Due to conflicting schedules for radio voice Sean Grande and a medical issue for television voice Mike Gorman, the Boston Celtics will see two playoff games broadcast without play-by-play announcers on NBC Sports Boston. 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Rich Shertenlieb couldn’t believe that was the decision the network came to.
During Toucher & Rich Wednesday, Shertenlieb argued that the show’s Jon Wallach, who will fill in for the Celtics radio broadcast, was the perfect candidate to step into the bizarre situation.
“Brian Scalabrine went on a podcast and said we should bring in the Charlotte Hornets TV guy, since they’re not in the playoffs, and I was like ‘(Jon) Wallach’s here’. Wallach, all year, has been doing these games. He’s been very good at it,” argued Shertenlieb. “As much as I like to bust his balls, there’s nothing you can bust his balls about with these Celtics games. He does a great job, and he’s universally liked. If you hear the broadcasts, Cedric Maxwell likes working with him, the listeners like him, because he genuinely does a good job.”
Shertenlieb continued by arguing that the importance of the two games — games three and four of a playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks — warrants a play-by-play announcer.
“That is so minor league. I don’t mind there being a ‘player’s only’ broadcast every once in a while, where it’s Eddie House and Scal talking about old times and kind of having a laugh. But this is the playoffs, man. This is a different level, and for some reason, it’s really bugging me.
“The easiest course of action is to just say ‘Jon, go do it’. Because Jon’s already done it. He knows these guys! He’s already done it! It would sound professional, you know that Jon’s a professional, you know he’s got it. Sean Grande did it, went straight into TV, and was fine. You know it can be done. I don’t know why they won’t let the bird eat, damn it!
“That would piss me off if I were you,” Shertenlieb said to Wallach. “It seems like they’re doing everything they can to keep you out of it. Let me take you out of it. Let’s say I don’t know you, and I’m just a fan of the team — which I am — and I found out it was just gonna be Eddie House and Scal calling the games. That would piss me off!”
Shertenlieb then wondered if NBC Sports Boston was “daring” viewers to change the channel to ESPN or TNT for the two playoff games.
“It’s just gonna be two dudes talking over a playoff game. I don’t understand it at all,” said Shertenlieb.
Wallach was understanding of the decision. He contended that NBC Sports Boston simply selected a pair of broadcasters who were experienced in the television booth, and said the network “didn’t want to have to teach a new guy on the fly”.
“It’s just easy and it’s lazy,” Shertenlieb concluded.
