Why does Donny Marshall think he's relevant?

[dark_lord]

donny marshall blowing a kiss after the open dunk, lol

[reggie35]

Donny is a boring wind bag. There are times when he can just shut up and watch the game for a bit instead of pointing out the obvious, dropping a name, etc...

I'd take Cedric Maxwell over Donny any day.

[MBz]

I don't think he realizes that he's the color guy and that Mike Gorman should be doing most of the talking.  Donny just goes on and on and on.  I'd like Maxwell as well once Tommy retires.  Also I don't understand how they even got hooked up with Marshall.  He's not an ex-celtic, he's from detroit.  He did go to UConn, but that doesn't make him a celtics guy.  I wonder if he really is a celtics fan to be honest.  There should be somebody else, that the Celtics could have found to do that job.  I mean why not give Dana Barros a shot?  I know he's been on tv before, I've never listened to him, so I have no idea how knowledgeable he is, but he's a Boston guy, played on the Celtics, went to BC.  He's got more of a connection here.

[Tradetime]

What I found funny was his reference in the Sacramento game last night, when talking about players and so forth. And Donny went into one of his regular, "oh yeah, that guy there, I know him" kinda schticks that he does. Gorman had brought up John Salmons, and Marshall went on to say something along the lines of "oh yes, John Salmons. Well you know, Salmons is purely an offensive guy, not much else. I played against him, and that's what he was..."

[rrc589]

What I found funny was his reference in the Sacramento game last night, when talking about players and so forth. And Donny went into one of his regular, "oh yeah, that guy there, I know him" kinda schticks that he does. Gorman had brought up John Salmons, and Marshall went on to say something along the lines of "oh yes, John Salmons. Well you know, Salmons is purely an offensive guy, not much else. I played against him, and that's what he was..."

This is exactly what I'm talking about.  A lot of people like you posting in this thread dismiss his perspective as illegitimate for some reason. Why? Just because he wasn't a top tier player means he can't have a valid opinion?

If he played with a guy, sure I wanna hear he played with him. This fact is by no means irrelevant when it comes to analyzing a player in a game regardless of how good a player he was when he played against him. Plus isn't Salmons widely regarded as a pure offensive minded player anyway around the league? What's wrong with pointing that out?

If Gorman says a guy is a scorer and doesn't do much on defense would you question him?  I think not.

[crownsy]

What I found funny was his reference in the Sacramento game last night, when talking about players and so forth. And Donny went into one of his regular, "oh yeah, that guy there, I know him" kinda schticks that he does. Gorman had brought up John Salmons, and Marshall went on to say something along the lines of "oh yes, John Salmons. Well you know, Salmons is purely an offensive guy, not much else. I played against him, and that's what he was..."

This is exactly what I'm talking about.  A lot of people like you posting in this thread dismiss his perspective as illegitimate for some reason. Why? Just because he wasn't a top tier player means he can't have a valid opinion?

If he played with a guy, sure I wanna hear he played with him. This fact is by no means irrelevant when it comes to analyzing a player in a game regardless of how good a player he was when he played against him. Plus isn't Salmons widely regarded as a pure offensive minded player anyway around the league? What's wrong with pointing that out?

If Gorman says a guy is a scorer and doesn't do much on defense would you question him?  I think not.

because he played in 115 games TOTAL in 5 seasons, a stunning average of 22 or so games a year,  and scored a stunning 2.1 PPG during his illustrious career, but lisening to that name dropping fest that went on for 10 minutes, you'd think he played with the guy for 12 years.

Thats what annoys true basketball heads ( I. E most of this board) he hardley made the league, yet he knows everyone and played with them for years.

Think of it this way, would you respect gerald green's claims to be best buds with everyone in the NBA and a "in the know" guy about every player in the league?

If not, why should i respect donny's fake opinion of people and their playing habits he always points out he knows from "playing with this guy for years"? GG has logged more minutes and games than he did. when he says he played against bobby jackson and knows him well on the court, you think bobby remembers those stunning 2 minutes from one game?

He's like that crazy uncle you had who just makes stuff up to sound important.

[Andy Jick]

we need ahmad rashad...he could call every celtic on this team his "main man"...

friends, sports journalism, as we once knew it, is dying a slow death.

[rrc589]

because his brother is donyell...

i just can't believe that with this storied franchise the best they can find is donny marshall.  but i digress...

They arn't brothers...

I think Donny does ok. He is not the best but I have heard much much worse on NBA League pass over the years.  I feel like Donny dumbs down his knowledge a little bit for the broadcasts and purposefully stick to the stories about UCONN and such because that is what he is told to do.
Most casual fans like to the hear the stories about how he interacted with Ray or what Kenny Smith told him that one time.  I see myself as more of a die hard than  a casual and I like most of those stories too. 

I can agree however that he does go over the top on the Ray Allen man love sometimes but I can understand why he would.  Also, Ray deserves alot of the man love this year, the old man is playing superb.

Yea I actually like the stories.

I like when BOTH he and Gorman mention that they talked to a player before the game or on the plane. Whether it be a conversation involving encouragement or just shooting the breeze, I usually find it interesting.

Everyone in this thread who is crying about him telling these stories from his playing days or his current conversations with the players before games comes off as sour grapes to me.

"WHO IS HE TO GIVE HIS OPINIONS AND TELL OF HIS PLAYING DAYS ON THE AIR!!!"

Give me a break.

Just because he wasn't a great player doesn't mean he should be relegated to keeping his mouth shut on his past/current interactions with players on the team.

i think people have problems with him because A) hes the most netraul color guy ever, because he wants a national job. so "every one is great mike. this guy plays 2 minutes a night, but he's the best in the nba at playing 2 minutes"

and that, you know, he had hardly ANY playing career, yet he talks like he's a mover and shaker in the league. I don't really think jealousy (beyond the norm) plays into it. I think what plays into it was that the man scored 290 points in 5 seasons, yet if you didn't know who he was, you'd think he was a major player on several teams. he sounds fake to basketball people, because he is.

His neutral style is something you can point to as being a flaw. No doubt.

Him having hardly any NBA playing career is true, yet how is that relevant? You're trying to make that an issue here when it shouldn't be one.

He's still played against a lot of players in his career and if he can point out a player he played against or observed courtside then I don't see how he is talking like he is a "mover and shaker" around the league. He's just talking from experience. I mean he's not sitting there making stuff up.

You also say he "sounds fake to basketball people." What do you mean by that exactly?  How does that work? Because he only played 5 seasons and scored 290 points his opinions and analysis are less valid?

Flawed logic.

[crownsy]

because his brother is donyell...

i just can't believe that with this storied franchise the best they can find is donny marshall.  but i digress...

They arn't brothers...

I think Donny does ok. He is not the best but I have heard much much worse on NBA League pass over the years.  I feel like Donny dumbs down his knowledge a little bit for the broadcasts and purposefully stick to the stories about UCONN and such because that is what he is told to do.
Most casual fans like to the hear the stories about how he interacted with Ray or what Kenny Smith told him that one time.  I see myself as more of a die hard than  a casual and I like most of those stories too. 

I can agree however that he does go over the top on the Ray Allen man love sometimes but I can understand why he would.  Also, Ray deserves alot of the man love this year, the old man is playing superb.

Yea I actually like the stories.

I like when BOTH he and Gorman mention that they talked to a player before the game or on the plane. Whether it be a conversation involving encouragement or just shooting the breeze, I usually find it interesting.

Everyone in this thread who is crying about him telling these stories from his playing days or his current conversations with the players before games comes off as sour grapes to me.

"WHO IS HE TO GIVE HIS OPINIONS AND TELL OF HIS PLAYING DAYS ON THE AIR!!!"

Give me a break.

Just because he wasn't a great player doesn't mean he should be relegated to keeping his mouth shut on his past/current interactions with players on the team.

i think people have problems with him because A) hes the most netraul color guy ever, because he wants a national job. so "every one is great mike. this guy plays 2 minutes a night, but he's the best in the nba at playing 2 minutes"

and that, you know, he had hardly ANY playing career, yet he talks like he's a mover and shaker in the league. I don't really think jealousy (beyond the norm) plays into it. I think what plays into it was that the man scored 290 points in 5 seasons, yet if you didn't know who he was, you'd think he was a major player on several teams. he sounds fake to basketball people, because he is.

His neutral style is something you can point to as being a flaw. No doubt.

Him having hardly any NBA playing career is true, yet how is that relevant? You're trying to make that an issue here when it shouldn't be one.

He's still played against a lot of players in his career and if he can point out a player he played against or observed courtside then I don't see how he is talking like he is a "mover and shaker" around the league. He's just talking from experience. I mean he's not sitting there making stuff up.

You also say he "sounds fake to basketball people." What do you mean by that exactly?  How does that work? Because he only played 5 seasons and scored 290 points his opinions and analysis are less valid?

Flawed logic.

no more flawed than yours that says that since he played 20 game sa year at 3.3 MPG that he knows how each guy plays on the court and his opnion on every vetran player and name dropping makes him a good color guy.

I ask you again, when Gerald "retires" like donny did in 3 years or so (read: forced out of the league) and finishes up his overseas trip, will you feel the same way about him?

He's already got more basketball played than Donny, minutes and games, so clearly he's just as relevant a color guy by your logic here.

your criticizing me for saying that his non existent playing career hurts his claims and on air persona as the grizzeled veteran who's played with every single vet in the league and has an opnion on him, yet you give no logic as to why its false other than "your logic is flawed"

Why is it flawed? If i somehow made an NBA team and didnt play except garbage time in 1/4th of my teams games, would i suddenly get to have opinions on every vet in the league and discuss their tenancies and everyone would just take it as gospel?

What makes that more valid? my pusedo court side seats?

[cordobes]

What I found funny was his reference in the Sacramento game last night, when talking about players and so forth. And Donny went into one of his regular, "oh yeah, that guy there, I know him" kinda schticks that he does. Gorman had brought up John Salmons, and Marshall went on to say something along the lines of "oh yes, John Salmons. Well you know, Salmons is purely an offensive guy, not much else. I played against him, and that's what he was..."

This is exactly what I'm talking about.  A lot of people like you posting in this thread dismiss his perspective as illegitimate for some reason. Why? Just because he wasn't a top tier player means he can't have a valid opinion?

If he played with a guy, sure I wanna hear he played with him. This fact is by no means irrelevant when it comes to analyzing a player in a game regardless of how good a player he was when he played against him. Plus isn't Salmons widely regarded as a pure offensive minded player anyway around the league? What's wrong with pointing that out?

If Gorman says a guy is a scorer and doesn't do much on defense would you question him?  I think not.

I really don't mind his name dropping and I certainly don't dismiss his perspective as illegitimate because of his playing career. I don't value that; he could have never stepped on a court for all I care.

The problem is that, whatever Salmons reputation maybe among casual fans, he's a very good wing defender. One of the bests in the entire league, actually. In fact, his offense has exploded in the last couple of years but it was his defensive prowess that kept him in the league until that moment.

So yeah, Marshall is a freaking ignorant.

[crownsy]

What I found funny was his reference in the Sacramento game last night, when talking about players and so forth. And Donny went into one of his regular, "oh yeah, that guy there, I know him" kinda schticks that he does. Gorman had brought up John Salmons, and Marshall went on to say something along the lines of "oh yes, John Salmons. Well you know, Salmons is purely an offensive guy, not much else. I played against him, and that's what he was..."

This is exactly what I'm talking about.  A lot of people like you posting in this thread dismiss his perspective as illegitimate for some reason. Why? Just because he wasn't a top tier player means he can't have a valid opinion?

If he played with a guy, sure I wanna hear he played with him. This fact is by no means irrelevant when it comes to analyzing a player in a game regardless of how good a player he was when he played against him. Plus isn't Salmons widely regarded as a pure offensive minded player anyway around the league? What's wrong with pointing that out?

If Gorman says a guy is a scorer and doesn't do much on defense would you question him?  I think not.

I really don't mind his name dropping.

The problem is that, whatever Salmons reputation maybe among casual fans, he's a very good wing defender. One of the bests in the entire league, actually. In fact, his offense has exploded in the last couple of years but it was his defensive prowess that kept him in the league to that moment.

So yeah, Marshall is a freaking ignorant.

right and thats the point. MArshall played against him for 5 minutes twice a year. he doesn't know anything other than the scouting report he got this morning, but he looks at it and goes.

"oh yea, X, i played with him. i should mention that for color"

It's not that i mind it, its that if your going to play the "i know everyone and everything they do, im an NBA vet" persona on the air (and i assure you, it is a persona. you really think he rembers the 4 minutes he played against this guy?) he comes off false.

What he should do is be donny marshall. not donny "the gipper" marshall, which is some odd player who's played with every player since time immortal.

Its stchick, and not one he has the credentials to pull off.

[cordobes]

Hmmm... I really doubt he had read a scouting report where Salmons was labeled as an exclusively offensive minded player. I mean, throughout his career he has been given the hardest defensive assignment by his coaches.

I think he barely knows Salmons and just assumed he was a poor defender because of his scoring numbers.

[KJ33]

because his brother is donyell...

i just can't believe that with this storied franchise the best they can find is donny marshall.  but i digress...

They arn't brothers...

I think Donny does ok. He is not the best but I have heard much much worse on NBA League pass over the years.  I feel like Donny dumbs down his knowledge a little bit for the broadcasts and purposefully stick to the stories about UCONN and such because that is what he is told to do.
Most casual fans like to the hear the stories about how he interacted with Ray or what Kenny Smith told him that one time.  I see myself as more of a die hard than  a casual and I like most of those stories too. 

I can agree however that he does go over the top on the Ray Allen man love sometimes but I can understand why he would.  Also, Ray deserves alot of the man love this year, the old man is playing superb.

Yea I actually like the stories.

I like when BOTH he and Gorman mention that they talked to a player before the game or on the plane. Whether it be a conversation involving encouragement or just shooting the breeze, I usually find it interesting.

Everyone in this thread who is crying about him telling these stories from his playing days or his current conversations with the players before games comes off as sour grapes to me.

"WHO IS HE TO GIVE HIS OPINIONS AND TELL OF HIS PLAYING DAYS ON THE AIR!!!"

Give me a break.

Just because he wasn't a great player doesn't mean he should be relegated to keeping his mouth shut on his past/current interactions with players on the team.

i think people have problems with him because A) hes the most netraul color guy ever, because he wants a national job. so "every one is great mike. this guy plays 2 minutes a night, but he's the best in the nba at playing 2 minutes"

and that, you know, he had hardly ANY playing career, yet he talks like he's a mover and shaker in the league. I don't really think jealousy (beyond the norm) plays into it. I think what plays into it was that the man scored 290 points in 5 seasons, yet if you didn't know who he was, you'd think he was a major player on several teams. he sounds fake to basketball people, because he is.

His neutral style is something you can point to as being a flaw. No doubt.

Him having hardly any NBA playing career is true, yet how is that relevant? You're trying to make that an issue here when it shouldn't be one.

He's still played against a lot of players in his career and if he can point out a player he played against or observed courtside then I don't see how he is talking like he is a "mover and shaker" around the league. He's just talking from experience. I mean he's not sitting there making stuff up.

You also say he "sounds fake to basketball people." What do you mean by that exactly?  How does that work? Because he only played 5 seasons and scored 290 points his opinions and analysis are less valid?

Flawed logic.

It's relevant because Donny makes himself out to be much more than what he was/is.  It is not that him having a cup of coffee in the NBA itself that is a bad thing, it is that Donny makes it seem he is talking from the point of view of someone such as Max or Tommy in regards to his playing career.  He never says "if anyone knows what it is like to sit most of my games and hardly ever play, it is me" he says things that leads the casual viewer to think he was some long time NBA All-Star.  I have had many friends ask me, "Who is this guy Donny Marshall?" wondering how they missed his career after hearing him wax on and on and on.

In addition to being "fake" for misrepresenting himself and all the name dropping, he finds it necessary to comment on every single play, not provide analysis, but to say something, anything, to be relevant.  Listen to Tommy next time, he lets many hoops pass with Gorman's dramatic call and does not feel the need to tell us what we just saw(look how Ray had to put that in one hand).  He waits, and provides true analysis when it is appropriate.  Donny doesn't know how to do this.

The name dropping and sense of self importance, and lacking completely any color analysis ability and having absolutely zero Celtics connection leaves fans scratching their heads.  The non-Celtics background could be overcome, if he had some skill, think Clark Kellogg, but combined, it makes him a total flop.  

Real stars don't go out of their way to always say who they know and how well, their name speaks for itself, Donny tries too hard and it falls flat.  I notice Gorman also contributes as he asks Donny constantly about things, in a way he never does with Tommy.  

And how pathetic is Donny's knowledge of the Celtics during the in game trivia/quiz?  He doesn't even hazard a guess, or claims he is too young.  Many young people know about things that happened before they were born, by being interested in it, and reading about it.  He is ill-prepared and just wings it, he never has factual information at hand about anyone or anything, he just improvises as he goes, it is an insult to true professional analysts.

Donny makes watching the game far less enjoyable for me.

[crownsy]

Hmmm... I really doubt he had read a scouting report where Salmons was labeled as an exclusively offensive minded player. I mean, throughout his career he has been given the hardest defensive assignment by his coaches.

I think he barely knows Salmons and just assumed he was a poor defender because of his scoring numbers.

either or, my point was that he's playing a gimmick, not unlike pro wrestling, and he doesn't have the credentials to back it up. Thats why he comes off as fake and annoys people looking for him to actually know the role of "grizzled vet announcer"

[rrc589]

because his brother is donyell...

i just can't believe that with this storied franchise the best they can find is donny marshall.  but i digress...

They arn't brothers...

I think Donny does ok. He is not the best but I have heard much much worse on NBA League pass over the years.  I feel like Donny dumbs down his knowledge a little bit for the broadcasts and purposefully stick to the stories about UCONN and such because that is what he is told to do.
Most casual fans like to the hear the stories about how he interacted with Ray or what Kenny Smith told him that one time.  I see myself as more of a die hard than  a casual and I like most of those stories too. 

I can agree however that he does go over the top on the Ray Allen man love sometimes but I can understand why he would.  Also, Ray deserves alot of the man love this year, the old man is playing superb.

Yea I actually like the stories.

I like when BOTH he and Gorman mention that they talked to a player before the game or on the plane. Whether it be a conversation involving encouragement or just shooting the breeze, I usually find it interesting.

Everyone in this thread who is crying about him telling these stories from his playing days or his current conversations with the players before games comes off as sour grapes to me.

"WHO IS HE TO GIVE HIS OPINIONS AND TELL OF HIS PLAYING DAYS ON THE AIR!!!"

Give me a break.

Just because he wasn't a great player doesn't mean he should be relegated to keeping his mouth shut on his past/current interactions with players on the team.

i think people have problems with him because A) hes the most netraul color guy ever, because he wants a national job. so "every one is great mike. this guy plays 2 minutes a night, but he's the best in the nba at playing 2 minutes"

and that, you know, he had hardly ANY playing career, yet he talks like he's a mover and shaker in the league. I don't really think jealousy (beyond the norm) plays into it. I think what plays into it was that the man scored 290 points in 5 seasons, yet if you didn't know who he was, you'd think he was a major player on several teams. he sounds fake to basketball people, because he is.

His neutral style is something you can point to as being a flaw. No doubt.

Him having hardly any NBA playing career is true, yet how is that relevant? You're trying to make that an issue here when it shouldn't be one.

He's still played against a lot of players in his career and if he can point out a player he played against or observed courtside then I don't see how he is talking like he is a "mover and shaker" around the league. He's just talking from experience. I mean he's not sitting there making stuff up.

You also say he "sounds fake to basketball people." What do you mean by that exactly?  How does that work? Because he only played 5 seasons and scored 290 points his opinions and analysis are less valid?

Flawed logic.

no more flawed than yours that says that since he played 20 game sa year at 3.3 MPG that he knows how each guy plays on the court and his opnion on every vetran player and name dropping makes him a good color guy.

I ask you again, when Gerald "retires" like donny did in 3 years or so (read: forced out of the league) and finishes up his overseas trip, will you feel the same way about him?

He's already got more basketball played than Donny, minutes and games, so clearly he's just as relevant a color guy by your logic here.

your criticizing me for saying that his non existent playing career hurts his claims and on air persona as the grizzeled veteran who's played with every single vet in the league and has an opnion on him, yet you give no logic as to why its false other than "your logic is flawed"

Why is it flawed? If i somehow made an NBA team and didnt play except garbage time in 1/4th of my teams games, would i suddenly get to have opinions on every vet in the league and discuss their tenancies and everyone would just take it as gospel?

What makes that more valid? my pusedo court side seats?

First off, the Gerald Green comparison is way off base.

Donny lacked the physical skill that it took to be a solid pro NBA player for a number of years but had his head on straight.  Gerald Green had all the physical skill to be a solid pro for years to come but he was a head case.

Two completely different players. Donny had the basketball knowledge and has the ability to be a solid commentator while Gerald does not.

I just think you're seeing him as bragging about playing with these guys while I don't see it that way as much.

I didn't criticize you for saying that his non-existent playing career hurts his claims and on air persona as the grizzled veteran.  I criticized you for discounting his opinions because of his short playing career.

I don't see the "on air persona" as a grizzled vet as strong as you do but I can see where you're coming from.  Sure I always think in the back of my mind that he didn't really play all that much with the guys he points out that he's played with, but he did play with them. That's just his style, his "persona."  Whether that style -- which includes a lot of name dropping -- is good or not is debatable, sure.

His opinions are his opinions though, no matter how long he played or who he played with. They're not more or less valid than yours or mine.