Kenny Albert Should Replace Joe Buck as Fox's No. 1 NFL Voice Before We Are All in a Coma
I heard an amazing thing Saturday evening: an NFL broadcasting team that actually sounded like it was enjoying the game! And on Fox even, home of the portentous Joe Buck.
Kenny Albert, Daryl "Moose" Johnston and Tony "Goose" Siragusa rolled into the night appreciating the Arizona Cardinals' upset of the Carolina Panthers. As the game got more and more out of hand, the broadcasting team became more and more interesting as they explained why it was happening and reveled in the unlikeliness of it all.
Albert oozed the enthusiasm he inherited from his dad Marv while the two analysts sparred on issues such as whether to go for a field goal or why Carolina QB Jake Delhomme kept throwing interceptions.
It was like being at the game with a few friends, not that one is likely to have friends who know so much. Johnston, who played on three Super Bowl teams with Dallas, and Siragusa, who was a key player in the Ravens victory in Super Bowl XXXV in 2001, easily switch from talking about their experiences on the road to the Championship to dealing with the potentially stultifying statistics that Fox supplies visually and aurally for the ADHD among its viewers.
When three Baltimore Ravens are arrayed on the bottom of the screen, Siragusa avoids a potentially deadly roll call of achievements by vigorously saying, "look at that guy!" as rookie quarterback Joe Flacco's picture is vigorously circled with a telestrator. The easy repartee is all the more remarkable because Siragusa is standing on the field in the Erin Andrews position, which you would never know if they did not show him every now and then, because he is a full participant.
Finally, as Kurt Warner did his final kneel down, Albert intoned, "I have one more for you Daryl. This is only the sixth time in NFL post-season history that a team with a losing record on the road has beaten a team that was undefeated at home" or something like that. Johnston interrupted Albert by saying, "too much thinking for me," and continued on in the background with references to smoke coming out of his ears, and the like.
Sadly, that is it for the Albert team this year. It is back to the mausoleum with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman next week for the Eagles-Cardinals. Back to the grave business of pro football.
Where, exactly, was Joe Buck while his father Jack was urging St Louis Cardinal fans to "go crazy folks" when the Redbirds won a playoff game* or telling a national radio audience that "I don't believe what I just saw" after Kurt Gibson's 1988 world Series blast off of the Eck?**
Was he reading a book? He is bloodless! And now it comes out that Buck and Aikman have been improperly escorted to gamers by U.S. Marshals.
Although I appreciate Brent Musburger's work these days on the NBA and college football, it was a liberating day in 1990 when CBS removed his stranglehold on its sports programming.
Please Fox, get rid of Buck. And you don't have to look far for an NFL replacement. Marv's son, who kept stats for his dad at a New York Rangers game when he was six years old, is right there in your stable.
* Corrected, thanks Grailknight, The call was "Smith corks one into right, down the line! It may go! Go crazy folks, go crazy! It's a home run, and the Cardinals have won the game, by the score of 3 to 2, on a home run by the Wizard! Go Crazy!"
** "Gibson swings, and a fly ball to deep right field! This is gonna be a home run! Unbelievable! A home run for Gibson! And the [Dodgers] have won the game, 5 to 4; I don't believe...what I just saw! I don't believe what I just saw!"
UPDATE: Check out this comment on deadspin by Bobby_Big_ Wheel:
It's fun to imagine Joe Buck doing other famous calls:
Dave Silk clears the puck, it doesn't look like the Soviets will be able to regroup in time, and the U.S. advances to the gold medal game against Finland.
For some thoughts on San Francisco sports journalism, scroll down at www.stephenkausblog.com
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Joe Buck is the best there is. His understated, precise approach is difficult for some to "get", but I hope he never changes it. He is a major reason I watch baseball. He knows the game inside-out and simply never misses a thing. Aikman is great, as well.
Oh my God YES! Please! When they first started as an analyst team, Aikman and Johnston were great together. But once they broke them up it was clear that it was Johnston who was the draw. Aikman knows football like the back of his hand, but I think he's muted by Buck's presence in the booth. I'd MUCH rather watch a game with Albert, Johnston, and Siragusa ANY TIME!
But even Aikman is better than Madden, whose act wore thin about 20 years ago.
As I have posted elsewhere, unless people (and sportswriters) can prove that B&A knew who was providing the transportation, it is wrong to blame them for the U.S. Marshall fiasco. See
http://sportsontheair.blogspot.com/2008/05/joe-did-you-have-to-strike-up-band-for.html and http://sportsontheair.blogspot.com/2009/01/inspector-general-hammers-tv-sports.html
Can they get rid of Troy Aikman? They should start by ousting Troy.
Thank goodness for this post! I couldn't agree more. Joe Buck has gravy-trained his whole career. His whole career is based solely on Jack Buck's greatness. And his tendency to inject his snide opinions about players only makes it worse. Troy's cool, but Stephen is right. The other crew is CLEARLY better.
Ozzie Smith's homer which engendered "Go crazy folks! Go crazy!" was game five of the 1985 NLCS. It was Ozzie's second home run of the year. He never hit one in the three World Series he played.
Krik Gibson's home run is the most overrated hit in baseball.
Jack Buck's legacy: he inflicted his issue on the St. Louis airways and his family owns an eatery called J. Bucks that charges $20 for a burger.
PLEASE get rid of Joe Buck, for both football and baseball. Oh, and Tim McCarver, too.
Can't stand Joe Buck. I tend to listen to the broadcast online or on Sirius when I can, rather than listen to him and Joe McCarver/Troy Aikman.
Great observation on the fluidity of the 3 man team and their familiarity with each other. In fact, Goose sounded vaguely annoyed at Siragusa and it only added to the fun.
he is not his father that's for sure. being from St. Louis is simply ADORED Jack Buck!
I agree that Buck Jr. is no Buck Sr. but I think he's excitement personified compared to on air partner. Troy Aikman is about as interesting as watching your car rust. I also agree that the Moose and the Goose are the best out there right now.
joe buck is no mel allen ,red barber or vin scully but neither is ken or marv albert , in fact marv is not yhat popular once you leave the big apple..
It's a good thing I don't smoke.Joe Buck's voice makes me so sleepy,I'd probably burn my house down.
Joe Buck? Isn't that the name of Jon Voight's character in "Midnight Cowboy"? Anyway, Voight is now a perfect fit with Fox Noise.
I don't hate Joe Buck -- as some do -- but he's not exciting at all. Here's an example of his home run call during the World Series: instead of saying something like "long drive, deep center field," or "that ball is gone," or "home run," or whatever, he says, "tie game."
Wow, thanks Joe, you make this so thrilling. If he had made the Kirk Gibson call instead of his dad, Joe would have said, "game over."
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