Hey, the tourney is over and with the combination of the NCAA and conference tournaments, pretty much ever announcer worth their salt was involved. I figure this is as good a time as any to rank the best and worst.
Best
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Bill Raftery - This guy rocks. Combines the passion and knowledge of Vitale without being caught up in hyperbole and screaming adulation. He calls a game like a guy that truly enjoys being there and can’t wait to see what happens next.
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Jon Sundvold - Quick riser. Says the important stuff, lets the game play out on it’s own without dominating the coverage.
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Len Elmore - Once again, says what counts and doesn’t overdo things. What he says is usually correct, plus it is always nice to have a post player offering insight instead of a bunch of former guards.
Honorary - Al McGuire - Best ever. He was just fun to listen to.
Worst
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Billy Packer - Pompous, self-seving, acts like his insights are brilliant when anyone with a minor basketball pedigree already knows what is going on. I die a little bit inside each time CBS renews their contract to show the NCAA tourney just because I know that means he will be calling games.
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George Raveling - Oh good grief, if you have poor voice quality and take 2 minutes to state a point that needed to be said in 20 seconds you need to go back to coaching. His response time is so slow that he never catches up to the game at hand.
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Gus Johnson - Did you hear any of his games in this tournament? Overly dramatic and quite often mis-interpreting the flow of the game.