Joe Buck

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 2. Say hey "Mind passing the overcoat again, it's still cold and windy, just like Game 1," said Fox pregame show host Chris Rose. "The teams will battle the elements." Say what? Doppler Radar so lied to Joe Buck. Well, figuratively at least. Buck, Fox's play-by-play announcer, told us often that rain was "imminent." He said Doppler Radar was telling him, and us, that rain would come in large amounts by 10 p.m. EDT, that it was likely the game might not finish.

Legendary baseball broadcaster Tim McCarver is stepping down from his job as Fox's lead baseball analyst after this season. A former catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, McCarver has held the job since 1996, when the network acquired rights to broadcast the national pastime. He has also covered games for NBC, CBS and ABC and spent many years calling New York Mets games. “Although I am neither tired of broadcasting baseball nor have I in any way lost my interest in baseball, with which I have been associated as a player and broadcaster for 55 years, it's time to cut back," McCarver said in a statement.

Though it's dead and buried, declared obsolete by the people who classify Hollywood's films, the ominous X rating is hardly forgotten. It did too much damage to ever go quietly into the night. All by itself, this unassuming letter struck dread in the hearts of moralistic video chains, timid theaters and concerned family newspapers, all of whom refused to have anything to do with films that earned that awful rating.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 5. Say hey Into the nervous silence that seemed to surround Angel Stadium just before the first pitch, Fox's Joe Buck said, "This crowd may need a little jolt tonight. This place is awful quiet." Say what? If you're looking for a holiday gift for Buck, perhaps a globe? In talking about Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, a pitching prospect, Buck referred to the place where Chapman was now living as "Angora" which is a kind of sweater.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning says it's tough watching younger brother Eli play on TV, says it's nerve-racking, says it can be aggravating, especially when Joe Buck is calling the New York Giants' game for Fox. "Of course Joe Buck's just ripping Eli, just because that's what he seems to enjoy doing," Peyton said during an interview with NBC's Bob Costas. "So I'm yelling at Joe Buck, 'Just call the play-by-play, Joe. Let [Troy] Aikman do the commentary!' " Manning said he quickly composed himself.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 1. Say hey Joe Buck, Fox's play-by-play man, welcomed viewers to New York where he said the temperatures were in the mid-40s. Someone get Buck a thermometer. The actual temperature would be nice. Say what? In the top of the fifth, Buck said, "The Angels have to get Chone Figgins figured out. Figgins has to figure out what he's doing with the bat." Figgins was in an 0-for-14 slump at the time. But what the Angels have to figure out isn't Figgins.

Joe Buck, tabbed "Mr. October" by Fox, is at a point in sports broadcasting one can only dream about. Not only has he replaced Pat Summerall as Fox's lead play-by-play announcer on the NFL, he'll call his fifth World Series for Fox beginning Saturday. In January 2005, he'll call Super Bowl XXXIX at Jacksonville, Fla. That will put him in a class with announcers such as Curt Gowdy and Al Michaels, who have worked a World Series and a Super Bowl. Not bad for someone only 33.

Minnesota Viking owner Red McCombs asked Fox Sports to remove play-by-play announcer Joe Buck from Sunday's playoff game at Philadelphia because of his sharp criticism of wide receiver Randy Moss, and was turned down by the network. After catching a touchdown pass in last weekend's victory at Green Bay, Moss celebrated in the end zone by pretending to pull down his pants and moon Packer fans. Buck immediately called it a "disgusting act." McCombs said that statement was out of line.

Legendary baseball broadcaster Tim McCarver is stepping down from his job as Fox's lead baseball analyst after this season. A former catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, McCarver has held the job since 1996, when the network acquired rights to broadcast the national pastime. He has also covered games for NBC, CBS and ABC and spent many years calling New York Mets games. “Although I am neither tired of broadcasting baseball nor have I in any way lost my interest in baseball, with which I have been associated as a player and broadcaster for 55 years, it's time to cut back," McCarver said in a statement.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 4. Say hey Joe Buck welcomed us with this: "Has momentum shifted to the Angels? Or will CC [Sabathia] ease the minds of Yankee nation? Answers coming up." The answers came up, early and often. Say what? The " 'Ninja Assassin' Keys to the Game" was an actual segment. Understanding that someone has to pay the bills, this brought to mind the idea that a player needed the ability to do some sort of karate kick.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 3: Say hey Fox Sports' Joe Buck told us, "In my opinion, Jered Weaver getting the start, has to get off to a great beginning. In my opinion, the Angels need to get on the board first to get some of the momentum back." Derek Jeter had a different opinion, homering to lead off the first for the Yankees. Say what? Tim McCarver, while praising the job Angels General Manager Tony Reagins has done, first called him Tom. Having heard from more than a few Angels viewers who think Fox is being too New York-centric, it doesn't help when the analyst seems to not know the name of the Angels' GM. Replay this Top of the eighth when the Yankees' Brett Gardner tried to steal second except Angels Manager Mike Scioscia called for a pitchout.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 2. Say hey "Mind passing the overcoat again, it's still cold and windy, just like Game 1," said Fox pregame show host Chris Rose. "The teams will battle the elements." Say what? Doppler Radar so lied to Joe Buck. Well, figuratively at least. Buck, Fox's play-by-play announcer, told us often that rain was "imminent." He said Doppler Radar was telling him, and us, that rain would come in large amounts by 10 p.m. EDT, that it was likely the game might not finish.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning says it's tough watching younger brother Eli play on TV, says it's nerve-racking, says it can be aggravating, especially when Joe Buck is calling the New York Giants' game for Fox. "Of course Joe Buck's just ripping Eli, just because that's what he seems to enjoy doing," Peyton said during an interview with NBC's Bob Costas. "So I'm yelling at Joe Buck, 'Just call the play-by-play, Joe. Let [Troy] Aikman do the commentary!' " Manning said he quickly composed himself.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 1. Say hey Joe Buck, Fox's play-by-play man, welcomed viewers to New York where he said the temperatures were in the mid-40s. Someone get Buck a thermometer. The actual temperature would be nice. Say what? In the top of the fifth, Buck said, "The Angels have to get Chone Figgins figured out. Figgins has to figure out what he's doing with the bat." Figgins was in an 0-for-14 slump at the time. But what the Angels have to figure out isn't Figgins.

In the end, the NFL's man of mystery didn't leave much room at all for guesswork. If Brett Favre's arm is sufficiently healed, he'll be playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings this season.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 4. Say hey Joe Buck welcomed us with this: "Has momentum shifted to the Angels? Or will CC [Sabathia] ease the minds of Yankee nation? Answers coming up." The answers came up, early and often. Say what? The " 'Ninja Assassin' Keys to the Game" was an actual segment. Understanding that someone has to pay the bills, this brought to mind the idea that a player needed the ability to do some sort of karate kick.

Some of the highs and lows of watching Angels-Yankees Game 5. Say hey Into the nervous silence that seemed to surround Angel Stadium just before the first pitch, Fox's Joe Buck said, "This crowd may need a little jolt tonight. This place is awful quiet." Say what? If you're looking for a holiday gift for Buck, perhaps a globe? In talking about Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, a pitching prospect, Buck referred to the place where Chapman was now living as "Angora" which is a kind of sweater.

Minnesota Viking owner Red McCombs asked Fox Sports to remove play-by-play announcer Joe Buck from Sunday's playoff game at Philadelphia because of his sharp criticism of wide receiver Randy Moss, and was turned down by the network. After catching a touchdown pass in last weekend's victory at Green Bay, Moss celebrated in the end zone by pretending to pull down his pants and moon Packer fans. Buck immediately called it a "disgusting act." McCombs said that statement was out of line.

Joe Buck, tabbed "Mr. October" by Fox, is at a point in sports broadcasting one can only dream about. Not only has he replaced Pat Summerall as Fox's lead play-by-play announcer on the NFL, he'll call his fifth World Series for Fox beginning Saturday. In January 2005, he'll call Super Bowl XXXIX at Jacksonville, Fla. That will put him in a class with announcers such as Curt Gowdy and Al Michaels, who have worked a World Series and a Super Bowl. Not bad for someone only 33.