Cowboy knowledge of the game

[Hubba]

Volunteers? I thought they get paid to be in the military. Don't get me wrong I love USA as much as the next guy but I would say Norway is probably better (although what would I know I only lived there for 3 years lol)

Why are you here?

[Boss-Hog]

Please do not make this political - we have a separate area for that.

[OesterPoster]

Could you give examples, please?

He started talking about how he's a country boy (this wasn't during a game) with Thom, and he bragged about how he's been cow tipping and how to do it. He basically described the exact scene from Tommy Boy, but said that's how he has tipped cows in the past.

He's full of it, and anyone who lives in a rural area knows that cow tipping is an urban legend. But he went with it, and he kept talking about it like he was an expert on the matter. Maybe he was being sarcastic, but I thought he was completely serious and lying through his teeth.

[Red Buckeye]

Get paid...please...20 years ago they were offering $26K for 6 years of service like it was a big deal...If you consider that payment for their sacrifice, then I don't know what to say...

Well I mean my friend is in the Coast Guard and he gets paid

[coachpipe]

The only one in the bunch I don't like is Thom. He talks way to much and overanalyzes everything. He also has one of the most annoying laughs that I have ever heard. If I was going to try and spell out the way he laughs it'd be: Toohaha.

It's like he adds a "Too" before he laughs.

His daily reminder that "America is the greatest country in the world", and his strange obsession with the military is odd.

Whenever I hear america is the best country in the world I think of this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zqOYBabXmA

[Red Buckeye]

Why are you here?

Well if you go back and read my original post in this thread I was talking about my dislike for Thom Brennaman. I was explaining what annoys me about him and another poster decided to turn it into a political thread.

[OldXOhio]

I don't mind Brantley's color analysis of the game....it's his hack job play by play that makes me change the channel.

[malcontent]

And I really don't believe anything Brantley says. I've caught him in out and out lies often enough, I just tune him out.

I wish I could.

[redsmetz]

I love Jim Kelch. A no nonsense kind of announcer who will correct someone else when they are wrong on the air. He is fantastic.

Brantley.... he is very much hit and miss. When he is right, he is right. But when he is wrong, man is he wrong. Then there is all of the trash in the middle that has nothing to do with baseball, which unfortunately is about 75% of the stuff he talks about.

I'm going to build off of Doug's response, but I agree with quite a number of other folks' assessments of the broadcast team.

I think Kelch is the best thing for Marty Brennaman. He has some way of bringing out the nicer Marty, the less cranky Marty. I can see how someone might believe Kelch is boring, but I would disagree. He's almost like the anti-Thom.

When Marty calls a game, doing straight play by play, I think there are few better than him for painting the picture and telling the narrative, but Marty has so many sidetracks anymore, I find myself yelling at the radio "just tell us about the game!".

I like Welsh generally, but (and this is going to sound funny) it drives me nuts when he fails to use an adverb. "You went to St. X, for heaven's sake. I went to Moeller and even I know to say 'well' or 'weakly' or whatever." Actually same for Jeff (you went to college, Jeff!). Sorry, it's the editor in me (albeit not professional). I know, I know. Minor quibble, there's jocks, etc. (except Welsh went to St. X for heaven's sake!).

Jeff's good old boy schtick gets old. And seriously, he must be a heart attack just waiting if he consumes the amount of food he jokes about (I don't think he actually does).

But I do agree that he's at his best talking about pitching. He's enlightening.

Oh, one last thing, what I absolutely hate about Jeff Brantley is how he calls a strike out on a Reds player - he's excited (having been a pitcher). I'm not looking for a Sad Sack call, but tone it down. Our guy just did poorly. And occasionally he'll be making some other call that sounds like it's going to be a good outcome only to have the outfielder making a routine catch or some other event that you've had no forewarning that it was going to happen, and poof! - he pulls the rug out from under you; inning over, 700 runners left on, we'll be back for the top of the next inning... Oy.

[Red Buckeye]

I couldn't agree more with thestatement you made about Brantley. I have noticed Marty does the same thing though. And it's worse when he does it, because he is the man when it comes to making a dramatic call.

Example (pretend this is Marty saying this on the radio): 2 on, 2 out. Reds batting in the bottom of the 9th and they trail 5-3. The 1-1 to Bruce...THIS BALL IS WAAAY BACK INTO RIGHT FIELD! MILLER GOING BACK, HEEEEEE MAKES THE CATCH! AND THAT'S THE BALLGAME!.

I know Marty gets excited as much as any fan does, but a little pre-warning would be nice. Maybe he could say something like "This ball is hit pretty good but it might not have enough..."

But it's so deflating when, by the sound of Marty's excited voice, it sounds like something good is about to happen, only for it to end badly.

And Kelch has grown on me. Though at first he seemed boring, this current season he has been nice to listen to. He is very level headed, and I think he works best with Cowboy and Marty.

Chris Welch is still my second favorite, behind only the HOF'er. And though I feel bad for Chris whenever he gets stuck with Thom (it's painfully obvious they have had some, 'issues', off the air), it's almost fun to hear the two of them subtly poke each other.

Jeff Brantley to me is just some cool older guy that would be fun to share a beer with (or ice cream) and talk baseball. He seems like an all arounf nice guy and I like the fact he loves food as much as I do. I actually think it's funny hearing him talk about food. I certainly don't let it bother me.

If I had to rate the guys from favorite to least favorite it would go:

1. Marty
2. Welch
3. Kelch/Cowboy
99. Thom (although he is good at calling a great play like a walkoff, like his dad, it's all the other stuff he says that turn me off).

[nemesis]

Jeff Shaw once told me that Brantley knows more about pitching than any one person he had ever met and credits him for making him a better pitcher. Said teammates used to go to him for advice on a batter as he had almost memorized every batter by heart. I think his arrogance comes from this. His I know all comes from this. I rather enjoy listening to him when he talks about pitching not so much all the other stuff.

[RedEye]

I often find myself watching Reds games either on mute or with the opposing team's broadcasters. I have better things to do than listen to two guys shoot the breeze about food and high school memories for two and a half hours a day.

[westofyou]

[MrRedLegger]

I'd like to propose that these guys are just as much radio/television personalities as they are announcers. He walks into the booth as Jeff Brantley but sits down in front of the mic (and camera) as The overeating cow-tipping Cowboy. Marty, the grumpy old guru barely humbled by his HOF status is also the guy who willingly shaved his head for the Reds Community Fund with a fat smile on his face. It's their job duties.

Chris Welch's "Bowtie Tuesday" is as much for the camera/fans as it is his personal taste/style. I've seen plenty at Tuesday games now and there's also a Budweiser Bowtie Bar in RF.

If you're in showbiz, in any way, you gotta change for the camera. Unless your name is Snooki.

[jmac]

I don't mind Brantley's color analysis of the game....it's his hack job play by play that makes me change the channel.

Bingo ! Like the other night, with a runner at first , he said "a liner into RF and Bruce.......is gonna get it." While I am thinking Bruce makes the catch, he goes on to say "now runners are on the corners".
Then of course here is another thing he does often. Say Bruce again as an example at the plate with 3 ball 2 strike count.
JB : Here is the pitch....high and outside (pause).....and Bruce chases it and doesnt get it !
When listening to the radio...your first reaction is a walk. Wrong
As OXO said, I do enjoy his commentary. I know some talk of his "knowing it all type attitude" but many analysts do that so that doesnt really bother me.