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Uncertain Principles

Physics, Politics, Pop Culture

Saturday, November 16, 2002

Be Careful What You Wish For

College Hoops is back. OK, November isn't really college basketball time, but they're playing again, and there are even some decent games. After forty years of nothing but baseball, we're out of the Summer Sports Desert. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus. Fast breaks, big dunks, jump shots, blocked shots, tough defense. There's snow on the ground, and basketball on tv, and all is right with the world.

But to every positive development, there's a Dark Side. The return of college basketball means the return of Dukie haigography, idiotic and inexplicable NCAA rulings, and, worst of all, Dick Vitale, hands down the Worst Color Guy Ever (Yes, Mike, that includes both Dan Dierdorf and Paul McGuire). There was a time when he actually knew something about basketball, but that's long gone, and whatever knowledge he still has is drowned out in an endless flood of high-decibel shtick.

Happily, Mike Patrick is still tied up doing football for ESPN, sparing us The Single Worst Announcing Team in All of Sports for another couple of months. Time enough for me to figure out how to replace Vitale with the streaming audio from Maryland's radio broadcasts for the games I actually care about...

Posted at 10:07 AM | link | follow-ups |