I don't know about you, but I am so very happy James Brown isn't on this list... he is most excellent as studio host... he is not at all good as a basketball play by play guy... not at all...

Yep...you nailed it Leezy. Hopefully Len will be better since he's not with JB.

Carter Blackburn is a pbp guy for CSTV. Perhaps it is Carter will do the early games while Enberg does the later rounds heading into the elite 8?

And CSTV is a branch of CBS so that's why Blackburn got the nod.

I know all of you love Gus, but I don't need him treating a Duke/Belmont game like it's Villanova/Georgetown

How would Gus not get the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 if this is in order? He's 4th in the list. There are four regions. There are 4 announcing teams in the second weekend. Wouldn't that mean he'd be at one of the regional sites?

Elmore's a good commentator. Not as "thrilling" as Gus, but maybe CBS is trying to make Gus a little more mainstream by countering his enthusiasm with Elmore. Just a thought.

He knows how to make a blowout exciting dude....

You know what...you're right Nick. I thought it was only two for some reason.

And JJ....that's exactly WHY you need him on that game.

I have to come to the defense of Lenny, I think that he and Vern Lundquist did a great job on the greatest college basketball game in history, 1992 Duke/Kentucky. But it is good news we have Gus back in the fold.

Best team I see on that list is Lundquist/Raftery. I'm a big fan of both. Brando/Gminski did the UVA-MD game on Sunday, and by halftime, I was ready to make the 65 mile trip to Charlottesville and punch Brando in the neck. He got really annoying with his catch phrases.

Plus Gus and Len called one of the greatest NCAA Tournament games in recent memory - the UCLA/Gonzaga Sweet 16 game. "UNBELIEVABLE!!!" That was a great call by Gus and Len.

Congrats to Gus...I'm sure getting kicked out of the Sweet 16 pissed him off somewhat last year.

Elmore was good with him the last 3years, so I'm gonna guess he can pull it out again...

No, AA, you cannot have Gus and Raftery, as that would mess up my all-time favorite announcing team (Lundquist/Raftery). Not even just once.

Dick Enberg's like 806. I guarantee that Blackburn's only doing one or two of the first round games because at Enberg's age, he simply can't handle a full slate.

And I like Elmore. Maybe I'm weird in the fact that I like information from my analysts and not random babblings about fucking nothing. Raftery's intolerable.

and bruce, I'll never like Brando. He was doing the Pitt/Wisconsin tourney game a few years ago, and in lieu of talking about the game, he made a borderline creepy comment about Jamie Dixon's "boyishly young good looks" and how old Bo Ryan looked in comparison literally a dozen times. Even as a Pitt fan, it was very annoying.

Actually wouldn't mind James Brown on PxP this year.

I mean if it was only one round, and he did it instead of Bolerhack, I wouldn't be too pissed.

AA - McDonough, Bilas & Raftery have their moments, but you mean to tell me the three person booth of Tim Brando, Mike Gminski & Stephen Bardo didn't sound good for CBS during the Tournament a couple of years ago?

I actually have a weird question. In the past I've noticed ESPN guys (I think mostly Trey Wingo and Jay Bilas) doing College Basketball work on CBS. Jay does the men's tournament and Trey does some Women's stuff. How come they are allowed to do this? ESPN and CBS are not affiliated at all and, actually, are kind of competitors in sports broadcasting. Why is it they are allowed to share announcers?

Not that I mind because I actually like Jay Bilas sometimes. He takes his job seriously, and despite some really bad hyperbole, usually does a nice job with the color during broadcasts. And Trey, well, he's ok, he isn't as good as when he is on NFL Live but I don't watch all that much Women's basketball.

Don't the networks have to ask permission? I think CBS asked to use Dick Vitale in the Tournament and ESPN said no. When was the last time CBS had the women's Tournament? Ten years ago? Not that it matters.

Anon- It all depends on the contracts the agents put together before they were signed to ESPN. Most networks still ask for permission, but in the case of Bilas they probably don't have to.

I still don't understand why Kevin Harlan doesn't take Dick Enberg's spot with Bilas in one of the Regional crews.

Yes, I know Harlan is Westwood One's radio guy and that he starts the second weekend to get the rust off, but I think he'd sound great cold turkey in the Final Four as well. He's got radio roots. He'd certainly be a great addition.

This goes back to CBS not wanting to promote a guy who does another sport for another network, but Harlan is too good not to use on TV up until the Final Four, then let him switch to radio.

Thankfully, JB is not returning as a PxP guy. He is in the Menefee category: good studio host, but cant keep up with live action.

In essense, theyre reverting to the same lineup they had prior to last season. Solid teams throughout, IMO.

This goes back to CBS not wanting to promote a guy who does another sport for another network, but Harlan is too good not to use on TV up until the Final Four, then let him switch to radio.

...doesn't Kevin Harlan do NFL games for CBS?

I thought one of the reasons JB moved to CBS was so that he could do the tournament. Also, last year's excuse for JB replacing Gus Johnson was that it was in his contract. (NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINING...I LOVE GUS JOHNSON!!!)

Also, who the hell is Carter Blackburn? With a name like that, I doubt he's ever picked up a basketball in his life.

Yes, Harlan does, Inge Sucks, but it's on the #4 crew behind Nantz/Simms, Gumbel/Dierdorf, and Enberg/Cross. He doesn't get proper respect there, either.

I made the italicized post and was implying his NBA commentary for Turner. My apologies for not being clear.

Regarding Kevin Harlan, we love him here in Kansas City. However, I've always wondered the same thing why he doesn't do the regional weekend on TV. He actually was on the radio in KC a couple of years ago and explained that because of his contract with Turner, he is only allowed one TV weekend on CBS. Then he does the only two weekends on radio he does all year, and makes the Final Four much more tolerable.

My biggest beef with CBS is how can they have the best pbp man in the business (especially in the NFL) in Kevin Harlan, but he's only considered 4th best at his own network! That's the travesty of it all. I can live with the legalese for the hoops, but football is inexcusable.

Shame on you CBS.

Kevin Harlan's off the radio, as well. Someone named Kevin Kugler is doing the final four.

Harlan's off radio? Damn. Now I can't do the comparison to Nantz's call in the "Whose Contrived and Prepared Call Was Worse" contest after the National Championship game, and I actually like Kevin Harlan. I heard a very little bit of L'ville-G'town on radio Saturday and Kevin Kugler blows. Worse yet, he was paired with John Thompson. Ugh.

I made the italicized post and was implying his NBA commentary for Turner.
The only reason it wasn't clear (other than someone not thinking things through which I don't know for certain) is that you said he worked "another sport"... and the NBA is technically the same sport.

at least it wasn't bad as 2 years ago when cbs decided to put brando/gminski/bardo together

Well, I just got confirmation from a CBS insider that Harlan's off the Westwood One crew. The reason is his NBA contract demands that he work during the regional weekend, and Westwood One doesn't want someone to only do Final Four weekend. So Harlan is out, Kugler is in, and our ears will never be the same.

I hate you NBA & CBS!

Gus Johnson is used to announcing with Len Elmore, they used to do the Knick games together. GJ will be fine, he can announce play by play for senior citizen bocci championships.

Have they released what announcing teams have been assigned to what locations yet?

Here's the list:

A couple of possbile upsets for Gus to call

12:20 p.m. -- Washington D.C. I -- Xavier vs. Georgia -- Craig Bolerjack/Bob Wenzel --

12:25 p.m. -- Omaha I -- Kansas vs. Portland State -- Kevin Harlan/Dan Bonner --

12:30 p.m. -- Denver I -- Michigan State vs. Temple -- Gus Johnson/Len Elmore --

2:30 p.m. -- Anaheim I -- Marquette vs. Kentucky -- Dick Enberg/Carter Blackburn/Jay Bilas -


12:15 p.m. -- Birmingham I -- Tennessee vs. American -- Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery --

12:25 p.m. -- Raleigh I -- Gonzaga vs. Davidson -- Jim Nantz/Billy Packer --

12:30 p.m. -- Tampa I -- Drake vs. Western Kentucky -- Tim Brando/Mike Gminski --

12:30 p.m. -- Little Rock I -- Miami (Fla.) vs. St. Mary's (Cal.) -- Ian Eagle/Jim Spanarkel

I had no idea a site like this existed, but I'm glad it does. In my humble opinion, commentators can really make or break a televised sporting event.