Social media had a lot of sympathy for Brian Anderson.
The Milwaukee Brewers' primary TV play-by-play announcer, Anderson also works for TNT Sports and was calling the First Four game between Texas and North Carolina State on Tuesday night, March 17, at the NCAA men's basketball tournament in Dayton, Ohio.
The reason for sympathy? There were two.
First, Anderson sounded hoarse, so he seemed to be under the weather. Hopefully, he'll be recovered in time to call four first-round games in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19 and two second-round games on Saturday, March 21 in Buffalo, New York.
The second was that he was calling the game with Charles Barkley and Dick Vitale. Barkley is typically an NBA analyst but works the NCAA Tournament, usually in the studio. Vitale is synonymous with ESPN college basketball but was calling his first NCAA Tournament game.
Barkley and Vitale are never at a loss for words. And in this game, those words were often not actually about the game.
Add that all up and basketball fans on X felt for Anderson. Here's a sample of the reactions:
A hoarse Brian Anderson tries to call Texas-NC State around Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley's NCAA basketball talk. Vitale attempts to get back on track after several minutes of NIL and transfer portal discussion. "Guys, we got a game going on!" pic.twitter.com/0B4hmQ8Khd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 18, 2026
Shoutout to Brian Anderson for powering through this broadcast, luckily he doesn’t have to say too much with Dickie V and Barkley
— Tate Frazier (@tatefrazier) March 18, 2026
Boy is Brian Anderson getting his moneys worth trying to call this game
— JMann_ (@JMannsTakes) March 18, 2026
Genuinely incredible how we have two teams that are playing for their lives right now and anybody listening would think we’re listening to a Charles Barkley and Dickie V podcast episode about NIL with a hoarse Brian Anderson as the host.
— ky (LOADED) (@RealKYMuskie) March 18, 2026
Dickie V: They never shoulda fired Keatts
Chuck: My golf ball is now inside an alligator’s mouth.
I’m starin’ at this gator like, “Hold on, man. That’s a Pro V1.” I look at my buddies and say, “What’s the ruling here? I just got robbed.”
Brian Anderson: Loose ball foul on Pope
— Wen (@Riverboat_Ross) March 18, 2026
Charles Barkley: We need to crucify Charlie Baker and the NCAA
Dick Vitale: Kevin Keatts got a rough deal at NC State
Brian Anderson: Pope for 3, his 2nd of the night
Barkley: What’s the rim height in college?
Vitale: Herb Sendek too!
Anderson: State goes 1-2 from the line
— Markell Johnson Burner (@MJB_18990) March 18, 2026
Tonight on TruTV:
Brian Anderson: “rebound by Vokietaitas, that’s his 5th of the half”
Charles Barkley: “these players aren’t worth a fraction of what they’re being paid”
Dick Vitale: *makes reference to a blue blood school*
Anderson: “here’s Williams with it top of the key”
— William Galloway (@Wm_Galloway) March 18, 2026
VITALE: “let me ask you this charles, if tom izzo and bill self had to fight to the death, weapons but no guns, who would win?”
CHUCK: “wow. two of the greatest coaches of all time. i mean, i love coach self, but give me izzo.”
BRIAN ANDERSON: “vokietaitis at the line for two.”
— shea (@sheanorling) March 18, 2026
Dickie V: What about John Calipari
Charles Barkley: Oh yeah I like Calipari
Brian Anderson: And the NC State player just fouled out
— Cav Person (@UVACavPerson) March 18, 2026
Dickie V and Barkley having a 15 minute conversation in between every word Brian Anderson gets out
— kevin huerter enjoyer (@MMcC_86) March 18, 2026
Feel bad for Brian Anderson, clearly sounds like he's dealing with a cold. Few worse things to deal with as a play-by-play broadcaster.
— CrimsonCast (@CrimsonCast) March 18, 2026
Once again, thanks to TNT, CBS, and ESPN for allowing Charles Barkley and Dickie V for calling a tournament game. I've wanted Dick to do this my entire life.
And Brian Anderson is a trooper. Not 100% on the voice but he delivered in the end. A real pro's pro.
— Owen (@Alakazam_428) March 18, 2026
Brian Anderson has lost his beautiful voice pic.twitter.com/vN7QW8pOyA
— I Bet Totals (@ibettotals) March 18, 2026
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brian Anderson gets sympathy for NCAA game with Barkley, Vitale