Kevin Calabro appreciation thread

The last several games I've listened to the local TV broadcast, I have to say that Calabro has found his groove. His calls are passionate and detailed. Hurd has grown into a solid but unspectacular rah-rah color man, but Calabro is the real star of this team. He about came out of his skin for that Dame put-back dunk against the Suns, and he really seems like he's transitioned himself back to a local guy, getting emotionally invested in his calls (not to the extreme of Wheels, but a tolerable amount).

After all the Mike&Mike whining and crying (and I was one of them for a while), I'm happy that Kevin seems to have re-found his home in the PacNW.

 

It helps when the team gives them something to get excited about.

 

Do we have to watch what we say about the Blazers broadcasters on this site? I am just not going to respond with what I really want to say because I don't want to be a jerk.

 

I know I can say what I want. I just didn't know if stuff gets back to a guy like Calabro on this site.

 

HJ
I always told my employees that if you have something to say, say it! And be assured, I want hold a gun to your head for doing so and I'll listen.

 

You're god damn right they are both great

 

Calabro IN!

 

If you have constructive criticism to give, and not "HURR DURR CALABRO SUX, BRING BACK THE MIKES!!!", I'm sure that it would get fed back to him in a respectable manner.

 

Calabro's been pretty good lately and I like that.

One thing about the blazers broadcasts in general that I hate is how they don't SHOW how many points or fouls the guy who just scored or fouled has. Kevin might say it, but I have to have my volume down a lot when I watch because there's stuff going on in the house. The overlay showing the score doesn't have any pop-ups to show events that happened just then. Maybe they fired the guy who used to do that and never bothered to automate his job, I dunno. But for accessibility's sake, seeing it in an overlay would sure be nice.

 

I sometimes forget they are there because they get drowned out a lot. That dame put back dunk is one... I hear the call, but it's actually kind of low.

 

I like that Calabro is realistic. He wasn't being a raving homer celebrating every basket like it was a Finals winning shot like some play-by-play guy when Portland wasn't playing well. Now that they are beating good teams or winning in dramatic fashion, he is the guy that was a national voice and incredibly respected around the league.

Have thoroughly enjoyed him and as the Blazers are improving, he has more to get fired up about. Well done.

 

It also helps when the team has an identity and a backstory...Calabro and Hurd didn't have much to work with when they took over...now they're starting to have a narrative with some history behind it.

 

Who’s in charge of cutting to replay/the overhead shot? Fuck that guy.

Kidding, but I hate when we miss live action because of Hurd breaking down a relatively insignificant play.

 

I've gotten over the Mike and Mike thing because it's obviously not going to go back to them anyway.

I do agree that Calabro seems more settled into his role and is doing a good job. Still goes into "national broadcaster" mode a bit, but I guess that's to be expected. I think Hurd is fine as his sidekick. He gets some good info in and has a good sense of humor. He's never going to be Mike Rice, but I'm not sure that anyone would want him to be.

The broadcast is quality, but I do hate it when there's a questionable call and instead of showing the replay on that they slip in a highlight from two plays ago. I get wanting to tamp down the bitching about the officiating, but that's part of the game too. As it is, I sometimes have to do my own review by pausing live action and rewinding. That's okay, but I don't get to look at it from other angles and that often is what it takes to see if the refs got it right.

 

...glad you posted this, I was thinking the same thing when watching replays of the Phoenix game! Sounds like a totally different guy. Hope he keeps it going

 

I've watched several non Blazer games the last month on NBA TV and Calabro and Herd are much much better than the other teams local guys that I heard.