ONIONS! - Bill Raftery on Game Preparation

[American X]

Nice interest piece on the meticulous preparation of Bill Raftery:

A Sportscaster's Secret Playbook (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703555804576102461442595674.html?m od=WSJ_hpp_sections_sports)

But this comment indicates it may have put together some time ago:

"On the bottom right corner, Mr. Raftery lists strategic moves that might beat this team. Against Xavier, lay off guard Mark Lyons and lure him into shooting three-pointers."

That would be fine by me. Lyons is shooting 50% from three his past ten games.

[smileyy]

Color me impressed by the work that Raftery does in preparation for every game.

[Masterofreality]

Obviously, those were Raft's notes from before the XU/Minnesota NCAA game last year.

Cool, nonetheless.

[BandAid]

I definitely have more respect for Raftery after reading that article, but his style still rubs me the wrong way. Small doses only.

[smileyy]

I definitely have more respect for Raftery after reading that article, but his style still rubs me the wrong way. Small doses only.

He's a little over-enthusiastic sometimes, huh?

In that regard, he's like Dick Vitale, if you took all of the "suck" out of Dick Vitale. (Vitale's enthusiasm about college basketball is really the only thing I like about him. It's clear he really loves the sport, even as he suckles at the teat of everyone and everything famous)

[wkrq59]

He's a little over-enthusiastic sometimes, huh?

In that regard, he's like Dick Vitale, if you took all of the "suck" out of Dick Vitale. (Vitale's enthusiasm about college basketball is really the only thing I like about him. It's clear he really loves the sport, even as he suckles at the teat of everyone and everything famous)

Smileyy, Having dealt with Dickie V I can say there is much more to Dick than a surface scan. First, a lot of my reaction to him is from the view of a former sportswriter. That said, I have found him to be a front runner who really likes Xavier and has since the days of Pete Gillen. I never called him that he hasn't returned my call, no matter what. He always asks to be remembered to Sister Rose Ann Fleming, something that never ceases to amaze me.
I got to know Dick when he brought his Detroit U. teams into Schmidt , long before Xavier was even considered NCAA tournament -competitive. Before I left the Post, for good (The summer Matta bailed and Sean took over) I often called and talked to Dick on various subjects in the sporting world, especially college and pro basketball, which he has more contacts than anyone I've ever met. He was never too busy to talk with a colleague as he used to call me. A very nice man.

:logo::shield::sword:

[Blue Blooded-05]

Obviously, those were Raft's notes from before the XU/Minnesota NCAA game last year.

Cool, nonetheless.

Didn't Ian Eagle and Jim Spinarkle (sp?) call the Minnesota and Pitt games in Milwaukee last year? Come to think of it... When did Raftery call us in the past 2 years? The A10 semis?

[smileyy]

q -

I don't doubt it. I probably should have clarified the "suck" part -- he's just not a very good announcer for PBP or color. A good guy to have drop into the booth to add his excitement though. He really does love college basketball and the players, and all the hard work and success that they see.

[Masterofreality]

Didn't Ian Eagle and Jim Spinarkle (sp?) call the Minnesota and Pitt games in Milwaukee last year? Come to think of it... When did Raftery call us in the past 2 years? The A10 semis?

Yep, you're right. I was at the games. I just don't know when he would have made those notes though. He never has a Xavier game except in the NCAA.

[Juice]

Yep, you're right. I was at the games. I just don't know when he would have made those notes though. He never has a Xavier game except in the NCAA.

Kansas St. game or was the Gus Johnson?

The last one I remember off the top of my head was definitely the West Virginia game in the tourney.

[BandAid]

He's a little over-enthusiastic sometimes, huh?

In that regard, he's like Dick Vitale, if you took all of the "suck" out of Dick Vitale. (Vitale's enthusiasm about college basketball is really the only thing I like about him. It's clear he really loves the sport, even as he suckles at the teat of everyone and everything famous)

I would say contextual over-excitement. In the tourney and big games I enjoy listening to him, but run-of-the-mill games not so much. Maybe it's cause my outlook towards games such as...say @Charlotte is a more workman-like mentality, which doesn't jive with trademarked Raftery exclamations.

but that's just me.

[Blue Blooded-05]

Kansas St. game or was the Gus Johnson?

The last one I remember off the top of my head was definitely the West Virginia game in the tourney.

The KSU game was definately Gus Johnson... "INSTANT CLASSIC ON THE CORNER OF JOHN STOCKTON AND KARL MALONE DRIVE!!" ... (I still have that on DVR... never watched past that point though). The best part is when Clemente takes the inbound bass the other way you can see Gus standing in a blue shirt with his hands behind his head.

Gus and Ellmore also called the BYU game and OSU heartbreaker and the Louisville and Mississippi State games back in 2004. They also did the Gonzaga game in 2006.

Raftery and Lunquist did the WV game... "ONIONS... DOUBLE ORDER!!".... Then UCLA as well as the Texas and Duke games in 2004 in the Georgia Dome (Atlanta 2004: I spent about a month down there that weekend... Good times).

[xudash]

Kansas St. game or was the Gus Johnson?

The last one I remember off the top of my head was definitely the West Virginia game in the tourney.

Gus Johnson had the K-State game.

You're right: Onions had the WVU game, and he loved Raymond's three as much as he loved Stan's inbound pass.

Q, I know you know what you're talking about here. The Xavier basketball experience in the 70's was not exactly exceptional, but, through the 3.2 keg beer, we got to see Dickie V, Digger, and Al McGuire come to Schmidt. Of course, we were fodder for them then, but it was interesting.

I have to imagine the guy has a warm place in his heart for Xavier, given where he came from, etc.

[X-band '01]

The last game Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery did for Xavier was the Sweet 16 game against Pitt. Not the instant classic that the K-State was, but still a good game that Levance Fields wouldn't let Pitt lose.