He's sitting on the visitors bench in Cameron with Patrick and J-Will, who was doing some color for ESPN at the time. We go over, just reaking of whiskey and give a T-shirt to each of them. Well, needless to say that Elmore roles his eyes and looks at us kind of with a bit of disdain... J-Will just start laughing hysterically, and Patrick says, "You know guys... he went to Maryland!" To which my buddy replies, "Yeah, but we're so drunk we figured this would be funny!" At which point Elmore finally cracks a smile and thanks us for the shirt.

    I'm sure he threw it away before the game started! Good times!

  6. #6
    I really enjoy Jimmy Dykes. Very knowledgable and doesn't chat away through the game. Katz, Bilas and Dykes are the only ESPN commentators/writers that I care to hear speak.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    San Francisco

    Good Guy...Doesn't like Duke

    Quote Originally Posted by SMO View Post
    I think it was 2006 when Elmore suggested not only that Duke gets calls, but gets them at opportunistic points in the game. This after JJ was clearly being held by a VT player who fell to the floor when JJ threw up his hands. Elmore went on a rant about JJ pushing off, calls and their timing apparently without viewing the replay that clearly showed there was no push-off. He then appeared the next night on ESPN to pseudo-apologize/explain himself.

    Don't get me wrong - I think he usually does a nice job but he gets carried away sometimes. Must be the Terp in him.
    I was just about to say that in year 2006, IIRC right after the Away BC game, where there was a huge disparity in fouls called, there seemed to be a crescendo of "Duke gets all the calls" criticism (Duke won the game)...Len did the game right afterwards, and during his critique, he definitely sided with the Duke Bashers, and even used the word "conspiracy".

    I have respect for Len, as he seems to be a pretty good guy, but I definitely rank him up there as one of the more jaded anti-Duke announcers....then again, I firmly believe he feeds right into the great ratings machine for ESPN...people love to watch Duke lose, and Len seems to fuel the fire.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greensboro, NC

    Sorry, gotta disagree on Jimmy Dykes

    I used to like Jimmy D. when I first heard him calling women's games. And I guess I don't "dislike" him now, but he really showed himself to be a buffoon (I think) after the GT-UNC game earlier this year when GT took them to the wire before losing by 1. He and whomever he worked the game with were on ESPN for some "wrap up" comments and Dykes started going on about how since UNC had beaten Clemson and now GT on the road, that there really wasn't anyone out there to challenge them except for maybe Duke at Duke. I was like "What?!?" The heels just squeaked out 2 wins - one in overtime - and that makes them a lock to stroll through the conference season?

    Then, after the Duke-UNC game, Dykes was in the studio with Jay B. and some other guys and he went off about how Duke only won by 11 and that Ty Lawson was good for at least 11 points. That may well be true but...we beat them at THEIR place and we missed enough FT's to have won by 15 points or more, so whatever, Dykes. I guess overall, I like the guy, but I just don't think he's all that knowledgeable.

    On a side note, and in an attempt at keeping this thread somewhat on track. I think Len Elmore is a twerp and echo the sentiments of others here that while he's knowledgeable and does provide some good analysis, he's also kind of petty and delights in giving Duke and K these back-handed compliments during games and that's why I dislike him.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham
    Very informative comments. Maybe I haven't caught onto Elmore's back-handed remarks as much you guys but I always thought he was right down the middle; complimentary when necessary and critical when appropriate. To me, he comes across as a "no frills" kind of guy who treats Duke like any other college team. The latter is why I like him so much.

    I'll also agree with the sentiment on Jimmy Dykes. I loved him towards the beginning of the year until about a month ago. He had great things to say about Duke's recruiting class during the McDonald's AA game last spring; he really singled out Duke's class, Singler especially. But this year, he lists his "Power 5" teams and even though the list has changed throughout the course of the year, Duke has never once been on it. Simply put, I can't get with that.

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Classof06 View Post
    This is more of a comedic thread
    boy, is that correct or what?

    lol...just kidding.

    ol lenny isn't my favorite person to listen to...but to be totally honest with you, i'm not a HUGE fan of any analyst. (except for herbie, of course...and that's only if i can look at him. ) i get ill when anyone says anything negative about duke, or anything positive about whoever's playing duke. (kidding...obviously.)

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by dukegirlinsc View Post
    i get ill when anyone says anything negative about duke, or anything positive about whoever's playing duke. (kidding...obviously.)
    Is that ill as in sick or ill as in ill?

  12. #12
    Great. A Len Elmore as "swell guy" thread. What next, an ode to Billy Packer?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Cincinnati
    Quote Originally Posted by Classof06 View Post
    I'm happy he does several Duke games a year.
    Thoughts?
    This is comedic!

    I have only heard Gminski do a few games this year, but it seems that, at least in the games that I've heard, he reports that a foul has been called and leaves it at that. Elmore, like a lot of announcers, considers it his duty to give his opinion just about every call, even though he was never an official. Even though it doesn't matter what he thinks. I mention Gminski, not because he's a former DU player, but because it was so refreshing to have an announcer focus on the players not the official. Irrespective of whether Elmore has a bias, his pompous pronouncements on the accuracy of calls, despite not being trained and rarely being in proper position are just annoying.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Yadkinville NC
    Sorry, guess I'm still a dissenter in that I cannot stand Elmore. Now my FAVORITE commentator I've ever heard work a Duke game was none other than Brad D (I can't remember the spelling, forgive me). I LOVED hearing him do commentary because he was complimentary to BOTH teams, called the game like he saw it, and that was what you got with him.

  15. A little off the subject, I personally used to love Brad Daugherty. Too bad he went to Nascar.

  16. #16
    Seriously? Nascar? Wow. Since when?

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    I find Mr. Elmore more tolerable in my old age. G-man is excellent - very neutral even when doing Duke games and, of course, very knowledgeable. I think Dan Bonner is pretty good as well. I liked Dykes at the beginning of the season, but the more I hear him, the more he is getting on my nerves.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by TwoDukeTattoos View Post
    A little off the subject, I personally used to love Brad Daugherty. Too bad he went to Nascar.
    Brad was great. Good analyst, great sense of humor, knew when to talk and when not to talk. And, that great NC Mountain accent in his voice.

  19. Quote Originally Posted by weezie View Post
    Seriously? Nascar? Wow. Since when?
    For a couple of years now. As a matter of fact, he was covering the Daytona 500. Can't recall which network. Evidently, he has a lifelong passion for Nascar. As a matter of fact, his jersey number, 43, was after Richard Petty.

  20. Quote Originally Posted by allenmurray View Post
    Brad was great. Good analyst, great sense of humor, knew when to talk and when not to talk. And, that great NC Mountain accent in his voice.
    Yes, that's what I loved was his great mountain accent! And his sense of humor. He really got excited by the game and was a purist in announcing. Didn't throw in a bunch of garbage that didn't need to be heard.

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