The all-time worst sportscasting blunders

[KeithE4]

This is a thread on The506.com, the site that provides us with the NFL TV coverage maps during football season. I thought I'd start a similar one here.

There are too many sports broadcasting blunders and blunderers listed on that thread to reproduce, but I'll start off with my top 25 (in no particular order):

1. The XFL and its part-ownership by NBC.

2. Bryant Bumble's hopelessly inept play-calling on the NFL Network.

3. Harry Caray and Milo Hamilton being teamed up for Cubs telecasts (1982). Never make broadcast partners out of two bitter enemies.

4. The Heidi game on NBC.

5. Fox's glowing hockey puck.

6. Joe Buck & Tim McCarver. Separately and (especially) together.

7. Temporarily replacing Hank Williams Jr. on the MNF opening.

8. Bobby Knight attempting to be a basketball broadcaster on ESPN.

9. Sandy Koufax attempting to be a baseball broadcaster on NBC.

10. The 1980 Jets-Dolphins game on NBC with no announcers.

11. NBC's Football Night in America and its 87 guys in the studio at once.

12. The never-ending line of on-air clowns employed by ESPN in various capacities: Chris Berman, Burnt Hamburger, Lee Corso, Dick Vitale, Joe Morgan, Lou Holtz, Bill Walton, Joe Theeeeesmann, Tony Kornheiser, Jay Moronotti, Woody Page, Skip Bayless...the list goes on and on.

13. The Baseball Network.

14. Hah-Wahd Co-Sell.

15. Joe Namath, Dennis Miller, Eric Dickerson, Fred Williamson, and The Murderer on MNF at one time or another.

16. Rush Limbaugh as an ESPN pre-game football common-tater. He'd be listed in item #12 had he lasted more than a few weeks. And to think ABC almost hired him for MNF a couple of years earlier.

17. Ahmad Rashad and his manly-man-love for Michael Jordan.

18. Isiah Thomas and his feeble attempts at speaking the English (I think) language on The NBA on NBC. Compared to him, Bill Walton is Curt Gowdy.

19. Van Hurl Wrong and Randy Sparge on FSN's National Sports Report.

20. Anyone with the last name of Bender.

21. John Sterling & Suzyn Waldman.

22. Myron Cope, although to be fair, the Steelers fans I know compare him to the Cubs' Ron Santo in that he was so bad, he was great. I thought he was just bad.

23. Daron Sutton & Mark Grace (Diamondbacks TV), aka "Dumberer & Dumberest." Separately, both are passable broadcasters (Grace is better) but something about their pairing brings out the buffoon in both of them.

24. Hawk Harrelson.

25. Any Phoenix Suns play-caller not named Al McCoy.

 

[radioman148]

>>24. Hawk Harrelson.>>

"You can put it on the board....YES!!" ;D

 

[KeithE4]

>>24. Hawk Harrelson.>>

"You can put it on the board....YES!!" ;D

Harrelson was OK 25 years ago, but he's gone steadily downhill since he returned from exile in 1990.

The question is: Who will have the first White Sox meltdown of 2009? Ozzie Guillen and his periodic public ripping of Sun-Times sportswriters, his own team's play, or the Tigers' Magglio Ordonez? Or will it be Steve Stone losing it when Hawk starts his inane cliche-babbling and front-office butt-kissing? ;D

Hawk & Stoney's pairing is the worst idea in Chicago sports broadcasting since the immortal combo of Harry Caray & Milo Hamilton.

 

[radioman148]

>>24. Hawk Harrelson.>>

"You can put it on the board....YES!!" ;D

Harrelson was OK 25 years ago, but he's gone steadily downhill since he returned from exile in 1990.

The question is: Who will have the first White Sox meltdown of 2009? Ozzie Guillen and his periodic public ripping of Sun-Times sportswriters, his own team's play, or the Tigers' Magglio Ordonez? Or will it be Steve Stone losing it when Hawk starts his inane cliche-babbling and front-office butt-kissing? ;D

Hawk & Stoney's pairing is the worst idea in Chicago sports broadcasting since the immortal combo of Harry Caray & Milo Hamilton.

I have to disagree with you on that. Two years ago when Darin Jackson took some time off for surgery Hawk Harrelson and Steve Stone worked together and they were marvelous. This was in 2007 when the White Sox were terrible and those two were the best thing the Sox had going during that dismal season. Hawk has a gigantic ego, but he respects Stone & Stone might be able to keep him in line.

Regarding Ozzie & the teams performance that's another story.

 

[KeithE4]

I have to disagree with you on that. Two years ago when Darin Jackson took some time off for surgery Hawk Harrelson and Steve Stone worked together and they were marvelous. This was in 2007 when the White Sox were terrible and those two were the best thing the Sox had going during that dismal season. Hawk has a gigantic ego, but he respects Stone & Stone might be able to keep him in line.

I only saw one game on WGN with them and it sounded to me like Stone was barely putting up with Harrelson. Stone's a professional but he does have limits. Hawk made it clear that he'd rather stay with Darrin Jackson (who went to radio with Ed Farmer - a match guaranteed to cure insomnia). We'll see how they fare together but I just can't see it lasting long.

Regarding Ozzie & the teams performance that's another story.

Win or lose, Ozzie (and his northside counterpart Lou Piniella for that matter) is guaranteed to lose it over something before April is over. Imagine if Mike Ditka, Dick Motta, and Mike Keenan were still employed as coaches in Chicago as well as Ozzie & Lou! It'd be a rant-fest every day. ;D

 

[elchupacabras]

Off court, I'd have to say it was Marv Albert in women's panties! UGH!

 

[Leebo65]

The NFL and their stupid deal with DirectTV, disenfranchising 90% who don't want the Dish. How does the biggest Pro League cut a small time deal just because of the cash up front..? There is more money to be made offering the deal to all the cable companies...Duh

 

[SCV_Ears]

25. Any Phoenix Suns play-caller not named Al McCoy.

nobody sounds good compared to the man himself, but despite being a blatant homer, I did get a lot of insight on the NBA when Eddie Johnson did color.

 

[KeithE4]

nobody sounds good compared to the man himself, but despite being a blatant homer, I did get a lot of insight on the NBA when Eddie Johnson did color.

He's still doing Suns games on TV and is still a good game analyst. Trouble is, he's degenerating into Joe Morgan-esque "back when I played" BS, and has made it clear for years that he's looking for a coaching job.

He's not helped by being paired with the likes of Tom Leander (good pregame host, a non-entity as a play-caller) and Gary Bender (one of the worst ever). He was better with McCoy, but Al makes everyone he works with better.

 

[johnbasalla]

I'm curious. What was so bad with Harry Carey and Milo? I don't live in that area and never heard it.

I'm one who believes that Myron Cope was so bad, he was good in that he was entertaining to listen to.

I thought the 1980 no announcer game was cool. I wish they would do that again, or offer a place to have games broadcast that way.

 

[KeithE4]

I'm curious. What was so bad with Harry Carey and Milo? I don't live in that area and never heard it.

The biggest problem was that Hamilton had been promised the lead TV job by Jack Brickhouse when the latter retired in '81. Brickhouse was not only the Cubs' PBP man, he was also the VP of Sports for WGN and as such was able to pick his successor. Hamilton & Brickhouse had been paired up for a year or two previously.

But after th 1981 season, Harry Caray left the White Sox because he didn't want to be involved with the Sportsvision debacle. Immediately, Brickhouse hired him (the announcers worked for WGN rather than the team, even though they were under common ownership by this time), knifing Hamilton in the back. Brickhouse & Hamilton had always been on friendly terms, AFAIK, but Harry was one of Jack's closest friends. Brickhouse later admitted that he handled the situation very badly. Hamilton should have been allowed to leave before the '82 season started.

On top of that, Hamilton and Caray had been bitter enemies going back to when they were both in St. Louis in the '50s. Hamilton had been paired up with Caray and Jack Buck in 1954 on Cardinal broadcasts and it didn't work out. Officially, Hamilton was let to to make way for Joe Garagiola, but it was no secret that Caray had him canned and it didn't make any difference who replaced him. When Hamilton was fired in '84, it was allegedly because Harry didn't like him and the Tribune Company thought (correctly) that Caray was more important.

Three wrongs didn't make a right.

1. Brickhouse should have known about the Caray-Hamilton feud (since he was friendly with both men on a personal basis as well as professionally) and allowed Milo to find another team. Moving to radio was out since Vince Lloyd & Lou Boudreau were still viable broadcasters.

2. Caray behind the scenes was well-known as not being the nicest guy in the world to his co-workers. Really, only Steve Stone and Jimmy Piersall could put up with him on a long-term basis. Even Jack Buck had problems with him but from what I understand, they respected each other on a professional basis.

3. Hamilton had a well-earned reputation as a professional but always bitter over how he was fired in St. Louis in 1955. He always blamed Harry for it. He got worse over the years. He was a great play-by-play man in his day but he was always hurt by his bitterness. No need for it, Milo. It's your voice that will forever be heard on the call of Henry Aaron's 715th home run, not Curt Gowdys or anyone else who called that game.

I'm one who believes that Myron Cope was so bad, he was good in that he was entertaining to listen to.

That's what most Steelers fans said about him. They compared him to Harry Caray at the end of his life or Ron Santo. Maybe it's because I only heard him a few times when I used to pay for the NFL radio broadcasts, but I thought he was much worse than Caray or Santo at their worst. But he was developing some serious health problems by that time (2004-05). Maybe he was decent years ago.

I thought the 1980 no announcer game was cool. I wish they would do that again, or offer a place to have games broadcast that way.

The networks pay these guys way too much money to ever try that again. Maybe the least important CBS game that Ian Eagle would be calling. His presence is like not having an announcer anyway. ;D

 

[radioman148]

Thanks for your take on the Brickhouse, Hamilton, Caray situation. I always knew that Brickhouse brought
Hamilton in, but never knew that He (Brick) played a role in the Caray, Hamilton situation. That's all new to me and very different than the story that I was originally told by some insiders.
I always was under the impression that after Brickhouse brought Milo over that Caray became available and it was the higher ups at the Trib that were responsible for bringing in Caray. In fact I remember immediately after the 81 season that Brickhouse & Hamilton hosted a Cubs special together--sort of a way for Jack to pass the torch to Milo on TV.

After Caray left the Sox and before Drysdale & Harrelson were hired by the White Sox, Brickhouse was offered the White Sox job by Reinsdorf & Einhorn. He actually considered it for awhile before turning them down because he would have to give up his management position & stock with the Cubs.

I was always perplexed by this 1982 situation with the Cubs because the reason that was given publicly for Brickhouse' retirement was that he was 65. These rumors had been around since 1979 or so. Consequently
when the younger Hamilton was brought in that made sense. However, when they moved Caray in Brickhouse was pissed because that blew the age thing out the window causing Brickhouse to consider the White Sox job when it was offered. I guess losing his Tribune stock wasn't worth it, but my sources always told me that Brickhouse was not happy that he was moved out, supposedly by age & then replaced by a man who was actually older.
Although Brickhouse had to be angry, he was not a man to hold a grudge.

 

[KeithE4]

Thanks for your take on the Brickhouse, Hamilton, Caray situation. I always knew that Brickhouse brought
Hamilton in, but never knew that He (Brick) played a role in the Caray, Hamilton situation. That's all new to me and very different than the story that I was originally told by some insiders.

I always was under the impression that after Brickhouse brought Milo over that Caray became available and it was the higher ups at the Trib that were responsible for bringing in Caray. In fact I remember immediately after the 81 season that Brickhouse & Hamilton hosted a Cubs special together--sort of a way for Jack to pass the torch to Milo on TV.

Brickhouse admitted in his autobiography that he was the one responsible and that he handled it badly.

After Caray left the Sox and before Drysdale & Harrelson were hired by the White Sox, Brickhouse was offered the White Sox job by Reinsdorf & Einhorn. He actually considered it for awhile before turning them down because he would have to give up his management position & stock with the Cubs.

That's a new one on me. Brickhouse was leaving the Tribune Company after the 1981 season regardless since, IIRC, they still had a mandatory retirement age of 65 (those were still legal then). I've never heard anything about his being approached for the Sox job.

I was always perplexed by this 1982 situation with the Cubs because the reason that was given publicly for Brickhouse' retirement was that he was 65. These rumors had been around since 1979 or so. Consequently
when the younger Hamilton was brought in that made sense. However, when they moved Caray in Brickhouse was pissed because that blew the age thing out the window causing Brickhouse to consider the White Sox job when it was offered. I guess losing his Tribune stock wasn't worth it, but my sources always told me that Brickhouse was not happy that he was moved out, supposedly by age & then replaced by a man who was actually older.

Although Brickhouse had to be angry, he was not a man to hold a grudge.

I'm sure that he wasn't happy, but them's were the rules then, just like Walter Cronkite being forced out at CBS earlier that year. They must have dropped the age rule right after that since Harry turned 68 just prior to the start of the 1982 season (Hamilton was 55 at that time).

 

[radioman148]

>>After Caray left the Sox and before Drysdale & Harrelson were hired by the White Sox, Brickhouse was offered the White Sox job by Reinsdorf & Einhorn. He actually considered it for awhile before turning them down because he would have to give up his management position & stock with the Cubs>>

It was in the Chicago papers at the time, but more importantly Brickhouse commented on it at the time and mentioned that he was honored to be approached by the SOX, but would stay in the Cubs organization. He did not turn down the SOX job immediately after it was offered. He did consider it.
He was very angry at the Cubs for moving him out & then moving Harry in. However he finally realized that in the long run he would be better served by remaining in the organization than leaving.

 

[EastBay]

19. Van Hurl Wrong and Randy Sparge on FSN's National Sports Report.

Additionally, when Van Hurl replaced Tony Bruno on FSR about 4 years ago, it was the single worst transition from one talk show host to another in the history of sports radio. Van Hurl's voice still makes me want to, uhhh....hurl...to this day. I know that sometimes things like that are a roll of the dice, but WHO really believed that Van Hurl would be a godo fit on ANY radio program??

I thought the 1980 no announcer game was cool. I wish they would do that again, or offer a place to have games broadcast that way

I suppose no announcer is better than a bad announcer. I'd rather hear no announcer than, say, Joe Buck.

 

[Robnoxious]

I thought the 1980 no announcer game was cool. I wish they would do that again, or offer a place to have games broadcast that way.

Last season by complete accident I stumbled upon a way to do this. It doesn't always work but if you set your SAP to the secondary audio channel and there isn't Spanish commentary it's usually filled with just crowd noise (or nothing but that is no better than putting the game on mute).

 

[Pratte4Life]

Myron Cope was the greatest sports talk show host of all time. Bar none.

In addition to proving you could have personality without being abusive in the format, he was very cutting edge. I remember in semi-retirement he broke the story that Dave Wannstedt was going to coach the Bears- not ESPN, not anyone in Chicago or Dallas- Cope.

And even in 1994 he was savvy enough to tell his audience how Buddy Ryan's punching of Kevin Gilbride on the sideline would net Ryan a head coaching job- which it did with the Arizona Cardinals.

Color guy- no- he wasn't going to explain how the right guard successfully executed a sissors block.

But don't knock this guy's knowledge. I remember once sitting down with him and he was able to rattle off the colleges old time Steelers from the '40s played at.

And in that respect- being able to express the enthusiasm we all felt as fans while keeping much, much more professionalism than Caray ever did- and doing it with such a thick Pittsburgh accent to boot- made him a GREAT color man.

He also helped sell Howard Cosell to the masses with a famous expose on the sportscaster in Sports Illustrated two years before the debut of Monday Night Football.

So there are two people on your list I- to put it extremely lightly- disagree with.

 

[Pratte4Life]

Of course, when I think of sportscasting blunders, I don't necessarily think of national or broadcasters from large markets.

To me, Gayle Sierens flubbing the score of the Seahawks-Chiefs game was human error.

A big national error, in my opinion, would be Major League Baseball signing with CBS and ESPN in 1990. I say this because it totally destroyed "Game of the Week," with limited Saturday broadcasts.

I don't think we've ever gotten in tune with watching baseball on Saturdays- even on FOX- the way we did on NBC in the '70s and '80s when "Game of the Week" on Saturday was as must-watch to me as Monday Night Football.

I would also state I felt it was a big mistake in 1989 for NBC, in their final year of "Game of the Week," to can Joe Garagiola for Tom Seaver. Seaver was very polished and I'm sure the critics in New York loved him.

Unfortunately, part of "Game of the Week's" appeal was its heartland appeal, a lineage of Dean-Gowdy-Garagiola. Scully-Seaver didn't have that. What played to media critics didn't play to the rest of the country.

Another sportscasting blunder nationally- the 2001 Daytona 500. FOX had hired Ken Squire- who to me will always be the Voice of NASCAR- to do some studio work.

As everyone knows, this was the race in which Dale Earnhart Sr. died in a crash in the final lap.

Nobody knew it at the time, of course, but the longer we didn't hear anything the longer we wondered. Finally we saw a shot of an ambulance racing to the hospital in the closing moments of the broadcast.

AND AT THAT MOMENT- THAT VERY MOMENT- IS WHEN FOX TURNED TO POOR KEN SQUIRE TO READ A POEM ABOUT WHAT HE HAD JUST SEEN (which had been, up to that point, the story of perpetual bridesmaid driver Michael Waltrip FINALLY winning a race on the sport's grandest stage)!

So Squire is trying to put the race into some sort of eloquence- all the while we're ignoring him and wondering about this ambulance speeding down the highway we're seeing, but not hearing anything about.

Squire didn't know Earnhart had died. Yet here the production truck was making the Dean of NASCAR announcers look like a FOOL at the end of their broadcast, and I don't think Squire has ever been on an over-the-air network broadcast since.

 

[CBSBoardOp]

Seriously, no mention of Pete Franklin flipping out and calling a female caller a "bitch" on-air back in 1978, or Jim "Mudcat" Grant doing reader mail with Joe Tait during an Indians game in 1975 and reading a letter from the "Kuntz Sisters" of Masillon, OH but mispronouncing their name and calling them the "C*nts Sisters?"

 

[bluejayrock]

Off court, I'd have to say it was Marv Albert in women's panties! UGH!

The kick is up, and it, IS, GOOD!