In Spokane, Vince Grippi writes ESPN's team of Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas is "one of the best announcing tandems in college hoops." Bilas "never misses much, and though he's willing to inject some humor into the game action, he rarely lets it overpower" it. Bilas does a feature before most games called "94 feet with Jay Bilas" in which he typically "walks the length of the court" with a player, "asking questions the entire way." Bilas' "94 feet" Tuesday with Gonzaga F Rui Hachimura at the Maui Invitational "was done, appropriately, on a Maui beach" (Spokane SPOKESMAN-REVIEW, 11/21).
LET IT BE: In Boston, Greg Bedard wrote "MNF" voice Joe Tessitore is the "worst Next Room Announcer in the game." Bedard: "I'm fixing a sandwich in the kitchen in the first quarter and I hear the announcer dramatically raise his voice ... I run into the next room, and it's a 5-yard run." Tessitore "announces a first-quarter water break" as if it is "about to cure cancer." Bedard: "Chill out. There are 16 games and 60 minutes of game action. Let the game speak for itself" (BOSTONSPORTSJOURNAL.com, 11/20).
COMING HOME: In Hartford, Alex Putterman notes during a visit to ESPN in October, company co-Founder Bill Rasmussen "reunited" with Chris Berman and "visited the spot on I-84 where he and his son first thought up a 24-hour sports network." Rasmussen also "taped interviews" for "E:60" and "some 40th-anniversary coverage to air next summer, and hosted a meet-and-greet with current employees" (COURANT.com, 11/21).
