AN OPEN LETTER TO THE NCAA AND CBS

To Whom It May Concern,

As a University of Memphis student and a supporter of College Basketball, I join a growing community in asking you to discipline Bill Raftery. In your national coverage, your announcers are supposed to remain objective in their analysis and commentary. However, in the Memphis-Ohio State game, Mr. Raftery could hardly contain his vociferous preference for Ohio State, and as a result was uncritical of the lopsided officiating.

Mr. Raftery stands behind his status as a supposed basketball institution, and a colorful one at that. As a fan of the sport, his act is growing tired. The purpose of an announcer is to provide insightful analysis and display a knowledge of the game. Based on recent telecasts, it is increasingly apparent that his expertise is limited to pithy one-liners and pointless colloquialisms. This, on top of his obvious rooting interest toward premier teams and celebrated players, proves that he is no longer useful as an announcer and that his status as an institution is undeserved. In his bias, lack of insight, and perfunctory “inside” knowledge gleaned from the front page of the local Sports station or from a sports report prepared for him by an assistant, Mr. Raftery has the traits of the worst announcers.

I join with a growing number of fans who long for a season of Basketball without the irritating persona of Bill Raftery. In particular, I ask that you consider him unwelcome at coverage of University of Memphis basketball games, or at least that he be asked to issue a statement of apology for his bias.