Another thing from Jerry Crasnick’s chat yesterday:
Sean (Los Angeles): Hey Jerry, I never used to have anything against the White Sox, but now with the MLB package, I hear their announcers all the time. They are the cockiest, most biased I have ever heard, by far. I’d love for the Sox to miss the playoffs just because of them. Have you heard them? He gone!!
Jerry Crasnick: Sean,
Nothing personal against Hawk Harrelson and Darrin Jackson, but yes, they can be tough to take if you’re an impartial observer watching White Sox games. The guy who runs the heavethehawk Web site sure doesn’t like them very much.
The reason I thought of this is that I happened to catch a White Sox game on WGN today, and I noticed (again) how bad these homers are. The Sox were up 3-1, and Jermaine Dye was up with two runners on. I will now quote the announcer (I think it was Harrelson) as Dye hits the ball to right field:
That ball’s hit hard. Stretch! Stretch!!! You caaaaannnnnnn … … … put it on the board!!! Yes!!!!!!
I had told my brother a few weeks ago how bad these guys were, so after that, I actually had to rewind my TiVo, call him up, and play it for him. He and I agreed that it is the worst thing we have ever heard.
Yes, people have their patented home run calls. That is fine. If he said “Put it on the board” for every home run hit, it would be stupid but acceptable. The problem is, he only says it for the White Sox. DJ and Hawk refer to the Sox as “we” and “us,” which is one of my biggest pet peeves. Maybe I just got spoiled growing up with Vin Scully, who is undoubtedly the best in the business. There is no question that Scully loves the Dodgers, having worked for them and with them for fifty years. But when you listen to him do a game, you would never know it. He is impartial, and he is a genius. If you are a Braves fan and you watch the Braves beat the Dodgers on the Dodgers’ channel, you walk away happy because Vinny did a great job. If you are an Indians fan and you watch the Indians beat the White Sox on WGN, you walk away happy because not only did the Indians win, they also made DJ and Hawk cry.
If I wasn’t already rooting for the Indians in the AL Central, I would be just because of those two announcers. I would be physically unable to root for the Sox with those two guys around.
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OMG – My thoughts exactly. I AM an Indians fan and I live in Chicago and have to listen to these morons whenever the Tribe is playing the White Sox.
Its funny when the tribe is thumping them because they will go 30 seconds or more without saying ANYTHING. Indians up 4-0 and they hit a three run homer. You watch it fly out to silence. You watch them run the bases to silence. The next the announcers say ‘and next up, Casey Blake’. They will refuse to acknowledge anything good the other team does.
I remember watching one game where they complained that they were losing because Bartolo Colon was too slow. It threw the Sox off their ‘rhythmn’. They copmlained about this for 6 innings. It would be commical if not so insanely stupid.
I haven’t heard much of Vin Skully but I do know he is solid and not the kind of homer these guys are. I used to love the Cubs announcers of Chip Carey and Steve Stone. Chip Carey has a wonderful voice and would know the ins and outs of not only the Cubs but the other teams as well. They would interview and congratulate opposing players if they had a good game. I LOVED to listen to games with them on. Sadly the Cubs chased Chip Carey from CHicago becuase they blamed their losing on him. I guess he wasn’t supportive enough of their bad baserunning and awful play. Yes Cubs, the ANNOUNCERS are your problem. Morons. Their new announcers are ok – but I still like dialing into Braves games just to hear chip.
Tonights game on WGN has Hawk paired up with Steve Stone. Not sure if this is permanent but it at least fixes one half of the equation.
I hear the only reason these clowns have jobs is that Riensdorf likes them (owner of the WS) and thats why they are there. I seriously would rather watch the weather channel than a random White Sox game because of these two. If I do have it on, its usually on mute – like it is now.
Its great to hear others have the same opinion. I’ve been saying this for years…..
You don’t know what BAD announcers are until you have to listen to the Diamondbacks. We were tortured with Brennamann for years. Now Grace and Sutton are brutal, with Garagiola thrown in.
The past few White Sox games have had Harrelson and Steve Stone, it’s been great. I relly like the Hawk.
We cannot watch when the white sox announcers are on. Even though we love the game of baseball. When he says “He gone” we just turn the game off. Can’t believe those two are still on.!!!!!!1