DOWN WITH PANTS!

I just learned the foul and heinous news (thanks Supersonicsoul) that the Seattle Supersonics are moving their radio broadcasts from Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM to KTTH The Truth 770, home to a bunch of raving conservative morons like Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved, Bill O'Reilly.

This news alone would probably turn me off to Sonics broadcasts because you know you will have to hear commercials for Medved spouting some crap about the liberal bias or the assault on marriage or any of that other non-existent bullshit. But the clincher is that as part of this new deal, Kevin Calabro, by far the NBA's best radio play-by-play man and subsequently the best NBA TV play-by-play guy will no longer be simulcasting games on TV and the radio. Instead he will be the voice of the TV broadcasts and radio only games and the Sonics will hire a new voice for radio.

This news couldn't be worse for longtime Sonics fans. The absolute best thing about listening to the Supersonics on the radio is hearing Kevin Calabro call the game. I have yet to hear another basketball play-by-play guy combine such a clear picture of what is happening on the court with the excitement and fun and wit that Calabro brings.

The best thing about watching a Sonics game is being able to hear Calabro's call for the radio. When the Sonics are on national TV and not local I routinely turn off the boneheads on TNT or ESPN or ABC, there is only so much Bill Walton one man can take, and turn on the radio to hear Calabro. It's the only way to watch a Sonics game.

Calabro will be good on Sonics TV broadcasts, there is no doubt about that. But it will never be the same. I grew up listening to the simulcasts and hearing Calabro describe the action that I was watching with precision and accuracy that always amazed me. Listening to Calabro go through the motions like other TV play-by-play guys will be weird and wrong. Plus it will give Craig Ehlo more time to talk, which is never a good idea.

Luckily I am in California so I won't have to face this new reality until at least 2008. Maybe the new flunky they hire to do the radio games will have learned something from Calabro by that time and the shock to the system won't be too bad.

sonics, medved, limbaugh, o'reilly, seattle, calabro, nba, radio
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