How did Dickie V do?

[Oh Canada]

I completely agree with you. As I said in my first post, I didn't appreciate the Super Bowl comment with 30 seconds left and things were still tight. Other then that, I thought he was much more behaved.

As for Packer, he' another story. I've been a Duke freak since '89 and have always found him to be in search of negative criticism of Duke. Besides, he doesn't have the enthusiasm I was referring to.

Don Cherry???? In Canada, he can only be tolerated for his 5 minute segments on Saturday nights!

[3rd Dukie]

I kind of thought that by posting I was actually expressing an opinion. You see in Canada, we are polite and subtle about our responses. Probably why the world likes us so much. If you want to slam me go ahead but my position hasn't changed because of it. Vitale may be over the top but he is great for college basketball. I do think that his enthusiasm is what young viewers need. When a kid is watching the NBA on tv there is little enthusiasm. I love the fact that college commentators try to make things entertaining.

If we are going to talk about Canada's standing in the world, I'm afraid MUST recuse my self from this discussion. Failing to do so would cause me to incur a well-deserved lifetime ban. Nice sarcasm on your part however.

[Olympic Fan]

Count me among Dick Vitale's fans.

Yeah, I know he goes over the top and at times his comments wander off the game at hand. Coach K addressed that earlier this week. He was asked about Vitale's return and after raving about what a great ambassador he is for college basketball and how it's a crime he's not in the Hall of Fame yet, he said (this is a paraphrase, not a direct quote):

"He's like a fan watching the game. I know he sometimes talks about things other than the game in front of him, but fans do that too."

To me, the difference between Vitale and Packer is that Vitale really loves college basketball. If you ever get to deal with him away from the cameras, you'd know that his enthusiasm is real. He LOVES the game and he loves doing what he does. And it comes across on camera.

Packer is quite knowledgeable, but he always comes across as someone who hates what he's doing. He's constantly negative and he spends most of the telecast second-guessing officials. I don't know why he remains in the business -- it's obvious he hates college basketball and he hates what he does. To me, it's painful to listen to him.

PS He is very anti-Duke and there's a reason for it. Growing up in Pennsylvania, he idolized Dick Groat and dreamed of playing for Duke. When Coach Hal Bradley offered his last scholarship to another guard, Packer was very bitter. He committed to Wake Forest without visiting them because he knew they played Duke twice a year. He wanted to stick it to Duke ... and he still does.

[wumhenry]

I was really bummed to have missed Dickie V's return due to the local blackout. College Hoops just isn't right without him. I know he has lots of haters and I understand and respect your opinion. And yes I do wish he'd stay on topic more. But the man loves the game like no other and his enthusiasm is just great. He's unique and I like it. He's kinda like Keith Jackson was to College football...the unique voice that everyone knows (although I am aware that Kieth was more widely liked and less annoying!).

Elvis

I like Vitale better than I liked Keith Jackson, who was as bland as cream of wheat with skim milk.

[allenmurray]

But the man loves the game like no other

He loves the game in general. As for specific games, from listeining him do the color commentary I usually can't tell if he is watching.

[calltheobvious]

I like Vitale better than I liked Keith Jackson, who was as bland as cream of wheat with skim milk.

Keith Jackson was bland?????????? Wow. Have you ever cared about college football? Because I have never ever heard a true college football fan describe Keith Jackson that way.

[alteran]

You see in Canada, we are polite and subtle about our responses. Probably why the world likes us so much.

Uhm... you're calling your original post polite and subtle?

Do these words have some definition in Canada that I am not aware of?

You essentially got a response in kind, than had the audacity to complain about it, and then topped it off with a bunch of ethnocentric gibberish.

Aside from that, good post.

[alteran]

My complaints about Vitale are mostly about his refusal to comment on the game. He is on the cutting edge of current commentary, which appears to be moving towards discussing the game at hand as little as possible.

I had the Packer commentary, and we frequently were in the dark on how many fouls people had. Frustrating.

My theory is that the networks are trying to appeal to low information watchers. They know those of us that are dedicated will watch no matter how much the commentators stink.

In fact, I'm probably the Billy Packer of commentator victims. I pretty much have complaints about all of them.

[wumhenry]

Keith Jackson was bland?????????? Wow. Have you ever cared about college football? Because I have never ever heard a true college football fan describe Keith Jackson that way.

Ever? Yeah, but not since Staubach left the Academy, after my junior year of HS. Before that I was pretty keen for Navy and also Ohio State back in Hopalong Cassidy's heyday.
Maybe Keith Jackson got snarkier after I quit paying attention.

[77devil]

In fact, I'm probably the Billy Packer of commentator victims. I pretty much have complaints about all of them.

I think G-Man on the Sunday Fox broadcasts is quite good at focusing on the game and avoiding the side commentary.

[calltheobvious]

Ever? Yeah, but not since Staubach left the Academy, after my junior year of HS. Before that I was pretty keen for Navy and also Ohio State back in Hopalong Cassidy's heyday.
Maybe Keith Jackson got snarkier after I quit paying attention.

Ah. Glad I asked. You missed a lot. I think I'd get widespread agreement that Jackson is the best college football play-by-play guy ever, as well as one of the most colorful. The beauty of Jackson was that he was both passionate and colorful without being obnoxious. Vitale thinks he always has to be Vitale. Keith was just Keith.

[Lavabe]

Uhm... you're calling your original post polite and subtle?

Do these words have some definition in Canada that I am not aware of?

You essentially got a response in kind, than had the audacity to complain about it, and then topped it off with a bunch of ethnocentric gibberish.

Aside from that, good post.

I am just hazarding a guess, Oh Canada, but you haven't really spent much time reading colchar on the Public Policy Board, eh?

[crimsonandblue]

They've got perpetual scoreboards up in the corners and constantly run bottom lines. Why don't they flash the most recent call across a crawl box in the bottom for 20 seconds after the call or until the next? And then run at least points, rebounds and fouls across the bottom line. Then Vitale and the rest can yammer on endlessly about Pitino's genius of not wanting challenged shots, Jeter's bank account, diaper dandies, super bowls, Notre Dame, et al, and at least we'll know the basics of what's going on and on who exactly Ed Hightower, Karl Hess, Steve Welmer or Ted Valentine just whistled a ridiculous foul.

[Lavabe]

I am just hazarding a guess, Oh Canada, but you haven't really spent much time reading colchar on the Public Policy Board, eh?

I guess that subtlety thing is why I like Canadians like colchar.

I'll admit, the PPB's colchar is a polite fellow, but "subtle?" Funny & charming, yes, but "subtle?" The subtle part doesn't jibe with recent discussions about Fleetwood Mac, religion, and "puck bunnies." The Almost dead HUCK thread seemed anything but subtle.

I'm still thinking of Don Cherry.

Cheers,
Lavabe

[wumhenry]

Ah. Glad I asked. You missed a lot. I think I'd get widespread agreement that Jackson is the best college football play-by-play guy ever, as well as one of the most colorful. The beauty of Jackson was that he was both passionate and colorful without being obnoxious. Vitale thinks he always has to be Vitale. Keith was just Keith.

Colorful?!
My alltime favorite sports announcer is the late Bob Prince, who did the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcasts for several decades starting in the late nineteen-fifties. Vitale is a lot like Prince. By comparison with either, Keith Jackson was a cold fish.
Chacun a son gout.