Rate the CBS NCAA Announcing Teams

General NCS Basketball44

Going into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. We thought
it would be fun to rate the CBS announcing teams. We don’t
have time to make comments on each one, but here is our take:

1. Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
2. Dick Enberg/Jay Bilas
3. Gus Johnson/Dan Bonner
4. Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkle
5. James Brown/Len Elmore
6. Jim Nantz/Billy Packer
7. Kevin Harlan/Bob Wenzel
8. Tim Brando/Mike Gminski

How would you rate them?

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General NCS Basketball

44 Responses to Rate the CBS NCAA Announcing Teams

  1. joe 03/22/2007 at 9:34 PM #

    6 of the 8 color guys played in the ACC – 3 from Duke.

  2. BJD95 03/22/2007 at 9:36 PM #

    1) Nantz/Packer. Packer rules, and Nantz is a good affable sidekick to the Packer crumudgeon.

    2) Enberg/Bilas. Enberg has that classic announcer voice, and Bilas is getting much, much better with time.

    3) Lundquist/Raftery. Lundquist is the best after Packer, but Raftery still annoys me. But he has tamed his schtick a bit, and he’s no longer grating like Vitale.

    4) Brown/Elmore. Above average tandem. They don’t intrude unnecessarily upon the game action.

    The other 4 are pretty much even. Of the 8 individuals, I really like Gus Johnson, and really hate Dan Bonner. Dan Bonner is the Paula Abdul of any announcing team.

  3. LRM 03/22/2007 at 9:44 PM #

    It’s an absolute travesty that Gus Johnson isn’t calling another game in the tourney.

  4. Jeremy Hyatt 03/22/2007 at 9:45 PM #

    who is that guy that sounds like he sounds really constipated when he wants to put emphasis on something. I think he did the sweet sixteen salukis game. something like “..the big fella, going after it”, or something, like really constipated.

  5. Champs 03/22/2007 at 9:45 PM #

    1.
    …
    7.
    …
    …
    …
    …
    1000000000000000000000000000000000000. Osama Bin Laden
    1000000000000000000000000000000000001. Mike Gmoron

  6. bTHEredterror 03/22/2007 at 9:55 PM #

    Move Packer/Nantz to 3, and Brown/Elmore to 4. Rafts is the greatest! Get the puppies set. Onions!

  7. chris92heel 03/22/2007 at 9:57 PM #

    1a. Any team with Raftery.
    1b. Any team with Gus Johnson.

  8. xphoenix87 03/22/2007 at 9:59 PM #

    I think Lundquist/Raftery and Johnson/Bonner are a cut above the rest, and I don’t have too much of an opinion after that, except that I can’t stand Vitale and Packer isn’t as bad as everyone thinks.

  9. Dan 03/22/2007 at 10:05 PM #

    Raftery is the man. I wish that guy was my grandpa.

  10. Jeremy Hyatt 03/22/2007 at 10:07 PM #

    I think Raftery is the one i am referring to, color analyst in the San Jose games tonite.

  11. chris92heel 03/22/2007 at 10:13 PM #

    yeah, thats raftery.

    MANTOMAN.
    Onions.
    Send it in jerome!

  12. eas 03/22/2007 at 10:38 PM #

    Nothing is worse than Billy Packer……Well at least not on this least.

  13. eas 03/22/2007 at 10:40 PM #

    sorry…I mean list. My spelling is a little off tonight.

  14. doug74 03/22/2007 at 10:50 PM #

    I got into an argument with Packer at a press party during the 74 East Regionals about Towe’s pro prospects. ( I was defending Monte.) I was a student but got in on a photographers pass with my sports writer brother-in-law. I actually would rather listen to him now because he doesn’t perpetuate the myths that younger writers buy into about the ACC pecking order. The one I really hate to listen to is Bonner. His favorite thing is talking about the mistake a kid made five minutes ago.

  15. BJD95 03/22/2007 at 11:02 PM #

    UT is gagging just like against UNC several years ago (when they made F4 as an 8 seed).

  16. Mr O 03/22/2007 at 11:24 PM #

    Even with the crap the G-man said about NC State, I actually started to think real highly of him as an announcer. I think he really does know basketball from his NBA playing days and then broadcasting NBA games later, plus he has a good annoucer voice.

  17. Mr O 03/22/2007 at 11:48 PM #

    Great block by Odom. His teammates need to get him the ball at the other end.

  18. CaptainCraptacular 03/22/2007 at 11:49 PM #

    1. Packer/Nantz

    2-7 Everyone else

    Last by a lightyear: Any team with Raftery in it. Is there some petition somewhere to get him off the air? My ears bleed when he’s talking.

  19. dpos21 03/23/2007 at 12:21 AM #

    Hearing Jim Nantz/Billy Packer call a game just “feels” like March Madness. Almost all of the play-by-play guys are great. Gus Johnson should get more games as he really enhances the “madness” with his emotional play calling.

    Most of the color commentary guys are weak in comparison. Bilas is annoying in a Packer “I know it all” kind of way but without the respect Packer gets (and mostly deserves, he is like an encyclopedia). I like Raftery but he is definitely a love him or hate him kind of guy. So…

    Jim Nantz/Billy Packer
    Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery
    Gus Johnson/*Give me someone besides Bonner please*
    Dick Enberg/……

  20. BJD95 03/23/2007 at 12:25 AM #

    Bilas could be Billy Packer when he “grows up.” I had never thought of it that way.

    Packer always talk about State during the Final Four – one or more of the following references: DT best college player ever; NC State/MD ACCT final in 1974 best college game ever; Corchiani “travel” vs. G’town in 1989 worst call in NCAAT history. Plus, he HATES Duke AND Carolina. What’s not to like as a Pack fan?

  21. class of 74 03/23/2007 at 5:15 AM #

    The best alltime ever was Jim Thacker and Billy Packer together they were the handsdown winner. I personally don’t like the schtick that most seem to use today. The game is the masterpiece we came to see, not the guys calling it. They should be just the frame around the real picture. But from the list of names it would have to be Nantz and Packer. The others are the schtick merchants or are just plain lame.

  22. tractor57 03/23/2007 at 7:06 AM #

    74,
    I echo your thoughts. I always want an announcing team to announce the game – report who the foul is on and how many they have, etc. Most of the “announcing teams” today are too busy talking about something totally unrelated to the game they should be covering.
    At times I get really worked up by Packer but I get even more worked up with most others even more. As for other individuals I have always liked Elmore and G-man. Bonner was nicknamed “Boo Boo” here years ago. Not as a sidekick but as in opps – another boo boo by Bonner.
    In time I think Bilas can be in the league Packer is now.
    By my lack of comment on play by play men you can figure my thoughts on them in general.

  23. Sw0rdf1sh 03/23/2007 at 7:07 AM #

    I like 1 (because they voice over the NCAA basketball game I have)

    and 8. Good ol’ Gminski.

  24. WolftownVA81 03/23/2007 at 7:30 AM #

    I can’t help but remember the chant that Gminski got when he came to reynolds – Zitttttttttttttttttttttt! and I miss the Dutch boy hair cut. Sorry, hard to forget old memories no matter how good he calls a game.

  25. 98st8 03/23/2007 at 7:48 AM #

    GUS JOHNSON is the best guy out there right now. I love to hear how he gets into the game and calls it. Bonner is just ok…

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