Donny Marshall

[Hunt for 7]

It should be considered that the game was as hard to call as it was to watch. With all the dead ball time related to all the fouls. Then the refs going to the monitor as much as they did. It takes a special type of play by play and color commentator team to call a game that ugly and keep it entertaining.

 

[nomar]

He says nothing inciteful. Ever

That's good. We don't want anybody burning down Gampel.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

People need to lay off Donny. There is no announcer, living or dead, that could save that train wreck of a game last night. Donny is fine most of the time.

My Donny story is that about 20-22 years ago, my father-in-law and I were at the sports bar in Middletown/Cromwell line (can't remember its name). My father-in-law saw Donny having lunch with some friends, and despite my best efforts to stop it, interrupted Donny's meal. Donny was incredibly gracious, and spent about 5 minutes talking with my father-in-law, who was thrilled. My father-in-law talked about that day all the time right up until he passed.

 

[freescooter]

I kind of tuned out the announcers tonight.

A friend of mine who likes watching UConn but isn't really a fan of the team texted me in the first half, "Hate the announcers." I texted back that one of them played at UConn. He texted me back, "Would never know it."

I think Donny is terrible awful bad horrible. On top of that I think when he does UConn games he thinks being pro-the opponent is the way to avoid being criticized because he played at UConn. Makes him especially awful.

 

[Greedo]

On that play Carter drove across the lane and stuck his leg out to try and draw a foul while he was shooting. The refs did the correct thing and made a no call on the Carter contact and then Oduro went over the back for a foul.

I agree, I was just explaining what Donny was trying to say.

 

[coachn]

Mute the TV and listen to the radio.
Joe D and Wayne Norman together will never be replaced.
Mike Chrispo does adequate job but JD the best ever.

 

[AllHusky]

He says nothing inciteful. Ever

insightful
I guess inciteful might mean he says things that piss people off, which he does!!

 

[05Alum]

The announcing was so bad last night that my wife was actually getting mad at me for how bad it was. That me, just through association as an alumnus, somehow allowed this commentary team to exist and call this game. So I am obligated to agree, since she is never wrong.

 

[Skiblets]

Last night was brutal

1. A foul fest
2. Horrid ft shooting
3. Brando lost his fastball a decaide ago
Donny and he were trying to do the best friends routine including stealing the schtick that everyone has used with Raftery about bar bills and closing time
4. The game was as long as an nba game
5. They continued the announcer doing a ‘riff on Stephon’s last name’ thing. . News flash. That’s neither original, nor funny. Completely corny. Pls stop!
6. They constantly praised the reffing. Even if they felt that way, say it once or twice not five or six.

For me, by far, that was the worst tv watching experience this year but Donny was a small part of it

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

For example, "Everything is the same here in the building as when I played here, except the floor..." whether that's true or not, it could have led to a conversation about that old floor and how it had some dead spots that the home team could take advantage of. That would have been insightful, not insipid.

When the refs were issuing technical fouls and brief lectures to calm rising tensions, I was hoping for Donny to recall his getting a T called when he exaggeratedly clapped in response to a ref's call that he found wanting.

 

[Palatine]

I like any announcer that doesn't talk about Duke every other sentence.

Donnie is NOT anti-UConn. He is very complimentary of the team and players. Just his presence in the booth is a net plus for the program.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

He should go to Kara Wolters school. Her on line commentary was like a clinic on how to do reporting
imo. It made watching the game so enjoyable. Was she covering Uconn for SNY?

Where'd you see that?

She's quite good on the WBB games on SNY - competent, fair-minded, and appropriately tilted toward the home team, as though modeling herself on a local network's MLB team of announcers. I get that FS1 & Fox can't operate that way, but as much as I resisted the critical voices when they first rise up here, I completely agree that Donny's stance and proportioning need some coaching. I'd like him to do well.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

insightful
I guess inciteful might mean he says things that piss people off, which he does!!

Ok, now that someone is playing it straight, I will add with helpful intent that my comment on the same point referred to "homophones," which are words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings.

Some simple examples would be "bare" and "bear, or " dear" and "deer," or " carrot" and " "karat."

"Insightful" and "inciteful" worked so well because their meanings are so different, but could apply in the sentence offered.

 

[microfich]

Where you the guy sitting directly between the 2 announcers? Whomever it was, was wearing a hoodie with a company name on it. He was sitting, while the folks to the left/right were standing, so you could the company name clearly on the hoodie. I thought at the time, thats a brilliant way to make some extra cash. Hoodie chest area for sale!

I'm just behind those guys (FineFettle gear). It is a great spot to promote your business and I know they pay for the privilege, lol.
I get on tv sometimes depending on the camera angle.

 

[husky8273]

Where you the guy sitting directly between the 2 announcers? Whomever it was, was wearing a hoodie with a company name on it. He was sitting, while the folks to the left/right were standing, so you could the company name clearly on the hoodie. I thought at the time, thats a brilliant way to make some extra cash. Hoodie chest area for sale!

Fine Fettle

 

[UCTitleTown]

Donny tries too hard to not be a homer. So he always questions calls from the other team's perspective, and only from the other team's perspective

Then he gets on some bad calls for them theme, and sticks with it.

He really shouldn't be doing UConn games.

Nailed it. For the same reason I don't get Aikman always doing Cowboy games. Announcers shouldn't do games for teams they played for.

 

[Fan1978]

insightful
I guess inciteful might mean he says things that piss people off, which he does!!

I did learn that carter is a lottery pick even though he is on no draft boards. I guess we can call that breaking news. Also learned that 3.1 rebounds a game is a lot and amazes tim brandt. Clearly brandt does no homework. So glad cory floyd is not wasting a roster spot

 

[uconnfan68]

When the refs were issuing technical fouls and brief lectures to calm rising tensions, I was hoping for Donny to recall his getting a T called when he exaggeratedly clapped in response to a ref's call that he found wanting.

That was at Providence too, right?

 

[willie99]

That was at Providence too, right?

The ref was John Cahill, who I'm pretty sure is still the Big East director of officials today

He called it a "sarcastic clap"

 

[uconnever]

Can we get Meghan and Alan to do the men's games?

Ummmm no. He’s ok, she’s the worst.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

That was at Providence too, right?

I don't remember that, but if so that would even more the reason for inserting his own story to confirm the rivalry: "I can remember picking up a technical during a UConn-PC game ..."

 

[Devland]

Mute the TV and listen to the radio.
Joe D and Wayne Norman together will never be replaced.
Mike Chrispo does adequate job but JD the best ever.

I have not tried it, but there is a link to sync the radio broadcast to the TV broadcast. I heard a commercial for it while driving and listening to a game. To be honest I have adapted to watching games with no sound. When my late wife was sick, I used to watch with the sound off so I didn't disturb her. After a few games I got used to it and now form my own opinion. Not the announcers.

 

[HooperScooper]

I don't remember that, but if so that would even more the reason for inserting his own story to confirm the rivalry: "I can remember picking up a technical during a UConn-PC game ..."

The joke at the time was that referees were going to start trying to read players' minds to know what they're thinking to call technicals.

Two games in 1994 showed UConn's resiliency. UConn led at Providence College by five with 18.1 seconds to go in regulation. Donny Marshall committed a foul with 11 seconds left. No big deal. Marshall smiled and clapped, much like his coach does when he disagrees with a call. Bang. Referee John Cahill assessed a technical foul to Marshall. The officials had warned Donny to stop refereeing the game at least two times earlier in the contest. Donyell loved Donny but after the technical the entire team including its All-American player wanted to strangle the other Marshall. Providence made three of the four free-throws and trailed by two. Because of the technical, it retained possession and hit a three-pointer to take a one-point lead with 8.8 seconds left. Timeout, Connecticut.

Spoiler alert. Ollie went the length of the court and scored to win it.

Book reveals Calhoun's strong influence upon Ollie

Soon after Jim Calhoun's retirement as the men's basketball coach at UConn, Northeastern...

www.ctpost.com

 

[Kathy]

I don't remember that, but if so that would even more the reason for inserting his own story to confirm the rivalry: "I can remember picking up a technical during a UConn-PC game ..."

Absolutely it was at Providence, 1994, John Cahill

 

[Yardigan]

Bill Walton has everyone beat.

Yep, Bill is the best.