On my way into to work this morning I heard a report on 950 ESPN that “Bob Salmi is out” as the Sixers color commentator. Via email I was able to get Comcast SportsNet’s official statement:
“At the conclusion of the Sixers 2008-09 season, we evaluated all areas of the Sixers telecast. With this, Comcast SportsNet has decided not to renew the contract of broadcaster Bob Salmi. We thank Bob for his contributions to the network.” – Maureen C. Quilter, Director of Communications, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
But just figured we needed something (good news) to break up the coaching talk.
As soon as the NBA draft lottery is decided Pete and I will start mixing in heavy doses of Sixers related draft coverage.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I honestly think that all the Sixers fans took out the frustration of this crap team out on Salmi, the few times that I heard him I enjoyed him. being that the nba league pass only carried about 10 broadcast it was a small sample but nonetheless an enjoyable one. The guy has knowledge of the game, what else do you want. We have people here on this blog who want to fire the announcer and trade Thad for Richard stinkin Jefferson, there is something wrong with that.
Greek – He was boring, too cliche and got stale really quickly because he says the same thing every game. He became predictable and that is death for a color guy.
“Best pump fake in game!!”
I take no pleasure in a guy losing his job, especially in this economy …
but in Salmi’s case: kiss-ass homer; master of the obvious, the
hyperbolic, the gratuitous and the starchily corny; talked incessantly. Knows some basketball - and wants all to know he knows. Missionary zeal and native intelligence worked to his disfavor somehow. That said, I wish him well and a statuette of Andre Miller’s pump fake.
Agreed never happy when someone loses a job but he was def bad at commentary. Wonder who they would will bring in, they should hold auditions for fans, curious if any of us can do better.
My girl and I watched every game together and we had a nickname for him: Capo, which stood for Captain Obvious. He would almost repeat whatever Zumoff just said, which is problematic because a Color Guy is supposed to tell you why, not what. Bring back Fred Carter!!
ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!! First great Sixers news of the offseason. I mean, this guy was so awful he was making us miss Steve Mix, who was terrible in his own right.
We need someone in there with a colorful, witty personality to sit next to Zumoff. I wonder if MacColluch would be interested in doing TV after his year off from WIP with Tom McGuiness? Or how about Rick Mahorn haha…we’ve got some good ex-player personalities around.
who should replace him?
I like Todd Mac on the radio. There was definitely wit there, but a very dry sense of humor, not much in the way of animation though. which isn’t needed when working w’ McGuiness.
It’s funny; earlier in the season listening to the radio broadcast, it took me almost half the game before I realised McGuiness was by himself.
Anybody else think that was strange? He still did an amazing job but at times it seemed like he was losing his mind. Ha!
Funny stuff guys, all I am going to say that as a die hard Yankee fan I turned on Rizutto in 87 during the dog days of summer. Years later I realized that I was just taking out my frustration of the yankees sucking on poor Phil. God bless you Phil, you are misseD!
Now we know why they contacted D.Collins, it had nothing to do with coaching. Will I miss him? I don!t know because I had instant amnesia.
He seemed like a good guy and I wish him the best but this makes me very happy. He had to be one of the, if not, the most repetitive, unemotional broadcasters I’ve ever heard. Every game he called was exactly the same, and I was always frustrated when he agreed with the officials on calls against the team, even bad ones.
That is interesting to hear! I hope Salmi continues doing the PostGame segments, that is where he was at his BEST!
I wonder though, if not for a coaching job, would Doug Collins be interested in joining Marc Zumoff as the color analyst? They would be quite a duo. Besides being the #1 draft pick of the Sixers, doesn’t Collins have a family in the Philadelphia area?
THANK YOU BOB SALMI FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!! GO SIXERS!!
@ Ryan F, I agree; he was a referee apologist. It didn’t matter if it was for or against the home team. My man never went out on a limb that’s for sure. . . ok. I was trying not to pile on but …Greek, if you had to hear him 3/4 nights a week you’d feel the same way.
LIke Salmi but his game calling grew old. Sameo! Sameo! game after game. I also would like to have him do the post game analysis. I like John Celestand. Also, as said above, Todd Mac’s dry sense of humor might work during the 82 game grind. Really like to see color analyst’s rotated over the season. Thought it was best when different networks covered the games and heard a different voice/opinion once in awhile.
This is the best news yet!!! i swear he rooted for the other team more than us. Salmi had no homer in him whatsoever. i agree with hating to see someone lose a job but he’ll be on the nba network in no time.
Doug Collins or bust (whether it be coaching or color commentary)!! He has no ego and the national audience actually learns something from him!
GO SIXERS!!