Derby Update - Braun Is In

[PeaveyFury]

I can't believe some of those things Rick Reilly was saying and can't believe ESPN kept putting him on the air. Who in the heck is Rick Reilly anyway?

[fondybrewfan]

Reilly was incredibly pathetic. I can't believe the stink he was raising about the lack of black and latino participants. He was a train wreck if their ever was once. I was happy Berman abandoned is Back-Back-Back call for the most part last night, but I have to admit after a while, I just muted as soon as I heard Reilly start to speak

[Menotti80]

he's ESPN's new "Bill Simmons"

 

he gets his spot in the magazine and has columns you can't comment on...

[Patrick425]

It never ceases to amaze me how critical people are of sports announcers and writers. There are very few, if any, sports announcers who have ever really annoyed me. It sound like people don't want these guys to attempt any humor, excitement, comments, or anything...just call the game...

 

There's a swing and a miss....... The score is Philadelphia 5 LA 2....... There's a ball...... It's the bottom of the 6th...... There's a ground ball to the short stop...... He's throws him out. There are 2 outs...... Jeff Kent will be the next batter.....There's a HR.

 

I realize that these guys are not always funny and sometimes they say some pretty stupid things, but I don't find it annoying and I'm a guy who's pretty easily annoyed. I guess I just don't dwell on it enough to be annoyed by the things they say and definitely not by the way someone chooses to call a HR.

[Fatter than Joey]

Who in the heck is Rick Reilly anyway?

 

He had a pretty good career writing for SI, and was one of, if not their most prominent writers.

[eanelson4]

Chris Berman was terrible last night as well. I think it would be cool if they did something like have each player be commentated by either his tv or radio announcer. That way I could listen to Ueck instead of Berman. His whole "Back, back, back...GONE!" routine got old 10 years ago.

[RU Rah Rah]

What annoyed me more than Reilly or Berman was the fact that there were like 8 different people analyzing/announcing/pontificating. I don't think it should take a small army of announcers to comment on what is more or less glorified BP.

 

(I exclude Erin Andrews from the above criticism.)

[Menotti80]

during the second round, berkman and morneau both went through their entire round with very little to no commentary form any of the announcers. i know what hamilton did was amazing and it's an awesome story, but they completely shunned the other contestants, one of whom ended up "winning" the derby.

 

that was the only thing that irked me. berman didn't do too many of the "back back back" calls, so overall it was very tolerable

[cnycerveceros]

This was the first Derby I've ever watched. I couldn't believe all the analysts and analysis. It's guys hitting the ball as far as they can, it's fun to watch, and that's that. I thought Reilly's comments about race/ethnicity were ok, it was an ok thing to comment on given that MLB consciously tries to reach out to minority communities in many ways. He sort of tossed it out and no one was willing to touch it, so it made it awkward. I'm not saying the Derby was the place to have that conversation, but I can see why someone would comment on it. I was expecting some mention of Braun being Jewish.

[bucks2281]

I'll try not to get too off-topic, but I'll usually withhold any judgment about announcers. Most do their jobs quite well, but as in any profession, there are a few who suck. Many sportswriters are terrible. I cannot believe ESPN employs individuals like Skip Bayless, who adds zero substances, says ridiculous things for reaction, and has done a number of disreputable things in his career. Or Jemele Hill of ESPN who compared cheering for the Boston Celtics to cheering for Hitler. Insane. I guess I get sick of carelessness and disregard of numbers by most sportswriters. And if I have to read one more piece about how Alex Rodriguez isn't a great player, or a "true Yankee"...

And, of course, the unsubstantiated love for Juan Pierre.

 

Yesterdayy on 1st & 10 on ESPN, Nelly (yes, the rapper) and Skip Bayless were talking about the Cardinals. Nelly mentions how STL's ERA this season was close to their ERA in 2006 (and he mentioned a specific number), and he hinted about how they're overachieving, and probably expected to regress. Bayless says "there's just something very special about this team, and I like it!" He gets paid healthy money for saying that?! This was mentioned on FJM, but I saw the segment myself, and I couldn't help but to laugh. So, that's the beef I have with many sportswriters.

 

Back to the derby...Berman was tolerable, but this is likely the only MLB event he'll cover live every year. I'll admit, I have a tough time watching the derby for two reasons: it's too long; and I cannot stand ESPN's overcoverage of the event. They do not need 8 people covering batting practice. Call me a cynic, but it's an event that primarily serves to bring in a dumptruck of money for MLB and to generate excitment for the All-Star Game. And, during the postgame, ESPN didn't do justice to Morneau. Andrews mispronounces his name, and at first, they snubbed him for Hamilton. Somewhat understandable, but come on.

[Patrick425]

Yes, Yes I think Mark Scott should host. He was so exciting and charasmatic as the host of this wonderful show. Man, and what a great interviewer:

 

 

?

 

 

??

[Glennron]

I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I didn't mind Berman too much last night. Reilly really added nothing to the table. The whole eight white guys and "bad night to be an atheist" should not have been said. It also really bothered me when he said "And Hamilton got all those tattoos while he was high on drugs" like it was so matter of fact he snorted cocaine and immediately drove out to the tattoo parlor. He also said "Amazing Braun already has 57 homers in only two seasons!" probably not realizing it's been like 1 1/4 seasons. Other than him I thought it was pretty okay.