Dumb announcer
 

Anybody catch the Italy/Senegal game today? There was a play where the Italian player with the ball on the right side of the court lowered his shoulder into a moving Senegal player and was called for an offensive foul. It was a close call, but the Italian player did lower his shoulder and make contact. The official called an offensive foul and the announcers said, "That was a blown call. Italy has a right to complain! Another official should have come in and helped him out on that call!" Yeah, right....maybe if all three officials were ball-watching! How can announcers know so little about officiating and get those jobs?

Another announcer should have come in & helped HIM with his call... :rolleyes:

Obviously those announcers were ball watching. They are going to miss some great calls if they keep doing that.

Did you hear that the announcers are doing the games from the ESPN Studios in Bristol, CT...there aren't actually at the game.

There was a call in the US - Italy game this morning where Hinrich got called for an offensve foul when the defender was sliding laterally. The announcers said the official got the call right. Maybe they're using one of those 8-ball things to decide whether to agree or not.

Am I missing something here, Jim?:confused:

If a defender is sliding laterally after attaining an initial LGP position, then it's an offensive foul in every ruleset if Hinrich initiated contact on the defender's torso? Is that what happened, or not? I didn't see the call.

I think Jim was responding to the OP who mentioned the announcers didn't like an offensive foul call in an earlier game and jumped all over it, but this one they liked.

Personally, I don't like using the Magic 8-ball during games - it doesn't fit in my pocket. I'd rather just flip a coin on those close calls.

OK, got it now. <b></b>

You're welcome.

Anything else I can help you with?

What M&M Guy said.

I didn't see whether the defender ever established LGP (he was off the ball on the left block, coming across the lane in a lateral slide with a little extra lean-in at the end while Hinrich was getting past his defender on the right side of the lane), but I doubt the announcers did either.

Obviously, I was ball watching and I suspect the announcers were doing the same.

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We have a guy who used to coach local NBL teams teams as one of the commentators. I was in stitches more then once due to his comments. He displayed such a lack of knowledge of even basic rules. God knows how he ever got to coach a team, yet he was known as one of the most difficult coaches to manage (AsH factor 9.8).

They do go hand-in-hand. Usually you hear a lot less from the more knowledgeable coaches, and when you do hear from them, it's for a reason.