Thursday, July 03, 2008

Where Have You Gone, Joe Buck?

I found this article on Yahoo sports:

Joe Buck should be removed from MLB broadcasts yesterday
By 'Duk
Let me start by saying I don't like Joe Buck. In fact, I've never liked Joe Buck. When I watch Saturday afternoon baseball or the playoffs on Fox, it takes everything in my power to stop from hitting the mute button. He doesn't add anything to my enjoyment of the game and, more often than not, his refusal to never shut up and let the game breathe a little bit makes for the equivalent of a drill-bit being bored into my head for more than three hours at a clip.
You can disagree with me if you want, but I believe that if it weren't for who his father was, Joe Buck and his droning, monotone, haughty and easily-outraged-by-Randy Moss style would be somewhere in rural Minnesota, announcing the details of that day's ice fishing contest.
Well, if there were any broadcasting justice and any chance to make my dream come true, rural Minnesota is where Joe Buck would end up after the comments he made on this morning's Colin Cowherd Show. Apparently not only does Joe Buck not enjoy baseball as much as he used to, he says would rather watch "The Bachelorette" instead of the game that, for some reason, has made him its preeminent voice.


If he really thinks America is too busy to watch baseball during the week, then I would suggest Buck is completely out of touch from the millions who fill the parks Monday through Friday, those who blog about it endlessly with their own free time without ever getting paid and the people who hang on every pitch like he's announcing it without much interest during October.
What's even worse is that he doesn't even seem to believe that he and Fox might seem to be part of the problem. If people weren't being subjected to non-stop commercial breaks, dozens of in-game robot advertisements for Malcolm In The Middle and hundreds of fan reaction shots between each pitch, maybe more would be interested in tuning in.
Look, I never thought I'd agree with both Rob Parker and Skip Bayless, but Bud Selig and his people should be making phone calls this afternoon to ensure that someone else is tabbed to do the rest of Fox's schedule through the World Series. If Joe Buck no longer enjoys watching baseball, then it's time to confine him to his precious NFL and find someone else who does.

You know, I can't agree more. If you don't want to do it Joe, then don't. Now, everytime I see you doing baseball, I'll wonder if your heart is in it. There isn't anything worse in broadcasting than someone phoning it in. I had my suspicions the other day when the Cardinals were playing the Red Sox on a Saturday afternoon in Fenway on Fox and Joe..."took the day off". Took the day off? For the Cardinals and the Red Sox? at Fenway? I don't know the details and I'm not privy to any "backstage knowledge" but I don't think his dad would ever..."take the day off" on a broadcast like that. Colour me discouraged.

3 comments:

Brian Holland said...

Gotta disagree here--did you hear what Joe said about back in the days of Vin Scully, Joe Garagiola and Tony Kubek and how the "Game of the Week" was special? Back then, it was all about the GAME, but now it's nothing but Yankees-Red Sox and all the cutesy FOX graphics and sound effects and insufferable "American Idol" promos. Joe's right--these national TV games are interminable!

RR said...

I agree with your basic point, but my thought I guess drifts to the broadcasting side. There are a thousand guys who would give their left nut to do it. Why then keep Joe there if his heart isn't in it? Take a pay cut, just do football and let some body who wants to do it, do it. One of my pet peeves is about how some in my business just phone it in on a regular basis. I know of a few right now who come to mind. Can't be bothered with this, don't have time for that. Bullshit. Do the job, go the extra mile, have a good attitude. That's all I ask.

dr sardonicus said...

That's sad, especially coming from a guy who literally grew up in the Cardinals' broadcasting booth. Maybe it's burnout.

My Game Of The Week memories aren't so good. Mostly what I remember from back then is 3/4ths of the games coming from Fenway Park, and Curt Gowdy rooting for the Red Sox.

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