I can't stress enough how painfully funny this video is that Deadspin alluded to today.  Part of me feels guilty for posting this because these kids are probably doing the best job they can, but this clip immediately goes into the Pantheon of sports telecasts gone horribly, horribly, horribly wrong.  This video is an America East wrap up show through University of Hartford student television on STN Channel 2.  If you want the highlights, check out the Deadspin piece, but we've posted the entire show below.  If you do anything, just watch the first three minutes and you won't be disappointed.  The entire show is a roller coaster ride of awkwardness filled with more of the same, but the opening segment is rocky to say the least.  On the bright side, if Brian Collins could get a legitimate job in television, then hopefully these guys can come back from this...



Boom Goes The Student Sportscast: America East Report Is Uncomfortable, Hilarious - Deadspin

***Update - As you can probably see, the Youtube video is down (big surprise there).  That's not cool.  So, I feel obliged to share with you Deadspin's update featuring a less than happy response from Brendan Marshall, one of the "stars" of the clip.  I have to say, I've never seen someone tell Deadspin and Stony Brook to F*#k off in the same Tweet, so congrats Brendan!   (H/T @KevinTConnor)

The end of the Big East quarterfinal was a disaster. Multiple missed calls (all going against Rutgers), errant horns going off at crucial free throws, and referees who couldn't look more inept. Dave Pasch once again does an admirable job at the end of the game highlighted by him immediately calling out the referees for missing calls and ruining what was a good close game. Doris Burke and Fran Fraschilla also repeatedly called out the refs before and after this play for losing control of the game. Doug Gottlieb even said these officials (highlighted by the always awful Jim Burr) should not be allowed to work again this tournament. Just an UGLY ending here especially with the refs refusing to review the play and walking off the court.

I gotta say, I was pretty impressed by Pasch's call here. It can't be easy getting pumped up for the 12 vs. 13 matchup on the Tuesday of Conference Tournament week. Although, this was two rivals battling for New Jersey supremacy so that added some slight intrigue to this Tuesday afternoon game. For those who filled out Big East Tournament brackets, the Scarlett Knights held off the Pirates to advance to the next round.

While Pasch's call was well done, easily the highlight of this clip has to be the ecstatic Seton Hall player repeatedly doing the title belt celebration at the end of the bench. Just hilarious.

So, we finally made it. Conference Tournament and next week the big one. Word to the wise, stack your fridge with as much Surge as possible and sit back and enjoy because it's only going to get better.

Evidently, this was the weekend for crazy college basketball calls.  Yesterday we shared KU basketball announcer Bob Davis going nuts over a foul called against the Jayhawks.  Today, we see former Chicago Bulls player and current analyst Dickey Simpkins losing his mind in the exuberant way after a CJ Fair dunk for the Syracuse Orange.  Simpkins has developed a little bit of a cult following for his unique and excitable outbursts as an analyst for ESPNU and Big East games.  His latest effort includes an OMG, and something called a Dunk Nasty Face.  



Good for Dickey for being creative.  He's actually probably gaining more notoriety as an analyst than he ever did as a towel waver for Jordan's Bulls.  Although he does have three championship rings for his career 4.3 PPG, so who am I to judge?  The one thing that I'd like to know is what a Dunk Nasty Face is exactly.  I have no idea.  :%?  :$?  Any thoughts on what a dunk nasty face looks like?  Whatever it is, I'm definitely using it in my next IM conversation... if people still do that anymore.

Let me start by being honest - I'm a Mizzou basketball fan and despise everything about Kansas basketball.  So, I was not a happy camper when the Jayhawks won in Columbia on Saturday.  As some measure of revenge, I came across this funny video of legendary Kansas radio announcer Bob Davis going crazy over an intentional foul call against one of the Morris twins late in Saturday's game.  Kansas would go on to win the game, although for some reason most of the nation, including Kansas City and Columbia, didn't get to see the last few minutes.  CBS says it was because of the evil schemes of sunspots, bizarre I know.  Oh well, enjoy your Monday bit of announcing insanity!  



Video: KU Basketball Announcer Can't Believe Marcus Morris' Intentional Foul Vs. Missouri - SB Nation

 

Here is your NBA announcing sked for the week. The Heat will have to dry their tears after Sunday's loss to Joakim Noah and the Bulls quickly as they welcome the Blazers and Lakers to Miami in another important week for the Superfriends. Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas also make multiple appearances on the national slate. There's only one game on ABC Sunday afternoon and no ESPN night games due to Selection Sunday for the college game. Also, we may have an AA surprise related to a well-known NBA announcer this week so stay tuned!

Tuesday March 9

Portland Trailblazers @ Miami Heat (NBA TV 7:30PM) Rick Kamla, Kevin McHale, Chris Webber - American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL

Wednesday March 9

New York Knicks @ Memphis Grizzlies (NBA TV 8PM) Local Broadcast - FedExForum, Memphis, TN 

Thursday March 10

Los Angeles Lakers @ Miami Heat (TNT 7PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr, Reggie Miller - American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
New York Knicks @ Dallas Mavericks (TNT 9:30PM) Kevin Harlan, Mike Fratello - American Airlines Center Dallas, TX

Friday March 11

Atlanta Hawks @ Chicago Bulls (NBA TV 8PM) Local Broadcast - United Center, Chicago, IL

Saturday March 12

Utah Jazz @ Chicago Bulls (WGN 8PM) Neil Funk, Stacey King - United Center, Chicago, IL
Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks (NBA TV 9PM) Local Broadcast – American Airlines Center Dallas, TX

Sunday March 13

Orlando Magic @ Phoenix Suns (ABC 3:30) Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy - U.S. Airway Center, Phoenix, AZ
Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics (NBA TV 6PM) Local Broadcast - TD Garden, Boston, MA

H/T Sammy!

Over the past couple months, there has been a lot of chatter about ESPN talent and their side incomes from endorsement deals. Something about journalistic integrity or double standards. As if you really needed Dicky V or Lee Corso to motivate you to go to Hooters for the third time this month.  "They really DO have good wings" is now officially the third most used excuse of all time behind "I was drunk" and "the dog ate my homework".

Just in time to give the impression that this commercial and product is somehow associated with March Madness, Mountain Dew has rolled out a new ad featuring Erin Andrews and Kenny Mayne.

IMO the commercial is half funny as Mayne's dry wit is entertaining but ultimately muted when intermixed with a pretty vanilla and somewhat out of place Andrews. While she is certainly soft on the eyes, playing opposite the notoriously goofy and aloof Mayne was just an odd combination. Dropping twitter bombs, wearing a purple sweater with a tie underneath reminiscent of myself at an 8th grade dance, and accompanied by the Mountain Dew Voltage entourage, Mayne would ultimately be better served by someone a bit more well versed in the art of sarcastic schilling. 

In the end though it is a memorable spot and one that does make me want to try these products. Any soda (they call it "pop" in the Midwest) that taste like its inundated with sugar and caffiene but ultimately isn't, is always a nice change of pace when you're craving some carbonation.

This morning on College Gameday, Bobby Knight and Digger Phelps were taking part in an end-of-clock situation.  Knight was in control of the offensive side and Digger had the defensive assignment.  In somewhat predictably ridiculous fashion, the segment went to an official review with the rest of the Gameday crew in referee uniforms.  With Bobby Knight back in coaching mode, you can probably guess what transpired - hilarious unscripted swearing on national television!  The best part of this video from Bubbaprog is Hubert Davis' reaction to Coach Knight going old school.  I just can't believe this doesn't happen more often.  Rece Davis' perfunctory and awkward apology is also included for your enjoyment!

The NFL Combine is a magical place where potential NFL careers are either made or broken by drills vaguely related to football. Needless to say, the highlight for me in the almost weeklong event is the 40-yard dash by NFL Network's Rich Eisen. I enjoy how they roll out Eisen each year in a suit and he goes full-bore as he attempts to break the magical 6 second mark running the 40-yard dash. The video gets really good when they start comparing Eisen and Julio Jones' 40-yard dashes side by side.

[Deadspin]

With the talk of ESPN's SkyCam and the response from sports fans around the country, it got me thinking about the best and worst innovations with regards to sports on television.  It may not seem like it when you watch a game today, but things have changed drastically over the years in how we watch our sports.  Some ideas have changed certain sports for the better, and even created a fanbase for some.  Others have been so laughable that they have long been forgotten.  Of course, with only five good and bad listed, this is nowhere near a complete list and doesn't go back as far to include things like color TV or instant replay.  Leave us a thought below on what we left out.  Enjoy!

5 Worst Sports Innovations

5) Sideline Reporters
-Believe it or not, sideline reporters date back to the mid-70s.  In fact, it's believed that the first sideline reporter was none other than HBO Boxing play by play man Jim Lampley.  Deadspin has a nice feature on Lampley and his first job in the business... and his disdain for the stupidity of the job.  Since Lampley, sideline reporters have naturally evolved into a pointless existence.  CBS has gotten rid of them on their NFL broadcasts without missing a beat.  There are some today that do a good job with what they have like Lisa Salters, Rob Stone, or Erin Andrews, but the nature of the beast is the problem.  The wide majority of sideline reports are completely unnecessary and add little to a broadcast.  When news does come from a sideline report, it's usually for negative reasons - do the words I want to kiss you ring a bell?  Maybe sideline reporters aren't so bad though, it has given us comedic gold like John L Smith and this video below from Michigan hockey.  If only all sideline reports were like this, they may be worthwhile.  Take it away, GUYS! 



4) Scooter


-It's sad that there could be so much hatred for a lovable looking cartoony baseball... but yet, MLB on Fox coverage is known for taking us to levels of hell previously uninhabited by mortal men.  Scooter is perhaps the clearest example of this phenomenon.  Scooter was meant to... well, actually, I have no idea what his (or her?) purpose was, except to explain things that baseball fans over the age of three already knew.  This demon spawn looks innocent enough, but children cried whenever he came on the screen during Fox's MLB games.  It made adults yearn for Joe Buck and Tim McCarver to come back and save us.  Thankfully, Scooter only lasted a couple years in the middle part of the 2000s, but it was long enough to leave a lasting impact that still haunts many baseball fans to this day.