They're Playing Basketball! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marv Albert gets recognition from Jimmy Kimmel, but not everyone at show
By DIANE PUCIN/On Sports Media



It's not easy being on late-night television.

Marv Albert, the veteran NBA announcer for TNT, was in town for the Lakers-Chicago Bulls game Thursday night. On Wednesday, Albert was a guest on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" show. The musical star was rapper 50 Cent.

As Albert arrived, with an entourage of one, TNT public relations specialist Jeff Pomeroy, there was a sudden scuffle when a multitude of 50 Cent protectors seemed unfamiliar with Albert. There was shouting ("It's Marv Albert," yelled a Kimmel show guard, a pronouncement that seemed to have no effect on the 50 Cent phalanx.) There were obscenities. A fist or two flying. A "Don't you put your hands on me" pronouncement.

And finally Albert made it to his waiting room, relatively unruffled but slightly puzzled. "Did you see that?" Albert said. "I thought they were kidding, but then I realized they weren't."

Perhaps 50 Cent's people would have recognized Albert had the broadcaster just walked down the hallway saying, "Yessssss!"

Albert said he thinks the Lakers will miss the injured Luke Walton more than people might expect. "He's such a perfect fit for Phil Jackson," Albert said. "Luke is so under the radar, but when they put him in, the ball gets distributed. The Lakers need guys like that."

Is it just me or is 50 Cent's entourage a bit touchy? I think the point that they should have recognized Marv Albert is beside the point. It seems ridiculous to me that they would feel 50 is threatened by a 5-foot-2 old white man. I could see them looking out for The Game or a rival posse of some sort but not tiny basketball announcers.

If I was Marv I would have got up in 50's grill and told him "I'm about a dollar, who the fuck is 50 Cent?"

P.S. - Marv seems to be dead wrong about the Lakers without Walton. Since Gasol's return L.A. is firing on all cylinders and Andrew Bynum is having an All Star season. Maybe I'll tell Marv how right I was when I'm courtside at the Lakers vs. Spurs game. And maybe Kobe will do something like this.