info
Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Guest Column: Are We Doomed to a Lifetime with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver?
0 views
Skip to first unread message
TMC
Jun 7, 2012, 2:40:50 AM6/7/12
to
http://fangsbites.com/2012/06/guest-column-are-we-doomed-to-a-lifetime-with-buck-and-mccarver/
by Ken, under Fox Sports, Joe Buck, MLB
This week is quite crazy for me and this is the first time I have had
to depend on you to help provide fresh content for the site and you’ve
responded.
The columns will be posted from today through Sunday and I really
appreciate those who have written some really good material this week.
It’s greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy the columns.
This comes from baseball author Paul Lebowitz who is concerned that
we’re stuck with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on Fox for the long run.
If there’s any hope that Fox will one day get the message of the
masses and change the number 1 (in name only) baseball announcing crew
of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, it’s that ESPN finally listened to the
complaints of those same masses and dumped Joe Morgan and Jon Miller
from the Sunday night broadcast.
Morgan, in spite of his rampant contradictions and complete disregard
for logic, has the credentials as a Hall of Fame player to fall back
on. “I played and you didn’t” is not a meaningless statement. And when
he adds “I’m a Hall of Famer and probably the best second baseman in
the history of the game,” it’s even more pronounced.
Miller was a longtime respected broadcaster for the Orioles and Giants
before plying his trade on ESPN with the overdone insistence of
pronouncing Latin players’ names “correctly” with Bel-TRAN in
reference to Carlos Beltran and Bel-TRAY for Adrian Beltre. He had
also grown fond of ridiculously planned out metaphors that were as
weak as they were poorly constructed.
They’re gone now. Clearly part of the decision was the open vitriol
both received on social media.
Could Fox make a similar decision with Buck and McCarver?
For some unfathomable reason, Fox has cast its lot with Joe Buck. Not
only is he their lead baseball announcer, but he’s their lead football
announcer. For awhile he was also the host of the pregame show and the
pregame studio crew would travel to the site of the marquee matchup to
accommodate Buck’s hosting duties.
I’m sure Howie Long was thrilled about that. Eventually they stopped
with that charade.
Yet Buck is still the top billing for football with Troy Aikman and
for baseball with McCarver. Why?
He’s smarmy and obnoxious and I rarely if ever see people speak highly
of his work in the booth. Fox can’t be blind to this. And that’s the
point. Fox is owned by News Corp. Namely Rupert Murdoch. What that
means is that content is disconnected from objectivity. Of course
Murdoch puts his own agenda into the public consciousness with Fox
News, Fox Business, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and his
British tabloid empire still reeling from the phone hacking scandal.
But he’s a businessman and liking or disliking his personalities is
secondary to the amount of attention they receive. If Buck and
McCarver are being savaged for their parachuting into the game of the
week; doing shoddy research; being arrogant and ignorant; and angering
the fanbases of each team, so what? If they’re being talked about,
that’s all that counts.
In 2010 Buck signed a new 4-year contract to stay with Fox. In
addition to keeping his job as the NFL and MLB frontman, he was
planning a Fox reinvention of the atrocity of a variety show Joe Buck
Live from HBO in which he was trying to expand from broadcasting to
talk shows and skits.
The HBO incarnation didn’t work mostly because people plainly and
simply don’t like Joe Buck. Thankfully the relaunch on Fox hasn’t come
to pass yet.
McCarver is a different matter. The game has passed him by.
He was deservedly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his work
as a broadcaster. There was a time when he was the best analyst in the
sport and right up there with John Madden as the best in sports
period. He’d expanded to Olympic coverage, acting and his own talk
show. In his 70s, he’s slightly out of touch repeating the same old
themes over and over again. He makes authoritative statements such as
the Mets aren’t going to be able to afford to re-sign David Wright as
if he had no clue nor interest that the Bernie Madoff case was settled
and the Mets are getting their financial house in order. Wright’s not
set to be a free agent until after the 2013 season. How would McCarver
know what the Mets are able or willing to do? Is he aware of Wright’s
contract situation or is he trying to bluff his way through based on
reputation?
It’s not a remote experience to be annoyed by people in the booth.
Overall, how many broadcasters are providing anything other than team/
network/selfish shtick? Not many. If Buck and McCarver are gone, we
might end up with a worse duo or threesome.
There is that chance though; the chance that Fox will listen to what
the people say as ESPN did and make a much-needed infusion of new
blood. Perhaps it will be with broadcasters who add something to the
broadcast instead of two names that are recognized for the wrong
reasons.
Until then we’re stuck with Buck and McCarver.
Or the mute button. Whichever is more pleasing to your individual
sensibilities.
Paul Lebowitz is the author of the novel Breaking Balls published in
2001 and Paul Lebowitz’s Baseball Guide published annually. The 2012
version is on sale now.
After blogging on multiple platforms, he began his own website
PaulLebowitz.com in 2009. He lives in New York City.
by Ken, under Fox Sports, Joe Buck, MLB
This week is quite crazy for me and this is the first time I have had
to depend on you to help provide fresh content for the site and you’ve
responded.
The columns will be posted from today through Sunday and I really
appreciate those who have written some really good material this week.
It’s greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy the columns.
This comes from baseball author Paul Lebowitz who is concerned that
we’re stuck with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on Fox for the long run.
If there’s any hope that Fox will one day get the message of the
masses and change the number 1 (in name only) baseball announcing crew
of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, it’s that ESPN finally listened to the
complaints of those same masses and dumped Joe Morgan and Jon Miller
from the Sunday night broadcast.
Morgan, in spite of his rampant contradictions and complete disregard
for logic, has the credentials as a Hall of Fame player to fall back
on. “I played and you didn’t” is not a meaningless statement. And when
he adds “I’m a Hall of Famer and probably the best second baseman in
the history of the game,” it’s even more pronounced.
Miller was a longtime respected broadcaster for the Orioles and Giants
before plying his trade on ESPN with the overdone insistence of
pronouncing Latin players’ names “correctly” with Bel-TRAN in
reference to Carlos Beltran and Bel-TRAY for Adrian Beltre. He had
also grown fond of ridiculously planned out metaphors that were as
weak as they were poorly constructed.
They’re gone now. Clearly part of the decision was the open vitriol
both received on social media.
Could Fox make a similar decision with Buck and McCarver?
For some unfathomable reason, Fox has cast its lot with Joe Buck. Not
only is he their lead baseball announcer, but he’s their lead football
announcer. For awhile he was also the host of the pregame show and the
pregame studio crew would travel to the site of the marquee matchup to
accommodate Buck’s hosting duties.
I’m sure Howie Long was thrilled about that. Eventually they stopped
with that charade.
Yet Buck is still the top billing for football with Troy Aikman and
for baseball with McCarver. Why?
He’s smarmy and obnoxious and I rarely if ever see people speak highly
of his work in the booth. Fox can’t be blind to this. And that’s the
point. Fox is owned by News Corp. Namely Rupert Murdoch. What that
means is that content is disconnected from objectivity. Of course
Murdoch puts his own agenda into the public consciousness with Fox
News, Fox Business, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post and his
British tabloid empire still reeling from the phone hacking scandal.
But he’s a businessman and liking or disliking his personalities is
secondary to the amount of attention they receive. If Buck and
McCarver are being savaged for their parachuting into the game of the
week; doing shoddy research; being arrogant and ignorant; and angering
the fanbases of each team, so what? If they’re being talked about,
that’s all that counts.
In 2010 Buck signed a new 4-year contract to stay with Fox. In
addition to keeping his job as the NFL and MLB frontman, he was
planning a Fox reinvention of the atrocity of a variety show Joe Buck
Live from HBO in which he was trying to expand from broadcasting to
talk shows and skits.
The HBO incarnation didn’t work mostly because people plainly and
simply don’t like Joe Buck. Thankfully the relaunch on Fox hasn’t come
to pass yet.
McCarver is a different matter. The game has passed him by.
He was deservedly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his work
as a broadcaster. There was a time when he was the best analyst in the
sport and right up there with John Madden as the best in sports
period. He’d expanded to Olympic coverage, acting and his own talk
show. In his 70s, he’s slightly out of touch repeating the same old
themes over and over again. He makes authoritative statements such as
the Mets aren’t going to be able to afford to re-sign David Wright as
if he had no clue nor interest that the Bernie Madoff case was settled
and the Mets are getting their financial house in order. Wright’s not
set to be a free agent until after the 2013 season. How would McCarver
know what the Mets are able or willing to do? Is he aware of Wright’s
contract situation or is he trying to bluff his way through based on
reputation?
It’s not a remote experience to be annoyed by people in the booth.
Overall, how many broadcasters are providing anything other than team/
network/selfish shtick? Not many. If Buck and McCarver are gone, we
might end up with a worse duo or threesome.
There is that chance though; the chance that Fox will listen to what
the people say as ESPN did and make a much-needed infusion of new
blood. Perhaps it will be with broadcasters who add something to the
broadcast instead of two names that are recognized for the wrong
reasons.
Until then we’re stuck with Buck and McCarver.
Or the mute button. Whichever is more pleasing to your individual
sensibilities.
Paul Lebowitz is the author of the novel Breaking Balls published in
2001 and Paul Lebowitz’s Baseball Guide published annually. The 2012
version is on sale now.
After blogging on multiple platforms, he began his own website
PaulLebowitz.com in 2009. He lives in New York City.
Paul Hightower
Jun 7, 2012, 8:49:58 AM6/7/12
to
"TMC" <tmc...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:827cbb23-8dca-49de...@pr7g2000pbb.googlegroups.com...
I haven't watched enough baseball on Fox to acquire a dislike of the
announcers. I did try watching ESPN a few times, but they've decided to cut
away from innings before the last play is even completed (cutting the
announcers off in the middle of sentences.) It appears someone is cutting to
commercials based on the live feed, not the 3-second delay or such. I really
only watch the Reds on Fox Sports Ohio, but Thom Brennaman and Jeff Brantley
are so insufferable I have to kill the sound most of the time. Chris Welsh
is the only announcer I've seen that adds rather than subtracts from my
enjoyment of a broadcast. (Brantley is good on the radio, where he has to
describe the action instead of pontificate.)
Good luck dumping Joe and Tim.
news:827cbb23-8dca-49de...@pr7g2000pbb.googlegroups.com...
http://fangsbites.com/2012/06/guest-column-are-we-doomed-to-a-lifetime-with-buck-and-mccarver/
by Ken, under Fox Sports, Joe Buck, MLB
This week is quite crazy for me and this is the first time I have had
to depend on you to help provide fresh content for the site and you’ve
responded.
The columns will be posted from today through Sunday and I really
appreciate those who have written some really good material this week.
It’s greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy the columns.
This comes from baseball author Paul Lebowitz who is concerned that
we’re stuck with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on Fox for the long run.
<snip>---------------------------------------------------------------
by Ken, under Fox Sports, Joe Buck, MLB
This week is quite crazy for me and this is the first time I have had
to depend on you to help provide fresh content for the site and you’ve
responded.
The columns will be posted from today through Sunday and I really
appreciate those who have written some really good material this week.
It’s greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy the columns.
This comes from baseball author Paul Lebowitz who is concerned that
we’re stuck with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on Fox for the long run.
I haven't watched enough baseball on Fox to acquire a dislike of the
announcers. I did try watching ESPN a few times, but they've decided to cut
away from innings before the last play is even completed (cutting the
announcers off in the middle of sentences.) It appears someone is cutting to
commercials based on the live feed, not the 3-second delay or such. I really
only watch the Reds on Fox Sports Ohio, but Thom Brennaman and Jeff Brantley
are so insufferable I have to kill the sound most of the time. Chris Welsh
is the only announcer I've seen that adds rather than subtracts from my
enjoyment of a broadcast. (Brantley is good on the radio, where he has to
describe the action instead of pontificate.)
Good luck dumping Joe and Tim.
SkippyPB
Jun 7, 2012, 11:37:13 AM6/7/12
to
Morgan and Miller. I'm also happy Bobby Valentine got a job that
doesn't involve him being in the broadcast booth.
Regards,
--
////
(o o)
-oOO--(_)--OOo-
"There are more important things in life than money.
The trouble is they all cost money."
--Sam Levenson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remove nospam to email me.
Steve
tmp
Jun 7, 2012, 2:14:11 PM6/7/12
to
On 06/07/2012 02:40 AM, TMC wrote:
> In 2010 Buck signed a new 4-year contract to stay with Fox. In
> addition to keeping his job as the NFL and MLB frontman, he was
> planning a Fox reinvention of the atrocity of a variety show Joe
> Buck Live from HBO in which he was trying to expand from broadcasting
> to talk shows and skits.
>
> The HBO incarnation didn’t work mostly because people plainly and
> simply don’t like Joe Buck.
I don't care much for Joe Buck, but I did happen to catch Buck's first
> In 2010 Buck signed a new 4-year contract to stay with Fox. In
> addition to keeping his job as the NFL and MLB frontman, he was
> planning a Fox reinvention of the atrocity of a variety show Joe
> Buck Live from HBO in which he was trying to expand from broadcasting
> to talk shows and skits.
>
> The HBO incarnation didn’t work mostly because people plainly and
> simply don’t like Joe Buck.
HBO show, and I have to say, it was highly entertaining. Not because of
Joe Buck though...
For whatever reason, they decided to have Arte Lange on as a guest, and
I mean he just destroyed the show (and Joe Buck) in hilarious fashion.
You could see Buck squirming in his seat, and just praying that the show
would end. He totally lost control of the show, the worst thing that can
happen to any host.
For anyone that didn't see it (probably many), this Wikipedia article
has some info on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Buck_Live
Dano
Jun 7, 2012, 2:23:55 PM6/7/12
to
"tmp" wrote in message news:4fd0ef73$0$6072$607e...@cv.net...
==============================================
I remember seeing that. I'm certainly no fan of Buck and that show was a
misguided and idiotic idea. But Artie Lange is an absolute asshole for
doing that to the guy. Any host that invites him on a show after that
display deserves exactly what they get.
I remember seeing that. I'm certainly no fan of Buck and that show was a
misguided and idiotic idea. But Artie Lange is an absolute asshole for
doing that to the guy. Any host that invites him on a show after that
display deserves exactly what they get.
Bill
Jun 7, 2012, 9:12:05 PM6/7/12
to
On 6/7/2012 2:40 AM, TMC wrote:
>
> McCarver is a different matter. The game has passed him by.
>
> He was deservedly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his work
> as a broadcaster. There was a time when he was the best analyst in the
> sport and right up there with John Madden as the best in sports
> period.
It must have been so long ago that I've forgotten. His weekly telling of
>
> McCarver is a different matter. The game has passed him by.
>
> He was deservedly inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his work
> as a broadcaster. There was a time when he was the best analyst in the
> sport and right up there with John Madden as the best in sports
> period.
baseball facts that he wants us to think only he knows is just
unwatchable. The most enjoyable part of having Tim broadcast a game is
watching Twitter for comments on his commentary (just search his name).
Lots of really amusing stuff from people blasting his so-called wisdom.
Although the last game I looked, a couple of people actually praised him
for correctly predicting a bunt. My response: even a broken clock is
correct twice a day. There's also a phony Timmy McCarver Twitter id that
posts amusing stuff while he is on.
The people at Fox who make these decisions must not know anything about
baseball, so they are still impressed with his "vast knowledge". Or he
has incriminating photos.
I did find it amusing that the author blasted Jon Miller for his
over-the-top pronunciation of Bel-tron. That annoyed me to no end. I'm
guessing it was even worse when Carlos was with the Giants last year and
Miller got to do it every game.
Bill
Peter Lawrence
Jun 8, 2012, 1:55:54 AM6/8/12
to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj8y2Oi1lFk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed1p8kuaDaw
- Peter
0 new messages