The "new" NBATV

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

TNT purchased NBATV and, while there hasn't really been a whole lot of cross-promotion, as of yet, there have been some significant changes so far: one notable one has been the introduction of "fan night" where people get to vote on what game they want aired on NBA TV Tuesday nights, and another is this "Top Ten Games of the Week" feature that I'm watching right now. Apparently, they somehow decide which were the ten best games to happen that week, and then show the best parts of those ten games over the course of five hours. Interesting, if I do say so.

Anyone else with some feedback about the "new" NBATV?

 

[Larry89]

Disguised scheme to gain control of our brains

 

[Gargamel]

The new TNT format of their nightly highlight show is obnoxious, in large part due to Payton, who can't speak in English. You can tell the network wanted to ramp up production values. The format of their bread and butter show has gotten progressively more fluffy since about 2003, in large part due to Kamla, who can't help that he's a natural born asshat. Flibbity-FLOO! (my Dana Carvey "grumpy old man" impression)

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Hrmm...


Well, not for the first time (and not likely the last time), I disagree one hundred percent with Gargamel's opinion. What he sees as obnoxious and fluffy, I see as slick and impressive. I like Payton, although I admittedly like the Webber/Payton combination more than I like the Payton/Snow combination. Snow works best as an analyst type, and does not appear to have good chemistry with the Glove, but I really enjoy the chemistry between the two former stars. And Kamla, seriously? Surely I can't be the only guy in America who likes Kamla.

Also, as someone who loves when David Aldridge guest hosts on Tony Kornheiser's radio show, I can't get enough "relaxed" DA. His regular TV persona is too... tight...

 

[sactownfan]

Kamla is terrible... the glove and snow terrible. where are the quick witted, funny, interesting, or articulate ex nba ballers... snow and payton dont have any stage presence.

 

[Gargamel]

Hrmm...

Well, not for the first time (and not likely the last time), I disagree one hundred percent with Gargamel's opinion. What he sees as obnoxious and fluffy, I see as slick and impressive. I like Payton, although I admittedly like the Webber/Payton combination more than I like the Payton/Snow combination. Snow works best as an analyst type, and does not appear to have good chemistry with the Glove, but I really enjoy the chemistry between the two former stars. And Kamla, seriously? Surely I can't be the only guy in America who likes Kamla.

The devolution of SportsCenter made me this way (also that of MTV). I can't stand the goofiness or the bland analysis or the big-bass music bumpin in the background of highlights. I appreciate pros in this biz and a more basic approach to covering the sport. I like to think I'm not as stodgy as Bryant Gumbel, but at least once in awhile, it's good to have some sports coverage that isn't for the kids, the casual fans, and the easily amused.

EG: Charlie Steiner was both intelligent and hilarious on SportsCenter 12+ yrs ago. When did it start going wrong? Craig Kilborn. I see a lot of Kilborn in Kamla.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Well, that's definitely the difference right there:

1) I haven't been hardened to Sportscenter and ESPN's broadcasting style. I've never bought into the whole "BSPN" meme but, more important than that, I simply don't watch Sportscenter because it doesn't meet my personal needs. I don't actually care about any sport other than basketball, and I find ESPN to be woefully inadequate for basketball coverage, so I don't actually watch ESPN at all, unless there's a game on, or to watch PTI.

2) As I am not actually a "sports fan," as such, I could give a rats *** about "hardcore" sports coverage. As I've mentioned before, my favorite sports personality of all time is Tony Kornheiser, precisely because he's not a hardcore sports meatball, and doesn't, in fact, take sports seriously most of the time.

I want to be entertained, and I want the glossy presentation, and NBATV's coverage works for me in that respect. I grok that it doesn't for other people, and that's all well and to the good. What I don't grok is when people say that personalities like Kamla and Snow are "terrible." I mean, I grok why somebody would think that Payton is terrible, the same way that I grok why someone would think that Angela Tsai is terrible, even though I don't particularly agree with either opinion... But, at least in those cases, I can evaluate them according to a criteria, and agree that they are deficient in their jobs in certain aspects, based upon said criteria. But I evaluate analysts such as Snow and media personalities such as Kamla according to different criteria, and I don't find them to be deficient on any technical basis, which reduces it to a matter of taste.

It's funny: nobody who knows me IRL would describe me as "easily amused" but, if liking NBATV's production earns me that label in your eyes, so be it.

 

[Larry89]

haha was watching Nets PHX highlights on NBATV with Payton/Webber and I hear Webber yell "OOOOOHH throw it down bigfella for all of us who are old and can't do it anymore" good ol CWebb

 

[Gargamel]

What I don't grok is when people say that personalities like Kamla and Snow are "terrible." I mean, I grok why somebody would think that Payton is terrible, the same way that I grok why someone would think that Angela Tsai is terrible, even though I don't particularly agree with either opinion... But, at least in those cases, I can evaluate them according to a criteria, and agree that they are deficient in their jobs in certain aspects, based upon said criteria. But I evaluate analysts such as Snow and media personalities such as Kamla according to different criteria, and I don't find them to be deficient on any technical basis, which reduces it to a matter of taste.

It's funny: nobody who knows me IRL would describe me as "easily amused" but, if liking NBATV's production earns me that label in your eyes, so be it.

Whoa, whoa. You've gone Aristotle on me in judging this stuff, my rantings ARE based on personal tastes. I didn't necessarily call you easily amused.

I've watched more NBA TV since my last post and I'm willing to amend my gripes to only include Kamla, Payton, and Webber after having seen different combinations. Payton deserves as much reverence post-career that your average Bad Boy Piston gets. Irritates me to see him smelling like roses. Smith and Snow aren't bad. I think they should get Jalen Rose on the show, he impressed me last year w/ his analysis and personality. I'm just not a fan of former players who can't speak nearly as well as they could ball, or guys who were arses. That includes my favorite player ever, Magic, who's painful to listen to.

 

[Superman]

Well, that's definitely the difference right there:

1) I haven't been hardened to Sportscenter and ESPN's broadcasting style. I've never bought into the whole "BSPN" meme but, more important than that, I simply don't watch Sportscenter because it doesn't meet my personal needs. I don't actually care about any sport other than basketball, and I find ESPN to be woefully inadequate for basketball coverage, so I don't actually watch ESPN at all, unless there's a game on, or to watch PTI.

2) As I am not actually a "sports fan," as such, I could give a rats *** about "hardcore" sports coverage. As I've mentioned before, my favorite sports personality of all time is Tony Kornheiser, precisely because he's not a hardcore sports meatball, and doesn't, in fact, take sports seriously most of the time.

I want to be entertained, and I want the glossy presentation, and NBATV's coverage works for me in that respect. I grok that it doesn't for other people, and that's all well and to the good. What I don't grok is when people say that personalities like Kamla and Snow are "terrible." I mean, I grok why somebody would think that Payton is terrible, the same way that I grok why someone would think that Angela Tsai is terrible, even though I don't particularly agree with either opinion... But, at least in those cases, I can evaluate them according to a criteria, and agree that they are deficient in their jobs in certain aspects, based upon said criteria. But I evaluate analysts such as Snow and media personalities such as Kamla according to different criteria, and I don't find them to be deficient on any technical basis, which reduces it to a matter of taste.

It's funny: nobody who knows me IRL would describe me as "easily amused" but, if liking NBATV's production earns me that label in your eyes, so be it.

Hey Slim, do you watch Lost?