What a load of crock.. they're replacing him with mark freaking jackson. Hubie's doing NBA "analysis" for ESPN. Seriously, what the hell... http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/1022nbatv-ON.html ABC/ESPN changes NBA coverage Michael Heistand USA TODAY Oct. 22, 2006 06:30 PM ABC/ESPN will announce a wide-ranging overhaul of its NBA coverage, which starts Nov. 1. It includes new faces, roster cuts and a new No. 1 analyst. ABC/ESPN's coverage of the NBA hasn't matched the panache of TNT - which deploys established stars such as Charles Barkley and Doug Collins as the league's other national TV carrier. But at least the Disney outlets aren't standing pat in what Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, calls a "big turnover." On tap: - Mark Jackson becomes ABC's lead analyst, replacing Hubie Brown. He'll team with Mike Breen, who last season became the network's lead NBA play-by-play announcer when Al Michaels left to work NFL games at NBC. advertisement Jackson, who played with seven teams in a 17-year NBA career before retiring in 2004, was a bright spot among the analysts used in ABC's studio show last year. ABC will drop one of those analysts, Scottie Pippen. Jackson, like Fox NFL announcer Joe Buck, will assume a rare double duty. ABC's pregame show will move out of the studio and air from the game site. Jackson, like Buck on Fox's NFL games, will appear on the pregame, then announce the game action. Williamson says the ABC pregame show will be more focused on being on-site hype for the game itself rather than a gabfest about overall NBA issues: "Look at our Monday Night Football' model; that's philosophically what we're thinking about." - Brown still gets a pretty big role. He'll become ESPN's lead NBA analyst, teaming with Breen, and also work with Mike Tirico as ABC's backup team on regionalized coverage or doubleheaders. What's with Tirico? It's understandable that ESPN's "Monday Night Football "announcer can find time to join ESPN's NBA coverage for its Nov. 9 start. But this guy must run on batteries: The Detroit Tigers season-ticket holder flew from Dallas, where he prepped for Monday night's New York Giants-Cowboys game, to the St. Louis Cardinals' win in Detroit on Saturday, then flew back Sunday. Like he doesn't see enough sports. Brown might yet return to the top to work ABC's NBA Finals in a three-man booth with Breen and Jackson. Says ESPN's Williamson: "We'll make some decisions when we get to the playoffs." - Jon Barry, who ended a 14-year NBA career in retiring from Houston last season, will team with Bill Walton and Tirico on ESPN games. Barry, son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, replaces Steve Jones. Jones played with Walton at Portland three decades ago and called games with him at ABC and, earlier, on NBC - serving as a sensible guy and the perfect foil for Walton's sometimes otherworldly sensibilities. Williamson calls Jones, a longtime Trail Blazers announcer, "a true professional and great human being." But he also notes Barry is especially "relevant, having just retired." - Other new faces who'll pop up all over ESPN's various outlets and shows but aren't expected to call games include ex-NBA players Jamal Mashburn, Allan Houston and Kiki Vandeweghe. Out: Paul Silas and B.J. Armstrong.
That's where they screwed up. I like Brown, and I hope they let him do playoff games. It's gonna be interesting seeing Jon Barry with Bill Walton.
I liked Hubie Brown. I guess ESPN wants someone younger with more of a personality to compete with TNT. I wish they'd keep Hubie. And is Jon Barry really gonna be teamed up with Bill Walton? That's gonna be great. Walton's an idiot and Barry's funny as hell.
I love the guy, but he clearly lost it. Old age must have factored into this decision, because it became quiet painful having to listen to Hubie's telecasts this past season. I think JB is a big improvement over him, and while Mark Jackson is annoying as hell, he's at least somewhat 'colorful' and unconventional...even entertaining at times, so he does bring something to the table. Hubie was just...bland.
Hubie had very good technical knowledge but was a little boring and winded. But still you learned a lot with Hubie, and I think a better idea would have been to have both Mark Jackson and Hubie Brown along with PBP. Mike Breen is OK I guess, I liked hearing Al Michaels do basketball for a change however. I hate Tirico, hate Walton, Dan Patrick is pretty goos in studio, Mark Jackson really can't hold Joe Buck's jock as far as being able to do studio along with in the booth. TNT still kicks ESPN's ass on b-ball.
Hubie is the best. Maybe my favorite announcer. That really sucks we're gonna get Mark Jackson instead.
while it would have been a weird way to word it, i have to say for a second i thought the thread title meant he had died. i had actually gone from not being able to stand hubie from his tbs/tnt days to enjoying him on abc telecasts. i can't see how jackson will be an improvement. and while i think barry will be good, i liked the jones/walton combo. also, how could anyone have a problem with tirico. that guy is great. seems to never mess up names, seems well-prepared, does a few different sports well, gets into the action (sometimes too animated), good rapport with whoever he works with. good to see he's still doing nba games. of course none of this takes away from the fact tnt has espn's ass kicked on nba broadcasting. they have the two best announcers in alberts and harlan, most of the best color guys, and the studio show is obviously the best of any sports studio show, not just the nba.
I didnt care much for Hubie, I enjoyed Jon Barry last night much more. Hubie I think was too old schhol. He always tried to teach about the game and stuff, (I found it boring) so I think the nba wanted some new younger guys to take his place
Looking at the national TV schedule, ESPN will televise many more games than ABC: http://www.nba.com/schedules/national_tv_schedule/ Over the course of the entire season, Mark Jackson can only currently be on 13 game telecasts for ABC, Hubie Brown could theoretically be on 13 for ESPN by December 1st. Hubie Brown will be the lead analyst on ESPN. How exactly is he no longer on NBA telecasts? It appears to me that this is a "promotion" in so much as he will get more television exposure than he normally would. The thread title is misleading as according to the article, Brown will be in the same role for ESPN that Jackson is for ABC.
Horrible. Us basketball guys are lucky, because unlike baseball (or, to a lesser extent, football), the national announcing crews are usually really great. I know you guys can't stand Kerr, but I love him. Marv is great. Mike Breen is great. Jim Durham was great, and Hubie is the best. Mark Jackson is pretty good in New Jersey with Marv, but he was crap on the studio show last year, and I don't know how he'll be with Breen. I can guaranfreakintee he won't be half as good as Brown, though. Even worse, they're getting rid of Steve Jones on Walton's telecasts. More ESPN crap ...
Not a good move. Hubie is like the John Madden of football. Can't get rid of him. I will enjoy him on ESPN. Mark Jackson is very DRY. Not really a fan at all. Breen will deliver better pointed analysis than Jackson will.
I love Hubie, and I learned a lot about basketball from his broadcasting. I don't need someone to keep telling me, wow, that's a dunk, but rather someone has the knowledge and experience to break down the game, why they play this way and that way, and what did players do right or wrong in certain plays. On a side note, the guy on ESPN last night, kept saying "Is there anyone who can guard Wade?". Barry said, "well, you can't touch him" as a jab to the refs, but then the guy still went on, you can't do anything about Wade etc etc. That was kind of funny.
I thoroughly enjoyed Jon Barry on ESPN's Rockets-Heat telecast last night. It seems like he has to check himself in that there are things he wants to say but can't on a network broadcast. He does have a great sense of humor.
