Announcers from Duke

[BD80]

I believe this has been mentioned before, but I find it gratifying the number of "Duke" announcers there are in men's basketball.

Recruits have to be impressed.

Just today, on national games, we have Gminski, Spanarkle and Bob Wetzel (ex-assistant coach) doing color. Jay Bilas on ESPN Game Day. Jay Williams and Seth Davis doing national halftime shows.

That's a healthy percentage of the basketball broadcasters.

[CBDUKE]

Don't forget Dick Groat doing Pitt games on the radio and I think Bucky Waters still does some televison every now and then.

[DukeGirl4ever]

Gotta give a shout out to the LADIES and ABBY WANER!!!

[Kdogg]

Don't forget "Mr. Upside Potential" Hubie Brown on the NBA side.

[uh_no]

I believe this has been mentioned before, but I find it gratifying the number of "Duke" announcers there are in men's basketball.

Recruits have to be impressed.

Just today, on national games, we have Gminski, Spanarkle and Bob Wetzel (ex-assistant coach) doing color. Jay Bilas on ESPN Game Day. Jay Williams and Seth Davis doing national halftime shows.

That's a healthy percentage of the basketball broadcasters.

hate to be a negative nancy, but I think recruits would be more impressed if we had more all stars in the NBA.....i'm not sure how many recruits think 'boy I want to go play at duke....that way I can end up like the rest of their players....calling games on TV instead of playing in them'

but that said, duke names in high places DOES give lots of free credibility to the program.....and this post is not a knock on the high numbers of players we have gotten to the league, nor on the high quality players that are all stars from duke

but when a player looks at....hey I can end up like jay williams or jay bilas.....or....i can end up like ben gordon, rip hamilton and ray allen.....which would be more appealing as a HS recruit.....

[DukeGirl4ever]

Correct me if I am wrong (and lord only knows I probably am because I do NOT like to watch/follow the NBA) but doesn't Duke have the most active players playing in the NBA with 14? Thought I saw a video from either Duke Blue Planet or one of the other sites with that information.

They may not be NBA All-Starts but that's a lot of guys making it to the highest level of basketball...that is definitely an attraction for any recruit.

[BD80]

hate to be a negative nancy, but I think recruits would be more impressed if we had more all stars in the NBA.....i'm not sure how many recruits think 'boy I want to go play at duke....that way I can end up like the rest of their players....calling games on TV instead of playing in them'

but that said, duke names in high places DOES give lots of free credibility to the program.....and this post is not a knock on the high numbers of players we have gotten to the league, nor on the high quality players that are all stars from duke

but when a player looks at....hey I can end up like jay williams or jay bilas.....or....i can end up like ben gordon, rip hamilton and ray allen.....which would be more appealing as a HS recruit.....

Or like Hasheem Thabeet, the #2 pick last year who is finally getting some PT ..

Wait for it ..

IN THE D-LEAGUE!

I have the "privilege" of hearing Rip and now Ben Gordon do commercials for the large local eye surgery clinic up here near Detroit. Neither Rip nor Ben will be doing studio work. Ever. Not even on ESPN.

How's Rip doing in recovering all of that money that his former uCon classmate stole from him?

Sorry, but choosing uCon as a point of comparison triggers a reflex in me ...

[Lord Ash]

hate to be a negative nancy, but I think recruits would be more impressed if we had more all stars in the NBA.....i'm not sure how many recruits think 'boy I want to go play at duke....that way I can end up like the rest of their players....calling games on TV instead of playing in them'

but that said, duke names in high places DOES give lots of free credibility to the program.....and this post is not a knock on the high numbers of players we have gotten to the league, nor on the high quality players that are all stars from duke

but when a player looks at....hey I can end up like jay williams or jay bilas.....or....i can end up like ben gordon, rip hamilton and ray allen.....which would be more appealing as a HS recruit.....

Every real basketball player in the world understands that there is life after basketball.

Duke players have proven that they can be both all-time leading NBA All Star vote getters AND, beyond that, successful in the basketball world at a level no other school's graduates have achieved. That is a pretty nice package.

[loldevilz]

hate to be a negative nancy, but I think recruits would be more impressed if we had more all stars in the NBA.....i'm not sure how many recruits think 'boy I want to go play at duke....that way I can end up like the rest of their players....calling games on TV instead of playing in them'

but that said, duke names in high places DOES give lots of free credibility to the program.....and this post is not a knock on the high numbers of players we have gotten to the league, nor on the high quality players that are all stars from duke

but when a player looks at....hey I can end up like jay williams or jay bilas.....or....i can end up like ben gordon, rip hamilton and ray allen.....which would be more appealing as a HS recruit.....

I totally disagree...Duke has great NBA players (carlos boozer, elton brand, ect.) . In fact Duke players make more than players from any other school. I think you are just perpetuating a negative stereotype.

I love that we have so many great announcers. Being an announcer is a great job...I don't see Jay Williams wanting to get back to playing basketball or Jay Bilas trying to become a coach even though both could. The fact is that you get to make a huge impact on the game and on people's lives by having the microphone.

We should also mention that Duke has players that do other awesome jobs. Reggie Love is the personal assistant to the most powerful man in the world. Go Duke!

[sagegrouse]

hate to be a negative nancy, but I think recruits would be more impressed if we had more all stars in the NBA.....i'm not sure how many recruits think 'boy I want to go play at duke....that way I can end up like the rest of their players....calling games on TV instead of playing in them'

but that said, duke names in high places DOES give lots of free credibility to the program.....and this post is not a knock on the high numbers of players we have gotten to the league, nor on the high quality players that are all stars from duke

but when a player looks at....hey I can end up like jay williams or jay bilas.....or....i can end up like ben gordon, rip hamilton and ray allen.....which would be more appealing as a HS recruit.....

I dunno, uh oh. The Duke folks cited are well past their NBA playing ages (except the special case of JWill). Gminski played over a decade in the NBA, and now has an attractive job in front of the camera. Sounds pretty good to me. Spanarkel had a nice run in the NBA plus a business career and a part-time gig on sports TV.

Bilas, who never played much professionally, has had a nice dual career in law and broadcasting -- and for the most part doesn't get the two confused like Len Elmore:rolleyes:.

And I can only imagine what Grant Hill, a six-time all-star, will do after he retires.

I would also argue that Elton, Carlos, Luol, and Corey are NBA stars on the order of the three UConn guys you listed. Shane is a pretty special player, and we can certainly imagine what he will do after the NBA.;)

Seth Davis doesn't belong in this discussion.

sagegrouse

[devildownunder]

Gotta give a shout out to the LADIES and ABBY WANER!!!

Considering the youth and visual merits of Abby relative to the others mentioned, I'd wager that her Duke pedigree probably does more to sway recruits than those guys' efforts put together. I doubt most players the recruits' age have any idea where any of those guys went to school, with possible exception of Bilas -- and Abby is a lot cuter than Jay is.

Just callin' it how I see it. Abby should namedrop her alma mater every chance she gets. Can only help us.

[devildownunder]

I totally disagree...Duke has great NBA players (carlos boozer, elton brand, ect.) . In fact Duke players make more than players from any other school. I think you are just perpetuating a negative stereotype.

I love that we have so many great announcers. Being an announcer is a great job...I don't see Jay Williams wanting to get back to playing basketball or Jay Bilas trying to become a coach even though both could. The fact is that you get to make a huge impact on the game and on people's lives by having the microphone.

We should also mention that Duke has players that do other awesome jobs. Reggie Love is the personal assistant to the most powerful man in the world. Go Duke!

You have more of an impact on the game and people's lives as an announcer than as a player?

How exactly do you figure that?

[DukeGirl4ever]

Considering the youth and visual merits of Abby relative to the others mentioned, I'd wager that her Duke pedigree probably does more to sway recruits than those guys' efforts put together. I doubt most players the recruits' age have no idea where any of those guys went to school, with possible exception of Bilas -- and Abby is a lot cuter than Jay is.

Just callin' it how I see it. Abby should namedrop her alma mater every chance she gets. Can only help us.


:D

I must say, though, I've heard some of the old timers name drop, esp. Seth Davis - I think it's his claim to fame. And I LOVE JAY BILAS....love him as an announcer. I think he's quit objective considering he's a Duke guy.

I love when he and Bob Knight announce together. Bobby is def. NOT a good announcer (voice is bad and he isn't very fluent...if that makes sense) but I love to listen to him analyze the game.

[devildownunder]

:D

I must say, though, I've heard some of the old timers name drop, esp. Seth Davis - I think it's his claim to fame. And I LOVE JAY BILAS....love him as an announcer. I think he's quit objective considering he's a Duke guy.

I love when he and Bob Knight announce together. Bobby is def. NOT a good announcer (voice is bad and he isn't very fluent...if that makes sense) but I love to listen to him analyze the game.

Knight's cool because he knows the game and varnishes nothing. He calls it exactly as he sees it, in his own preferred tone. For better or worse.

Seth Davis does name drop a lot, doesn't he? And you're also right that Duke seems to come up plenty when Jay Bilas is broadcasting. His partners bring it up to him, I mean. Count me as a fan of Bilas as well, but I'm also old enough to remember him playing.

Oh, should've added Jay Williams to the list of players today's recruits would know about. I'm sure most of them are aware he went to Duke -- if they realise he's the artistformerlyknownas Jason.