Hawk to retire at the end of 2018 season

[greg775]

...to you. You stopped liking him whenever you did. Many of us did not, and continue to like him to this very day.

Yes sir. I still like him. He and Wimpy were awesome those last few road games. He's jealous of Stoney or sick of him and those broadcasts can be s***ty.

 

To most people. Half the board here, all of the national media, various ranking sites.

 

I like Ken Harrelson, but he's not fit to be in the booth anymore.

Bull. He's fit to be in the booth. He's a legend and still has it.

[caulfield12]

Huge generation gap on this one.

 

Those who grew up and started following the White Sox in the 80's and 90's, we mostly love Hawk (minus running off LaRussa/Leyland and his foray into GM'ing).

 

The Millennials on this board are more willing to give Benetti a chance...so pretty much everyone early 30's and younger is in that camp.

 

Of course, some are in neither camp and realize it was time for Hawk to go but also aren't completely enamored with Benetti, either.

 

 

 

Personally, when I think back of all the great moments in the last 30 years or so, his voice is the soundtrack. Behind that is probably John Rooney when he was doing the games with Wayne Hagin in the late 80's and I listened to nearly every Sox game on WMAQ (especially at night with that booming signal).

 

I can honestly say that Benetti will never be that same "childhood voice" that stays with me for the rest of my life. That's just the way it is...all of his catch phrases and "Hell, Yeah's" (more recent) and umpire barbs and sullen silences, he's about as close to the "common" White Sox fan in temperament as you'll ever get. And that's something we will never get from a "professional/modern day" announcer like Benetti.

Edited June 1, 2017 by caulfield12

[Thad Bosley]

The ground beneath is feeling colder. I think hell just froze over.

One could argue I've made a breakthrough with the 'ol bean and that he's finally seeing the light!

 

[Lip Man 1]

Bull. He's fit to be in the booth. He's a legend and still has it.

 

Hawk is 75 years old. His eyesight is failing him, mentally he doesn't appear to be as sharp and I suspect there are other issues since he often has to vacate the booth from time to time.

 

That's not a knock on him, it's the human condition, that's the reality of things.

 

I can tell you from personal experience that just doing 11 football and 30 or so basketball games drains you with all the travel and I'm "only" 61. I can't imagine doing 81 games or a full season of over 200 counting spring training and if you make the post season.

 

Like it or not, it's a young man's game. Hawk gets to go out on his own terms, that's not a bad thing and again, just my opinion, it was time for a change.

 

I think he finally realized it himself, hence the announcement. Time marches on for everyone. The last thing Hawk, I think, wanted to turn into, was say Harry Caray after his stroke where the poor guy didn't even know what stadium he was in half the time.

 

And the Sox didn't need that situation either.

 

Wish him well in his retirement but it was time to move on.

 

[Panerista]

Listened to the White Sox Talk podcast featuring Hawk. He is so well spoken in an interview. He was a seminal part of my baseball understanding and I have 20 years of good memories.

 

I'm not a fan of what his broadcast has become, but cheers to him. Looking forward to the future.

[ptatc]

When he and Drysdale were together they were one of the best duos in baseball. It was definitely time for a change though. Let the Jason Benetti era begin.

Absolutely.

[ptatc]

Great. By 2019, we get to listen to Benetti's boring ass full-time.

I think he'll get better.

[ptatc]

That feels as awkward to me as it does to you. Might have to rethink my opinion!

 

I have to agree with you on this topic as well.

[Thad Bosley]

I have to agree with you on this topic as well.

Geez! What the heck is going on around here! I must be losing my touch. The next thing you know, SS2K5 will also be "agreeing with me on this topic", and then the world will really be turned upside down!!

 

[chitownsportsfan]

I think he'll get better.

 

Jason just needs to announce like he does college football and basketball games. By that I mean less cornball jokes and more focus on the game. I understand the pace of baseball, over 162 games, leads to a lot of small talk, but at least try and keep the cornball humor down to a reasonable level. An example to follow is Darrin Jackson, who certainly has his oddball moments but in recent years has cut down.

 

I've become a pretty big fan of Jackson and Farmer, they compliment each other well.

[ptatc]

Jason just needs to announce like he does college football and basketball games. By that I mean less cornball jokes and more focus on the game. I understand the pace of baseball, over 162 games, leads to a lot of small talk, but at least try and keep the cornball humor down to a reasonable level. An example to follow is Darrin Jackson, who certainly has his oddball moments but in recent years has cut down.

 

I've become a pretty big fan of Jackson and Farmer, they compliment each other well.

I agree. That's why I think he'll get better on the sox broadcast. He just needs to get comfortable. Some of it is forced with a new partner and situation.

[Y2Jimmy0]

I think he'll get better.

 

Does he need to get a ton better? He's already very good.

[southsider2k5]

Geez! What the heck is going on around here! I must be losing my touch. The next thing you know, SS2K5 will also be "agreeing with me on this topic", and then the world will really be turned upside down!!

 

 

Way ahead of you. Always been a fan of Hawk and his style. Very sad to see him go.

[southsider2k5]

Jason just needs to announce like he does college football and basketball games. By that I mean less cornball jokes and more focus on the game. I understand the pace of baseball, over 162 games, leads to a lot of small talk, but at least try and keep the cornball humor down to a reasonable level. An example to follow is Darrin Jackson, who certainly has his oddball moments but in recent years has cut down.

I've become a pretty big fan of Jackson and Farmer, they compliment each other well.

 

I listen to them a lot. Jackson has really started to take the crabby old man thing off of Farmer.

[ChiSoxFanMike]

Does he need to get a ton better? He's already very good.

 

That's certainly debatable. Very debatable.

[Panerista]

That's certainly debatable. Very debatable.

Lol. No it's really not.

[hogan873]

Does he need to get a ton better? He's already very good.

I agree. I like him. I'm not sure he and Stone are the best pairing, though. Sometimes Stone seems baffled by Benetti's sense of humor.

 

I'm glad to hear Hawk is retiring. Not because I don't like him...I do. But he's ready to go. Sounds like he's going out on his terms, so that's good.

[lasttriptotulsa]

I'm not a huge Benetti fan. He's okay, but it won't be the same as the ol' Hawkeroo.

 

After next year we will never have the great calls that we remember years later.

 

"Joe! Crede!"

"Come on Timo"

"Call your sons, call your daughters, call your friends, call your neighbors, Mark Buehrle has a perfect game going into the 9th"

"Alexei?! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

 

And a million others. When is a Benetti walk off call going to stick in your head for years? Hawk called the game the same as we watched it as fans and that's what I love about him.

 

When is Benetti going to take the s***ty sportswriters to task? When is Benetti going to call out the bulls*** umps try to pull. Sure it's not always professional but it draws attention to the problem. Hawk also came up with some of great nicknames in the game.

 

Those things are gone once you go to your cookie cutter professional announcer.

[Lip Man 1]

When is Benetti going to take the s***ty sportswriters to task? When is Benetti going to call out the bulls*** umps try to pull. Sure it's not always professional but it draws attention to the problem. Hawk also came up with some of great nicknames in the game.

 

Those things are gone once you go to your cookie cutter professional announcer.

 

Jason's job isn't to "take the s***ty sportswriters to task" or to "call out the bulls*** umps try to pull." His job is to call the baseball game, pure and simple.

 

And truth be told I can tell you the White Sox don't want him doing that either. Even JR, Hawk's closest friend and confidant, has laid down the law to him at times over his comments and conduct. The Sox with their new primary TV announcer do not want controversy. If something needs to be brought out to the audience they want him doing it in a reasonable and professional manner not one in which the announcer loses his temper or comes across as sullen and taciturn.

 

I suspect they 'put up' (for want of a better word) with Hawk when he did things like this, especially the last few years, because of his reputation and the fact that he earned some leeway...but that doesn't apply in Jason's case...at least for the next 20 years anyway.

Edited June 1, 2017 by Lip Man 1

[southsider2k5]

I'm not a huge Benetti fan. He's okay, but it won't be the same as the ol' Hawkeroo.

 

After next year we will never have the great calls that we remember years later.

 

"Joe! Crede!"

"Come on Timo"

"Call your sons, call your daughters, call your friends, call your neighbors, Mark Buehrle has a perfect game going into the 9th"

"Alexei?! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

 

And a million others. When is a Benetti walk off call going to stick in your head for years? Hawk called the game the same as we watched it as fans and that's what I love about him.

 

When is Benetti going to take the s***ty sportswriters to task? When is Benetti going to call out the bulls*** umps try to pull. Sure it's not always professional but it draws attention to the problem. Hawk also came up with some of great nicknames in the game.

 

Those things are gone once you go to your cookie cutter professional announcer.

 

My entire fault with Jason is that there is no level of excitement. There is nothing that separates him from any national announcer who could be covering a game. There should be some level of excitement and joy to be had from the White Sox doing well, from the announcers that are being covered to cover the White Sox. I know the knock on Hawk is "homer" to some extent, but I can't think of a better broadcast team out there than Pat Foley and Eddie O for the Hawks. They live and die with the Hawks, and I love it. That is what I want on my home town call. That is my favorite thing about Hawk. He is a Sox fan, with a Sox fan point of view, giving the game to other Sox fans.

 

I have yet to get that vibe from Benetti despite the effort to sell him otherwise.

[Lip Man 1]

My entire fault with Jason is that there is no level of excitement. There is nothing that separates him from any national announcer who could be covering a game. There should be some level of excitement and joy to be had from the White Sox doing well, from the announcers that are being covered to cover the White Sox. I know the knock on Hawk is "homer" to some extent, but I can't think of a better broadcast team out there than Pat Foley and Eddie O for the Hawks. They live and die with the Hawks, and I love it. That is what I want on my home town call. That is my favorite thing about Hawk. He is a Sox fan, with a Sox fan point of view, giving the game to other Sox fans.

 

I have yet to get that vibe from Benetti despite the effort to sell him otherwise.

 

This is a good point but one that I think will come in time as he 'shakes off' his ESPN persona and becomes more and more the "White Sox announcer."

 

You mention Foley and Eddie O and that's an excellent comparison. But remember they have been working together as a team for many years...chemistry takes time (and sometimes it just doesn't happen see Harry Caray and J.C. Martin) and Foley and Ed have a way of getting their point across about bad play, bad officiating, bad luck without making themselves look petty or bringing down the wrath of the commissioner (as what happened when Hawk had his comments in Tampa and got Selig and JR involved to the point where he was called out on it) That style takes time to flourish too.

 

I think it with come with Jason. If not, if five years or so, probably under new ownership, changes will be made again in the booth.

[southsider2k5]

This is a good point but one that I think will come in time as he 'shakes off' his ESPN persona and becomes more and more the "White Sox announcer."

 

You mention Foley and Eddie O and that's an excellent comparison. But remember they have been working together as a team for many years...chemistry takes time (and sometimes it just doesn't happen see Harry Caray and J.C. Martin) and Foley and Ed have a way of getting their point across about bad play, bad officiating, bad luck without making themselves look petty or bringing down the wrath of the commissioner (as what happened when Hawk had his comments in Tampa and got Selig and JR involved to the point where he was called out on it) That style takes time to flourish too.

 

I think it with come with Jason. If not, if five years or so, probably under new ownership, changes will be made again in the booth.

 

Pat Foley has a lot of Hawk in him. He will not hesitate to bring down the thunder on someone or something. He has unloaded on players, teams, officials, and the league at different times. Eddie is much more PC, as he is still a national announcer too at times, but Foley will absolutely let loose if he feels it is warranted. You want a great example, google his rant on late Chicago start times. That even got Gary Bettman involved. The Alexander Karpotsev rant is still legendary.

[Thad Bosley]

Jason just needs to announce like he does college football and basketball games. By that I mean less cornball jokes and more focus on the game. I understand the pace of baseball, over 162 games, leads to a lot of small talk, but at least try and keep the cornball humor down to a reasonable level. An example to follow is Darrin Jackson, who certainly has his oddball moments but in recent years has cut down.

 

I've become a pretty big fan of Jackson and Farmer, they compliment each other well.

THIS! If and when Jason pulls back on the schtick during the slow parts of the game, and instead replaces it with more knowledgeable discourse about baseball with Stone (which they do, sometimes, just not enough), then the broadcasts will become far more enjoyable, in my opinion. I just cringe when the cornball stuff starts up. I'll take a Yaz story over that crap any day of the week, but that's just me.

[lasttriptotulsa]

Jason's job isn't to "take the s***ty sportswriters to task" or to "call out the bulls*** umps try to pull." His job is to call the baseball game, pure and simple.

 

And truth be told I can tell you the White Sox don't want him doing that either. Even JR, Hawk's closest friend and confidant, has laid down the law to him at times over his comments and conduct. The Sox with their new primary TV announcer do not want controversy. If something needs to be brought out to the audience they want him doing it in a reasonable and professional manner not one in which the announcer loses his temper or comes across as sullen and taciturn.

 

I suspect they 'put up' (for want of a better word) with Hawk when he did things like this, especially the last few years, because of his reputation and the fact that he earned some leeway...but that doesn't apply in Jason's case...at least for the next 20 years anyway.

 

I know it isn't the announcer's job to do those things but it's always been nice having the guy in the booth expressing the same emotions that we are as fans. Does he go over the top sometimes? Sure, but I'd rather have that than a guy who just seems to be there for the paycheck.

[lasttriptotulsa]

Pat Foley has a lot of Hawk in him. He will not hesitate to bring down the thunder on someone or something. He has unloaded on players, teams, officials, and the league at different times. Eddie is much more PC, as he is still a national announcer too at times, but Foley will absolutely let loose if he feels it is warranted. You want a great example, google his rant on late Chicago start times. That even got Gary Bettman involved. The Alexander Karpotsev rant is still legendary.

 

Pat Foley is awesome. Agreed, his rant on late starts was ballsy as hell.