Mike Lucas: Musburger still delivers with his own, unique style
By Mike Lucas
There's still a uniqueness to Brent Musburger. Maybe it has to do with his survival instincts and longevity in the broadcasting profession, dating to his CBS anchor days on the old "NFL Today" set. Maybe it has to do with his distinctive play-by-play voice and use of dramatic inflection to frame what is happening; or what is about to happen. Maybe it has to do with his versatility and wide range of experiences. Maybe it has to do with his roots as a sportswriter for the long-defunct Chicago American.
Whatever the case, the 66-year-old Musburger still brings a unique perspective to his winter assignment as one of the voices of college basketball and the National Basketball Association. Wednesday night, he was at courtside for ESPN and the Big Ten basketball matchup between Indiana and the University of Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. His game schedule usually varies from week to week, but often features a 2-for-1 tradeoff: pro to college or college to pro.
"The skill level is different obviously and the game is longer," Musburger said of the NBA. "The college game is apt to be more frantic from the beginning. And the missed shots, the diving for loose balls, that type of thing, makes it a very different kind of game. With the pros, basically, you're going to see a half-court game until the last five minutes. They can't possibly hold up through an 82-game schedule going at the college level."
Musburger cited Rick Pitino's attempt to coach that way during his unsuccessful stint with the Boston Celtics. "I kind of like dabbling in both, the variety is good," he said of his exposure to the NBA and college hoops. "I tell everybody, 'If you want to be entertained for a two-hour period or so, you should go to a college game.' Even a bad college game is pretty good entertainment. You get pretty good value. A bad NBA game is a bad game. Now, a great NBA game - if they take it to a different level - that's an entirely different thing. I've been around a lot of those, too."
Musburger has also been around some unique color analysts from the quintessential iconoclast and riddle (Bill Walton) to the consummate worker bee and ex-college head coach (Steve Lavin). "Bill comes off the wall just to come off the wall; Walton I've known forever," Musburger said. "Steve is more of a coach analyzing the game, but still has a good sense of humor, which serves him well. He's been a very pleasant surprise."
Musburger and Lavin have developed a good working knowledge of the Big Ten. They know what works. And what doesn't. "This is a very physical league," said Musburger, knowing that the conference office frowns on that stereotype, however factual. "They don't like that out there, but they are (physical). They're very tough down on the low block. If you're looking for hard-nosed kids, come and watch Big Ten kids play."
As a former assistant to Gene Keady at Purdue and a former head coach at UCLA, the 41-year-old Lavin brings a credible voice and his own uniqueness to the forum. And, like many, he believes the current Big Ten mentality - to guard hard and play hard - stems, in part, from the Keady and Bob Knight legacy.
"A part of it may go back to the great history of the football teams in the Big Ten - to the blocking and tackling of Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes-coached teams at Michigan and Ohio State," Lavin added. "And that's carried over to the basketball programs as far as physical toughness. To me, the paint and the backboards in basketball are the equivalent of the line of scrimmage in football. If you control the paint and control the backboards, then you control the game. That's why the Big Ten has always been seen as a physical conference."
And having that type of game - or being efficient in the half-court game - can be very beneficial during the NCAA tournament when offenses are less likely to get up and down the floor. "Last year, I thought the Big Ten was unfairly put down and very underrated," Musburger said. "Interestingly, this year, I happen to think they're a little overrated only because I don't see a marquee team stepping out, like an Illinois last year."
As it turned out, Illinois and Michigan State got to the Final Four. What are the odds of two Big Ten teams advancing that far again this season? Musburger, for one, won't give you odds. But he can recite them. Unlike most television sportscasters, he's not afraid to mention point spreads on the air. "I've always found it kind of strange," Musburger said of those fraternity brothers who are unwilling to acknowledge spreads, "because some of them talk about it when they're off microphone. But they don't do it (on air). I think they're just afraid people will jump them because of it."
Musburger used to share the "NFL Today" stage with the late Jimmy (The Greek) Snyder. And he noted that he has never been told to refrain from talking about point spreads. "It's a frame of reference," he said. "For example, I was doing an Iowa game against one of the better teams in the Big Ten and they were favored at home. I don't think people appreciate how tough the home courts are, so it gives them a little bit of information. I know that people in the industry are always paying attention - to see who's favored and by how much."
As a former newspaper journalist, Musburger didn't want to use the word hypocritical to describe papers that refuse to publish point spreads. He just thinks it's rather naive. "I find some of the most knowledgeable people that I know are Las Vegas Nevada bookmakers, who are friends and I readily talk to," he said. "I'm not naive about gambling. And I don't push for it, or against it. I just think it's very much a part of the sports culture and I don't think it's going away whether I mention it or not, to tell you the truth."
From an informational standpoint, Musburger offered another example. "I know a very, very big-time college football coach," he said, "who on Tuesday will come in and one of the first things he will look at in the staff meeting is USA Today and Danny Sheridan's point spread. And if he thinks it's off regarding his team, he will say, 'What do they know that I don't?' I would say 95 percent of the coaches I deal with, they don't talk about it to me, and I don't talk about it to them, but they know (the spread). They need to know. 'Is this team perceived to be a lot better than I am?' Or 'what's going on here?' "
Wednesday night, the Badgers, losers of three straight and five of the last six, were favored by five points over Indiana. They won by 18. "It was one of the first things I looked at on this game," Musburger said, "because I was kind of curious about Wisconsin and because I happen to believe that those people (the oddsmakers) really pay attention to what's going on. They have to - it's their business...and I don't hide from the fact that I will talk about it." Another element of his uniqueness.
By Mike Lucas
There's still a uniqueness to Brent Musburger. Maybe it has to do with his survival instincts and longevity in the broadcasting profession, dating to his CBS anchor days on the old "NFL Today" set. Maybe it has to do with his distinctive play-by-play voice and use of dramatic inflection to frame what is happening; or what is about to happen. Maybe it has to do with his versatility and wide range of experiences. Maybe it has to do with his roots as a sportswriter for the long-defunct Chicago American.
Whatever the case, the 66-year-old Musburger still brings a unique perspective to his winter assignment as one of the voices of college basketball and the National Basketball Association. Wednesday night, he was at courtside for ESPN and the Big Ten basketball matchup between Indiana and the University of Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. His game schedule usually varies from week to week, but often features a 2-for-1 tradeoff: pro to college or college to pro.
"The skill level is different obviously and the game is longer," Musburger said of the NBA. "The college game is apt to be more frantic from the beginning. And the missed shots, the diving for loose balls, that type of thing, makes it a very different kind of game. With the pros, basically, you're going to see a half-court game until the last five minutes. They can't possibly hold up through an 82-game schedule going at the college level."
Musburger cited Rick Pitino's attempt to coach that way during his unsuccessful stint with the Boston Celtics. "I kind of like dabbling in both, the variety is good," he said of his exposure to the NBA and college hoops. "I tell everybody, 'If you want to be entertained for a two-hour period or so, you should go to a college game.' Even a bad college game is pretty good entertainment. You get pretty good value. A bad NBA game is a bad game. Now, a great NBA game - if they take it to a different level - that's an entirely different thing. I've been around a lot of those, too."
Musburger has also been around some unique color analysts from the quintessential iconoclast and riddle (Bill Walton) to the consummate worker bee and ex-college head coach (Steve Lavin). "Bill comes off the wall just to come off the wall; Walton I've known forever," Musburger said. "Steve is more of a coach analyzing the game, but still has a good sense of humor, which serves him well. He's been a very pleasant surprise."
Musburger and Lavin have developed a good working knowledge of the Big Ten. They know what works. And what doesn't. "This is a very physical league," said Musburger, knowing that the conference office frowns on that stereotype, however factual. "They don't like that out there, but they are (physical). They're very tough down on the low block. If you're looking for hard-nosed kids, come and watch Big Ten kids play."
As a former assistant to Gene Keady at Purdue and a former head coach at UCLA, the 41-year-old Lavin brings a credible voice and his own uniqueness to the forum. And, like many, he believes the current Big Ten mentality - to guard hard and play hard - stems, in part, from the Keady and Bob Knight legacy.
"A part of it may go back to the great history of the football teams in the Big Ten - to the blocking and tackling of Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes-coached teams at Michigan and Ohio State," Lavin added. "And that's carried over to the basketball programs as far as physical toughness. To me, the paint and the backboards in basketball are the equivalent of the line of scrimmage in football. If you control the paint and control the backboards, then you control the game. That's why the Big Ten has always been seen as a physical conference."
And having that type of game - or being efficient in the half-court game - can be very beneficial during the NCAA tournament when offenses are less likely to get up and down the floor. "Last year, I thought the Big Ten was unfairly put down and very underrated," Musburger said. "Interestingly, this year, I happen to think they're a little overrated only because I don't see a marquee team stepping out, like an Illinois last year."
As it turned out, Illinois and Michigan State got to the Final Four. What are the odds of two Big Ten teams advancing that far again this season? Musburger, for one, won't give you odds. But he can recite them. Unlike most television sportscasters, he's not afraid to mention point spreads on the air. "I've always found it kind of strange," Musburger said of those fraternity brothers who are unwilling to acknowledge spreads, "because some of them talk about it when they're off microphone. But they don't do it (on air). I think they're just afraid people will jump them because of it."
Musburger used to share the "NFL Today" stage with the late Jimmy (The Greek) Snyder. And he noted that he has never been told to refrain from talking about point spreads. "It's a frame of reference," he said. "For example, I was doing an Iowa game against one of the better teams in the Big Ten and they were favored at home. I don't think people appreciate how tough the home courts are, so it gives them a little bit of information. I know that people in the industry are always paying attention - to see who's favored and by how much."
As a former newspaper journalist, Musburger didn't want to use the word hypocritical to describe papers that refuse to publish point spreads. He just thinks it's rather naive. "I find some of the most knowledgeable people that I know are Las Vegas Nevada bookmakers, who are friends and I readily talk to," he said. "I'm not naive about gambling. And I don't push for it, or against it. I just think it's very much a part of the sports culture and I don't think it's going away whether I mention it or not, to tell you the truth."
From an informational standpoint, Musburger offered another example. "I know a very, very big-time college football coach," he said, "who on Tuesday will come in and one of the first things he will look at in the staff meeting is USA Today and Danny Sheridan's point spread. And if he thinks it's off regarding his team, he will say, 'What do they know that I don't?' I would say 95 percent of the coaches I deal with, they don't talk about it to me, and I don't talk about it to them, but they know (the spread). They need to know. 'Is this team perceived to be a lot better than I am?' Or 'what's going on here?' "
Wednesday night, the Badgers, losers of three straight and five of the last six, were favored by five points over Indiana. They won by 18. "It was one of the first things I looked at on this game," Musburger said, "because I was kind of curious about Wisconsin and because I happen to believe that those people (the oddsmakers) really pay attention to what's going on. They have to - it's their business...and I don't hide from the fact that I will talk about it." Another element of his uniqueness.
