OT: Sunday Night Baseball Crew

[BallinPB]

Forget the announcers.  The Yankees can't win one game out of four in Boston.  Wild Card here we come!

[JetsFanatic]

6 minutes ago, BallinPB said:

Forget the announcers.  The Yankees can't win one game out of four in Boston.  Wild Card here we come!

That was a devastating loss.  By the end of the game, I couldn't give a sh*t who the announcers were.

[shawn306]

Will I sit and watch every pitch of an August game between the Padres and D-Backs ? Absolutely not

Yankees vs Red Sox or Cardinals vs Cubs or games totally different story

Hockey is the only sport that has at least somewhat stayed true to itself. The NFL is well on its way to becoming flag football or the Arena League. 51-48 games, Penalty flags all over the place, defense has to basically play with both hands tied behind its back. It is becoming unwatchable. Same thing in the NBA, Nothing but a three ball fest with little to no defense. 

Millennials are like meth addicts. They want a rush every few seconds

[#27TheDominator]

12 hours ago, RoadFan said:

Because I enjoy listening to sports radio and watching sports related shows.  And they waste WAY too much time discussing a dying sport instead of forward thinking.  Millenials are far more interested in fringe sports and European football than baseball.   And these 50 something white guys that run the stations better wake the f*ck up soon.

I think it sucks, but I am not advocating to kill baseball.   But it is not an American treasure anymore... and I don't want to hear about it like it is.

...but not actual sports? 

[UntouchableCrew]

Baseball is a local sport, IMO. While the NFL and NBA can draw national audiences for whatever they put out there baseball just isn't like that. I never watch Sunday Night Baseball because 1 of 162 for two teams I don't care about is frankly, a waste of time.

I watch the Mets when they're good (haven't watched a full Mets game since May) and watch the playoffs. Regular season baseball for two teams you don't care about is a waste of time.

[RoadFan]

57 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

...but not actual sports? 

I watch the NFL.  "Futbol".  And playoff hockey, which is fantastic.   As "untouchable" above says... baseball is mostly a waste of time.  To me, it is totally a waste of time. 162 of anything in sports is absurd. 

Sports radio is perfect for car rides... Down here in Southwest Florida, they sure can discuss the Devil Rays, man.  Too bad nobody actually gives enough of a sh*t to actually go to the games.  SMH

[#27TheDominator]

57 minutes ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Baseball is a local sport, IMO. While the NFL and NBA can draw national audiences for whatever they put out there baseball just isn't like that. I never watch Sunday Night Baseball because 1 of 162 for two teams I don't care about is frankly, a waste of time.

I watch the Mets when they're good (haven't watched a full Mets game since May) and watch the playoffs. Regular season baseball for two teams you don't care about is a waste of time.

As opposed to regular season hockey and basketball when 3/4 of the league makes the playoffs? 

[UntouchableCrew]

8 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

 As opposed to regular season hockey and basketball when 3/4 of the league makes the playoffs? 

Say what you want, primetime NBA draws. Warriors/Thunder, Celtics/Sixers, Lakers/Rockets, whatever, the league has young stars that people care about and want to see. I wouldn't call the regular season particularly meaningful but it's also not like baseball where division rivals play each other 19 teams. Didn't see Yankees/Red Sox? Who cares, they're playing three more times this weekend and again a month from now.

Hockey is a niche sport that is frankly irrelevant. I wouldn't be shocked if MLS was more popular than the NHL in 10 years.

[RoadFan]

25 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

As opposed to regular season hockey and basketball when 3/4 of the league makes the playoffs? 

Touche...

In MLB, isn't 3/4 of the league out of the playoff race by the end of July?  Makes for a lot of "interesting" meaningless games on the docket...

The results would be nearly the same after 100 games.  Even 80...

162 is absurd.

[#27TheDominator]

1 minute ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Say what you want, primetime NBA draws. Warriors/Thunder, Celtics/Sixers, Lakers/Rockets, whatever, the league has young stars that people care about and want to see. I wouldn't call the regular season particularly meaningful but it's also not like baseball where division rivals play each other 19 teams. Didn't see Yankees/Red Sox? Who cares, they're playing three more times this weekend and again a month from now.

Hockey is a niche sport that is frankly irrelevant. I wouldn't be shocked if MLS was more popular than the NHL in 10 years.

So we judge it on popularity?  The Yankees-Red Sox is a series, not a game and that is kind of the point with baseball. Basketball is doing better lately, but that is after a  downturn.  This sh*t is cyclical.  People that are really into a sport love it and others come and go. I am a huge NFL fan, but in baseball I really only watch the Yanks.  To each their own. 

Hockey is a niche sport, but at least it has hitting.  MLS will be more popular, but that will have more to do with the demographics of the country than the any change in the sport or the perceived interest of their current fans.  

[shawn306]

2 hours ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Baseball is a local sport, IMO. While the NFL and NBA can draw national audiences for whatever they put out there baseball just isn't like that. I never watch Sunday Night Baseball because 1 of 162 for two teams I don't care about is frankly, a waste of time.

I watch the Mets when they're good (haven't watched a full Mets game since May) and watch the playoffs. Regular season baseball for two teams you don't care about is a waste of time.

I disagree with that when it comes to the NBA.

Who is going to watch a Saturday ABC game between Atlanta and Miami ? That is why those games always feature Golden State, Cleveland, or Houston.

1 game out of 82 is nothing as well.

[shawn306]

1 hour ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Say what you want, primetime NBA draws. Warriors/Thunder, Celtics/Sixers, Lakers/Rockets, whatever, the league has young stars that people care about and want to see. I wouldn't call the regular season particularly meaningful but it's also not like baseball where division rivals play each other 19 teams. Didn't see Yankees/Red Sox? Who cares, they're playing three more times this weekend and again a month from now.

Hockey is a niche sport that is frankly irrelevant. I wouldn't be shocked if MLS was more popular than the NHL in 10 years.

Which is kinda sad cause out of the big 4 hockey is probably the best sport out there.

[C Mart]

2 hours ago, jetstream23 said:

These threads are usually started the day after the Yankees lose embarrassingly on Sunday Night Baseball, no?

it was started during the game

[UntouchableCrew]

46 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

So we judge it on popularity? 

Yes, obviously. How else are we judging it? Our obviously subjective opinions?

46 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

The Yankees-Red Sox is a series, not a game and that is kind of the point with baseball. Basketball is doing better lately, but that is after a  downturn.  This sh*t is cyclical.  People that are really into a sport love it and others come and go. I am a huge NFL fan, but in baseball I really only watch the Yanks.  To each their own. 

I don't really think it's cyclical and the NBA hasn't been in a downturn in quite awhile. There's pretty much zero doubt that basketball will be the most popular sport in America in my lifetime.

Baseball is in decline and we're starting to see that football might be heading that way soon.

46 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

Hockey is a niche sport, but at least it has hitting.  MLS will be more popular, but that will have more to do with the demographics of the country than the any change in the sport or the perceived interest of their current fans.  

I mean changing demographics is part of this whole thing, right? It's part of why every other ad during the baseball playoffs is for erectile dysfunction -- it's a game in decline whose primary fanbase consists of baby boomers. Sports like basketball and soccer are growing in popularity because they're more popular with the younger generation while baseball is less popular... And then you have Manfred blaming Mike Trout for not marketing himself. You can't make this up.

[UntouchableCrew]

29 minutes ago, shawn306 said:

I disagree with that when it comes to the NBA.

Who is going to watch a Saturday ABC game between Atlanta and Miami ? That is why those games always feature Golden State, Cleveland, or Houston.

1 game out of 82 is nothing as well.

The NBA on TNT and ESPN draws good ratings. And they feature small market teams all the time -- Oklahoma City draws ratings because people want to see Russell Westbrook play.

That's just not true with baseball. Mike Trout could potentially be in the conversation for the greatest ever and nobody even knows what the guy looks like.

[UntouchableCrew]

29 minutes ago, shawn306 said:

Which is kinda sad cause out of the big 4 hockey is probably the best sport out there.

So people tell me. I get into the Rangers when they're in the playoff but the game doesn't have staying power with me.

[#27TheDominator]

3 minutes ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Yes, obviously. How else are we judging it? Our obviously subjective opinions?

The comments I was responding to were about as obviously subjective as it gets.  Baseball is pretty ******* popular to be throwing popularity around as the yardstick.  I am pretty sure that MLB takes in more than double what the NBA does.   

[UntouchableCrew]

4 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

The comments I was responding to were about as obviously subjective as it gets.  Baseball is pretty ******* popular to be throwing popularity around as the yardstick.  I am pretty sure that MLB takes in more than double what the NBA does.   

You were responding to me and I was talking about their popularity.

And nobody said baseball wasn't popular. They're pointing out that it's in decline and that it's fan-base is largely old men while the NBA is on the rise and is very popular with millennials.

[shawn306]

11 minutes ago, UntouchableCrew said:

The NBA on TNT and ESPN draws good ratings. And they feature small market teams all the time -- Oklahoma City draws ratings because people want to see Russell Westbrook play.

That's just not true with baseball. Mike Trout could potentially be in the conversation for the greatest ever and nobody even knows what the guy looks like.

Agree with this. Baseball has done a bad job promoting Trout, but Trout has also said he doesn't want to be that kind of guy who get promoted like that. But should it be about the stars when you think about it ? The NBA and the NHL play an 82 game regular season. I could never ever in a million years so Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Hagelin skipping a game in say Vancouver because they want to rest. I have a big problem with that in the NBA. 

It is what it is though. 

[#27TheDominator]

11 minutes ago, UntouchableCrew said:

You were responding to me and I was talking about their popularity.

And nobody said baseball wasn't popular. They're pointing out that it's in decline and that it's fan-base is largely old men while the NBA is on the rise and is very popular with millennials.

You said it was a waste of time.  I can tell you right now, watching any sport is pretty much a waste of time.  That is why baseball is considered America's pastime.  You think that baseball is regional, but who the **** is watching a Nets-Kings game in March?  ****, who would watch it in December?  

You like watching super-teams and guys dunk.  Others prefer the slow pace and tradition of baseball.  sh*t, NASCAR may do better than all of them.  There is room for everyone and changing the rules to make milennials happy is what most people complain about with each sport.  

[UntouchableCrew]

4 minutes ago, shawn306 said:

Agree with this. Baseball has done a bad job promoting Trout, but Trout has also said he doesn't want to be that kind of guy who get promoted like that. But should it be about the stars when you think about it ? The NBA and the NHL play an 82 game regular season. I could never ever in a million years so Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Hagelin skipping a game in say Vancouver because they want to rest. I have a big problem with that in the NBA. 

It is what it is though. 

I'm not a big fan of players skipping days either, particularly because fans might be buying tickets specifically to see those guys on a given night. If LeBron sits out the one night of the year he's in your town, that's a bummer.

That said, I think stars draw in sports. It's one of the problems with hockey, IMO -- it's such a team first, humble, four line sport that guys blend together. People like to tune in to see James Harden go off or Aaron Rodgers dazzle them with incredible passes. You don't get that as much because of the nature of the sport.

[Jet9]

I know plenty of soccer fans, yet not one MLS fan. 

[UntouchableCrew]

1 minute ago, #27TheDominator said:

You said it was a waste of time.  I can tell you right now, watching any sport is pretty much a waste of time.  That is why baseball is considered America's pastime.  You think that baseball is regional, but who the **** is watching a Nets-Kings game in March?  ****, who would watch it in December?  

You like watching super-teams and guys dunk.  Others prefer the slow pace and tradition of baseball.  sh*t, NASCAR may do better than all of them.  There is room for everyone and changing the rules to make milennials happy is what most people complain about with each sport.  

I mean, obviously sports are just entertainment at the end of the day and I'm not going to tell anyone how to spend their time. No need to get worked up... You're making assumptions about what I like and don't like rather than responding to my pretty clear arguments about growth and decline.

You cite Nets/Kings because it's the least appealing matchup you can think of but the reality is tons of people watch Cavs/Celtics or Warriors/Thunder is December or March. The NBA is setting records for its ratings while Sunday Night Baseball has been down across the board... We get it, you don't like the NBA. Doesn't change the reality that's experiencing tremendous growth.

Football is by far, not even close, my favorite sport. I watch more football that I watch all other sports combined -- I probably watch both college and NFL football each more than all other sports combined. Doesn't change the fact that ratings have been down for the NFL and there are very serious issues about the games longevity based on CTE. It is what it is.

 

[UntouchableCrew]

2 minutes ago, Jet9 said:

I know plenty of soccer fans, yet not one MLS fan. 

They don't really exist in NY, despite us somehow having two teams. But they've gained niche popularity in a lot of west coast cities and have been experiencing tremendous growth... But I agree, pretty much everyone I know who likes soccer watches Premier League or La Liga.

[#27TheDominator]

4 minutes ago, UntouchableCrew said:

I mean, obviously sports are just entertainment at the end of the day and I'm not going to tell anyone how to spend their time. No need to get worked up... You're making assumptions about what I like and don't like rather than responding to my pretty clear arguments about growth and decline.

You cite Nets/Kings because it's the least appealing matchup you can think of but the reality is tons of people watch Cavs/Celtics or Warriors/Thunder is December or March. The NBA is setting records for its ratings while Sunday Night Baseball has been down across the board... We get it, you don't like the NBA. Doesn't change the reality that's experiencing tremendous growth.

Football is by far, not even close, my favorite sport. I watch more football that I watch all other sports combined -- I probably watch both college and NFL football each more than all other sports combined. Doesn't change the fact that ratings have been down for the NFL and there are very serious issues about the games longevity based on CTE. It is what it is.

 

That's pretty funny.  I am making assumptions, but you are telling me I don't like the NBA?  I worked for them for 15 years.  You want to say I picked the bottom of the barrel with the Nets/Kings and you counter with matchups with teams from the top 4 in each conference?  Seems fair.  How about the Wizards/Nuggets?  Who is watching that?  

IMO baseball is more about getting out to the park than basketball and it isn't expected to draw Sunday Night numbers.  The extra games feed into that. I like the NBA just fine, though I find the recent super-team fad distasteful and I do actually watch the Nets and Knicks when I am in market.  Unfortunately that is not that often and my Dad ends up giving me blow-by-blow recounts of the games over the phone. 

[UntouchableCrew]

4 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

That's pretty funny.  I am making assumptions, but you are telling me I don't like the NBA?  I worked for them for 15 years.  You want to say I picked the bottom of the barrel with the Nets/Kings and you counter with matchups with teams from the top 4 in each conference?  Seems fair.  How about the Wizards/Nuggets?  Who is watching that?  

Well obviously I'm referencing matchups that actually happen. Wizards/Nuggets will rarely be on TNT -- the comparison is between playoff teams and big markets that get those slots just like it is for Sunday Night baseball. Teams like the Lakers, Warriors, Knicks, Celtics, Sixers, Bulls, Thunder, Rockets, etc. all draw. Teams like Milwuakee can draw because people want to see the Greek Freak. 

Does anyone outside of the Yankees and Red Sox draw anything for SNB? ESPN clearly doesn't think so, they book the Yankees every chance they get.

If you think I'm making assumptions I guess it's hard not do when you start ranting and raving accusing me of liking super teams and dunks.

4 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

IMO baseball is more about getting out to the park than basketball and it isn't expected to draw Sunday Night numbers.  The extra games feed into that. I like the NBA just fine, though I find the recent super-team fad distasteful and I do actually watch the Nets and Knicks when I am in market.  Unfortunately that is not that often and my Dad ends up giving me blow-by-blow recounts of the games over the phone. 

Agreed on getting out to the ballpark, obviously that's where baseball makes up a lot of its revenue. As the "pastime" it can be a lazy summer outing as much as anything. I still think the game is in trouble. They haven't done a good job marketing the game to the younger generation.

[Jet9]

4 minutes ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Well obviously I'm referencing matchups that actually happen. Wizards/Nuggets will rarely be on TNT -- the comparison is between playoff teams and big markets that get those slots just like it is for Sunday Night baseball. Teams like the Lakers, Warriors, Knicks, Celtics, Sixers, Bulls, Thunder, Rockets, etc. all draw. Teams like Milwuakee can draw because people want to see the Greek Freak. 

Does anyone outside of the Yankees and Red Sox draw anything for SNB? ESPN clearly doesn't think so, they book the Yankees every chance they get.

If you think I'm making assumptions I guess it's hard not do when you start ranting and raving accusing me of liking super teams and dunks.

Agreed on getting out to the ballpark, obviously that's where baseball makes up a lot of its revenue. As the "pastime" it can be a lazy summer outing as much as anything. I still think the game is in trouble. They haven't done a good job marketing the game to the younger generation.

I know it's anecdotal  but my 5 year old loves baseball. Sleeps with his mitt. 

[#27TheDominator]

13 minutes ago, UntouchableCrew said:

Agreed on getting out to the ballpark, obviously that's where baseball makes up a lot of its revenue. As the "pastime" it can be a lazy summer outing as much as anything. I still think the game is in trouble. They haven't done a good job marketing the game to the younger generation.

 

8 minutes ago, Jet9 said:

I know it's anecdotal  but my 5 year old loves baseball. Sleeps with his mitt. 

I think that part of the problem is looking at a multi-billion dollar business and saying it is dying.  Making major changes to the product to cater to the new audience is a mistake in my view.  As long as there are kids like your 5-year old it will live.  In my experience tons of little kids love baseball,.  They love the stats. 

[Jet9]

6 minutes ago, #27TheDominator said:

 

I think that part of the problem is looking at a multi-billion dollar business and saying it is dying.  Making major changes to the product to cater to the new audience is a mistake in my view.  As long as there are kids like your 5-year old it will live.  In my experience tons of little kids love baseball,.  They love the stats. 

Agreed, I think they should let the audience come to them. I dont watch the NBA anymore because fouls are made up, they're phantom calls, all game long. They changed the game and lost me as a fan, and I'm only 39. I also dont see how a game like soccer, with very slow to develop offense, is going to lure in a crowd that needs visual stimulation 24/7.

[RoadFan]

1 hour ago, Jet9 said:

I know plenty of soccer fans, yet not one MLS fan. 

This is a true statement.   Nearby Orlando draws well... as do many other cities in their respective local market.  But while the product has improved dramatically over the last 20 years, and continues to improve, it is not at a level where it can recruit casual interest from a soccer lover, like myself, with no rooting interest the way the Premiership or Champions League can.  I will occasionally watch MLS games in spurts when it is on, but never start to finish.

P.S.  Goddamn... I hate the word soccer.  It is football too.

[TuscanyTile2]

18 hours ago, HawkeyeJet said:

I'm a Dodgers fan.  I was lucky enough to listen to Vin for basically the last decade.  I 100% agree he's the gold standard.  I do not agree on your account of how he did games though.  Vin would let the big moments carry themselves, but during the meat and potatoes of a given game, he was always talking, always telling a story, even if only loosely related to the events at the exact moment.

Not only the best at MLB but also the best play-by-play football announcer I've ever heard too (yes that includes Pat Summerall).  Not many people know/remember that  Vin called the famous Cowboys/49ers "The Catch" game.

I will say though that I preferred Vin with Joe Garagiola.  THAT was an incredible duo!  Costas/Kubek was another great one but Vin and Joe were the absolute gold standard.

 

18 hours ago, HawkeyeJet said:

She's as good as a color person as you'll find in my opinion.

Would Yankee fans rather listen to the guy who has all the nicknames and dopey homerun calls?

I will agree, A-Rod does not have the knack for it, but his insights are good. Just can't deliver them well.

You must be a Yankee fan.  The Mets' booth (and roving reporter) is head and shoulders better than anything on ESPN.  I would guess there's a very good chance the Mets have the best broadcasters in all of baseball (now that Vin Scully retired).  I laugh when I hear Yankee and Red Sox fans talk about who they think good broadcasters are.  The Mets might be a crappy team but their announcers are top-notch.

[TuscanyTile2]

19 hours ago, RoadFan said:

Because I enjoy listening to sports radio and watching sports related shows.  And they waste WAY too much time discussing a dying sport instead of forward thinking.  Millenials are far more interested in fringe sports and European football than baseball.   And these 50 something white guys that run the stations better wake the f*ck up soon.

I think it sucks, but I am not advocating to kill baseball.   But it is not an American treasure anymore... and I don't want to hear about it like it is.

Is this Sarah Leong?

[UntouchableCrew]

9 minutes ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

You must be a Yankee fan.  The Mets' booth (and roving reporter) is head and shoulders better than anything on ESPN.  I would guess there's a very good chance the Mets have the best broadcasters in all of baseball (now that Vin Scully retired).  I laugh when I hear Yankee and Red Sox fans talk about who they think good broadcasters are.  The Mets might be a crappy team but their announcers are top-notch.

Even my buddies who are Yankee fans hate Michael Kay and are jealous of Gary Cohen... And Ron Darling is fantastic.

[HawkeyeJet]

11 minutes ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

Not only the best at MLB but also the best play-by-play football announcer I've ever heard too (yes that includes Pat Summerall).  Not many people know/remember that  Vin called the famous Cowboys/49ers "The Catch" game.

I will say though that I preferred Vin with Joe Garagiola.  THAT was an incredible duo!  Costas/Kubek was another great one but Vin and Joe were the absolute gold standard.

 

You must be a Yankee fan.  The Mets' booth (and roving reporter) is head and shoulders better than anything on ESPN.  I would guess there's a very good chance the Mets have the best broadcasters in all of baseball (now that Vin Scully retired).  I laugh when I hear Yankee and Red Sox fans talk about who they think good broadcasters are.  The Mets might be a crappy team but their announcers are top-notch.

I'm not sure if you are serious.  You quoted me twice.  The first quote, very first sentence I say I'm a Dodger fan.  The next quote you say I must be a Yankee fan , apparently because I don't like their moronic announcer?  Color me confused.

[TuscanyTile2]

5 minutes ago, HawkeyeJet said:

I'm not sure if you are serious.  You quoted me twice.  The first quote, very first sentence I say I'm a Dodger fan.  The next quote you say I must be a Yankee fan , apparently because I don't like their moronic announcer?  Color me confused.

LOL my apologies!  I didn't realize I was quoting the same person with those 2 posts.  I assumed anyone praising the ESPN crew was probably a Yankee fan (I assume most people on this forum are from NY).  I guess the Dodgers didn't have a color announcer for a while though so who would you compare her to anyway!