Cory Provus Expected to Join Uecker in Brewers Radio Booth

Congrats to Cory if this is indeed accurate.

Any ideas on who might replace him?

about 3 years ago cowsarecool220 42 comments 0 recs |

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It's "Provus".

I fixed your headline.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 4:06 AM CST reply actions

Thanks!

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Feb 2, 2009 8:57 AM CST up reply actions

Good question on "who whould replace him".

It’s pretty late in the winter to start looking for guys who would do what Provus does. I wonder if they might leave the slot vacant this year and fill it next offseason.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 4:07 AM CST reply actions

The timeframe might not be an issue...

Masur left in early February of 2007 and Provus was hired in late March of 2007, in time for the regular season. If that timeline holds true again this time around, we should have a replacement by Opening Day.

by CubInLaw on Feb 2, 2009 11:44 AM CST up reply actions

I'll do it

I suppose I could take a year sabbatical, travel around with the big-league club, do some interviews with players, see all the NL ballparks and a few AL ones as well, let Ricketts put me up in the hotels and give me a food stipend. I’d help the Cubs out if they need it.

And it won’t take more than $125,000 to land me. (oh, please! oh, please! oh, please!)

by Rev Gunia on Feb 2, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions

Didn't he help Santo?

as well as do some research and on-air work?

i don’t think it would be hard to find someone to do what he did.

Fontenot (fon-te-no): Cajun for "scrappy"

by cubzfan on Feb 2, 2009 7:05 AM CST reply actions

They could find a producer who could do the research...

… a little more difficult to find an on-air person. IIRC it took quite a while to replace Andy Mazer.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 7:40 AM CST up reply actions

Blago maybe?

lol i kid.

by AndHart120 on Feb 2, 2009 7:48 AM CST reply actions

Don't kid.

The guy needs a job. Who knows?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 8:12 AM CST up reply actions

He did call WGN post game

quite frequently last year. Seemed like he actually knew a lot of what was going on. Maybe thats where all his focus was!

by AndHart120 on Feb 2, 2009 10:09 AM CST up reply actions

He'd be great at scalping tickets

If you had to choose just one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor.

by Clutche on Feb 2, 2009 10:01 AM CST up reply actions

No, he wouldn't scalp them.

He’d trade them for personal favors.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 2:51 PM CST up reply actions

Bleeping Blago?

They’d have to put the game on a longer delay and hire someone just to work a bleep button.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 10:15 AM CST up reply actions

Why not? He and Santo could compare hairpiece stories during rain delays...

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Feb 2, 2009 3:18 PM CST up reply actions

Surprising

I like Provus but this is a bit surprising. The Brewers job is much more than the typical Play-by-Play position. They have a one-man radio booth so the job really takes someone who can carry the entire broadcast. Unless WTMJ makes changes to how they do the broadcast, when Provus is on, he would be the only one doing both PBP and color. I think Provus has potential but I’m just surprised at the potential decision.

<a href=" http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090130&content_id=3786676&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb" >Here’s some more info on MLB.com.

On a side note, the Braves picked up an excellent broadcaster in Powell. He was Pat Hughes’ replacement when Pat came to the Cubs and is very similar in many ways. He’s an excellent radio guy.

The Cubs likely would be best to follow their previous process when they hired Provus. There are a lot of great radio guys out there broadcasting at the college level. Get someone a bit younger who can grow into the position, not a retread.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 9:29 AM CST reply actions

However...

… the problem with such an approach is that you’re going to get a young and ambitious guy like Provus who will, if he’s good enough, move on in a couple of years.

Personally, I don’t quite understand why they need that third guy in the booth. Just what does Pat Hughes DO during his “break”?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 9:37 AM CST up reply actions

He gets up...

… moves around, takes a pee, has a snack… who knows. Plenty of radio broadcasters take a few innings off, much less one inning. Each person is different in how their vocal chords and body are effected. Radio PBP guys tend to talk significantly more than TV guys. What is wrong with him needing ten minutes or so off in the midst of a broadcast that may stretch three or more hours?

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 9:59 AM CST up reply actions

Name one other PBP broadcaster who takes a break like this.

Uecker doesn’t count, because he works alone.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 2:51 PM CST up reply actions

Jon Gordon ...

… Twins radio guy on WCCO. He teams up with Dan Gladden and/or Jack Morris depending on the game. Gladden handles PBP for a few innings each game. I also feel like the Braves have long had a rotation of announcers.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 4:00 PM CST up reply actions

Well, I still think it's weird.

No WGN Cubs announcer needed this “break” until Pat Hughes got here.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 4:28 PM CST up reply actions

agreed- wierd

most of the other radio booths have occasional innings of solo announcing, but I haven’t noticed any other breaks scheduled like Hughes.

by baked mcbride on Feb 2, 2009 4:45 PM CST up reply actions

huh?

You think that radio booths just fly by the seat of their pants and when someone wants to take a break it happens? These things are well coordinated.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 9:49 PM CST up reply actions

maybe

they were grooming him to step in after Pat Hughes was done?

"You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace."

by All The Way on Feb 2, 2009 7:45 PM CST up reply actions

Pat Hughes...

… is in his early 50’s. He’s not going anywhere for at least a decade.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 8:12 PM CST up reply actions

Radio Booths

http://www.nmia.com/~roberts/media08.html

This is a pretty comprehensive list of radio and TV booths. You’ll notice that there are quite a few teams that have three or even four radio announcers. This was from 2008 and it didn’t even list Provus, so I imagine that there may be other teams that have an extra announcer that isn’t listed.

I don’t see why you think this is weird. Every person is different and its possible that Pat, whose voice is his most valuable asset, has been advised by a doctor to take an inning in the middle of games off to rest his voice. People need different things. Maybe he has bladder problems… I don’t know. What I do know is that Pat does 162 games on the radio (which involves a lot more talking than TV) and he does so the only coherent voice in the booth. Pat’s product is pretty fantastic… if he needs a 15 minute break in the middle of a four hour broadcast day then give it to him.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 9:56 PM CST up reply actions

Hughes works harder than most radio play-by-play guys because he graciously carries Ron Santo

Therefore I can certainly understand the desire to take an inning off to breath and regroup. Or take a serious dump.

by BLou on Feb 2, 2009 9:59 PM CST up reply actions

also...

… even an older, non ambitious guy is going to move after a couple of years. I’d rather have someone good for two years than someone mediocre who will stay put.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 10:00 AM CST up reply actions

Plus

Why would an established guy WANT that job? Basically caddying for Pat & Ron. I’m with you — I think that it’s the right approach.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Feb 2, 2009 11:37 AM CST up reply actions

So if that's the case...

… we get a new caddy every couple of years. I dunno, I’m not sure I like that idea.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 2:52 PM CST up reply actions

Seems like it's either that, or:

— Tell Hughes to stay put.
— Replace Hughes with someone who will stay put.
— Bring back a retired announcer.
— Have someone really awful in the job with no prospects/ambition of a full-time gig.
— Make it a 3-man booth, with Ron there essentially to cheerlead. “Full-time” color guy handles PxP when Pat is taking a break.

The last one might be ok — Santo essentially does little more than cheerlead at this point, anyway — and probably should stay off the road for reduced stress on his system.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Feb 2, 2009 3:48 PM CST up reply actions

Santo will probably go on fewer road trips this year than last.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 2, 2009 4:28 PM CST up reply actions

Ron Santo is living on borrowed time

He is anything but a certainty in the radio booth at this point. At a minimum, I would think he will do fewer road series in 2009.

Pat Hughes deserves humantarian award for all these years of essentially doing double duty in the Cub booth. I love Ron Santo, but lets not beat around the bush. Hughes definitely and graciously carries Santo, to include doing the duties of a color analyst in terms of insights on teams, players, game matchups, etc.

by BLou on Feb 2, 2009 5:03 PM CST up reply actions

wow another gem from blue mike

by philadelphiacub on Feb 2, 2009 8:12 PM CST up reply actions

its not untrue

As crass as the comment may appear, most people with Santo’s ailments have not lived nearly as long as Santo now has.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 9:48 PM CST up reply actions

I didn't mean to be crass and insensitive sounding

But I don’t think I’m the only one who detected that Ron Santo lacked a lot of his historic zip and enthusiasm in 2008. I openly wonder how much longer he can keep up the rigorous life of the radio booth.

by BLou on Feb 2, 2009 9:57 PM CST up reply actions

You may be the only one

that thinks Ron lacked zip. I’m certain I heard him damn near throw up at least 55 times last year, heard 600 “What are we doing Patrick?” and at least 200 fists hitting the desk. He hasn’t lost any zip if you ask me.

Its funny, you spend most of your life gripping a baseball. And in the end, its almost always the other way around.

by TCobb1911 on Feb 2, 2009 10:14 PM CST up reply actions

The point was...

… as blunt as you may have been, even the biggest of Santo fans have to realize the realities here. And at times Santo did seem to slow a bit. A year or two ago I would have put money down on thought that, by now, Santo would be doing few, if any road games.

by dmlichte on Feb 2, 2009 10:28 PM CST up reply actions

It was always my thought

…that the Cubs get a younger ambitious guy so that he can move on. They’re giving a young guy a break in the business by letting him fill in for Pat Hughes and do some research.

by Rev Gunia on Feb 2, 2009 1:06 PM CST up reply actions

The Brewer format

Is really hard to listen to. A lot of dead air.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Feb 2, 2009 11:36 AM CST up reply actions

Good luck to Provus

I’m surprised by his significant job promotion, but congrats regardless. Not much of a fan of Provus. He is stilted and non-humorous in the radio booth.

by BLou on Feb 2, 2009 9:53 AM CST reply actions

Aw, Corey, say it ain't so! You're going to work for the enemy?

Ah well, can’t say I blame him. If this is true, it’s obviously a huge opportunity for him. I liked what Corey brings to the broadcast booth – he has a very clear, concise, no BS style. Yeah, I guess he could lighten up a bit more, though.

We are a fever ... we are a fever ... we ain't born typical.

by daver on Feb 2, 2009 11:01 AM CST reply actions

Ideas

My first idea is that WGN Radio could go to a 3 man broadcast team with Pat, Ron, and Dave Otto. Dave could do play by play for 1 inning and be a 2nd color guy for the rest of the game. He will also join Pat and be the only color guy when Ronny skips road trip.

My second idea is bringing another Caray to Cubs broadcast. Josh Caray, Harry’s grandson and Chip’s half brother, does minor league broadcasts for the Braves. What do you guy think? Here Josh’s wiki article.