Kent fired

PDXKnight · Post #1 » by **PDXKnight** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 9:36 pm

https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2021/06/portland-trail-blazers-part-ways-with-broadcaster-jordan-kent-opening-door-for-kevin-calabros-return.html

Kent is out! I loved him as a duck but he was unbearable as a tv broadcaster!

Post #2 » by **DeBlazerRiddem** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:16 pm

Honestly I liked him way better than Kevin Calabro

Wickzki · Post #3 » by **Wickzki** » Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:04 pm

DeBlazerRiddem wrote:Honestly I liked him way better than Kevin Calabro

Welcome back Calabro

Post #4 » by **The Sebastian Express** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 3:19 am

Kent was such a great playbyplay guy. I loved him. I love the chemistry he had with Lamar. I think this was the wrong decision. He was only in his first year.

Case2012 · Post #5 » by **Case2012** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:41 am

Kevin and Lamar were a really cringe combo, this is pretty lame. TBH they should both go, they’re really bad. AT least Kent and Lamar had chemistry, and their interactions weren’t forced and awkward. Chris McGowan is just as bad as Olshey, trash all around.

Village Idiot · Post #6 » by **Village Idiot** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:40 am

This was awkward. I've always liked Calabro and never warmed to Kent but this was unexpected. I hope they can make it work

Case2012 · Post #7 » by **Case2012** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 4:28 pm

The dynamic of an old white guy and a young black guy just never worked. Super awkward generational and cultural gap. At least Lamar and Kent had age and cultural similarities that didn’t make the broadcast so weird. Are there any good play by play people anymore? I feel like they all suck and detract from the game.

Norm2953 · Post #8 » by **Norm2953** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 4:59 pm

I would wonder when Seattle gets an expansion team, if Calabro would leave leave for his old job in Seattle

JasonStern · Post #9 » by **JasonStern** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 6:04 pm

Bummer. I liked the Kent/Lamar duo. Calabro always seemed to have these stretches where he never really came across as being a die-hard Blazers fan. That said, I still don't get why the team ever got rid of Mike Barrett.

zzaj · Post #10 » by **zzaj** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 6:24 pm

I pretty much can't stand Calabro. I liked Jordan Kent more than Lamar too, actually...but that duo was miles better than Calabro and Lamar.

Post #11 » by **Cactus Jack** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:03 pm

Norm2953 wrote:I would wonder when Seattle gets an expansion team, if Calabro would leave leave for his old job in Seattle

He'll be back. :wink:

Now that the Blazers have officially partnered with Root sports (Seattle station). A legit question. What happens when the Sonics are back? Does Root drop them?

Read on Twitter

Apparently it's a four year deal (w/Root). Which would seem to align with a possible expansion timeline (2024/25).

Post #12 » by **Cactus Jack** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 7:11 pm

DeBlazerRiddem wrote:Honestly I liked him way better than Kevin Calabro

Really?

I find it odd that some Portland fans never took to him. Maybe I'm just biased & have a major case of nostalgia.

Him calling Blazers games does still seem odd. Feels out of place.

zzaj · Post #13 » by **zzaj** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:43 pm

Cactus Jack wrote:
DeBlazerRiddem wrote:Honestly I liked him way better than Kevin Calabro

Really?

I find it odd that some Portland fans never took to him. Maybe I'm just biased & have a major case of nostalgia.

Then again, him calling Blazers games does still seem odd. Feels out of place.

Did you watch Calabro on our broadcasts? He was pretty terrible...especially when paired with Lamar. Always came off as "...it's a job.", and honestly was nothing like how I remember his Sonics days.

Post #14 » by **Cactus Jack** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:50 pm

zzaj wrote:Did you watch Calabro on our broadcasts? He was pretty terrible...especially when paired with Lamar. Always came off as "...it's a job.", and honestly was nothing like how I remember his Sonics days.

Not a ton if I'm being honest.

Then again, I grew up listening to KC. He'll always be the voice of the Sonics.

A lot of it is chemistry between the two guys who call the game. He didn't really appear to have that in Portland. I'm not really familiar with the current Blazers crew. But for years, Marques Johnson was his sidekick in Seattle. Those two had unreal chemistry together.

Watch on YouTube

I will say that Mike Barrett & Mike Rice we're a great duo. They we're outstanding together.

JasonStern · Post #15 » by **JasonStern** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:11 pm

Cactus Jack wrote:I will say that Mike Barrett & Mike Rice we're a great duo. They we're outstanding together.

Rice could pre-game a little too hard before a broadcast, but Barrett was a class act. An absolute homer, but is that really such a bad thing for your team's home broadcast duo?

Post #16 » by **Cactus Jack** » Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:21 pm

JasonStern wrote:
Cactus Jack wrote:I will say that Mike Barrett & Mike Rice we're a great duo. They we're outstanding together.

Rice could pre-game a little too hard before a broadcast, but Barrett was a class act. An absolute homer, but is that really such a bad thing for your team's home broadcast duo?

No, not really. It was a bit of a shock to find out that they we're being replaced. They'd been with the team a long time.

KC is regarded as one of the best in the business. So it made sense at the time. But the problem was that they didn't hire the right guy to pair with him. They likely botched it.

trix17 · Post #17 » by **trix17** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:02 am

Oh thank ****.

Andre 2999 · Post #18 » by **Andre 2999** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:21 am

I'm really surprised by the negativity about bringing back Calabro here. In my opinion, he and Lamar were the best commentating duo in the league!

I grew up in Eugene and watched Kent play basketball and football at UO. Love the guy, and I sympathize with him being thrown into a difficult situation covering for Calabro, but it was hard listening to his cheezy lines (like "Paint it!" on every Dame 3) and his random ramblings on non-sequitur topics.

I hope Kent sticks around the Blazers organization, and maybe he'll return to the booth again someday, but I am stoked to have Calabro back!

zzaj · Post #19 » by **zzaj** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:12 pm

Cactus Jack wrote:
zzaj wrote:Did you watch Calabro on our broadcasts? He was pretty terrible...especially when paired with Lamar. Always came off as "...it's a job.", and honestly was nothing like how I remember his Sonics days.

Not a ton if I'm being honest.

Then again, I grew up listening to KC. He'll always be the voice of the Sonics.

A lot of it is chemistry between the two guys who call the game. He didn't really appear to have that in Portland. I'm not really familiar with the current Blazers crew. But for years, Marques Johnson was his sidekick in Seattle. Those two had unreal chemistry together.

Watch on YouTube

I love Marques Johnson as a broadcaster. He’s actually my favorite…he went to the Bucks, right? I remember watching their feed and being blown away by his basketball acumen…

I will say that Mike Barrett & Mike Rice we're a great duo. They we're outstanding together.

Sinobas · Post #20 » by **Sinobas** » Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:29 pm

I don't get the Kent hate. I thought KC was like a fish out of water doing TV, trying too hard to be witty etc. Put KC on the radio.