This thing you see here is a chart of local NBA TV announcer “homerism”. That little blob way at the bottom… at the convergence of “Homerism” and “Lack of NBA Knowledge” is our own Tommy Heinsohn. (click here for the full image). I don’t know who put it together… nor do I really care. What I do know, however… is that this is not entirely fair.
I will not argue that Tommy is an unabashed homer. He makes other homers look objective. The Celtics are always fouled… and they never foul anyone. I get that. But to put him down there at the bottom end of “Lack of NBA Knowledge” is just not fair to him. I know its qualified with “Facility with Current Player Information & Statistics,” but that’s still not really fair.
I guess it really depends on what you want from a color guy. Do you want a guy who gives you random stats… or do you want a guy with 8 championships as a player and two more as a coach? Say what you want about Tommy’s homerism. But to borrow a phrase from a former coach of mine, Tommy Heinsohn has forgotten more about basketball than any of us will ever know.
And this is an interesting link (via TrueHoop): NBA players (and all athletes) have to pay taxes in EVERY state in which they’ve played. Every single one. I know almost all of them can afford it… but that’s a pain in the ass (some of you younger readers will understand later in life).
And this is a Red Sox link… but I just had to call attention to just how CRAPPY Dustin Pedroia is in the Sullivan tire commercials. Here’s one where he’s THRILLED to see Jim Rice. And then there’s the awesome shuttle service that clearly gets him excited.
I agree. Tommy is very knowledgeable he just lets the green get in the way of reality.
Dustin is a horrible actor…honestly I think I’ll never buy a tire from Sullivan’s for letting that out.
you know…. I need new tires. Maybe they’ll give me 4 of them because I posted those video!
Or… maybe I’ll go in there and Mr. Sullivan will attack me with a tire iron
yeah i agree on the misrepresentation of tommy.
but more importantly, donny marshall is more knowledgeable than tommy and mike gorman and anyone? bullshit.
donny marshall is only ranked as objective because he’s constantly cleaning the ref’s balls and never questions their calls for either team because he wants his national job back hard.
and i want to see scott pollard’s ranking?
I wish they would make a chart like that for sideline reporters! Dickerson would be right where Tommy is but instead of Homerisim It would be Homoisim… because he is all up on the players nuts!! Plus he says the stupiedest things… I can go on for days
Actually I’ll keep going.. One picture that describes Greg Dickerson perfect is…. that picture that was posted a while back of a Shark with a little Remora fish attached to the shark.. The article was about Robert Horry and how he clings on to championship teams.
Well thats my view of Dickerson he just clings on to the players balls, trying to suck up every chance he gets.
Wooh.. Glad I got that off my chest.
Tommy lacks basketball acumen? The man won a championship as a coach, and has the hardware to prove it. What an enormous crock of bullshit.
It’s pretty obvious this graphic was made by someone in the New York area. Nets and Knicks announcers crowd the top right, and Tommy is buried in the bottom left. He is the biggest homer though…no argument there.
This chart is bullshit. Tommy knows more about other teams players and their individual games than a lot of their home broadcasters do. Definitely more than the national broadcasters I’ve had to listen to a few times this year.
Another thing, I pray that the Celtics comcast will get rid of Donny Marshall, and persuade Scott Pollard to stay on in his place when he is done playing. Pollard was much more entertaining the other night, and the only time he talked about Kansas was when Mike asked him about the National Title Game. I can’t stand Donny constantly talking about UCONN and saying the word unselfish EVERY SINGLE TIME someone passes the ball. It drives me crazy.
I agree with Alex about Scott Pollard – the guy was a hoot. I loved how he said that players were getting technicals for “talking too much.”
Oh, and about the Pedroia ad – in all honesty, Tito’s ads with Sullivan sucked, too. I think the best is Pap’s DD commercial with everyone slapping his ass – his expression is priceless.
Pap is a lunatic…. I’ll bet he can be a pretty good actor
I created the chart. I am a League Pass subscriber and a Spurs fan. Not a NY/NJ fan. (oddly, crappy teams tend to have more objective local announcers.)
The NBA Knowledge continuum has NOTHING to do with X’s and O’s. It is strictly based on an announcer facility with current player information and statistics. Tommy has a hard enough time remembering the Celtics’ names.
But opponents? FORGET IT. He couldn’t tell you the difference between an Andris Biedrins from a Luis Scola from a Josh Powell. He couldn’t tell you the strengths of Jason Maxiell or the weaknesses of Raymond Felton. At least he didn’t during 2007-2008 broadcasts.
Maybe you guys know him outside of Celtics broadcasts. But for the rest of us, he is appropriately rated.
Thanks for stepping up and taking responsibility.
I still think you’re wrong about his knowledge of other players. You might accuse us of homerism in supporting him… but I think his homerism negatively colors your assessment of his basketball knowledge.
Don’t mix up refusing to give credit to an opposing player because of his uniform… with not being knowledgeable about that players strengths and weaknesses.