Tommy Heinsohn's "unvarnished truth" during national TV games

[TradeProposalDude]

Have you noticed that CSN purposely tells you about Tommy dishing his "unvarnished" truth about a player or team coming up that will be featured both on CSN and ESPN? I just thought it was a hilarious marketing spiel to make more people watch CSN when people have a choice. It's like they try to make it subtle so that people wouldn't notice it but it's so obvious why they do it.

Personally, I like ESPN better because I prefer the secondary opinion, no matter how much I hate listening to say Hubie Brown, plus the camera angles are a little better and stuff.

[Brickowski]

The national announcers are shills for Stern and the status quo, just as much as Heinsohn is a shill for the Celtics.  The national announcers NEVER criticize the officals and they pimp the name stars so much that it becomes disgusting. The exception is Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, although their banter can become a little distracting too.

I have a solution.  No matter which feed I'm watching, I hit the mute button.  Years ago I used to do that and listen to Johnny Most, but Sean Grande is even more obnoxious than the TV guys.  Grande must have mirrors on every wall in his house so that he can admire himself.

If forced to listen, I'd go with CSN because Mike Gorman is a pro.  But I'd have to puke every time Dickerson opens his mouth.

[BballTim]

The national announcers are shills for Stern and the status quo, just as much as Heinsohn is a shill for the Celtics. 

  Small difference depending on your definition of shill but i think Heinsohn is more of a biased observer than a shill.

[Potapenko Boxout]

I like Dickerson a lot, he's a fan.

Also - very glad Cousy isn't doing the games anymore. He would probably start wandering around the hallways during timeouts

[Gomesfan]

Have you noticed that CSN purposely tells you about Tommy dishing his "unvarnished" truth about a player or team coming up that will be featured both on CSN and ESPN? I just thought it was a hilarious marketing spiel to make more people watch CSN when people have a choice. It's like they try to make it subtle so that people wouldn't notice it but it's so obvious why they do it.

Personally, I like ESPN better because I prefer the secondary opinion, no matter how much I hate listening to say Hubie Brown, plus the camera angles are a little better and stuff.

I agree with you about getting the secondary opinion, but more important is that there HD is twice as good!

[winsomme]

Tommy just tells you what he is thinking. He's not a shill by any means. I'm sure in a lot of ways calling a game he is still experiencing it as a coach and player.

Like last night, if he wasn't wearing headphones, i think he'd have been in the officials ears the whole game. Like he said, if he was still coaching, he would not be long for that game last night.

personally, he keeps me sane watching games because he almost always is saying what i'm thinking.

The only other team out there that calls a good game is JVG and Jackson. Don't always agree with them, but they are ALWAYS entertaining....

[timpiker]

I love Tommy and I'll cherish every moment he continues to do the games.  Once day we'll look back on this and will miss him.  Does he say some stupid things or go overboard or make a mistake - he sure does.  But I still love him.  Why?  He's mine and he loves the Celtics.  He bleeds Celtic green.  My affair with Tommy is unconditional love.  I feel the same way for Cous and Gorman.  By the way, Cous got screwed bystand the C's this year and we let them off the hook.

Sometimes I do listen to the other announcers and a lot of the times I put them on mute.  I live out of the area so all of the away games are done by the home team's announcers and believe me - that sucks big time 99% of the time.  I give them a try but they get on my nerves and I mute 'em. 

I mute some of the national telecasts.  I like Mark Jackson (although if he says "known down" one more time I'm gonna gag myself)...I like Hubie Brown (I jusat love his analysis of X's and O's) and maybe some others.  I can't remember all of these guys.  I hate Doug Collins (the guy never gets tired of hearing himself talk without saying anything of value).  I hate Mike Fratello (I hate the phony emphasis he puts on some of his words).  I never get the impression that Hubie is a pimp but most of these guys are pimps and its sickening.

[guava_wrench]

Tommy just tells you what he is thinking. He's not a shill by any means. I'm sure in a lot of ways calling a game he is still experiencing it as a coach and player.

Like last night, if he wasn't wearing headphones, i think he'd have been in the officials ears the whole game. Like he said, if he was still coaching, he would not be long for that game last night.

personally, he keeps me sane watching games because he almost always is saying what i'm thinking.

Uh, the might be a sign that you have already lost your sanity. Tommy just allows people to maintain their delusions. That can be a good thing. Delusions can make people happier, and no one gets hurt with basketball delusions. Unless they are betting on their delusions.

[kenmaine]

I love Tommy and I'll cherish every moment he continues to do the games.  Once day we'll look back on this and will miss him.  Does he say some stupid things or go overboard or make a mistake - he sure does.  But I still love him.  Why?  He's mine and he loves the Celtics.  He bleeds Celtic green.  My affair with Tommy is unconditional love.  I feel the same way for Cous and Gorman.  By the way, Cous got screwed bystand the C's this year and we let them off the hook.

Sometimes I do listen to the other announcers and a lot of the times I put them on mute.  I live out of the area so all of the away games are done by the home team's announcers and believe me - that sucks big time 99% of the time.  I give them a try but they get on my nerves and I mute 'em. 

I mute some of the national telecasts.  I like Mark Jackson (although if he says "known down" one more time I'm gonna gag myself)...I like Hubie Brown (I jusat love his analysis of X's and O's) and maybe some others.  I can't remember all of these guys.  I hate Doug Collins (the guy never gets tired of hearing himself talk without saying anything of value).  I hate Mike Fratello (I hate the phony emphasis he puts on some of his words).  I never get the impression that Hubie is a pimp but most of these guys are pimps and its sickening.

TP- Agree with every point. Tommy has been with the C's for 50 years. He's supposed to be fair and balanced? GMAB. I love the guy, he doesn't have to be afraid of speaking his mind, or just drone on and on about whatever talking points he's handed before the game, like the national announcers do.
I only watch the national announcers when I have to, but I do like Van Gundy and Hubie Brown. Problem with Van Gundy is that he's paired with Breen, who for some reason just makes me sick.
And Tommy is superb with the Xs and Os, and does a great job describing the game.
And a local announcer who pretends to be unbiased(or even worse, who actually is) I don't want to listen to, thank you.

[Michael Anthony]

I like Dickerson a lot, he's a fan.

Also - very glad Cousy isn't doing the games anymore. He would probably start wandering around the hallways during timeouts

Somewhere, Roy Hobbs just shed a tear... just one though.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

and?
Obviously they want people to watch their broadcasts instead of ESPNS, and I for one do, I absolutely can not stand any of espns announcers and would rather watch the game on mute then listen to any of those guys, although I do agree the camera work is better, but still not enough to make me switch over

[silvershamrocker]

I love Tommy Heinsohn. Trust me, if you had to watch all the games on League Pass and listen to the other teams announcers when the Celtics are on the road... you'd love Tommy, too.

[TrueGreen]

What other announcer can come up with "Tommy Points" and "Criminally Negligent Officiating". Tommy gives insight into Celtic history past and present. As a Celtic fan I cannot listen to other announcers. Mike and Tommy are like friends watching the game with me and making me notice things I wouldn't have otherwise.

[footey]

I love Tommy. There will be a huge hole in Celtic broadcasts for every Celtic fan once he is gone.

A billion Tommy points for Tommy!!

[Brickowski]

Tom Heinsohn: 9 rings (7 as a player, 2 as coach) As a ROOKIE in 1957, he was the best player in game 7 of the NBA finals, scoring 37 points with 25 rebounds.

Hubie Brown: Zero rings (although Hubie won an ABA title as coach of the Kentucky Colonels, so at least he proved he could win in a weaker league with a loaded team).

Jon Barry: Zero rings
Jeff Van Gundy: Zero rings
Doug Collins: Zero Rings
Mark Jackson: Zero Rings
Reggie Miller: Zero Rings
Chris Webber: Zero rings
Avery Johnson: One ring as a player (thank you, Tim Duncan), Zero rings as a coach
Charles Barkley: Zero rings
Kenny Smith: Two rings as a player (thank you, Hakeem), Zero rings as a coach

and lest we forget...

John Hollinger: Zero rings