NBC's coverage of Sunday's Suns-Raptors game, which
marked the Raptors' first national broadcast appearance in
the U.S. and featured a 51-point performance from Raptors F
Vince Carter, earned a 3.4/8 preliminary overnight Nielsen
rating. NBC altered its Sunday schedule so the Suns-Raptors
game was seen by the entire U.S. (THE DAILY). In Toronto,
Rob Longley writes under the header: "NBC (Shock!) Goes
Overboard." Longley writes that "Carter-mania has spread
across the U.S. and, as a dutiful NBA broadcaster, NBC had
the hype-machine cranked yesterday." He calls it a "love-in
that at times bordered on overkill," which "completed the
elevation of the Raptors and their superstar to a new
stratosphere of media attention." Longley: "You know you've
hit the NBA big time when Ahmad Rashad kisses your butt"
(TORONTO SUN, 2/28). Also in Toronto, Chris Zelkovich
writes the broadcast marked "the deification of the man who
will rescue those falling NBA ratings." Zelkovich:
"Starting with the pre-game show, NBC mouthpieces reminded
us at least a dozen times that this was more than a
basketball game" (TORONTO STAR, 2/28). In Boston, Jim Baker
writes that NBC, "desperate for a likable drawing card to
solve sagging NBA interest, applied big-time dressing" to
Carter's performance. Carter's mother was interviewed and
the camera "kept going to her for reaction shots." "NBA on
NBC" studio analyst Peter Vecsey: "One more game like this
and NBC will give Carter more prime-time than 'Dateline'"
(BOSTON HERALD, 2/28). In Houston, David Barron: "Gee, do
you think NBC is trying to convince us Vince Carter is our
next hoops messiah? About the only thing lacking ... was
NBC begging us to pleeeease, pleeease love Vince as we loved
Michael Jordan" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/28). In Chicago, Rick
Telander notes Carter's "display came right at Michael Time.
That would be on a late-winter Sunday afternoon, on national
TV" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/28). Carter is featured on the
cover of this week's Sports Illustrated. CBA Owner Isiah
Thomas, on Carter: "All he needs is the kind of publicity
machine that Nike's been for Jordan. If he gets that, in
terms of his status as a major star, it's going to be
Michael all over again" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 2/28 issue).
GETTING PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT? In N.Y., Phil Mushnick
writes on "pandering by sportscasters," and adds that
yesterday "was declared 'Vince Carter National TV day' by
the NBA and NBC. ... Thus, anything Carter did was deemed to
be just wonderful." At one time, Carter was seen "griping,
in-game, to teammates for not getting him the ball." But
Mushnick noted that neither NBC's Tom Hammond nor Steve
Jones said anything about Carter's "self-absorbed behavior."
Mushnick gives another example, as "pandering is why Tiger
Woods, after shouting the 'F' word yesterday during the
World Match Play Championship, was given the hear-no-evil
treatment by a quartet of ABC announcers" (N.Y. POST, 2/28).
