Last night I settled in to watch Central Michigan's Chippewas host Ball State's Cardinals for the Mid-American Conference West Division title. Like so many MAC games, it was great theater, and as I listened to the broadcast, a familiar feeling settled in with me. Have I heard this broadcast before?
Then the color commentator was introduced in return from one of the three mandated television timeouts in the 2nd quarter as Ray Bentley, the former CMU Chippewa, Buffalo Bill and children's book author. A year ago, I wrote about Bentley cheerleading from the booth during Central's last-minute win over arch-rival Western Michigan on November 7th of '07. Last night I wondered if I was the only one thinking, "Bentley still sounds a bit like a booster more than a broadcaster, doesn't he?"
This morning I had my question answered. My inbox was filled with comments responding to that Ray Bentley post I wrote over a year ago, about a different game in a different season versus a different school. Here's a sample of those letters:
"I am currently watching the nationally-televised Ball State vs. Central Michigan game and I found my way to this site during halftime. How did I find this site you may ask? Well, during the first half of the game I noticed the color commentator was really pulling for CMU during the first two quarters.
After a missed facemasking call in the first quarter Bentley made sure the watching audience know the referees missed an obvious call for CMU. I also found it very convenient that after the CMU touchdowns Bentley was the first to step in and describe the amazing run or throw. When BSU scored it seemed like Bentley stepped out of the booth to let the play-by-play commentator describe the throw/run.
My views are a little jaded because I am a BSU grad but according to the article/comments above I am not the only one that has become irritated while watching a CMU game while Bentley is doing the color. Good call, ESPN, on sending an unbiased CMU grad to do the nationally-televised game. I should have just put the TV on mute."
Not much room for conjecture, there. Here's another quickie from Jordan Burkholder:
"I agree with everything you say about Ray Bentley. His commentary on the Ball State - Central Michigan game was very biased. I am extremely disappointed that ESPN chose a Central Michigan graduate, someone with a giant conflict of interest, to broadcast the game."
To be fair, Ray Bentley praised the Cardinals and Chippewas in equal amounts last night, but the voice inflection and enthusiasm was much more noticeable when he spoke of Central Michigan's good deeds and fortunes on the football field. While Ball State made solid plays, Central Michigan came out of the locker room 'breathing fire' after an early 3rd quarter score, according to Bentley. When speaking of CMU's 18-2 mark in the MAC over the past three seasons, Bentley made sure to mention how great it is that Central has returned to the 'glory stratosphere'.
Ray Bentley has a lot of friends and fans in this state, and when I wrote last year's post, a lot of them came to his defense. Ray Bentley is a former Chippewa -- of course he's going to be biased -- he poured his heart out onto the same floor of Kelly-Shorts Stadium some 30 years ago. I'm not saying Ray Bentley isn't a great guy or a class act. But this is no different than ESPN commentators Kirk Herbstreit or Chris Speilman, who bleed Ohio State's scarlet & gray, or Desmond Howard, who bleeds maize & blue, being placed in a position where they can't keep their emotions from clouding their professional judgment when it comes to the Ohio State - Michigan game, arguably the nation's most storied college football rivalry.
I wish ESPN would stop placing broadcasters who have an obvious conflict of interest in a position where they can't hide that conflict.
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