Buck You, Joe

I try to avoid reacting to the torrent of anti-Barry Bonds columns, mainly because they are mostly juvenile and ill-reasoned. But check this from Joe Buck:

Barry evidently made up his mind long ago that he did not need any help from the media to live life in the big leagues. That is well within his rights. But when you make that choice, you cannot expect those same people to paint a rosy picture about your amazing athletic ability or, more important, give you the benefit of the doubt.

Oh how brilliant. In other words, kiss our "journalist" ass or get screwed. That, my friends, is pathetic.

Comments

[Nick Schulte]

It might be pathetic but it is true, that's how sportswriters are. But I wouldn't get too worked up over it. Take a look at Barry, I really think he couldn't care less.

Oh, by the way, the Cubs blew a lead in the ninth and are losing 4-2 in the 12th right now.

Go Giants! Go Lowry!

[Jefferson]

Yet more evidence to prove my pet theory that sports media is the worst thing to ever happen to sports in general.

I got sick of Joe Buck's crap during the 2002 NLCS, when he was doing the play-by-play for Fox. He was really blatantly rooting for the Cardinals.

Frankly, Joe, the fans don't give a crap if you like a guy or not. We're not sheep, and we can make up our own minds on that.

[Marty]

My problem is that these folks are supposed to be above this kind of crap. And if they aren't, they have zero credibility. How am I to believe anything Buck says about the game when his opinions of what happens on the field are colored by how he personally interacts with the players? Right, I can't.

Buck's attitude isn't isolated. A lot of sportswriters -- Buck isn't one -- hold the same views and vote on some very important things, like awards and the Hall of Fame. Which explains why Terry Pendleton and Jeff Kent have some misappropriated hardware. How much of this MVP "debate" do you think has any basis in baseball fact? You think Bonds' personality has anything to do with it? (I'll concede that newspapers and TV thrive on controversy, so they do need to kick some up when there isn't anything there.)

Grr... must ... stop ... ranting.

[Doug]

As if it's not bad enough that America has to suffer through Buck broadcasting baseball and football on a weekly basis, he has a column on Foxsports.com too? Overexposed much?

This article is yet another example of why Joe Buck is a talentless, self-absorbed hack who is making a living off his daddy's name.

[Nick Schulte]

I thought everyone just assumed that most of these guys aren't above this crap and that they don't have any credibility. I don't mean that in a pessimistic way, but I've never counted on a broadcaster and/or a TV/newspaper sportscaster to say anything intelligent or worthwhile. I just sort of took it like this is the way it is but it wasn't that big of a deal. I don't know, maybe most people expect more from these people.

If a guy does start saying some interesting or smart things then I'll start to pay attention to that guy. But until then I don't expect it.

(Marty, don't let them make you so mad, it can ruin your day.)

Oh, and the Cubs have lost to the Reds 4-3 which means at the moment the Giants lead the Wild Card Division.

[Marty]

Oh, I'm not mad. Just blowing off steam. Work is hell. And I do know the smart people blow these bozos off anyway.

[Kevin]

I agree, the media isn't entitled to an opinion, they must be mindless robots who neither like nor dis-like everything....
Get over it, Bonds juiced, no one goes from a 30 homerun hitter to, if he wasn't walked so much, a potential 100+ in a season naturally...

[Marty]

Who says they're not entitled to an opinion? They can think what they want, it's a free (ostensibly) country. The point is those opinions are largely worthless when you say that your opinion is heavily influenced by your perception of someone's personality.

The fact of the matter is you, I, and anyone else who doesn't know these players personally know absolutely nothing about them beyond what they do on the field. Unless you heard about it from a reporter or a TV announcer, and we know how all of them wouldn't say it if it weren't true, right?

[TOM BOOK]

here's a fantasy for ya'

terry francona and joe torre get together

before tonight's game and they come up with this.

"look, it's been a hell of a series. let's

say to our teams that whoever wins; let's have

them run off the field like it's the eight inning;

not the ninth inning with all the cheering that

normally occurs. then let's send out both teams

onto the field together and let them shake hands

and embrace or whatever and show the world a

unique moment in sports where 2 teams come

together after an all out competiton and wish

each other well." that's my fantasy wish for

today.

[Alexis]

Okay, how much do I want to hurt Fox Sprts executives? Joe Buck and Tim McCarver have to be the WORST sports annoucners/analysts/bullshitters ever.
And I've thought this a while, but this last Boston/Yankees sereis cemented my extreme distaste for the both of them. Every single pitch, every single out HAD to be analyzed for twenty minutes apiece. And there was a lot of Boston bias. Any mediocre play made by Boston, it was a "fabulous" or "miraculous" play. Any really good Yankee play, they criticised that it was a close call or some crap like that. Sometimes I didn't even think I was watching the same game as them. According to Buck and McCarver, a slider that ends up waaaay outside and in the dirt is a "close call" whether it's a strike or not. Jesus. But that's just me. I think that Buck and McCarver have been anti-Yankee since the Yankees dropped McCarver as their analyst a few (probably more than that) years ago.

And Fox Sports COMPLETELY overlooked the Astros/Cardinals series, which by the way, had MUCH BETTER announcers. First off, they knew how to speak into microphones, and second off, they had nice voices. None of that loud, abrasive crap. They were professionals, and really knew what they were doing. The Astros/Cards series was PHENOMINAL - in my opinion, better than the Red Sox-Yankees sereis, and I'm a Yankee fan.

Just our luck, we'll ahve Buck and McCarver calling the World Series. Spare Me. I guess I'll be watching the TV on mute with the radio on.
They should have the local announcers call the games. That'd be sweet.

We should really petition to get idiots like Buck and McCarver off the air.

But hey, what should I know? I'm just a senior in high school.

[johnny miceli]

Hey Alexis, you don't know anything. Take it from a guy who cut his teeth on Red Barber (too boring) and Mel Allen (entertaining but over the top). Buck is the BEST baseball broadcaster I've ever heard. The first time my dad brought me to Yankee Stadium Hank Bauer was in the outfield and I've been paying attention ever since. You are just another overzealous, bad losing, New York sports fan that I have known and sometimes been a part of since I was a kid...

[Jon]

Joe Buck isn't even the best announcer in his family. Jack was a hall of fame talent. What about Vin Scully, Jon Miller, Lon Simmons, Al Michaels, etc.? Anyway, Joe Buck, with his monotone delivery and colorless description, came up way short during the ALCS. He is extremely overrated.

[joe]

jack buck has to be rolling over in his grave. what a discrace joe buck is to stl and cardinal nation.

[Joe]

Joe Buck can't hold Jon Miller's scorecard. Jack Buck, on the other hand ... From game 6 of the 1991 World Series, Kirby Puckett at bat in the bottom of the 11th. "There's a drive into deep left field ... and we'll see you tomorrow night." He got the play-by-play, the effect of the play and the promo for the next night's telecast all in the same simple sentence. Not THAT'S a pro.

[Art Parziale]

Why doesn't Joe Buck just shut up and let us watch the game!!! He has nothing intelegent to say, and just constantly blabbers on and on... He thinks he's a great anouncer but a good anouncer whould shut up when he has nothing relevant to say!!!

[Warren miles]

Joe Buck Sucks. He is a color analyst at best! I've been putting up with his ego for years now in St. Louis. He's been riding on his father's coattails. Fox, please give a play by play announcer! Thanks!!!

[Tom Lowery]

The great Joe Buck blew one tonight. He said, on air, that Robinson's #42 has been retired across baseball. This is absolutely incorrect. That turkey, Riviera, of the Yankees arrogantly wears #42. I'm told that one of the Mets players also wears that number. You blew it Buck. You should know better.

[lilbrothalee]

What are you Buck-haters talking about? Name one guy who lets the sounds of the game be heard. he doesn't overtalk, he loves the game, and he DOES NOT show bias. Why do you hate? Are you lonely? Do you live in your parents basement and stroke your ego with the lotion of trivial sports knowledge? Don't be jealous because he's done more in his short career than you have in your whole life?

[Louis]

Joe Buck is the worst thing to happend to the world series since the Black Sox. He is biased, pompus, does not know the game, and he is in the owners pockets. There's something wrong when I can't watch the world series because of the play-by-play guy. At least Jon Miller is on the radio to save us. Oh yea, he's ruining football too.

[Chris]

I grew up on Cardinal baseball and have been spoiled by the best of the best when it comes to announcing. I consider myself lucky to have listened to Jack Buck and Mike Shannon and later Joe Buck and Mike Shannon. Its upsetting to hear such deragatory things about Joe. I do not consider John Miller the Giants main man a bad announcer but I would take Joe any day, over any announcer alive.