I doubt it, the Knicks announce team rarely ever says anything negative abuot the Knicks, even the pathetic recent versions.
You must have only seen the third-string games. Breen and Trautwig tear into them all the time. Clyde and Smith aren't as harsh, but they aren't homers. If anything, they make like Pip and register confusion and befuddlement.
I actually find JVG's color commentary pretty dull. He has tremendous basketball knowledge and can give you some deep insight on each play, but the lack of interactions with the play-by-play guy is pretty obvious. He is also generally not funny and that is something I personally would like to hear from any hoops commentary.
See, I don't see it that way. I guess I was the 3rd guy that was going to start this thread. I think he is a great commentator. He is extremely insightful and he knows what the plays are coming out of timeouts just by watching the teams setting up on the floor. The strange thing to me was I haven't heard any negative criticism of teams, players, or strategies during his commentating. Even in last night's game when it was so obvious that Washington could not stop anything, he never peeped about it. He kept talking about what both offenses were doing. As soon as the game is over Kenny and Charles are all over the fact that Washington played no defense and you can't let Lebron catch and then give him the basline to the basket on the last play of the game. Van Gundy didn't say anything besides a great play made by Lebron. There is no way that when you see his demeanor on the sidelines and watch him barking at guys during timeouts that he is over there giving them positive reinforcement. Now, he may acknowledge them when they make a good play, but he is not that vanilla. When they miss assignments are otherwise pull a "Stro", he is on their .... like a fly on .... It is very obvous thought from listening to him commentate that he has superior knowledge about basketball strategy.
JVG was actually critisizing without his usual loud way. He repeated so many times, that "I would double LeBron now", "Now I would double him, make Snow to shoot the jumper", "Now I will really double him, and make everyone else BUT LeBron shoot the ball", "I would definitely make him a passer now, and never let him get the ball to his right hand." etc etc. He repeated it so many time, I was afraid he would get a heart-attack. He just didn't say it out loud that Washington defense sucks big time.
Given that the players tend to love playing for him and believe in him, it sounds like the same JVG. Perhaps its not the same JVG you know, but then again, all we really get are soundbites from media interviews.
If you call that criticism. He was giving strategy of what he would do, but he never criticized or so much as even pointed out that they did anything wrong. For instance when Lebron was out of the game and Snow was taking it to the rack along with everybody else, he never said anything about the Wizards defense just totally breaking down. He only mentioned something when they brought back in Haywood that they were bringing him back to cut off the dribble drives, that you have to protect the paint. It was after the fact which I suppose is essentially what commentating is. He commented on what they were doing without critiquing what they were doing and opining on what was right and what was wrong about it. He did opine and critique the rule book but he strictly commentated on the game, the players, coaches, and the strategies. Probably pretty smart move on his part. But definitely Waltonish enough that the average fan would be not be able to detect what the weaknesses of either team were. And his commentating was shown to lack any thrust as soon as Charles and Kenny got on the air and got to the heart of the matter.
Marv hasn't called MSG games since 2003-04. And he was let go by Dolan for criticizing the Knicks, their moves, and their play. So, I guess it's possible that, five years ago (before the 2003-04 season), Marv may have been a Knick homer -- but I've been pouring over the league pass since 2000, and I don't remember it. That's just one dude's take, though.
Wait a minute, that was Van Gundy? The guy screaming throughout with that kind of whiny voice? I had no idea, he actually got on my nerves a bit, LOL. He made some good points though, he was OK. Anythings better than Steve Kerr.
I wonder if JVG going back to do some TNT work will lighten his mood on Charles Barkley calling some games for us next season. My dream analyst line up for the Rockets would be Charles Barkley, Van Chancellor, and Calvin Murphy. That would be a riot!
You'd need three mikes -- and a translator. Then it could be made into an eponymous movie, Three Mikes and a Translator.
there is an old belief in my family (and i am sure many others) that those who really care about you are the ones who will criticize you. I think that is similar to what jvg does. honestly there is no reason for him to get worked up over washington,denver,clippers,cavs etc not playing 'the right way' seeing him agonize over the rockets is great though because you know he really cares about the team and that is why he is so critical of himself and the team.
