NCAA Tournament Sunday Open Thread

Sunday, March 23, 2008


Siena vs. Villanova (12:10pm)- Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
Miami vs. Texas (2:15pm)- Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
Butler vs. Tennessee (2:30pm)- Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
Davidson vs. Georgetown (2:50pm)- Jim Nantz and Billy Packer
San Diego vs. Western Kentucky (2:50pm)- Tim Brando and Mike Gminski
Mississippi State vs. Memphis (4:45pm)- Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
Oklahoma vs. Louisville (5:00pm)- Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
Arkansas vs. UNC (5:15pm)- Jim Nantz and Billy Packer

So yesterday was a bit crazy wasn't it? I didn't get to hear any of the games announcer but S2N and you guys/gals did an excellent job of keeping track for me. Thank you very much. I just hope Sunday can be as exciting.

One quick note.....if you get sick of any of the Announcers today (*ahem* Tim Brando) be sure to switch on the radio broadcast. A bunch of people emailed about how good the team of Dave Sims and Bill Frieder was. I got to hear them call both the Stanford-Marquette game and a replay of their UCLA call and I'd have to agree. They are a pretty good team.

Happy Easter everyone!
____________________________________

"The Saints and Cats are underway from Tampa!"- Tim Brando

Ummm...there's 11 minutes left in the first half. They've been underway for awhile now Timmy.

"Happy Bunny Rabbit Day to you, too."- Tim Brando (Via RJBO)

A team from the Albany area is playing a team from Philadelphia. Lots of national interest there. (Via Anon)

It is the only game on Anon. Would you rather watch nothing?

"You may have to towel him off. He's been scorching the nets."- Tim Brando

If you're insinuating that he's on fire Tim, the last thing I would do is put a towel on him. He is just not making any sense at all this Tourney.

"The Madness brought gladness to this CBS Broadcast Team in Tampa."- Tim Brando

Just stop with the f'ing puns and rhymes already! Oh and I found a list of what affiliates that are carrying which games later on today. Take a look below....

March Madness Coverage - Sunday, March 23 (HD Sports Guide)

I like how when showing replays of the end of WKU-Drake, CBS has replaced Brando's call w/ WKU radio's call. (Via Pnflkc3)

It makes a world of difference doesn't it?

"Is Tennessee is in trouble today against Baylor?"- Greg Gumbel

"Virginia, Xavier that matchup...assume whoever that is."- Clark Kellogg

Virginia??? I hate this stupid One-One feature with these cheesy timeouts and air balls. Just pointless.

"Villanova's offense, Reynolds wrapped!"- Tim Brando

Seriously....how many times are you going to use that this Tournament?

"Mark it down, Ubiles with his first field goal at the 15:40 mark of the second half" - Tim Brando with 14:40 remaining... not only is he unfunny, he's dyslexic too. (Via Anon)

He's had some problems with numbers this Tourney. Good lord.

"You can see this whole backside emptied out."- Mike Gminski

Speaking of emptying backsides....I'll be back in 5.

"We've got a Britney Spears update here!"- Tim Brando on Spears' appearance on HIMYM

"Villanova's been through the Class of Hard Knocks in the Big East."- Tim Brando (Via RJBO)

The School of Hard Knocks has been relegated to just one subject now.

"It's one thing to deny, it's another thing to undress"- Mike Gminski (Via Anon)

To hear G-Man say that just makes me cringe a little bit.

"8 rebounds for him and only 6 assists away from a triple double."- Mike Gminski on Scottie Reynolds

Yeah...ONLY six assists Mike. Siena is desperately trying to make a game of this and it's amazing that they're only down 9 with six and a half to go. Except they can't make their throws. 12 misses?!

Okay...nevermind. Game over. Annnnnd they're sending us to Little Rock. Thank god.

"You're just like a father figure to me Ian."- Jim Spanarkel

"Howard is one of those guys that just likes to bang you on the inside."- Bill Raftery

"McClinton with the range! Was that from Little Rock or North Little Rock?"- Ian Eagle

"Last year he went for 30 against the Maryland."- Billy Packer

Adding the "the" to a State seems to be an epidemic this Tourney.

"Yep, Johnson from behind" - Jim Spanarkel (Via Anon)

"And the win Friday against Gonzaga was the first of his program as the coach..................over a ranked team."- Jim Nantz

"Gyno Pomare with the offensive put back." - Tim Brando (Via SS Reporters)

"A little bunny hop on Easter Sunday." - Tim Brando (Via SS Reporters)

"Well, you might say Campbell is M'm! M'm! Good"- Bill Raftery (Via Morgan Wick)

"It's a Texas THREE party here in Little Rock." - Ian Eagle (Via JR)

Ian Eagle has gone to the Tim Brando School of Puns.

"He knew he had to take a shot and not just a regular shot, a body shot."- Jim Spanarkel

WHOOOOO! SPRING BREAK 2008!!!!!!!

"When you lay off the cheeseburgers, good things happen."- Bill Raftery (Via Bryne)

"Campbell waiting, salivating!"- Bill Raftery (Via Bryne)

"Get the body on the guy."- Verne Lundquist

WOW! Bye bye Georgetown. That was a crazy 15 minutes just then. Videos following shortly.

"Feel free to exhale!"- Bill Raftery
"It doesn't work if you just keep breathing in"- Verne Lundquist
(Via Ryan and Anon)

"Varnardo. Oh the length!"- Ian Eagle (Via Mal)

"The last hope for the SEC on the floor right now."- Jim Nantz, Never mind that Tennessee has won, or that Mississippi State is playing right now as well. (Via Anon)

Everyone keeps forgetting who's actually in the SEC.

"Speaking of Beckham, a lot of spice in that huddle!"- Bill Raftery describing Louisville's timeout huddle after Lundquist had read the 60 Minutes-David Beckham promo (Via Daniel)

And that wraps up our opening weekend. Thanks everyone!

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 11:45 AM

129 Comments:

Bill Frieder is a disgrace.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:16:00 PM  

He didn't talk a lot near the end of Stan-Marq game so maybe that's why I liked him. Sims was solid though and his call of the UCLA win was awesome.

Mar 23, 2008, 12:19:00 PM  

Wayne Larrivee and Kevin Grevey on the call from Tampa for Westwood One.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:28:00 PM  

Dave Sims is one of the better play-by play guys in the business why he does not get a national tv gig baffles me.

Unknown said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:41:00 PM  

Brando - "Happy Bunny Rabbit Day to you, too."

Mar 23, 2008, 12:41:00 PM  

.

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:42:00 PM  

Sims is great. He recently became a full time announcer for the Seattle Mariners so that has limited his work. He cut back on college hoops this season as he usually covered a full slate of Big East hoops for ESPN+ in the past but did not this season. He did only a few games.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:44:00 PM  

A team from the Albany area is playing a team from Philadelphia.

Lots of national interest there.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:44:00 PM  

Dave Sims has gone from a great newspaper reporter to a great play-by-play guy... I bet he'll get the call up to TV soon.

I also like listening to Joey Wahler on the radio broadcast, but that's my Seton Hall bias showing as Joey is a SHU alum.

roperpau said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:45:00 PM  

happy bunny rabbit day, is so... ridiculous

awful

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:45:00 PM  

Dave Sims used to have more of a prominent role on ESPN (he called the Lamar Odom half court game in the A10 finals 10 years ago), but either because they phased him out (still does Big East football games for ESPN Plus) or because he's on the Sunday Night broadcast on Westwood One, he's just not on TV as much, if at all.

Mar 23, 2008, 12:47:00 PM  

Happy Easter to all.

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:47:00 PM  

Little late to the show, but i'm here...

After an entire day yesterday of HD, CBS has once again broke my will and is showing this game in HD...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:49:00 PM  

* is NOT showing this game in HD i mean. Stupid hangover...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:50:00 PM  

Really? That blows Smitty. Maybe I'm getting your feed because mine looks great for once.

Mar 23, 2008, 12:51:00 PM  

Um, a few people live in Philadelphia. We're not talking about Cheyenne here.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:54:00 PM  

I get two CBS channels - the HD one and the standard def one. The picture on the standard def is better than the one on the HD channel right now.

This happened all day on thursday and friday, thought they had it figured out yesterday...

Ridiculous.

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 12:55:00 PM  

"villanova by a bakers dozen"

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:01:00 PM  

Tim Brando makes me want to go Van Gogh on my ears... I can't take any more of these puns!

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:02:00 PM  

I like how when showing replays of the end of WKU-Drake, CBS has replaced Brando's call w/ WKU radio's call.

Pnflkc3 said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:05:00 PM  

"Oh and I found a list of what affiliates that are carrying which games later on today. Take a look below...." Um, I posted that towards the end of the Saturday thread...

Morgan Wick said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:40:00 PM  

Tim Brando with another 'Reynolds wrapped' reference. What an idiot.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:43:00 PM  

Sorry Morgan. I haven't even gone back and read that thread yet. Haven't had time, but thank you for posting it.

Mar 23, 2008, 1:43:00 PM  

"Mark it down, Ubiles with his first field goal at the 15:40 mark of the second half" - Brando with 14:40 remaining... not only is he unfunny, he's dyslexic too.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:47:00 PM  

Is anyone really interested in this game? I find myself watching soccer instead of this game...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:50:00 PM  

Ha...I've been watching Mystery, Alaska than the game. Pretty boring, but they're not all going to be great.

Mar 23, 2008, 1:55:00 PM  

Instead of the game I mean.

Mar 23, 2008, 1:55:00 PM  

smitty lite, a few dozen people on the East Coast are interestd. So yes, in their eyes, everyone is interested. You East Coast people just have no idea how annoying this is in the rest of the country. If this would have been Clemson/Vanderbilt, you would have freaked--except CBS wouldn't have made it national

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:57:00 PM  

Can't the Will Ferrell "Semi-Pro" commercials go away, already?

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 1:59:00 PM  

Yeah, now i'm watching Spurs-Mavs...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:01:00 PM  

Um, I don't think CBS would have made this game national if they thought they would get freakin' Siena instead of Vanderbilt. And Clemson is near the East Coast too, ya know. Some people are blinded by their perception of an East Coast bias...

Morgan Wick said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:02:00 PM  

"It's one thing to deny, it's another thing to undress" -Gminski

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:03:00 PM  

Brando - "Villanova's been through the Class of Hard Knocks in the Big East."

Mar 23, 2008, 2:03:00 PM  

Class of hard knocks... That's funny..

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:06:00 PM  

IT'S NOT AN EAST COAST BIAS.

It's a New York/Philadelphia/Boston/Washington/Chicago/Los Angeles bias. A.K.A. Big Market Bias. That's why we get a dozen Big East basketball games for every one SEC game. I love it when people say crap like "what about the Lakers and USC--see, there's no bias." It's because you're looking at the wrong bias.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:07:00 PM  

"He's only six assists away from a triple double. And two rebounds."

So umm, he's nowhere close to a triple-double...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:09:00 PM  

You East Coast people just have no idea how annoying this is in the rest of the country.

For your argument's sake, I hope Anons 1:57 & 2:07 aren't the same one...

Mar 23, 2008, 2:11:00 PM  

Couldn't they have done a better job spreading the games out today? Only one on now, then four coming up in the next window, then three tonight...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:12:00 PM  

Teams still in the tournament: Big East 4, SEC and ACC combined: 4 although that's likely to be 3 after Miami gets toasted by Texas.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:14:00 PM  

Kinda unfair to count teams left in the tourney before today is over...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:15:00 PM  

Yeah, it's a big market bias, and Siena is from that astoundingly huge market of Albany, NY... and they've certainly been exposed to death on TV over the years, yes siree...

And why does the big market bias not include the Bay Area or Texas? Or Atlanta? Replace Texas with Dallas and they're all bigger markets than Washington, and Houston is one rank lower than DC (although Washington gets bigger if you add Baltimore, but Dallas and the Bay Area are still bigger than Bahston). It is at least partially an East Coast (specifically BosWash) bias.

Morgan Wick said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:15:00 PM  

Anon- CBS wants it's best games and most popular teams later in the day. More people watch in Primtime especially on a Holiday.

I really don't understand what this has to do with a bias. They're just getting the shitty games out of the way as early as possible.

Mar 23, 2008, 2:15:00 PM  

Plus your math is wrong, since there's 5 ACC/SEC teams left to play just today...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:17:00 PM  

Well, they are connected. The reason why people bitch (incorrectly) about the perceived East Coast bias is because of the relationship between the biggest television markets and the East Coast. But just because the correct theory includes cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and the like, it doesn't mean that the East Coast isn't being catered to more than the rest of the country.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:20:00 PM  

Hey! We switched to the Texas-Miami game!

And hey, it is also not in HD. Awesome...

Is it really this hard?

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:20:00 PM  

I wouldn't deny for a second that there is a bias, but I don't see what that has to do with airing a Vill-Siena game at Noon on a Sunday.

Mar 23, 2008, 2:23:00 PM  

I like those 'dude' commercials...

There, i said it.

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:24:00 PM  

Next, you'll be admitting you like those 'Coke Zero' lawsuit commercials.

Mar 23, 2008, 2:26:00 PM  

Rick James- Never!

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:28:00 PM  

AA, it has to do with the whole country getting it, and then scheduling a quadrupleheader in the second window. Why couldn't they have gone doublheader/tripleheader so that the people outside of Philadelphia can enjoy the first game too?

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:28:00 PM  

Anyone here a bettor? What's with this G'Town line at -5 over Davidson? And it's going down! It was 5.5 yesterday! Am i missing something?

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:29:00 PM  

I just got flipped to Tenn-Buter. Also not in HD.

I'm going to break something soon...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:30:00 PM  

Prince from Tenn. (a soph) is making his first collegiate start today. Don't you think you would choose another time to do this...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:31:00 PM  

Okay now I'm on the same page Anon. I really think it has something to do with the Holiday.

Mar 23, 2008, 2:33:00 PM  

@smitty lite:

Brandon Marshall would approve of you breaking your own TV.

http://thebiglead.com/?p=5110

Mar 23, 2008, 2:34:00 PM  

Doesn't CBS plan the 2nd round schedule before the games are over? Obviously, they were planning on Vandy and/or Clemson advancing. If Belmont won on Thursday, we would have had Belmont-W Virginia in the national slot yesterday.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:35:00 PM  

"was that from Little Rock or North Little Rock" - Ian Eagle

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:38:00 PM  

@rick-

Yeah, yeah it was an 'accident'. I 'fell' into my tv, that's how it got broken...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:39:00 PM  

Ha...we caught that one at the same time Anon. Butler looks like complete shit.

Mar 23, 2008, 2:41:00 PM  

Aarrgghh! CBS is upsetting me today. Yesterday i had HD on one channel and a second game on the standard def channel, so i could watch two games.

Today, there's no HD and the same game on both channels...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:41:00 PM  

Speaking of Trent Johnson from Stanford - Why did he get tossed last night? I missed it...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:43:00 PM  

"As Johnson got tossed last night." - Verne Lundquist

Well that's a shame.

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:46:00 PM  

"Atchley's the guy they're going to more than... often" -Jim Spanarkel, botching the phrase

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:47:00 PM  

Anyone else waiting for Brando to say the following?

This ain't Carmen San Diego!

This ain't Western Kentucky Fried Chicken!

This ain't Go San Diego Go!

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:51:00 PM  

"Yep, Johnson from behind" - Jim Spanarkel

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:51:00 PM  

Progress! Got switched to G'Town-Davidson on one channel...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:53:00 PM  

Are you serious? I got switched to WKU/USD?

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:56:00 PM  

@SS- Ouch. That sucks...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:57:00 PM  

Shit! Spoke too soon, they flipped me to from G'Town/Davidson to SD/WKU also...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:58:00 PM  

"Gyno Pomare with the offensive put back." - Tim Brando

As opposed to those defensive put backs you see all day.

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:59:00 PM  

Well I've got David-Gtown so at least we've got all the games covered.

Mar 23, 2008, 2:59:00 PM  

"A little bunny hop on Easter Sunday." - Tim Brando

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 2:59:00 PM  

Well I have Butler/Tennessee on the other channel so that means I have successfully avoided Billy Packer for at least 2 hours.

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:00:00 PM  

Greg Gumbel is the WORST tele-prompter reader EVER.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:01:00 PM  

Butler is making a game of it now.

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:08:00 PM  

This Butler/Tenn game isn't too bad...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:10:00 PM  

When he gets excited, Bill Raftery sounds like an awful lot like a pissed off Robert Loggia.

Bryne Yancey said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:11:00 PM  

Smitty:

First, the blame for not getting games in HD should go to your CBS station, not CBS.

Second, I suspect your CBS station is actually trying to show all four games and doesn't have enough bandwidth to do HD for one. Yesterday there wasn't four games in one time slot so it wasn't a problem. Why it's abandoning HD for the whole day for the sake of one time slot is beyond me.

CBS should really set up a second channel designated to show an alternate game for the entire country, maybe CBS College Sports or even the CW...

Morgan Wick said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:12:00 PM  

Does anyone want to bring back James Brown to replace the travesty that is Tim Brando?

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:14:00 PM  

Ummm no. I don't care if Tim Brando starts making Oregon Trail references ...no one will ever be as bad as Jim Brown.

Mar 23, 2008, 3:16:00 PM  

@Morgan- Yeah i'm not sure who to blame, but i do think it's a bit ridiculous we can't get a single game in HD today, when every window yesterday had one.

I also like your idea of another channel for games. Shouldn't they offer some sort of package a la Sunday Ticket for March Madness? Who wouldn't pay $100 for the ability to see every game from home?

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:17:00 PM  

They do Smitty but much like the NFL Ticket...it's only on DirecTV.

Mar 23, 2008, 3:19:00 PM  

Maybe Carter Blackburn got his feet wet in that first game.

I would pair him up with Gminski and have Brando handle morning game presenting while Gumbel does the rest.

But what would you do to get rid of Bolerwenzel?

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:20:00 PM  

I can't really complain. I think it is cool that all of the games are on the internet for free. I am receiving Georgetown vs Davidson on television and Tennessee vs Butler on the net.

Unknown said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:22:00 PM  

"Well, you might say Campbell is M'm! M'm! Good" -Raftery

Morgan Wick said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:26:00 PM  

"It's a Texas THREE party here in Little Rock." - Ian Eagle

J.R. said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:36:00 PM  

Hello? Hello? Hello?

Echo Echo Echo Echo

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:59:00 PM  

I want to make an interesting comparison between the NFL and the NCAA Tournament.

As an aside, I tried to use MMOD the other day and it screwed up my computer, but it could just be me (IE7, Windows XP, my hard disk has scratches on it and is on its second Windows installation, no viruscan programming).

Regardless, its existence as well as the sheer number of affiliates putting up alternate feeds shows that there's clear demand for as many NCAA games as possible available for free. (Well, "free", at least.)

In the NFL, you do get two games on CBS and Fox when your local team isn't playing at home, but that's it, probably partly because the NFL is insanely protective of Sunday Ticket and partly to keep the HD feed unsullied.

If the NFL wasn't quite so protective of Sunday Ticket, do you think we'd get more games each Sunday if we looked on our CBS and Fox stations' alternate feeds?

Morgan Wick said...
Mar 23, 2008, 3:59:00 PM  

"When you lay off the cheeseburgers, good things happen." - Bill Raftery

Bryne Yancey said...
Mar 23, 2008, 4:16:00 PM  

"Campbell waiting, salivating!" - Bill Raftery

Bryne Yancey said...
Mar 23, 2008, 4:17:00 PM  

"They've got Beasley under there banging." - Raftery

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 4:17:00 PM  

The 3 of us all have Raftery quotes within a minute.

TJX said...
Mar 23, 2008, 4:19:00 PM  

"It's March, anything can happen!"--Ian Eagle

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 4:25:00 PM  

is it me? or is Diana Taurasi hideously ugly? I mean, that closeup in that new nike commercial is terrible.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 4:27:00 PM  

AA,
Love how Nantz keeps telling us the team Stephen Curry lit up in last year's tournament.

That's nice how his mom is wearing a red bra today to support Davidson.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:04:00 PM  

Well that's it for me. I had Georgetown in the Final Four. God, this year's tourney has screwed my bracket up faster than George Mason did when they went to the Final Four.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:09:00 PM  

"It doesn't work when you just keep breathing in!" -Raftery, reminding us how to properly breathe

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:09:00 PM  

"Feel free to exhale!" Raftery
"It doesn't work if you just keep breathing in" Lundquist

Ryan said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:10:00 PM  

marc - She is a horse face.

And anyone else have whiplash from being shuttled back and forth between Raleigh and Birmingham?

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:20:00 PM  

(Sigh...) Yet another game that is once again not in HD...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:26:00 PM  

@ smitty - what kind of feed are you getting that you don't get HD?

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:28:00 PM  

@mal- I have Dish Network. Had HD all day yesterday, haven't had it once today. Didn't have it thursday or friday at night either...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:30:00 PM  

Eagle: "This is Swat Central."

Eye-an's gonna blow through all of his blocking cliches (having already called the game a 'block party.')

Mar 23, 2008, 5:32:00 PM  

Gotta go with DirecTV. The March Madness deal is pretty cool. On some of the feeds you don't even get the commercials and if you are really in to a specific game there is no whip-lashing back and forth. Plus - all HD!

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:33:00 PM  

@Mal - I hate you...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:35:00 PM  

@smitty - they still haven't figured out a way to substitute Wenzel's audio with something less annoying like a crying baby on an airplane.

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:37:00 PM  

Eagle: "Varnardo. Oh the length!"

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:38:00 PM  

Raftery after Oklahoma doesn't get back on defense: "That says tardy, absent-minded and not being prepared". Ouch. What do you really, think Bill.

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:41:00 PM  

UNC looks strong early...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:44:00 PM  

I have issues at times when I'm whip-lashed from one game to another where it will go from HD to non-HD for a bit, but it corrects itself usually in about 5-10 minutes. That's for me anyway.

I have the Brighthouse HD Package and such that they offer here in Alabama. I've had all my games I've watched so far this weekend HD except for like I said, those little periods where they are back in SD for a few minutes.

Georgetown losing made me sad. One of my Final Four teams has fallen. I'm not having a good pick 'em this year.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:53:00 PM  

Jim Nantz: "The last hope for the SEC on the floor right now."

Never mind that Tennessee has won, or that Mississippi State is playing right now as well.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:55:00 PM  

That's upsetting me as well. Local, small cable companies can put all the games in HD, but Dish Network can't. Frustrating...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:56:00 PM  

And yes, i've become a complete HD whore...

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 5:57:00 PM  

Damn it! Who decides when to switch games? They just switched my 2nd game (UNC/Ark) over to Louisville/Oklahoma, which i have on my 1st station. So now i have two stations showing the exact same game.

Todd W. Smith said...
Mar 23, 2008, 6:06:00 PM  

To have had so many good games in the last "window", these aren't looking worth a crap. UNC up by 24 U of L up by 17 and Memphis up by 9 at the half.

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 6:09:00 PM  

Well, now that I know Smitty has Dish Network, I want to retract blame for your local station, but something tells me some of it has to go to them... I'd complain to Dish first (you should get the Sweet 16 on in HD, so your complaint is about next year) and if they direct you to your local station complain to them as well.

Morgan Wick said...
Mar 23, 2008, 6:19:00 PM  

Louisville makes buzzerbeater at half. Replay shows shot off with 00.1 seconds.

"A tenth. No, a hundredth, of a second left." -- Verne Lundquist

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 6:31:00 PM  

Miss St within 3! May have a ballgame to watch this evening after all.

Mal said...
Mar 23, 2008, 6:34:00 PM  

Raftery describing Louisville's timeout huddle after Lundquist had read the 60 Minutes-David Beckham promo, "Speaking of Beckham, a lot of spice in that huddle!"

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 7:05:00 PM  

i'm watching the end of the Memphis game and this has nothing to do with basketball but this quote just drifted into my mind from this week's episode of America's Best Dance Crew on MTV courtesy of Lil' Mama --
"because dreams + inspiration = destiny..."

Josh Waidley said...
Mar 23, 2008, 7:21:00 PM  

Ian Eagle is the best announcer. He makes the whole game exciting. Gus is the best in the dramatic though. Ian needs to get a region.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 7:22:00 PM  

"These refs don't want dinner, do they?" - Raff

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 7:31:00 PM  

A minute left and North Carolina up by almost 40. you know what that means...White Wash time!!! The Tarheels now have five short white guys on the floor.

Josh Waidley said...
Mar 23, 2008, 7:41:00 PM  

TV Nation has a fat old hard one for Tyler Hansbrough. With the outcome well in hand, he just went through a Arkansas guy's forearm to block his shot. And when UNC cried foul, so did Jim and Billy "You can't block a shot any better than that!" said Packer. My ass.

Scott Armstrong said...
Mar 23, 2008, 7:43:00 PM  

Tim Brando = Stan Smith, "American Dad" with even lamer wordplay

Scott Armstrong said...
Mar 23, 2008, 7:45:00 PM  

Ian Eagle is doing a regional on Westwood One radio next weekend. He will be in Phoenix with Bill Frieder.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 8:23:00 PM  

Have the regional announcing teams been set yet? I'd assume Nantz goes to Charlotte, Vernquist is in Houston, GuJo is in Motown and Enberg gets Phoenix though.

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 8:31:00 PM  

Anyone have the Radio announcing schedule?

Anonymous said...
Mar 23, 2008, 10:13:00 PM  

no comment you blogged about today was any dumber than Miami radio hack Joe Zagacki's remark when the first Augustin free throw airballed.
"He shot an airball...maybe he did it on purpose!!!"

Anonymous said...
Mar 24, 2008, 8:05:00 AM  

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