Do Thom Brennaman and Chris Welch dislike each other?

[Red Buckeye]

I've actually suspected this for a couple years now. Very often it seems like there is some on-air tension between Thom and Chris.

I always imagine the two of them arguing off-air and the hurt feelings still there when they go on-air.

Is it maybe because Thom acts like he knows everything about baseball and Chris resents that?

Is it issues unrelated to baseball that they argue about, like politics (I know Thom is a hardcore conservative like his dad, but I don't know Chris' politics)?

I also thought I remembered hearing something like when Thom was brought in by Foxsports for Reds games (I believe in 2008 but someone else here probably knows) he was something like the program director.

Did he have anything to do with George Grande leaving? I know it was said that Grande semi-retired to spend more time with his family but I've always suspected he didn't want Thom Brennaman as his boss.

And just the other day Thom and Jeff were doing a game together and Thom said something close to this to Jeff: "You know I'm not trying to start anything with you and I certainly wasn't trying to start anything with Chris".

To which Brantley replied, "Oh you two guys..."

Again I don't think that was the exact words used by them but it was pretty close to that.

And I will just say it I really enjoy listening to Chris Welch as I think he is by far the most insightful broadcaster the Reds have. And I also enjoyed George Grande as I thought he seemed like a nice guy and it was obvious George and Thom were good friends and got along very well. I was sad to see him go (I know people on here seem to hate Grande and I don't understand why but to each his own).

And I'm not a big fan of Thom but I love his dad Marty, so maybe I am reading way to much into all of this.

But I've mentioned this to my friends and fellow Reds fans and some of them have told me they too have noticed some on-air tension between the two of them.

Thoughts?

[improbus]

I get that feeling every once in a while. But, after working with George Grande for so long, anyone would seem like a jerk.

[Red Buckeye]

Originally Posted by improbus

I get that feeling every once in a while. But, after working with George Grande for so long, anyone would seem like a jerk.

Well I think Thom is the one that acts like a jerk more times than not, how is Chris a jerk?

And why do so many people dislike George Grande on here? TBH my jaw dropped when I started hearing people don't like him. I thought he had a great gentle play by play voice, and I also appreciated the fact he didn't try to act like a baseball expert, opting to go to the actual former ball player in his friend Welsh (unlike another know-it-all named Thom who never actually played MLB).

[R_Webb18]

i think they are just joking around

[mlh1981]

I feel like I'm in the extreme minority here, but I really like Thom Brennaman in the booth. I love his passion for the game.

[New York Red]

I watch just about every broadcast, and it seems to me that Chris doesn't really connect with anyone, regardless who the PBP guy is. I like Chris and his knowledge of the game, but he just doesn't seem to have good chemistry with whoever his partner is on a given night.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I wish every single Reds game on FSO had the announcing team of Thom and The Cowboy. Personality-wise, they are different as night and day, but they have great chemistry. I could easily listen to them do a Reds game 365 days a year.

[New York Red]

Originally Posted by mlh1981

I feel like I'm in the extreme minority here, but I really like Thom Brennaman in the booth. I love his passion for the game.

I'm right there with you. I think he's as good as anyone in all of baseball. He's what Marty was when he was younger, except Thom is far more humble than his dad ever was. And of course, as Marty got older he got even more full of himself. I grew up listening to Marty and Joe on the radio, like most Reds fans in my generation, but because of Marty I don't listen to Reds radio anymore. Hopefully Thom doesn't follow that same path. It doesn't look like he will.

[ol'Sparky]

I love thom he's marty's son !! .. plus thom's a bobcat !!


OHIO !!

[miamiredskin]

I like Thom, too, mlh.

Grande was a nice guy, but never shut up. I know his job is to talk, but at least take a few seconds off every once in a while. And George knew every story about everyone who had ever been in the bigs since Ed Roush. Got tired of hearing about what Gus Bell did on his off day during a series in Chicago in '57.


As far as the thread topic goes, I believe Chris resents Thom being born with a silver microphone in his mouth. I don't think he likes Thom's old man, for that matter. Probably because of Marty's ego.

On the day after the storms washed out the Cub game recently, Chris asked if the power was out in Thom's neighborhood. Thom acknowledged that it was. And Chris said "How did you get the gate open?"

There was an uncomfortable silence of several seconds before Thom said "Wow." Several more seconds of silence followed before Thom began to comment on the action again. The most tension I can remember feeling during a broadcast of any kind.

[New York Red]

Originally Posted by miamiredskin

On the day after the storms washed out the Cub game recently, Chris asked if the power was out in Thom's neighborhood. Thom acknowledged that it was. And Chris said "How did you get the gate open?"

There was an uncomfortable silence of several seconds before Thom said "Wow." Several more seconds of silence followed before Thom began to comment on the action again. The most tension I can remember feeling during a broadcast of any kind.

I remember that well, and I thought the same thing at the time. Thom was as professional as a pro can be in an awkward moment like that. Chris was just being Chris.

[Red Buckeye]

Originally Posted by miamiredskin

I like Thom, too, mlh.

Grande was a nice guy, but never shut up. I know his job is to talk, but at least take a few seconds off every once in a while. And George knew every story about everyone who had ever been in the bigs since Ed Roush. Got tired of hearing about what Gus Bell did on his off day during a series in Chicago in '57.


As far as the thread topic goes, I believe Chris resents Thom being born with a silver microphone in his mouth. I don't think he likes Thom's old man, for that matter. Probably because of Marty's ego.

On the day after the storms washed out the Cub game recently, Chris asked if the power was out in Thom's neighborhood. Thom acknowledged that it was. And Chris said "How did you get the gate open?"

There was an uncomfortable silence of several seconds before Thom said "Wow." Several more seconds of silence followed before Thom began to comment on the action again. The most tension I can remember feeling during a broadcast of any kind.

Holy Crap I wish I would have heard that!

[ervinsm84]

Marty's turned in a bitter old man without Nuxhall, and Thom is on his way to joining them. Can't stand when they hop on a rant and are so negative and critical that it's hard to watch or listen. What makes it worse, is most of the stuff they are critical of, they could not be more wrong about.


My guess is Chris kinda feels the same way. Ive actually been really impressed with how Welsch has evolved over time. He obviously knows the game at a high level and mostly from an "old school traditional base", but he doesn't just turn his nose up at the advanced statistical side of the game, and does a better job than most of the baseball media of blending the two. I about fell out of my chair when I heard him talking about BAPIP and regressing to the mean, FIP, and just defensive independent pitching stats in general. Thom just kinda turns his nose up at that stuff, which is even funnier to me given, if one of the two should be turning their nose up at stat geeks it should be the guy who played at the MLB level, not the guy who never played an inning of high level baseball.

[Maker_84]

Originally Posted by mlh1981

I feel like I'm in the extreme minority here, but I really like Thom Brennaman in the booth. I love his passion for the game.

I love Thom too, him and his dad have the best play by play voices in all of sports in my opinion.

[Red Buckeye]

Does anyone remember the "pen stealing incident" from eiither last year or 2010 involving Chris and Thom?

Wasn't quite sure if that was a joke or not. Or what the hell exactly happened.

[DirtyBaker]

Nah, I think they like having that element of friction. Thom can adlib and stir the pot much better than Kelch or Grande ever could, and I think Chris likes it because he has more to talk about.

Kelch and Chris can get pretty boring but as long as Grande isn't in the booth I'm not complaining.