I am not sure why there is such a crazy about over-lapping Gus Johnson screaming into every dramatic sports video ever, but nonetheless it is somewhat entertaining. If you have ever thought about why Gus Johnson never does baseball, hearing him screaming dubbed over T-Mac and Wheels on John Mayberry, Jr.'s top of the 9th game-tying 2-run blast off Huston Street may carry some of the answers.
On the plus side, that was better than T-Mac's orgasm.
The Phillies went onto win 4-3 in the 10th inning thanks to a Victorino solo shot.
Showing posts with label Tom McCarthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tom McCarthy. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Introducing The Phillies Radio Booth For The NLCS!
The Phillies always find a way to complicate what really should be a simple matter.
For those that do not know, the Phillies like shuffling announcers in the middle of the game. For instance, when Harry Kalas (may he Rest In Peace) was doing games on TV, he would call the 1st-3rd innings and 7th-9th innings with Chris Wheeler while Tom McCarthy and Gary "Sarge" Matthews did the middle innings. When Harry the K tragically passed, McCarthy did full time PbP while Wheeler and Sarge carried the same workload. That's just how it is in Philly, and frankly, I'm not a fan of it because I feel like it disrupts the rhythm of the broadcast, especially when you have a complete overhaul between innings. Last year, the World Series and NLCS was done on radio with Scott Franzke and Larry Anderson calling the 1st-3rd and 8th-9th innings and Harry Kalas and Chris Wheeler doing the 4th-7th innings, with the exception of Game 5 where Harry and Wheels obviously also did the 9th inning.
So you would think that with the tragic passing of Harry the K that the roster would be smaller and that just Franzke and Anderson would be doing the radio for NLCS and potential World Series, right? Wrong. That playoff radio booth has actually grown from last year's playoffs. Here's your line-up and it consists of every Phillies broadcaster both on TV and radio:
Tom McCarthy, Scott Franzke, Chris Wheeler, Gary Matthews, and Larry Anderson.
Ugh. That's way too much. Awful or really great, I am not a fan of switching announcers during the broadcast and probably never will be, but holy hell, how on earth is this going to work? The answer: I have no earthly idea. Franzke/Anderson get the beginning and the end and T-Mac/Wheels and/or Sarge get the middle? That's my only guess.
Actually, I might be missing the biggest story of this. SARGE IS COMING TO PLAYOFF RADIO!!!!!
For those that do not know, the Phillies like shuffling announcers in the middle of the game. For instance, when Harry Kalas (may he Rest In Peace) was doing games on TV, he would call the 1st-3rd innings and 7th-9th innings with Chris Wheeler while Tom McCarthy and Gary "Sarge" Matthews did the middle innings. When Harry the K tragically passed, McCarthy did full time PbP while Wheeler and Sarge carried the same workload. That's just how it is in Philly, and frankly, I'm not a fan of it because I feel like it disrupts the rhythm of the broadcast, especially when you have a complete overhaul between innings. Last year, the World Series and NLCS was done on radio with Scott Franzke and Larry Anderson calling the 1st-3rd and 8th-9th innings and Harry Kalas and Chris Wheeler doing the 4th-7th innings, with the exception of Game 5 where Harry and Wheels obviously also did the 9th inning.
So you would think that with the tragic passing of Harry the K that the roster would be smaller and that just Franzke and Anderson would be doing the radio for NLCS and potential World Series, right? Wrong. That playoff radio booth has actually grown from last year's playoffs. Here's your line-up and it consists of every Phillies broadcaster both on TV and radio:
Tom McCarthy, Scott Franzke, Chris Wheeler, Gary Matthews, and Larry Anderson.
Ugh. That's way too much. Awful or really great, I am not a fan of switching announcers during the broadcast and probably never will be, but holy hell, how on earth is this going to work? The answer: I have no earthly idea. Franzke/Anderson get the beginning and the end and T-Mac/Wheels and/or Sarge get the middle? That's my only guess.
Actually, I might be missing the biggest story of this. SARGE IS COMING TO PLAYOFF RADIO!!!!!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Fox Has Made A Rather Odd Selection To Call Saturday's Marlins-Phillies Game
Why Fox even booked the Marlins and Phillies is beyond me. Despite the struggles, most people would have guessed that the Phillies would have clinched by then, but I guess this is what happens in a year with only 2 interesting races and you need 3 games to book. Regardless, when Fox moves their top baseball PbP guys to football coverage, baseball coverage is given the cold shoulder and Fox literally finds whomever they can get their hands on to call the regional games in September. Well, this week is no different, as not only is Bert Blyleven doing the Twins game, but the Phillies game has quite a familiar PbP guy.......Tom McCarthy!
I know he did some Fox games last year (I don't recall if they did Phillies games or not), but it seems odd that Fox (and TBS for that matter) elects to use homer announcers on non-local broadcasts. McCarthy will be paired with Mark Grace for this Saturday game that starts at 4:10.
Your final regular season MLB announcing schedule (Awful Announcing)
I know he did some Fox games last year (I don't recall if they did Phillies games or not), but it seems odd that Fox (and TBS for that matter) elects to use homer announcers on non-local broadcasts. McCarthy will be paired with Mark Grace for this Saturday game that starts at 4:10.
Your final regular season MLB announcing schedule (Awful Announcing)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Who Knew Tom McCarthy Could Be So Chatty?
Great find by Awful Announcing in today's Wall Street Journal. Apparently some writher thought that it would be a good idea to watch listen to the PbP announcer of every MLB team and count the number of words he spoke. That number would then get divided into a words per minute and voila, you have yourself a scientific study. Here's the list from the most talkative PbP guy at the top to the guy you just want to strangle and tell him to "SAY SOMETHING FOR GOODNESS SAKES! Come on, you're better than Kevin Reilly!" Oh, and just where does the Phillies own Tom McCarthy fit into all this? Here's the list courtesy of the Wall Street Journal.
Memo to David Biderman: How does it feel to know that you will never get those precious hours of your life back?
How much does your home team MLB announcer talk? (Awful Announcing)
Vin Scully (Dodgers)- 143.51Vin Scully should not even be on this list as he flies solo in his brodcasts. Considering that, though, it's amazing that he is not farther ahead. This was study was done for the 1st scoreless inning of each team's home broadcast. So in all likelihood, Wheels was the analyst as I don't recall the Phils having a home game this year where each team got at least a run in the 1st 3 innings. Which is good as counting T-Mac's words in an inning with Sarge just would not be right. Then again, it would give Matt Biderman, the writer who watched all these half-innings, an easier job but more of a headache at the same time.
Dan McLaughlin (Cardinals)- 109.93
Bob Carpenter (Nationals)- 102.33
George Grande (Reds)- 102.06
Daron Sutton (Dbacks)- 100.36
Ryan Lefebvre (Royals)- 96.71
Brian Anderson (Brewers)- 96.06
Dick Bremer (Twins)- 94.81
Bill Brown (Astros)- 89.11
Dave Niehaus (Mariners)- 84.14
Tom McCarthy (Phillies)- 82.97
Don Orsillo (Red Sox)- 81.73
Tim Neverett (Pirates)- 81.55
Chip Caray (Braves)- 78.70
Drew Goodman (Rockies)- 78.51
Rich Waltz (Marlins)- 78.08
Mario Impemba (Tigers)- 75.39
Michael Kay (Yankees)- 73.40
Gary Cohen (Mets)- 73.04
Matt Underwood (Indians)- 72.02
Len Kasper (Cubs)- 71.5
Ken Harrelson (White Sox)- 70.98
Josh Lewin (Rangers)- 70.57
Dewayne Staats (Rays)- 69.69
Steve Physioc (Angels)- 68.26
Gary Thorne (Orioles)- 66.97
Glen Kuiper (Athletics)- 65.00
Jamie Campbell (Blue Jays)- 62.66
Mark Neely (Padres)- 61.64
Duane Kuiper (Giants)- 55.44
Memo to David Biderman: How does it feel to know that you will never get those precious hours of your life back?
How much does your home team MLB announcer talk? (Awful Announcing)
Monday, April 13, 2009
A Few Footnotes On The Death Of Harry The K
I just wanted to let a few hours to pass for the news to settle in before I posted this. A few footnotes for Harry the K.
Harry Kalas' last game was last night at Coors Field, but the irony is much more than that. The fianl score of that game was 7-5 Phillies. Matt Stairs had hit a game-winning 2-run homerun in the top of the 9th after Chase Utley hit a 2-run homerun to tie the game. There's a reason that that sounds familiar. Last year in the NLCS, the Phils were trailing 5-3 against the Dodgers in game 4 of the NLCS. In the top of the 7th inning, Victorino hit a game tying 2-run homerun. And then inexplicably, Matt Stairs delievered a game-winning 2-run homerun in the top of the 7th. It is that homerun that pretty much every Phillies fan will tell you that that was when they knew the Phillies were going to win the World Series. It was at that point that the Phillies truly started believing in themselves that they could win the World Series. That was the defining moment for the Phillies World Series run. And Harry the K's last game was eerily similar to that Game 4. Very similar.
Harry Kalas has without a doubt died a happy man. Not only is he now with his longtime partner and good friend Richie Ashburn in heaven, but in what is now known as the last months of his life, called a World Series championship. Something that he did not do in 1980 despite being the Phillies announcer then because at the time local announcers were banned from calling games. That ban was lifted 3 years later. And to appease Phillies fans, Harry and Richie recorded after the game commentary of that Series clinching game from the Vet, but obviously it was not the same. That is why the 08 Series is so special. Finally, after years and years and years of work with the Phils, he finally got to do a live World Series call for the Phillies.
Tom McCarthy has presumably taken over the role of Phillies PbP man. He is currently doing the game on CSN Philly with Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews. McCarthy worked for the Phillies as radio PbP man for a few years in the early 2000s before leaving to go to the Mets. He rejoined the Phillies last year and subsequently called the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings of the games on TV while Harry the K did those innings on radio. So the transition is one of a natural one, but alas, as having worked with the Mets for the 2006 and 2007 seasons, he is not the most popular man in Philadelphia. Personally, I think he is fine, he's not great like Harry the K was, but there are worse options out there, I guess.
For those that think that this game should not be played today, even if this was a home game for the Phils, are mistaken. Harry Kalas would want them to play on.
Not really a footnote, but just relating the story of what happened according to Tom McCarthy who just told it as I am typing this, Kalas had passed out in the booth as we all know. Rob Brooks, who works for CSN Philly (I forget the exact position he has) applied CPR. EMTs came as fast as they could and they took Harry the K to George Washington University hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Just like the game after the Phils learned of the passing of Richie Ashburn, the Phillies won by 1 today against the Nationals. Only the game after the death of Ashburn was 1-0, this one in Nationals Park was 9-8.
We will all miss you, Harry Kalas. You were a true legend of the Phillies, broadcasting, and baseball as a whole and you will never, ever be forgotten. Rest In Peace, Harry the K, you are forever in the hearts of every Phillies fan.
Harry Kalas' last game was last night at Coors Field, but the irony is much more than that. The fianl score of that game was 7-5 Phillies. Matt Stairs had hit a game-winning 2-run homerun in the top of the 9th after Chase Utley hit a 2-run homerun to tie the game. There's a reason that that sounds familiar. Last year in the NLCS, the Phils were trailing 5-3 against the Dodgers in game 4 of the NLCS. In the top of the 7th inning, Victorino hit a game tying 2-run homerun. And then inexplicably, Matt Stairs delievered a game-winning 2-run homerun in the top of the 7th. It is that homerun that pretty much every Phillies fan will tell you that that was when they knew the Phillies were going to win the World Series. It was at that point that the Phillies truly started believing in themselves that they could win the World Series. That was the defining moment for the Phillies World Series run. And Harry the K's last game was eerily similar to that Game 4. Very similar.
Harry Kalas has without a doubt died a happy man. Not only is he now with his longtime partner and good friend Richie Ashburn in heaven, but in what is now known as the last months of his life, called a World Series championship. Something that he did not do in 1980 despite being the Phillies announcer then because at the time local announcers were banned from calling games. That ban was lifted 3 years later. And to appease Phillies fans, Harry and Richie recorded after the game commentary of that Series clinching game from the Vet, but obviously it was not the same. That is why the 08 Series is so special. Finally, after years and years and years of work with the Phils, he finally got to do a live World Series call for the Phillies.
Tom McCarthy has presumably taken over the role of Phillies PbP man. He is currently doing the game on CSN Philly with Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews. McCarthy worked for the Phillies as radio PbP man for a few years in the early 2000s before leaving to go to the Mets. He rejoined the Phillies last year and subsequently called the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings of the games on TV while Harry the K did those innings on radio. So the transition is one of a natural one, but alas, as having worked with the Mets for the 2006 and 2007 seasons, he is not the most popular man in Philadelphia. Personally, I think he is fine, he's not great like Harry the K was, but there are worse options out there, I guess.
For those that think that this game should not be played today, even if this was a home game for the Phils, are mistaken. Harry Kalas would want them to play on.
Not really a footnote, but just relating the story of what happened according to Tom McCarthy who just told it as I am typing this, Kalas had passed out in the booth as we all know. Rob Brooks, who works for CSN Philly (I forget the exact position he has) applied CPR. EMTs came as fast as they could and they took Harry the K to George Washington University hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Just like the game after the Phils learned of the passing of Richie Ashburn, the Phillies won by 1 today against the Nationals. Only the game after the death of Ashburn was 1-0, this one in Nationals Park was 9-8.
We will all miss you, Harry Kalas. You were a true legend of the Phillies, broadcasting, and baseball as a whole and you will never, ever be forgotten. Rest In Peace, Harry the K, you are forever in the hearts of every Phillies fan.
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