The Jason Benetti and Sox Announcing Thread

[greg775]

I have a funny (and somewhat long) story about meeting Ed Farmer.

 

When I was in college for broadcasting in Chicago. I got a chance to shadow him and DJ for a game (really only the first half of a game and then they sent myself and the other student down into some seats). My main take away from the experience was that Farmer is kind of a weird dude... lol.

 

I didn't expect much interaction outside of MAYBE a handshake/hello with either person. Which is what I got from DJ. Standard, quick interaction... nice dude. Then, Farmer sits me down all seriously. Then, almost reluctantly, he goes - "Well, son... here's your chance. I'll let you have 3 questions. GO"... As if I prepared my whole life to sit down with Ed Farmer and ask him about calling baseball games. lol. I honestly didn't even know if we'd get a meet/greet. I was super taken off-guard and didn't know what to say. However, I recognized that it was a cool opportunity. I managed to pull three questions out of my backside that weren't overly stupid... he went on about how you should prepare your "voice" for the baseball season. To get that "good low/echoing sound". I don't remember much else... just that the whole booth kind of stopped what they were doing in the middle of prepping and it was quite awkward.

 

So, I get through that. He kind of just dismisses me. Now I'm sitting in the back with the other kid shadowing (fellow broadcasting student that I hung with a bit) who had gotten up there a little after I did. Broadcast is now well underway and Ed signs off for an inning. Now - He stands up and looks back at no one in particular. Says out loud - "well... anyone want to call this next inning?". Everyone in the booth just laughs. I think DJ even tagged a joke on. It was (again) awkward when he appeared to remain adamant. The mood quickly turned to confusion for a split-second. I looked at the other dude I'm with, both of us going "WTF?"... There was this random fan who won some contest that was also getting shown around. He had only poked his head in for a minute. He jokingly blurts out "Hell ya, Ed!"... I can't even tell what Ed is thinking (he's such a dry guy) - but he tells him to come on down. Everyone is in disbelief. The dude was (of course) an utter trainwreck for a half inning. They introduced him as (first name, hometown) like he's a radio caller. DJ has no idea what to do with him. Producers are going bananas. He's copying "Hawk-isms". It's a CATASTROPHE.

 

Farmer's ass just shoots a look at me in the middle of it. As if to say "I just gave you an opportunity to call an inning of Major League baseball!"... I am so f'ing confused at this point. Clearly, like everyone... I thought he was joking.

 

A little later - my classmate and I are about to go down to our seats. We've both been pretty silent since that all went down. The person guiding us around (worked with the broadcast in some capacity, don't remember his exact title) - I can just tell he's thinking "Wow, that got off the rails"... lol. I ask "So, he actually wanted to let me call an inning?"... He basically told me that it was one of the odder occurrences he's ever seen working in baseball broadcasting, but that yes... it would appear he was making the offer in hoping that I would be the one to say yes. Because of our talk earlier? I guess?

 

Right when we got to our seats and the guide bid us farewell... we started laughing in utter confusion for a good 10 minutes. Wondering what that was all about. I honestly never could figure it out and to this day - I still am so, SOOO confused by the incident when I think about it. Of course, I regret not saying yes. However, you had to be there to understand how odd it was. lol. It was so utterly ridiculous man. That story still seems like a bad dream. That was supposed to be such an fun, easy going evening of watching a White Sox broadcast in person. Instead, it just left me feeling like a complete idiot. Years later - Still wondering "what in god's name was that all about?" I guess he saw a young, aspiring broadcaster and wanted to make his (meaning my) day? The way he went about it was sure odd... I'll feel like a dumbass for that until the day I die.

With all the advanced stats in baseball, somebody should keep track of actually how many jokes Jason and Stone cut in a give game and also what is the score of the game when they are joking? My guess is they don't crack THAT many jokes. I watched the last game with the 3 in the booth and they were pretty into talking baseball.

You can't just focus on the damn game and the upcoming homestand trying to sell tickets. I think we are exaggerating the jokes. I want stats.

[reiks12]

Had a big issue with how Stone talked down to Bennetti about Sabr stats. Wouldn't let him get his point across and treated him like a child.

[chitownsportsfan]

Had a big issue with how Stone talked down to Bennetti about Sabr stats. Wouldn't let him get his point across and treated him like a child.

 

what inning?

[tray]

I liked Hawk and Wimpy. I always thought Stone liked the Cubs better and that he would have been more comfortable staying on the North side.

Benetti? The nerdish look and routine just doesn't work for me.. Sox Math, the play shelf, pandering to Stone, the oddly configured straight man/funny man 9 inning comedy team. And God forbid you go too hard on Benny because he is handicapped. But that isn'y what this is about. He just doesn't cut it and cannot fill the shoes of Harry and Hawk who came before him.

One thing that hasn't been discussed is the antipathy for the Cubs that both Hawk and Harry had as Sox announcers (yes, Harry used to wail on the Cubs). Sox fans loved that. Cub/Sox in Chicago is like the Hatfields and McCoys, Republican v. Democrat, Religious vs Agnostic. Right or wrong you take a side and that's pretty much it.

Anyway, let's see what happens after a full season. Maybe people will get used to Benet and Stone's shtick. On the other hand maybe their routine will wear on fans, diminish fan interest, reduce ticket sales and advertising revenue, etc.

That is what would make it obvious to ownership that it is time for a change.

[FT35]

I liked Hawk and Wimpy. I always thought Stone liked the Cubs better and that he would have been more comfortable staying on the North side.

Benetti? The nerdish look and routine just doesn't work for me.. Sox Math, the play shelf, pandering to Stone, the oddly configured straight man/funny man 9 inning comedy team. And God forbid you go too hard on Benny because he is handicapped. But that isn'y what this is about. He just doesn't cut it and cannot fill the shoes of Harry and Hawk who came before him.

One thing that hasn't been discussed is the antipathy for the Cubs that both Hawk and Harry had as Sox announcers (yes, Harry used to wail on the Cubs). Sox fans loved that. Cub/Sox in Chicago is like the Hatfields and McCoys, Republican v. Democrat, Religious vs Agnostic. Right or wrong you take a side and that's pretty much it.

Anyway, let's see what happens after a full season. Maybe people will get used to Benet and Stone's shtick. On the other hand maybe their routine will wear on fans, diminish fan interest, reduce ticket sales and advertising revenue, etc.

That is what would make it obvious to ownership that it is time for a change.

 

The Hawk/Wimpy combo was my favorite. Wimpy’s silly was actually funny. Wanted to throw this out there...what if Steve and Jason switched roles? Steve and his more serious approach calling the majority of plays, and Jason interjecting the humor on a less frequent basis? I think it might not be as much overkill.

 

Also don’t think what they have would drive fans away—just gets annoying over time.

[Middle Buffalo]

I like Stone a lot. I don’t really get the issues folks take with him.

I think it'a because of his time with the Cubs. Some Sox fans can't get over it.

 

If you follow NFL, everyone was wild about Tony Romo this year because he was able to "predict" plays by recognizing the formations. Stone has been doing this for years in baseball. Predicting pitches, location, hit & run, etc.

 

Hawk was GREAT for years. Emphasis on great. Emphasis in "was."

Edited April 8, 2018 by Middle Buffalo