You Can't Be Serious ... Jeff Van Gundy

Normally, Jeff Van Gundy is pretty darn good as a color commentator on NBA broadcasts.

He shows personality, a rarity during his days as an NBA coach.

But for a bit Thursday night during ESPN's broadcast of the Hornets-Spurs, Van Gundy sounded like he was channeling Dick Vitale. Think middle school girl after a six pack of Mountain Dew.

It started with Van Gundy extolling Chris Paul. No harm in that. The Hornet point guard is worthy of praise. But Van Gundy launched into a diatribe about how Paul just had to be on the Olympic team.

And he wouldn't let it go.

Van Gundy mentioned it again and again, finally hitting a high point when he called Paul the best point guard in the world.

Hello, hyperbole.

But then Manu Ginobili hit a shot, and Van Gundy turned his lovin' on the Spur guard. He called Ginobili his favorite player to watch, extolling his competitiveness and praising his game.

On and on it went.

I almost expected Van Gundy to call Gregg Popovich his most favorite person in the whole wide world next.

Listen, I'm all for enthusiasm from commentators, and Van Gundy might have been right in what he said about Paul being the best in the world and Ginobili being a heck of a competitor. But it was almost impossible to find those nuggets while wading through Van Gundy's gushing.