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The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:32 pm
by peteyjones13
Hi guys,
Raps fan here,
I'm just wondering in all seriousness, do you guys mind listening to your broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn or whatever his name is.
It's ok to be bias and cheer for your home team. But when it COMPLETELY takes away from any objectivity you might have, it becomes a bit ridiculous.
At the beginning of yesterday's game I was just laughing at Tommy. When Perkins attempted to elbow the guy in the head and got a technical foul, and Tommy went off about the officiating. At first I just laughed.
As the game went on, I started yelling for him to shutup, and eventually I jsut had to watch the game on mute. Like if the Raps broadcasters were this ridiculous, I'd think they should be fired. I wouldn't want a guy like Tommy doing my team's home games.
Do you guys as Celtics fans mind it?
Also,
I think you guys have a great shot against the Cavs. A lot of people are writing you off, including your very on Bill Simmons, but a lot of people forget how good Pierce is, and I can talk more about your team, but it's not something any of you wouldn't know. Either way, I think you guys have an excellent chance against Cleveland, you just need to find a way to steal one of the first 2 games somehow.
Let me know about Tommy.
Loved Brent Barry's joke..."I have a question for Tommy Heinsohn...If a tree falls down in a forest, and no one's around to see it, is it still foul on the Miami Heat? The answer's yes, yes it is." hahahahaha, too funny and true.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:35 pm
by MaxwellSmart
Tommy is usually correct....he's the only guy not afraid to call out the officials for their OBVIOUS bad calls....sometimes he gets carried away though....Perk did NOT try to elbow that guy in the head--he was trying to break free from the other player's grasp----but everyone only mentions Perk's elbow coming up.....grrrr.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:39 pm
by JCizzle
Tommy is great, I wouldn't trade him for anyone. He's not on national TV and is catering to the local Boston crowd, I really don't see what the big deal is. The guy has the credentials to back it up too.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:39 pm
by FeedReed
nah, that's his style he's perfected. he's a homer, he's broadcasting for celtics fans, not for anyone else. i don't think he actually believes everything that he says deep down. a lot of boston fans are biased and only see things our way anyway so it works. i can see how anyone whose not a c's fan would hate him, but if you are, it's hard to not love the guy.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 4:52 pm
by peteyjones13
MaxwellSmart wrote:Tommy is usually correct....he's the only guy not afraid to call out the officials for their OBVIOUS bad calls....sometimes he gets carried away though....Perk did NOT try to elbow that guy in the head--he was trying to break free from the other player's grasp----but everyone only mentions Perk's elbow coming up.....grrrr.
Ok, but I'm not speaking from one specific example of one play. I've watched enough Celtics games with Tommy, and it's an absolute joke how biased he is.
I'm shocked at the responses so far saying that Tommy is usually correct and isn't afraid to call officials out. I guess you fans, with all due respect, are so biased that you actually agree??? with most of what Tommy says.
Later in the game(for example), I see Wade drive get hit twice(once in the head by Sheed), they call a foul. And a minute later Tommy's yapping about a guy like Wade drives they try to give him a foul even if he didn't get a foul. A couple minutes later, they call a moving screen on Big Baby(I think it was Big baby). They show the replay, it was CLEARLY a moving screen, I think to myself, ok Tommy will shutup now. NOOO!!!! He starts talking about how it was a horrible call!!!
I'm sorry C's fans, Tommy is ridiculous, and not someone that can be taken seriously at all. It's OK to cheer for your team, and want your team to win as a broadcaster. But when it affects your judgment to the point that Paul Pierce could probably punch someone out, knock them unconscious, and Tommy would be crying about a foul on Pierce, then something's wrong.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:00 pm
by JCizzle
peteyjones13 wrote:But when it affects your judgment to the point that Paul Pierce could probably punch someone out, knock them unconscious, and Tommy would be crying about a foul on Pierce, then something's wrong.
No, it's actually quite awesome. Your opinion is wrong.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:00 pm
by SLCceltic
You're entitled to your opinion..............but maybe you should keep it to yourself or post it on a different team board than this one
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:00 pm
by goulardi
I suggest you turn the sound off if you can't take it. Tommy knows more basketball than most. He knows the refs as well and how the good ones can keep control of a game.
As for the moving screen on Baby....no way it was a foul. Bad call.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:01 pm
by BlamePitino
peteyjones13 wrote:MaxwellSmart wrote:Tommy is usually correct....he's the only guy not afraid to call out the officials for their OBVIOUS bad calls....sometimes he gets carried away though....Perk did NOT try to elbow that guy in the head--he was trying to break free from the other player's grasp----but everyone only mentions Perk's elbow coming up.....grrrr.
Ok, but I'm not speaking from one specific example of one play. I've watched enough Celtics games with Tommy, and it's an absolute joke how biased he is.
I'm shocked at the responses so far saying that Tommy is usually correct and isn't afraid to call officials out. I guess you fans, with all due respect, are so biased that you actually agree??? with most of what Tommy says.
Later in the game(for example), I see Wade drive get hit twice(once in the head by Sheed), they call a foul. And a minute later Tommy's yapping about a guy like Wade drives they try to give him a foul even if he didn't get a foul. A couple minutes later, they call a moving screen on Big Baby(I think it was Big baby). They show the replay, it was CLEARLY a moving screen, I think to myself, ok Tommy will shutup now. NOOO!!!! He starts talking about how it was a horrible call!!!
I'm sorry C's fans, Tommy is ridiculous, and not someone that can be taken seriously at all. It's OK to cheer for your team, and want your team to win as a broadcaster. But when it affects your judgment to the point that Paul Pierce could probably punch someone out, knock them unconscious, and Tommy would be crying about a foul on Pierce, then something's wrong.
Hey, you know what else is ridiculous and an absolute joke?
[deleted] like you who ask people what the deal is with something...then come right back and TELL people what the deal is.
DD: I don't think the poster has crossed the line of baiting/trollig, while this name calling clearly does. Please keep it in check.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:04 pm
by peteyjones13
BlamePitino wrote:peteyjones13 wrote:MaxwellSmart wrote:Tommy is usually correct....he's the only guy not afraid to call out the officials for their OBVIOUS bad calls....sometimes he gets carried away though....Perk did NOT try to elbow that guy in the head--he was trying to break free from the other player's grasp----but everyone only mentions Perk's elbow coming up.....grrrr.
Ok, but I'm not speaking from one specific example of one play. I've watched enough Celtics games with Tommy, and it's an absolute joke how biased he is.
I'm shocked at the responses so far saying that Tommy is usually correct and isn't afraid to call officials out. I guess you fans, with all due respect, are so biased that you actually agree??? with most of what Tommy says.
Later in the game(for example), I see Wade drive get hit twice(once in the head by Sheed), they call a foul. And a minute later Tommy's yapping about a guy like Wade drives they try to give him a foul even if he didn't get a foul. A couple minutes later, they call a moving screen on Big Baby(I think it was Big baby). They show the replay, it was CLEARLY a moving screen, I think to myself, ok Tommy will shutup now. NOOO!!!! He starts talking about how it was a horrible call!!!
I'm sorry C's fans, Tommy is ridiculous, and not someone that can be taken seriously at all. It's OK to cheer for your team, and want your team to win as a broadcaster. But when it affects your judgment to the point that Paul Pierce could probably punch someone out, knock them unconscious, and Tommy would be crying about a foul on Pierce, then something's wrong.
Hey, you know what else is ridiculous and an absolute joke? Morons like you who ask people what the deal is with something...then come right back and TELL people what the deal is.
Well I know what the deal is with Tommy. I wasn't asking if he wasn't ridiculously biased. That's a fact. Rick Kamla and Brent Barry were so shocked by it they were making jokes about it. Tommy's level of bias is an indisputable fact. I wasn't asking what the deal was, but I was asking how C's fans feel about it. Obviously you like it, that's ok. I was just wondering. Actually wasn't trying to start a fight but I guess that's what it turned into.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:09 pm
by darrendaye
We have threads like this pop up every time the C's feed is picked up nationally. Is Heinsohn ridiculous in his homerism? You betcha. I do have great deal of empathy for non-Celtic fans watching the telecast.
Personally the day Tommy stops doing Celtic games, it's a good bet it's the day he also stops breathing, will be a very sad one for me. He is a Celtic icon and broadcasts like he is still on the bench. The general audience perfers announcers with a certain level of detachment and with Tommy that is an impossible task with him having been deeply rooted in the organization for 50 years. And the guy has, imo, great entertainment value due to how enthused he is and his animation.
It is unfortunate that Mike Gorman gets lumped in via guilt by association.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:11 pm
by mr_sunshine
If you think the game last night was evenly/cleanly officiated go get your eyes checked. Sorry Heinsohn actually has a sack and criticizes the refs when they deserve it unlike Mr. Salami & Cheese. Anyone saying he doesn't know what he's talking about is a moron. Tommy has been around the game of basketball long than a lot of us have been alive.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:19 pm
by mwhis21
Do you mean the same Brent Barry who during all star weekend after he hit a three in one of the competitions did the little bulls eye over the eye gesture? That's right the retired Brent Barry who accomplished about as much as me in our NBA Careers.
The Barry family has a long hatred for the Celtics dating back to their father. It's been pretty fairly documented.
Facts: Tommy is over the top, a homer, completely biased, very knowledgeable of the game, entertaining and funny. He probably should keep his mouth shut about certain things. However, he compliments opposing players very well also.
He is old school. The guy is in his 70's. He played an era that most announces today didn't event get to watch when they were waiting for their balls to drop.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:20 pm
by Gant
This is a recurring theme. Maybe the board should have a FAQ sticky, with much of the answers devoted to Tommy.
Here's the deal:
* Yes Tommy is biased.
* Being biased is not automatically a bad thing. (See Johnny Most, who made Tommy look like Chick Hearn.)
* Tommy's basketball resume speaks for itself. He's the only guy who could get into the hall of fame as a player, coach, OR broadcaster.
* Tommy knows as much about the game as anyone in the world. As a coach he took the smallest team in the league and won two titles in three years.
* If you pay attention to his discussion of the nuances of the game instead of what he's saying about the refs, you'll learn a lot.
* If you take everything he says about calls seriously, you've had a sense-of-humor-ectomy.
* Tommy is treasured in this region.
Finally: You don't like him? We don't care.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:22 pm
by GreenPiece
Just to be obnoxious I am going to quote myself:
All the local broadcasters are homers. The difference is Heinsohn acknowledges his own bias, jokes about it, and sometimes embellishes it. Just about every local color guy I have heard complains about the same percentage of calls but just doesn't have the same over the top flair Tommy has.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:39 pm
by peteyjones13
GreenPiece wrote:Just to be obnoxious I am going to quote myself:
All the local broadcasters are homers. The difference is Heinsohn acknowledges his own bias, jokes about it, and sometimes embellishes it. Just about every local color guy I have heard complains about the same percentage of calls but just doesn't have the same over the top flair Tommy has.
This is not true though. Every local broadcaster is a homer in the sense that he cheers for his own team. That's ok. I have NO problem with a broadcaster going crazy to a big play by the home team, and reacting with disapointment to a big play by the opposing team.
Every local broadcaster IS a homer in the sense that they cheer for their team, but NOT in the sense that they can't even be objective and notice what are and are not fouls. Chuck Swirsky was a GREAT raps broadcaster and of course he got a lot more excited when the Raps did well, as he should, but if there was a foul on the Raps, he would acknowledge it
And your quote that every local color guy complains about the same percentage of calls as Tommy. HELL NO. How many local color guys have you watched.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:45 pm
by peteyjones13
darrendaye wrote:We have threads like this pop up every time the C's feed is picked up nationally. Is Heinsohn ridiculous in his homerism? You betcha. I do have great deal of empathy for non-Celtic fans watching the telecast.
Personally the day Tommy stops doing Celtic games, it's a good bet it's the day he also stops breathing, will be a very sad one for me. He is a Celtic icon and broadcasts like he is still on the bench. The general audience perfers announcers with a certain level of detachment and with Tommy that is an impossible task with him having been deeply rooted in the organization for 50 years. And the guy has, imo, great entertainment value due to how enthused he is and his animation.
It is unfortunate that Mike Gorman gets lumped in via guilt by association.
I don't think the general audience prefers announcers with a certain level of detachment. Chuck Swirsky(Ex-Raps broadcaster) and Joe Bowen(Leafs broadcaster) are DEFINITELY NOT detached, and fans love hearing the emotion. I'm NOT saying that Tommy should be detached and not passionate. That aspect is great. But when it leaves you with such an extreme level of bias that you have NO objectivity to refereeing and you can't even fairly commentate a game, then there is a problem.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:47 pm
by Datruth345
JCizzle wrote:Tommy is great, I wouldn't trade him for anyone. He's not on national TV and is catering to the local Boston crowd, I really don't see what the big deal is. The guy has the credentials to back it up too.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:02 pm
by Cyclical
peteyjones13 wrote:Tommy Heinsohn or whatever his name is.
Here's some Tommy info for you to check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_HeinsohnTommy's earned the right to be biased.It's hard for new basketball fans to grasp. It's unheard of for new basketball towns like Toronto or Miami or Orlando. But Boston is different. There's a very long history here. We like our commentators to bleed green. To be passionate. And sure, to be biased. It's entertaining. It fires everyone up. And to boot, Tommy dispenses info that you wouldn't get from anyone else. Gorman is there to even him out - it works fantastically. NBA TV chose to use our local feed for a national broadcast - that's on them. The broadcast is meant to be heard by New Englanders, and we love it.
Re: The Celtics Broadcaster
Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 6:14 pm
by Edug27
Point is: True Celtics fans love Tommy. If you root for the Celtics, I dont know how you would dislike him. Every team has their bias announcers. I personally dislike hearing Celtics games done by anyone other than Mike and Tommy. I think Tommy is funny and clever (whether his rants are right or wrong). He adds entertainment to the games, and he's is usually correct with many of his calls (from the eyes of a C's fan). Hes a legend!