Marty Brennaman manages to piss off Tony LaRussa.

The #1 douchebag of baseball announcers is at it again.

about 1 year ago SackMan 43 comments 0 recs |

Comments

Save Brandon Phillips.

But I hate the Reds.

"It's easy to do what's ordinary, it's difficult to do what's deemed impossible -- I guess that explains why my life is so hard, because nothing is impossible for me"

by Unique on May 18, 2011 6:49 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

Wow.

Marty needs to be retired.

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by Al Yellon on May 18, 2011 7:19 AM CDT reply actions

this just goes to show you

how great of announcers we have – can you imagine Pat, Keith, Len or Bob (or even Ron in his day) making a comment like this?

Maybe we can make a trade – Marty for Pat in the HOF

by hansman1982 on May 18, 2011 8:22 AM CDT up reply actions

Totally agree

About our announcers.

by Clark Addison on May 18, 2011 9:02 AM CDT up reply actions

Ya...

… I can’t imagine Ron disparaging an organization or even an entire city.

by dmlichte on May 18, 2011 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions

and thanks to that met fans loved him

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by Cubbie-Tim on May 18, 2011 6:24 PM CDT up reply actions

No one should ever be criticized for pissing off TLR

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on May 18, 2011 7:43 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

agree. the headline made me laugh.

I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. -J.R.R. Tolkien

by Emelie on May 18, 2011 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions

The Cardinals are a bunch of babies

Marty Brennaman gets on my nerves but the Cardinals are a bunch of whinny babies these days and the Reds are going to keep punking them every chance they get.

by Cubsfan Waveland on May 18, 2011 8:24 AM CDT reply actions

Marty...

…clearly has a chip on his shoulder, not doubt. Didn’t he say something about Cub fans a few years ago as well?

I also agree the Cards have a serious paranoid complex in regards to their guys getting hit, and this is a situation of the team taking on the personality of its manager.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on May 18, 2011 9:09 AM CDT reply actions

Well when Marty does

retire Thom will pick up the torch . If you have to watch the Cincinnati feed it can be brutal at times . When Chris and George did the Reds games it was pleasant to watch .

by cubs north on May 18, 2011 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions

George Grande

was my favorite non-Cub announcer in the National League.

by Josh Timmers on May 18, 2011 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Say what you will about LaRussa...

…but that’s a guy that would fight to the death for his players. Nothing good I can say about Brennaman.

by troutfishin on May 18, 2011 9:58 AM CDT reply actions

I thought TLR summed it up well

“He earned the right to get into the Hall of Fame,” La Russa said. “And now he ought to keep earning that respect instead of abusing it.”

I certainly believe in freedom of speech and that freedom of speech permits me to call Marty a jerk.

RIP Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) and Ron Santo (February 25, 1940-December 2, 2010).
If you disagree with me in any way, you are wrong.

by Ace Venom on May 18, 2011 10:56 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

The Cardinals are a bunch of whiners (especially in the last few years)

so they can’t be let off the hook either in this whole situation.

If you think you've seen it all...just wait!

by CubFanSince1970 on May 18, 2011 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions

I gained a lot of respect for LaRussa...

…when he defended the Cubs organization from some pretty flimsy reporting in St. Louis.

by troutfishin on May 18, 2011 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions

I remember that...

…and I think LaRussa did that more out of respect for Piniella than the Cubs, though I could be wrong.

Anyway, he was right when he did do that.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on May 18, 2011 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions

here is larussa defending the cubs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g64Ae58SvEk

by MikeJW on May 18, 2011 7:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I certainly believe in freedom of speech and that freedom of speech permits me to call Marty a jerk.

It does. Oddly, when I did that, I got flamed here pretty good.

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by Al Yellon on May 18, 2011 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Let's not get selective on who we are allowed to call names around here.

by troutfishin on May 18, 2011 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Because you have a clear double-standard about name-calling around here.

"They sell every ticket to every game, win or lose!" - Tom Ricketts

by bluemagic9 on May 19, 2011 10:49 PM CDT up reply actions

I trust you can see the difference..

… between what I did, and posters here calling other posters names.

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by Al Yellon on May 20, 2011 6:06 AM CDT up reply actions

I’d love to see Brennaman and TLR have at it. Cage style. No one gets out.

Of course the Cards whine, but the Reds seem a little full of themselves lately with a NL Central title. I like Brandon Phillips and I hate the Cards. But Brennaman I can’t take.

MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT ALREADY. THIS GAME IS ABOUT ADJUSTMENTS.

by MaTheMeatloaf on May 18, 2011 11:09 AM CDT reply actions

You'd think getting no-hit and swept out of the playoffs would have taken a little wind out of their sails.

by the nth on May 18, 2011 5:06 PM CDT up reply actions

If i have to listen to other announcers

other than ours, i expect and accept a little home cooking, they are paying their checks after all, but the yahoo’s in the Red’s booth spend three hours of belittling the cubs and maybe ten minutes of actual game reporting. Its kinda like when your kids screw up, you know they screwed up but dangit if anyone but me is going to belittle them or make fun of them for it!

"There had to be a place where the game could be fun again….that place is called Wrigley Field"---Andre Dawson

One thing you learned as a Cubs fan: when you bought your ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth. Joe Garagiola

by epsilon on May 18, 2011 12:38 PM CDT reply actions

Right.

It’s fine for announcers to be homers — they are, after all, speaking to an audience of fans of their team. I don’t think a home team announcer needs to make a pretense of being neutral.

But I have never heard another announcer besides Marty Brennaman routinely bash other teams and their fanbases.

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by Al Yellon on May 18, 2011 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions

was Thom's split with the Cubs amicable?

or was he run out? Because in hind sight when his partner was really getting on to the guys Thom wasnt going for the throat it sounded more like he was trying to not have awkward silences in the booth.

"There had to be a place where the game could be fun again….that place is called Wrigley Field"---Andre Dawson

One thing you learned as a Cubs fan: when you bought your ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth. Joe Garagiola

by epsilon on May 18, 2011 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Thom

He left the Cubs when they were unwilling to allow him to miss weekend games late in the season to do NFL games on FOX. IIRC FOX had just gained rights to do NFL games and they wanted Thom to be one of their broadcasters, but the Cubs didn’t want him missing Sunday games (and perhaps even Saturday games when he might have to travel, etc). I don’t believe that there was any ill will, and from what I can remember, Marty Brennaman had a fairly good relationship and attitude towards the Cubs up until the 2004 Dusty led team that frankly, pissed of a lot of people.

Personally, I really liked Thom when he was with the Cubs. I thought he did a nice job and I was disappointed to see him go. I still recall his last broadcast (fall of 1994 or ’95 I believe), and he got extremely emotional at the end. I thought he did a nice job here and would have liked it had he stuck around.

by dmlichte on May 18, 2011 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions

When the cubs were rained out on Sunday, I made the same general comments

while watching the Reds feed against the Cardinals.

So, it needs to be clarified that in light of the recent and backtoback bedwetting performances by the Cubs in Cincinnati, that frustration has absolutely nothing to do with declaring the Brennamen clan smug, idiot douchewagons.

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by Gibbon Jockey on May 18, 2011 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Having to choose between Brennaman and La Russa

is like choosing whether you want to be stabbed or poisoned.

I find Marty entertaining, and I appreciate that he speaks his mind, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a pompous ass. So is TLR, but he lacks all the charm of Marty.

by Not Bruce Froemming on May 18, 2011 1:48 PM CDT reply actions

the Hall of Fame/Ford Frick award for broadcasters is a joke

every year they let somebody in. 30 years ago that was great for the legends. Nowadays, 1 or 2 players is inducted each year, and 1 broadcaster. How can that be? There are many more players than broadcasters, and obviously the players are more important. If they continue to put in 1 per year, you will continue to see mediocre guys like Brennaman, who really are there due to their longevity on the job.

by holy mackeral on May 18, 2011 2:13 PM CDT reply actions

Sorry, but you're wrong on the Frick Award

And sorry, but the broadcasters being inducted these days are legends. Take a look over the last decade of Frick Award Winners…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_C._Frick_Award
Who is not deserving? I realize that not every broadcaster is liked by everyone… the listener has unique tastes. But the fact of the matter is that guys like Dave Neihaus, Denny Matthews and Jerry Coleman are to their cities what Pat Hughes is to Chicago, and Hughes should and receive the Frick Award.

Brennaman isn’t mediocre. He rubs people the wrong way and perhaps he’s far from his peak as an announcer, but he isn’t mediocre in the least.

by dmlichte on May 18, 2011 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions

The acid test here

May be “could a neutral observer take in the broadcast and enjoy it”. I submit that neither of Marty’s last two games would have passed that test. Wildly overhyping routine Reds plays, denigrating the opposition, and (most damningly) blaming the Reds occasional poor play on the competition – none of those are hallmarks of a good announcer. Marty may have had some good days, HoF-worthy days, in his past, but his recent performances have left a poor impression on many who witnesses them.

I have a hard time believing that the same could be said for Pat Hughes at any time now or in the past.

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on May 18, 2011 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Brennaman

Say what you want about his last few years, whether or not he’s become overly critical or a bit of a curmudgeon… but based on the entirety of his career, I think that you’d find that many would consider him worthy of the Frick award. He and Hughes have very different personality types, so I’m not sure thats an apt comparison.

by dmlichte on May 18, 2011 2:57 PM CDT up reply actions

sorry, you are wrong. They should not induct as many broadcasters as they do players

those recent announcers are good, not great. In my opinion, they should slow it down, and induct one every 2 or 3 years. You are entitled to your opinion as well.

by holy mackeral on May 18, 2011 3:59 PM CDT up reply actions

they're not inducting broadcasters

They are two totally different things and your way off base here. They are honoring announcers with an award, not inducting them into the hall of fame. Further they have only been honoring announcers since 1978, so maybe the powers that be feel that they have some catching up to do. Players being inducted has absolutely nothing to do with the broadcasters being honored.

by dmlichte on May 18, 2011 4:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Can't wait for the day Hawk Harrelson is inducted. The stories about how he invented the batting

glove and Tony Conigliaro’s muscles will entertain the crowd for seconds.

by the nth on May 18, 2011 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions

if one person per year receives the award, Harrelson will indeed be there soon

dmlichte is correct in saying that this is merely an award, and not HOF induction. But my point is that while the HOF inducts the very best of the best players, a higher percentage of announcers win the Frick award.

by holy mackeral on May 19, 2011 9:22 AM CDT up reply actions

Article I wrote on this topic for Baseball Nation

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by Al Yellon on May 18, 2011 2:44 PM CDT reply actions

The Brennaman's

When either or both of the Brennamen’s can discern the business end of a jock strap in three guesses or less….then I will give a crap about anything those rubes say. Until then, they are non-playing shills for their employers…nothing more.

"When the day comes with that last winning run and I'm crying and covered in beer. I'll look to the sky and know I was right to think someday we'll go all the way." - Vedder

by krummy12 on May 18, 2011 3:23 PM CDT reply actions

Make up your mind on how you want the plural of the Brennamans to look.

I see you’ve gone with the possessive in both buy I do like the plural of man used in the second.

by the nth on May 18, 2011 5:12 PM CDT reply actions

Considering this is the same person

Who went off at a Reds staffer on the air during a game, it doesn’t surprise me at all. Marty earned the honor of being in the Hall of Fame. That doesn’t mean he should flaunt it whenever he gets the chance.

Turn the speakers up to hear the audio in that clip (NSFW language).

I didn't believe it last August, but it turns out that love survives.

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If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.

by Vermont Cubs Fan on May 18, 2011 5:51 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs