On Hawk Harrelson being "the worst announcer in baseball"
by U-God on Feb 27, 2012 4:03 PM CST
in White Sox Business
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Today the esteemed Carson Cistulli revealed an offseason project over at Fangraphs: fan rankings of the 31 broadcast teams in baseball (I'm assuming the 31st comes from either the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball team or Fox's Saturday broadcast crew Turns out I need to work on my reading skills. The Dodgers account for two broadcast teams). Rather unshockingly, Steve Stone and Hawk Harrelson came in last, mostly on the strength (weakness?) of our Uncle Hawk. The same complaints as always appeared "He's annoying! He's a homer!"
I feel like we read at least one article like this every year. And yeah, it's one thing for White Sox fans to complain about him. He's our announcer. And while I personally don't fill with rage at the sound of his voice as so many others seem to, I can see why people wouldn't like him. He is a homer. He lives and dies with the team. Is that necessarily a terrible thing?
I always found it a bit odd that people expect an announcer to remain impartial. This isn't football. The announcers aren't randomly sent from city to city every week. Hawk is signed on to announce 162 games a year. He's been announcing games for the same team since 1982. 1982! I would be amazed if he had somehow remained wholly impartial. I like to think the announcer actually cares about the team like I do. With Hawk, I know that to be true. He can take it too far, but if every announcer treated their job the way Joe Buck or Joe Morgan do, baseball would be simply unwatchable with sound.
The part that always makes me laugh the hardest is the inevitable Cubs fan pile on that quickly follows these articles. Did they somehow forget how terrible Harry Caray and Ron Santo were at announcing? Harry Caray was a bumbling drunken asshole who couldn't pronounce names. Santo would seemingly go innings at a time without describing what was happening other than moaning and cheering. Yet somehow, Hawk is immeasurably worse than those two? Bullshit.
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Love the Hawkeroo
And yeah, he’s a homer. But he’s MY homer.
my fav moments are when
someone gets hit by a pitch and he starts calling for revenge – the indignation in his voice is a wonderful thing.
by hoodlight on Feb 27, 2012 4:09 PM CST via mobile reply actions
I don’t care about Hawk being a homer, I care that he says stupid things about the sport.
by Matt Zakrowski on Feb 27, 2012 4:09 PM CST reply actions 3 recs
Could not agree more! Succinctly, and perfectly stated.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
ah,
go back to your deck.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
The ONLY way to watch. Unless the dew point is above 70.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
I want my announcer to be a homer.
I want to hear a guy who is saying the things I am thinking, but that’s just me. Love Hawk and I dread the day when he won’t be the voice of the Sox.
"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth." -Niels Bohr
by Fergie3108 on Feb 27, 2012 4:13 PM CST reply actions 10 recs
I want him saying things I'm not insightful enough to think
Hawk fails in this regard
Follow @gpierce112
by joewho112 on Feb 28, 2012 10:40 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
that would be nice, but rarely does any announcer do that.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
I don't know about that.
I’m not that insightful
Follow @gpierce112
by joewho112 on Feb 28, 2012 2:31 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I guess I'd rather be entertained than informed.
But, again, just my opinion.
"The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth." -Niels Bohr
Being told what already in my head isn't entertaining
Having something new revealed is
Follow @gpierce112
I know I have discussed this before but when things are going bad, he makes them worse for me on my couch
but even when his giddy-yibble-dabble euphoria reaches its heights, like in a 10 game winning streak, I find him very hard to listen to because I am always reminded of how much worse he made my viewing of the last losing streak. I want to watch baseball, I don’t want to hear someone else get emotional and vehement…if anything I need someone to calm me the fuck down when I am in the throes of my disgruntlement.
His catchphrases are fine, they add colour but I also catch myself screaming, “No fucking shit!” at the TV several times a broadcast. I probably saw 130 Hawk broadcasts last year and each and every one of them drove me insane at some level or another.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
by Rhubarb on Feb 27, 2012 4:21 PM CST reply actions 6 recs
my wife has learned that when the sound is off and the Sox are on the television to slowly back out of the room
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
by Rhubarb on Feb 27, 2012 4:22 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Absolutely this.
I’ve grown tired of his grumpiness.
Lots of words, but this too!
Hee
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
well said
“I don’t want to hear someone else get emotional and vehement…” <—— this, one thousand times this.
Taking a walk in a donkey park listening to the wind of change
I Agree...
I voted only for the Hawk/Stone and Kasper/Brenly since I actually hear games they annouce. I can’t honestly rate someone I have never heard. I
by mikeschieve on Feb 27, 2012 4:35 PM CST via Android app up reply actions
I think it makes sense.
I’m an expat Sox fan living in LA, so I watch all my Sox games on MLB TV or Extra Innings. I’ve formed pretty strong opinions on most of the announcing teams, at least in the AL, because I get to hear them all at least 3-5 times per season.
Of course.
And that’s why Hawk is specifically reviled for his “homerism”, because he abandons all pretense of appealing to non-Sox fans. But I do think there are other aspects of announcing beyond that specific issue that transcend the local vs. national thing. The Angels’ color guy, Rex Hudler, for example, is a complete idiot who can’t string a sentence together. And who doesn’t love a guy like Vin Scully?
I'm on record as not caring much for Vin Scully.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
whatever, TWIN FAN.
I love seasons too. That's why I live in a place that skips the shitty ones.
by thatshortkid on Feb 27, 2012 5:42 PM CST up reply actions
weirdo
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
by colintj on Feb 27, 2012 5:43 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I don't dislike him, I just don't care much for him.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
I guess the word I'm looking for is indifferent.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
ugh.
the angels’ broadcasters are the worst.
I love seasons too. That's why I live in a place that skips the shitty ones.
by thatshortkid on Feb 27, 2012 5:45 PM CST up reply actions
Hudler is working for the Royals now.
And he’s teaming up with Steve Physioc again.
The Royals really hate their fans.
by Jim Margalus on Feb 27, 2012 8:48 PM CST up reply actions
Holy crap.
First they fail to get any pitching to go along with their hitting, and now Rex? That doubly sucks, because their announcers are by far the best of the teams in our division.
this.
if Sox fans hate Hawk, that’d mean he was failing at his job. but everyone else? so what. especially given the kind of fan who’s actually able to vote in such a comparison. we get it, you like walks and defense.
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
by colintj on Feb 27, 2012 5:42 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Doesn't it depend on the purpose of the survey?
I don’t think anybody’s using this survey as a means for decisions about future employment of the announcers. I’m curious to see how other people who’ve had exposure to a number of different announcing teams match up with me.
Hawk versus a 30-something, generic, Bob-Costas-impersonating, Syracuse broadcasting grad?
I will take Hawk. Most of the guys I hear on Extra Innings including Remy and Blyleven and the 50 different Yankee announcers are all homers as well. I get a kick out of it. This is entertainment and it’s a sport – not a political debate.
"Fundamentals are a crutch for the talentless" Kenny Powers
i love the hawk. be a sad sad day when Joe Poloshirt is in the booth.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
We've had this discussion before but just because Hawk isn't in the booth doesn't mean Jerry hires Joe Poloshirt
The White Sox have never had any broadcasters in the traditional sense, why would they start when Hawk retires?
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
While he's not necessarily the worst...
I think he, like Caray, has become a caricature of himself. Always reaching for clever Hawkisms, he ends up repeating annoying lines like “That’s how you get yourself a 16,000 square-foot home in Scottsdale,” and rather than commenting on the action currently taking place, he’ll continue to rail an umpire for a blown call three innings ago. I’ve done my fair share of Hawk defending, but when you listen to him talk about every no-name AAAA player like they’re the second coming, and listen to him tell the same stories about Yaz over and over again, it’s tiring.
by Can I Kick It? on Feb 27, 2012 4:35 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
How dare you besmirch the good name of Jerry Sands!!!
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
A wholehearted endorsement
I too can understand other fans not liking Hawk. That’s fine. And he grates on me from time to time during the season. But I still love listening to him, especially in the big moments. And to me, if an announcer can do a great job of capturing the big moments, then he’s achieved his #1 objective. Plus, as you said, it’s a 162-game season. If I listened to every Hawk broadcast every game, I couldn’t take it. But 2-3 week? Perfect. Frankly, I think all baseball announcers should be total homers. And I’d rather listen to a homer announcer for the opposition than the idiots they trot out for the national broadcasts, especially come playoff time. At least the homers know the team and understand what is happening within the context of the season, which is more important in baseball than any other sport.
by Jerod Morris on Feb 27, 2012 4:48 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Agreed wholeheartedly!
It pained me to listen to the national guys during the 2005 postseason. Mercy!
by ParisSox on Feb 28, 2012 1:43 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
especially when "national guys" include chris berman cheering his fat heart out for the red sox in rd. 1.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
?
(I’m assuming the 31st comes from either the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball team or Fox’s Saturday broadcast crew)
hey u-dog, you know what happens when you assume, right? (psst, did you read the second paragraph?)
Now the results from the ballots for all 30 teams (including two for the Dodgers, who have distinct home and away broadcasters) have been collected and will be published here over the course of the week.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Ah.
Oh well.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
nah, not oh well.
the correct response is “nuts”.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Reload the article.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
don't think he travels for away games anymore.
unless it is the giants/angels/padres/a’s.
though that may be wrong now too. just recall watching a dodgers/giants game in san francisco last year with him commentating.
Being a homer isn't a problem.
I would expect every home announcing team to be fans of their team. Hawk loses me because he complains about the umpires all the time. And he doesn’t let it go. Calls are missed in every game, to every team.
As far as Santo and Caray go
They were never a broadcast team and were not part of the poll for obvious reasons. The worst part is these guys all make the broadcast hall of fame just because they are homers and broadcast forever.
I didn't say they were a team.
And no shit they aren’t a part of the poll. But any Cubs fan that attempts to call out Hawk needs to remember the years their own team had senile grandpas handling TV and radio duties.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Hey! Hawk can stand up for himself!
At least he has that going.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
I told you why I don't like listening to Hawk.
I noticed you didn’t question my reasons. You changed the subject. I never said Caray or Santo were good announcers. Hell, I didn’t even consider Santo an announcer. He was an ex player they let sit up in the radio booth. I considered Caray a mercenary. He was good with the Cardinals. He and Peirsall were funny with the Sox. Before his stroke, he was just OK with the Cubs. He wasn’t senile, he had a stroke. Not very classy U-God.
I didn't change the subject.
I responded to a different post. I’m aware of his stroke and subsequent recovery. If you think I actually meant that Caray and Santo were senile and not just unfit for their jobs/incompetent, well I don’t know what to say to you.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
What else was Santo going to do in the booth?
The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.
by Uribe Down on Feb 29, 2012 2:07 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs
I'm stumped.
"Santo and Carry would god awful announcers" - 815Sox
by RWShow on Feb 29, 2012 9:20 AM CST up reply actions 4 recs
Hawkeroo
His bitching about balls and strikes drove me nuts but when they super imposed the strike zone on the screen that helped a lot.If you are as bland as butter you will be in the middle of the pack.Bland the Hawk is not.He is kinda like a crazy uncle.I’m just used to him.
Though I only hear his calls on MLB ...
I love his calls! I think he is good for baseball!
Lee Cress
by Cowboy33 on Feb 27, 2012 5:44 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
I'm old enough to remember when Harry Carry was our
bumbling drunken asshole who couldn’t pronounce names.
Hawk has worn me out
I hated him in the 80’s when he called games with Drysdale. But Hawk has stuck around for so long that he has worn the hate out of me. I don’t love or hate Hawk now, I just tolerate him.
I think that the Stone/Hawk pairing is pretty darn good
As long as Stone is the PBP and Hawk is the Sox version of Santo/Harry/Brickstone. Stone was a darn good PBP guy for the Cubs, and Hawk is too much of a homer to be PBP, but a pretty durn good Color Homer kind of guy.
hawk is the play by play announcer
and stone is the color announcer and has never been a play by play announcer.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Really?
I could have sworn Stoney used to do some PBP for ESPN before he joined the Sox…was he only a color guy there too?
i don't think so.
the only time i’ve heard him do PBP was filling in for hawk. i found him surprisingly poor.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
by BuehrleMan on Feb 27, 2012 6:36 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
also, and this should surprise no one,
CUB FAN.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Hawk thinks advanced stats are dumb, wants you to do the math, and knows Moneyball is BS even though he has no idea what it's about.
I would’ve been disappointed had Fangraphs not pegged him as the worst. Me, I like him in general, but I wouldn’t argue that he’s a great broadcaster.
by mechanical turk on Feb 27, 2012 6:08 PM CST reply actions
It's not that he's a homer
It’s that he’s a MEAN homer. He is never, I repeat NEVER, complimentary of the other team. As a Tigers fan living in Illinois, this annoys me because he’s forced upon me. Justin Verlander could throw a no-hitter against the Sox and I guaruntee you Hawk would spend the entire time complaining about the umpiring and the fact that Verlander plays dirty or cheats or something.
Our color guy, Rod Allen, is also a homer, but he’s good-natured about it. He obviously just loves baseball. He often says stupid stuff, but it’s never mean and stupid.
I think that’s the reason why opposing fans hate Hawk so much.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
You've clearly never watched the White Sox play the Twins.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
What usually happens there?
Does he talk about the Twins in a nice way?
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
the twins are his favorite team.
and he would marry gardy if he wasn’t already married to aris.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
you must only watch hawk for sox-tigers games. and he says plenty of good things about the tigers.
he will compliment cabrera, martinez, guillen, jackson. and he has an out of control man crush on brandon inge.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
I feel like when I watch Sox games, though, it's always about the Sox
Things they do good are all because they are good. Things they do bad are all because they are bad (not because of the other team).
That might be inaccurate but I guess I’m just not as used to his style. I usually only watch them against Detroit and he always just seems really sour.
I listen to a lot of Ed Farmer on the radio when I’m driving around, though. For whatever reason I like him a lot more. (Although he’s like the opposite in that he shows virtually no emotion about anything, even big Sox home runs.)
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Why wouldn't it always be about the Sox?
He’s the White Sox home broadcaster.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
But I mean
Sometimes the other team will do something and he’ll just get DEAD silent. Like, he’ll be pissed off if someone hits a walk-off home run against them. He just shits up and Stoney has to take over. You’ve gotta stay professional there and at least attempt to make a call if you’re going to be taken seriously.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
*he SHUTS up
Not shits up. Although it might be accurate for him sometimes.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
he is pissed off.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Yeah, that's not very professional
That’s kind of my point. You don’t want a superfan calling the game. At least, not if they’re going to act like that. Their job is not to root for the team, their job is to tell the fans watching and listening at home what is going on.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Well, what's the point of him being there if he's not going to make the damn call?
It’s his fucking job to tell us what is going on.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
sometimes, silence tells you more.
hawk, like just about every single other tv broadcaster in baseball, would be well-served to use it in other instances.
Sometimes that is true
Often, though, with Hawk it isn’t because he’s trying to use silence in a poetic way like Ernie Harwell. It’s because he’s pissed:
Hawk: “And it’s a long fly ball to deep center…. dad-GUMMIT, guys!”
(silence)
(silence)
(silence)
Stoney: “And Cabrera just hit his 30th of the season there to tie the game.”
That happens much to often when I watch Sox games. That’s not poetic license or “silence for silence sake.” It’s “silence because Hawk is pressing the cough button and swearing under his breath for five minutes.”
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Not really
You’ve obviously never listened to Ernie Harwell or Jack Buck. Sigh.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
they're not calling games any longer.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
You don't know that!
"Definitely typing challended today" - polodude017
by RWShow on Feb 27, 2012 7:02 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
no shit you don't like it.
you’re not a white sox fan. you want someone telling you how super miguel cabrera is for hitting a home run to tie the game, because you apparently don’t know that or something.
I never said that either
It’s just nice when broadcasters state facts during a broadcast rather than have a bunch of dead air.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
BUT HE'S NOT ERNIE HARWELL!!!!!
HE SHOULD BE MORE LIKE SOMEONE ELSE!!!!!
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
That's not the point
I guess I’m sorry I brought this up.
The point was, he doesn’t HAVE to be like someone else. The whole “poetic silence” thing was brought up by others, not by me. I just get annoyed when he stops talking because it’s obvious that he is stewing. It’s stupid and unprofessional.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
And you would prefer he do what?
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
I dunno
Use facts. Broadcast. He’s a broadcaster. It’s what he’s paid to do.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
you're one of those people who talks too fucking much, aren't you.
by larry on Feb 27, 2012 7:09 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
You've probably run into him at the School House.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Nope
I just have a pet peeve about bad announcers on baseball games.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
I have a novel solution!
You should take your Detroit stench home to Michigan.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
by Rhubarb on Feb 27, 2012 7:23 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
The Detroit thing again?
Really? I thought we as a society were over those sorts of obvious insults.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
we've been at it for the whole of human civilization.
it’s wishful thinking to imagine we’re gonna move past that now. just be glad there aren’t sieges anymore.
by craigws on Feb 27, 2012 7:58 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I didn't say anything about Detroit other than to go back there if you don't want to hear Hawk during Tigers series
Touchy, touchy
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
I tell my friend from San Diego she has Cali stench on her
It really wasn’t anything personal, sheesh
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
The whole "Detroit stinks and is dirty" thing is a normal Chicago sports meme, though
Which is why I thought it was a dig.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Murder is a cleaning process
Not a dirtying one
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
by Carbiner on Feb 27, 2012 8:27 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Well played
I LOL’d there.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Note I'm from Lansing
And Detroit is my 2nd favorite team, given how badly the White Sox are likely to suck I’m relatively excited about Prince Fielder
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
Lansing?
disgusting.
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
it's both.
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
Maybe it's more Blackhawk and Bears fans that do this
But especially Hawks fans. Second City Hockey is all about pointing out how dirty and stinky and shitty Detroit is whenever the Hawks play the Wings. Which, admittedly, is not altogether untrue. Detroit is no Chicago.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Oh society and its myriad wrongitudes!
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
you must not listen much
because no one is ever pressing the cough button. stone is hacking up a lung in the background approximately 24% of every broadcast.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
People like you were more or less my target with this post.
People who flit in for a few games, fixate on something they hate, and then bitch about it forever.
Don’t like Hawk? Don’t listen to him. It’s not difficult.
It’s beyond silly to complain that he isn’t like Jack Buck or Ernie Harwell. Not every announcer is going to be a Hall of Famer.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
I wasn't complaining that he wasn't like Jack Buck
As I said above, the whole silence thing was not brought up by me.
For example, neither of the Tigers current TV announcers are Hall of Famers, and that’s fine. But they’re pleasant people to listen to, still have personalities, and aren’t mean spirited. Which was my original point here
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
You don't like Hawk because he doesn't root for the Tigers.
Noted.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Not what I said, man
I wouldn’t mind him is he was a pleasant personality. I enjoy watching Cardinals and Cubs and Twins broadcasts. None of them “root for the Tigers.” But they are engaging, root for their teams but are also not specifically ABOUT their teams.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Do you not realize how silly what you're asking for is?
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
It's not silly
I watch a lot of baseball games from a lot of teams. Most other broadcasters fit this description (ie, they aren’t vindictive dicks).
It’s obvious from this discussion that most White Sox fans don’t watch anything other than the White Sox.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
What's obvious is that you don't actually watch that many White Sox games.
It’s fine that you enjoy passing judgement down on broadcasters and attempting to enlighten us lowly Sox fans on how shitty our broadcaster truly is, but frankly, you’re full of shit.
Hawk compliments the shit out of other teams’ players and he does so all the time. I hope you’re a better high school sportswriter than you are a broadcaster analyst.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Man, I wasn't even trying to be mean when I brought this up
So I’m sorry if it came off that way. I just know that when I watch the Sox (which, I admitted, is not as often) he annoys me because his lens is just SO Sox-based. That’s all I was saying. When your broadcaster is talking about “Good Guys vs. Bad Guys” you know he’s going to be even more of a homer than most guys are.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
The Good Guys thing comes from a team slogan in the 90's.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
And is classic. Love the Us vs. Them.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
i still don't see him being mean spirited.
the cleveland radio announcers i have heard be mean spirited. even as their team was sucking i have heard them ridicule the opposition.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Actually
I do seem to find the Tigers announcers more annoying than Hawk without having a humorous shtick. Have to see how fangraphs rates them!
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
I think Rod Allen has a humorous schitck
It’s the “hey, not everything I say is smart but it’s funny and I’ll just keep on talkin, partner!”
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Now I remember
Amid the Verlander streak last year Rod Allen was hailing the merits of the team as follows: “We’ve got the best hitter, the best pitcher, the best shortstop, best catcher, and the best closer in the game, we’re destined for postseason glory” or something to that effect (pseudo quotes). While the Tigers do have 2 (now 3) of the best players in the game it drops off sharply after that, the mediocrity of the division not withstanding.
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
I mean, the Tigers did win the division
And got pretty far in the playoffs. It’s not like he was wildly off and they finished last.
I think all of us Tigers fans recognize he is flawed as an announcer, but he’s generally a loveable, goofy guy.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Sure they all had good seasons
With the exception of Valverde, but aside from Verlander not one part of that whole thing is indisputable. Cabrera is damn good, but Bautista is still better. Peralta had a decent season after a mediocre one in the age of terrible shortstops. Joe Mauer still exists, etc. I realize superlatives are common in broadcasting but that was still pretty ridiculous.
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
Peralta is garbage. i don't know how he pulled it off last year.
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
Making shit up sounds pretty unprofessional to me.
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
I wouldn't say any of that is "made up"
Exaggerated, maybe.
Also, Rod Allen is not the team’s main play-by-play voice. He is the color man. Two different sets of expectations.
Anyway, FWIW, Fangraphs has crow-sourced them in the top 10:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/broadcaster-rankings-tv-20-11/
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
we can see what's going on.
it’s his job to say whatever he wants.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Not true
If I wanted to listen to a guy say whatever he wants about a baseball game I would go to the bar down the street and talk to the drunk at the far stool.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
hey, that's my buddy you're talking about.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Well, me too
I always liked him.
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Ignore those guys above you. They're just homers.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
by Chiburb on Feb 27, 2012 6:45 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I've grown tired of Stone. When he's good, he's enjoyable, but he spends a lot of time being smarmy these days.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
Hawk encourages it imo
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
stone's a tool.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Nah, he was the same way with the Cubs.
by Ozzie Montana on Feb 27, 2012 9:16 PM CST up reply actions
i think he's gotten worse from when he started with Hawk
to now.
which is not to say that i don’t like him. i’m definitely a fan.
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
i don't mind the smarm by itself
but it tends to come out during shitty times like hawks anger, so its not like i’d be lovin the broadcast right then either way.
yeah definitely. the timing is shite.
they both make each other worse when things are going bad.
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
This, however, is the same reason why I like Farmer and DJ.
The lords of dawn are men such as Mr. Lucy.
you're wrong on that one. he's been doing that since the days he would be interrupting duck tales in the 80s on WGN with harry
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
man that shit pissed me off
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 28, 2012 9:18 AM CST up reply actions
yup. i love him on the score as a baseball expert.
but i want wimpy in the booth full time
Kenwo4life=ratings. Just call me Mr. USA Today.
by KenWo4LiFe on Feb 27, 2012 11:09 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
yeah, i don't think complimenting opposition players is a problem with hawk.
seems pretty even-handed on that front, though some of the players he compliments should not be.
He blows Jeter every time we play that abortion of a franchise.
"Definitely typing challended today" - polodude017
Don't know how many other broadcasts you watch
But I’d actually say that Hawk is above average for complimenting the other team.
Optimist
Have you considered the following:
You made a grave error being a fan of the wrong team and you have no one to blame but yourself. Frankly, I’m a little insulted your post didn’t start with an apology for your transgressions.
by mechanical turk on Feb 27, 2012 8:24 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs
That crossed my mind like five minutes after it went up, yes
And then I shuddered and realized that if being a White Sox fan is the One True Path then I think I’m glad I’m going to hell.
(Kidding. Some of my best friends are Sox fans.)
"I believe in a good kick in the ass. This— I believe. " -- Walker Percy
I tweet about stuff sometimes @jackhitts.
Rod Allen fun fact
He was drafted by the White Sox in 1977, and he played for their Glens Falls affiliate in 1980.
And because he played for the Glens Falls affiliate in 1980, we have his photo in the archives at work.
I showed the one we have of Kenny Williams from Glens Falls. Allen’s photo is worse. Way worse. It’s a really, really, really bad photo.
by Jim Margalus on Feb 28, 2012 2:34 AM CST up reply actions
I like the Hawk and Stone combo.
I actually prefer my announcers to have a little bit of emotion when announcing the games.
I don’t get why people hate the Sox broadcast team yet continue listening to them. This would be like me bitching about The View and continuing to watch them everyday just so I could complain about how bad they are. If you don’t like Hawk you could always turn the volume down and listen to the radio. Sure that 4-5 second delay could get annoying but at least you wouldn’t have to listen to Hawk. Heck, you could even broadcast the game to yourself.
“That last pitch from Sale looked a little low to me, Bob.”
“No, Bob I thought it caught the corner.”
“Bob, did you know that Sale spelled backwards is Elas?
“Yes, Bob, I did.”
This space is available.
Sound advice.
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
Don't think
I didn’t see what you did there. subtle…
Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat and you got to hit the ball square. ~Joe Schultz, 1969
by zevsenesca on Feb 27, 2012 7:53 PM CST via Android app up reply actions
Or you can turn the center speaker off on surround sound
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
Ignatius J. Reilly
Where the white women at?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGQ-ISsDm8M
by parkernutws05 on Feb 28, 2012 1:25 AM CST up reply actions
The day before me is fraught with god knows what horrors
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
by Rhubarb on Feb 28, 2012 6:16 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Just as long as he doesn't become Sox GM again
He fired LaRussa, he does less damage as an announcer.
the only thing he did right as GM. Or did you like sac bunts in the first inning at Fenway?
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
lulz
Let's go Hawks! Detroit sucks!
by HappyHuman on Feb 28, 2012 12:28 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
ya it's a pity they still won
thank god he retired
NAOPOS
by blackoutsox on Feb 28, 2012 12:29 AM CST up reply actions
I love Hawk and I hate him at the same time
Is that wrong?
"Rooting for the Twins is just a roundabout way of rooting for a first-round playoff bye for the Yankees." by big_fun
Maybe. But I feel the same way. Fucker makes me cringe with shit he says, but my dad does the same.
"Definitely typing challended today" - polodude017
this.
I love seasons too. That's why I live in a place that skips the shitty ones.
by thatshortkid on Feb 27, 2012 7:32 PM CST up reply actions
You're lucky, I cringe when my daddy takes off his belt.
This space is available.
I grew up with him
him talking means it’s baseball season.
So fast he could hit a ball up the middle and it would hit him in the ass sliding into second.
by colintj on Feb 27, 2012 7:22 PM CST via mobile reply actions
yup
or this. or i agree. or something synonymous with those
brndnprkns: I'm pretty sure the "badass" value of your life is closer to Gigli than The Dark Knight
by whitesoxmatt on Feb 28, 2012 6:47 AM CST up reply actions
put it on the board
he gone!
can of corn
oh mercy.
i love hawk’s voice because that means it’s baseball season.
who cares what the rest of the country thinks of him?
way better than most of those plain vanilla guys out there
Hawk leaves more of an impression than most. I kinda like that. But it's also popular to rag on him, so lots of people hate him based on reputation.
He pisses me off sometimes. He also makes me laugh. And he’s captured some big moments well.
And it’s hilarious how up-in-arms people get about something so trivial.
He getting up there now though. I think it’s showing. Unfortunate.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
Its trivial to you
To me its 300+ hours a year for twenty years listening to a fucking imbecile.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
Shame on you then, man. Actin' like you don't got options.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
This year I'm going cold hawk
No more hawk. Its too bad it has come to this really.
It came from afar and traveled sedately on, a shrug of eternity
Hawk pisses me off occasionally but I dont know White Sox baseball without him. Also,
I dont quite understand how a team that includes Steve Stone could rank last
Bulls Season
Honestly he's a breath of fresh air after a season of Neil Funk.
Hawk is terrible but it’s in an endearing sort of way.
Funk is so bad.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Feb 27, 2012 8:27 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
King makes up for him though
Bulls Season
by OznCoop on Feb 27, 2012 8:29 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Listening to Joe Buck & Tim McCarver
Makes me physically ill. Yes, the Hawk gets a little stale sometimes but he loves our team and the “beautiful city”. Buck loves hearing himself.
by Southsidehitman on Feb 27, 2012 8:18 PM CST via iPhone app reply actions 1 recs
Aside
Anyone remember Thom Brennamen’s call of the Pujols-Lidge homerun? Only one that really sticks in my memory, though it could just be the homer itself doing that.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/ps/y2005/video.jsp?view=hou_stl
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
I dunno.
McCarver is a grating idiot who always seems like he’s lecturing. But I’ve never been able to summon up any vitriol for Buck. I like that when something crazy happens and the crowd goes nuts he always shuts up for about ten seconds and lets the viewer listen to the crowd.
joe buck is the worst
in that he gets undeserved reverence, i suppose because of his father. there is simply no reason he gets such high profile assignments, when in reality his real sin is that he is boring and simply mediocre.
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 28, 2012 9:25 AM CST up reply actions
Yep
He’s pretty dull, though that probably works in his favor. Has anyone ever been offended by Joe Buck in his life? He does have a pretty good voice though.
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
I find his self-righteousness very annoying.
Did you forget his outrage at Randy Moss’ fake mooning of the GB fans?
"Many people need desperately to receive this message: 'I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.'"
Eh par for the course
Nantz would do the same thing. If you have a microphone you’re inherently morally superior. Aside from Al Michaels and Collinsworth any other longstanding broadcaster would probably follow suit.
I was vaguely offended when he bitched about having to call baseball games like it was a chore midseason.
fcdisbad.blogspot.com
yes.
this is another reason joe buck sucks. i hate all things minnesotean, and moss is really up there. i thought it was hilarious.
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 28, 2012 11:39 AM CST up reply actions
Joe Morgan
I’d like to punch his smug face.
Steve stone, in his book, claims harry never drank before or during games.
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 27, 2012 9:37 PM CST reply actions
implausible.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
Outragous, preposterous, ridiculous, It's lewd, lascivious, salacious!
Bulls Season
by OznCoop on Feb 27, 2012 10:23 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Never drank in the booth, eh?
So that can was just for decoration?
What?! I ain't no Professor Pickles!
should have said during steve's tenure.
he seemed pretty adamant about it though.
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 28, 2012 9:16 AM CST up reply actions
i call bs.
FSS.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
oh, you.
seriously though, would he really lie in his book to upend fan perception of harry?
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 28, 2012 9:31 AM CST up reply actions
i have no idea why steve stone
does anything that he does.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
As a youth I recall Harry sitting shirtless out in the
centerfield bleachers doing his broadcast and popping many a Falstaff. During commercials he’d enjoy visiting with the young ladies.
"I wouldn’t say I’m hitting five days a week…some weeks we won’t go at all." – Adam Dunn on his preparation routine for the 2012 season (1/24/12)
*At Comiskey I of course.
"I wouldn’t say I’m hitting five days a week…some weeks we won’t go at all." – Adam Dunn on his preparation routine for the 2012 season (1/24/12)
Piersall!
Loved that broadcast team, especially during the breakout Sox season of the South Side Hit Men.
Maybe LaRussa wouldn’t have embarrassed himself if he’d used Harry’s Jimmy-filter. otoh, maybe that’s what triggered it.
by tommyjoepeters on Feb 28, 2012 10:13 AM CST up reply actions
CALL YOUR FRIENDS CALL YOUR NEIGHBORS
"Rhubarb, if you wouldn’t mind, ram your taint into your monitor as hard as you can." - joewho112
I think there's nothing I'd rather have for the good moments than Hawks' call.
For the bad moments, well, the TV has a mute button. I’d rather have high peaks and smooth out the valleys myself.
by mechanical turk on Feb 27, 2012 11:21 PM CST up reply actions
Hey, he's better than Bob Elson...
…but my fav sox broadcast moment came when Piersall was in the radio booth. Dead air was punctuated by the rat-atat-tat of the guy who used to walk around the park playing a snare drum… and Piersall says "I hate that fucking drummer boy.’
by RoyEgan on Feb 27, 2012 11:04 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
i still remember when piersall pronouced amos otis
it sure sounds like anus otis
i love jimmy
i forget who he was talking about, but giving his opinion on someone he said this magical sentence:
he’s a, uh..a…asswipe.
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 28, 2012 9:27 AM CST up reply actions
Piersall
Did not see it but my dad did.He was at the plate.Called third strike.He pulls a Swirtgun out of his shirt and pulls the trigger on the Ump.
i wish very much to have seen this.
DUNK HIS ASS
by obnoxious american on Feb 28, 2012 11:28 AM CST up reply actions
It's hard to fathom that the Sox once upon a time employed broadcasters that were more insane than Hawk, Farmer and DJ.
But they did.
"Definitely typing challended today" - polodude017
implausible
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Feb 27, 2012 11:14 PM CST up reply actions
beat me to it.
since you’re closer to him than me what say you find out his address and go give BOS a dope slap.
"michael gilhaney is an example of a man that is nearly banjaxed from the principal of the atomic theory. would it astonish you to hear that he is nearly half a bicycle?" ~~ sergeant pluck
i can only assume they are referring to the national finger-rubbing championships that are being held in the bahamas next month.
i think he has a pretty good shot at knocking the koch brothers off their throne made from the bones of union workers.
Tough to pick my favorite predictable Hawk moment of the season
Between him waxing poetic about the beauty of Puget Sound as the sun sets, or when he tells us how far Brandon Inge can hit a golf ball.
For the Hawk haters...
I don’t like his over-homerism and silent moments either, but I generally enjoy his broadcasts with Stoney.
Who would you suggest replace Hawk if it were possible? Stoney is pretty dry, so you’d need a lively sidekick. Perhaps a Tom Paciorek? I dunno.
"I wouldn’t say I’m hitting five days a week…some weeks we won’t go at all." – Adam Dunn on his preparation routine for the 2012 season (1/24/12)
Paciorek is nice once and awhile
but no way would I be able to take him full time again.. to be fair, I was in high school when Wimpy’s broadcasting stint ended, but I think Stone and Hawk are just fine.
May I ask why you need a play-by-play guy on tv? But to answer your question:
Marcel Marceau
"People of privilege will always risk their complete destruction rather than surrender any material part of their advantage."
John Kenneth Galbraith
i'm completely down with that.
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
Marcel Marceau
Met him once.Couldn’t stop talking.Really.Also very charming.
That last paragraph is excellent, Santo and Carry would god awful announcers
And I like Hawk and also like that he pisses off fans of other teams. They can fuck right off. Hawk’s homerism is not unique, its just his catch phrases. I know of very few neutral broadcasters, especially ones that are not national broadcasters.
Our application to adopt a new puppy was just approved.
We will probably change it, but right now, the rescue has named the puppy “Hawk”
by South Side Expat on Feb 28, 2012 6:29 PM CST reply actions
You can put this on the board!
The part that always makes me laugh the hardest is the inevitable Cubs fan pile on that quickly follows these articles.
For a fanbase that loves to say over and over and over again how they don’t pay attention to the Sox…how they never talk/post about the Sox they sure do love to talk about The Hawk. Over at BleedCubbieBlue a feather blows past a poster there and they’ll start ripping on The Hawk.
If Hawk were a Cubbie broadcaster they’d have a statue of him outside The Shrine.
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