Wall Street Journal: How Biased Is Your Announcer?

[white sox bill]

I dont care if its Hawk, DJ, Stoney or Farms, as long as the final words are "Thats a Sox winner!" is all I care

[SephClone89]

Originally Posted by LITTLE NELL

I would not want it any other way, I want my announcer to be a homer.
''Don't stop now Hawk''.
No one ever had any problem with ''Thats a White Sox wallop and a box of White Owl Cigars'' or ''Hey Hey That a way Minnie'' or '' Oh Oh for a long one''.

The problem isn't just that he's a homer. The problem is that he's bad at broadcasting.

[DrCrawdad]

Originally Posted by soltrain21

You don't have to watch more than 3 Sox games in order to get Hawk's entire soundboard he calls an announcing career.

That may be true however it does not explain the fact that Cubbie fans love to say they ignore the Sox, pay the Sox no attention, blah blah blah...but then talk about (bash) The Hawk, constantly. If you are claiming that it's just the 3 games a year that The Hawk broadcasts on the Cubs/Sox games that compels Cubbie fans to talk about The Hawk, then you are wrong. Cubbie fans talk more about The Hawk than they do about Andre Dawson.

[harwar]

Originally Posted by SephClone89

I wasn't around when he worked for the Sox, but I hear Thorne on occasion now and while I can see why people wouldn't like him...yes, I would take him over Hawk.

He's better now than when he was here .. i watch the orioles quite a bit and i enjoy when Gary Thorne and Jim Palmer are together

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by SephClone89

The problem isn't just that he's a homer. The problem is that he's bad at broadcasting.

Basically, I don't care about the homerism, I actually like that. Who would want bland objectivity from their hometown team's PBP guy?

It's just that Hawk sucks. He's a walking sound board and has an "Aw shucks" Southern drawl that I personally do not like. But I have no problem with him openly rooting for the Sox.

[asindc]

Originally Posted by SephClone89

Why are you "glad" that Vin Scully is relatively unbiased?

Why should any Sox fan care that Scully is relatively unbiased? How does that affect the enjoyment of any game for a Sox fan? I'm not asking rhetorically, I really would like to know.

[kba]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Basically, I don't care about the homerism, I actually like that. Who would want bland objectivity from their hometown team's PBP guy?

It's just that Hawk sucks. He's a walking sound board and has an "Aw shucks" Southern drawl that I personally do not like. But I have no problem with him openly rooting for the Sox.

Personally, I don't mind Hawk rooting for the Sox when something good happens. But I can't stand his sulking and silence when things go bad. I don't always have my eyes glued to the set when a game is on, so it would be nice if Hawk would actually say something when there's a key play -- even if it's an opponent's home run or a Sox strike out.

I can see how his "angry shutdown mode" might appeal to most diehard fans, but I doubt it does a lot to attract casual fans, kids, and new viewers to the broadcasts.

[SephClone89]

Originally Posted by asindc

Why should any Sox fan care that Scully is relatively unbiased? How does that affect the enjoyment of any game for a Sox fan? I'm not asking rhetorically, I really would like to know.

I'm just trying to figure out what Heather meant by "I'm glad [Scully] is on the bottom of this list [meaning he is quite impartial]"

[DrCrawdad]

Originally Posted by kba

Personally, I don't mind Hawk rooting for the Sox when something good happens. But I can't stand his sulking and silence when things go bad. I don't always have my eyes glued to the set when a game is on, so it would be nice if Hawk would actually say something when there's a key play -- even if it's an opponent's home run or a Sox strike out.

I can see how his "angry shutdown mode" might appeal to most diehard fans, but I doubt it does a lot to attract casual fans, kids, and new viewers to the broadcasts.

What they want are viewers and they know that people will turn to the Sox game just to hear/see Hawk's response.

Hate Hawk or love Hawk, Hawk boosts ratings.

[soltrain21]

Originally Posted by DrCrawdad

That may be true however it does not explain the fact that Cubbie fans love to say they ignore the Sox, pay the Sox no attention, blah blah blah...but then talk about (bash) The Hawk, constantly. If you are claiming that it's just the 3 games a year that The Hawk broadcasts on the Cubs/Sox games that compels Cubbie fans to talk about The Hawk, then you are wrong. Cubbie fans talk more about The Hawk than they do about Andre Dawson.

Every fan base knows how biased and bad Hawk is. EVERY FAN BASE. Especially when you live in the same city the guy broadcasts in. That last sentence coming from you is hilarious. Blaming a fan base for caring about something other than their team.

[Nellie_Fox]

Originally Posted by MUsoxfan

Hawk has gone from "homer" to "cartoon" and I think that's unfortunate.

Maybe it's just me, but I think he's toned it down some this year.

Originally Posted by soltrain21

You don't have to watch more than 3 Sox games in order to get Hawk's entire soundboard he calls an announcing career.

That's true of almost all sports announcers. There's only so many ways you can say things, and they like to develop "trademark" calls. Hell, Caray was absolutely overflowing with them.

Originally Posted by SephClone89

The problem isn't just that he's a homer. The problem is that he's bad at broadcasting.

In your opinion.

[DrCrawdad]

Originally Posted by soltrain21

Every fan base knows how biased and bad Hawk is. EVERY FAN BASE. Especially when you live in the same city the guy broadcasts in. That last sentence coming from you is hilarious. Blaming a fan base for caring about something other than their team.

Here's the thing, I don't care if Cubs fans talk about the Sox. I don't care if Sox fans talk about the Cubs. I think it's only natural to do so.

What I said and you conveniently glossed over in your haste to post that petty personal shot is that Cub fans say they ignore the Sox, never pay them any attention so then why does Hawk bother them so?

[DrCrawdad]

Originally Posted by Nellie_Fox

Maybe it's just me, but I think he's toned it down some this year.

That's true of almost all sports announcers. There's only so many ways you can say things, and they like to develop "trademark" calls. Hell, Caray was absolutely overflowing with them.

In your opinion.

To a couple of the regulars it's not an opinion, it's established fact, an incontrovertible truth.

[kittle42]

Originally Posted by soltrain21

Every fan base knows how biased and bad Hawk is. EVERY FAN BASE. Especially when you live in the same city the guy broadcasts in. That last sentence coming from you is hilarious. Blaming a fan base for caring about something other than their team.

I have noticed that one of the first things I get made fun of if someone outside Chicago is making fun of me for being a Sox fan is Hawk. His homerism is widely known.

I actually like him still. As much as I cringe at some of his schtick, I still prefer it to none.

[DrCrawdad]

Originally Posted by kittle42

I have noticed that one of the first things I get made fun of if someone outside Chicago is making fun of me for being a Sox fan is Hawk. His homerism is widely known.

I actually like him still. As much as I cringe at some of his schtick, I still prefer it to none.

Hawk is a larger than life type personality, he always has been. Chicago magazine recently had an article that was about that. Hawk's personality, his shtick well it's not as though Chicago won't accept that, see Harry Caray and well Ron Santo except for that Santo was a radio broadcaster who had great difficultly speaking.