NBA: Where Dessert Happens

by Ian Tasso

Editorial. Photos by AP News.

Sports are just like cake.

They're certainly not essential to life. But damn, do they taste good.

And like the layers of a cake, the countless layers woven into each game – offense, defense, coaching, refereeing – each plays an integral role in its final outcome. Appearence isn't everything either - sometimes the best looking cakes on paper just don't taste quite right. Sometimes, rather, it's the ugliest of cakes that turn into classics (Snow Bowl anyone?)

Broadcasting, however, is the icing on that cake.

That’s because unlike the layers of the cake body, broadcasting isn’t necessary. Plenty of cakes (take poppy seed or coffee for example) taste delicious without icing all the same. Similarly, if need be, you can watch games on mute, silencing the broadcasters, and your viewing experience won’t really suffer much.

But if the icing goes on, it’s imperative that it taste delicious. Because if it’s bad, it can absolutely ruin the cake, no matter how wonderfully it’s made.

But if it’s good – oh, if it’s good - it can turn a cake into a work of art. If a game is broadcasted well, it can turn that simple cake into a masterpiece.

On Sunday afternoon, I sat down to watch the Celtics-Nuggets game, one that carried high expectations. It was sort of like ordering an expensive piece of cake at a high-class restaurant.

Only, this high-priced game I sat down to watch turned out to be a bit of a flop. Sure, there was a lot of scoring, a bunch of dunking and a few smooth shots. But in the end, the Celtics fell to Denver 114-105. Not exactly the desired outcome.

In my opinion, the cake was ruined.

But fortunately for the four hours or so that I spent eating that flop of a cake, the icing actually made up for it. Believe it or not, the broadcasting actually turned an 11-point loss into a fairly satisfying dessert.

The ABC second-team led by Mike Tirico beautifully handled the highly anticipated Celtics-Nuggets clash Sunday afternoon, while the number-one team was busy handling the Eastern Conference super-battle between the Magic and Cavaliers.

Tirico and sidekick Hubie Brown were spectacular as usual, offering great insight to both the Boston and Denver teams, while also colorfully describing the action on the court.

Don’t get me wrong – it was an exciting game on all accounts. Usually clashes between two top-level teams like the Cetlics and Nuggets are. But normally, I don’t enjoy watching games that are over in the first quarter. Ones where my team begins by falling down 37-19 and ends up losing by double digits.

But the dynamic duo of Tirico and Brown did exactly that - they made me enjoy watching my team essentially get beat senseless by a superiorly athletic Denver Nugget squad.

Thanks to Tirico and co., I learned much more than I ever knew about Kevin Garnett and his injury recovery. In fact, I feel like I might now know more than KG himself does about it. I even learned enough about the Celtics rotation where I could now write you a 20-page report on Marquis Daniels and Rasheed Wallace.

And don’t forget about the Nuggets either. As a Celtics fan, I learned a tremendous amount about a Denver team I’m really not too familiar with. I found out why Chauncy Billups owns Rajon Rondo in head to heads. I even feel like I’m now best friends with Nuggets swing-man Chris ‘Birdman’ Anderson.

And isn’t that what broadcasting’s all about?

Like the great John Rooke once told me, even if the Friars get drubbed, if someone goes up to him and says “great game you called last night,” it’s a success.

Well, Mike and Hubie – great game you called yesterday. And I mean it.

They danced the fine line of info-tainment like professional ballroom two-steppers. They filled an otherwise disappointing Celtics show with excitement, backed by tremendous commentary.

They even did such a good job, they nearly overshadowed the fact that they didn’t announce the score as much as they should have. Nearly.

What it all boiled down to, is that Brown and Tirico had a great time working today. And it showed.

And because of that, I had a great time watching – even though Boston got sheared like a sheep. Together, they washed away the poor taste left in my mouth by the collective dud of a showing by the men in green.

At the end of the day, they successfully iced the terrible flavor of the afternoon’s cake – and that’s all you can ask for.

Now if I could just get some of that icing for the cherry pie I got in the mail from my aunt on Friday…her ‘famous’ cherry pie that’s ‘famous’ for all the wrong reasons.

Hey Mike and Hubie – what are you guys up to tomorrow night? You guys like cherry pie?