It must be said - Hawk Harrelson has to go

[Steve9347]

With MLB.TV on the PS3, I get to hear a lot of announcers. It's like a breath of fresh air, listening to people who are younger than 100 years old talk about the game and reference players from the 90s, and have conversations that engage me that I haven't heard a million times before - Hawk doesn't do this.

 

Hawk's schtick - I am finally tired of it. You could just have a Hawkbot at this point and really have no idea he wasn't actually there. Cue up his catch phrases and have someone record player names in his voice.

 

As for Stone, I think he's brilliant, and with the right sportscaster he can be great, but with Hawk it just doesn't work. The reason is simple - no one with Hawk will work. He always turns it into a dick measuring contest, cuts the other broadcaster off, and winds up telling me about some garbage player from the Red Sox in the late 60s.

 

The tv feed needs a breath of fresh air, and someone who went to broadcasting school, a real broadcaster, doing the play by play, and then save the homerism and the baseball references for a guy like Frank Thomas to be the color analyst.

 

I have spent my entire lifetime listening to Hawk. I have laughed at his calls for years. I have yelled "HE GAWN" "STRETCH" "HEEYEEESSS" "DAT GUMMIT" "YOU GOTTA BE BLEEPIN' ME" - I have enjoyed it. (not so much the "HELL YEAH" though)

 

I am so f***ing ready for it to end and to finally have an on screen duo that entertains me.

 

Let the flaming begin.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Steve9347

[Quin]

THREE MAN BOOTH ALL UP IN THIS b****.

[The Ginger Kid]

I'm not for kicking Hawk to the curb, but have you ever heard him ask Stone, an accomplished pitcher, about anything to do with pitching? Stoney asks Hawk hitting questions routinely. But I can't recall him asking Stone about pitching.

[RockRaines]

Duh, even Stoney is lost for words at times. Hawk's act is very old and getting worse.

[chw42]

I would love a new play by play man who can bring excitement without horrible catch phrases and mad homerism. I used to really like Hawk when I was younger, but he's nothing more than a grumpy old guy to me at this point.

 

I guess the question is, who would you replace him with?

[Pants Rowland]

With MLB.TV on the PS3, I get to hear a lot of announcers. It's like a breath of fresh air, listening to people who are younger than 100 years old talk about the game and reference players from the 90s, and have conversations that engage me that I haven't heard a million times before - Hawk doesn't do this.

 

Hawk's schtick - I am finally tired of it. You could just have a Hawkbot at this point and really have no idea he wasn't actually there. Cue up his catch phrases and have someone record player names in his voice.

 

As for Stone, I think he's brilliant, and with the right sportscaster he can be great, but with Hawk it just doesn't work. The reason is simple - no one with Hawk will work. He always turns it into a dick measuring contest, cuts the other broadcaster off, and winds up telling me about some garbage player from the Red Sox in the late 60s.

 

The tv feed needs a breath of fresh air, and someone who went to broadcasting school, a real broadcaster, doing the play by play, and then save the homerism and the baseball references for a guy like Frank Thomas to be the color analyst.

 

I have spent my entire lifetime listening to Hawk. I have laughed at his calls for years. I have yelled "HE GAWN" "STRETCH" "HEEYEEESSS" "DAT GUMMIT" "YOU GOTTA BE BLEEPIN' ME" - I have enjoyed it. (not so much the "HELL YEAH" though)

 

I am so f***ing ready for it to end and to finally have an on screen duo that entertains me.

 

Let the flaming begin.

 

^^^^This

 

[iamshack]

Couldn't disagree more. I've got Extra Innings (the DirecTV equivalent to mlb.tv) and I've seen every other broadcast team over the course of the last 4 seasons. I'll agree there are better teams out there...but there are a lot of bad ones too...I do enjoy Brenly, and some of the more forward-thinking color guys, but I prefer the open-homerism versus the veiled neutralism every day of the week.

 

Secondly, I enjoy that Hawk is as passionate about the team as I am. I love that he acts childish at times and tries to will fly balls over the fence when we really need a home run (the Viciedo DAAAAAAGGGUMMMITTT from last week's Tiger game comes to mind).

 

I do hate when he goes overboard on the umpires, and I do get tired of hearing about Yas and Catfish Hunter, but I appreciate everything else he brings to the table enough that I can appreciate the opportunity I am being given in hearing him call games while he is still here.

 

I understand he is not for everyone, but I also think this is a grass is greener syndrome in play.

 

I can't fathom having to listen to some dull "professional" who I can tell doesn't care enough to even give a s*** about the emotions I am going through as I watch what unfolds on the screen.

 

Now the radio broadcast team...that needs to be a professional team...

[Steve9347]

I guess the question is, who would you replace him with?

Lawrence Holmes

[Buehrle>Wood]

You're a f***ing idiot.

[Jake]

He still entertains me.

 

Every other broadcast team I've listened to (many, but not all by any means) pales in comparison to the Hawk + anyone for me. I'll say that this year it seems that he has spared us from much of the reminiscing from way back when. He has also been friendly to umpires, which is new.

 

He is the only broadcaster I've watched that can do something other than be white noise without completely annoying me. It's like watching the game with an older Sox fan. Every time I am forced to watch a national broadcast, I am reminded why I prefer the Hawk.

 

If you want bad broadcasting, turn on your radio. You'd never know anything was happening with Ed Farmer on the air. Home run? Thanks for the change of inflection (not). My favorite is how he mentions how useful a home run would be before every batter, then tells you after a home run he called it.

 

 

[iamshack]

Lawrence Holmes

Oh god no...Lawrence Holmes doesn't know jack s*** about baseball...

[SI1020]

Most of the blow dried ESPN style modern day announcers make me mad enough to want to choke them. Very poor excuses of masculinity while being boring and banal too. Most of the really great baseball announcers are gone. Mel Allen was my personal favorite. I've supported Hawk because he is not a cookie cutter announcer and I like old stories between pitches, but all in all he has deteriorated and become too attached to some of his worst cliches. I am glad that he and Stone seemed to have reached a truce. A lot less of Hawk talking over Stone and also lot less of those awkward silences. As for Sox announcers I've listened to, Bob Elson was a cure for insomnia. Jack Brickhouse although first and foremost a Peoria native Cub fan was very fair to the Sox and one of the old time old school announcers. Harry Caray was still on or close to the top of his game when he worked for the Sox. Harry and Jimmy kept interest high among fans while some of the most hopeless Sox teams you'd ever want to see took the field. I would have to say my favorite announcing team was Rooney and Farmer. Farmer with his flat monotone Chicago accented voice is not a good PBP man but when teamed with Rooney it worked out well IMO. I was angry and sorry to see Rooney go and I still am. On the other side of town Kasper is a perfect example of the boring blow dried PBP man of today. Brenly is OK. Pat Hughes is a professional, I enjoy hearing him announce a game.

[Steve9347]

I would have to say my favorite announcing team was Rooney and Farmer.

Agree 100%. I cue up Cardinals games with their radio team just to listen to Rooney. He's amazing.

 

Note - professional broadcaster, not hack ex-player.

[iamshack]

Young whippersnappers these days have no respect for their elders.

[Baron]

I couldnt imagine anyone else but Hawk in there....you must think Stacey King is unbearable if you dont like Hawk.

[2nd_city_saint787]

This thread is unamerican.

[NorthSideSox72]

I notice that when people criticize Harrelson, the supporters' first reaction is always defending his homerism.

 

Thing is, his being a Sox homer is NOT why most people want him gone. They want him gone because he is a terrible announcer who no longer offers anything beyond irritating shouted catch-phrases that originated in a swamp somewhere and stories about the same dozen players from decades ago repeated ad nauseum.

 

He needs to go.

 

[Baron]

I mean could you seriously imagine anyone but Hawk doing Mark Buehrle's no hitter a few years ago?"ALEXEIII!!!! YESSS!!!!!!! YESSS!!!!! HISTORY!!!!" It just made it that much better.

[Steve9347]

I couldnt imagine anyone else but Hawk in there....you must think Stacey King is unbearable if you dont like Hawk.

Interesting you compare a color guy to a pbp guy - thank you for supporting my point.

[Baron]

Interesting you compare a color guy to a pbp guy - thank you for supporting my point.

 

I was actually comparing their homerism towards their teams.Sorry you didnt understand that.

Edited May 22, 2012 by Baron

[Greg Hibbard]

I don't mind Hawk.

 

I would very much mind some bland, middle of the road, safe broadcaster, or an ex-player who wasn't knowledgeable or articulate.

 

Think about when the Cubs had to replace Harry with a parade of Josh Lewin, Chip Caray, Dave Otto, Joe Carter....it wasn't pretty for a long time.

 

Replacing Hawk might be harder than you think.

 

 

[chw42]

Lawrence Holmes

 

O.o. No.

[NorthSideSox72]

I was actually comparing their homerism towards their teams.Sorry you didnt understand that.

 

 

I don't mind Hawk.

 

I would very much mind some bland, middle of the road, safe broadcaster, or an ex-player who wasn't knowledgeable or articulate.

 

Think about when the Cubs had to replace Harry with a parade of Josh Lewin, Chip Caray, Dave Otto, Joe Carter....it wasn't pretty for a long time.

 

Replacing Hawk might be harder than you think.

 

Cases in point. The people who are tired of Hawk are not talking about his being a homer, or getting excited. Those are both good things (to at least some extent). That is not what people dislike. People want an announcer who likes the Sox and shows it, but who is also... you know... a competent announcer?

[Steve9347]

I was actually comparing their homerism towards their teams.Sorry you didnt understand that.

No, I get it, I totally get it. I Just have a different idea of what a quality play by play guy should bring, and it should be more than catch phrases.

 

Also, Stacey at least references players who played the last two decades. I also grew a bit tired of Stacey's schtick this year because it was clear he was piling on the catch phrases ad nauseum right around when he was launching his new t-shirt line.

 

Oh yeah, did I mention Hawk is the play by play guy? Because that was the point that you have missed here. Sorry you didn't understand that. Also, NBA Basketball is inherently faster moving and more entertaining in a moment by moment basis. Baseball requires analysis and conversation that is engaging, and Hawk rarely if ever provides anything other than catch phrases and references to dinosaurs.

 

I apologize for offending your inner meatball, however.

[Baron]

It seems to me listening to other networks on MLB TV you have to have one or the other. I was listening to the Indian's broadcast. Most boring broadcasters on this planet.