03-11-2010, 02:37 PM
Just goes to show that fans of every conference complain about ESPN. The Musberger/Knight tandem do a great job calling the games and I wish they were doing Big East matchups.
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/10/180...e-big.html
By BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star
Big 12 fans love their hoops. Bob Knight, who spent six-plus seasons as Texas Tech’s coach knew this. So did Norby Williamson, who coordinates the talent for Big 12 telecasts as ESPN’s executive senior vice president of studio and event production.
And Brent Musburger now knows.
“It’s been fascinating to be involved with this conference, to see first hand how good it’s been top to bottom, and see how much fans appreciate their teams,” Musburger said.
The ESPN team that worked Big Monday and will call games at the Big 12 tournament starting today, learned just how much they love and appreciate their basketball.
Knight, the game’s career leader in coaching victories, and the award-winning Musburger, one of the most familiar voices in sports broadcasting, came under media fire for their Big 12 work this season.
Kansas City sports talk radio station WHB (810 AM) started a Web site petition, ByeByeBrentAndBob.com, that amassed 11,000 signatures. In a Kansas City Star survey of Knight’s performance, 45 percent of nearly 6,400 responses voted said “He’s terrible and should be fired.” Twenty-eight percent voted “Love his insight.”
ESPN’s Williamson admits this about his team: “People have definite opinions about Bob Knight and Brent Musburger. They’re very high profile, polarizing people.”
But Williamson liked what he heard this season.
“With Bob, we didn’t try to make him something we didn’t want him to be,” Williamson said.
Knight didn’t hold back his critiques. In Kansas’ victory over Texas A&M, he suggested all-conference guard Sherron Collins should be benched to open the second half because of his uneven play in the first half, a comment that prompted Kansas coach Bill Self to defend Collins in his next news conference.
The commentary was fine with Williamson.
“If he believes Sherron Collins should be benched based on performance, he’s going to say that,” Williamson said. “I realize it’s going to drive some people crazy. But in terms of credibility if anybody’s going to make a statement like that I’m fairly confident that Bob Knight has the credibility to make that statement.”
Musburger called Knight “probably the most honest basketball analyst I’ve ever worked with.
“When Sherron Collins didn’t start the second half, I’m sure one day Steve Alford didn’t start a second half because Bob was upset. He sees the game through Bob Knight glasses, and it’s different than anybody who analyzes college basketball.”
Williamson took strong exception to the suggestion that Knight sounded as if he was not adequately prepared for the broadcasts.
“His preparation is fantastic,” Williamson said. “At the end of the day we’re not going to try and turn him into some polished broadcaster. We want that unbridled, right as the game is happening, expertise. I want it as if I’m sitting on the bench next to him. I realize it’s going to harsh at times, brash at times.
“One thing I’ve heard is that he can be overly complimentary when there’s a great back cut or ball fake or block out. To me, that’s what shines about Bob Knight. He’s a purist of the game.”
Musburger was called out for his gaffe during Kansas State’s upset victory over Texas on the second Big Monday game. As the Wildcats were putting the game away and Bramlage Coliseum was whipped into a frenzy, Musburger warned fans to not get too excited because K-State would have to return to Austin this season.
In the Big 12, teams from the North and South football divisions meet only once during the regular season. “I wasn’t even aware I had said it until later,” Musburger said. “I assumed there was home-and-home scheduling and it was an incorrect assumption on my part. I would have corrected it on the air if I had known.”
The change in the broadcast chairs from Ron Franklin and Fran Fraschilla also may have played in a role in fans’ reaction. Both continued to work games in the Big 12, although not on Mondays. Knight also worked games in other conferences.
“I understand that,” Williamson said. “People were moved around to help create more awareness. When you get to this time of year and start talking about teams and strength of schedule and RPI it serves the analysts better having seen different conferences.”
The Big 12 seems satisfied, and league commissioner Dan Beebe said he enjoyed the Big Monday broadcasts and the depth of Knight’s knowledge.
“When I listen to the broadcasts I want to take out a pen and paper,” Beebe said. “What I enjoy about him is he doesn’t get into excited hyperbole. Like anything, there can always be ways to improve.”
Big 12 and ESPN officials will discuss future lineups. The conference provides input on announcers but the network ultimately decides who calls the games. And Williamson said the lineup should be the same for Mondays next season.
“I hope so,” he said. “I think more people came to appreciate what they bring.”
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/10/180...e-big.html
By BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star
Big 12 fans love their hoops. Bob Knight, who spent six-plus seasons as Texas Tech’s coach knew this. So did Norby Williamson, who coordinates the talent for Big 12 telecasts as ESPN’s executive senior vice president of studio and event production.
And Brent Musburger now knows.
“It’s been fascinating to be involved with this conference, to see first hand how good it’s been top to bottom, and see how much fans appreciate their teams,” Musburger said.
The ESPN team that worked Big Monday and will call games at the Big 12 tournament starting today, learned just how much they love and appreciate their basketball.
Knight, the game’s career leader in coaching victories, and the award-winning Musburger, one of the most familiar voices in sports broadcasting, came under media fire for their Big 12 work this season.
Kansas City sports talk radio station WHB (810 AM) started a Web site petition, ByeByeBrentAndBob.com, that amassed 11,000 signatures. In a Kansas City Star survey of Knight’s performance, 45 percent of nearly 6,400 responses voted said “He’s terrible and should be fired.” Twenty-eight percent voted “Love his insight.”
ESPN’s Williamson admits this about his team: “People have definite opinions about Bob Knight and Brent Musburger. They’re very high profile, polarizing people.”
But Williamson liked what he heard this season.
“With Bob, we didn’t try to make him something we didn’t want him to be,” Williamson said.
Knight didn’t hold back his critiques. In Kansas’ victory over Texas A&M, he suggested all-conference guard Sherron Collins should be benched to open the second half because of his uneven play in the first half, a comment that prompted Kansas coach Bill Self to defend Collins in his next news conference.
The commentary was fine with Williamson.
“If he believes Sherron Collins should be benched based on performance, he’s going to say that,” Williamson said. “I realize it’s going to drive some people crazy. But in terms of credibility if anybody’s going to make a statement like that I’m fairly confident that Bob Knight has the credibility to make that statement.”
Musburger called Knight “probably the most honest basketball analyst I’ve ever worked with.
“When Sherron Collins didn’t start the second half, I’m sure one day Steve Alford didn’t start a second half because Bob was upset. He sees the game through Bob Knight glasses, and it’s different than anybody who analyzes college basketball.”
Williamson took strong exception to the suggestion that Knight sounded as if he was not adequately prepared for the broadcasts.
“His preparation is fantastic,” Williamson said. “At the end of the day we’re not going to try and turn him into some polished broadcaster. We want that unbridled, right as the game is happening, expertise. I want it as if I’m sitting on the bench next to him. I realize it’s going to harsh at times, brash at times.
“One thing I’ve heard is that he can be overly complimentary when there’s a great back cut or ball fake or block out. To me, that’s what shines about Bob Knight. He’s a purist of the game.”
Musburger was called out for his gaffe during Kansas State’s upset victory over Texas on the second Big Monday game. As the Wildcats were putting the game away and Bramlage Coliseum was whipped into a frenzy, Musburger warned fans to not get too excited because K-State would have to return to Austin this season.
In the Big 12, teams from the North and South football divisions meet only once during the regular season. “I wasn’t even aware I had said it until later,” Musburger said. “I assumed there was home-and-home scheduling and it was an incorrect assumption on my part. I would have corrected it on the air if I had known.”
The change in the broadcast chairs from Ron Franklin and Fran Fraschilla also may have played in a role in fans’ reaction. Both continued to work games in the Big 12, although not on Mondays. Knight also worked games in other conferences.
“I understand that,” Williamson said. “People were moved around to help create more awareness. When you get to this time of year and start talking about teams and strength of schedule and RPI it serves the analysts better having seen different conferences.”
The Big 12 seems satisfied, and league commissioner Dan Beebe said he enjoyed the Big Monday broadcasts and the depth of Knight’s knowledge.
“When I listen to the broadcasts I want to take out a pen and paper,” Beebe said. “What I enjoy about him is he doesn’t get into excited hyperbole. Like anything, there can always be ways to improve.”
Big 12 and ESPN officials will discuss future lineups. The conference provides input on announcers but the network ultimately decides who calls the games. And Williamson said the lineup should be the same for Mondays next season.
“I hope so,” he said. “I think more people came to appreciate what they bring.”