John Michael Appreciation Thread

[Stark]

This guy has had pretty big shoes to fill following the retirement of Joe Tait, but I firmly believe that he has stepped up and done a more than respectable job as the new voice of the Cavaliers.

 

[shoes22]

He's pretty good. He shows the right amount of passion and excitement when he's on the call.

 

[Binkster]

I agree. Really like his energy and he seems very passionate.

I think, at times, he struggles keeping up with the action on the floor with his play by play. I think he can tend to run several seconds behind and doesn't always paint a crystal clear picture.

But radio play by play seems like a difficult task and I do enjoy his energy.

He's not boring at all.

 

[westsidebob]

Two man booths are just wrong for basketball.....If I'm listening on the radio, I want to know what happens, that's it. The color man just ruins the flow.

 

[Taiter]

John Michael was once on the CBJ telecast as a 'sideline' reporter and was kind of meh, but radio calls you've posted are ok and better than I would've thought.

Joe Tait was just so good though. Tough shoes to fill. His Miracle of Richfield calls are easily the best sporting event calls I've ever heard. In fact it's those calls and that record more than anything else that made me a passionate Cavs fan and why I love AC and Campy on TV. Really wish I could've experienced the game 5 and game 7 crowds in person. Love watching the crowd rush the court.

 

[SteelSmack]

I can't stand him as an announcer. He's got a ton of passion, which is great, but he's so sub-par at letting people know what's actually happening in the game. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS YOUR FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT JOB!!!

I couldn't guess how many times in a game he doesn't tell you who grabbed a rebound or tells you a team made a basket 10 seconds after they did. He just doesn't seem like a great fit for radio, though I'd love him as a play-by-play guy on TV (obviously Fred has that job covered).

I guess I was spoiled growing up. I listened to WWWE (dating myself) back when I was ~10-15 when I lived in southwest Michigan and that was the only way to keep up with what the Cavs were doing. So Joe Tait was incredible to listen to. I could close my eyes and see the game.

I also was spoiled by the Reds radio team (Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall). Marty is right there with Joe Tait in his ability to paint the game over the airwaves (though I'd issue a caveat that the NBA is probably 100x harder to call on the radio than MLB).

 

[wizman23]

He is decent, the problem is nothing from now until the end of time will ever be as good as Joe Tait. This goes for all sports. There was just something magical about the way Tait called a game that can't be explained. I hope they let John Michael go solo though. I have no idea why Jim Chones is with him as he adds nothing at all.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Joe always passed along critical information on every play, including who scored, what the score was, etc.. You could turn him on in the middle of the game and be fully informed within 30 seconds, and that information would always come smoothly, and without disrupting the flow of the actual call..

About 25 years ago, a friend of mine from Texas and I were out in the flats, and right before getting out of the car, I turned on the game to listen for a bit. After about a minute, my buddy said "It's like you can actually see the game. Who is that guy? Best play by play I've ever heard."

It sometimes seemed more like "the Cavaliers" listening to them on the radio than watching them. Pretty good deal if you're a blind buy like Gordon Gund.

Joe also called Tribe games at one point -- just for a year or two. If anything, he was even better.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Really wish I could've experienced the game 5 and game 7 crowds in person. Love watching the crowd rush the court.

I was there for 5, but not 7. Up in the cheap seats, and couldn't really see what happened when Cleamons put it in. But the place went nuts. What's amazing about the video is how the fans reacted at the end of game 7, and then realizing that was just the conference semi-finals. That, and the horrible haircuts. Completely insane, anyway.

The cool thing for older fans like me is thinking that a whole bunch of other dudes like me who were at some of those games, and remember that feeling, are getting to watch something great this year. Except this time, when Fate tore Kevin Love's shoulder rather than Jim Chones' ankle, we spat in Fate's face and won anyway.

I'm going to be crying like a freaking baby if we pull this off.

 

[shoes22]

I agree. Really like his energy and he seems very passionate.

I think, at times, he struggles keeping up with the action on the floor with his play by play. I think he can tend to run several seconds behind and doesn't always paint a crystal clear picture.

But radio play by play seems like a difficult task and I do enjoy his energy.

He's not boring at all.

Definitely. Out of all professional sports, doing radio play-by-play for basketball has to be the most difficult. There is non-stop action with minimal pauses (unlike football or baseball), and multiple things to watch for on the court at once (unlike hockey). It takes a real talent to paint a clear picture of what's going on while not lagging behind in calling the action.

Two man booths are just wrong for basketball.....If I'm listening on the radio, I want to know what happens, that's it. The color man just ruins the flow.

I agree with this as well. Chones adds virtually nothing to the broadcast, when his air time could be better used explaining what's actually happening.

 

[The Oi]

I was there for 5, but not 7. Up in the cheap seats, and couldn't really see what happened when Cleamons put it in. But the place went nuts. What's amazing about the video is how the fans reacted at the end of game 7, and then realizing that was just the conference semi-finals. That, and the horrible haircuts. Completely insane, anyway.

The cool thing for older fans like me is thinking that a whole bunch of other dudes like me who were at some of those games, and remember that feeling, are getting to watch something great this year. Except this time, when Fate tore Kevin Love's shoulder rather than Jim Chones' ankle, we spat in Fate's face and won anyway.

I'm going to be crying like a freaking baby if we pull this off.

You are older than sin.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

You are older than sin.

Eh, I was mebbe 14 or so.

 

[The Oi]

Eh, I was mebbe 14 or so.

I'm 14 now.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I'm 14 now.

Then get the hell off my lawn.

 

[Taiter]

You guys might enjoy this... This actually has footage from the end of Game 5 starting at 7:15, along with Tait's legendary call. At 8:55 you have the Game 7 radio call with footage (no interruption from a different announcer like the other video). Great stuff. I've never seen Game 2 footage and they don't include the Game 2 radio call here either, but of course that was a great Tait moment too (my tagline).