McCarver's idea of a good call

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

I'm quite certain that Joe Buck understands the "rule."

Really? I'm not quite certain. Joe Buck (AKA Dumb) and his partner (AKA Dumber) have shown time and again that they don't understand a great many of the rules.

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Big deal.

It is a big deal. There are other ways to state it, such as "foul ball."

Originally Posted by David Emerling

I don't think any less of Joe Buck as a result - and neither should you or the viewers.

You're right. I coudn't think any less of Joe Buck than I already do. His father was a great announcer. There is not much resemblence.

Originally Posted by David Emerling

I knew what he meant - and so did you.

You and I and the other umpires around the world knew, but some fans will think that it is a foul tip when the catcher drops the sharp, direct foul. Some of these same fans will be screaming at their local umpires as a result. That's what makes it unacceptable.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Joe Buck (AKA Dumb) and his partner (AKA Dumber) have shown time and again that they don't understand a great many of the rules.

Apparently your negative assessment of their commentating abilities has completely eluded the networks since Joe Buck and Tim McCarver do an incredible amount of broadcasting. You should know that networks only care about one thing - RATINGS.

Believe me, if the networks thought, for one second, that they would be losing viewers simply because of their selection of announcers - they would have different announcers.

The fact of the matter is that, for the most part, people like Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Personally, I think they do a pretty good job even though they may not know the rulebook as well as most of us. Substantively, it does not take away from their body of work.

I dare say that we (as umpires) know even less about how to succeed as a sports commentator.

We are not the "typical" fan when watching a game.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[UMP25]

I highly doubt the network's announcers will have any real impact upon the ratings.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I highly doubt the network's announcers will have any real impact upon the ratings.

I highly doubt you're right.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by fitump56

I highly doubt you're right.

Oh, I'm right all right. The average fan doesn't care much about who announces or commentates. However, using an extreme like Pee Wee Herman's a different story.

[Richard_Siegel]

I suggest that we abandon the effort to coorect eveyone and accept that a ball tipped by the bat that goes backwards and is NOT caught by the catcher should now be called a FOUL TIP. That would be the easiest thing because everyone calls it a foul tip anyway. It makes sense because it is "foul" and it is a "tip."

Then we should create a new term to describe what we used to call a "foul tip." I suggest the new term be called a LIVE TIP. That term works because the it is a live ball that was tipped, and not using the word "foul" removes the confusion that the ball is, or is not, live.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Richard_Siegel

I suggest that we abandon the effort to coorect eveyone and accept that a ball tipped by the bat that goes backwards and is NOT caught by the catcher should now be called a FOUL TIP. That would be the easiest thing because everyone calls it a foul tip anyway. It makes sense because it is "foul" and it is a "tip."

Then we should create a new term to describe what we used to call a "foul tip." I suggest the new term be called a LIVE TIP. That term works because the it is a live ball that was tipped, and not using the word "foul" removes the confusion that the ball is, or is not, live.

Okay, then we follow that pattern and everytime an announcer or anyone else, for that matter, can't use proper terminologly, we make up new ones so they won't be mistaken.

Sheeeeeesh.

And I thought "no child left behind" was a disaster.

People, there is nothing wrong with a little education and expecting those who make a living broadcasting sports to understand and use the proper vocabulary.

The trend for the world to change because a couple of idiots can't seem to learn should not do to baseball what it has done to high school.

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I highly doubt the network's announcers will have any real impact upon the ratings.

Dennis Miller, participating on the Monday Night Football crew, had a negative impact.

If PeeWee Herman was announcing, I think they'd lose viewers.

I know fans who hate certain announcers so much, they turn the volume of the TV all the way down and listen to a radio announcer.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[greymule]

--tipped strike--

Yeah! I like that one.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Dennis Miller, participating on the Monday Night Football crew, had a negative impact.

If PeeWee Herman was announcing, I think they'd lose viewers.

Like a car wreck, he would peak ratings for a few minutes...before the public began turning away.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

Dennis Miller, participating on the Monday Night Football crew, had a negative impact.

If PeeWee Herman was announcing, I think they'd lose viewers.

I rather liked the usually unbearable Miller on MNF. He was a hoot.

Paul Ruebens would make a great color commentator when compared side-by-side with Tim McCarver. Or Jim Palmer. Or Joe Morgan. Or Harold Reynolds. Or Orel Herscheiser.

[Interested Ump]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I rather liked the usually unbearable Miller on MNF. He was a hoot.

Paul Ruebens would make a great color commentator when compared side-by-side with Tim McCarver. Or Jim Palmer. Or Joe Morgan. Or Harold Reynolds. Or Orel Herscheiser.

You forgot Joe Buck, Jr.

[greymule]

I'm amazed at your reaction.

I understood your post and didn't really disagree with it. I just took it to run with something I thought might be entertaining. I was not being sarcastic (toward your post).

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I rather liked the usually unbearable Miller on MNF. He was a hoot.

Paul Ruebens would make a great color commentator when compared side-by-side with Tim McCarver. Or Jim Palmer. Or Joe Morgan. Or Harold Reynolds. Or Orel Herscheiser.

Actually, I liked him, too. But that's probably because I liked him as a regular comedian. Nonetheless, Dennis Miller is an acquired tasted. He's not for everybody. Consequently, it didn't surprise me too much that his career as a MNF commentator was short-lived. Ratings-wise, you have to appeal to a very wide audience.

Hell, maybe you're right! For all I know Paul Reubens may be very knowledgeable and insightful with regards to baseball.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by David Emerling

The fact of the matter is that, for the most part, people like Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.

So it's an established fact that most people like Joe Buck and Tim McCarver? Hmmmmm, my research shows otherwise. Like I said, just Google "Tim McCarver is an idiot" and check out the many websites that contain those very words. Actually, many people, not just me, do not like them.

Slamalamadingdong