O'Day: Take a run at NAU's PBP guy?

[Silvertip]

Mitch Strohman has been doing Jacks basketball and football for some years and seems pretty connected to the school and Flagstaff community, but he'd be a welcome change from the current and past voices of Griz sports on KPAX. Maybe a bit over-the-top sometimes and taking e-mails on air during the game might wear a bit thin, but he could certainly keep you around even in a blowout. And he actually sounds professional, something long lacking on Griz telecasts.

 

[mtgrizrule]

I absolutely loved the telecast. He was energetic and had lots of fun.

 

[EverettGriz]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty certain that Phil Buck is employed by KPAX and not the University of Montana. And I seriously doubt KPAX has the $$ (nor do the telecasts drive enough revenue) to bring in a guy solely to announce 12 football games a year.

And frankly, I didn't find him to be a vast improvement anyway.

 

[BWahlberg]

I thought he was great, however Everett makes a point, it's KPAX not the U that makes the hire. Also I'd wonder if he does a lot more BB games since it's with a Fox affiliate - he'd only do two or three bball games here in Missoula.

 

[62GRIZ]

I thought Mitch was good enough to be doing national broadcasts (I guess it was!). We thought he was excellent and fair - plus he has the perfect broadcasting voice. AND, he read my wife's email!

 

[Silvertip]

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty certain that Phil Buck is employed by KPAX and not the University of Montana. And I seriously doubt KPAX has the $$ (nor do the telecasts drive enough revenue) to bring in a guy solely to announce 12 football games a year.

The autonomy that UM gives to KPAX in dictating the choice of on-air talent and free reign in how it produces Griz games is at the heart of the problem. Having visited with Jim O'Day, he suggested that since KPAX has been the only recent bidder for Griz athletics, you just have to cut them a large amount of slack. I don't agree. UM is the customer, KPAX the supplier. In most worlds, the customer is the one who has to be satisfied. The assumption that the flagship station's sports reporter automatically qualifies as the best PBP prospect has no merit. In conclusion, I know a number of D-1 schools have the right of approval as to who is the station's on-air talent. At schools like Colorado - and Boise State, where the longtime Broncos PBP guy was cut loose, even a change of stations may dictate the move, but the athletic department has a big veto vote in the selection. UM need to take a more active role on talent selection - and the production a station brings - or fails to bring to the deal.

 

[EverettGriz]

Tip,

While I fully agree with you in principle, the difference is that for most universities the TV contract (if they have one at all) is revenue-producing. For the KPAX deal, the contract is (at-best) a break-even proposition. In that light, it becomes much for difficult for UM to dictate anything, particularly anything that is going to cost money.

FWIW, I do believe UM has a great deal of control in the selection of radio PBP guys (Holien). But I just don't think there would be a great deal of incentive for KPAX to do anything different. That said, I agree completely that I'd love to have a more-professional production. However, frankly I'm just happy to be able to watch every game on satellite and not have to worry about BSTV for football games, even if Buck isn't Pat Summerall. Few teams -- even the biggies -- have that luxury.

 

[Zootown Rox]

I agree. We are EXTREMELY lucky to be able to watch all of our GRIZ games on television, but with that said, the quality of the broadcasts are a notch below where they should be. By the way, did anyone hear Strochman read the email from that fellow in Nigeria who is a 1936 graduate of UM? That really says everything you need to know about GRIZ NATION!

Lol it sure does - I was watching the game with that "Nigerian" who you guys probably know as "Mung" or "SuperMung".

The announcer pissed me off- he was way too nice to the UofM, he was complimentary of our players and was really a stand up guy - how am I supposed to get all excited about crushing his team when he acts all classy like that?

 

[AtHomeInTheDahlbergDen]

He was GREAT. Reminded me most of Kevin Calabro.

 

[MT Jack]

Mitch Strohman - play by play - and (Coach) Dave Brown - color commentary - do their jobs well. It's obvious they enjoy what they're doing and share their excitement without being complete "homers" who lack any objectivity.

You Grizzlies can't seem to share one measly football win more than every ten years or so. You owned us in basketball this year. This Lumberjacks fan doesn't want any Grizzlies fans gloating over taking our play-by-play announcer as well.

Leave Mitch be.

MTJack