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Latest RicBucher Stories

ESPN's Ric Bucher Throws Stones Over a Rumor Gone Right

Posted: Mar 9th 2009 1:38PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Cavaliers, NBA Media Watch, NBA Rumors

3 COMMENTS
Most of ESPN's NBA media contingent has a great reputation. Marc Stein is a stone-cold killer; Chris Sheridan has had strong moments (particularly in FIBA/Olympic coverage). John Hollinger and Chad Ford have their haters, but hold good records in total. The analysis and style of Chris Broussard and J.A. Adande are typically fantastic, in my opinion. David Thorpe, Henry Abbott, Kevin Arnovitz -- swell guys I'm happy to call friends.

But Ric Bucher ... he's not a paragon of credibility.
Continue Reading ESPN's Ric Bucher Throws Stones Over a Rumor Gone Right

Ric Bucher, Foot Firmly in Mouth, Will Hop to Salt Lake City Next Weekend

Posted: Apr 21st 2008 7:30PM by Matt Watson (author feed)
Filed under: Western, NBA Media Watch, NBA Playoffs, Jazz, ESPN

2 COMMENTS
Jazz fansUpdate: Actually, no this isn't going to happen at all. According to Sports Media Watch, ESPN has changed their schedule so that Bucher will work in Atlanta, instead. Coincidence?

When trying to explain the Utah Jazz's home court advantage, ESPN's Ric Bucher opened wide and practically swallowed his foot: "Let's be honest. They're Mormon. And they're in Salt Lake. And there's nothing else there. You've got to smile and be happy all the time. This might be one opportunity for fans to get vicious."

He since apologized, saying he regretted it as soon as he said it and tried to clarify but recognizes he didn't do it well enough, adding, "I hope that this apology will do that and that all citizens of Salt Lake City will find it in their hearts to welcome me as hospitably as they have in the past."

Bucher will test that hospitality on Saturday as he's working ESPN's broadcast of Game 4 between the Jazz and Rockets. Will he receive a harsh reaction from the EnergySolutions crowd? Almost certainly. (From the picture above, I'm guessing Bucher needs to be most wary of Kris Kross inspired teenagers and deceptively ruthless elderly couples.)

Does that say something about those who follow the Mormon faith? Absolutely not. Fans are nuts everywhere these days, whether it's the Lakers home crowd chanting "DUI" to Carmelo Anthony, baseball fans in Philly celebrating a player getting hurt or rival fans in any city trying to kill each other. Residents of Salt Lake City, whether they're Mormon or not, don't have a monopoly on being rowdy.

ESPN's Bucher Credits Jazz Home Court Advantage to Mormonism, Repressed Anger

Posted: Apr 18th 2008 12:40PM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: NBA Fans, NBA Media Watch, Jazz, ESPN

30 COMMENTS
Via Sports Media Watch, the Deseret News reports ESPN's Ric Bucherz made some touchy comments on Colin Cowherd's ESPN radio show about why the Utah Jazz have such a strong home court advantage. Apparently, we should credit the Church of Latter Day Saints.
"Let's be honest. They're Mormon. And they're in Salt Lake. And there's nothing else there," he said. "You've got to smile and be happy all the time. This might be one opportunity for fans to get vicious."
So instead of drinking and gambling, like the rest of us rube pagans, Jazz fans focus their esprit mal on yelling insults at Warriors or goading Ron Artest into an ejection? Even if it weren't uncomfortable in its plain bigotry (with the turn of phrase "let's be honest" a nice indicator of coming insensitivity), it's plain bad logic. News columnist Scott D. Pierce places the expected perspective on it.
If Bucher had been talking about the Knicks and said, "They're Jews and they're in New York City"; if Bucher had said, "They're African-Americans and they're in Memphis," he would have been suspended if not fired by now.
SMW does note Bucher isn't on the docket for any upcoming playoff games on ABC or ESPN ... not even the Lakers' home game. (Michelle Tafoya got the call.) Whether it's a suspension or not, we'll never know, because ESPN will never tell us. ESPN PR says Bucher was not scheduled this weekend before the incident occurred.

UPDATE: ESPN VP of Public Relations Josh Krulewitz sends along this statement: "We spoke to Ric and he understands that his comments were inappropriate. This type of religious generalization has no place on our outlets and we apologize." Bucher's own apology is after the jump.
Continue Reading ESPN's Bucher Credits Jazz Home Court Advantage to Mormonism, Repressed Anger

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