FanHouse SteveLavin

Wisconsin is having a fairly easy time of it in today's Big Ten Tournament game against Michigan, but there was one little glitch during the first half, when Badgers coach Bo Ryan got a technical foul for yelling at his own player, Brian Butch:

After Butch was out-played in the paint, Ryan got up off his chair and yelled at Butch. But referee Steve Skiles though Ryan was yelling at him, and gave him a technical foul. Here's how ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews explained it:

"Bo Ryan was screaming to Brian Butch, 'Be strong. Stay strong inside.' Skiles thought he was talking to him, and when he came over and explained it to Bo Ryan, he said, 'It wasn't what you said, it was the fact that you stomped your foot.'"

ESPN announcer Steve Lavin said, "That must be a new amendment to the rulebook, no stomping of the feet. We're never going to get through a game if that becomes a rule."

If Ryan actually stepped foot onto the floor while play was in progress, I could understand giving him a technical for that. But if the technical was just for stomping his foot while yelling something to one of his players, well, that's pretty dumb.

Here's how ESPN announcers Brent Musberger and Steve Lavin called the end of UCLA's 81-80 win over Cal, an ending that included a controversial call:

(Video via Awful Announcing) Musberger and Lavin are now facing heavy criticism for their seeming cluelessness about the controversial finish, which included a shot (maybe) going over the backboard, which would negate the fact that it then went through the rim.

Writes Bob Raissman in the New York Daily News:

That's the problem. Neither Musburger - who got involved in basketball shortly after Dr. Naismith invented it - nor Lavin, a former coach, even discussed the possibility Shipp's basket should not have counted. Considering ABC replayed the shot eight times, the voices had ample time to tackle the subject.

Writes Neil Best of Newsday:

What I find interesting is they did not discuss the potential illegality of the winning shot from behind the backboard, which was a major topic of conversation on SportsCenter.

I find it interesting, too. When Lavin exclaimed, "From behind the backboard, Brent," they should have addressed whether the shot was legal or not. They dropped the ball there.

But after the jump, see where I think they really dropped the ball.

No. 10 Wisconsin beat No. 19 Michigan State 57-42 Thursday night in a big game between two of the top teams in the Big Ten. Once the game got into garbage time, ESPN's Brent Musberger and Steve Lavin took a little time out to discuss MySpace, YouTube, and the popularity of Erin Andrews on the Internet:

"I can't wait to see Erin Andrews on YouTube tonight," Musberger said. "I mean, I always look to see. She's the star attraction."

College Hoops Journal calls this "Your Weekly Brent Musberger Lusting for Erin Andrews Update."

Thanks to Brahsome for posting this video from last night's Illinois at Wisconsin game, demonstrating, once again, just how popular ESPN reporter Erin Andrews is among fans of college sports:

You have to listen closely, but you can hear the Wisconsin fans chanting "Erin Andrews" as she does her report. I then find it a little awkward when Brent Musberger and Steve Lavin proceed to talk about her popularity, with Musberger saying he wants to go to the Playboy Mansion with her. I'm not sure if it's appropriate for a man to talk about wanting to go to the Playboy Mansion with a female co-worker young enough to be his daughter.

This story originally showed up in the diaries at Bruins Nation yesterday. At least four hours later the same story was reported on the LA Times UCLA blog (it may have been a mere coincidence, but it seems to be yet another example of a failure to attribute to a blog by a mainstream writer). This morning LA Observed noted it but unknowingly credited the LA Times UCLA blog. [Editor Note: The LA Times UCLA Blog in a separate post maintains that they got the story independently. Somewhat amusingly they reference seeing posts complaining about the lack of credit, but don't actually link to them. I can't understand why people would suspect them of not crediting?]

Sorry, had to get credit out to the right places before getting to the actual story (talk about burying the lede). The main point is that Steve Lavin, the reviled former UCLA Coach and present ESPN college basketball analyst, and his rather comely fiance, Mary Ann Jarou (click for pictures, as tragically, Getty has no photos of her, forcing us to use the ever-gelled Lavin) sent out an e-mail disinvite to their August 17 wedding.

Steve Lavin must really -- hey, wait, what the hell is Brent Musberger doing in bars that he has to be careful of YouTube?

Anyway, back to Lavin. It's good to know that Lavin and I both use the internet for the same thing. Mainly, looking up videos of Erin Andrews on YouTube. Then again, I don't work with her and see her everyday ... for future reference, Steve, you might want to keep your lustful Erin Andrews thoughts to yourself. "How about YouTube? Don't look up Erin Andrews on YouTube, my goodness..."

My goodness, indeed, Mr. Lavin. My. Goodness.



And thanks again to Awful Announcing.