The Top 10 Play-By-Play Men In College Basketball
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 8:59AM 
By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season
Wednesday we looked at the best television analysts in college basketball. Now it's time to consider the sport's top play-by-play guys, again, in no particular order:
Brent Musberger -- Whether it's a Saturday in the fall or any winter weeknight, he's no short of awesome.
Gus Johnson -- I'd much rather listen to him call the next 20 Final Fours than Jim Nantz. No one's energy is better than Johnson's. He's outstanding for March Madness.
Kevin Harlan -- Though most of his best work is done on NFL and NBA broadcasts, his reactions to big plays are absolutely perfect for the excitement of March Madness. "Eeeeeasy rider" and "With no regard for human life" come to mind.
Verne Lundquist -- Much like Musberger; it doesn't matter if the ball is round or oblong, I'll listen to any game he's calling.
Dick Enberg -- He was at his best on NFL Sundays with Merlin Olsen, but I'm glad CBS lets him drop an "Oh my" or two every March.
Tim Brando -- Proof he's a good broadcaster? He's busier than George Michael in a public restroom. The man gets a lot of gigs.
Ron Franklin -- Pushing 70 and still going strong, Franklin is partly why I've developed a crush on the Big XII the last decade or so.
Brad Nessler -- His folksy charm sounds Southern, but he's actually a Minnesota guy. Few tandems are better than when Nessler and Jimmy Dykes team up.
Dan Shulman -- Smooth, steady and knowledgeable, he gives ESPN a nice, calm balance sitting alongside the sport's biggest cheerleader, Dick Vitale.
Mike Patrick -- Patrick is to the ACC what Franklin is to the Big XII. Each has had an odd, on-air moment the last few years, but overall, these are two of ESPN's best and longest-serving veterans.
Also receiving consideration: Terry Gannon -- Hard to figure out his path, what with all the figure skating and other bad gigs, but when he gets a good game, he's always up to the challenge.
Would never receive consideration: Jim Nantz -- Rehearsed -- yet still weak -- lines like "The mecca of college basketball is in Storrs, Connecticut" and "You can leave it to Cleaves" after the 2004 and 2000 national championships make it hard for me to like him.
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