Jeff Van Gundy, please shut up.
The former NBA coach and current ESPN and ABC analyst has ruined a perfectly good Sunday of hard-hitting basketball. All I wanted to do during this snowstorm in Atlanta (that’s right, snowstorm in Atlanta!) was relax, stay warm and watch a trifecta of pro basketball.
The day started good enough with the Kevin Garnett-less Celtics dropping one to the Pistons. Then it was the Lakers versus the Suns in a fun battle that featured former teammates Shaq and Kobe duking it out.
But the game — like every broadcast with Van Gundy — was littered with his half-witted, whiney and often bitchy analysis. He spoils good basketball, something I noticed during the Celtics-Hawks series in the playoffs last season.
Unfortunately, NBA fans are stuck with him through the NBA Finals and beyond. Fortunately, I can watch the Hawks-Cavs game tonight without him. But why, oh why, does this guy have a multi-year contract?
Matt Hennie blogs on Atlanta’s gay sports scene (and other stuff) at Project Q Atlanta.
on Mar 2nd, 2009 at 4:36 am
ESPN dragged the rivers of Styx to find someone with the talents of Van Gundy. One standard for the ESPN job included an inability to focus on the game itself with anything remotely intelligent to offer the viewers. Van Gundy proves himself every time he is on air.
on Mar 22nd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
van gundy is terrible! He is biased and idiotic. His comments today during the piston vs heat game are laughable. I didn’t catch which player he called “pure in heart” - it doesn’t matter (I imagine he was commenting from Dwyane Wade’s colon at the time but like I said, didn’t hear the whole comment). Many NBA players are good, decent human beings but “pure in heart”, really? Mother Theresa was pure in heart. I’m sure I’d have more to rant about if I hadn’t turned the game off but van gundy is more than I can stomach.
on May 1st, 2009 at 9:47 pm
I agree!! I opened my laptop with the sole purpose of beginning my search on how to get the ball rolling on Van Gundy’s removal as an “analyst”. I will tough it out through the playoffs, but I cannot bear listening to him for another season. I will start a petition.
on May 29th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Van Gundy is awesome! I can only hope that he doesn’t get another coaching gig so he’ll continue to do games. Rather then interesting and possibly controversial comments you’d rather have Hubie Brown’s deep insights of “When you make a 3 you get an extra point”? Or the pathetic pandering of Doug Collins as he plants his lips on everyone and refuses to ever say anything negative? Maybe if I never criticize anyone no one will notice what a moron I am and what a terrible coach I am and I can keep my job … Van Gundy is the only grown man commentator you got!