LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - ABC Sports and ESPN have hired Brad Nessler and NBA Hall of Fame member Bill Walton to announce the fall NBA telecasts. The pair will also provide commentary for ESPN's Wednesday night games ABC announced Thursday.
Mike Tirico has been secured to announce Friday night NBA telecasts and ABC Sports' studio coverage of the games. Tom Tolbert will team up with Tirico as ABC's studio analyst.
ABC Sports will broadcast 15 games next season as part of a $2.2 billion, six-year contract signed in January. ESPN will carry 75 regular season games and has exclusive broadcast rights to one Conference finals series and an expected 22 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, as well as the NBA Draft, a Draft preview show and NBA Draft Lottery.
The 22-year broadcast veteran Nessler had most recently been announcing college basketball and football games for ABC Sports and ESPN, while Walton has served as a color commentator for NBC's NBA broadcasts since 1992.
“With the NBA returning to ABC Sports for the first time in nearly three decades, we have assembled an announce crew that provides credibility and instant name recognition,” says the President of ABC Sports, Howard Katz.
“In Mike and Brad we have two of the hardest-working and most versatile announcers in this business." He adds, " Bill is one of basketball’s most respected, articulate and informed commentators. His inside knowledge of the NBA, combined with his unique personality, will both inform and entertain our viewers. Tom is a rising star in this business, with a refreshing and opinionated style.”
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - ABC Sports and ESPN have hired Brad Nessler and NBA Hall of Fame member Bill Walton to announce the fall NBA telecasts. The pair will also provide commentary for ESPN's Wednesday night games ABC announced Thursday.
WALTON? "Change the channel, big man.... Change the channel..."
What's this? No Marv? No Amaaad Rashaaad? No women? Damn.
Hey, what's that other dude's name that used to be on? He has like light hair and I think he used to own a team. Was that Pat Croche? I liked him. Unless I'm thinking about the wrong guy. In that case, I dont like him.
Pat Croce is the creator of that "Slamball" show on TNN coming up. He was also the owner of the 76ers before stepping down last year.
Earlier last season, it was Pat Croce, Mike Fratello, and Jayson Williams as the studio analysts for NBC. After Williams was arrested for manslaughter, the only analyst was Tom Tolbert.
"Catching Hitler was neato!" "Next stop, Hirohito!" Bart Simpson
There is no one more annoying than Bill Walton, particularly if you're a fan of a small-market team.
Particularly if you're a fan of my Indiana Pacers, because Walton seems to take perverse pleasure in verbally bitch-slapping them at every opportunity.
“You read about all these terrorists -- most of them came here legally, but they hung around on these expired visas, some for as long as 10-15 years. Now, compare that to Blockbuster; you are two days late with a video and those people are all over you. Let's put Blockbuster in charge of immigration.”
E-mail joke letter, 7/25/02
Two-Time, Two-Time Randomly Selected Weiner of the Day, 5/27/02 and 7/3/02
Say what you will about Walton (I hate him too), but for some reason when he's calling a game, I have a hard time turning it off...I guess I'm just waiting to hear what the next incredibly stupid thing that he says will be. Maybe that's what ABC has in mind. Walton = RATINGS!
I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority here, but I kind of miss Brent Musburger...He seemed to make every game feel special, whether it be a Clips-Warriors game, or game 7 of the finals. Dick Stockton is another guy I wish would have gotten a shot. I guess I just associate Nessler with the college game too much, and it might be a little funny hearing him do an NBA game.
(edited by chuckc14 on 26.7.02 1014) Comic Book Guy: "Last night's 'Itchy & Scratchy' was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured that I was on the Internet within minutes, registering my disgust throughout the world."
Say what you will about Walton (I hate him too), but for some reason when he's calling a game, I have a hard time turning it off...I guess I'm just waiting to hear what the next incredibly stupid thing that he says will be. Maybe that's what ABC has in mind. Walton = RATINGS!
Walton makes it very easy for me to turn off the TV.
You would turn off a game just because of the announcers?? There *is* a mute button on most modern remote controls. I don't think that ABC was banking on having viewers like you guys when they signed Big Red. I don't think people will purposely NOT watch NBA games because the color guy makes really stupid comments every once in a while. Now Dickie V on the other hand...
Comic Book Guy: "Last night's 'Itchy & Scratchy' was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured that I was on the Internet within minutes, registering my disgust throughout the world."
Yeah, actually, I've done it quite a few times. Costas, for example, makes me ill. I will often times turn the TV off and listen to the radio broadcast of a game or mute the TV and put the radio team on if I don't like an announcer.
Generally I just turn the TV off and go do something else though. I have to really want to see / hear that game in order to go to the effort.
//edit: I switched sports in my example, I was talking about Baseball... I don't listen to basketball on the radio that often.
(edited by Guru Zim on 26.7.02 1229) Your a retarted looser.
Yeah, actually, I've done it quite a few times. Costas, for example, makes me ill. I will often times turn the TV off and listen to the radio broadcast of a game or mute the TV and put the radio team on if I don't like an announcer.
Now that's something I do all the time...Why is it that most radio announcers are 10x less annoying to listen to?? Oh, and I can't stand Costas much either. I think the packages he narrates before most games are very well done, but once the game starts, I want my Marv back.
Comic Book Guy: "Last night's 'Itchy & Scratchy' was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured that I was on the Internet within minutes, registering my disgust throughout the world."
Originally posted by chuckc14Yeah, actually, I've done it quite a few times. Costas, for example, makes me ill. I will often times turn the TV off and listen to the radio broadcast of a game or mute the TV and put the radio team on if I don't like an announcer.
Now that's something I do all the time...Why is it that most radio announcers are 10x less annoying to listen to?? Oh, and I can't stand Costas much either. I think the packages he narrates before most games are very well done, but once the game starts, I want my Marv back.
Because the listeners don't have the benefit of visuals? They have to call the game, whereas TV commentators have more room to talk.
1. They didn't hire Dennis Miller. 2. Isaiah Thomas is still coaching, so he can only ruin one team and not all of our lives with his shoddy commentary.
"BobHollySTILLRules STILL rules!"-SmooveK, finally letting the world know what a select few have known all along. That, I, do indeed rule.
[Walton mode] "Bill Walllton is eeeasily the most annoooyyying commentator out there - where's his heart? Where's his commitment? Rather than honing his game, he waaastes his time aaarrguing with Snapper Jones! What a buffooon!"[/Walton]
Oh, and he's also the biggest Ostertag mark known to man...it makes me laugh to hear him fill us in on how hard the big guy is playing and what an invaluable player he is to the Jazz.
Comic Book Guy: "Last night's 'Itchy & Scratchy' was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever. Rest assured that I was on the Internet within minutes, registering my disgust throughout the world."
1. The Raptors. Although I like the Jazz because I'm a BIG TIME Stockton fan. 2. The Raps, D. Vince or no Vince, they should be doing better, but injuries as a whole has been a problem. Jazz, B. 3. As said before, the team doctor for the Raps.