Just one preseason game in and I'm already tired of his act...again. Memo to Calvin: You aren't the show. The players are. You had your day in the sun. You have some great insight to the game...use it. You don't have to crack some lame ass joke every other possession. Memo to Bill: Don't egg Calvin on. Old School
After watching some of the other team's commentators last year through league pass...I will take Calvin any day of the week. He is stuck on himself, but at least he doesn't put you to sleep or sound ignorant when it comes to the game and players on the court.
What pisses me off most about Calvin is he really could be one of the best analysts in the game but chooses to try to be a clown too much of the time. Old School
I agree. I don't mind a little bit of the Bill & Calvin aside, but it is about the game. Calvin gives great game analysis when he wants to. You remember that time where Calvin compared how much he makes compared to Rudy by writing zeroes all over the screen? Come on. Quirky announcer stuff can be cute, but things that are cute are only so for very brief spurts. Otherwise they get annoying. I like Calvin and I wouldn't trade him for anyone with his history with the Rockets, and knowledge of the game, but get off it already.
I agree Rocket, he is a homer, but at least he does say something when they are doing the wrong thing. Some of those other guys on league pass are horrible. I think murphy would be a great college coach
I look forward to watching a Rockets game with Bill and Calvin commentating. I enjoy his goofiness. I think he's pretty damned funny! I know he cracks me up! Rock on Calvin!!!
I love Calvin. Mainly, because I am confident in my own knowledge of basketball. I don't feel like I need an analyst to point the nuances of basketball out to me. The only thing that could make me happier is by waching "The Czar of the Telestrator". It's always cool to see plays getting broken down on video. However, in live play, I trust my own knowledge over that of any broadcaster. I want to be entertained more than I want to be taught.
Calvin is great. His battles with Bill are great and a neat sideshow to the game. I watch a lot of games with the League Pass and Bill and Calvin are the most fun to watch. Remember they are NOT journalists and of course will be big time bias towards the Rockets - but that's ok! Two thumbs up for Bill and Calvin
I have no problem with Calvin. I've seen the ****head commentators for the rest of the league. Trust me, Calvin's one of the best out there.
Just thought I'd chime in on this subject since I watched the game tonight. Calvin and Bill are pretty much there for entertainment and once in a while they show some good insight to the game. If you want good basketball insight, but not the humor, listen to the game on the radio with the TV on. I know many Rockets fans don't have the luxury of being in Houston to be able to watch TV and listen to radio broadcast at the same time. I lived out of Houston for six years and I listened to most of the games on internet radio (real player), and had NBA League Pass the last year out of Houston (I just couldn't take only seeing the nationally televised games, or games when I was in Houston), and I enjoyed both quite a bit. As long as you realize what you are going to get from each format they both can be quite enjoyable. Though I may groan half the time when Calvin talks about how great he was, or how Rice's shot is great, but not as good as his, I try to see it for what it is meant for: entertainment. Some of us here take our basketball very seriously, and we don't want the kidding around, we just want good solid commentary on the game. I think Gene Peterson does a great job of providing a solid broadcast on the radio. In short, I'm not trying to knock either format, I enjoy them both for what they are, and if you really can't stand Calvin, just turn down the volume, and turn up the radio if you have the chance. If you are out of town and watching on NBA League Pass, I'm sure you realize we could be MUCH worse off. B
I'm glad to see most people are pro-Calvin in this thread. I for one love Bill and him together. Their back and forth and constant jabs at each other are usually pretty damn funny and make the game fun to watch. Going to UT and having to miss Rockets broadcasts for the last year has sucked. I've only seen the spurs commentators a few times and the bulls a few times (actually a few years ago) but they suck and are horribly boring. Bill and Cal don't leave us with any dead air like those guys and make the game entertaining. Hell I even like when he talks about his playing days and how much he used to shoot and how Chamberlain picked him and the ball up and all that stuff. Give me Calvin any day of the week.
Calvin, Lisa, and Bill easily form the the best trio in the league. Not just because of how weak the competition is but they truly have such an amazing rapport with each other. Now, you can look at their foibles and take your shots from there but if you step back and take in the entertainment they bring to the game, then you can appreciate how much value they have. Or just watch a Warriors broadcast.
wait, first, calvin and bill were being especially "entertaining" last nite 'cause the game was baaaad. like, silly, brick throwing bad. this is when they get the goofiest. they are very cool during most the year. but lisa manofsky sucks. i sometimes wonder if they are even watching the same game. lisa is not good. let her cover special interest stories on some news show, but what she knows about rockets, i could fit in a thimble. i wish someone like john g. could do the studio show. that would be good.
Calvin is a goof. Sometimes entertaining too. But goofyness aside, he's so much better than other commentators. I lived in Detroit for three years. Their commentators were boring AND tried to act cool by using little catch phrases...that nobody ever heard before. Then they'd kill it all the time. "Hill going up for the flush" "Dumars jacks a trio" Arg...what the hell is that? SHUT UP! Boring and full of crap! I'm glad to be home and watching Calvin again. -krosfyah
Damn, I can't agree more with Old School, I care not about the "old" days Calvin. Please stop talking about you. It is very, very annoying...no one wants to hear it. Here is an idea: open up a camp where everyone comes to listen to your jokes and stories of how Basketball was so much tougher in the ol days to get it out of your system. Let's see how everyone attends...But PLEASE Stop it. I Love the Rockets, definitely NOT YOU!!!!
