Consor and Johnson: The Wizards Radio Team

[dorianwrite]

Since I don't own a TV anymore, let alone cable, I don't see that many Wizards games. Instead, I mostly listen to the play-by-play stylings of Dave Johnson and color commentary from Glenn Consor, the Wizards radio team.

I tend to find Johnson very listenable and Consor a bit grating, but I'd be curious to get other Wiz fans' opinions of their work. Additionally, does anyone else have a guess (or inside information) about whether they actually like each other? Usually, they are pretty amiable or the teasing seems affectionate, but on occasion, I get the feeling Johnson thinks Consor is an idiot.

Any ideas?

[FAH1223]

Glenn is a homer and is blind to criticism of the team. I understand Monumental is giving him his pay check but damn.

The post game show is funny/awkward when the inevitable Wiz fan calls in howling how Wittman doesn't know what he's doing or how bad Grunfeld is.

[nate33]

I think Dave Johnson is terrific. He describes the plays nicely and has good enthusiasm when appropriate. Glen Consor is okay, but nothing to write home about. He at least has some insight from time to time. I think he's better than Phil Chenier as a commentary guy.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

I disagree. Johnson's call is always behind the play. He's gotten better and isn't as bad as the Caps guy... But he's not good.

I remember when Charlie Slowes did the games. He was great, as he is with the Nats

[Ruzious]

I disagree. Johnson's call is always behind the play. He's gotten better and isn't as bad as the Caps guy... But he's not good.

I remember when Charlie Slowes did the games. He was great, as he is with the Nats

I don't see it... actually, I don't hear it. Slowes wasn't terrible, but his delivery was too slow and deliberate for the NBA, imo. Johnson took a little getting used to in his first year - because he seemed to try to cram in 30 words per second at times, but he's gotten really good at harnessing that speed and describing the action. Consor is what he is. You either like that New York style/humor of his, or you don't. Sometimes he is a challenge to listen to, but I like the guy. I don't expect many insights from him. One local color radio guy I do like is Chris Knoche - does a good job on the Terps games.

[Nivek]

I think Dave Johnson does a first-rate job calling the action. He's also one of the nicest guys I met when I used to go over there as media.

Glenn does a decent job on analysis, though it's tough to fit much meaningful into the radio format. He's WAY better than Phil Chenier. Glenn's better in one-on-one situations when the microphone is off. He was a big and early supporter of my defensive tracking project a few years back.

[Jay81]

I think Dave Johnson does a first-rate job calling the action. He's also one of the nicest guys I met when I used to go over there as media.

Glenn does a decent job on analysis, though it's tough to fit much meaningful into the radio format. He's WAY better than Phil Chenier. Glenn's better in one-on-one situations when the microphone is off. He was a big and early supporter of my defensive tracking project a few years back.

I like Glen but hard to take him serious when he cant criticize the coach or the GM. Ever

[Higga]

Dave Johnson is awesome.

Glenn Consor is...okay I guess. I don't mind the blind homerism, but sometimes he's just too excited and needs to relax. I like Phil Chenier's more calm approach.

Nobody beats Buck though. Best broadcaster in sports IMO.

[Nivek]

Dave Johnson is awesome.

Glenn Consor is...okay I guess. I don't mind the blind homerism, but sometimes he's just too excited and needs to relax. I like Phil Chenier's more calm approach.

Nobody beats Buck though. Best broadcaster in sports IMO.

I disagree on Buckhantz. He's grown on me over the past few seasons, but this season I've been watching many of the games with the sound turned down. I much prefer the radio team to the TV guys. Biggest complaint I've had about Buckhantz is his poor -- and often downright misleading -- use of stats. That's really a complaint about the entire Comcast broadcast.

There was one time my son sat to watch some of a game with me. This was last season during that horrific start. Comcast and Buckhantz presented a few stats showing how the Wizards were among the league leaders in various categories. Finally, my son says, "If the Wizards are so good at all these things, why do they lose so much?" My response: "Because what they're showing doesn't mean anything."

I do agree with folks that Consor's homerism goes over the top sometimes. Biggest thing that bugs me about him is the constant griping about the officiating.

I like Phil, but I don't think he's a good analyst. Based on conversations I've had with him, I suspect he's trying to keep things simple for a casual audience. I wish he'd talk hoops on-air more like he has in private.

[Upper Decker]

I think Dave Johnson does a fantastic job. He's so descriptive in his calls. I've listened to several other broadcasts during travels for work and it's pathetic how little description other broadcasters use in their calls.

Consor is a homer which can be annoying, but I also recall a lot of times where he's been highly critical of Wall and Beal for settling instead of attacking the rim. I do not really dislike anything about Consor, he keeps things light, and understandably toes the company line.

Buck and Phil do nothing for me beyond Bucks occasional dagger call. In a perfect world CSN would have someone like Jack Armstrong do the color because he's a little goofy, insightful, and pretty entertaining. What I don't think CSN understands is that the broadcast team, not just the on court action are part of the entertainment package. Buck and Phil are incredibly boring and provide little if any entertainment. I pretty much watch every other teams broadcast when I'm watching Washington games on league pass except against the SAS. Sean Elliot licks pouch.

[mohammed10]

I have listened to Johnson and Consor a few times over the years. I have found Dave Johnson to be an excellent pay-by-play guy. He does make you feel like you are part of the action. Is he the best in the biz? No, but he is far from the worst. I would rate him as above average.

Glen Consor, on the other hand is too much of a homer for my tastes. I have rarely heard him utter a critical word about the coaching or leadership of the team (I realize that Ted pays his checks, but Glen could show a bit more objectivity).

Of the two, Consor is definitely the company man.

[Severn Hoos]

I came home from college and really started to follow the Bullets as more than a casual fan during the days of Mel Proctor (TV) and Charlie Slowes (Radio). That was the golden age of Bullets/Wiz broadcasting, other than Frank Herzog in the Championship year ("Stops, pops, cans a 15-footer!")

I do like Dave Johnson, and Buck is endearing but I wouldn't call him "good." Too many "Dagger!"s (especially the premature dagger), the embarrassing call last season where he was the only guy who thought the Wiz had won, the end of the Raptors game a few years back ("Not possible!"), the list goes on and on. He's comfortable, but then too much about this franchise is "comfortable" with mediocrity, so I don't see that as a good thing.

Oh yeah, the thread is about the radio. Dave Johnson's good, and he's gotten a LOT better than when he first started. Glen Consor? Meh.

[McFilthy]

I think Dave Johnson is pretty good. He is able to convey the action pretty well and makes me feel in the flow of the game.

I find Consor annoying to listen to sometimes. Periodically I think to myself he would be a little better if he did a little more research (including reading the Wizards boards like Realgm.)

[Benjammin]

Buckhantz thinks every shot is a "jumper", not understanding there are runners, floaters, hook shots, etc.

Sent from my XT1080 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[FAH1223]

Glen is pissed on the radio right now because people are calling saying management stinks and the Organization can be so much better.

Then he called out Ji and says "there's this guy on twitter named Jay who always says this negative stuff and it's stupid"

And now Consor went on a tirade saying he isn't defending management but there doesn't need to be changes and their blunders happen in all businesses

[dandridge 10]

Glen is pissed on the radio right now because people are calling saying management stinks and the Organization can be so much better.

Then he called out Ji and says "there's this guy on twitter named Jay who always says this negative stuff and it's stupid"

And now Consor went on a tirade saying he isn't defending management but there doesn't need to be changes and their blunders happen in all businesses

I just posted this in the game thread as well. Consor calls out Ji for hiding behind social media and not calling Consor to express his opinion, right after he basically told Jim that he was not hearing any negative talk about management.

I personally can't stand Consor. He only points out things that are obvious, is IMHO arrogant, and an obvious homer. It also always pisses me off when he doesn't let people speak during the post game show when he disagrees with them. Yet, he will let some lady that don't know a lick about basketball talk for 5 minutes about nothing.
.
I think Dave Johnson is excellent

[FAH1223]

Glen is pissed on the radio right now because people are calling saying management stinks and the Organization can be so much better.

Then he called out Ji and says "there's this guy on twitter named Jay who always says this negative stuff and it's stupid"

And now Consor went on a tirade saying he isn't defending management but there doesn't need to be changes and their blunders happen in all businesses

I just posted this in the game thread as well. Consor calls out Ji for hiding behind social media and not calling Consor to express his opinion, right after he basically told Jim that he was not hearing any negative talk about management.

I personally can't stand Consor. He only points out things that are obvious, is IMHO arrogant, and an obvious homer. It also always pisses me off when he doesn't let people speak during the post game show when he disagrees with them. Yet, he will let some lady that don't know a lick about basketball talk for 5 minutes about nothing.
.
I think Dave Johnson is excellent

I think we all should call Glenn after the Pacers blow them out on Friday.

[dobrojim]

I think Dave Johnson does a first-rate job calling the action. He's also one of the nicest guys I met when I used to go over there as media.

Glenn does a decent job on analysis, though it's tough to fit much meaningful into the radio format. He's WAY better than Phil Chenier. Glenn's better in one-on-one situations when the microphone is off. He was a big and early supporter of my defensive tracking project a few years back.

+1

Dave Johnson is excellent. And having met him, I can say he is a truly nice guy.
And I like Glen too. When I haven't put him in a position where he feels
he has to protect GMEG. Glen is a very nice man.

[doclinkin]

I didn't usedta could stand Consor, but he's grown on me over time. He's a homer, yes, but unabashed about it. But both of them are really engaging and interactive with fans on any channel, I've chatted by email, or in message board comment sections etc with both of them. Consor I think was hired as the postgame chat guy in large part as an anti- Scott Jackson, who understand the bitter and cynical heart of the true diehard fan. I loved Jaxx' dose of reality but he was clearly burned out trying to brushcut through the idiocy night after grueling night.

As for the TV team: I tend to catch my video feed off firstrowsports or atdhe and quite often this means I'm listening to the opposing home team commentators (when we are on the road). And given this perspective I have to say our TV team is pretty excellent and relatively objective. They're prejudiced for the home team but will acknowledge when we got a way with a foul, and offer gentle critique of what is going wrong. Compared to Boston's Tommy Heinson (the frickin worst) or others we are lucky not to get the bloviating cart load of horsedookie that other squads are shoveling. There are a few opposing broadcasts who call it well, but not many.

It has been interesting to watch the perception of our squad change over the season though. The turnaround on John Wall is night and day, crediting him for anything Gortat is able to do offensively. I love their flabbergastery whenever John comes up with a chasedown block. And opposing broadcasters who know anything about the sport covet Trevor Ariza openly. It will probably take too much to retain him.

[dobrojim]

I wonder what it will take to make commonplace the use of more advanced stats
in NBA coverage. Some of this stuff just isn't that complicated if you can take
a stat like say FG% and show how 2 different players with the same number
could potentially be quite dissimilar. Kinda like BA in baseball. More and
more baseball fans are starting to understand OPS as the key/best single
offensive stat.

It was encouraging to read earlier this season that HOU was starting to use
adv stats. I suspect their fans are becoming better informed as a result although
I expect their education is still a slow process.