“Listen, if you’re a KU fan and you like homers on the radio, these two guys are the best who have ever been. Lew Perkins isn’t sitting right there anymore! He’s not going to bonk you on the head! Those guys really write the book on how to do that. … It bugs me. The problem with Bob (Davis) and Chris (Piper) is when they complain about a call it’s just white noise.”Kevin Kietzman, on the Kansas basketball radio broadcast team, 810 AM
GH: There is no better voice on the radio for play-by-play than Bob Davis. He is the local equivalent to CBS’ Gus Johnson when it comes to mixing volume and adrenaline in a broadcast. But Davis is also a solid 10 when it comes to being an unabashed, blinders-on, Kansas bred, fed and will-be-when-dead homer. I enjoy the hell out of his work but he has slipped to being such a homer for the Hawks that it does detract from the broadcast. I don’t agree with KK on Piper. I think Piper adds some insight to what’s happening on the court and while he roots for his school, he calls the game far more objectively than his partner.
“There’s no way listening to (Bob Davis) that I thought that was the worst call I’ve ever seen because I know those guys get exercised by it. … I have a history of what I think are 50-50 calls that they think are bad calls.”
Danny Clinkscale, on Bob Davis’ call of the late intentional foul on Marcus Morris during the Mizzou game, 810 AM
GH: Once KCTV5 screwed the pooch last Saturday and left us all watching Michigan/Michigan State, many of us turned to Marconi’s invention to follow the last few minutes of KU/MU. (Funny how the radio just continues to be relevant despite how often its demise appears evident.) The call on Marcus was the one everyone pointed to where Davis went into verbal convulsions while blasting the referee by name. It turns out after viewing a replay that the call was just as bad as Davis said. But Clinkscale’s comment is telling. Davis has cried wolf so many times over bad calls that many objective listeners tune his rants out.
Danny Clinkscale, on Bob Davis’ call of the late intentional foul on Marcus Morris during the Mizzou game, 810 AM
GH: Once KCTV5 screwed the pooch last Saturday and left us all watching Michigan/Michigan State, many of us turned to Marconi’s invention to follow the last few minutes of KU/MU. (Funny how the radio just continues to be relevant despite how often its demise appears evident.) The call on Marcus was the one everyone pointed to where Davis went into verbal convulsions while blasting the referee by name. It turns out after viewing a replay that the call was just as bad as Davis said. But Clinkscale’s comment is telling. Davis has cried wolf so many times over bad calls that many objective listeners tune his rants out.
“I think it’s fun to have announcers root for your team.”
Todd Leabo, disagreeing with Kietzman and Clinkscale, 810 AM
GH: Everybody is different in what they want from their favorite team’s broadcast team. I like mine to be critical and objective but still hoping/rooting for my team to win. Here is my report card of some of the local basketball team’s broadcast crews when it comes to homerism.
Todd Leabo, disagreeing with Kietzman and Clinkscale, 810 AM
GH: Everybody is different in what they want from their favorite team’s broadcast team. I like mine to be critical and objective but still hoping/rooting for my team to win. Here is my report card of some of the local basketball team’s broadcast crews when it comes to homerism.
1) Kansas Basketball: Davis is the Babe Ruth of homerism the two-state area. He alone gives this duo the top spot in my rankings
2) Kansas State Basketball: Wyatt Thompson isn’t near the talent that Davis is but he’s a bit more objective – as is a Russian judge. Stan Weber knows the game better than anybody on radio but he spends way too much energy cautioning KSU fans to not get upset or overreact to issues that every fan is going to overreact and get upset about.
3) Missouri Basketball: My least favorite broadcasting crew of the three local Big 12 schools in that Mike Kelly can be at times hard to follow and his partner Gary Link has a very unorthodox voice and style for calling basketball on the radio. But these two are easily the most objective broadcast team when it comes to calling a game and telling the listener what is happening without hone-team bias.
4) UMKC Basketball: Who knows? I couldn’t name the radio play-by-play voice for the Roos if you tied me to a dingo in the Outback and spanked it on the ass. I know Steven St. John does color work for most home games but UMKC has given me no reason to care let alone tune in. It is one of the bigger travesties in local college sports that our city’s D1 basketball team is almost invisible…and has been for almost a decade.
“I know one thing, Kansas fans would never rush the court after beating their rival like North Carolina did. I think it’s a little weak for North Carolina, one of the top basketball programs in the whole country. You’re telling yourself now that it’s that big of an upset to beat your rival Duke? For me personally, I think it’s a little weak.”
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: Bukaty reminds me of a lot of inexperienced Nebraska fans prior to 2001. Nate’s a young Kansas grad who doesn’t remember bleaker times. He’s only been out of school a dozen years or so and his experience with KU hoops has been mostly Roy Williams and Bill Self. It is pretty easy to get snooty when you win for 20 straight years. Imagine if KU missed out on the NCAA tourney one year and that same year K-State won the national championship – like the UNC/Duke rivalry experienced last season. I think students who rush the court think far more in the present than in the past. It wouldn’t take too many Kansas losses to get the KU kids running all over that huge midcourt Jayhawk if they upset a highly-ranked K-State or Mizzou some year.
Nate Bukaty, 810 AM
GH: Bukaty reminds me of a lot of inexperienced Nebraska fans prior to 2001. Nate’s a young Kansas grad who doesn’t remember bleaker times. He’s only been out of school a dozen years or so and his experience with KU hoops has been mostly Roy Williams and Bill Self. It is pretty easy to get snooty when you win for 20 straight years. Imagine if KU missed out on the NCAA tourney one year and that same year K-State won the national championship – like the UNC/Duke rivalry experienced last season. I think students who rush the court think far more in the present than in the past. It wouldn’t take too many Kansas losses to get the KU kids running all over that huge midcourt Jayhawk if they upset a highly-ranked K-State or Mizzou some year.
“Saw 2 KU fans totally out of line today at MU; and MU fans were classy n did nothing to put them in their place. 2 fans should be ashamed.”
Gary Bedore, Twitter
GH: How often are you going to read those words from the opposing beat writer? Pretty classy stuff yourself, Mr. B.
Gary Bedore, Twitter
GH: How often are you going to read those words from the opposing beat writer? Pretty classy stuff yourself, Mr. B.
“The Morris twins are at another level this year. They both look like lottery picks to me.”
Mark Turgeon, Texas A7M head coach, 810 AM
Mark Turgeon, Texas A7M head coach, 810 AM
“Twins, I’m sticking with my gut. I think they stay. Last chance to play together unless same NBA team drafts both or a trade does it.”
Brady McCollough, Twitter
GH: I too think there is a 50-50 chance of the Morris twins staying – but a Kansas national title might remove all hope.
Brady McCollough, Twitter
GH: I too think there is a 50-50 chance of the Morris twins staying – but a Kansas national title might remove all hope.
“I think Mike Anderson might need to consider some changes on his staff. Maybe you need to get a hot AAU coach who has a pipeline to Chicago. I’m sorry that’s how the game’s played, but that’s how the game’s played.”
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: Mizzou needs some big men who can run and rebound like caged dogs. You don’t need an AAU coach to find them. You need a nose for kids who want to compete. Unfortunately, Anderson’s nose picks up the sent guys like Steve Moore.
Soren Petro, 810 AM
GH: Mizzou needs some big men who can run and rebound like caged dogs. You don’t need an AAU coach to find them. You need a nose for kids who want to compete. Unfortunately, Anderson’s nose picks up the sent guys like Steve Moore.
“I’d take the (Missouri State) Bears over the (Mizzou) Tigers for missourahs ncaa team.”
Bob Fescoe, Twitter
GH: Why not both?
Bob Fescoe, Twitter
GH: Why not both?
“Missouri may just have saved itself a line or two in the NCAA Tournament seedings with the comeback (against Kansas).”
Mike DeArmond, Twitter
GH: But since so few people saw Mizzou’s comeback on CBS, does it still count?
Mike DeArmond, Twitter
GH: But since so few people saw Mizzou’s comeback on CBS, does it still count?
“It’s disheartening. Because you’d think the fans would be there no matter who you’re playing.”
J.T. Tiller, on the lack of fan support at Mizzou Arena this season for less than marquee games like Texas Tech, 810 AM
GH: I have heard a lot of people attempt to justify the empty seats at Mizzou Arena this season. I found it interesting to hear Tiller’s perspective on those ghosts.
J.T. Tiller, on the lack of fan support at Mizzou Arena this season for less than marquee games like Texas Tech, 810 AM
GH: I have heard a lot of people attempt to justify the empty seats at Mizzou Arena this season. I found it interesting to hear Tiller’s perspective on those ghosts.
“Their resilience is their most impressive trait. I’m still not convinced they are a good team offensively. “Besides Jacob Pullen, every other member of that team is a role player.”
Shan Shariff, 610 AM
GH: K-State is more than Pullen. McGruder will be All-Big 12 next season. Curtis Kelly may be maddening but he’s a talented 6’10 athlete. But K-State is far from a Sweet 16 lock. They are a five- or six-seed for a reason. They have flaws if Pullen isn’t getting and hitting his shot.
Shan Shariff, 610 AM
GH: K-State is more than Pullen. McGruder will be All-Big 12 next season. Curtis Kelly may be maddening but he’s a talented 6’10 athlete. But K-State is far from a Sweet 16 lock. They are a five- or six-seed for a reason. They have flaws if Pullen isn’t getting and hitting his shot.
“Ohio State and Kansas are the two best teams. Mature, strong willed, and balanced. Consistency at a high level. Scariest team outside the top five is North Carolina. NBA sized front line and a very good PG.”
Jay Bilas, Twitter
GH: People talk about the job Frank Martin has done this season in turning around the Cats but what about Ol’ Roy? UNC looks every bit as good as everybody else right now…and that might not even be good enough to get them to the second weekend.
Jay Bilas, Twitter
GH: People talk about the job Frank Martin has done this season in turning around the Cats but what about Ol’ Roy? UNC looks every bit as good as everybody else right now…and that might not even be good enough to get them to the second weekend.
“People don’t realize how bizarre college bball is. People ONLY care about six wins in March. Season is 6 months long. Starts Oct. 15. Insane.”
Gary Bedore, Twitter
Gary Bedore, Twitter
GregHall24@yahoo.com and Twitter / greghall24
1st Session
2 good games…..Greg your way off on you scalping technique–bought my seats at 18th and Grand had Chester eating out of the palm of my hand…you have to show em the green. #winning
Burks is alot of fun he has that rare gear that only a handful have. KU will beat Okie St by 20…..KSU should have no trouble with Colorado.
LOL@UMKC my alma mater…remember when Coach Lee Hunt was going to take us to the promised land. What a natural if they could get this team into MO Valley …go hire some rebound coach like Gillespe or Sean Sutton…Pat Knight..—
Downtown could use 15 events that it would bring. How bout Burks-Denmon-Dixon-Releford’s playing for Kansas City?
Shame
Hall, it’s not often I get to take you to task but not knowing that Bob Davis’ son is the PBP voice for the ‘Roos is kind of a big swing and a miss in a column that calls into questions Pops broadcasting skills. Would have been nice to have a compare/contrast bit in here. Now, get back to your long run.
Shame
Hall, it’s not often I get to take you to task but not knowing that Bob Davis’ son is the PBP voice for the ‘Roos is kind of a big swing and a miss in a column that calls into questions Pops broadcasting skills. Would have been nice to have a compare/contrast bit in here. Now, get back to your long run.
YOU WANT KU TO BE THE BAD GUYS !!! FINE!@!!!
“”. Imagine if KU missed out on the NCAA tourney one year and that same “”
gh’s wet dream,,,,, he must pray every night for this…what a joker.
HAHA…
and the assholes around here whine and bitch and complin and wonder why KU fans are so vocal in support of KU, the reason is onesided, biased, KU hating articles like this one wriiten by biased KU haters like gh.. But that is OK, KU fans are here to pick up the slack and continue to give support to our beloved Kansas Jayhawks….. no matter what haters like gh think………
YEAH MUTHA FKR!!! LIKE YOU SAID…. WE ARE DARTH FKN VADAR…AND WE ARE HERE TO SQUEEZE THE OXYGEN OUT OF YOUR BODY…….. AND POP YOUR PUNEY LITTLE HEAD LIKE A BALLON YOU WANT KU TO BE THE BAD GUYS…..FINE !!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA…. just stop whineing that KU fans talk too much while you write stupid artilce like this…… and agian I spit on mu and all mu fans….you are scummand deserve nothing but a bootheel on your litlepussy neck…. SNAP!!!!!
Geeeez talk about circle jerking douchebags
Davis
The problem I had with Bob Davis’ call is that he clled the ref out by his first and last name. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a play by play guy do that before other than announcing the officials at the beginning of the game. Very classless.
Morris Twins
An intentional foul from them? NO! Can’t be. MUST be a mistake. I’m surprised with the way theplay they don’t get more. Killer, you’re doing better, you almost made sense. KU is the Duke of the midwest. Loved at home, despised by anyone outside of the area. Who will it be this ear? Indiana State?
I’m a KU fan but Davis is homerish to the point of being unlistenable, particularly when whining about the refs. Unlike Leabo, I prefer announcers to be enthusiastic, but fair. I can still remember him going nuclear in the second half of that ’96 Elite Eight game against Syracuse, which basically turned into a football game with ten minutes to go.
Football, he’s fine. I mean, really, what’s he going to complain about, a late hit on a KU player when they’re already down 35?
When March madness rolls around, I’ll take the guys on Westwood One (sans John Thompson, who is awful) over homer announcers every time.
idea
Did any of you ever hear of this new fangled device called a TV? Every single KU game is shown on it, if you dont like Davis ….how about uuhhhhhhhhhhh…. DONT LISTEN….WATCH IT ON TV. you fkg whiney retards.
GH Quotes KK to make his point?
Wow! You actually used a KK quote to establish your anti KU point. This is new ground GH. I guess you go by the old “an enemy of an enemy is my friend”. Disgusting!
Wow, kU fans are sensitve
How funny is it that kU fans whine and scream about everybody being out to get them? You do realize that basically all of the media in this town bows down to that crap factory in Lawrence right? The entire 610 lineup outside of maybe Nick Wright are unabashed kU homers, Bukaty, Petro, Clinkscale on 810 all slurp kU from dawn til dusk, and the sports desk at the Star consistently buries negative kU stories.
Hell, just look at what Jason King sat on for years while working for the Star. It wasn’t until he went to Yahoo Sports that he finally broke the story on the kU ticket scandal and their ties to the Pump Brothers. The same negative stories that you see on the front page of the Topeka and Wichita paper only appear in the Star if they are buried on page 6.
So in summary, yes kU fans, its not paranoia if they are actually all out to get you.
P.S.
Suck it beakers
pretty weak
I agree Mr Olathe, gh’s transaparent hatred (which might be amusing) if it wasnt so disgusting.
OH LOOK!!!! KU IS COMING ON RIGHT NOW !!!! OH BOY!!!!!!
DONT KNOW IF I EVER METNIONED IT OR NOT BUT I LOVE KU BASKETBALL… IT IS POETRY IN MOTION..ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK… GO KU!!!!!!!!! TICK TOCK..TIME TO ROCK ….. CHALK……
HAHAHA another jealous mu doucher
Chucky is just another jealous mu loser…….. too bad your teams always suck so hard ,while KU ROCKS YEAR FATER YEAR AFTER YEAR!!!! AND 2010/2011 IS ANOTHER GREAT YEAR!!!!
GOOD FOR OSU
GOTTA LOVE IT….sorry OSU, nice try but no cigar… A VERY NICE TRY… but you came up a lil short…just like that midget “secret weapon” ya’ll got….who is that 90% shooter? …. ah never mind… I dont really care……….. NEXT!!!!
PS
I love spring time Basketball, winning the Big 12 is most important,,,,but thisis fun too… YEAH!!!!
PPS
If Ku wants to go deeeeeeeeep in the NCAA tourney we are going to have do make more 3-pointers and do MUCH better at the free throw line….. LETS GO JAYHAWKS!!!!!!
Homers
Bob is definitely a KU homer but he’s never bugged me – Piper constantly referring to KU as “we” drives me crazy. I refer to KU as we too, but I’m not on the radio where thousands of people can hear me.
Greg, I’ve only been around KU basketball for ten years but I have a hard time thinking the students would rush the court. It would take a lot of losing to get there – during my time at KU (’01 to ’05), we beat Texas and about 20 students rushed the court. They were booed like they were Missouri fans and 16,280 people chanted “get off the court” to them until they stopped. There’s a lot of pride & tradition that would have to be forgotten for that to happen, just like at Nebraska for football. They’ve had some rough years but nobody’s rushed the field there that I can remember.
Davis is fine for KU, but the Royals need to fire his ass
His style is great for college football and basketball, but I *HATE* his Royals broadcasts. I know you disagree, Greg, but I’d love to have Ryan and Denny back together.
Who dat?
Who says the Big12 is a weak league? Who says KU dominates because it is weak? I wonder …do those who talk like that even watch? Do they pay attention? Because from what I am seeing in this BIG12 tourney, these are pretty close games….FUN!!… .. who knows what causes the balls to drop, or not….. but these games are fun to watch, close games….. and when it gets to the 2nd and 3rd round of the NCAA tourney it is even closer matched teams…… the days of MEGA DOMINATING TEAMS is over…..since the onset of early NBA exits there hasnt been, Nope. these days this is all about…uhm?…it is all about….. ah heck I dont know what it is all about …
I just know KU wonstraight 7 BIG 12 titles, and is the first school to do that since John Wooden days. I dont know how Coach Self does it….I AM JUST GLAD HE DOES…… and not just becasue it allows us KU faithful to make fun of mu pussies….. I am glad he does….because as as rule of thumb…… winning is more fun than losing 🙂
Bob and Pipe
Who cares what a non-KU fan thinks about Bob Davis? Their broadcasts are geared toward passionate KU fans, not towards KC’s babbling talking heads. Now, with that said, all those years of Bob and Max I found the broadcasts to be pleasant, if not a little too quaint for modern times. But now that the intelligent, even-keeled Chris Piper is sitting alongside the great Bob Davis, giving us the kind of insightful commentary that was missing with Max, I would listen to them every game — if the lag time between radio and TV weren’t so darned long.
And Greg, you’re wrong on the Tar Heel front. It was just plain sad seeing them rush the floor. They’re only two years removed from a national championship.
Davis is awful
I absolulty hate Bob Davis. I hate KU as well, but I hate Davis as a Royals announcer to. He goes absolutly insaine over routine plays and it is painful to hear… “groundball to second, Aviles throws to first aND BUTLER MAKES THE CATCH!!!!!!!!!!” Um Bob, it is routine. Does it with hoops to. MARCUS HITS THE LAY UP!!!!!!!!!!!!. Um…it’s a lay up Bob..
Gary Link is awful. Kelly does get hard to follow at times. But I will take his “Bang” over Davis’s screaming anyday. I would like him to discontinue “to the house” for football calls. Played out.
Couple funny observations; 1) there are aholes in every fan base. Some MU fans are mouthy, but so are some KU fans (see Darth F’N Vader). 2) I didn’t think this was an “anti KU” article. Hell he ranked your broadcast team #1 in the area. He simply raised the question of is Davis to much of a homer. Are you doubting Davis is a homer? Anytime anyone says the slightest negative about KU some of you beakers blow a gasket. You have a great basketball program, but your not perfect. No one is. Don’t be such tools.
FDN……
It’s not that “anytime anyone says the slightest negative about KU” that us “Beakers blow a gasket”, it’s every fricken OTC has a negative KU slant. Don’t even pretend it doesn’t. I’ve read GH since the JoCo Sun days and always enjoyed the quotes of what I missed on radio. I’ve agreed with him at times and I’ve disagreed with him at times. But over the last year or so he has come out with nothing but anti-KU garbage. And his tirade about how badly the team would be affected if they all went to T-Rob’s moms funeral was just flat horrible. He’s kind of modeled himself after KK.
And as far as they media in KU’s corner. you have to be kidding, right? All of 810 outside of Bukaty (that doesn’t help) is anti KU. Inclusing Clinkscale. Just read what he said above. On 610 you Fescoe. That’s it. Most of the news guys went to Mizzou J-school. You see more KU coverage for 2 reasons: One, they are the closest school. Two-they have been the most successful. Can’t really argue that can you?
Bob Davis
I’m a KU fan and will agree with the above posts regarding his tendency to accentuate the positives and negatives. It is especially clear when he does the Royals. HE comments too much on the speed of the pitchers and makes routine plays into 7th game World Series heroics. He also doesn’t give the score enough, but that’s for baseball season which I will comment on more soon.
I do think Piper is a leveling voice. I heard the game on radio, as I had to go somewhere for work. Maybe my radar was up, but I noticed that Davis’ announcing was very homerish, in that every Oklahoma State grab should have been a foul. Fortunately, Piper was more objective and called it a little more down the line. I get emotional enough listening, without the pxp guy going to pieces. Just my 2 cents.
Piper
I can tell you that I heard several times Davis started up and Piper corrected him. Was refreshing. Very loose paraphrase: Davis “foul on kansas! Oh I don’t know what he was looking at there.” Piper “it was the right call.” Heard that type of exchange many times.
Your comment on Nate talking about UNC was dead wrong… UNC has won 2 national championships in the past 6 seasons. They are better than that. Period.