For four months of the year, ESPN’s men’s college basketball announcing teams experience life on the road together, accruing frequent flier miles, restaurant points and myriad memories.
Though we were interested to hear their favorite games and players from conference play, as well as their tournament predictions, we wanted to know one little-known fact about their preparation or that of their announce team before tip-off.
With 137 games on deck for Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, there is still lots of togetherness time left.
Here are a few tidbits about ESPN’s announcing teams, courtesy of some of the announcers:
Jay Bilas: Little known fact about Sean [McDonough], [Bill] Raftery and myself: We have a great time together, and are the best of friends. We always eat together at lunch and after the game, and when the check comes, we scatter like cockroaches when the light is turned on.
Dan Dakich: Samantha Steele and I play HORSE every Tuesday… and I win every time. She made almost everything the first day, but it’s been a rout since then. Mike Tirico is our arbitrator when conflicts arise.
Hubert Davis: My partner Jon Sciambi went to William & Mary on a baseball scholarship and then transferred to Boston College where he was a roommate of Bob Wischusen.
Jimmy Dykes: Brad Nessler and I always fist bump each other just prior to coming on the air. We’ve been doing it before every game now for almost six years.
Sean Farnham: I usually enjoy a workout in the team’s weight training facility, head back to the hotel and immediately turn on my iTunes and get set for each game.
Fran Fraschilla: Every Big 12 Conference college town has a McAllister’s Deli. I always have cohorts Jon Sciambi and Mark Jones in tow with me there for lunch. The Patriot sandwich is unbelievable.
