Bill Raftery

[A-Tex Devil]

Bill Raftery is the best color guy in college basketball... he's knowledgeable, enthusiastic, positive, TOPICAL! <cough>Dickie V<cough> and points out at least 4 or 5 things a game, where I'm like, "Wow, I just learned something."

Discuss...

[Troublemaker]

Agreed. For overall experience, he can't be beat. He's like a lovable uncle or grandfather.

[freedevil]

I gotta disagree. The whole "KISS" thing he uses every time the ball hits the backboard is just as annoying to me as anything Vitale does.

I'm a Gus Johnson guy.

[A-Tex Devil]

I like Gus, too, but never learn anything. Gus stays on topic, though.

ONIONS!!

[Troublemaker]

I like Gus Johnson, too. He's like a young Raftery as far as enthusiasm that doesn't get on your nerves.

[Jumbo]

I like Gus Johnson, too. He's like a young Raftery as far as enthusiasm that doesn't get on your nerves.

Well, one does play-by-play and the other is an analyst, so they could be a team some day. I love both of them. But Raftery is REALLY great, and has stood the test of time. He teaches you about basketball AND entertains you. And he just has such a nice perspective on the whole deal.

[dukemsu]

Well, one does play-by-play and the other is an analyst, so they could be a team some day. I love both of them. But Raftery is REALLY great, and has stood the test of time. He teaches you about basketball AND entertains you. And he just has such a nice perspective on the whole deal.

I agree-Raftery is a lot of fun and gives real info to the hoopheads. That passed Vitale by long ago, and Packer wouldn't know a good time if it fell out of the sky and hit him.

The only thing I don't like about Raftery is when he does UConn games and makes jokes about going out drinking with Calhoun. I can't imagine anyone choosing to go out drinking with Calhoun.

[godukerocks]

I like Gus Johnson, too. He's like a young Raftery as far as enthusiasm that doesn't get on your nerves.

There was an article about Gus Johnson the other day in USA today; the focus being on his enthusiasim and whether he sometimes was too loud. In it he says that the one time he tried toning down, he got a phone call from a guy at the studio saying that wasn't him, and to call the game he always had.

I would love hearing Johnson and Raftery together. Both are some of the best in commentating.

[freedevil]

I do like that Raftery stays on topic, so I must concede that.

Not to get off topic, but I love what the addition of Bob Knight to ESPN has done to Phelps and Vitale, by far the two most absurd analysts on TV. Vitale never says anything of substance and Phelps seems to get every prediction dead wrong. They have been reigned in, albeit a little, under the watchful eye of Robert Montgomery.

[Karl Beem]

Raf has been a favorite of mine since '86, when he used 'devastating' twice in describing Duke's low post defense.

[dukemsu]

I do like that Raftery stays on topic, so I must concede that.

Not to get off topic, but I love what the addition of Bob Knight to ESPN has done to Phelps and Vitale, by far the two most absurd analysts on TV. Vitale never says anything of substance and Phelps seems to get every prediction dead wrong. They have been reigned in, albeit a little, under the watchful eye of Robert Montgomery.

Phelps' next insightful comment will be his first. I don't even know how he still has a job. No one has ever gotten more mileage out of one night (Notre Dame beating UCLA in '74) than Phelps.

[freedevil]

^ HA! Completely agree.

[Ben63]

Raftery is good, but he is no Dick Enberg. Enberg is the best ever except for the classic baseball voices (Vin Scully, Harry Kalas, Ernie Harwell, etc) but it isnt fair to compare the two.

[jipops]

Raftery is the only color guy that can make an incredibly boring game fun to watch. He'll always point out facets of the game that can fascinate you. He's a true color guy.

[mr. synellinden]

BIG TIME ONIONS!

YOU GOT TO LOVE THE TICKER

Billy Raf is the best. Why are people comparing him to Gus Johnson and Dick Enberg who do play-by-play?

[kinghoops]

Raftery is the only color guy that can make an incredibly boring game fun to watch. He'll always point out facets of the game that can fascinate you. He's a true color guy.

do you remember " SEND IT IN JEROME""!!! . maybe one of the greatest calls in college basketball history

[brtnsbs]

I believe Gus Johnson and Raf have done games together before. Definetely one of my favorite combo's. I wish Gus would do the final four and championship game but Nance will be doing those for years to come.

[A-Tex Devil]

Courtesy of Wikipedia:

"Shoulder ... shake ... a little lingerie!"
"A little pirouette, and they said this was a beer town!"
“I wheel the wheel barrel down the street to the tin!”
"With the teardrop, that'll make you cry"

and of course...

"Send it in, Jerome!"

[godukerocks]

Billy Raf is the best. Why are people comparing him to Gus Johnson and Dick Enberg who do play-by-play?

Because they're all better than everyone else.

Yeaaa, post 100.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Bill Raftery is the best color guy in college basketball...

But he sounds so much like Bob Wentzle....