SSIA - what media phoney-expert kills you? Chad Ford for simply reading and recycling other news sources as his "insider"? Peter Vescey for spitting out any bit of rumor or gossip as facts? Sam Smith at the Chicago Tribune for his endless fantasy trade scenarios that have no basis in reality? Someone else like Fran "Fountain of Pessimism" Blinebury? Evan
As much as I dislike PV, he at least can be entertaining, and he doesn't run a sham website that charges you extra money. Chad Ford is absolutely the worst of the list provided. When he's at his best, he is repeating very stale rumors. But at his worst, he speaks of players out of position and has even misattributed players to teams. Overall, he has absolutely no feel for basketball and very little background knowledge about the players and their individual games. He may stay on the phone a lot, but I hate to contemplate how he is keeping his job at ESPN.
What Stephen A. Smith says isn't what I dislike; it's how he says it! I just wish someone near him would give him a tip to just settle down and not be so damn angry all the time. I suppose that is his gimmick, that he is the "in your face" guy that is super opinionated...Most of the time he makes decent points and has at least decent information, but he needs to settle down!
I love the way that Bill Lambier just looks at him with that "evil" grin..."What are you going to do, little man? Hit me? Calm down before I have to elbow your head!"
Peter Vecsey is the biggest idiot. Why? I remember when he got in trouble with the law a few years ago because he had his bodyguards (?_) knock out a guy in a supermarket who said outloud "Hey is that Peter Vecsey, that idiot from NBC?"
Actually, it was Pete who beat the crap out of that guy who called him an "idiot." Anything wrong with slapping the **** out of someone who calls you an idiot?
Three-way tie? Nah, I actually laugh at Smith. He just seems sort of funny to me. So loud and obnoxious that he used to annoy me, but I got used to him...sort of like Bill Walton. Now Vecsey and Ford just make up crap and are idiots. Who would be stupid enough to pay for "Insider" info?
What about Tim Legler? I saw his stats on nba.com and he was actually a CBA scrub for most of his career.
I honestly don't think that you have to be a great player to be a great commentator. I personally doubt Bird or Jordan would excell at it. Doc Rivers isn't going to the HOF as a player, but he arguably was the best commentator on TV in the past decade (or two) when he was on the air. Evan
