Your So Cal Sports Broadcaster Association '08 finalists ... before the swimsuit competition, how do they mangle the cliche?

Bob Miller, the Kings' Hall of Fame play-by-play and president of the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association, has issued the list of finalists for the top 2008 awards, to be announced at the group's Jan. 26 meeting.

They are:

Radio play-by-play: Pete Arbogast (USC football, KSPN-710), Rory Markas (Angels, 830-AM, and USC basketball, KSPN-710), Rick Monday (Dodgers, KABC-790). Our comment: Vin Scully, who, despite simulcasting the first three innings of the Dodgers has won this award the last three years, is ineligible here because of the organization's rules against those who've three-peated. Why? Why not. Monday only did play-by-play for 40 games and won't be doing it again starting this season.

Radio color: Paul McDonald (USC football, KSPN-710), Jerry Reuss (Dodgers, KABC-790), Matt Stevens (UCLA football, KLAC-570). Our comment: Reuss, who did 40 games last year, won't be doing it again in '09. Monday would have been a better choice here.

Radio talk-show host: Lee Hamilton (KLAC-570), John Ireland (KSPN-710), Ken Levine (DodgerTalk, KABC-790). Our comment: Hamilton no longer works at the station. Ireland returned to the station in June after his contract non-renewal in Nov., '07. Levine works with Josh Suchon, who wasn't nominated.

TV play-by-play: Vin Scully (Dodgers, KCOP/ESPN Prime Ticket), Rory Markas (Angels, FSN), Bob Miller (Kings, FSN West). Our comment: Scully does TV actually for KCAL, and none for ESPN.

TV color: Jim Fox (Kings, FSN West), Mark Gubicza (Angels, FSN West), Rex Hudler (Angels, KCAL/FSN West), Stu Lantz (Lakers, FSN West/KCAL). Our comment: Hudler does games, as does Gubicza, for FSN West and KCOP, not KCAL.

Radio anchor staff: KHJ (Rich Marotta), KFWB (Jeff Davis, Bob Harvey, Bret Lewis, Bill Seward, Ted Sobel), KNX (Joe Cala, Steve Grad, Randy Kerdoon, Chris Madsen, Paul Olden). Our comment: Marotta works for KFI, not KHJ.

TV anchor staff: KABC Channel 7 (Rob Fukuzaki, Curt Sandoval, John Hartung), KCBS Channel 2 (Jim Hill, Steve Hartman, John Ireland, Gary Miller), KNBC Channel 4 (Fred Roggn, Bill Steward, Mario Solis). Our comment: Jill, Hartman, Ireland and Miller also work for KCAL Channel 9.

TV post- and pre-game: Jim Fox (Kings, FSN), Kevin Kennedy (Dodgers, FSN), Bill MacDonald (Ducks/Angels/Lakers/Lexus Gauntlet, FSN). Our comment: All strong candidates.

Foreign language: Jaime Jarrin (Dodgers, KHJ-930), Jose Mota (Angels, KWKW-1220), Fernando Valenzuala (Dodgers, KHJ-930). Our comment: It's Spanish language. Foreign to some. Not most who live in Southern California. Unless you know of some excellent Croatian broadcaster doing Laker games.

Again, you can't vote unless you're a member of this sorry organization. Sorry. But Arbogast will like you to be there to see Markas win (latest Arboblog on WeAreSC.com linked here).