The Media Circus

You let us down, Jim Nantz.

The whole basketball-watching world was tuned in on Monday night to hear how you would top your “Rock Chalk Championship” line from last year with yet another trademark cheeseball snapper at the final buzzer.  Perhaps, we dreamed, you might be able to break out another classic such as 2000’s “You can leave it to Cleaves” after Mateen Cleaves and Michigan State won or 2005’s “There’s a new dean in college basketball” after Dean Smith’s protégé Roy Williams led UNC to his first title.  We see what you did with the word “dean” there.  Genius.

And when the game proved anti-climactic, we watched until the very last minute of the broadcast, because the true One Shining Moment would be when you decided to unleash your prepared pun on a grateful audience.

Alas it never came.

Sure, we here at JoeSportsFan.com have been mocking this tradition for several years, but this year it seemed like, more than ever, everyone was at a fever pitch to see what you and your team of writers had come up with.  Radio personalities, websites and bloggers alike were guessing what whether it would involve the myriad of possibilities with the name Izzo or perhaps some tribute to the career of Tyler Hansbrough.

When the buzzer sounded, we got nothing more than a bland declaration that UNC was the national champ.  Then you abandoned us and sent it back to Greg Gumbel.

We won’t forget this Nantz.  Next year, you will have to prove yourself all over again or we will run you out of that chair like we did your former partner and replace you with someone who can and will quench our thirst for snappiness.

You’ve been warned.

Sincerely,
America###MORE###
Kiper doesn’t have time for “writing”
Mel Kiper is so freaking busy that he doesn’t even have time to write his own articles anymore.  Insiders who log in to read his thoughts on the draft, instead are treated to what appear to be minutes taken by his personal secretary while one can only presume that Mel sits with his feet up on his desk brushing his mop and spouting his opinions.

With the 19th pick in the draft, the Bucs will have an outside shot at USC’s Mark Sanchez and a good shot at Kansas State’s Josh Freeman. If they want Sanchez, Kiper said they will have to trade up. He said they likely would have to jump ahead of Houston at No. 15, San Francisco at No. 10 and even Jacksonville at No. 8.

“You might have to get up in the seven or six spot, which is very difficult to do,” Kiper said.

Don’t insult Kiper by suggesting he actually sit down at a computer and write his own articles.  This guy isn’t a freaking intern.  There’s game tape to watch.  If ESPN wants his two cents, then they need to send someone over to his castle to interview him.  And he may use it as an opportunity to antagonize Jets fans…

And to Jets fans who, like Chris Mortensen, think Missouri receiver Jeremy Maclin might still be on the draft board at No. 17, Kiper said, “Jeremy Maclin’s going to be long gone, pal.”

Or he may use it to tell you completely random crap like which months he likes and maybe even flip you peons a piece of Kiper-approved life advice.

Should the NFL shorten its preseason and extend its regular season?
Kiper said, “You have to adjust to the times.” In other words, yes.
However, Kiper has loved preseason games since he was a kid because it allowed him to see the future of organizations. “I loved August,” he said.

Kiper said the successful people in this country share one attribute: They are confident. “You can’t be right if you’re afraid to be wrong.”

If that isn’t an advertisement for being an “Insider” we don’t know what is.

Photographic Diary of an Overexcited UNC Fan

Step 1 – Realize you’re on TV.  Freak out accordingly.

Step 2 – Make sure everyone is crystal clear that you’re such a huge UNC fan that you’re wearing their uniform…without an undershirt

Step 3 – Marvel at your own ability to out jump the other guys vying for camera time.

Step 4 – Realize that you’re just inches away from Seth Davis.  THE Seth Davis.

Bob Carpenter Memorial Snappy Line
Let’s just say that Bob isn’t in the highest of spirits right now after what Nantz did to him.  He had the whole family gathered around the TV with the popcorn and root beer flowing.  Lil Bobby had his notepad and pen out to write down this year’s championship snapper and then there was nothing.

He didn’t want to have to do it, but two thumbs down to his hero, Jim Nantz.