A Letter to MSG I sent re: Walt Frazier
Big Volley
From the ages of 10-16, I had only one boyhood hero: Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Two
giant posters of him hung in my bedroom, and as I watched my beloved Knicks
play, I kept track of his stats--always checking them against the next day's
box score to make sure they got it right. The day the Knicks traded Clyde to
Cleveland, I was heartbroken. I even wrote a poem about it.
But the Walt Frazier who has resurfaced in my adulthood is a different person.
No longer the cool, confident, silky shooter, he is now a rhyming goofball
offering inept commentary in his job as the Knicks TV color man. Several times
this season, driven to the edge of madness by his inane rhymes and myriad
misuses of the English language, I actually had to turn off the volume on my TV
and turn on the radio. And I am not alone: several of my Knick fan friends
have done the same.
Over the last several weeks, my ears apparently getting used to the berserk
rhymes and the mangled words, I began to pick up on another aspect of his
incompetence. When "analyzing" a play, Frazier seldom offers any incite or
actual analysis; rather, he simply says what the player did the last time he
had the ball. If Alan Houston drives for a layup, Frazier's comment would be
"Previously, Alan turned the ball over." Chris Childs throws a nice pass? "On
the previous play, Childs threw it out of bounds."
Frazier's rampant use of the word "previously" has gotten so bad that a friend
and I have taken to actually BETTING on the number of times he would say it per
telecast. In our first bet, I predicted 34 previously's. I won the bet (my
buddy guessed 16), but I guessed LOW--Frazier delivered 36!
It has literally gotten to the point where I can't stand listening to your
broadcasts anymore. As good as Mike Breen is (and don't get me wrong--he is
excellent), it is a crime that you're keeping Marv & John on the radio side.
Given that I live in the media capital on the world, I just can't understand
how it is that I have to listen to a repetitive (TELL ME NO ONE'S NOTICED HE
SAYS THE EXACT SAME STUPID THINGS EVERY SINGLE GAME: "omnipresent on the
offense.....the sweet stuff...you've got to play defense with your feet, not
your hands...huffin & stuffin...hoopin and scoopin...") and ill-prepared moron
when watching my beloved Knicks. Is anyone there actually LISTENING to this
guy? He makes Joe Morgan look like a clever color man.
Michael
WHY DID Big Volley write message
<20000116152031...@ng-fi1.aol.com>...????
>PREVIOUSLY, I LOVED WALT FRAZIER
Then you found out he was married?
>From the ages of 10-16, I had only one boyhood hero: Walt "Clyde" Frazier.
Two
>giant posters of him hung in my bedroom, and as I watched my beloved Knicks
>play, I kept track of his stats--always checking them against the next
day's
>box score to make sure they got it right. The day the Knicks traded Clyde
to
>Cleveland, I was heartbroken. I even wrote a poem about it.
I bet you were wearing your Clyde jammies too!
>But the Walt Frazier who has resurfaced in my adulthood is a different
person.
Say it ain't so Bernard!
>No longer the cool, confident, silky shooter, he is now a rhyming goofball
>offering inept commentary in his job as the Knicks TV color man.
Do the people at the Garden know this? Did you save any tapes?
>Several times this season, driven to the edge of madness by his inane
rhymes and myriad
>misuses of the English language, I actually had to turn off the volume on
my TV
>and turn on the radio. And I am not alone: several of my Knick fan friends
>have done the same.
Why does that not surprise me.
>Over the last several weeks, my ears apparently getting used to the berserk
>rhymes and the mangled words, I began to pick up on another aspect of his
>incompetence. When "analyzing" a play, Frazier seldom offers any incite or
>actual analysis; rather, he simply says what the player did the last time
he
>had the ball. If Alan Houston drives for a layup, Frazier's comment would
be
>"Previously, Alan turned the ball over." Chris Childs throws a nice pass?
"On
>the previous play, Childs threw it out of bounds."
Listen closer, Cylde offers more insight into the game than many of the
pretenders out there. In fact, his name was bandied about as a coach in this
NG just because of his wise insights into the finer points of the game.
I really don't think you listened to him too long.
>Frazier's rampant use of the word "previously" has gotten so bad that a
friend
>and I have taken to actually BETTING on the number of times he would say it
per
>telecast. In our first bet, I predicted 34 previously's. I won the bet
(my
>buddy guessed 16), but I guessed LOW--Frazier delivered 36!
>
>It has literally gotten to the point where I can't stand listening to your
>broadcasts anymore. As good as Mike Breen is (and don't get me wrong--he is
>excellent), it is a crime that you're keeping Marv & John on the radio
side.
Marv is with TNT, ain't he. I know he's doing some broadcasting for
somebody.
>Given that I live in the media capital on the world, I just can't
understand
>how it is that I have to listen to a repetitive (TELL ME NO ONE'S NOTICED
HE
>SAYS THE EXACT SAME STUPID THINGS EVERY SINGLE GAME: "omnipresent on the
>offense.....the sweet stuff...you've got to play defense with your feet,
not
>your hands...huffin & stuffin...hoopin and scoopin...") and ill-prepared
moron
>when watching my beloved Knicks. Is anyone there actually LISTENING to
this
>guy? He makes Joe Morgan look like a clever color man.
You gotta be kidding me. I LOVE Clyde AND JOE MORGAN.
You must be a big Bob Costas fan.
Sparrow
statements to be enjoyable... I grin every time something good happens and I wait
for him to say "There goes LJ postin' and toastin'!" or "Allan is dishin' and
swishin in the lane!" Then someone blows by a defender and we hear about the
matador D.. I guess it's to each his own, but I'd hate to see Clyde go. I love it
when my broadcast picks up MSG, just for him.
Big Volley wrote:
> PREVIOUSLY, I LOVED WALT FRAZIER
>
> From the ages of 10-16, I had only one boyhood hero: Walt "Clyde" Frazier. Two
> giant posters of him hung in my bedroom, and as I watched my beloved Knicks
> play, I kept track of his stats--always checking them against the next day's
> box score to make sure they got it right. The day the Knicks traded Clyde to
> Cleveland, I was heartbroken. I even wrote a poem about it.
>
> But the Walt Frazier who has resurfaced in my adulthood is a different person.
> No longer the cool, confident, silky shooter, he is now a rhyming goofball
> offering inept commentary in his job as the Knicks TV color man. Several times
> this season, driven to the edge of madness by his inane rhymes and myriad
> misuses of the English language, I actually had to turn off the volume on my TV
> and turn on the radio. And I am not alone: several of my Knick fan friends
> have done the same.
>
> Over the last several weeks, my ears apparently getting used to the berserk
> rhymes and the mangled words, I began to pick up on another aspect of his
> incompetence. When "analyzing" a play, Frazier seldom offers any incite or
> actual analysis; rather, he simply says what the player did the last time he
> had the ball. If Alan Houston drives for a layup, Frazier's comment would be
> "Previously, Alan turned the ball over." Chris Childs throws a nice pass? "On
> the previous play, Childs threw it out of bounds."
>
> Frazier's rampant use of the word "previously" has gotten so bad that a friend
> and I have taken to actually BETTING on the number of times he would say it per
> telecast. In our first bet, I predicted 34 previously's. I won the bet (my
> buddy guessed 16), but I guessed LOW--Frazier delivered 36!
>
> It has literally gotten to the point where I can't stand listening to your
> broadcasts anymore. As good as Mike Breen is (and don't get me wrong--he is
> excellent), it is a crime that you're keeping Marv & John on the radio side.
>
Thomas Vogler
. When "analyzing" a play, Frazier seldom offers any incite or
>actual analysis;
Clyde has more basketball knowledge in his pinky than any ten other
analysts combined. If you can get past the arcane vocabulary which
Clyde has openly admitted is his schtick to set himself apart, Clyde
consistantly points out the precise areas where the Knicks are
screwing up. In particular, he is exceptional in breaking down the
play of the guards and pointing out where they are picking up the
dribble too soon, telegraphing passes, committing themselves before
they really know what they are going to do, driving intio traffic,
failing to dish when a teammate has better position, and leaving their
feet with no reall play in mind.
I have no [problem if you state that you dislike Clydes schtick - as
that is a matter of taste, but to assert that he adds little incite or
analysis is flat out wrong.
Tom V
Mirepoix Mirepoix Roux, Roux, Roux!
Cut 'em up! Dice 'em up! Put 'em in the stew!
Chairman of the ASBPNYK TRU's Subcommittee on Troll
Nutrition (starve the bastards!) - Self-Appointed
Big Volley
to write a thoughtful, adult response to my posting, let me ask you to do this:
with an open mind, listen carefully the next time you turn on a Knick game.
Watch how many times Frazier, having nothing at all to say in terms of actual
analysis, comments on a play by recounting what the player did the PREVIOUS
time down the court. If Marcus Camby hits a 15 foot jumper, note the crazed
frequency with which Frazier will say "Previously, Marcus misfired form short
range" (or the like) rather than comment on the actual play that just happened.
Telling us what a player did on the PREVIOUS play is NOT analysis--it's a
cop-out for either being unprepared or for being too lame to think of anything
else to say. I guarantee that if you approach a Knick telecast in this fashion
and with an open mind, you'll see what I'm talking about.
Michael
asshole. I, on the other hand have no such reservations, you sir, are a
freaking asshole!
Big Volley wrote in message
<20000117104632...@ng-ch1.aol.com>...
Thomas Vogler
Michael wrote:
> That's because Tom is very polite and would never call you a freaking
> asshole. I, on the other hand have no such reservations, you sir, are a
> freaking asshole!
>
Kind of you to say so, but I'm not all THAT polite. I made a special effort to
listen for the previously stuff today. I just didn't hear it that much. On the
other hand I frequently heard Clyde explain where each team was going wrong. I
don't see (or hear) what this guy is talking about.
BTW - NG regulars - I've switched to and and trying out Netscape Communicator.
Please let me know if my posts are doing anything screwy - like showing up in
MIME or some other goofy format.
Keith Carpenter
Walt for President !!!!!!!!! I love that guy.
James Allen
>
Running and gunning... voting and toting... debating and percolating...
Keith Carpenter
can see the humor and GENIUS in walt! :-)
Keith Carpenter
walt down he seems like such a nice guy too. He's also not PC at all. I remember
when Bobby Phills died and walt and mike breen were discussing if that knicks game
should be played, walt said something like, basically he's dead and the game
should go on. Walt's right but you really shouldnt say that on national tv. And
right away mike breen had to sugar coat what walt said. He's new at this and hell,
at least he is honest!
-Keith
Sparrow
plays. I was playing tonight and someone was open under the hoop for a layup,
missed it, go the rebound, missed again, got the rebound, missed again, then I
finally pulled it down and I could hear Clyde going "And <me> benefits from
<their> futility." Clyde owns.
Big Volley
Well, you have brought this discussion to a whole new plane. Have you
considered a career in international diplomacy, you moron?
Dave
>
> On 16 Jan 2000 20:20:31 GMT, bigv...@aol.com (Big Volley) wrote:
>
> . When "analyzing" a play, Frazier seldom offers any incite or
> >actual analysis;
>
> Clyde has more basketball knowledge in his pinky than any ten other
> analysts combined.
This one's a warning. If you persist, the hyperbole cops are going to
issue you a citation.
>
> I have no [problem if you state that you dislike Clydes schtick - as
> that is a matter of taste, but to assert that he adds little incite or
> analysis is flat out wrong.
Or insight, for that matter.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
rat...@gate.net
(Hammer nail here--> <-- for a new monitor.)
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Dave
>
>
> BTW - NG regulars - I've switched to and and trying out Netscape Communicator.
> Please let me know if my posts are doing anything screwy - like showing up in
> MIME or some other goofy format.
Looks ok to me. :)
Thomas Vogler
>>
>> I have no [problem if you state that you dislike Clydes schtick - as
>> that is a matter of taste, but to assert that he adds little incite or
>> analysis is flat out wrong.
>
>Or insight, for that matter.
>
Shit Dave - it was late and I'd had a few beers. We're not so devoid
of basketball talk that we have to correct each others spelling and
grammer - are we? <grin>
Actually - I guess I am, so expect marked-up copies of your posts real
soon now.
Dave
>
> On Tue, 18 Jan 2000 15:03:58 -0500, Dave <rat...@gate.net> wrote:
>
> >>
> >> I have no [problem if you state that you dislike Clydes schtick - as
> >> that is a matter of taste, but to assert that he adds little incite or
> >> analysis is flat out wrong.
> >
> >Or insight, for that matter.
> >
> Shit Dave - it was late and I'd had a few beers. We're not so devoid
> of basketball talk that we have to correct each others spelling and
> grammer - are we? <grin>
I just thought it was interesting that you used the same spelling as Big
Volley. Didn't mean no offense by it.
>
> Actually - I guess I am, so expect marked-up copies of your posts real
> soon now.
D'oh!
And my newsreader has no spellchecker.
Big Volley
of basketball talk that we have to correct each others spelling and
grammer - are we? >>
It's spelled "grammar."
Big Volley
Volley. Didn't mean no offense by it.>>
Big Volley himself checking in. Interestingly, I saw your post and TOOK no
offense; unlike some people, I appreciate the spelling correction--it will help
ensure that I don't misspell the word again. Methinks one's insecurities
factor into how one responds to such things....
Thomas Vogler
Swell - you are still wrong about Clyde.
Dave
>
> On 21 Jan 2000 21:41:42 GMT, bigv...@aol.com (Big Volley) wrote:
>
> ><<We're not so devoid
> >of basketball talk that we have to correct each others spelling and
> >grammer - are we? >>
> >
> >It's spelled "grammar."
>
> Swell - you are still wrong about Clyde.
>
Seems to me that when it comes to critiquing the style of a commentator,
nobody is wrong.
Thomas Vogler
>Thomas Vogler wrote:
>>
>> On 21 Jan 2000 21:41:42 GMT, bigv...@aol.com (Big Volley) wrote:
>>
>> ><<We're not so devoid
>> >of basketball talk that we have to correct each others spelling and
>> >grammer - are we? >>
>> >
>> >It's spelled "grammar."
>>
>> Swell - you are still wrong about Clyde.
>>
>
>Seems to me that when it comes to critiquing the style of a commentator,
>nobody is wrong.
>
He wasn't merely critquing his style, but claiming that Clydes
commentary was devoid of insight into the game. I posted before that I
can't disagree with him as to his likes and dislikes, but that I think
he is flat out wrong when he states that Clyde provides no insight.
Clyde frequently comments on such things as the Knicks floor spacing
(and lack thereof), movement without the ball (and lack thereof),
sloppy passing, the way they telegraph their passes, the way they
pick up their dribble too soon, their tendancy to jump in the air
with the ball without really knowing what they intend to do.
I think Clyde provides much more insight than John Andariese used to,
and for that reason, I used to turn down the sound on my TV in order
to listen to the radio broadcast instead.
Imusta
V's. thoughts though. Walt critiques too much instead of just calling the
game. I don't mind the critiques but not as much as he does sometimes.
Imusta
"Thomas Vogler" wrote in message