On the air

By Mark Buckets

Listening to the dynamic duo that is Dave O'Brien and the agonizingly annoying Steve Lavin, got me to thinking; as the NCAA Tournament approaches on CBS, which crew am I anticipating the most to bringing me the action? It starts from the very top, with the historic duo of Jim Nantz and Billy Packer. These two are the gold-standard and model for every aspiring broadcast team. The animated Packer is a lightning rod for controversy, and his 25-plus years of Final Four experience gives him instant credibility.

For a more obscure and lesser-known pair, turn no further than Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkle. Outside of Nantz and Packer, these two hold the longest tenure of any broadcasting team on CBS. Not only does Eagle speak with tremendous confidence, but he also allows his partner Spanarkle (unlike many other play-by-play men) to interject and illustrate a point. These two truly compliment each other.

The flip side of broadcasting brilliance is the futility that many teams bring to the table. Gus Johnson and Dan Bonner buoy this statement. Not only does Johnson interrupt (as opposed to interjection) Bonner on occasion, but his intensity and excitement comes off as artificial to me. Bonner, who never saw a player or coach he didn't like, is general with his analysis and is the polar opposite of Johnson.

CBS is usually pretty solid with their teaming of broadcasters. Eagle and Spanarkle, in particular, are vastly underrated and under appreciated by the college basketball masses. But in the end, this is all very subjective. But it makes for good discussion.