Chicago TV announcers...
by San Diego Viking on Jul 29, 2010 11:19 PM EDT
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As a Twins fan on the west coast, I have to rely on DirecTV's MLB package to see all my Twins games, which of course means I get every other baseball game being played, except Padre games. Occasionally (as today, Thu. 7/29) when the Twins are not playing, I am watching the White Soxgame with the hope that their opponent (Sea tonight, sigh) will somehow help the Twins by beating the White Sox.
I have held this belief for awhile now, but wanted to put it out there for my fellow Twins fans to comment on and let me know if I'm just being a total Homer or if there is any legitimacy to my following claim:
The White Sox announcers are the worst, most biased, asinine, annoying announcers in all of baseball. I realize that almost every team has "home" announcers. I also realize that all home announcers root to some degree for their home team, including Dick and Bert. But my contention is that the White Sox announcers go far and above the meager home town cheering of other announcers.
Whether its his "He Gone!" or his "Hell Yes", Ken Harrelson has to be the worst play-by-play man in the game today. He routinely over exaggerates White Sox plays and rarely gives other teams credit for making a good play. Even when he does credit the other team with doing something well, there is an obvious negative underetone. He just can't be objective, as I believe Mr Bremer does on a regular basis, and its beyond disgusting to listen to, regardless of whether the White Sox are winning or losing (when their winning, he's borderline giddy; when their losing he's depressed).
I actually don't have much of a comment for Darrin Jackson, because he has so little actual input into the broadcast. I will say that his voice is mind-numbingingly dorky.
So Twins Territory, I am just being a blind faith Twins fan in hating the White Sox announcers, or is there any agreement that the White Sox announcers are awful?
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Hawk is bad
And fans of 30 major league baseball teams agree.
I do like Steve Stone though (Darrin Jackson is doing radio now)
Steve Stone
Interesting situation there – I kind of like him too, he’s heralded in Chicago (or at least on the Sox radio station) as the “Greatest Analyst in Baseball!”, and I enjoyed listening to his call-in portions of the sports talk radio when they have him on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons, but really only when they were in 3rd place in the division. He also had some run-ins with Lou Piniella throughout the month of June, and anyone publicly disagreeing with what the Cubs are doing is OK by me.
Ever since the pale-hose have been in 1st, he comes on with excuses and circular logic that make it sound like they belong there and can never be dethroned. Remember when we beat the Tigers the day before the ASB, which was the only reason they were able to take over in the first place? Not a single mention of how the Twins winning/Tigers losing was the only way that happened, only them on their winning streak over their cupcake schedule throughout the month of June. Then this Monday, he gets on and says that even though they just finished a 4-6 road trip, they’re in really good shape since they actually gained a half game lead – again, no thanks to the Twins for taking over the Tigers for 2nd place….OK, Steve, if that’s what makes you feel better, you keep believing that your lucky streak and easy June/July schedule is proving you’ve got the better team, good for you – but we’re coming for you.
"...and we'll see ya tomorrow night!" - Jack Buck, Game 6, 1991 World Series
by WindyCityTwinsFan on Jul 30, 2010 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions
hawk is a homer
but “ballgame” bert blyleven is too.
when i watch an archived twins game on mlb.tv, i watch the opponent’s broadcast 90% of the time cos of that GD homer
I agree Bert can be bad...
especially when he or Dick “call” home runs or whatever; that can be awful. But in my experience, in dealing with Padre/Giants/D-backs mostly and everybody else on a regular basis, Dick and Bert are fairly even-keeled compared to “Hawk”…
The fact that every time I hear “Hawk” I think of Andre Dawson makes me hate Harrelson all the much more.
by San Diego Viking on Jul 30, 2010 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
I actually think Bert isn't that big a Twins fan
I’m sort of confused why someone would think he’s a huge homer, let alone comparable to the Hawk. (Though I can understand why someone might not like him for other reasons.)
Yeah, but Bert will actually acknowledge good plays by the other team
The Hawk will literally just be silent. Won’t say a thing.
"It happened in the moment, and it happened." - Carlos Gomez
circle it bert
"The trouble with baseball is that the player who knows how to bat and field the best is sitting in the bleachers" or on sss!?!
by Grinder Rule #42 on Aug 2, 2010 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
No.
Chip Carey is was worse, but I never listen to WGN, or whatever it is, anyway.
"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
Minnesota Twins 2010: GAME 163 OR BUST!!!
by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jul 30, 2010 1:15 AM EDT reply actions
Agreed on Caray
I’m a longtime McCarver/Buck loather, but Chip just made them look classy. Had it not been for the brutal emotional ups and downs of Game 163 my head would have ached from his malapropisms alone…
“Line drive, base hit…CAUGHT, OUT THERE!!!”
by MarshalltheIrish on Jul 30, 2010 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions
FISTED INTO RIGHT!
What you just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your entire rambling incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
by Percy Harvin My Fav! on Jul 30, 2010 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Just to put a contrary opinion out there,
I actually think the Hawk is so over-the-top it’s kind of funny. I’d hate it if he was our announcer, but sort of like with Ozzie, it’s sort of nice to have him out there to provide an interesting contrast to sanity.
egads
Since moving to Chicago and in with my white sox loving boyfriend, I have to disagree. Listening to him on a regular basis, he makes me want to stab my eardrums. He offers nothing interesting or insightful, just the same tired schtick. I swear, every time he says “don’t stop there boys” I have to restrain myself from punching my boyfriend in the face. (Note: this rage is not helped by said boyfriend’s fondness for shouting “SHE GONE” whenever i leave the room.)
just punch in the face already
if he’s a gentleman he’ll just take it much like his team against the Twins… Snoogins!
Eh... I hate to admit
I ALMOST agree. But I actually do hate the Hawk.
"It happened in the moment, and it happened." - Carlos Gomez
x
Everybody needs to cry or needs to spit
Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit
Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot
How can you stand next to the truth and not see it?
Bono – I’ll go crazy if I don’t go crazy tonight
This is becoming silly
Don’t listen. He’s not broadcasting for a TWIN FAN.
"it’s over, tdogg.
no. it’s not unlike me. when i make an unqualified statement, it means i’m sure i’m right" Larry
This is such old news
I thought everyone knew the Hawk is the worst since 2005.
Enjoy.
"It happened in the moment, and it happened." - Carlos Gomez
The only good time to listen to them
is when the Sox are losing badly. Hawk pretty much just pouts the rest of the game.
+1
or just stays silent… nothing like dead air b/c the announcer is too much of a homer to keep calling the game
im just glad the sox are playing competitive ball
otherwise we have to listen to his golf chatter…nothin more boring then hearing about hawks time on the links
"The trouble with baseball is that the player who knows how to bat and field the best is sitting in the bleachers" or on sss!?!
by Grinder Rule #42 on Aug 2, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Why do people have a problem with an announcer being a homer?
Paul Allen is a crazy Vikings homer and no one in town seems to mind. Dick and Bert are homers just to a less embarassing extent. John and Dazzle? C’mon, up until 3-4 years ago Gladden used to mutter ‘Get out…’ when Torii Hunter hit a long fly ball.
Hawk is old. So he comes from a time when the expectation of a play by play announcer was to be as much of a salesman for the team and its culture as an ‘analyst’ or ‘journalist’. And that’s what Jerry Reinsdorf wants. Everyone who works with the Sox and the Bulls is expected to be a cheerleader and instill a sense of confidence in the team. It breeds loyalty and a sense of chauvenism that tends to yield team revenue.
Steve Stone really was a tremendous analyst before getting too critical of a cancerous Dusty Baker clubhouse on the Northside. When he finally landed a job with the Sox, I wasn’t sure if it was going to work because of the Reinsdorf cheerleader culture. But sure enough, Stone followed suit and became a cheerleader too. Only he’s a bit better at over-emphasizing White Sox’s strengths and opponents’ weaknesses. Stone unfortunately now is a master of cherry picking stats to paint rosy pictures. This is very sad to me. I’m indifferent to the Cubs, but I loved listening to him break down a game.
But as for Hawk. They love him in Chicago. Not the stat guys, but people who enjoy spending a night watching a Sox game. When they’re doing poorly, he’s like a cranky inner-monologue. When they’re hot, Sox fans love to relish it with him. Sure he says a lot of things that are incorrect. He’ll manage one nugget of insight for every 5 perceptive observations that are simply untrue. Criticize him for that. But his homerism? Who cares?
by TMW on Aug 1, 2010 10:24 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Dazzle
I really dislike Gladden as an announcer. To me, he is the same as Harrelson, just to a lesser degree. I do like John. I do like Dick and Bert—they do a good job of being objective most of the time.
My problem with Gladden is that he is awful at calling a game. He does the same thing as Harrelson—he just tells you what happens rather than describes a colorful picture of the action as it unfolds. This is especially damning for Gladden since he does radio.
I'm afraid
the days of announcers knowing the difference btwn calling a game for radio and calling a game for TV are almost over…
Hawk...
what bothers me most about him is when he is in a bad mood and starts bitc*ing about anything he can, or when there is an obvious double standard about something. If you are a Twins fan, you’ve probably heard plenty of these over the years, especially when Hawk would whine about the Metrodome.
Here is a great example. Over July 4th weekend of this year, the Sux were on the road for a set in Texas. The Sux had lost 3 of their last 5 (against the Royals and Cubs), and before that, had won 11 in a row. So, Hawk was in a cranky mood because the Sux weren’t still walking on water.
During the early part of the game, Hawk and Stoney start commenting about how rough the Texas field is, how hard the dirt is because of the sun and heat during the day, yada, yada, yada. And it was a night game.
At the time, the Rangers were breaking in a young guy who had only played a few games at first base (Joaquin Arias). Arias messed up something (can’t remember if he forgot to cover first or if he couldn’t make some catch at the bag or something). Of course, Hawk is ripping him for it.
Then, Alexei Ramirez bungled a couple plays at short stop for the Sux. The scorer was being generous that night, and didn’t give anyone any errors. But Ramirez was not playing very good defense that night. Of course, Hawk isn’t saying anything, because it is impossible that a Sux player might not be one of the greatest who ever played.
So, there is the double standard. When a “good guy” does something wrong, it must be field conditions or excellence by the opposing team. But when the opposition has a player that doesn’t play well, then they just suck.
Eat me, Hawk! I would spend more time hating you if you weren’t already making a laughingstock out of your organization.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
you guys should have fun with this
anyhow, quick question…i live in kc, and my son and i will be passing through on the 17th and want to catch the sox/twins game. i shoulda bought my tix last week through the official site but i hesitated and now im s.o.l. and will have to find a scalper on cl or stubhub or somewhere else that ill most likely be gouged on. at any rate, whats some of the better sections to sit in should i have an option or two to chose from? where exactly is the sro sections in the stadium?
"The trouble with baseball is that the player who knows how to bat and field the best is sitting in the bleachers" or on sss!?!
by Grinder Rule #42 on Aug 2, 2010 3:29 PM EDT reply actions
There aren't technically sections for standing room only.
And don’t sit in 139. The entire left field view is blocked by the plaza/outcropped section. The centerfield area offers pretty good views for SRO tickets. If you can find a spot to squeeze in, the area behind home plate is nice too.
"All I want to do is beat the hair mannequin [Anthony LaPanta] this year"-Souhan
thanx for the input
"The trouble with baseball is that the player who knows how to bat and field the best is sitting in the bleachers" or on sss!?!
by Grinder Rule #42 on Aug 3, 2010 8:30 AM EDT up reply actions
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