Joe Cravens One-Liners Repository

[Desert_Bobcat]

I hope I’m not going out on a limb here when I say that I think Cravens “shtick” is corny and a little stale. I’ve watched enough games he’s called the last few years to hear him recycle all his “go-to’s” more than a few times. Every game it’s the same thing.
Not only that but I think his whole persona paints the BigSky in a bad light. Don’t get me wrong, he was a good basketball coach and probably deserves that spot on Weber’s broadcast, but do we really want him being the unofficial “voice” of the BigSky tournament? His commentary would fit in just fine if I was sitting next to him belly up to the bar in dusty west Texas town, not on a tv broadcast. Maybe I just want someone who presents themself a bit more professional (whatever that means).

His insights are spot-on though. Forget the one-liners and listen to the analyst next time.

For sure, I’ll eat my words a bit here. I watched every men’s basketball game this year and I’ll say that his endless stream of one-liners didn’t bother me as much as it has in the past. Add on top of that his basketball IQ is spot-on. He’s a guy that I’d love to sit down at a game with and talk ball more than anything. The one liners, still a bit much but definitely better. (Makes for a fun drinking game though!)

I think my biggest issue in the past was I only got to hear him for battle of the cat (bob vs wild) games and those games the last few years have been too intense to hear him pull out the Rolodex of one-liners

[kcatz]

I loved his story about coaching in Missoula.

He says first could of years he had these hecklers right close to his bench. They were giving it too him regularly.

The next time he went. He went and sat down with them and talked a bit.

Said they still kept giving him ****** but were friends after that.

[Long Time Cat]

I hope I’m not going out on a limb here when I say that I think Cravens “shtick” is corny and a little stale. I’ve watched enough games he’s called the last few years to hear him recycle all his “go-to’s” more than a few times. Every game it’s the same thing.
Not only that but I think his whole persona paints the BigSky in a bad light. Don’t get me wrong, he was a good basketball coach and probably deserves that spot on Weber’s broadcast, but do we really want him being the unofficial “voice” of the BigSky tournament? His commentary would fit in just fine if I was sitting next to him belly up to the bar in dusty west Texas town, not on a tv broadcast. Maybe I just want someone who presents themself a bit more professional (whatever that means).

His insights are spot-on though. Forget the one-liners and listen to the analyst next time.

This!

He KNOWS the big sky well. Its not often we get on a national broadcast and the color guy knows more than what's been printed on his day sheet.

Watched a couple games last night on ESPN+ they were hard to listen to there wasn't any color or engagement.

I'll take Joe as long as he wants to continue

Agreed. Give me Joe Cravens every day over some generic announcer flown in from LA or the east coast who knows nothing about the Big Sky or its teams, players, and coaches. Cravens is great as a color guy for similar reasons as Ty Gregorak, both play up the "wackiness" at times (SUNBURST, MONTANA BEN!) but at the same time are also highly knowledgeable and can provide meaningful insight.

When the championship game was live I synced the MSU broadcast with the game. Keaton does a great job and if the game went badly I wanted at least a little homerism in the call. I watched the game again with the ESPN crew. Both are good. I too like Craven's insights into the game and honestly don't mind the one-liners.

[Bocephus]

I hope I’m not going out on a limb here when I say that I think Cravens “shtick” is corny and a little stale. I’ve watched enough games he’s called the last few years to hear him recycle all his “go-to’s” more than a few times. Every game it’s the same thing.
Not only that but I think his whole persona paints the BigSky in a bad light. Don’t get me wrong, he was a good basketball coach and probably deserves that spot on Weber’s broadcast, but do we really want him being the unofficial “voice” of the BigSky tournament? His commentary would fit in just fine if I was sitting next to him belly up to the bar in dusty west Texas town, not on a tv broadcast. Maybe I just want someone who presents themself a bit more professional (whatever that means).

His insights are spot-on though. Forget the one-liners and listen to the analyst next time.

This!

He KNOWS the big sky well. Its not often we get on a national broadcast and the color guy knows more than what's been printed on his day sheet.

Watched a couple games last night on ESPN+ they were hard to listen to there wasn't any color or engagement.

I'll take Joe as long as he wants to continue

Agreed. Give me Joe Cravens every day over some generic announcer flown in from LA or the east coast who knows nothing about the Big Sky or its teams, players, and coaches. Cravens is great as a color guy for similar reasons as Ty Gregorak, both play up the "wackiness" at times (SUNBURST, MONTANA BEN!) but at the same time are also highly knowledgeable and can provide meaningful insight.

When the championship game was live I synced the MSU broadcast with the game. Keaton does a great job and if the game went badly I wanted at least a little homerism in the call. I watched the game again with the ESPN crew. Both are good. I too like Craven's insights into the game and honestly don't mind the one-liners.

Keaton does a great job, I wish they would take Brian Priebe on the road. He provides great basketball insight and they make a great duo.

[msu_agfan]

I hope I’m not going out on a limb here when I say that I think Cravens “shtick” is corny and a little stale. I’ve watched enough games he’s called the last few years to hear him recycle all his “go-to’s” more than a few times. Every game it’s the same thing.
Not only that but I think his whole persona paints the BigSky in a bad light. Don’t get me wrong, he was a good basketball coach and probably deserves that spot on Weber’s broadcast, but do we really want him being the unofficial “voice” of the BigSky tournament? His commentary would fit in just fine if I was sitting next to him belly up to the bar in dusty west Texas town, not on a tv broadcast. Maybe I just want someone who presents themself a bit more professional (whatever that means).

His insights are spot-on though. Forget the one-liners and listen to the analyst next time.

This!

He KNOWS the big sky well. Its not often we get on a national broadcast and the color guy knows more than what's been printed on his day sheet.

Watched a couple games last night on ESPN+ they were hard to listen to there wasn't any color or engagement.

I'll take Joe as long as he wants to continue

Agreed. Give me Joe Cravens every day over some generic announcer flown in from LA or the east coast who knows nothing about the Big Sky or its teams, players, and coaches. Cravens is great as a color guy for similar reasons as Ty Gregorak, both play up the "wackiness" at times (SUNBURST, MONTANA BEN!) but at the same time are also highly knowledgeable and can provide meaningful insight.

When the championship game was live I synced the MSU broadcast with the game. Keaton does a great job and if the game went badly I wanted at least a little homerism in the call. I watched the game again with the ESPN crew. Both are good. I too like Craven's insights into the game and honestly don't mind the one-liners.

Keaton does a great job, I wish they would take Brian Priebe on the road. He provides great basketball insight and they make a great duo.

100% I hope we can "afford" to bring Priebe to the tournament.. he's earned it and we will all appreciate it so MUCH. They are a great asset.