OT: Joe Buck joining Troy Aikman in MNF booth
I know people hate him, but his call when the Cubs won the series was epic. I could watch that for days.
I imagine being a cubs fan you could...
Its like when Gus Johnson call of "O JA BO", I love that!
But when he spends most of the rest of the season slobbering all over "The world famous buckeyes" my teeth start to grind.
This isn't related to Joe Buck or Gus Johnson, but the call that sticks out in my mind is Musberger's incredulous call of the huge Denard-to-Gallon completion that set up the game-winning TD catch by Roy Roundtree in UTL 2011: "Wide open is Gallon! They left him alone!"
March 11th, 2022 at 11:26 PM ^
Joe Buck got to call the Cubs World Series and the Patriots 28-3 Super Bowl comeback mere months apart. That in itself is insane.
I remember when Monday Night Football was the best thing on TV. Seems like two lifes ago.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:53 PM ^
You’d be right! Last year was a record setting year! Moreover, the NFL product just dominated the networks most the year, culminating in one of the greatest playoffs in history!
March 12th, 2022 at 11:18 AM ^
That probably coincides with the departure of John Madden from the broadcast. He was the best.
Al Michaels is probably my favorite commentator today. As far as analysts go... its tough to pick. None of them are extraordinary, most are just ok. Probably would have to go with Romo. I think Daryl Johnston does a decent job too. Chris Spielman would have been the pick if he was still doing it.
March 12th, 2022 at 12:18 PM ^
That probably coincides with the departure of John Madden
No. I'm talking about the early years. Most people on the board were probably not even born yet to see it.
Whoa, Nellie!
GOAT
He DiEd
Whut? When? How? WTF!!!??!!
Whut? When? How? WTF!!!??!!
miss that man calling big games.
I don’t hate him. Maybe I haven’t listened enough. He’s fine.
Give him time
same. Buck is fine. he doesn’t bother me and there a numerous nerds that do.
Joe Bucks pearl clutching when Randy Moss fake mooned lambeau was humorous though.
As I understand, he's more hated among baseball fans especially certain ones, Red Sox maybe? I dunno not a baseball fan.
Anyway, have always liked him and Troy together. Buck just sounds like he was born for the booth.
I suppose he was, as his dad was one of the top five all time announcers.
That is part of the problem though ...... a large part of Joe Buck's career is based on nepotism.
YES, his Dad was great. That shouldn't be the reason Buck was calling World Series when he was still in his 20s (!!!).
Over time he has become and he is currently a good play-by-play guy. But it must be said: Joe Buck NEVER paid his dues in the industry, not at all.
dude, as a child, he went with his dad in the summers to hundreds of baseball games and listened to announcing year after year. That is a PHD in announcing. He paid his dues. Was the opportunity universal, no. But he did have the opportunity and made the most of it. If he wasn't good, the people who make money on games would can him in .0000001 seconds. This is a dumb take. I guess Michael Douglas is career based on nepotism? I could be wrong, but you make it as though that doing what another family member was good at as a problem Odd. If you want to say that their are many better announcers, but because his dad owns Disney, he was given the job over more deserving announcers, that is nepotism.
March 12th, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
But still behind his son.
Buck sounds like he was born to be a high school math teacher.
With a drinking problem
It's Yankees fans that hate him, to the point of him being heckled on the city's streets.
I know I'm in the small subset of fans that like Buck, but I have no shame.
I think his dry humor is great, and his "excitement calls" have improved a ton over the years.
Given how much he gets paid it’s likely that the small subset is the internet which by and large doesn’t like him. I actually find him kind of funny and he has a good voice so 🤷🏻♂️
I could take or leave the guy until I heard his interview with Howard Stern a few years back. He seems to be a really good guy. Here's a few excerpts. In the first, he talks about knowing that the only reason he got the shot in the first place was because of his dad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhgYvkbySAE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhQkxM5deH4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVjJyV0Anms
Are we to expect another round of layoffs at ESPN after they sign this tandem for MNF.
Probably. Aikman got $90M. Buck won't come cheap.
Erin Andrews might follow them over too, though she only makes about $2M/yr.
Buck, even as much as he grates, is one of the very best at what does. Aikman and Andrews, on the hand, could be replaced by dozens.
Agreed. I actually don’t mind Buck, but Aikman offers nothing. I have no idea why ESPN would pay that much for him.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:55 PM ^
Buck and Romo would be kinda awesome
~170 million bucks for a duo that is, at best, not terrible. Meritocracy!
Dennis Miller was better
Sure was, babe
Looks like ESPN is trying to revitalize MNF? How did that brand collapse so throughly?
Well it's not a world of 3 networks and a few local unaffiliated stations when MNF debuted in 1970. I think it's fair to say television and video media has undergone a few changes since then.
Sarcasm aside, when it moved to cable the brand took a massive hit.
He's really, really good at his job. His voice is just so monotone that it drives me nuts. I like the words, just hate the sound they make. Just a little inflection in his voice could go a long ways.
Buck and Aikman in the same booth is brutal
They have very similar speaking styles and almost no excitement to their voices. It’ll be like listening to two guys reading a CVS receipt for 4 hours
Obligatory
Ugh. Horrible. Hard pass. Is there a radio broadcast I can listen to while I mute them?
I’d pay $170 million to punch him in his self-righteous, sanctimonious face.
For Seinfeld fans out there, “Joe Buck” was the name of Jon Voight’s character in the movie, “Midnight Cowboy.”
First Doug Karsch and now this, what a week for the world of broadcasting!
The literal worst sports announcer ive ever heard in my life. Sounds as if he would like to be absolutely anywhere else as opposed to calling a live sporting event. Sucks the energy out of a game.
This will help falling asleep on monday nights that much easier.
Wish Kevin Harlan would get a big time gig.
Harlan and Ian Eagle are the best PBP guys in the business (Tirico and Nessler in consideration as well).
Harlan is a tad bombastic, perhaps it’s just the pipes.
Ian Eagle is the most underrated PBP guy out there. Pure professional, smooth. The Will Clark of play by play.
March 11th, 2022 at 10:48 PM ^
Both are excellent. Both are at CBS; CBS has a deep talent pool. Fox... does not, especially not now. Who is first in line to take Fox's lead job? Kevin Burkhardt? Kenny Albert? Dust off Gus Johnson?
CBS had Nantz, Harlan, and Eagle last year; Greg Gumbel is old but he used to be their top guy and has called Super Bowls. And Spero Dedes is quite good. Honestly, even not being a huge Nantz fan, they've got three or four pairings better than what Fox has left.
...Which suggests to me that Fox might be throwing money in this direction soon. They need a top NFL guy, and in my opinion the top guys available are probably at CBS. I've seen suggestions that they chase Al Michaels, who is legendary, but Michaels is *old*.
They need to establish a new A team. There are some people out there that can do it, but they currently work for other networks.
March 11th, 2022 at 11:23 PM ^
Nantz desperately needs to retire so Eagle can take the lead job at CBS.