Nuxhall being FORCED out -- Channel 5 Reporting

[Fil3232]

I'll say this, I couldnt care any less at this point if Joe makes an occasional mistake or two on the air. His presence has come to represent so much to the team and the city. Listening to Steve Stewart has really illustrated how great (and rare) Marty and Joe are as an announcing tandem. Steve Stewart has an unwavering way about his style, or lack there of, that really makes all the baseball action seem rather mundane and simply baseball. When Joe's enthusiam and passion are present, which is every night, Cincinnati Reds baseballs transcends just baseball, it is a way of life, a reminder of times when things were simpler, it is so much more than simply baseball action.

I know some dont and cant appreciate the little nuances that go along with Marty and especially Joe, and for that I am sorry. To me, I appreciate them every bit as much as the baseball action. I cherish when a ball can be hit to left/right center and when there can be 7 balls and 2 strikes. All in all this is obviosuly my opinion, but it is something I hold very strongly.

Absolutely terrible timing by the Reds, and on the surface, another classless move by an orginization that is becoming alarmingly frequent with them. Right now, I have no hope for this organization.

[LINEDRIVER]

I keep going back to thinking that John Allen IS the guy who wanted Nuxie to work a reduced schedule and then retire. And I think Joe knows it too, he just knows that nothing would change for the better by dragging John's name thru the mud.

[johngalt]

This isn't about whether or not you think he's a good announcer or not, this is about loyalty to a man who has given his whole entire life to this organization

Believe me, the Reds have given Joe Nuxhall plenty in his life as well. They gave him a shot at the big leagues at only 15 and instantly made him a "name" in Cincinnati for the rest of his life.

They basically handed over the radio broadcast duties to him as a favor even though more experienced announcers probably could have handled the position and probably deserved it more.

And aside from that, the Reds have helped Joe become the legend he is today. His natural personality had a lot to do with it, but it also had a lot to do with how the Reds supported him all those years.

One more thing....to me, loyalty and respect is also about allowing someone to leave with dignity and with your head held high. It seems to me, the Reds would be doing Joe a favor by trying to get him to see that his time is up instead of hanging around and having his reputation damaged. Do you want to remember Joe as an announcer whose emotional calls made you scream with joy? Or do you want to have people remember him as the old geezer on the radio who everyone laughed at and made fun of?

[KittyDuran]

It seems like I have stated this many times - but IMHO, Steve is the replacement for Marty. He's a pbp guy - whereas Nux is really great doing color. So to compare Stew and Nux is apples to oranges... Personally, I really like Steve, I guess because I don't look to him as Nux's replacement.

[Matt700wlw]

Nuxhall Says He's Being Bumped From Booth
Veteran Broadcaster In Final Season With Reds

UPDATED: 6:44 PM EDT August 4, 2004

CINCINNATI -- The old lefthander says he's not ready to be relieved, but the Reds are taking him out anyway.



Veteran broadcaster and former Red Joe Nuxhall fought back tears Wednesday as he described the way he wanted to end his career, WLWT Eyewitness News 5's George Vogel reported. Nuxhall appeared at the Hamilton County Library in downtown Cincinnati to promote the release of his new book, "Joe, Rounding Third And Heading For Home."

Nuxhall has been such a fixture with the organization that the aforementioned expression was added to the outside of the team's new home, Great American Ball Park, in big red letters facing the city.

The book details Nuxhall's life, including the plan to leave the Reds' radio booth at the end of the current season. According to Nuxhall, the decision was not his, Vogel reported.


"I've heard names, but I'm not going to mention them because I'm not sure."
--Joe Nuxhall



"It kind of hurts, really, the way it happened," Nuxhall said. "I certainly would have liked to make that decision myself, but it was made by other people."

Nuxhall added that it was not the decision of Reds Chief Operating Officer John Allen, either. Allen, however, and team owner Carl Lindner, weren't available for comment Wednesday, WLWT reported.

"To be dedicated to one organization for all of those years, and then to be told you're going to retire, that's what hurts," Nuxhall said.

There once was a time when Nuxhall was considering retiring, but that was when he was battling health problems. Now, however, seems to be a different story.

"I'd mentioned retirement a couple years ago because I wasn't feeling so good," he said.

Nuxhall said he hopes to remain with the team in some capacity. His good friend Reuven Katz said Nuxhall should be proud of his accomplishments.

"Very few of us ever get to end on our own terms, but he came close," Katz said. "Everyone from the top of the organization down through the years loves Joe Nuxhall."

Nuxhall Not Naming Names

Nuxhall said he's not certain who pushed for his retirement, WLWT reported.

"I've heard names, but I'm not going to mention them because I'm not sure," he said.

[MWM]

Joe acts like the loyalty was one-sided. The Reds have been pretty darn loyal to him as well.

[Phoenix]

Joe has already been around for way too long. For those who don't have a level of familiarity with Joe he is just plain bad. Plus there is always too much dead air. Leaving on good terms wouldv'e been nice, but regardless, it's time for Joe to go.

[Matt700wlw]

Joe has already been around for way too long. For those who don't have a level of familiarity with Joe he is just plain bad. Plus there is always too much dead air. Leaving on good terms wouldv'e been nice, but regardless, it's time for Joe to go.

Not being in Cincinnati, it's tough to understand what Joe really means to our broadcasts....the people don't care about his mistakes, Marty and Joe are like family to a lot of us in this city -- and still are, after all these years

[KittyDuran]

Why do I feel that Steve Stewart is the Reds' Deborah Norville??? Joe might as well names some names since he's went this far - he's thrown down the PR gauntlet...

[Matt700wlw]

Why do I feel that Steve Stewart is the Reds' Deborah Norville??? Joe might as well names some names since he's went this far - he's thrown down the PR gauntlet...

I don't think he wants to name names because he doesn't know for sure who it is

Steve unfortunately, is involved unfairly just because he's the new guy...I think he should be left out of this whole argument

[KittyDuran]

Hmmm...it's seems pretty convenient (sp?) that the team is on the west coast with Marty and Steve broadcasting - maybe John Allen is there as well. I'm glad that I didn't listen to Furball tonight... :

[Chip R]

Why do I feel that Steve Stewart is the Reds' Deborah Norville???

All About StEve?

[KittyDuran]

Steve unfortunately, is involved unfairly just because he's the new guy...I think he should be left out of this whole argument

But you can't leave him out since the majority of fans believe he's Joe's replacement (which he may or may not be).

[MWM]

Not being in Cincinnati, it's tough to understand what Joe really means to our broadcasts....the people don't care about his mistakes, Marty and Joe are like family to a lot of us in this city -- and still are, after all these years

I care about his mistakes. I like to listen to the games and I get so frustrated listening to him and not understanding what's going on. Hey, I'm as sentimental as the next guy. There were several times this year listening to Joe I just chuckled and said to myself that I'm going to miss hearing his voice. But I'd rather listen to a quality broadcast of the game than to not understand what's going on, but by golly I'm getting to listen to Joe Nuxhall speak so it's OK.

Give me a quality broadcast. I'll still have my memories of listening to Joe all these years.

[Phoenix]

Not being in Cincinnati, it's tough to understand what Joe really means to our broadcasts....the people don't care about his mistakes, Marty and Joe are like family to a lot of us in this city -- and still are, after all these years

And that may be fine for you. You find him familiar and are willing to overlook his mistakes. But what about new young listeners? They tune in and then they get turned off to Reds baseball.