Barrett and Rice

[breaker91]

Has anyone else noticed that for the past several games, the opposing team's board's game threads have been filled with comments on how about our TV announcers are?

I don't have league pass so I never get to listen to other team's announcers, but are Barrett and Rice really that much worser and homerific comparatively?

I realize the Blazers hired them on when the team was at a low point in it's relations with the local fan base and as such gave them the directive to not be critical. However, it would be nice to hear them call more of a two sided game and not be afraid to be critical of our players and complementary of opposing players.

[mojomarc]

I don't have league pass so I never get to listen to other team's announcers, but are Barrett and Rice really that much worser and homerific comparatively?

They're not as bad as Denver's announcers, who spend the entire game calling fouls that the referees missed and travels that never happened, but they're close. I would say they're in the top five homerific announcer pairs in the league, if not higher.

[Mr Odd]

Blazers announcers have always been one
sided with calling, even the great Schonz.. .

Its true Mike & Mike are homers, but personally
I love listening to them. Theyre not boring much
like a lot of teams announcers. They just dont
sit there and read stats & give one-liner catch
phrases. So I much rather put up with the homer
comments then listen to boring announcers.. .
Besides im not the best person to give his opinion
I guess since ive talked to Rice many times, lol.

[mojomarc]

Schonz wasn't a huge homer like Barrett/Rice. He just tended to describe more things that weren't happening than things that actually were happening.

[Wizenheimer]

barret and rice are homers...no suprise

but IMO, they are just fine to listen too, but then I'm a blazer fan.

I couldn't care less what other teams fans think of them

[Mr Odd]

Schonz wasn't a huge homer like Barrett/Rice. He just tended to describe more things that weren't happening than things that actually were happening.

Oh no doubt, Schonz wasnt a giant homer.
However he was one sided, the Blazers side!!

[zzaj]

I don't think they are that bad. I liked listening to Rice when he was a radio guy...he often had some pretty good insights. Now, he doesn't really get to do the same type of "color".

If I listen to Wheels and the Blazers lose, I feel like putting the barrel between the teeth. THAT guy is a homer. If I listen to Mike & Mike at least I have my life at the end of a game.

p.s. I didn't include Harvey because he might be the worst announcer in the history of sport.

[Fitz303]

I can take Barrett's homerism because its usually just subtle things like "Cambys been in the lane for 20 seconds now" and stuff like that. Its Rice that I cant stand, and most teams fans cant stand. Hes obnoxious. Hes a ridiculous homer and doesnt know what hes talking about half the time. I really think hes hammered for most of the games, and not in a funny way. Hes like that annoying drunk girl at a party that everyone just wants to punch in the face

[Mr Odd]

I don't think they are that bad. I liked listening to Rice when he was a radio guy...he often had some pretty good insights. Now, he doesn't really get to do the same type of "color".

If I listen to Wheels and the Blazers lose, I feel like putting the barrel between the teeth. THAT guy is a homer. If I listen to Mike & Mike at least I have my life at the end of a game.

p.s. I didn't include Harvey because he might be the worst announcer in the history of sport.

LOL

Never thought about that but Wheels is that extreme at times, true. lol

[541Blaza]

I can't stand Barrett and Rice, they're horrible. Ugh.

[TBpup]

What is the difference between being a homer and being unrealistic? It seems that is what most of the Blazer announcers are guilty of. If you listened to some of the pre-season broadcasts or read Barrett's blogs, you would think Portland would have MVP, MIP, 6th man and Coach of the Year in the bag and that each of the other 8 players could start for other teams.

Portland may be in the running for some of those awards but the fact is, this season's optimism is built on on terrific stretch of play where players where shooting way over their career averages (Blake/Jones from '3') against a weaker portion of their schedule. Don't take anything away from it, the youngsters were playing very well but take out that 17-1 stretch and the Blazers are 11-24 for the rest of the season....not really anything to get as hyped about as what the announcers bring most of the time.

I appreciate home town enthusiasm, just don't try and sell me the Brooklyn Bridge.

[Spykes]

I've got no problem with their announcing of the games. Sure, it can be a bit over the top at times, but who cares? At least it makes for interesting commentary. There's nothing worse than listening to 2 deadpans spewing out pointless fact after pointless fact... *cough*KINGS ANNOUNCERS*cough*.

[Khazim]

Blazers announcers have always been one
sided with calling, even the great Schonz.. .

Its true Mike & Mike are homers, but personally
I love listening to them. Theyre not boring much
like a lot of teams announcers. They just dont
sit there and read stats & give one-liner catch
phrases. So I much rather put up with the homer
comments then listen to boring announcers.. .
Besides im not the best person to give his opinion
I guess since ive talked to Rice many times, lol.

I agree with everything you said here.

[Khazim]

I can take Barrett's homerism because its usually just subtle things like "Cambys been in the lane for 20 seconds now" and stuff like that. Its Rice that I cant stand, and most teams fans cant stand. Hes obnoxious. Hes a ridiculous homer and doesnt know what hes talking about half the time. I really think hes hammered for most of the games, and not in a funny way. Hes like that annoying drunk girl at a party that everyone just wants to punch in the face

I can understand that Rice may be annoying to you. He is extremely quirky. I personally love it, but I can see where you are coming from. But saying he doesn't know what he is talking about is absolutely wrong. Rice is extremely intelligent and knowledgeable. He is by far the most knowledgeable commentator I've ever seen besides Steve Jones, and I only get to watch Blazer games from internet streams, so I have seen most teams announcers. Our guys are definitely homers, but I think think they are still one of the best duos in the league.

[Fitz303]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree because as I said, IMO Rice has no idea what hes talking about half the time. Go look at half the other teams forums when we're playing them and what they say about a comment that Rice made about their team. It happens all the time. Its usually something like "Did you hear what that idiot anouncer just said? He just said that Ben Gordons strength is defense" or some awful comment like that. Theres a reason a lot of people consider Portland to have one of the worst group of commentaters in the NBA. Barrett isnt bad, hes your typical play by play home team announcer, but Rice is just plain awful. Sure he can point out a few obvious stats that he has in front of him, but as far as in depth analysis, there are SOOO many better guys out there. PA needs to go out and grab Steve Smith from ATL.. Hes pretty good

[R11]

I can take Barrett's homerism because its usually just subtle things like "Cambys been in the lane for 20 seconds now" and stuff like that. Its Rice that I cant stand, and most teams fans cant stand. Hes obnoxious. Hes a ridiculous homer and doesnt know what hes talking about half the time. I really think hes hammered for most of the games, and not in a funny way. Hes like that annoying drunk girl at a party that everyone just wants to punch in the face

I'm just the opposite. With Rice, it's obvious he's not serious with much of the stuff he says. He's a jokester. That's his style and anybody that has listened to him for any period of time knows that (fans from other teams likely wouldn't). I think he's pretty funny and entertaining actually. To me Mike Barrett does a good job of the play by play, but his "homerism" I truly think is genuine. He bitches and whines about all kinds of stuff and I think he really means it. Occasionally he'll get on a harp about something and just drives it into the ground over and over which gets pretty annoying to me. Still, I think they're the best pair we've ever had on the TV side and much better than most others out there.


ron

[Walton'sBeard!]

The worst homering I have witnessed came from Laimbeer during a Pistons broadcast. The Pistons were up by about 20 with a couple minutes to go, and he was mocking their oppenents and making fun of them for trying to score at the end of the game. When they did score he would say "Pffft, it don't matter!" As if he were on the court talking trash. It was pretty disgusting.


On the Portland front, Wheeler is terrible. He makes fun of every other team when their announcer tries to get the crowd to stand up or be loud or yell "Defense!", as if Portland doesn't do the exact same thing. Come to think of it, Barrett has doen the same thing from time to time.

[Mr Odd]

Yep, I enjoy Mike & Mike very much.

I like my announcers to be goofy and
love the team theyre announcing for.

Most of the announcers that Ive heard
from other teams are to business like.

I did like the Hawks announcers.
Atleast the summer league ones.

Also one thing, Mike & Mike might be
homers, but if they get something wrong
like if they think theres a foul & theyll be
all over it & then they look at the replay
and they will admit when they are wrong.
Some announcers dont even do that.. .

[The Sebastian Express]

Rice is horrible. He gets names wrong, and facts wrong. He makes inappropriate jokes about other players at times. He is just awful. He also plays favorites with the Blazer players but it is kinda subtle.

It just irks me that someone that is paid to do a broadcast can't get simle facts and names wrong. I mean for goodness sake can he not research this at all.

[Mr Odd]

Rice is horrible. He gets names wrong, and facts wrong. He makes inappropriate jokes about other players at times. He is just awful. He also plays favorites with the Blazer players but it is kinda subtle.

It just irks me that someone that is paid to do a broadcast can't get simle facts and names wrong. I mean for goodness sake can he not research this at all.

Huh, I guess im blind to that.. . hehe