ESPN 540 Color Commentary

[Nephew]

ESPN 540 needs to take action and change the color commentary for MU games.

In recent years, Jim McIlvaine has provided less than enlightening commentary during games. He seems more interested in buddying around with Homer and enjoying himself than providing insight about execution of the play at hand. He often interrupts Homer's calls with shouts of his own.

Today (11/8 vs. UWL), Dan Fitzgerald provided color commentary. I am unsure whether this was a one time stint or if he is replacing McIlvaine, but it was not an improvement.

If they were calling games for MU Radio, that would be one thing, but these are supposed to be professionals and I assume they are paid as such.

Homer is an exceptional play-by-play man and I enjoy listening to him. I'm sure Fitzgerald and McIlvaine are decent enough people but ESPN 540 needs to get serious about color commentary for MU games.

[MuMark]

Mac will be back friday......


Mac is fine......you are making something out of nothing

[DiehardMU]

I've also got no problems with Mac.  

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Mac will be back friday......


Mac is fine......you are making something out of nothing

I'm with you. Mac is just fine.

[Nephew]

"Fine" is a poor and incomplete answer.

Can any of you elaborate on what you find endearing, or "fine", about his commentary?

As someone who lives far from Milwaukee and resorts to radio the vast majority of the time, I'm interested to know what you gain from his insights.

[TheBurrEffect]

"Fine" is a poor and incomplete answer.

Can any of you elaborate on what you find endearing, or "fine", about his commentary?

As someone who lives far from Milwaukee and resorts to radio the vast majority of the time, I'm interested to know what you gain from his insights.

Hes fine as in, hes fine for a low budget AM radio broadcasting Marquette games. If you want higher quality, buy fs1.

[NCMUFan]

Mac bleeds Marquette. He also points out weaknesses in the opponent that Marquette should exploit.

[dgies9156]

Dan tried but he came off as colorless. His shtick was agreeing with Homer.

Homer probably likes that but from what I heard, Dan just was overwhelmed by the job.

Glad Jimmy Mac is coming back. He does sound as if he's having fun at the game. And that's what it's about.

[thanooj]

I loved rooting for Fitzgerald. But today he was terrible. You could tell homer was trying to get him to engage but Fitzgerald could not. Awful

But it is a one day thing.

I enjoy mac because, like someone pointed out, he bleeds blue and gold. He also played with success at marquette and made it to the NBA. He does have some valuable insight. I like that he hyper focuses on rebounds per minute.

Mac has his own identity now and probably offers better observations than #24 George Thompson.

And homer is great.

Go marquette.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Nephew...we're you privy to George Thompson's commentary? Just curious.

[4everwarriors]

Brutal. Couldn't handle listenin' to Fitzgerald. Better to just turn down the volume and watch on your radio screen, hey?

[Nephew]

Dan tried but he came off as colorless. His shtick was agreeing with Homer.

Homer probably likes that but from what I heard, Dan just was overwhelmed by the job.

Glad Jimmy Mac is coming back. He does sound as if he's having fun at the game. And that's what it's about.

Posters on this site frequently fail to comprehend critical, yet objective analysis. I am an MU guy. I've been there through every win and loss since I was a freshman in 2005. 2nd round tournament loss my senior year against Mizzou? Still hurts. DJOs shot(s) against Syracuse in 2011? Amazing.

But be honest.

It's not about having fun at that game if you're earning a pay check. I appreciate enthusiam, but it's about doing your job and educating the listener about the game.

TheBurrEffect posted earlier that if I want better commentary I should pay for FS1.  

My response?

Marquette annually spends in the top 10 (maybe top 5) of any University in the country on men's basketball.  They also call me weekly for money in addition to my annual contribution. You're saying they dont have an influence on who does color commentary for the game?

[Nephew]

Nephew...we're you privy to George Thompson's commentary? Just curious.

I have no recollection of George Thompson's commentary.

[Nephew]

Brutal. Couldn't handle listenin' to Fitzgerald. Better to just turn down the volume and watch on your radio screen, hey?

Perhaps. It might be coming to that.

[mueron]

Don't lecture me Nephew. If you're not with me than you're my enemy!

[Nephew]

Don't lecture me Nephew. If you're not with me than you're my enemy!

Thank you, mueron, for proving my point better than I ever could.

[Tums Festival]

ESPN 540 needs to take action and change the color commentary for MU games.

In recent years, Jim McIlvaine has provided less than enlightening commentary during games. He seems more interested in buddying around with Homer and enjoying himself than providing insight about execution of the play at hand. He often interrupts Homer's calls with shouts of his own.

Today (11/8 vs. UWL), Dan Fitzgerald provided color commentary. I am unsure whether this was a one time stint or if he is replacing McIlvaine, but it was not an improvement.

If they were calling games for MU Radio, that would be one thing, but these are supposed to be professionals and I assume they are paid as such.

Homer is an exceptional play-by-play man and I enjoy listening to him. I'm sure Fitzgerald and McIlvaine are decent enough people but ESPN 540 needs to get serious about color commentary for MU games.

It was an exhibition game, not the NCAA final. Lighten up!

[Nephew]

It was an exhibition game, not the NCAA final. Lighten up!

Please re-read my post. It was about color commentary, past and (recent) present, on the ESPN 540 broadcast.

[Nukem2]

Posters on this site frequently fail to comprehend critical, yet objective analysis. I am an MU guy. I've been there through every win and loss since I was a freshman in 2005. 2nd round tournament loss my senior year against Mizzou? Still hurts. DJOs shot(s) against Syracuse in 2011? Amazing.

But be honest.

It's not about having fun at that game if you're earning a pay check. I appreciate enthusiam, but it's about doing your job and educating the listener about the game.

TheBurrEffect posted earlier that if I want better commentary I should pay for FS1.  

My response?

Marquette annually spends in the top 10 (maybe top 5) of any University in the country on men's basketball.  They also call me weekly for money in addition to my annual contribution. You're saying they dont have an influence on who does color commentary for the game?

it's only radio.  I am either at the BC or watching on TV, so I only catch the post game shows.  They are fine.  As for in game, they can't be any worse than the ilk of Dick Vitale, etc.

[niquejamesfan]

Nephew please (in my best snoop voice).  MU us an acquired taste, but just like beer/whiskey etc, is great once you get used to it. Homer, is well, a homer that announces in a hybrid color / play by play manner.  No one would do as good of a job as Mac because no high level color guy would work with the crazy style of Homer. Mac is fine because that's all Mac needs to be.

[keyswarrior]

"You live by the trey, and you die by the trey"  George Thompson after every three point shot, either team, make or miss.

I too enjoy Mac's passion for MU, and am perfectly happy with Indiana's Homer being a homer for MU.

[77ncaachamps]

They should bring back Al McGuire.

[Nephew]

Nephew please (in my best snoop voice).  MU us an acquired taste, but just like beer/whiskey etc, is great once you get used to it. Homer, is well, a homer that announces in a hybrid color / play by play manner.  No one would do as good of a job as Mac because no high level color guy would work with the crazy style of Homer. Mac is fine because that's all Mac needs to be.

Love the Snoop voice. Don't agree with you, but love the Snoop voice.

For what it's worth, I've been an MU fan for several months short of a decade. I've acquired the taste.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

In my opinion, Marquette is extremely fortunate to have McIlvaine as involved as he is. He's a breath of fresh air and adds a ton. Homer is also a huge asset to the MU community.

This is a silly thread.

[Nephew]

In my opinion, Marquette is extremely fortunate to have McIlvaine as involved as he is. He's a breath of fresh air and adds a ton. Homer is also a huge asset to the MU community.

This is a silly thread.

Silly thread? An objective, yet critical thread is not silly.

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Agree with you about Homer, he's great. Homer makes you feel like you're in the stands even if you're driving 70 down the freeway.  As I've said before, McIlvaine is, I'm sure, a fine individual and a real MU man. 

You may like him personally, but you failed to provide evidence that he is him a qualified color commentator.