ESPN seems to be shuffling people in and out on a daily basis these days, and the latest to leave is College Basketball analyst, Steve Lavin. Lavin has decided to take on the challenge that is St. John's Redman Red Storm, and will be their head coach next season. Via the Associated Press....

Former UCLA coach Steve Lavin has agreed to become the basketball coach at St. John's.

The school said Tuesday that a news conference to introduce Lavin would be held Wednesday.

Lavin has been an analyst for ESPN since UCLA fired him in 2003. He had a 145-78 record with UCLA, leading the school to the NCAA tournament's round of 16 five times. The Bruins reached the final eight in 1997, his first season.

St. John's, which fired Norm Roberts after six seasons, has not been to the NCAA tournament since 2002.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt rejected an offer from St. John's last week. Al Skinner, who was fired by Boston College on Tuesday, also was interviewed.

I always thought Lavin was more interested in being on TV, than actually coaching, but I guess the allure of the Garden has drawn him back. This move also brings an end to one of AA's all-time "favorite" announcing duos, in Lavin and Brent Musburger. RIP Lavinburger....RIP.

ESPN has released its collection of announcers for the 2009-2010 season, and although most of the teams are the same, there are a few moves. The big one is Bob Knight heading to Monday nights to work with Brent Musburger, which means that the long standing dynamic duo of Brent and Steve Lavin, Lavinburger, will see very little time together this season. Lavin's partner for most games is Dave O'Brien, but the possibility of a Lavinburger reunion is out there.

Saturday Primetime - Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale, Erin Andrews
Various Big Matchups - Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale, Doris Burke

BIG MONDAY

Big East - Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery, Jay Bilas
Big XII - Brent Musburger, Bob Knight, Holly Rowe

SUPER TUESDAY

Big Ten - Dave O'Brien or Brent Musburger, Steve Lavin, Erin Andrews
SEC - Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, Jeannine Edwards
Various - Mike Patrick, Len Elmore

WEDNESDAY NIGHT HOOPS

ACC - Mike Patrick, Dick Vitale or Len Elmore or Jay Bilas, Heather Cox
Big East - John Saunders, Fran Fraschilla, Allen Hopkins
Big XII - Ron Franklin, Bill Raftery or Fran Fraschilla or Hubert Davis or Stephen Bardo
WAC - TBD

THURSDAY SHOWCASE

Big East - Dave Pasch, Doris Burke, Allen Hopkins
Big Ten - Dave O'Brien or Terry Gannon, Steve Lavin or Stephen Bardo
WCC - Terry Gannon, Stephen Bardo
SEC - Brad Nessler or Rece Davis, Jimmy Dykes or Hubert Davis

SATURDAY

Big East - Dave Pasch, Doris Burke
Big Ten - Dave O’Brien, Steve Lavin
Big 12 - Ron Franklin, Fran Fraschilla
Atlantic 10 - Bob Wischusen, Tim Welsh
ACC - Mike Patrick, Len Elmore
SEC - Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes

ESPNU

WEDNESDAY- Carter Blackburn, LaPhonso Ellis/Dan McLaughlin, Tim Welsh
SATURDAY- Justin Kutcher, Dickey Simpkins/Clay Matvick, Stephen Howard

VARIOUS

PxP - Todd Harris, Jim Barbar, Doug Sherman
Analyst - Bob Wenzel, Miles Simon, Mark Adams, Rob Kennedy

SEC ON ESPNU

PxP - Rob Stone, Dan McLaughlin
Analyst - Jay Williams, Mark Gottfried

SEC NETWORK

PxP - Eric Collins, Carter Blackburn, Dave Lamont, Dave Baker, Dave Neal
Analyst - Joe Dean Jr, Bob Wenzel, Mark Gottfried, Barry Booker

BIG XII NETWORK

PxP - Dave Armstrong, Mitch Holthus
Analyst - Reid Gettys, Brydnon Manzer, Jon Sundvold, Rich Zvosec

BIG EAST NETWORK

Mike Gleason, Mike Kelley

STUDIO HOSTS

Rece Davis, Karl Ravech, John Saunders, Dari Nowkhah

STUDIO ANALYSTS

Monday - Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis
Tuesday - Stephen Bardo, Jay Williams
Wednesday - Steve Lavin, Jimmy Dykes
Thursday - Fran Fraschilla, LaPhonso Ellis
Friday - Doug Gottlieb
Saturday - Doug Gottlieb, Adrian Branch, Jay Williams, Andy Katz
College Gameday - Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis, Bob Knight

ESPNU STUDIO

Lowell Galindo, Adrian Branch, Drew Barry

SEC NETWORK STUDIO

Whit Waston, TBD

BIG XII NETWORK STUDIO

Doug Bell, Reid Gettys, Brydnon Manzer

If you're not around on the weekend for the Pammies, there's a running joke that we have. Brent Musburger is so ridiculously random, and occasionally slurs often enough that we like to think he's drunk in the booth. Well apparently the same thing is true in Basketball.

Nearing the end of last night's OSU-IU game, ESPN did a split screen with Musburger and Steve Lavin. Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes were on the next game, and after a few pleasantries, Musburger decided to talk about red wine and the fact that he might be drinking alone following the game.

Now I know this isn't that bad (more funny than anything else), but who else could get away with talking about boozing it up, other than Musburger? I think most people would at least get a talking to.

Oh and I missed you Lavinburger! I would love to hear more about Lavin's diet in the games to come!!!

I'm still split on Bob Knight as a College Basketball analyst. On one hand, his knowledge and X's and O's are unrivaled. On the other, he still comes across like getting him to talk about the game is a chore. The negative could have been because Dickie V was hanging all over him on set, but whatever side you fall on, you're going to have to deal with him for another year on the "Leader". You'll also be doing so with Knight in an expanded role as he'll be working on certain games throughout the season with Brent Musburger and Dan Shulman SBD's John Ourand has the scoop....

Basketball HOFer Bob Knight will return to ESPN's college basketball
telecasts this season in an expanded role. The former coach will be paired
with Brent Musburger on weekly Thursday night games with various
conferences, and he will work with Dan Shulman on non-conference games on
other nights. Knight also will work as an on-site analyst for "College
GameDay Driven by State Farm," and he will give analysis on "SportsCenter"
(once a week in January and February) and ESPN Radio ("Mike & Mike in the
Morning" or "Tirico & Van Pelt").

His first game telecast is scheduled for November 20 and 21 at the 2K Sports
Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in N.Y. Knight joined ESPN in March to
provide studio commentary for its Championship Week and NCAA Tournament
programming.

Very interesting move. I think another year in-studio would have served Knight well, before he moved to live action, but he really could become a great color guy if he tries. Hopefully this doesn't signal the end of the "Lavinburger" duo though. That would make me sad.

Knight Back In ESPN Booth In Expanded Role This College Hoops Season (Sports Business Daily)

(FYI- Your first College Basketball schedule will be coming in a few)

This had the potential to be disastrous but in the end it just came out awkward. Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes, and Steve Lavin were calling the College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Shootout Contest this past evening when the camera crew decided to show a mother and child.

Turns out that the very attractive blonde you see in this clip is Mrs. Jimmy Dykes and his daughter. Steve Lavin then just decides to make things extremely uncomfortable....

"Wow. That is impressive Jimmy."- Steve Lavin

It's never good to start a conversation by calling a man's wife "that". Just saying.

Did anyone order a Lavinburger? Well done??? I thought that Erin Andrews was done for the season along with Lavin and Musburger, but the gods are shining down on us folks! They've got one more game!!! Yes it's the NCAA Play-in game, but what else are you going to do tomorrow night? Watch Idol??? Poppycock.

It's The Mount....It's The Eagles....And It's Tomorrow Night on ESPN!!!

Mount Saint Mary's vs. Coppin State (ESPN, 7:30)- Brent Musburger, Steve Lavin, and Erin Andrews

Oh and if you're like me and stuck watching the N.I.T. (ugh) here's what I know of the announcers so far.

Tue., Mar. 18

#7 Stephen F. Austin at #2 Massachusetts (ESPNU, 6pm)- John Rooke and Ron Perry
#8 UNC-Asheville at #1 Ohio State (ESPN2, 7pm)- Sean McDonough and Bob Valvano
#8 Robert Morris at #1 Syracuse (ESPNU, 8pm)- Dave Ryan and Eric Murdock #5 Oklahoma State at #4 Southern Illinois (ESPN2, 9pm)- Ron Franklin and Fran Fraschilla
#6 Akron at #3 Florida State (ESPN Classic, 9pm)-
#5 Maryland at #4 Minnesota (ESPN, 9:30pm)- Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes
#6 Rhode Island at #3 Creighton (ESPNU, 10pm)- Dave Armstrong and Jack Armstrong
#8 Alabama State at #1 Arizona State (ESPN2, 11pm)- Dave Pasch and Stephen Bardo

Wed., Mar. 19

#6 Cleveland State at #3 Dayton (ESPNU, 6pm)- Jim Barber and Jim Chones
#5 UAB at #4 Virginia Commonwealth (ESPN2, 7pm)- Bob Wischusen and Bob Valvano
#8 Morgan State at #1 Virginia Tech (ESPN Classic, 7pm)-
#7 UC-Santa Barbara at #2 Ole Miss (ESPNU, 8pm)- Rich Waltz and Daymeon Fishback
#7 San Diego State at #2 Florida (ESPN2, 9pm)- Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes
#6 Charlotte at #3 Nebraska (ESPN Classic, 9pm)-
#7 Utah State at #2 Illinois State (ESPNU, 10pm)-
#5 New Mexico at #4 California (ESPN2, 11pm)- Dave Pasch and Steven Bardo

When I put that post up yesterday I really didn't think I'd get the strong aversion to the duo that I did. I have a personal vendetta against Brent Musburger that I've had since I was a kid, so I always think I'm a little too critical of the guy. Well it turns out you agreed and the team's calls are just comical these days.

Well folks, we're not the only ones fed up with Lavinburger. New York Daily News' Bob Raissman seems to agree with your assessment.....

If anyone involved from ABC has trouble swallowing this theory, they should look in the mirror. When a coach is assigned to work a game involving his former team there will always be - at least - a perception of conflict. Anyone saying Lavin ignored the Shipp thing because he's still carrying UCLA pom-poms has every right to do so.

Of course this would not explain why Musburger did not question the shot. It also doesn't explain why the producer did not tell the announcers to explain the rule.

Nonetheless, Lavin should not have worked that game. And with the NCAA Tournament around the corner, CBS should scan its roster and avoid using announcers tied to a particular school as part of the broadcast team for that school's tilt.

That's an interesting thought, but I think some people can pull it off. ESPN pulled Kirk Herbstreit from the radio broadcast of the OSU-LSU game last year for the same reason, but I think he does a rather good job when covering his old team. Sure there's the photo of him on the sidelines jumping, but he wasn't working at the time.

Everyone has favorite teams and most do a great and unbiased job covering them, but there are a few people that just need to be nixed from every broadcast, regardless of their affiliation. Off the top of my head.....Mike Patrick and Jay Bilas: Duke, Dick Vitale: Any ACC game, and Brent Musburger: Any game that takes place in Los Angeles.

Update: This is where I wish I had that "after the jump" feature still, but you'll have to bear with me. MDS at Fanhouse has a great call on Lavin. He didn't even get the "picket fence" play right! Merle not Jimmy took the shot. Enjoy and try not to get goosebumps..."Time! Timmme!"



Former UCLA coach misses best angle (NY Daily News)
Brent Musberger, Steve Lavin Ripped for Commentary on UCLA-Cal Ending (Fanhouse)

Forget the horrible officiating at the end of the CAL-UCLA game, let's talk Lavinburger! This clip starts with 35 seconds left in the game and I can't for the life of me figure out what they're talking about. It's not Basketball though...

"Bruins win! 1.5 left."- Brent Musburger

I swear they go to a commercial break and just say, "Who the f**k cares if it's a close game and possible upset? We're talking about Victoria's Secret!!!" They're simply amazing.

Brent Musburger, Steve Lavin, H-O-R-S-E, And Victoria's Secret (Watchdog)