The 2011 playoffs are finally here, so we have the schedule for games 1-4. We'll update next weekend's Disney assignments when those become available to us. Enjoy the games, and those mid-week local broadcasts on NBA Network.

Saturday April 16

Game 1: Indiana Pacers @ Chicago Bulls (ESPN 1PM) Dan Shulman, Jon Barry
Game 1: Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat (ABC 3:30PM) Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy 
Game 1: Atlanta Hawks @ Orlando Magic (ESPN 7PM) Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown 
Game 1: Portland Trailblazers @ Dallas Mavericks (ESPN 9:30PM) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke

Sunday April 17

Game 1: Memphis Grizzlies @ San Antonio Spurs (TNT 1PM) Matt Devlin, Kevin McHale
Game 1: New Orleans Hornets @ Los Angeles Lakers (ABC 3:30PM) - Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy 
Game 1  New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics (TNT 7PM) - Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Game 1: Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT 9:30PM) - Ian Eagle, Mike Fratello

Monday April 18

Game 2: Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat (TNT 7PM)  Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller
Game 2: Indiana Pacers @ Chicago Bulls (TNT 9:30PM) - Dick Stockton, Chris Webber

Tuesday April 19

Game 2: New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics (TNT 7PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Game 2: Atlanta Hawks @ Orlando Magic (NBA TV 7:30PM) Local Broadcast
Game 2: Portland Trailblazers @ Dallas Mavericks (TNT 9:30PM) - Matt Devlin, Kevin McHale

Wednesday April 20

Game 2: Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT 8PM) Dick Stockton, Mike Fratello
Game 2: Memphis Grizzlies @ San Antonio Spurs (NBA TV 8:30PM) Local Broadcast
Game 2: New Orleans Hornets @ Los Angeles Lakers (TNT  10:30PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller

Thursday April 21

Game 3: Chicago Bulls @ Indiana Pacers (NBA TV 7PM) Local Broadcast
Game 3: Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers (TNT 8PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Game 3: Dallas Mavericks @ Portland Trailblazers (TNT 10PM) Matt Devlin, Kevin McHale

Friday April 22

Game 3: Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks (ESPN 7PM) TBA
Game 3: Orlando Magic @ Atlanta Hawks (ESPN 2 8PM) TBA
Game 3: Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Hornets (ESPN 9:30PM)  TBA

Saturday April 23

Game 4: Chicago Bulls @ Indiana Pacers (TNT 2:30PM) Dick Stockton, Mike Fratello
Game 4: Dallas Mavericks @ Portland Trailblazers (TNT 5PM) Matt Devlin, Kevin McHale
Game 3: San Antonio Spurs @ Memphis Grizzlies (ESPN 7:30PM) Terry Gannon, Tim Legler
Game 3: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Denver Nuggets (ESPN 10PM) Dave Pasch, Doris Burke

Sunday April 24

Game 4: Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers (ABC 1PM) Mike Tirico, Hubie Brown
Game 4: Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks (ABC 3:30PM) Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy
Game 4: Orlando Magic @ Atlanta Hawks (TNT 7PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Game 4: Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Hornets (TNT 9:30PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller

Monday April 25

Game 4: San Antonio Spurs @ Memphis Grizzlies (TNT 8PM) Matt Devlin, Kevin McHale
Game 5: Portland Trailblazers @ Dallas Mavericks (NBA TV 8:30PM) Local Broadcast
Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Denver Nuggets (TNT 10:30PM)  Dick Stockton, Mike Fratello

Tuesday, April 2

Game 5: Atlanta Hawks @Orlando Magic (NBA TV 7:30 PM) Local Broadcasters
Game 5: Indiana Pacers @ Chicago Bulls (TNT 8:00 PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Game 5: New Orleans Hornets @ Los Angeles Lakers (TNT 10:30PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller

Wednesday, April 27

Game 5: Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat (TNT 7PM) Marv Albert, Steve Kerr
Game 5: Memphis Grizzlies @San Antonio Spurs (NBA TV 8:30PM) Local Broadcast
Game 5: Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (TNT 9:30PM) Dick Stockton, Mike Fratello

Thursday, April 28

Game 6: Orlando Magic @ Atlanta Hawks (NBA TV 7:30PM) Local Broadcasters
Game 6: Los Angeles Lakers @ New Orleans Hornets (TNT 8PM) Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller
Game 6: Dallas Mavericks@ Portland Trailblazers (TNT 10:30) Matt Devlin, Kevin McHale

H/T Sammy

It's truly a black day at Awful Announcing folks.  As SI.com's Richard Deitsch reports (catch his AA Q&A here and here) Matt Millen and Joe Theismann will be removed from the NFL Network's broadcast booth and replaced by Mike Mayock.  This news brings about a mixed bag of joy, fear, and maybe a little indigestion.  On one hand, fans of even borderline tolerable announcing should be ecstatic to finally have these two blockheads removed from game telecasts. No matter your opinion of Mike Mayock (personally, I feel he's overrated as a game analyst, but is superb in the studio), he can't have smaller shoes to fill than those left by Theismann and Millen -- perhaps the worst analyst pair in the history of sports on television. Unfortunately, that is more fact than exaggeration. Remember their bizarre canonization of Randy Moss last season?  Or this Pro Football Weekly article highlighting some of their "finer moments"?  

Time will tell if the No. 1 and No. 3 worst announcers, as voted by our AA readership, will inflict as large a path of announcing destruction without combining their forces in the NFLN booth.  But, while our ears will undoubtedly bleed less next fall, this rumored change at NFLN does mark a day of mourning for us here at AA. Just think of all the potential soundbytes, YouTube clips, and articles that are now lost without Millen and Theismann announcing together. No more Real Tweets from Real People, with such gems from the Twitterverse like the following:

RumfordJohnny If you harnessed the mental energy of Theismann and Millen, you could toast some bread...lightly.

j_cynic Matt Millen and Joe Theismann? Ugh. Even Joe Buck's ears bleed at that thought.

christiankwest Part of my brain oozed out of my ears after listening to that last Millen-Theismann exchange.#mutebutton

Heck, I was even considering pitching the idea to rename the Pammies the Theismanns, or the Millens...or the Millimanns.  But, at least Theismann and Millen will still be on the air plenty during football season on NFLN and ESPN, respectively, to make us laugh and cry simultaneously.  

By the way, Deitsch also mentions another ray of hope for the AA fan base and the NFLN broadcast booth.  The possibility that NFLN may reach out to Mr. Gus Johnson to fulfill the play-by-play duties starting next fall.  HA HA!  Even if it's only a rumor, we can still dream.

NFL Network adds Mike Mayock to coverage; Gus Johnson next? [Sports Illustrated]

Fans of the Kings and any NBA fans with neophobia gathered last night to say their final goodbyes to the Sacramento Kings, who are rumored to be moving to Anaheim for next season, if there is a next season.

The Kings wound up losing to the defending champion LA Lakers, but not before overcoming a 20-point deficit and forcing OT (well, Kobe forced OT, but the fact the game was extended was nonetheless fitting for a fanbase that didn't wind up leaving the arena until well after the final buzzer sounded).

I tuned in for the drama and found myself getting a little choked up over the fact yet another dedicated fanbase was likely seeing the last of its beloved NBA team. I always knew this to be the case, but I fully realized while watching it play out that if one of my teams (Detroit) were ever relocated out of the state, I'd 100-percent bawl like a baby missing its pacifier. I never watched the Shock dominate the WNBA -- I watched the clinching game of their first championship, actually -- and I was still legitimately and kind of inexplicably sad when they were moved to Tulsa. I can't imagine what it's like for Kings fans. To wit: I'll defer you to someone who can articulate it much better than I can, a great read from one of the best Kings writers I ever did read, Tom Ziller.

And, for relevance, here are Grant Napear and Jerry Reynolds, longtime Kings announcers (23 seasons and 25 seasons, respectively) saying their teary goodbyes as the crowd chants "GRANT AND JERRY!" in the background:

Sacramento Kings again show us heartbreak and loyalty, perhaps for the last time [SB Nation]

Folks, this is "Love Song":

H/T to Sammy!

no comments

The Lewiston MAINEiacs broke a 1-1 tie with five seconds left in regulation of a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League second-round playoff series game over the weekend, causing their announcer to shriek mercilessly and nearly shatter all glass within five miles. It's not on the clip below, but after the call he told viewers it'd be really cool if they didn't tell anyone he screamed like that. (Okay, that's probably not true.)

Anyway, the announcer's name is D.J. Abisalih. He lives a pretty chill lifestyle, loves Sudoku, was an amazing street hockey goaltender, and has the dream to one day be the voice of the Boston Bruins. (That's actually all fact.)

Have a listen ... it gets exciting around the 25 second mark:

DJ gets a little excited about a Maineiacs goal [Pine Tree Pucks]

Courtesy of the outstanding Fang's Bites, we have the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs announcing schedule for First Round games through April 24th for NBC & Versus.  Of course, the schedule with the later games in Round 1 is subject to change depending on which series will go longer.  It looks like the NHL is featuring glamour matchups like Blackhawks/Canucks, Rangers/Caps, Wings/Coyotes, and Bruins/Habs for the opening round.  Surprisingly, no sign on the telly of the Penguins as they take on the Lightning in Round 1, or Kings/Sharks and Ducks/Preds on the national TV schedule.

Wednesday April 13
Game 1: Phoenix @ Detroit, 7 pm, Versus - Mike Emrick, Darren Pang
Game 1: Chicago @ Vancouver, 10 pm, Versus - John Forslund, Brian Engblom

Thursday April 14
Game 1: Montreal @ Boston, 7 pm, Versus - Dave Strader, Darren Pang

Friday April 15
Game 2: New York Rangers @ Washington, 7:30 pm, Versus - Ken Daniels, Daryl Reaugh, Darren Eliot
Game 2: Chicago @ Vancouver, 10 pm, Versus - John Forslund, Brian Engblom

Saturday April 16
Game 2: Phoenix @ Detroit, 1 pm, NBC - Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk, Darren Pang
Game 2: Montreal @ Boston, 7 pm, Versus - Dave Strader, Darren Eliot

Sunday April 17
Game 3: Washington @ New York Rangers, 3 pm, NBC - Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk, Darren Pang
Game 3: Vancouver @ Chicago, 8 pm, Versus - Ken Daniels, Daryl Reaugh, Darren Eliot

Monday April 18
Game 3: Philadelphia @ Buffalo, 7 pm, Versus - Kenny Albert, Pierre McGuire
Game 3: Detroit @ Phoenix, 10:30 pm, Versus - John Forslund, Brian Engblom

Tuesday April 19
Game 4: Vancouver @ Chicago, 8 pm, Versus - Dave Strader, Daryl Reaugh, Darren Eliot

Wednesday April 20
Game 4: Washington @ New York Rangers, 7 pm, Versus - Mike Emrick, Darren Pang
Game 4: Detroit @ Phoenix, 10:30 pm, Versus - John Forslund, Brian Engblom

Thursday April 21
Game 4: Boston @ Montreal, 7 pm, Versus - Kenny Albert, Darren Pang

Friday April 22
Game 5: Phoenix @ Detroit, 7 pm, Versus - John Forslund, Brian Engblom

Saturday April 23
Game 5: New York Rangers @ Washington, 3 pm, NBC - Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk, Darren Pang
Game 5: Montreal @ Boston, 7 pm, Versus - Dave Strader, Darren Pang

Sunday April 24
Game 6: Philadelphia @ Buffalo, 2 pm, NBC - Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk, Darren Pang
Game 6: Vancouver @ Chicago, 7 pm, Versus - TBD, Darren Eliot
Game 6: Detroit @ Phoenix, 10:30 pm, Versus - John Forslund, Brian Engblom

Huge tip of the hat to Ken at Fang's Bites for the schedule!

Back in February, a very specific group of friends (you know who you are) each sent me the same bit of news.  Comedy Central had ordered 8 episodes of Sports Show with Norm MacDonald, which was then described as "part Daily Show, part Tosh.0 and part Onion SportsDome."  If you're a fan of Norm's, you might have fist pumped a little, knowing that 1) he'd be back on TV for you to laugh at and 2) he would be doing what he does best: reading the news.  Fast forward to April, when we started seeing Norm MacDonald's face on the late night circuit, hearing his 5 am slur on the Stern Show, and tonight, watching the series premiere. 

Now there are 2 types of people in this world, people who find Norm MacDonald hilarious, and those who don't.  It seems his "funny for being unfunny" act doesn't go over with everybody, and even though I have a VHS copy of Dirty Work at my parents' house, I get that.  But if you're in the "don'ts," let's get it straight right now - you're probably not going to like "Sports Show."  If you're a fan, you'll feel right at home from the first segment, which is pretty much a Weekend Update of the sportsworld, highlighted by Norm's repeated enunciation of the name "Charl Schwartzel."  After that, Norm had Blake Griffin help out with a taped bit in which the host himself barely appeared.



Clever workaround by the guy who said he was "right to be fired [from Saturday Night Live] because "I couldn't f****** act."  He took time to have some fun with Jim Nantz's historic putt calls and offered his opinions on Tiger Woods "lying down with ladies" in a segment called "What the H?" reminiscent of fellow Weekend Update Anchor Dennis Miller's HBO show in the 90s (which he worked on).  

All in all, the format is definitely designed to put Norm in his element, although I'd like to see some guests in future shows. Reading the news is how his awkward cadence and dry delivery just work, and Norm of course takes opportunities to throw out some jokes to remind us that after all, he's just a hilarious old hack at heart. 

“I’m excited and look forward to doing this series,” said Macdonald. “On this show, we plan to put the central back in COMEDY CENTRAL."

Actually, I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often.  Pro athletes aren't exactly known for their discriminate tongues, but there are just certain words that you don't want to drop anywhere, no matter the circumstances... especially if it's in front of a national television audience and you're one of the most marketable, popular, and well-known athletes across the world.  Right, Kobe? (Warning, language here is pretty vulgar)



Ouch.  That wasn't pretty.  Reggie Miller chuckling at Kobe doesn't help the situation either.  Tiger Woods swears all the time on the golf course and gets away with it from the PGA Tour, but Kobe using a disgusting slur like this and being caught on TV seems worse.  Seeing as how it's Kobe and the Playoffs are imminent, I'll be shocked if he's suspended for swearing like Wayne Rooney was a week ago in the EPL.  But, seeing the vulgarity of this video makes me think the always image-conscious David Stern will want to do something, if only a slap on the wrist to make the story go away.

H/T The Last Angry Fan
 

IF there is a preseason before the NFL season next year, here are the games you'll be able to see on television.  The Bears and Rams will open up with the "hypothetical" Hall of Fame Game, and your MNF crew lead telecasts will be SEA-SD, NYJ-HOU, CHI-NYG and WAS-BAL.  Here are the rest of the games you won't be seeing this summer! 

Sunday, Aug. 7
-Hall of Fame Game - Chicago vs. St. Louis, at Canton, Ohio (NBC, 8 p.m.)

Week 1 (Aug. 11-15)
Thursday, Aug. 11 Seattle at San Diego (ESPN, 8pm)
Friday, Aug. 12 Tampa Bay at Kansas City (FOX, 8pm)
Monday, Aug. 15 N.Y. Jets at Houston (ESPN, 8pm)

Week 2 (Aug. 18-22)
Thursday, Aug. 18 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh  (FOX, 8pm)
Friday, Aug. 19 Atlanta at Jacksonville (FOX, 8pm)
Monday, Aug. 22 Chicago at N.Y. Giants (ESPN, 8pm)

Week 3 (Aug. 25-28)
Thursday, Aug. 25 Washington at Baltimore (ESPN, 8pm)
Friday, Aug. 26 Green Bay at Indianapolis (CBS, 8pm)
Saturday, Aug. 27 New England at Detroit (CBS, 8pm)
Sunday, Aug. 28 New Orleans at Oakland (NBC, 8pm)

Michael Pineda is one of the hottest young prospects in baseball.  The Dominican pitcher for the Seattle Mariners was the subject of a Baseball Tonight segment featuring ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez.  Pineda is a possible Rookie of the Year candidate and Eduardo was attempting to talk about the 6'7" Pineda standing on top of the 10 inch mound, and being an imposing 7'5" presence.  Except, that didn't quite happen very smoothly...



That was a very nice awkward pause involving Pineda's "ten inch uhhh."  Needless to say, I think this clip is much more memorable with the awkward silence and uncomfortable innuendo than the thousands of other forgettable Baseball Tonight segments that will run this year.  Don't worry though, I'll spare you more jokes about Pineda's impressive tools or hard stuff.

H/T HyperVocal