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Our next faceoff in the 1st Round of the Joe Morgan Memorial might be our most unique.  In one corner is the prototypical awful announcer, Joe Theismann.  Joey T has been kicked from the curb at both ESPN and now the NFL Network booth, largely because network execs have finally realized something casual fans have known for years, that he's not very good.  Meanwhile in the other corner we have two for the price of one.  The overrated, stereotypical jock/nerd duo of Mike And Mike In The Morning.  Is Joey T awful enough to overcome two mediocre sports TV personalities?

 

Joe Theismann

Fact File: NFL Network analyst 

Why He's Here:  Joe has long been one of the blogosphere's least favorite analysts, but his legendary infamous run with Matt Millen was his "finest" hour.  Although Theismann was axed from the game broadcasts after only a year, he's still listed as an on-air personality, so he makes the field.  After all, NFL.com is still touting his "wealth of knowledge and expertise."

Links:

Real Tweets From Real People - Matt Millen And Joe Theismann
Joe Theismann: Don't Forget Danny Woodcock Out Of The Backfield
Jaws Replaces Joey T On Monday Night Football
 

Mike Golic And Mike Greenberg

Fact File: ESPN Radio show also simulcasted on ESPN2 from 6-10 AM ET.

Why They're Here: Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic are scorned by many sports fans as just being lame.  The whole nerd/jock stereotype was old in 7th grade, but somehow these two continue to ride that horse until it drops dead.  Mike & Mike is fine in small doses, but the pair aren't as funny, influential, or noteworthy as ESPN would like you to believe.  Let's also not forget the pair's disastrous attempt at broadcasting NFL games.  It would create a problem trying to fit them into one face though...

Links:

Mike And Mike Epic Fail On Sportscenter
Mike Greenberg Can't Stop Saying 'Mike And Mike'
MNF Not The Place For Greeny and Golic
 

Results:

Joe Theismann d. Mike & Mike 65.70% - 34.30% 

The First Round of the Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament rolls on through the weekend.  Here's the results from yesterday as Pierre McGuire pulled off the first comeback of the tournament thanks to a hockey crowd that wants to honor his awfulness.

Pierre McGuire d. Reggie Miller 57.62% - 42.38%
Chris Berman d. Erik Kuselias 76.83% - 23.17%

It's appropriate that this matchup takes place on a Saturday, because it features two of the most notorious announcers in college football.  ESPN's college football (and basketball and baseball) play by play man Mike Patrick squares off against ESPN college football analyst "Senator" Craig James.  In fact, these two have even worked together on broadcasts!  However, only one can go on in the tournament, and it's up to you to decide!

Mike Patrick vs Craig James



Mike Patrick

Fact File: ESPN play by play man announces the College World Series, Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament, college football, and college basketball

Why He's Here: Patrick has been on ESPN's airwaves for quite a long time and has worn viewers down.  His voice always seems to give out in the big moments (perhaps due to many years smoking) and his commentary leaves a lot to be desired.  His partnerships in the booth haven't helped Patrick either, notably working with Dick Vitale and Joe Theismann amongst others through the years.  Oh, and then there's Britney!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Links:

What is Britney doing with her life?
Mike Patrick's Plaxidential Brain Fart
Mike Patrick, stubborn mispronouncer
Story time with Mike Patrick

Craig James

Fact File: ESPN college football game and studio analyst

Why He's Here: James became an integral part of one of college football's biggest stories when his son Adam's allegations of being locked in a closet led to Mike Leach's firing at Texas Tech.  This led to an awkward series of revelations made by Leach about Craig's meddling in his program, lawsuits, and other developments.  ESPN was put in the position of having one of their analysts be an integral part of the controversy.  How did Craig James respond?  Well, rumor has it he wants to be a Senator of course.

Links:

Craig James Wants You To Help Texans Help Save America
Announcer working Alamo Bowl gets Alamo Bowl coach suspended
Craig James running to the Senate
Craig James loses it

Results:

Craig James d. Mike Patrick 75.17% - 24.83%
 

         
On the 6pm SportsCenter, Cindy Brunson introduced yet another Lebron segment by pointing out that LeBron's decision on where he would be taking his talents also happened to be 234 years to the day that the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was read. Stupid moments like that one have been repeated all day with wall-to-wall coverage and interviews breaking down everything that has happened in the 365 days since. With the NBA and NFL locked out, and July baseball being easily the most significant sporting event that's going on right now, it might be easy to dismiss this as being the product of a slow sports day. Instead, today has been nothing like that at all. The NFL lockout looks to be ending, Jeter is a couple of dribblers away from 3000 hits, the tragedy in Texas, the most popular NBA all-star of all-time Yao Ming is retiring, OSU's problems and Team USA's rematch with Brasil is a couple days away. Easily any of these stories should be getting more run then what we felt like a year ago today. Or, they could just go the old-fashioned route and like, you know, show highlights of sports that happened last night or earlier today.

You'll certainly never confuse me with someone who has ever had much sympathy for LeBron. Being from Detroit, we've been hating on LeBron since before it was cool. But even for me, a person who often subscribes to batshit sports conspiracies and admittedly sees things only the way I want to see them... ESPN has been completely bipolar and sensationalized in their coverage of everything LeBron this past year. ESPN's consistent coverage of his tweets and also having a reporter and microphone stationed in Cleveland seemingly at all times for the scorned fans of the Cavs to sound off on a national stage about anything LeBron might be doing is too much. The twitter reporting is especially over-the-top. Lebron says dumb things often. But, if you spend 5 minutes perusing the depths of professional athlete Twitter, you will be astounded at the stupidity these very public figures put out there. Athletes making booty calls, reacting to tragedies, and worst of all, planking is all out there for any fan to see. SportsCenter could have a field day cherry picking tweets of athletes and creating controversies and mostly providing incredible comedy if they felt like it. When it became obvious that fans were tiring of constant LeBron coverage, ESPN decided to treat him as almost a villainous character. Some athletes relish this "role," but it became obvious that LeBron isn't one of them. He wants to be liked, and the one-sided coverage of his flaws was kind of mean-spirited and mostly just an inaccurate representation of LeBron.

Cleveland Indians radio play by play man Tom Hamilton is loved by Tribe fans for his passion in the booth.  Living in Columbus, I know quite a few Indians fans and they all say that they wouldn't trade any play by play announcer for Tom Hamilton.  He's also certainly one of the most excitable announcers in the sport of baseball.  So as you can imagine, last night's walk off grand slam by "Pronk," Travis Hafner, was a good enough reason to go absolutely berzerk.  The outstanding radio call and the moving pictures to go with it are below...

Tom Hamilton's Radio Call



TV Version

You may remember the internet petition started by The Daily Stache a few weeks ago hoping to bring legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully back to the World Series booth.  AA wholeheartedly supports giving Vin Scully the opportunity to announce one more World Series.  Currently, the petition has over 7,000 signatures, so if you haven't signed it yet, you can at this link.  Well, it seems that you may be able to add one certainly influential and unlikely name in sports broadcasting to the list of people that want Vin Scully in the World Series booth.

Joe Buck.

Yes, believe it or not, one of the blogosphere's least favorite announcers (and Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament favorite, his 1st Round matchup comes on the final day of Round 1 Tuesday), who just happens to broadcast the World Series on Fox himself, supports the idea of Vin Scully announcing this year's World Series on Fox.  Here's the quotes from Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News: 

"Personally, I'd love it," Buck said the other day. "We've always toyed with the idea of having the hometown guy involved in a World Series broadcast. I'm from that camp. In my dad's era, we paid a nod of tribute to the greats. And there's no one like Vin, or close to Vin.

"I'd happily step aside to hear his voice (on the World Series). I would not fight that at all. That's just how I grew up.

"As far as I'm concerned, he could be part of it every year. I'm not selfish. I realize who the game's greats are, and I always defer to them - my dad (Jack Buck), Ernie Harwell, Curt Gowdy, Harry Caray. There are only a handful of guys who are as identifiable with their organizations as any player is."

Plenty of baseball fans aren't necessarily fans of Joe Buck the broadcaster, and we've been critical in the past, but even the most vocal detractors of him have to applaud Joe for publicly supporting Vin Scully and this idea.  Joe obviously has an appreciation for the great announcers in the sport with his father Jack being another legend of the game.  Vin Scully is in that same category and is arguably the greatest living baseball announcer.  What better way to pay testament to his lifetime in baseball, and celebrate the history of the game and what makes baseball special by making this happen.

***UPDATE:  We reached out to Fox Sports for a comment on this story and here is their official response:

“As the son of the legendary Jack Buck, no one respects the history of baseball more than Joe, so it’s no surprise that he’d be willing to share the World Series stage with Vin Scully, who like Jack, is one of the best that ever was.  Having Vin join Joe and Tim for a few innings during the World Series is definitely something we’d consider if it’s something Vin would like to do.”

You heard it here first - Fox Sports will consider Vin Scully joining the World Series broadcast booth.  This is a great development in this story.  Realistically, a few innings or a game is what fans should expect from Fox and everyone involved.  However, there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel.  Hope remains that we may be able to get Vin Scully in the Fox booth for at least a portion of the World Series.

Joe Buck on Vin Scully: Why not bring him in the Fox World Series booth? - Los Angeles Daily News

We are halfway through Round 1, so make sure you come back every day through Tuesday to vote on new First Round matchups.  Then, we'll have all the results from Round 1 and the Second Round draw on Wednesday before voting starts up again.  The bald headed analysts shine in this matchup in Round 1 of the Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament.  Reggie Miller and Pierre McGuire both receive the ire of basketball fans and hockey fans alike for their high positions on broadcasts and low analysis.  Unfortunately for fans of those sports, they aren't leaving the broadcast booth anytime soon, but only one can advance to the second round of the Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament.  Who ya got?  

Pierre McGuire vs Reggie Miller



Pierre McGuire

Fact File: NHL on NBC inside the glass analyst

Why He's Here: There are many hockey fans that just don't like Pierre McGuire.  It could be the way he gushes about certain players, the way his cliches and style grates, or even how he pronounces certain words.  Mainly, it's the way McGuire carries himself as an expert in spite of his 23-37-7 record as an NHL head coach.

Links:

Why Do People Hate Pierre McGuire?
How Full Of It Is Pierre McGuire?
Pierre McGuire Is Effin Creepy
Caps Fans Hate Us

Reggie Miller

Fact File: NBA on TNT game analyst

Why He's Here: Reggie Miller has been closer to Boom Goes The Dynamite than Boom, Baby as an analyst for TNT's NBA coverage.  Miller is the prototypical example of an athlete shoved into the booth or on television because of his name and not what he brings to the table as an analyst.  

Links:

Reggie Miller Channels His Inner Emmitt
Reggie Miller Gets Put In His Place
Reggie Miller Takes The Mic
Oh No He Didn't

Results:

Pierre McGuire defeated Reggie Miller 57.62% - 42.38% 

Our newest matchup in the Joe Morgan Memorial Tournament pits David vs Goliath in more ways than one.  Tournament favorite Chris Berman takes on underdog hopeful Erik Kuselias.  Don't let Berman's girth in awfulness fool you, Kuselias is a worthy opponent with his history at ESPN and, well, more unseemly things.  But is it enough to send Berman stumbling out of the tourney in Round 1?  You get to decide!  First, here's the results from the tournament so far...

Skip Bayless d. Woody Paige 77.91% - 22.09%
Rick Reilly d. Hawk Harrelson 58.7% - 41.3%
Tony Siragusa d. Jack Edwards 71.55% - 28.45%
Thom Brennaman d. Jon Gruden 58.32% - 41.68%
Michael Irvin d. Dick Stockton 71.61% - 28.39%
Deion Sanders d. Mike Tirico 69.59% - 30.41%


Erik Kuselias vs Chris Berman



Erik Kuselias

Fact File:  Morning Drive co-host on the Golf Channel and former ESPN studio show host

Why He's Here: I'll be honest, I haven't watched a second of Morning Drive, but Kuselias earns his spot from his recent time at ESPN.  Seriously, I know nothing about the guy (beyond his Deadspin resume), but he always appeared to be a bit unauthentic as ESPN's utility player.  When subbing for Cowherd, he'd try to be Cowherd, when subbing for Rome, he'd try to be Rome, when doing college football, he'd try to sound like the biggest college football guy on the planet.  I'm sure he's pulling a similar act at the Golf Channel.

Links:

Erik Kuselias Makes Friends At The Golf Channel Like ESPN
Erik Kuselias Horndog Dossier
Kuselias Is Burning
Erik Kuselias Is An Idiot


Chris Berman

Fact File: Host of ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, Home Run Derby, and golf's US Open, occasional SportsCenter anchor and baseball play by play man

Why He's Here: How much time do we have?  Chris Berman has been synonymous with ESPN for over 30 years, but his schtick of nicknames, bad jokes, and bellowing humor has grown old.  His protection of the NFL and the stars of the league leave his journalistic bite at zero.  The #1 best selling ESPN book painted him as a man drastically out of touch with the modern day world, and it shows.

Links:

Somebody Should Explain The Concept Of A Walk Off Win To Chris Berman
Real Tweets From Real People - Berman and the US Open
Tossed Salas Nickname
Classic Youtube Rant

Results:

Chris Berman defeated Erik Kuselias 76.83% - 23.17% 

I'm glad I missed today's A's game. They got wrecked again, but I'm a lot more thankful that I didn't have to watch Rangers fan Shannon Stone fall reaching for a ball live. Tragically, Stone would die from the fall and our thoughts go out to his family, the Rangers, and their fans. Horrible...

My initial reaction upon hearing the news was wondering how it exactly happened and how it effected the broadcast and the game as I didn't really hear anything specific on those fronts. Here is the video of how it played out and unfortunately it features A's announcers Ray Fosse and Glen Kuiper being a bit too casual about the incident. The video below is not graphic but it is very morbid so view at your own discretion.

(***Ed Note: Because of the stated request of the Stone family, we have decided to take down the video footage and encourage all websites to do the same.  You can also place a donation here in honor of Shannon Stone for the Stone family.)

Eeesh. Not good. It's hard for me to gauge how upset to be about the light hearted nature they show about the incident. They do seem to show some concern but definitely have a couple of brief moments where they're dismissive and folksy about the fall...

Ah, the beauty of live television.  Boston Red Sox announcers Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo are somewhat known for their tangent taking abilities and not quite following the script on the local Red Sox telecasts on NESN.  In fact, it was just a couple weeks ago that a lady with a chicken hat captivated their attention for a couple minutes.  Well, tonight's episode was a bit more... well, risque is about the nicest way to put it.  Actually I'm surprised that this kind of thing doesn't happen more often during sports telecasts with how many thousands of crowd shots happen during live games.  After an extended crowd shot on two couples enjoying the game in Boston, one male Red Sox fan got a little grabby with his female companion.  It's not quite as subtle as this or as noticeable as this, but still enough to drive Don and Jerry into a Charley Steineresque breakdown.   Good times all around...



H/T to our friends at SportsGrid for the clip!