Suns Commentators - What Do You Think?

[Superbone]

EJ is decent, mainly when he talks about his playing days. Other teams have much better commentators. Bucks, Raptors, Portland, for instance.

Portland? Yuck. Big time homers. My favorite out of market announcers are the Clippers' Ralph Lawler and Michael Smith. They are fair and balanced for the most part.

[Mori Chu]

I like Steve Albert and EJ just fine. Albert isn't top-notch, but he has a good announcing voice and calls the action decently enough. I don't get upset when he blows a call; I'll give him a few mulligans along the way. For me the most annoying is when I just don't like the announcer's voice or their verbal ticks. I fucking HATED Leander and his fucking catch phrases, so I'm just grateful to have a guy doing the call who sounds like he should be an announcer for a living. And as many others have said, EJ is a very sharp color commentator who adds a lot to the broadcast.

[Indy]

I like Steve Albert and EJ just fine. Albert isn't top-notch, but he has a good announcing voice and calls the action decently enough. I don't get upset when he blows a call; I'll give him a few mulligans along the way. For me the most annoying is when I just don't like the announcer's voice or their verbal ticks. I fucking HATED Leander and his fucking catch phrases, so I'm just grateful to have a guy doing the call who sounds like he should be an announcer for a living. And as many others have said, EJ is a very sharp color commentator who adds a lot to the broadcast.

I agree with all of that except that he calls a decent game. Even with the blown calls, he doesn't even call half the action. Next time you watch a game, pretend you are calling the game for two minutes. Watch how often he doesn't even call what is happening.

[EDC]

My favorite was also Al and Cotton. I think the worse had to be the combo of Bender and Scott Williams. Bender was okay but combining him with an annoying ex bull was awful. He was only with the team for a year and a half. So dull.

I kinda miss Thunder Dan. He was always hilarious.

[Nodack]

What did Thinder Dan always say going into commercial breaks? "Hala!" What does that means anyway?

I used to work second shift at GM driving cars and I always felt like I was getting away with something listening to the Suns games at night driving. Al made you feel like you were right at the game. That was 2-3 hours where I didn't feel like I was working.

[gosuns]

I will never forget those long European nights listening to al on internet radio.

[The Bobster]

I just listened to the old record "Sunderella Suns" last night for the first time in years (it pretty much covers the Suns' 1975-76 season with a few highlights from earlier years and Al was really at the top of his game (despite a few to many "Great Ball of Fire!!" from him). There is also a few clips of Rod Hundley, who was one of the Suns announcers before Al) and there wasn't much difference between early 70's Hot Rod and Utah Jazz Hot Rod.

[Indy]

I recently was doing some work on my house and it was during a game. So I could not watch it and knew I wouldn't have time to watch it on the DVR later. So I used the Suns app and listened to Al. I know we say he has lost a bit of his awesomeness, but I have to say it was amazing. I could picture everything. Quite a contrast to listening to the TV when I look away for a minute to read our forum here.

[Nodack]

Al has that gift of making you be able to see the game without being there.

I met him and his wife once about 8 years ago at a resturaunt I was doing a solo gig at. They came up to me as they were leaving and complimented me. Super nice people. I am sad his wife passed. He is an accomplished pianist as well.

I was playing a solo gig at Tommy Bahamas during the D'antoni years. He and his wife came in for Mother's Day. I hadn't started yet and was walking past the retail portion of the store and spotted D'antoni buying something at the counter. I recognized him immediately and couldn't help but intrude. I had to dress in Tommy Bahamas clothes so I looked like I worked there. I went up to the counter and stood next to D'antoni and said to the sales clerk, "Be nice to this guy, he is a celebrity." She went, "He is?" and I explained that he was the coach of the Suns to her with him standing there and he got a kick out of it. He then went to eat with his wife in the Resturaunt portion of the store and I started my gig. He was seated pretty close to me and I got to play for them while they ate. After they finished he came over and said they enjoyed the music and asked me for my card and said maybe they could use me for some events down the road. I gladly gave him my card and he started telling that he was also a guitarist. They never did call me, but I still enjoyed playing for them and getting the chance to meet them.

[Indy]

Cool stories Dack. Thanks for sharing.

[Mori Chu]

I don't agree with everything he did as a coach, but dang did I like Mike D'Antoni as a person. Loved reading about him on the "inside" in the 7SOL book.

[Nodack]

Thanks Indy and thanks for posting the season ticket holders conference interview stuff. That was great.

I also met Alvin Gentry a couple of times when he was the coach. He belonged to a church I played at a few times. They had a Halloween thing going on for the kids and Alvin and his wife showed up two years in a row. He was dressed as a knight and his rather attractive wife was a damsel. I was doing a duo gig and they walked by and waved hi. We went on break a little while later and I somehow managed to start talking to him accidently kind of on purpose. I almost feel bad. I started badgering him with Suns questions. It was funny because he went right into his preset answers like it was an ESPN reporter asking him. You could tell it wasn't the first time he was asked that stuff. He was a really nice guy though.

I'm sure they are all nice. They have to be coaches and sometimes coaches have to be not so nice because that's their job I suppose. Get in a normal conversation and they are just people.

[Mori Chu]

I love Alvin Gentry. Another guy who came off looking genuinely great in the 7SOL book. I bet he's doing great work helping Steve Kerr over there in Golden State right now. I think it's no accident that they're doing so well after bringing in both of those guys to help coach the team. "Yes sir, mother fuckers!!"

[carey]

I love Alvin Gentry. Another guy who came off looking genuinely great in the 7SOL book. I bet he's doing great work helping Steve Kerr over there in Golden State right now. I think it's no accident that they're doing so well after bringing in both of those guys to help coach the team. "Yes sir, mother fuckers!!"

I liked Alvin a lot. I'm genuinely happy with Hornacek though.

[Uncle_Gene]

I like Eddie Johnson, he keeps it real everytime. He's never afraid to tell it like it is.