TV Announcers Blasting Officials

[Maineac]

From the "Credit Where Credit is Due" department, I heard one Jay Bilas actually give a reasonable definition of legal guarding position and how it was maintained by a (moving!) defender in the Notre Dame/Duke game last night. Now he officially has no excuse for complaining about defenders "not being set" during his analysis.

As for McDonough, he did the same smarmy, tired crap when he was calling games on cable for the Red Sox. He had a few umpires he would pick out and trash. Just how he is.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Maineac

From the "Credit Where Credit is Due" department, I heard one Jay Bilas actually give a reasonable definition of legal guarding position and how it was maintained by a (moving!) defender in the Notre Dame/Duke game last night. Now he officially has no excuse for complaining about defenders "not being set" during his analysis.

As for McDonough, he did the same smarmy, tired crap when he was calling games on cable for the Red Sox. He had a few umpires he would pick out and trash. Just how he is.

Bilas has long had an intellectual understanding of the rules. That's why I find his act even more tiring than the others.

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by Adam

Bilas has long had an intellectual understanding of the rules. That's why I find his act even more tiring than the others.

I don't doubt this for a minute, very intelligent and well spoken individual. I've just never heard him accurately describe a rule before without saying how the officials made a mistake first.

[letemplay]

Several years ago, following an NIT game, I was in such disagreement with some of his comments about the officiating, I handwrote a letter (snail mail) to him. Just sent it straight to ESPN and low and behold a few weeks after the basketball season ended, I received a hand written response on network letterhead. He was quite congenial and thanked me for writing. He stood by his point that the officiating in the NIT was horrible that day, mostly because he felt the better refs were elsewhere in NCAA tourney. (He was probably miffed that he had to stoop to that level.) I thought at least it was good of him to respond, and no, I did not debate a block/charge call with him