Just in case anyone does research on this using CF, I love this Craig and Ryan Hollins pairing. They made the losing seasons bearable. Not many people can do that. Keep it up, C&R! (and V)
By the end Calvin was insufferable. I didn’t mind the change, Drexler and Bullard were solid at first, then became annoying and corny. Hollins can be good, but he does not offer much insight, no ties to Houston, resorts to cliches and I’m tired of the “hhhhgeeeyyy” after a highlight play.
I never got the Bullard fandom. He was okay but there hasn't been a single time post-Bull where I was like - I wonder how Bull would have called this? I did appreciate that he was willing to go into a little more Xs and Os but sometimes it felt like he would open a can of worms and then rush through a half baked explanation because the gameplay would have resumed and moved on. It never felt like he found the right balance there.
Bull called it like it is and had Yaos back. He also laid into tmac when he was being a lazy diva. Him and Bill during the 22 streak was gold. Remember coming home from school every day to listen to them
Maybe part of why I loved Bullard was that I agreed with almost all of his hot or even lukewarm takes. Including the ones you mentioned. I'd also love it if the NBA adopted European goaltending/basket interference rules. Seemed like a sharp dude to me, and with plenty of energy and personality for the role, too. But you're right that he would repeat some of those things quite a bit...
Here’s an opinion of Bill from an ardent fan of the Rockets, and who I’m guessing is still listed as a moderator of Clutchfans, Jeff Balke. In the Houston Press is an excellent article he wrote about Bill retiring, part of it below: Rockets Long Time TV Announcer Bill Worrell Retires By JEFF BALKE May12, 2021 “You friends with Bill?” The question came as a bit of a surprise to me. I was at the Toyota Center for a game waiting for long time announcer Bill Worrell for a part of an interview I was doing with him. Minding my own business, swiping through my phone, the voice came from the floor. Barely looking up, I said, “Oh, I’m interviewing him.” The man stretched out his arm to shake my hand and said, “I’m Pat.” It was Hall of Fame center Patrick Ewing. This is perhaps the best way I can describe what it was like to hang out with Worrell. He is not just respected. He is beloved. On Tuesday, Worrell, 76, announced this would be his last season doing television play-by-play for the Rockets though he will do some in studio work for the network next season allowing him to complete 40 years of broadcasting for the Rockets and 50 years in Houston sports. It’s a remarkable accomplishment and while Worrell says he wants to leave before he goes on too long, it will be tough to imagine the Rockets without him. After radio announcers Gene Peterson and Jim Foley called it quits a number of years ago, Worrell was the lone remaining voice from the Rockets championships in the ’90s. For several seasons, he has only called home games with road trips reserved for Craig Ackerman. Former Rockets forward Matt Bullard has become entrenched as one of the better color commentators in the game for both home and road games. And while Worrell has been great on camera with Bullard and some of the others who have joined him, he is best known for teaming with Calvin Murphy for many years on the sidelines. He and Murphy formed a perfectly paired duo of a quick witted professional broadcaster and an outlandish, larger-than-life commentator. It appears certain that Ackerman will now assume full time duties with Bullard and the team is in really good hands. Coming up in radio, Ackerman is not only professional but personable and funny on air. He and Bullard are an excellent pairing that could anchor those spots for years. For Worrell, no doubt this means more time on the golf course and more opportunities to catch games at his alma mater University of Houston where, much like at Toyota Center, he is treated like the celebrity he is. (more at the link) houstonpress.com
Bullard was just a constant stream of puns and dumb jokes, broken up occasionally by a bit of analysis. Seems like a really nice dude, though.
By the end Calvin was insufferable. I didn’t mind the change, Drexler and Bullard were solid at first, then became annoying and corny. Hollins can be good, but he does not offer much insight, no ties to Houston, resorts to cliches and I’m tired of the “hhhhgeeeyyy” after a highlight play.
