https://youtube.com/watch?v=SnUy3pz3U0w
At the end of Wednesday night's Wizards-Pistons game, Washington Wizards play by play man Steve Buckhantz gave us one of the funniest announcing bloopers in the history of the microphone. Buckhantz called Trevor Ariza's corner three pointer at the buzzer as a game winner and even gave his signature "DAGGER!" call. Only one slight problem…
Ariza's shot was actually an airball.
From the booth it must have looked like the ball went through the net, but in actuality it just brushed the cords. The result was an excited announcer going nuts while his team walked somberly off the floor.
That's so Wizards!
UPDATE: And via DC Sports Bog, the Pistons announce crew unbelievably called Ariza's airball a field goal as well! George Blaha mistakenly says Ariza's shot is good, but that it came after the buzzer. I think I prefer the erroneous "DAGGER!" over the erroneous dejected loss call though…
How did both home and road announcers miss this game ending call? Memphis Grizzlies play by play man Pete Pranica tells us on Twitter that Washington is only 1 of 2 NBA arenas to put the television broadcast booths at the back of the lower bowl. The distance from the court combined with Ariza's high arcing shot that moved the net combined to produce an event where both television crews mistook a game ending airball for a game winner.
