Oh, Bob Raissman. Media critic for the New York Daily News. He, along with his counterpart at the Post, Phil Mushnick, just really don't get it. Plus I can't help but wonder if they feel threatened by Neil Best of Newsday, who has surpassed them both for media reporting that is witty, accurate, and fair.
Let me also add Ken McMillan of the Times-Herald Record in Orange County, NY. Even if he has yet to give any love to a certain play-by-play duo at Mount Saint Mary College.
Anyway, back to Raissman. Come on, Bob. Do you have nothing better to write about than to criticize Mike Breen - clearly the best NBA voice out there these days?
Brandon Tierney, on 1050 ESPN in New York, was interviewing Tim Donaghy, the disgraced former NBA official who just finished jail time, and has a book to promote. During the interview, Donaghy continued to spew some of his so-called "facts" from his book. Breen, a former WFAN staffer (ah, the good ol' days) and Imus in the Morning sports guy (ditto) heard enough and called in. From there, he defended the refs. To Raissman, this sounded like defending the NBA in general.
Jive, as Bob likes to say.
I call foul. On Raissman.
Breen, if you don't know, has been a referee. OK, not an NBA ref, but he knows the hoops rulebook as well as anyone. I've also found Breen to be fair. Pretty honest. Very smart. And extremely nice to young broadcasters (many years ago).
Wait...am I defending a...GASP!...METS fan? Yessir...that's Breen (who's also hysterically funny).
I've also spoken to Stamford's own Bennett Salvatore on the subject, by the way. Quality man.
As for 1050 ESPN, they thought enough of the give-and-take that they promoted it on their station, using a sound byte of both Donaghy and Breen.
So there, Bob.
Oh, and I'd give you more of Neil Best, but those who run Newsday are now charging to access it. Even for Neil's blog.
Sad.
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