Van gundy comments

[Money4Nothing]

Any word on the Van Bundy controversy that hit today. Haven't found a good article yet.
Stan was dishing on ESPN and Nba forcing him out of a broadcast gig.
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[ProjectGSX]

Not sure what you expect to hear. The Van Gundy's are crying conspiracy. ESPN and the NBA says nothing happened.

[Money4Nothing]

I wanna read the transcripts of the interview.

For the record I believe the Van Gundys. I suspect this kind of stuff happens all the time in Sports broadcasting (the sudden disappearance of Steven A Smith from NBA commentary on ESPN for example), but everyone is hush hush. The Van Gundys have nothing to lose by telling the truth.

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[alh1020]

Here's all I could find to this point:

Jeff Van Gundy questions failed deal

Jeff Van Gundy, the lead game analyst for ESPN's and ABC's coverage of the NBA, implies that his brother Stan's deal to join the network did not work out because the league blocked the move.

In an interview with USA Today Sports, Jeff Van Gundy said that his brother, who was fired in May after five seasons as coach of the Orlando Magic, "had a basic agreement" with ESPN "and then something changed."

"There's certainly circumstantial evidence that something from the outside -- presumably the NBA -- changed (ESPN's) thinking," Jeff Van Gundy told USA Today. "As a broadcaster of the NBA, it gives you pause. How forthcoming can you be? You don't want your honesty to cost you a chance at employment."

An ESPN spokesperson told USA Today that the network "had discussions with Stan, and we were interested in a role for him at ESPN. Ultimately, we moved in a different direction."

Stan Van Gundy has expressed strong opinions in the past, sometimes clashing with the league. When then-Magic center Dwight Howard earned a suspension in 2011, Van Gundy said:

"This is the system David Stern and his minions like. So that's the system you have. ... I certainly can't have an opinion because David Stern, like a lot of leaders we've seen in this world lately, don't really tolerate other people's opinion or free speech or anything. So I'm not really allowed to have an opinion."

Stan Van Gundy spoke to Dan Le Batard on The Ticket, a radio station in Miami, nearly two weeks ago to explain why he thought his potential hiring as an ESPN analyst fell apart. Van Gundy's quotes were picked up on various sports websites.

"No one at ESPN will tell us what happened. Certainly the NBA office isn't going to tell us what happened. One of the quotes from ESPN in there -- we had discussions, but couldn't agree on a role ... as is usual, that's a bunch of BS from ESPN," Van Gundy told Le Batard. The radio host also works for ESPN.

Van Gundy went on to say that "What I find fascinating ... you have to give (NBA commissioner) David Stern and the NBA a lot of credit ... ESPN pays the league, and then the league tells them what to do. It's more ESPN's problem ... to pay someone hundreds of millions of dollars and let them run your business."

He also said, "Nobody is going to give a straight answer because -- that's just the way a lot of people operate -- nobody there has the guts to say anything, so that's what you deal with."

Jeff Van Gundy implies NBA blocked hiring of Stan Van Gundy - ESPN

[Jose_TheGenius]

when they say they're gonna have a deal then they back out, it's fair to think Stern may have something to do with it. you have to realize Stan is going to have an open mic on commentary there and if he does Lakers games in any capacity, they're going to ask him about the controversies. Stan's biggest problem is that he's WAY too honest.

[alh1020]

Jeff Van Gundy confirms it was NBA who kept his brother off air


Kurt Helin / Oct 23, 2012, 12:17 AM EDT

Stan Van Gundy came right out and said the reason he is not one of the studio hosts for ESPN’s NBA Countdown studio show (the one that wraps around their game broadcasts on ESPN and ABC) was that David Stern and the NBA shut him out.

His brother Jeff Van Gundy — the lead analyst on ESPN’s broadcasts — basically confirmed that. And rightfully said it left him with journalistic questions.

From JVG’s interview with the USA Today (hat tip to SLAM).

Jeff, who hadn’t previously spoken publicly on the issue until an interview with USA TODAY Sports, says his brother “had a basic agreement” to become an ESPN/ABC analyst in the marquee studio shows that wrap around game coverage: “And then something changed. There’s certainly circumstantial evidence that something from the outside — presumably the NBA — changed (ESPN’s) thinking. … I was happy when they came to an agreement and shocked when they pulled their offer.”

ESPN eventually put together a foursome of Jalen Rose, Bill Simmons, Magic Johnson and Michael Wilbon. While I would have liked SVG on the show, that lineup should be an improvement over what they had last ywar.

As an analyst who gets paid to be critical at times of the league, Jeff called what the league did a “shot across the bow.”

Jeff’s big picture: “This is an organization that’s treated me great. But this raises interesting questions about what a (league-network) partnership means. You have to realize, as a fan, you’re not getting the whole truth. … It seems like there are certain people in each sport that (TV) can’t criticize, or you can’t criticize the league itself. That’s what impressed me when (ESPN’s) Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden criticized the NFL over replacement refs. That (Commissioner) Roger Goodell didn’t throw a hissy fit at ESPN was impressive.”

Leagues can be very controlling by their nature. They want to spin things the same way the Barack Obama and Mitt Romney camps want to spin things. And in the case of the leagues, they have some leverage with the networks that broadcast their games because those rights come up for renewal.

All it means is that you need to be an educated media consumer in today’s market. There is no perfect, unbiased source of information on anything. Your job as a consumer of media is to understand that, notice the patters and see through it where you need to.

And that includes NBA broadcasts.

Related link: League GMs say Durant now more clutch than Kobe | ProBasketballTalk

[b1gdon]

Originally Posted by Money4Nothing

I wanna read the transcripts of the interview.

For the record I believe the Van Gundys. I suspect this kind of stuff happens all the time in Sports broadcasting (the sudden disappearance of Steven A Smith from NBA commentary on ESPN for example), but everyone is hush hush. The Van Gundys have nothing to lose by telling the truth.

$

And the world is a far better place.

[Flipmode Master]

How unethical on the part of the NBA...so will they veto coaching jobs too if he tries? s

Still though Van Gundy brought this on himself, his attitude was horrible and he got off easy in the whole Howard saga within the public eye...IMHO he was worst than Dwight. He destroyed the Magic right before the playoffs by disclosing private info.

[Jose_TheGenius]

Originally Posted by Flipmode Master

How unethical on the part of the NBA...so will they veto coaching jobs too if he tries? s

Still though Van Gundy brought this on himself, his attitude was horrible and he got off easy in the whole Howard saga within the public eye...IMHO he was worst than Dwight. He destroyed the Magic right before the playoffs by disclosing private info.

the scary part is apparently Stern has the pull to dictate what can be said or not said during the broadcasts

[firefox86182]

I get that nba has to renew there rights with espn, in order for the games to be broadcaster on that channel...but it would be a nightmare for the league if anybody but espn picked up those rights. They want espn to bid and to bid high.

I think the truth of the matter is Stan wouldn't have been a great fit any how-jalen is a much better choice and that may just be the simple truth of the matter.

[drcantgetright]

why stop with broadcasting... how about the refs?!?!?