Chris Berman made a rare appearance in the broadcast booth for ESPN's MLB coverage tonight. There are a lot of words you can use to describe Chris Berman's tired schtick, but we'll save that for another column on another day. Usually, Berman's appearance wouldn't be a newsworthy event, especially on the first night of the NBA Finals. However, Boomer gave us a golden soundbyte so ridiculously awful, so deliciously mind-numbing, so horrifyingly preposterous, so... ok, you get the idea. A huge thank you to our good friend bubbaprog for uploading this video from tonight's Giants/Cardinals broadcast at Mocksession...

"Well they have 7 walk off wins thus far, most of them at home."

This may be the single greatest quote in the history of Awful Announcing.  I must have missed it, but the Giants' walk off wins on the road are surely the greatest feat in baseball history... winning a game on a walk off hit in the top half of an inning, why, that's unheard of!! Someone get me those box scores!! I wonder why more teams haven't tried the road walk off win strategy. Maybe Boomer is onto something here... or, maybe he should just go rumblin, bumblin, and stumblin and walk off ESPN for good.

Earlier today, we told you about a rumor regarding ESPN NBA analyst Mark Jackson being a leading candidate for the head coach opening for the Golden State Warriors. In news that's coming down tonight, there's another national NBA TV analyst that has been confirmed to leave the broadcast booth for the sidelines. We received a press release in the AA Inbox from Turner Sports that Kevin McHale will be the newest coach of the Houston Rockets. The former Celtic great had been rumored as a frontrunner for the job in recent days. Here's a quote from McHale...

“I really enjoyed spending the last two years with Turner Sports, bringing the best NBA coverage possible to the viewers at home,” said McHale. “Even though I’m moving back to the bench I’ll still watch my friends on NBA TV and TNT. Turner’s commitment to the NBA is part of the reason why the league is so special, and I look forward to seeing many of my former colleagues in the future.”

McHale was better than average as an NBA analyst. He had a style that wasn't quite as polished as others in the booth or the studio, but it worked. I enjoyed his work with the Turner guys as he brought something a little different to the table to complement Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Chris Webber. He replaces Rick Adelman as Rockets head coach. McHale had a losing record coaching the Minnesota Timberwolves during two stints the last decade while also serving as GM of the franchise. Hopefully he doesn't draft 19 point guards this year like that fella who followed him.

Rampage Jackson has never been one to handle interviews in a traditional way, and the one following his win at the most recent UFC PPV was no exception. MMA reporter Karyn Bryant decides to try her luck following his win, and for about 75% of the interview she somewhat suceeds. That is until B.A. asks about her ethnicity and finds out that she is part Jamaican and busts out the cheeseball "you're Jamaican me horny" line. Predictably, it's downhill from there, with compliments to her body, almost motorboating her, and then bringing up past instances where he has dry humped a reporter. You gotta love when a post-fight victory interview ends with the reporter scurrying away as Rampage says the hilariously awful line of "get away from me, get away. Before I hump you in front of everybody. Get away, get away."

[MMA Heat]

The NBA Finals begin tonight in Miami, and ESPN.. err... ESPN on ABC's top crew of Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson will be there to call the action.  But, if the news coming out of the Bay Area is to be believed, it may be the last NBA Finals the trio announces together.  According to a CSN Bay Area report, Mark Jackson is a leading candidate in the head coaching search of the Golden State Warriors...

Mike Brown was considered a leading candidate, but then he took the Los Angeles Lakers head job. Dwane Casey, Lawrence Frank and Brian Shaw are now said to be on the Warriors' short list.

Put Mark Jackson on that list, too. He appears to be a finalist.

Jackson -- the former New York Knick, Indiana Pacer and current analyst for ESPN and ABC -- is very much being considered for the Golden State job. In fact, Jackson has had two conversations with the Warriors, including one with owner Joe Lacob, according to NBA sources...

Jackson is considered an intriguing candidate in some circles. Despite having no head coaching experience, he is frequently mentioned when jobs come open, and he has expressed a desire to coach.

Jackson played 17 seasons in the NBA and ranks third on the all-time assists list. He was known for his court smarts, leadership and getting the most out of his ability. Jackson has a strong presence, but as a tactician and X-and-O guy -- very little is known.

This is far from the first time that Mark Jackson has been mentioned as a head coaching candidate.  He was very close to the Knicks job before Donnie Walsh went with Mike D'Antoni at the last minute.  Mark Jackson's name has also been mentioned with past openings in Minnesota, Indiana, New Orleans, and pretty much every other job opening in the NBA.  The analyst clearly wants to coach and it seems like it's only a matter of time until Jackson is walking the sidelines instead of sitting in the broadcast booth.  Breen, JVG, and Jackson are the best current three man booth in sports and really did rescue ESPN's NBA coverage after a few years of failed experiments (Al Michaels anyone?).  I wonder if he'll still yell "momma there goes that man" as a coach though...

[CSN Bay Area]

Tuesday May 31

San Francisco Giants @ St. Louis Cardinals (ESPN 7PM) Chris Berman, Rick Sutcliffe
Colorado Rockies @ Los Angeles Dodgers (MLBN 10PM) Local Broadcast [Alternate Game: NY Yankees @ Oakland]

Wednesday June 1

Houston Astros @ Chicago Cubs (WGNA 2PM) Len Kasper, Bob Brenly
San Francisco Giants @ St. Louis Cardinals (ESPN 8PM) Dave O'Brien, Nomar Garciaparra

Thursday June 2

Pittsburgh Pirates @ New York Mets (MLBN 1PM) Local Broadcast
San Francisco Giants @ St. Louis Cardinals (MLBN 8PM) Bob Costas, Tom Verducci [Alternate Game: Minnesota @ Kansas City]

Friday June 3

Chicago Cubs @ St. Louis Cardinals (MLBN/WGNA 8PM) Matt Vasgersian, Tom Verducci [Alternate Game: Minnesota @ Kansas City]

Saturday June 4

Chicago Cubs @ St. Louis Cardinals (FOX 4PM) Joe Buck, Tim McCarver
Los Angeles Dodgers @ Cincinnati Reds (FOX 4PM) Thom Brennaman, Eric Karros
Colorado Rockies @ San Francisco Giants (FOX 4PM) Kenny Albert, Mark Grace
Detroit Tigers @ Chicago White Sox (WGNA 7PM) Ken Harrelson, Steve Stone
New York Yankees @ Los Angeles Angels (MLBN 9PM) Local Broadcast [Alternate Game: Houston @ San Diego - 8:30]

Sunday June 5

Chicago Cubs @ St. Louis Cardinals (TBS 2PM) Dick Stockton, John Smoltz
Detroit Tigers @ Chicago White Sox (WGNA 2PM) Ken Harrelson, Steve Stone
Atlanta Braves @ New York Mets (ESPN 8PM) Dan Shulman, Orle Hershiser, Bobby Valentine

H/T Sammy!

I was too young to remember Derek Jeter's debut in 1985.  His first decade in the majors was pretty quiet until he began to make some noise in 1995. 

There is Jim Rome vs. Jim Everett and of course Floyd Mayweather vs. Brian Kenny and today we were given another ESPN classic argument as Skip Bayless and Chris Broussard minced words over LeBron James.

A stupid debate based about journalistic integrity that arose from another stupid manufactured debate. That's what happens when you have 4+days without basketball. Digging into this one is a bit painful and similar to trying to identify who is to blame for the latest Indiana Jones movie.

Bayless seems a little too overtly jaded when discussing James. Broussard does seem to be a bit taken aback about the tenor of the comments made by Bayless but is able to stay a bit more professional though out the exchange. Bayless on the other hand leaves us with this classic pose as he sarcastically shouts "Ohh I'll take that to the bank."

It's been almost a decade of Bayless and he is continuously regarded as one of ESPN's worst personalities. If bloggers have had any role in the removal of Joe Morgan and Stephen A Smith off of the air, we can only hope this helps the case against Bayless.

The biggest yearly game in soccer, the Champions League Final, took place on Saturday.  Barcelona defeated Manchester United 3-1 in a remarkable performance at London's Wembley Stadium.  Lionel Messi scored the game winning goal in the second half.  However, viewers in Minneapolis weren't treated to the call of the action, but a tiny split screen of the game and "breaking" weather coverage.  I understand the need to inform viewers, but nothing makes me more upset as a sports fan than news stations that are obsessed with weather coverage above and beyond the basic details while I'm trying to watch a game.  Correction, nothing makes me more upset than a station that totally preempts a game for unending weather coverage.  Why a station feels the need to go the "weather porn" route vs sensible updates every 10-15 minutes is beyond me.

I'm sure many people contacted the Fox station with the hopes of actually watching the Champions League Final and getting their weather news elsewhere, or at least, less often.  Minneapolis anchor Tim Blotz heard the complaints and decided he was AS MAD AS HELL, AND NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!



Here's the quotes from EPL Talk...

“I know a lot of you are calling the studios right now. Folks, I’m going to tell you, it does no good to call us. We’re going to continue with our weather coverage, ALRIGHT? So I’m going to end the debate RIGHT there.”

“So don’t call us. Don’t write to us on Facebook and cheese us off because, you know what, we’re sticking with this no matter what you say, we’re going to continue to keep our viewers safe.”

Don't cheese us off or else we'll make this storm come and get you interested European soccer fan!  I wonder if he would warn Vikings fans, NBA fans, or college football fans to not "cheese us off."  I've never seen an anchor arrogantly dismiss a viewing audience like that, that takes some serious marbles.  It's also the first time I've heard "cheese us off" since 1945.  (By the way, Fox's national pregame coverage was equally embarrassing - feeling the need to tell us that soccer has 11 players just like football.  Thanks Michael Strahan!!)  

EPL Talk has further details about how the Fox station in the Twin Cities went well overboard with their weather coverage, even possibly misleading viewers on their "duty" to bring the non-stop news.  Thankfully, no reports of damage came with the storm... just hurt feelings by those sports fans who received a timeout in the corner from Blotz.  I only hope the Minneapolis Fox team celebrated in this fashion with Blotz getting slide tackled in the face.

[H/T EPL Talk]
 

Memorial Day Sunday is the greatest day of racing in the world.  Formula 1 has their signature event in Monaco.  The Indy 500 takes place, and NASCAR has one of their biggest events in Charlotte, the Coca Cola 600.  Earlier in the day, rookie JR Hildebrand crashed out of the lead exiting the final turn of the Indy 500.  Late last night, it was fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. who had the lead after a green-white-checkered finish, looking for his first win in 105 races.  Then, as it happened earlier in the day, Earnhardt lost the lead in the final turn of the race.  Kevin Harvick passed Junior and won his third race of the season.  It was the second, incredible, heartbreaking, exciting finish of the day.  Fox analyst Darrell Waltrip was the first to call out Earnhardt being out of fuel, and the entire Fox crew of Waltrip, pbp man Mike Joy, and Larry McReynolds did a great job referencing the Indy finish earlier in the day and the improbable day of racing.  Here's the clip...

The 100th anniversary of the first Indy 500 was one of the most incredible finishes to a race that you will ever see.  After some late race pit stops and fuel mileage gambles, rookie JR Hildebrand assumed the lead when Belgian driver Bertrand Baguette (seriously, that's his name) pitted with only a few laps left.  Hildebrand had passed one of the race favorites, Dario Franchitti, who had pitted on the same lap as Hildebrand, but could not keep pace with the rookie.  Hildebrand looked set to make history and win the Indy 500 as he took the white flag.  But, he could only manage 799 of the 800 turns successfully.  It was one of the most heartbreaking and unbelievable finishes to a sporting event I've ever seen...



And just like that, Dan Wheldon won his 2nd Indy 500.  It just so happened that the crash happened right when Marty Reid was preparing the customary "taking the checkered flag" remarks that every race announcer does including the 100th anniversary of the 500.  The crew of Reid, Eddie Cheever, and Scott Goodyear did well to paint the picture of the shock, surprise, agony, and ecstasy of the moment.  Marty Reid was shouting, "just like Tomas Scheckter" because he crashed in the same spot on the racetrack leading as a rookie in 2002, but on the 173rd lap, not the 200th (I happened to sit right in front of Sheckter that day when it happened, it's still one of my most vivd memories as a sports fan).  

Down the stretch, it was clear that fuel mileage would tell the story, but ESPN/ABC/ESPN-on-ABC wasn't up to the pace...