As the future of TNT’s beloved basketball analysis program Inside the NBA is up in the air, fans are trying to console themselves by celebrating the return of another beloved hoops broadcast staple.
Warner Bros. Discovery possibly losing the rights to NBA coverage would signal the end to Inside the NBA as we know it, but NBC regaining broadcasting rights for the league in 2025 means John Tesh’s classic “Roundball Rock” musical intro will return to the airwaves.
Well, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog of all people (er, puppets) has emerged as a voice of reason in the midst of the broadcast uncertainty.
With puppet master/comedy legend Robert Smigel at his side, Triumph absolutely lambasted the exchange of Inside the NBA for “Roundball Rock” on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on Thursday.
“What a great deal; we’re trading Charles Barkley for John Tesh,” Triumph joked to the program. “That’s a fair trade. Maybe we can trade Kenny Smith for Yanni.”
Some censored NSFW language to follow.
My take on the return of John Tesh's Roundball Rock, as told to @LeBatardShow @NBA_on_NBC https://t.co/U5kYAnuC0l pic.twitter.com/13PLUVJNRi
— Triumph® ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴsᴜʟᴛ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄ ᴅᴏɢ Headquarters (@TriumphICDHQ) July 25, 2024
Look, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog has a very clear point here. As cool as “Roundball Rock” is for nostalgic reasons, losing Inside the NBA as we know it is not fixed by getting a broadcast jingle back.
Hopefully, cooler heads prevail somehow, and Inside the NBA survives the broadcast rights dilemma facing Warner Bros. Discovery. However, Triumph’s point looms large. Is this really the payoff it’s billed to be?
