That's right, I said it. I've never liked Joe Buck, and I'm not saying he's good. But I don't think he deserves all the criticism he gets. The hatred. The absolute vitriol heaped upon him. I'm not really sure where all that came from.
For my purposes here, I'm referring to his baseball announcing. I don't have the interest in or knowledge of football to comment with authority on his play-by-play work in that realm. But for baseball, is he really that bad?
My criticism of Buck has always revolved around his monotone. Whatever was happening on the field, he seemed to speak with the same cadence and volume. He would say things like "...and Cole Hammels pitches around some trouble in the 4th..." and then later "...a three-run homer from Chase Utley has tied this game in the bottom of the 8th..." And he'd be at pretty much the same excitement/volume for both. This is a completely fabricated example, but go read those "quotes" again in Joe Buck's voice. Surely you see what I'm talking about.
But, no joke, he's totally improved on this over the last few years. Go back and watch highlights of the 2014 Playoffs. There's genuine excitement in his voice.
Yes, when he's calling Cardinals games, he's probably a little biased. But I do believe he knows the game and has insights to deliver. Really, I think he has been severely held back all these years by Tim McCarver, who is an idiot, plain and simple. Thankfully, McCarver retired after the 2013 playoffs. Unfortunately he was replaced by Harold Reynolds, who is not much better.
I know it's fashionable to hate on Joe Buck. And I know he has a very punchable face. But what, really, is your problem with him?
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