kidrock8: I agree with you 100%. Calvin's commentary is one of the reasons I love watching the Rockets so much. I also had League Pass last year and to be truthful, I couldn't watch the other games because they were so freakin boring. To all of those who say that Calvin needs to stop comparing himself to all the current players, I ask why? Calvin really could ball back in the day and shoot lights out. Besides I see Calvin's ego no more bloated than any other good to great athelete. Hell, how much ego do you think Jordan has? Old School: Let me prompt this by saying that I am only playing, but did you watch NBA games when they were still televised in black & white. I am asking because I don't see how you can't see any humor in Calvin's antics. Based on your name, I would think that Calvin's playing days were in your era and thus hold a special place in your heart. But maybe you are from the era of Bob Cousy or further back. If so, maybe you should change your name to "Ancient School" or even "Pre-Historic School" or "Time Before There was School" Anyway, give the guy a break. You know, basketball is a game. And aren't games suppose to be fun? And isn't fun the root for funny? Which is what Calvin is. C'mon. I know from your post you are basketball savvy, so do you really need an analysis of the game? If not, turn the volume down and enjoying the game. Old School....just poking at you. I am not trying to make enemies. Try watching the Bulls/Jazz/Wolves broadcasters. If you don't like Calvin after that....you're dead and just don't know it.
Calvin is a great guy and I'll never forget when he signed my ticket stub...he hung around for about 45 minutes signing autographs that night (it was a night last year when his mug was on the season ticket holders tickets and they gave out 'millenium moment' game rosters with his mug on it) anyway he was extremely accessible and a super nice guy... but as a commentator I can't listen to him or Bill Worrell, I can stomach Calvin more than Bill, but I have to turn the volume down on the TV and turn on Gene & Jim on the radio.. Gene-O rules! rH
Well, I for one enjoy Bill & Calvin. As someone already posted, they were being a bit more silly than normal, but that was probably because it was such a poorly played game (which is understandable). They make the games fun, and will be much more serious once the games start to count. BTW, I kinda feel sorry for the NM fans. I'm sure it was great to see some NBA ball, but they could all go watch a house being built if they want to see that many bricks being tossed around. Maybe the NBA would consider playing in non-NBA communities once they are in the middle of the preseason instead of the first few games. The players would have knocked a lot of the rust off and could give fans who don't get to see the NBA up-close and personal a better performance.
After watching the Baseball version of Bill with another commentator. I really enjoy watching Bill and Calvin. I think they have the best mix of humor and insight for the Houston audience. The best commentator in my opinion is Doug Collins. He has got the best insight. I would have liked to have seen Doug and Calvin.
I love Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy. I thoroughly enjoy his antics, particularly in a pre-season game that I'm only watching to see what we've been working on for the regular season. If we had someone just calling plays, that game woulda been as boring as watching the grass grow (with highlights few and far between). In a real game situation, when the outcome has not already been decided, you can count on Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy to say the right things. Of course, I think anyone who bleeds Rockets red blood should be a Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy fan simply because he is who he is, but that's just me.
Why do people like Doug Collins? I mean he was OK I guess but I couldn't stand his incessant laker-loving and I never saw him as overly-insightful or anything. I remember one time someone was impressed that he said a team needed a time out and then they called one. Ooh wow. I could tell you everytime a coach is going to call a timeout blindfolded, tied down, from Afghanistan. You just wait until one team scores 4 points in a row (j/k). Anyway, there's my partial rant on why Doug Collins wasn't a good commentator. I don't even wanna start on Isaiah.
Sorry OS, I disagree on this one. Calvin toodles around a lot of the time, but he is smart and appropiate when discussing the game. I do not see him missing too much, and his joshe-ing (mid-post mid-sentence locate-the-following-quote contest: "I know joshe-ing's not a word, but it's all gooood") in the dull moments is cool by me. TV is tough; you have to talk but not too much. Gene Peterson is awesome, but his rhythm would never work on TV. Filling that space is hard, and I would rather have a Rocket legend than some dull tweaker snoozefestival or some over-hyper tweaker who ooohs and aaaaahs at every layup -- eg. William Walton. Newlin would be good. Love Newlin. Speaking of "Old School," how fresh would it be to get some vintage Rocket weirdos as a guests on a handful of telecasts. I would nominate the following: Cliff Meely Calvin Garrett Zaid Abdul-Aziz (lives in Seattle according to Rudy) Bobby Joe Reid Ralph Sampson (someone provide lunch, please) Vernon Maxwell Seriously, I want to hear from these guys, and Rocketcasts are the best place. Not Joshe-ing. CBFC
Calvin and Bill are awesome to watch, man I didn't know how much I missed them until I heard Bills voice as the game started up! I don't see how people could HATE calvin, he's your typical old has been that just likes to talk about how good he was...nothing wrong with that...you're suppose to think "shut up calvin"with a grin hell, I'd be proud if I was a hall of famer especially at 5'9" or whatever he is. don't like chompers very much though...she seems too fake and overly flowerly.
I have only been able to hear Calvin once or twice but trust me when I say he is tons better than the lame lame lame announcer for the Sonics. I remember in 95 Ervin Johson blocked one of dreams dunk attempts. this guy goes off I mean off. It was such a little play and he goes nuts. totally biased for the sonics. Every call against them was a bad call, and the rockets were getting away with murder according to him. I like Calvin cuz he is a straight shooter when it comes to the game and the rockets
DEAN, the Warriors announcers are excellent. Jim Barnett is great doing the color, tells it like it is. When Hughes hogs the ball, Barnett says so. When the Rockets beat the Warriors last year (in Golden State) Barnett was praising the play of Francis and Mobley, saying they may be the best backcourt in the NBA. As for Bill Walton, he just may be the best color man in the biz. Yes, I agree he is annoying on NBC, but thats because Snapper brings out the worst in everyone. Walton doing Clipper's games are awesome. If you like sarcasm, Walton is your man. Calvin is ok, he just gets carried away sometimes.
I have read the threads and agree that Calvin is holding his own. The suits are painfully ugly, however, I do enjoy the banter between Bill and Calvin. I also enjoy the fact that Calvin loves working for the Rockets even though they fired him without him knowing. In addition, Calvin knows basketball and the players search him out for shooting tips, because the man can shoot a basketball period. Memo to Calvin, leave the past in the past and you will go far.
I agree Finn*, I use to hate BM(bill walton, not bowel movement! ) when I watched him on NBC, but after watching the clips a few times on league pass, I was suprised at how funny that fool is! I love sarcasm, and he has got something funny to say about everything...even his fellow commentators! I think I remember one game when the spurs and clips were playing and think it was rooks who was getting killed by duncan, then a couple plays later rooks clumsily put back a shot around duncan and BM busted out with"Rooks just dominating Tim Duncan...Crashing the offensive boards!" Oh man I was rolling!
Finn* can we think any more alike? Barnett is the most HONEST announcer you will find. Doesn't have too much pizzaz or charisma so he can be a bit boring sometimes but overall the Warriors tandem at the very least is an educating experience. They will tell you what is going on without sugar coating it. Plus they know the other team more than most announcers do. As far as Bill Walton he is the BEST color analyst doing the Clippers games. The guy has me rolling on the floor 90% of the time. He is the master of sarcasm. As far as Bill and Calvin unless you have watched other tandems then you would not know what an asset these two are to the city of Htown. When I lived in Houston I absolutely hated them, I would turn down the sound on the TV and listen to Gene Peterson on the radio(1.5 second TV delay and all). When I moved to the Bay Area and started watching games on NBA league pass I realised how good those two were. So do yourself a favor and get league pass and then comment on Bill and Calvin. Dean I still don't know how you can back up Lisa.... Calvin Cato? Nuff said.
If you caught the first three minutes of that game you would have probably hurt yourself laughing so hard. The Spurs jumped out to a 12 point lead in the first three minutes and Bill shouted out "The Spurs have just built an insurmountable lead" To which his sidekick asked since when was a 12pt. lead in the first three minutes of a ball game an INSURMOUNTABLE lead? The response?....... "When you have the greatest defensive player to ever play the point in Avery Johnson and one of the most prolific scorers in Mario Ellie. There is just no way the Clippers can comeback from this deficit." Thats just classic Walton. When he and Marv Alberts are together they make a good combo but oherwise he sucks on NBC.
