Marty Brennaman: 2019 is my final year

[gagliano]

Tom, you're one of my favorite forum members and I feel like we are in agreement 9 times out of 10, but I can't support this one bit.
Like so many on this board, I went to sleep as a child hugging a radio listening to Reds games. As I got older it sat on my nightstand as I fell asleep to west coast games as a teen.
Marty was about as good as anyone who ever announced ballgames, period.
He embodied the franchise in many ways.
The last few years he definitely seemed disillusioned with a club that was horrible and had struggled to win for most of the last 20 years.
As self righteous as he often got, I can forgive that.
Reds baseball has been a huge part of my 36 year existence.
Memories of listening to Marty on a porch/patio on a starlit summer night with my Dad/Grandfathers/Uncle's/cousins/friends is the epitome of the love and nostalgia that makes MLB such a special experience for so many people.
I won't miss sarcastic, anti SABR Marty so much. Whoever replaces him, though, has a gigantic gap to fill.
I don't expect to be very pleased with what comes next, unfortunately.

thank you. i listened to him for 44 years. i've never met the man, but i consider him a friend. he has been there through so much of my life. it won't be normal anymore without him.