Yankee broadcaster Vin Scully?
by Ed Valentine on May 18, 2009 10:47 AM EDT
in New York Yankees News
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PrintEvery time I listen to John Sterling muck up a call on the radio -- which happens every time I listen to him -- I want to hit something. Hard.
Now, along comes Keith Olbermann with an entry on his blog, 'The Baseball Nerd,' that makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. It seems that the legendary Vin Scully could have saved us all this trouble by saying yes to the Yankee gig way back in 1964.
Imagine that. Vin Scully, possibly the best of all time, as Voice of the Yankees.
Here is how Scully told the story, according to Olbermann.
"When the Yankees let Mel Allen go in 1964, I got a phone call from the man who they had brought in to run their broadcasting operation, Craig Smith," Vin began. "He had been in charge of the World Series broadcasts forever, so I'd known him about ten years by then. And he asked me if I'd like to come home to New York and become the lead announcer. He offered a very handsome salary, and a long contract."Well, I was amazed, as you can imagine. I'd found a wonderful home here in Los Angeles, but remember, this was only seven years after the Dodgers left Brooklyn. I was still a New Yorker through and through. Plus, here was a chance to work again with Red Barber. And recall, too, that this was just before the Yankee dynasty collapsed. As much as Mr. O'Malley had done here and in Brooklyn, the Yankees were still the marquee name in sports. If it had been 1958 or 1959, when I still missed New York so, I would've said yes before he hung up the phone.""So, I thought long and hard about that one. But I had a young family, and I think we had all just truly adjusted to living here - takes just about seven years, I think - and in the end I turned it down."
Instead, we are left with Sterling, the bumbling, egotistical windbag who has been behind the microphone for Yankee games for the past 20 years.
Phil Mushnick of the New York Post celebrated Sterling's 20th anniversary by pleading for the organization to do something about the radio broadcasts.
DON'T misinterpret this; it isn't a rip, it's a plea, a plea for change. Enough is enough. For those who care about baseball, a preventable, 20-year problem has become a crisis.
John Sterling, the radio Voice of the Yankees and a man who has always cherished the sound of his own voice while placing strained self-promotion over good-faith play-by-play, has created and cemented a dilemma: Every game played by the Yankees is a double-header -- the game that's played and the game Sterling calls.
I couldn't agree more. I can never understand how a proud, rich organization like the Yankees -- the greatest franchise in sports history -- can saddle radio listeners with Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. That's quite possibly the worst radio duo in major league baseball broadcasting history.
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yes
that duo literally stops me from listening on the radio. they’re that bad.
as for Scully, he’s remarkable. i’ll watch Dodgers broadcasts just to hear him! his voice is like butter…
Wow,
You know I have serious issues with the Yankees radio broadcasts, starting with Suzyn Waldman and ending with Sterlings obnoxious homerun names for every player.
Oh Jolly St. NIck? seriously?
Cano, Dontcha’ know!
Its a Tex message from Texieria?
The ultimate Jeterian Play
An A-bomb from A-Rod
its purely damonic
the melkman delivers again
jorge juices one
they are all obnoxious!
The Problem is, Sterling is there as long as Sterling wants to stay. His voice is loved by the Yankees, if it wasnt he wouldnt have his Thaaaaaa Yankees win blasting after every Yankees win at home on the PA.
Unfortunately
I think you are probably right. It just amazes me that he is so entrenched. I don’t even mind his ‘The Yankees win’ calls. It’s all the rest of the garbage that comes before that.
by Ed Valentine on May 18, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
i have no choice
but to listen to the worst radio duo in the history of mankind. Sterling and that lady, whose name i do not know, are awful. I listen to every game on XM and I can’t wait till the Yanks go on the road. Even the Boston announcers are not as annoying as the Yankees duo. Vin Scully is amazing and I listen to him every chance I get. Yankees need new announcers. Good announcers tell what happened is as few words as possible and let the listener imagine what happened. Radio broadcasters anyway. Bad announcers say way too much and try to explain every minute detail or make up stupid catch phrases and give their opinions on everything. That’s why i can’t listen to Sterling and his partner without being annoyed.
by Blazer Fan From Ohio on May 18, 2009 11:00 AM EDT reply actions
If you really want
to hear the difference. Listen to games on 880 for the Yankees and 660 for the Mets when both teams are plying at the same time. Just pushing the preset buttons from one to the other. I do want to know with Waldamn, who’s she screwing to keep that job and can we pool the money to get that person in the organization a hooker?
"I don't want one of those guys who'll drive in two but let in three every game." Casey Stengel
by tnredneckyankeesfan on May 18, 2009 11:05 AM EDT reply actions
Waldman
her best analysis ‘he really smacked that ball.’ Ugh! Freakin’ terrible.
by Ed Valentine on May 18, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
I've been
forced to listen to this team for years as a Yanks fan in NE and they are simple horrible. Luckily I bought an iPhone this year and bought the new MLB app as well, which lets you listen to either team’s broadcast for each game. Obviously I’ve been listening to the opposing team’s play-by-play, which has been great. Hard to believe that every other radio broadcast team that I’ve listened to this year has been better than the NY f’in Yankees!
gotta be blackmail
There’s no other explanation.
What’s truly amazing is how for years the Yanks had one of the best tv teams in the game with Kaat and Singleton but the worst radio broadcasters. And unfortunately, now the tv crew is starting to slip too. O’Neill and Cone reminiscing about the good old days at the expense of insightful analysis is not the answer to the Yanks’ woes.
By the way, anybody here familiar with the Padres’ radio team? I know it will sound totally implausible but if anything they are even WORSE than the Yanks’. Ted Leitner is John Sterling and Jerry Coleman is Phil Rizzuto. Except Rizzuto always had a Bill White or Tom Seaver to keep him under control where Coleman does not, and for a long time Sterling had Michael Kay to make fun of him, which Leitner does not.
i gotta say though...
..if Steiner had stayed, we’d be complaining about him too- because he would been contaminated by Sterling. He’s like a fungus.
by NumberSeven on May 18, 2009 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree
White & Rizzuto were a great team
They are BEYOND awful
The ridiculous homerun catch-phrases are bad enough, but what kills me is they have no idea how to make a game sound exciting or dramatic, except for those dumbass catchphrases.
AT LEAST once a game I want to kill him as he throws away a call as if it doesn’t matter to get to his ridiculous anectdote.
’called strike three YOU KNOW SUSAN, THIS REMINDS ME OF THAT OLD SHOW TUNE"
and whatever bit of “analysis” Sterling provides is simply parroted back to him by Waldman three times using different words.
Luckily I live in LA and can listen to Scully call the Dodgers which is pure improvisational poetry.
Munson15
WOW
I never really minded these 2, but they do get annoying when you listen to the radio enough. I usually only listen to 4-5 radio games per year, so I guess I can’t really get annoyed enough by them.
The one I don’t understand is why so many people don’t like Michael Kay. He is a bit of a dunce every now and then, but he usually gets along with whoever is in the booth with him. I usualyl like when Ken Singlton is there mostly, and when Paul O’Neil and especially David Cone is in the booth, those are the best.
At least even Waldman and Sterling aren’t as bad as TIm McCarver and Joe (F)Buck. THey are the biggest idiots going. McCarver ‘knows’ baseball, but he always has to make sure everyone knows that he does, and he always likes to bash the Yankees and promote the Red Sux.
I may be in the minority
I am not a huge sterling or waldman fan, but I really dislike kay more than either of them. The nights when its ken singleton and o’neill, or cone are awesome. buck and mccarver make me want to light myself on fire.
they all suck
most announcers in general try to be part of the show, or worse yet, the show. Most announcers have no clue how to call a game. McCarver and Buck are clueless. I tune in to listen to the game and get an idea of what’s going on so i can picture it in my mind. Not listen to some stupid catch phrases and description beyond description or some stupid analysis or opninion that no one cares about. Vin Scully, Harry Kalas- too bad he’s no longer with us, Ernie Harwell, even Charlie Steiner to a certain point get it but most announcers don’t.
by Blazer Fan From Ohio on May 18, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions
michael kay is the WORST agreed
sterling is horrendous but i find myself laughing at how bad he is more than being annoyed. Singleton and Cone are good, but O’Neil has no personality. Scooter and White FTW
20 years?
good lord has it been that long???
cant stand the radio team, and don’t like the whole YES TV Network presentation either…i’ve taken to just watching it on mute
I agree, it's gotta be blackmail.
There is no other logical explanation. Sterling must have compromising photos of George with various farm animals. I actually listen to the Mets over the Yankees in the car because of Sterling, and I hate the Mets. You could tell Charlie Steiner couldn’t take working with Sterling the best part of listening to Sterling and Steiner was that you could sense how much they disliked each other.
Waldman
Sterling is GREAT! There’s nothing better than thuuuuuuuh Yankeeeees winnnnn!!!! But Waldman has zero credibility and she should have been fired for her Clemens comments even before we learned he was a roidaholic. Suzyn Waldman knows zero about baseball if we need affirmative action in the booth please pick a Latino or African American. XM saves the day with the visiting broadcast availability but when the Yanks hit an HR or they win, I have to tune in Sterling’s call.
Regards the YES Network,
in my opinion its a good broadcast whenever Singleton is in the booth. I like Cone and Leiter as well. Buck and McCarver are a joke, I’d rather listen to Joe Morgan and his endless “back in the day” commentary.
Worse television announcer? IMO that honor belongs solely to Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, for the Chicago White Sox. Funny web site here: http://www.heavethehawk.com/
I don’t mind the NESN team and I enjoy the MASN call as well, worthwhile for Jim Palmer’s analysis. Growing up in Baltimore I always enjoyed Chuck Thompson as well.
by FrankDiscussion on May 18, 2009 2:26 PM EDT reply actions
I would have to say
the NESN team are pretty good. They have no personality whatsoever, but for my first season forced to listen to them Id say they know the game. I would have expected constant Yankee evil obsession, but they rarely do.
by FreeBradshaw on May 18, 2009 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I think The Yanks Brass secretly like kicking puppies
and making babies cry. There are no other explanations for the continued abuse of their loyal fans.
I wouldn’t be surprised to find out Waldman and Sterling regularly don Druid robes and sacrifice endangered Sea Turtles to Cthulhu The Devourer of Souls.
"Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? You watching?. And my straw reaches acroooooooss the room, and starts to drink your milkshake... I... drink... your... milkshake!"-Daniel Plainview
by yankee come lately on May 18, 2009 2:38 PM EDT reply actions
Comment Hall of Fame
If we had one, I think this one would gain entrance. In fact, I think we may have to create one just because of it. LOL!!
by Ed Valentine on May 18, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Many thanks
I’ve been trying to work less blue. It can be difficult.
"Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? You watching?. And my straw reaches acroooooooss the room, and starts to drink your milkshake... I... drink... your... milkshake!"-Daniel Plainview
by yankee come lately on May 18, 2009 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Buyer beware
Well, if you guys don’t like em … don’t listen.
I for one have grown up (yes I am younger) listening to the voice of Sterling calling games. It is how I became a fan in the first place. My parents were super anti-TV and radio was all I had for many many years. I love the Yanks and I love Sterling …. it makes me sad to hear so called yankee fans speak this way. Sacrilege I say.
wow, so young.
To have never heard the old rotation of Bill White, Frank Messer, and the Scooter.
Those were the guys I grew up listening to, radio hidden under the blankets so my parents wouldn’t know I was still up, and listening to the Yanks.
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers
Big Blue View: Unofficial New York Giants blog
by Jim Schmiedeberg on May 18, 2009 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
How could anyone take Suzyn Waldman seriously after the Clemens thing
“OH MY GAWWWWWWWWWD!!!!!!! IT’S RAAWWWWJUH CLEMENS!!!!!!!!!!”
On a side note, you know what the worst part of this whole story is?
“When the Yankees let Mel Allen go in 1964……”
Who is the genius who made that decision?
Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers
Big Blue View: Unofficial New York Giants blog
by Jim Schmiedeberg on May 18, 2009 3:20 PM EDT reply actions
I commented on Saturday's game thread about Sterling
He calls Matsui’s double a HR as I’m listening to him on the Internet and then says he didn’t see it. WTF? I listen to Vin a lot living in LA and he’s wonderful He’s slowing down a little bit now, but he’s an institution.
I remember a Sterling great miscall...
A yankee hit a fly ball and he started his “it is HIGH it is FAR it is….” and then “OH IM WRONG” in the most disheartening voice i’ve ever heard. Some friends and I were bbq’ng and listening to the game and we all couldnt stop laughing for a while. I ran inside to see the ball that was hit and how close it was, it was snatched up like a can of corn more than a bit in front of the track.
Bob Uecker
I have always loved listening to Bob Uecker call games. I remember when he was on NBC and would have to be reigned in by Joe Morgan when Bob Costas and him would get going.
All I can think of with Phil Rizzuto is the old MoneyStore commercials from Channel 11, “HOly Cow, I’m late…..”
Gimmie a no announcer button!
I dream of a day that I can push a button on the TV remote and only hear the crowd/game sounds. NO tv announcers at all. That would be sweet. As for radio, since you can’t see, you need to be told what’s what…..for that I’d like to have someone strictly telling me what is going on…with no analysis or anything else. Gimmie the count, the outs, who is on what base…pitch count, stats, where the D is set up and whatnot. Just don’t give me your opinion.
thats a great idea
i watch it on mute usually, but would love to just hear the sounds of the game
Vin Scully is legendary
Vin represents the Dodgers as much as anyone. Even Giants fans agree that he is in a class by himself.
There’s a new book out filled with stories told by Hall-of-Famers, former Dodgers, friends and fans.
It called “I Saw It On the Radio” http://www.vinscullybook.com
It's the GAME that matters
Cmon Yankee fans. If you want to be entertained by broadcasters, watch commercial TV. But if you listen because you love the Yankees, it shouldn’t matter if Gilbert Godfried (ok, heaven forbid!) did the games. It’s the game that counts. I have to settle for listening on XM, and I have to hear the other teams’ radio on away games. Believe me, Sterling and Waldman are not as bad you think! Besides, I kinda like Theeeeee Yankees Win!
by Mountaineer Yankee on May 18, 2009 5:26 PM EDT reply actions
I like Vin Scully,
but when Scooter was there, and of course Bobby Murcer, I don’t think anyone ever wanted any other announcers.
Sterling & Waldmyn should be high, far, outta here!
Sooner rather than later the best team in professional sports should rid itself of the worst team in unprofessional broadcasting. I’ve had enough of incompetence, self-promotion & unprofessionalism. Get somebody. Anybody. I don’t understand Spanish, but the Spanish announcers sound more exciting & probably get the calls right more often. Sterling & (Red Sox fan) Waldmyn must go. Now.
LETS START A PETITION. SERIOUSLY.
Sterling and Waldwoman are an embarrassment and you only need listen to the away games of the Yanks to know that pretty much every other MLB city has at least competent announcers.
WHO HAS GOT AN IDEA HOW TO START A LEGITIMATE PETITION THAT THE YANKEES WILL PAY ATTENTION TO? A WEBSITE? FACEBOOK? TWITTER? OR CAN WE HAVE A MONK GO LIGHT HIMSELF ON FIRE IN FRONT OF THE STADIUM?
Munson15
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