Take on the New York Knick MSG Radio Network

listen to parts of most Knick games on my Walkman while jogging at night.  I've been doing it for years and thought it was due time to take on the entire MSG radio network.    The Knicks have gone througha number of play by play men through the years from the best in the business (Gus Johnson/Mike Breen) to the collection of muppets they have now.  In generally Crispino and Spero Dedes do an adequate job but both lack the big voice (both literally and figuratively) to carry the broadcast.   I'm not demanding a play-by-play guy carry the broadcast mind you, but when they are surrounded by a bunch of total buffoons it becomes nearly unbearable.

The play by play guys can be summed up like this: bored and undersexed:  Dedes sounds bored most of the time which you can't blame him for since he's spent the previous few seasons holding the same gig for the Lakers.  His delivery is uninspired and it's obvious he has no chemistry with his color guys (more on this later).   Mike Crispino at least sounds like he has some passion; albeit with the cracking voice of a 14 year old boy.   I give him credit for trying but the results sound like a Liberty game

But the bigger issue is something else because like anything Dolan touches that isn't even the worst part, whereas the Knicks have a strong history in radio play-by-play guys, their color commentators have always left more than just a little bit to be desired (See Frazier, Clyde)

 The worst part of the radio broadcast are the color guys who collectively sound like they either slept in lead-paint rooms or were held in rubber ones.   Brendan Brown sounds like he's inherited none of Hubie's basketball competence, explaining the nuance of the game is what about the only thing you need your color man to do but I never get the impression that I'm learning anything.    The one thing that annoys the piss out of me is that he constantly mentions things like 'that's the last time out for the third quarter' which means nothing since basketball gives out time-outs for each half.    The only thing somewhat interesting about him is that he's got a total distain for Dedes, the entire time you are listening to the broadcast you expect Brown to jump over the table and stabs Spiro in the neck with his Mont Blanc pen he bought over on the upper west side.

But the worst one is also the longest running member of the radio team..the wise man John Andariese   If there is ever a time when it has become obvious that time has passed him by it's in the case of Johnny Hoops.   He can spent two entire quarters without giving any insight whatsoever and when he finally come around to making a point it's usually as insightful as 'the Knicks have to play better here'.   He seems like a nice man who like your grandfather would be better off if he was admitted into but into Calvary Hospital