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During its broadcast of Northwestern vs. No. 12 Michigan State Thursday night, ESPN decided to try out a new, *revolutionary* broadcast technique:
@Loretta8_SoP @HenryBushnell This is riveting stuff you guys pic.twitter.com/Yvi4QxG32R
— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) January 29, 2016
Yes, that is legendary UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, who now works as a (remarkably bad, hard to listen to) color commentator for ESPN. Calhoun called the Northwestern-Michigan State game alongside Rece Davis.
Apparently the network decided it wasn't enough to merely hear Calhoun mumble into a microphone though. WE HAD TO SEE HIS FACE.
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AND THE BACK OF SOME DUDE'S HEAD.
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Calhoun seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all.
@Loretta8_SoP @HenryBushnell This is riveting stuff you guys pic.twitter.com/Yvi4QxG32R
— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) January 29, 2016
This is truly astounding stuff.
(h/t @bigtengeeks for capturing this absurdity)
Twitter was, as you can imagine, kind of confused:
Why am I watching Jim Calhoun watch MSU-Northwestern?
— Drew Hallett (@DrewCHallett) January 29, 2016
.@ESPN THIS IS GODDAMN UNACCEPTABLE
— Loretta8 (@Loretta8_SoP) January 29, 2016
I'm so glad ESPN is devoting screen real estate to Jim Calhoun's face. That's what we all came to see.
— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) January 29, 2016
,@richarddeitsch ESPN just showed 4 straight minutes of basketball with a split screen of Jim Calhoun watching the game. atrocious.
— Loretta8 (@Loretta8_SoP) January 29, 2016
I mean Calhoun is on TV watching, not even talking. We're watching someone watch the game.
— Big Ten Geeks (@bigtengeeks) January 29, 2016
Watching Northwestern clank threes is bad enough but the Jim Calhoun face double box is insult to injury
— Nick Medline (@NickMedline) January 29, 2016
There was apparently a better option too...
Man, all you poor bastards watching the Jim Calhoun split screen could've been watching Bill Walton rub dirt on himself instead. Your loss.
— RossWB (@RossWB) January 29, 2016