Fenway Magic and the Vinyl Solution
October 17, 2008Geez, what a game last night. Tampa was a soft body blow away from KOing Boston and sneaking into the World Series. But like a great boxer, the Sox absorbed the punches and got up off the mat- barely beating the referee’s ten count – and came back to knock out the Rays. Cut me Mick! Never was Yogi’s saying “it ain’t over till it’s over” more appropriate. So that was the good part of the evening, now for the bad part. I hate to bring the mood down – but the announcing for these games is slowly killing me. Holy irritating Batman! Is Buck Martinez TBS’s version of Fox’s Tim McCarver? Why do these stations feel like they have to do this to us? What part of Vin Scully don’t they understand? Vin’s gotta have a price right? I mean get that man on a G5 jet, put him up in the nicest hotel, limo him to and from the games, make him an offer he can’t refuse – immediately. I’ll even chip in to make it happen. If he won’t do it I’ll settle for Krukow and Kuiper from San Fran, or Ryan Lefebvre from KC. Geez, I’ll even take Harey Carey if we can unearth him. Honestly, where was the turning point when announcers felt like they had to teach us every little aspect of the game? God forbid a little dead air happens. A brief moment when we can all enjoy the sounds of the crowd or the crack of the bat or the call of the umpire. But no, we have to get assaulted with the infinite wisdom of these guys. Jam it in. It reminds me of being in a math class in college where the professor has a captive crowd and drones on for the whole session about obscure equations. This is the same thing except you can’t stop the barrage of words by raising your hand and asking a question. How about an announcer who just describes the game and keeps it simple? It brings to mind that conversation I had with Vin Scully – the one I blogged about a couple posts ago. In that conversation, I also asked him the difference between modern day announcers and ones from the old school. This was his reply – again in that great Vin voice. “Well Brent, today its all about the statistics. I find that modern announcers rely on them as a drunk would rely on a light pole. For support rather than illumination.” So true. He also went on to say that he approached each game as if he was painting a picture. His paints were the weather, the particular crowd, the ballpark, the teams, etc. and he has them all laid out in front of him before the game. As the game starts, he mixes the paints and puts them on the canvas and when its all over he has created a picture. He said sometimes it turns out great and sometimes mediocre but they’re always different and fresh. With McCarver and Martinez the picture is always the same…its the same boring portrait of themselves and I’m tired of looking at it.
Don’t panic, breate through your nose. There’s a solution and here it is… simply turn the sound down. That’s right, turn it down. All the way. You won’t get the sounds of the game, but you also won’t get hammered with nonsense. Me personally, I go for music. I’m a vinyl guy (a massage to my ears, unlike digital). Last night, since I was pulling for Tampa, I instinctively went for the Jimmy Buffett. Now if I were a Sox fan I obviously would’ve reached for a Boston album. Until we can figure out a way to get Vin to do the games, here are my musical suggestions…..enjoy. And I promise to stay positive and not bag on anyone in the next few blogs…I just HAD to get that off my chest.
the obvious choice if you’re for the Rays. This album even makes me want to go to Florida…and that’s next to impossible.
My choice for the early part of the game – the Portuguese language is sexy and magic.
Perfect baseball music…wierd, winding, mystical, and simple. Plus he’s my style icon.
If you’ve just got to dance…
What planet did these two come from? I don’t really understand all of this, but I’ll keep trying.
They make me laugh. Solid new band for the middle to late part of the game.
Same as above, super clever.
Beantown’s answer to Buffett.
Just cause he was the man.
Never gets old to me.
Bob Melvin turned me on to this one. Incredible stuff.
Evil. My choice for the end of the game and the choice of closers throughout the big leagues.
Brent I think that that “Marky MarK and Funky Bunch” might fit in better for the younger crowd in Boston?
good point Matt.
This may be ground-breaking. Don’t think I’ve seena playlist before for a baseball game. I love it.
I’ve just posted an item about the Art of Catching on CodBall — http://www.codball.com
Greg – you’re the man. Thank you for the kind comments on your great website/blog http://www.codball. If I can ever get my computer helper off his butt I will add a link to your site.
My son today informed me that he can play his MLB baseball video game using his Rock Band guitar — both XBox devices. So that’s as close as I can get to blending rock and baseball.
Kids today!!!! Who would’ve thought anyone would ever be hitting home runs with a Fender Stratocaster??!!
Anytime I hear the allknowing McCarver crank up the monotone I drown him out with Big Head Todd and the Monsters. I heard him a few years ago when the catcher was putting down the signs say “It’s always the second sign with a runner on 2nd”; doe’s he realize that baseball has turned the page from 1970 to the next millenium?
big head todd, eh? you must be from Colorado…am I right?
No, but my niece lead guys on horseback through the snow on elk hunts somewhere at a turn of the century lodge in northwest Colorado last winter. She’s one of these horse whisperers, she’s truly amazing with horses! Her dad was a lefthanded pitcher so it makes perfect sense. Sorry to ramble, I’ll try to stay on baseball in the future.