Brian Wheeler: Schtick Thumbs Up or Down

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Watching streams, I'd say our guys are among the most entertaining, but not the most unbiased. I've seen some guys that are about as interesting as watching paint dry, but I've also seen some guys that are entertaining and also fairly unbiased. They have nice things to say about the visiting team and actually impart some information about the other players. Our guys don't really do that.
 
I love our announcers. Every one of them. I absolutely want homers for my home team.
 
Natebishop3 said:
My biggest complaint about Wheels is that he is almost impossible to listen to when the team is doing poorly.
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I feel the same way, though I don't hold it against him. His heart clearly just gets too attached...
 
Nate took what I was going to say 100%. I had to double check the screen name to make sure I hadn't already responded. I love the schticks. I think he's very good when it's a tight game or when we're winning. He calls a great game, does a great job with play by play to set the scene for you. But I can't listen to him because of the almost whiny tone when we are down. "Smith with another 3...of COURSE he hit it. I just can't stand it. Luckily, I'm almost never needing to listen on the radio.

As for Mike and Mike, when I first started watching, I didn't care much for them, but I think that they've become much better. I really like listening to them call games. Really the only slightly annoying thing is when we're down like 15 with 3 minutes left, and we hit a 3 and Barret's all..."And still, only a 12 point game...couple of stops here...let's see if they have another run in them" when we've been playing shitty all night and you know that run isn't coming. But, he has to. And I get it. Can't just bag on the team. Well that 3 don't mean shit, could have used one earlier.
 
RR7 said:
Nate took what I was going to say 100%. I had to double check the screen name to make sure I hadn't already responded. I love the schticks. I think he's very good when it's a tight game or when we're winning. He calls a great game, does a great job with play by play to set the scene for you. But I can't listen to him because of the almost whiny tone when we are down. "Smith with another 3...of COURSE he hit it. I just can't stand it. Luckily, I'm almost never needing to listen on the radio.
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Yup. I agree with all of this but like I said, to get the really big emotional reactions when we do well, you have to expect him to be manic when the team is losing. Huge mood swings depending on how the team is doing. That's just how he is, for better or worse. I just won't listen to him. It's fun to hear his call after the game of an exciting play though.
 
Natebishop3 said:
Yup. I agree with all of this but like I said, to get the really big emotional reactions when we do well, you have to expect him to be manic when the team is losing. Huge mood swings depending on how the team is doing. That's just how he is, for better or worse. I just won't listen to him. It's fun to hear his call after the game of an exciting play though.
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A good example is the Best of Times, Worst of Times approach was the Phoenix game where Roy scored 52. Phoenix was making runs on us all game, and right before Roy really started going off, we were down 12, and Wheels was so mad after one made shot by Phoenix you could actually hear him throw something against the table. He was livid.

Then Roy went HAM.

And that run was absolutely amazing to listen to. Wheels went nuts, capping with his "It's absolute BEDLAM!" when Roy hit the shot to score 50. And because he was so down before, the highs seemed that much higher, that much more earned. I feel bad when he feels bad, and sometimes it's too much... but when it works, when the Blazers come back and the story has a happy ending, it plays out like a perfect narrative.
 
BlazerCaravan said:
A good example is the Best of Times, Worst of Times approach was the Phoenix game where Roy scored 52. Phoenix was making runs on us all game, and right before Roy really started going off, we were down 12, and Wheels was so mad after one made shot by Phoenix you could actually hear him throw something against the table. He was livid.

Then Roy went HAM.

And that run was absolutely amazing to listen to. Wheels went nuts, capping with his "It's absolute BEDLAM!" when Roy hit the shot to score 50. And because he was so down before, the highs seemed that much higher, that much more earned. I feel bad when he feels bad, and sometimes it's too much... but when it works, when the Blazers come back and the story has a happy ending, it plays out like a perfect narrative.
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Great post!
 
BlazerCaravan said:
A good example is the Best of Times, Worst of Times approach was the Phoenix game where Roy scored 52. Phoenix was making runs on us all game, and right before Roy really started going off, we were down 12, and Wheels was so mad after one made shot by Phoenix you could actually hear him throw something against the table. He was livid.

Then Roy went HAM.

And that run was absolutely amazing to listen to. Wheels went nuts, capping with his "It's absolute BEDLAM!" when Roy hit the shot to score 50. And because he was so down before, the highs seemed that much higher, that much more earned. I feel bad when he feels bad, and sometimes it's too much... but when it works, when the Blazers come back and the story has a happy ending, it plays out like a perfect narrative.
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I'm actually a little worried about the guy when he completely goes crazy when something exciting happens. One second we'd hear Wheels flipping the fuck out about Dame hitting a game winner or something, and the next the line would just go dead and we'd hear a big crash.
 
I think there are some horrible radio guys in the NBA..the guys in Utah are pretty good and unbiased, pretty much call the game. Miami has the worst I've heard. Wheels will compliment players on the other team. He'll also criticize guys on the home team as well.
 
Natebishop3 said:
I'm actually a little worried about the guy when he completely goes crazy when something exciting happens. One second we'd hear Wheels flipping the fuck out about Dame hitting a game winner or something, and the next the line would just go dead and we'd hear a big crash.
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Is it just me or has Wheels put all the weight he lost back on? That's a cause for concern when he gets wound up. Sorry if you're reading this Wheels, I only wish you the best.
 
Love Wheels! Always have. Tone, as well as M & M need to all go IMHO.

Whatever happened to "The Snapper"??? :dunno:
 
dviss1 said:
Love Wheels! Always have. Tone, as well as M & M need to all go IMHO.

Whatever happened to "The Snapper"??? :dunno:
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Last I heard Snapper had a few health problems but is now enjoying retirement.

And Tone and the Mikes are great.
 
riverman said:
Is it just me or has Wheels put all the weight he lost back on? That's a cause for concern when he gets wound up. Sorry if you're reading this Wheels, I only wish you the best.
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Last I saw, I believe he did.
 
Love Wheels. Best in biz.

Rice is funny. Barrett gets on my nerves. He's the anti-homer and it pisses me off. When I'm riding the emotions of a close game and they do a review of a call that I think is bad in my mind, the last thing I want to hear is, "well, actually that was a good call, clearly he just grazed his elbow". Annoying. He ups that kind of stuff when its a NBAtv game.

Give me a super homer like Wheels any day.
 
I like his lines, with the exception of, "It's a great day to be a Blazer". The Blazers haven't won a playoff series in 14 years.
 
MickZagger said:
Love Wheels. Best in biz.

Rice is funny. Barrett gets on my nerves. He's the anti-homer and it pisses me off. When I'm riding the emotions of a close game and they do a review of a call that I think is bad in my mind, the last thing I want to hear is, "well, actually that was a good call, clearly he just grazed his elbow". Annoying. He ups that kind of stuff when its a NBAtv game.

Give me a super homer like Wheels any day.
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I agree mostly. Wheels is great overall. I love Rice. Not only is he funny, but he imparts a lot more knowledge than posters here give him credit for (you just have to be paying attention), and he does give credit to the other team's players. I wouldn't trade Rice for anyone. I agree that Barrett waffles between blowing sunshine up our skirts and being the "anti-homer". Too many times I've seen Barrett defending calls when the replay clearly showed he and the refs were wrong. Both are annoying. Harvey was so bad his first couple of years that I literally quit listening to Blazers games on the radio. He's improved to bearable, but he needs to shut up more and stop trying to be what he seems to consider "funny".
 
Sinobas said:
I like his lines, with the exception of, "It's a great day to be a Blazer". The Blazers haven't won a playoff series in 14 years.
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That line never made sense to me. There are only 15 "Blazers" and he isn't one of them. I'm not one of them. You're not one of them. Nobody listening is one of them.

It's a great day to be a Blazer...... fan?
 
BBert said:
I agree mostly. Wheels is great overall. I love Rice. Not only is he funny, but he imparts a lot more knowledge than posters here give him credit for (you just have to be paying attention), and he does give credit to the other team's players. I wouldn't trade Rice for anyone. I agree that Barrett waffles between blowing sunshine up our skirts and being the "anti-homer". Too many times I've seen Barrett defending calls when the replay clearly showed he and the refs were wrong. Both are annoying. Harvey was so bad his first couple of years that I literally quit listening to Blazers games on the radio. He's improved to bearable, but he needs to shut up more and stop trying to be what he seems to consider "funny".
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I completely agree.
 
MickZagger said:
Love Wheels. Best in biz.

Rice is funny. Barrett gets on my nerves. He's the anti-homer and it pisses me off. When I'm riding the emotions of a close game and they do a review of a call that I think is bad in my mind, the last thing I want to hear is, "well, actually that was a good call, clearly he just grazed his elbow". Annoying. He ups that kind of stuff when its a NBAtv game.

Give me a super homer like Wheels any day.
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This^^^ Wheels has the energy keeps you pumped up. Rice is funny in a senile kind of way but Barrett, he goes out of his way to seem unbiased to the point of having a bias against the Blazers. If I'm watching my favorite team I want to hear another fan, not a guy that doesn't want to offend any opponents fans on NBATV.
 
Wow I must be the extreme outlier, I can't stand Wheels or Mike Rice, and I actually can tolerate 'Tone and Barret. That said Mike Holton is bar none the best commentator on the radio or TV for the Blazers, Holton should immediately replace Mike Rice IMHO.

As for Wheels' specifically? His schtick is totally worn out with me, I do not, nor have I ever really appreciated it, and I generally don't enjoy listening to the radio that much for that exact reason. The combination of him and 'Tone are like a double whammy when it comes to unbearable listening. To his credit though 'Tone has become at least bearable to listen to compared to his first two seasons, I think he's just finally gotten comfortable behind the mic.
 
Some of his when-things-are-going-badly lines are almost as enjoyable to me as the happy stuff. Like his nearly monotone "[insert player] puts up a three, and what do you think?" Or the always appropriate "Are you kidding me?!" It's just nice to hear the guy on the other side going through the same emotional roller coaster that I am.
 
Voodoo said:
That said Mike Holton is bar none the best commentator on the radio or TV for the Blazers, Holton should immediately replace Mike Rice IMHO.
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Did you think before you typed this?
 
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