For me, Joe was the emotion of the game. Marty did a better job of describing what was going on at the moment, but Joe was the emotional barometer. Grandpa and I couldn't help but get alternately excited or upset right along with him. Grandpa used to talk to Joe like he could hear him too...and the weirdest part was that most times Joe would say something that almost seemed like he did hear. His voice will always remind me of those summer days with Grandpa that I thought would last forever...and the seasons where even when the Reds were down 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth, you didn't dare give up...because they always found a way to come back. It was almost as if Grandpa, Joe, and I willed them to do it.
Thanks for the memories, Joe! Say Hi to Grandpa for me, will ya?
