"FOR HIS WIT AND INTUITION, COMBINED WITH HIS PASSION FOR THE GAME AND HIS DOWN-HOME STYLE": The National Baseball Hall of Fame has selected Tim McCarver as the 2012 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for lifetime excellence in baseball broadcasting. He is the only second primary television analyst to win the award, which has previously gone to much more talented people.
Seriously, how does McCarver win if these are the criteria? "Voters were asked to base their selections on the following criteria: longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including national assignments such as the World Series and All-Star Games; and popularity with fans."
It actually makes much more sense when you look at the criteria. He certainly has longetivity, national assignments (more world series broadcasts than anyone else) and, probably, popularity with some fans. Note that the award criteria does not include knowledge of baseball, ability to communicate coherently, thoughtful analysis, or an absence of non-sensical statements or gaffes.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xdTYVxzEwI
ReplyDeleteHeh. Already included in the blog post -- click on "McCarver" in the second graf.
ReplyDeleteMcCarver is also a rarity in that a stadium bearing his name was erected and demolished within his lifetime and absolutely nobody protested that the replacement park was not named after him.
ReplyDeleteWhich brings us to the only time I ever cheered Deion Sanders.
ReplyDeleteYou've got to be kidding me. Because Fox has persisted on foisting this [deleted] on America during important baseball games, he gets an award?
ReplyDeleteThe only way this could make me happy is if it turns out to be a precursor to the man retiring.
Oh well, can't blame me for being a little apprehensive about clicking on a link to sometime about McCarver. Well played.
ReplyDeleteAlso, how is it that "assignments" to the World Series and ASG are considered "honors" in this day and age? He's the lead analyst for the network that has had exclusive rights to televise the World Series AND the ASG for over a decade now, and shared the rights in alternating years for the five preceding seasons. Who else is gonna do it? (You, Lieutenant Weinberg?)
ReplyDeletePopularity with baseball fans who make voodoo dolls and earplugs? That I buy.
ReplyDeleteI grew up a Mets fan, when McCarver was one of the primary anouncers along with Ralph Kiner and Steve Zabirskie (sp?). He was great, no exaggeration. I leared more about baseball from him than anyone else. I think there's a different dynamic for home team announcers than for a national audience.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I can not stand him now. I'd rather have Buck do baseball with Troy Aikman.
I'm with Rob - I remember watching the Mets on WOR in the late 80s/early 90s as a young fan and learning something from every game. It's a shame that he's so hard to listen to now, because there was something there, once.
ReplyDeleteYep, put me in the same category. He was terrific with the Mets. He just hasn't aged well -- which is true of a lot of people, in a lot of different careers, including announcing. John Madden would be another example of someone who was once terrific and devolved into self-parody.
ReplyDeleteIn a world with Ken Harrelson and 25+ other examples (and in general, I think the Frick award should be going to day-after-day team announcers rather than once-or-twice week guys), this is just goofy.
ReplyDeleteBuck is like tofu. He basically assumes the characteristics and quality level of whoever he's paired with.
ReplyDelete