NBA on TNT Sucks!

A few years back I really enjoyed watching the NBA on TNT. I thought the network put on a good show, with fantastic editing which made watching the game similar to watching an action movie. But over the last few years I have noticed a steep decline in the quality of their broadcast, and the time has come to bring up five of them...

 

1. It's TOO LONG

A game on TNT goes on for at least a half hour, if not forty minutes, longer than a game on ESPN, or a local broadcast. They throw in longer commercial breaks, and their halftime commentary takes too long. Making an NBA game three hours long is a waste of the viewer’s time. I prefer to watch how ESPN covers an NBA game, because they make less of a circus out of it, and actually show a sport.

2. Ernie, Kenny, and Charles­

 They do nothing but laugh and give ridiculous game analysis. When they do the “Gone Fishing” segment after a team is knocked out of the playoffs, they give the impression that losing in the NBA is a silly ha-ha joke between millionaires.

What about the passion of the fans? What about people who will not live to see next season, and have waited all of their lives for the team to advance towards a championship? Ernie, Kenny, and Charles need to stop laughing, and stop pretending they are actually analyzing the game. 

They are just telling bad jokes, and making a circus out of the broadcast. I know I write stupid humorous editorials...but I'm not broadcasting to the nation.

3. Craig Sager

Not only does he dress bad, he has an arrogant smile, and a terrible hair cut, but the broadcasters actually have him interview a coach during the fourth quarter!!! 

 It is clear no coach in the NBA appreciates this interview, and it is clear Sager knows that, yet he just stands with them smiling, pointing a mike in their face, and asking questions which could wait till after the game. He has no tact or class.

4. The guys who call the games are bored...

They’re also boring! No matter what happens, they keep the same monotone voice, even when Brandon Roy dropped the three on Houston with .08 seconds left! You would have though Marv Albert and Reggie Miller were watching the beginning of a golf tournament.  And please do not get me started on Doug Collins! All I will say about him is that he needs to never speak in front of a camera again!!!   

They should have the local broadcasters call those games. 

5. The directing is terrible!

Whoever is directing the broadcast has the worst edits I've ever seen!  They use sloppy, complicated, camera angles at all the wrong times. I feel that I miss something important on every possession because they use the wrong camera, jump around, and make watching the game a waste of time.

But unless TNT loses ratings, they will continue to do a lousy job.

 

On another note***

The Portland Blazers lost to Utah in a boring December game that neither team put any passion into. Both teams knew whoever won or lost this game, it would not determine the fate of their season.  It was, for lack of better terms, a scrimmage. 

The Blazers are 16-9 with 10 of the next 12 games at home.

I think we'll be okay.