The Chron’s Jonathan Feigen comes out in favor of Calvin Murphy returning to the broadcast booth next year.
For the Rockets to bring Murphy back will be a tough, perhaps even courageous move. But the jury said he was not guilty. And if anyone can shine past the charges, if anyone’s strength of personality and style and exuberance can lead viewers past the scandal and back to the show, it is Murphy.
[…]
There will be others who will struggle to leave the story behind. Some never will. But by bringing Murphy back, the Rockets will not be selling out for a few wins.
They would not be endorsing his lifestyle. They would be standing by a guy — found not guilty — that has been part of the family for more than 30 years.
We punish the guilty, not the accused. To take the Rockets away from Murphy would be stabbing him not in the back but in the heart.
The Rockets can understandably struggle with the decision. But after that, they need to bring him back and plug him in.
If you’re into reading tea leaves, this bodes well for Murphy. Me, I’m officially neutral on the question. I’m OK with it if the Rockets bring him back, and I’m OK with it if they don’t. And I don’t envy them the decision one little bit.
Should the Rockets give Murphy his job back? Yes. Should he get it back? No way.
Nothing to do with the charges, everything to do with the fact he just isn’t very good at what he does.
So do you want Van “Yaw Maing got ta shewt da bawl” Chancellor back? I have the NBA season pass package. Twenty minutes of any regional NBA broadcast (outside of ESPN/TNT) will have you worshipping Bill and Calvin. Calvin is too often an idiot but the game is always entertaining. I take Calvin back on one condition: Bill Worrell must stay on.
MrB
GOD NO MORE MURPHY! No more of those damn cookies. I want game analysis, not flashy suit analysis. The Rockets have a pro working for them — Matt Bullard’s doing some of the games. He should be doing them all.
And just why is Houston cursed with so many god awful announcers. According to Gene Peterson — when you can understand him — the Rockets have never committed a foul. And then there’s Milo the Hack. Milo, I don’t care about what happened 50 years ago, and I don’t like you spend 5 innings talking about that great place you went to lunch. I want to know about every pitch. I don’t want to be stuck in my car for an hour listening and never know the score or the inning. And Ashby, I really don’t give a damn about your golf game.
Excuse the rant. I feel better now.
I think Calvin is not only good at what he does but he is also entertaining.I have nothing against Van”im from mississipi”Chancellor but he cant compare to Murphy.As a matter of fact i think the Rockets should have brought him back as soon as he was found not guilty and spared us from a whole season with Van the man.In the words of Mr. T “No I dont hate Van Chancellor but I pity the fool.”I cant hate him right now cause he is affiliated with my beloved Rockets. I do hate most of the ESPN analysts like Tim Legler.