Dick Stockton has faced his fair share of criticism in recent years, with one flub during Wednesday’s Hawks/Bulls game earning the ire of users on the social networking site Twitter.
During a highlight of Bulls G Derrick Rose receiving the 2011 NBA MVP award, Stockton mistakenly referred to him as David Rose. The mistake caught the attention of many viewers, with ‘David Rose’ becoming a ‘trending topic’ on Twitter.
The Chicago Bulls’ official, verified Twitter account appeared to lightly mock Stockton’s error, noting that “David Rose is trending worldwide,” and then asking “Who is David Rose?” (twitter.com/chicagobulls, 5/4).
Stockton has become a lightning rod for criticism in recent years, primarily due to various mistakes. In late 2009, the New York Daily News wrote that Stockton drove a Falcons/Jets telecast “into a ditch” when he appeared to be unaware of the correct score during the fourth quarter.
In the wake of that incident, the Grand Rapids Press noted that Stockton has a “knack for mispronouncing names that no one else struggles with” (mlive.com, 12/21/09), which was evident during Wednesday’s incident.
Mistakes aside, Stockton is one of the bigger names in broadcasting. He was the voice of the NBA during the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird era of the 1980s, calling the NBA Finals each year from 1982 to 1990. Over the course of his nearly fifty years in broadcasting, he has worked events from baseball’s ALCS to the Olympic Games.
His distinctive voice, associated with some of the great moments in NBA history, adds a certain credibility to the games he broadcasts. That credibility is threatened by some of the mistakes he makes.
Stockton still has one of the best voices in broadcasting, despite the errors. Nearing age 70, he’s also one of the most versatile national broadcasters, working baseball games on FOX and TBS, the NBA on TNT, and the NFL on FOX. For viewers, however, his strengths may not outweigh his weaknesses.
(Information from twitter.com/chicagobulls, New York Daily News, mlive.com)
