October 28, 2005

both teams were in centrael time also and the cub fans wouldnt dare watch the sox play

posted by barry from h-town at 10:32 AM on October 28, 2005

Well, what do the SpoFites say? If you didn't watch (but you might have watched another year), why? I watched 'em whenever I was near a tee vee, myself. But I wasn't revved about the start times.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:46 AM on October 28, 2005

Network ratings have been declining for a long time and perhaps WS ratings are just following that trend. That said - Fox's coverage, IMO, continues to be dismal. The cross-marketing, inane interviews & pointless graphics take much away from the game. The Betting Fool, a columnist in the San Francisco Chronicle, had this to say regarding the "Foxification" of sports: "How did they (Fox) know that I'd tune in so that I could watch them interview the Houston pitching coach. All my life I wanted to hear Joe Buck and Tim McCarver interview a coach while Joe Crede hit the game winning HR in a shrunken image on the upper right corner of my screen. Heck, if I'd wanted to watch the game I would have turned on the radio and stared at the dial" and "Stop interviewing players and coaches during the game. It's a hideous distraction and never adds anything." Amen.

posted by JohnSFO at 11:28 AM on October 28, 2005

Start time was the big issue for me. Get the game going at about 7 and they might hook enough people to not switch over to prime time shows. I love baseball but the ChiSox and Astros aren't my teams so getting enough sleep was a higher priority. However, I did tune into the end of game 4 to see the Sox end their drought.

posted by kokaku at 11:35 AM on October 28, 2005

I can barely stand McCarver when he's announcing for a team I have an interest in. Plus, time was a factor. I mostly clicked in and out of the game to check the scores and read about it the next day. I don't understand. Most people absolutely hate McCarver. Why is he still on?

posted by jerseygirl at 11:50 AM on October 28, 2005

Actually, that's like choosing between a painful death and a really painful death.

posted by willthrill72 at 11:58 AM on October 28, 2005

>>Could be worse...we could get Joe Morgan As bad as Morgan is (and he's baaaad), at least there's Jon Miller to kinda balance things out. With McCarver, we get Joe Buck... Ugh. When does Fox's WS coverage contract end?

posted by JohnSFO at 12:05 PM on October 28, 2005

the world series was great huh guys!

posted by jsmart83 at 12:13 PM on October 28, 2005

Could be worse...we could get Joe Morgan Man, when I got sick of McCarver, I tried to tune the game in via the radio and guess what? It was the ESPN feed with Joe freakin' Morgan! Ah! I couldn't win for losin'. That said, I watched the entire series and it was the closest sweep ever. I mean, those games were razor thin close. I thought ratings wouldn't be too bad since Chicago is the third most populated city in American and Houston is either number four or five. I also thought that all of Texas would be watching. Guess I was wrong though. I suck.

posted by NoMich at 12:31 PM on October 28, 2005

Baseball fans have outgrown McCarver. Is he tenured or something? Jeeze Fox can we get some new blood in the box? This series had two very boring teams period. Yeah pitching fans had a dream but no power players, no true superstars-- boring.

posted by mikemora at 12:46 PM on October 28, 2005

Maybe OLN will get the WS and we could have Bill Clement & Sam Rosen doing the broadcasts.

posted by willthrill72 at 12:58 PM on October 28, 2005

The games got the highest ratings in primetime for those nights. People don't watch broadcast TV in the numbers they used to. There's a bunch of other choices on and off TV.

posted by rcade at 01:03 PM on October 28, 2005

I'll take McCarver over Joe Buck any day. How do I hate thee, Buck? Let me count the ways. * Never shuts up. NEVER SHUTS UP! * Calls the game on behalf of the ignoramus that just tuned in 10 minutes ago and has no clue what's going on in the series. After almost every commercial break, Buck yammers on about events we've already witnessed and digested. We've been watching the games, Joe, and if we haven't, then we probably don't really care! * Constantly tries to coin asinine sayings and catchphrases. One horrible example came in the ALDS when discussing Piniella's outbursts - in the middle of a funny discussion between Lou and McCarver, Buck blurts out "The Temper from Tampa!" Uh, he just quit that job, jackass. * Got his job through nepotism, like that annoying Jeremy Schaap. * Blond highlights and glasses that are probably just for fashion purposes. * Worst of all, Buck constantly, endlessly speculates. What different moves could the manager make here? If something had gone differently two innings ago, what would be happening right now? If this player hadn't been called out, might this run have scored, and then would this pitcher instead of that pitcher be in the game, blah blah blah. Who cares??? If you're not calling the game, shut the hell up. The game = the events on the field. Period.

posted by Venicemenace at 01:12 PM on October 28, 2005

I don't care so much about the low ratings. Maybe Fox will pass come contract renewal time and some lesser network will take a stab at it. Couldn't be much worse.

posted by cl at 01:27 PM on October 28, 2005

I watched as much of the games as I could in my time zone (Hawaii). Thus, I saw nearly all of Game 3 and only some of the rest. Game 3, though, was one of the best ever, in my opinion. Even then, there were times I turned off the sound so that I wouldn't have to hear McCarver interview the dudes who groom the field..

posted by Joey Michaels at 01:35 PM on October 28, 2005

Hey guys- you keep bitchin about McCarver and everything- but you have never listened to Micheal Kay commentary- have you? He's the WORST ANNOUNCER EVER!!!

posted by redsoxrgay at 01:42 PM on October 28, 2005

I found the games I watched to be exciting even though I didn'care much for either team. The thing with McCarver and Buck (as well as most sports announcers in general) is they don't know when to shut up. It's as if silence is forbidden and every possible second of airtime must be filled - damned be the content. It makes me quite angry :)

posted by JohnSFO at 01:48 PM on October 28, 2005

Although I always love the Series, I thought the coverage was about average this year.. The lack of ratings stems from the teams involved in the playoffs. The Yankees, Cubs, Cards... they're all huge draws. Nightmare for Fox would be if Toronto.. or Pittsburgh.. or Milwaukee made it to the series. They'd be better off showing Family Guy repeats.

posted by MentorTormentor at 02:01 PM on October 28, 2005

Excellent playoff games. I am a huge Astros fan, though I was disappointed with my team's faring in the WS...at any rate, I would have stayed tuned with any two teams that played games as close as these were.

posted by Becca at 02:10 PM on October 28, 2005

It appears there are some things we can all agree on: congrats to the White Sox and the Astros on winning their League Championships; congrats to the Pale Hose on winning the Pennant; and congrats to Fox for fucking up yet another World Series.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 03:02 PM on October 28, 2005

I'd take Morgan over McCarver anyday. Morgan eschews an old school, dated philosophy about baseball. Tim McCarver eschews the same logic as a recently blinded monkey after a security-free night at the Old Millwaukee Brewery. Morgan has the venerable Miller to balance the inanities. Tim McCarver kills household plants because he niether intakes oxygen nor expels Carbon Dioxide - because he is actually dead and is too stupid to acknowledge it. Morgan is short, black and Southern - so his story is at least interesting and he played on some really cool teams. Tim McCarver is actually responsible for inducing the mania in me that cost those 3 unfortuante hookers their lives during the ALCS. Support the Put Tim McCarver to Sleep Campaign and help make baseball broadcasts tolerable again. Tell ya what - you can bury Joe Buck with him - like the Egyptians kings did to their favorite slaves.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:47 PM on October 28, 2005

No one cares at all that the White Sox won the World Series. Baseball in this day and age is all the Yankees and Red Sox. Big money markets. It's a shame that this great game has come to this point. Money talks instead of talent. The lowest tv ratings of all time...

posted by bobbyj1953 at 04:44 PM on October 28, 2005

Part of the problem is the Sox were a bad draw period. In the Central Division,especially in Cleveland,nobody wanted tickets to see them play all season.Only the last 4 sold out games, when Cleveland had a chance at the playoffs, games did anyone CARE.

posted by sleeper57 at 04:55 PM on October 28, 2005

i dont watch baseball but i notice the yankees r dyin you could put anyone on the yankees now i think they ve cursed

posted by defrag3x at 05:19 PM on October 28, 2005

FOX's coverage was pretty horrendous. Why are they constantly giving recaps during live play? My personal pet peeve is the graphic in the bottom right of the screen they use to display who's on base, in the box, and on the mound. We can see who is at bat and who is pitching, who cares who's on base! I want to know who's on deck and who's in the hole. < /rant> I'm off to exhume the remains of Abbott and Costello.

posted by lilnemo at 05:33 PM on October 28, 2005

Hey inoaloser where you from Uranus or is that ( Your anus)????

posted by bobbyj1953 at 06:12 PM on October 28, 2005

I watched herman's head mostly because I thought the blond girl was cute. Not sure if that counts. I was young.

posted by justgary at 06:33 PM on October 28, 2005

Hey bobbyj1953 are you from Cleveland?

posted by INOALOSER at 08:06 PM on October 28, 2005

don't be an idiot! The only team that draws ratings is the NY Yankees! Period! The New York vs Boston ALCS was watched by more people than the World Series last year!

posted by bluekarma at 08:24 PM on October 28, 2005

Don't let facts get in the way of your opinion bluekarma.
bluekarma got pwned!

posted by zippinglou at 11:13 PM on October 28, 2005

1) Start the night game at 7:05. and weekend games start at 1:05 2) .... 3) Profit!!! Personally I would pay extra for a well-directed game with no announcer and a bare minimum of screen graphics. I watched the games this year on FOX, but listened to the XM broadcast. You have to pause the game for about 50 seconds to sync them, but it was worth it. Still, so many times the director is showing some fan or silly-ass graphic instead of the action. Herman's Head #4

posted by ?! at 11:48 PM on October 28, 2005

i blame the teams themselves. this was one of the worst series i have ever seen. how do you have bases loded and 1 out and not manage a run 2 or 3 times in every game? the astros should've won game 3, 4 times before blowing it in the 92nd inning. you can blame mccarver or fox, or starting times, and all of those complaints are legitimate, but a well played series can survive any of those things. this was a wood shead ass woopin of a mediocre team by an only slightly better than average team. no commentary, at any time of day, on any network, by any team, in any market can survive flat out bad baseball in the fall classic. all in favor of cardinals vs. yankees or red sox next year say aye!

posted by elijahin24 at 02:32 AM on October 29, 2005

The WS ratings sucked because of the 4 game sweep, and the late start times. I am a die-hard White Sox fan, but I have a job where I have to get up very early. I watched the entire game on Saturday and Wednesday, and half of the Sunday and Tuesday games. Gotta make a livin'. If your team is in the WS, and more importantly wins the WS, you feel it was the best WS ever, and why didn't everyone watch it. If your team isn't in the WS, you just want good games, close games, run scoring games. Blow outs and sweeps don't attract viewers in any sport, unless your team is the one kicking ass. A sweep in the WS was only sweet for White Sox fans. Low scoring games, pitching duels are only attractive to the winning team's fans, and of course the baseball purist. Which, by the way, wants the pitcher to keep batting in the order, which holds down on scoring runs. East coast fans have always been arrogant in their stance of their sports teams (amoung other things which I won't touch here). Other parts of the country can kick your ass, and we do it quite often. You can revel in a good year, but obviously, not this year huh Yankees and Red Sox fans?

posted by Shoalbaby at 06:52 AM on October 29, 2005

You mean, there was a World Series this year and I missed it, when was it on? Who played and who won?

posted by red_kal_el at 07:55 AM on October 29, 2005

You can revel in a good year, but obviously, not this year huh Yankees and Red Sox fans? WTF are you talking about? I'm a die-hard Red Sox fan and I enjoyed both this Red Sox season and this year's World Series/ playoffs (other than the Red Sox early exit). My only problem with the Series was the late start times; 8pm is bad enough, but tuning in at 8 and getting that odious Fox pre-game show instead is awful. At least start the pre-game report and any on-field festivities (including the anthem) so the real game starts at 8, please. Just because the media is on this Sox/ Yanks bandwagon since 2003 doesn't mean fans of either team are as arrogant as all that. For example, I miyself could care less if the Yankees are ever in the playoffs again. See? Equitable.

posted by yerfatma at 08:48 AM on October 29, 2005

morgan and mccarver provide good commentary for knowledgeable baseball fans. morgan is in the hal of fame and mccarver also has world series rings and spent much of his career catching two of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game in gibson and carlton. thwn major league players fail to do their job in the field or at the plat(get down sac bunt or hit a cut off man to keep runner out otf scoring position) they should be held accountable. the announcer should point this out and good teams are ones which limit these failures. not liking announcers who take issue with these failures is akin to not understanding why some teams win and lose. i understand the 8:30 start time allows for 5:30 viewing on the west coast but i think they are losing more viewers in the east by doing this. these late start times coupled with two teams without a great playoff tradition (yankees, red sox, cardinals, dodgers, etc.) probably has the most to do with lower ratings. enjoy morgan and mccarver while you can, their comments are excellent and if you pay attention you might learn something from two guys with 4-5 thousand actual major league games under their belts!!!

posted by professorc at 09:02 AM on October 29, 2005

Joe Buck will never be his dad. But for the life of me why would anyone watch and the key word being watch a game and want anyone to tell him what he's seeing? I turn down the sound and enjoy the game. Most of the announcers are bafoons.

posted by budman13 at 09:15 AM on October 29, 2005

I like Buck's work. He doesn't call too much attention to himself and relates the events on the field reasonably competently. He's also good on football games paired with Troy Aikman.

posted by rcade at 10:38 AM on October 29, 2005

Hey guys- you keep bitchin about McCarver and everything- but you have never listened to Micheal Kay commentary- have you? He's the WORST ANNOUNCER EVER!!! yes he is. i would rather listen to john sterling and suzyn waldman spit out broadway lyrics on wcbs than michael kay on yes. and those guys suck too. the yankees only good broadcasters are jim kaat, bobby murcer, paul o'neill and ken singleton. Im gonna give professorc some props. I can vaguely remember a time when people thought tim mccarver was the best in the business, but he obviously isnt anymore. I think Morgan is pretty smart though. I dont mind Buck either. But Tim McCarver i think lost his game a while ago. If your team is in the WS, and more importantly wins the WS, you feel it was the best WS ever, and why didn't everyone watch it. If your team isn't in the WS, you just want good games, close games, run scoring games. Blow outs and sweeps don't attract viewers in any sport, unless your team is the one kicking ass. A sweep in the WS was only sweet for White Sox fans. Low scoring games, pitching duels are only attractive to the winning team's fans, and of course the baseball purist. Which, by the way, wants the pitcher to keep batting in the order, which holds down on scoring runs. East coast fans have always been arrogant in their stance of their sports teams (amoung other things which I won't touch here). Other parts of the country can kick your ass, and we do it quite often. You can revel in a good year, but obviously, not this year huh Yankees and Red Sox fans? btw, i like the 1st paragraph, couldnt agree more (im a baseball purist) but the only arrogant fans ive met are the ones who dont actually go to the games. the true fans show up at the stadium, even if its just once. this year was a good series, and 98% of the world population missed out.

posted by nyfan at 10:46 AM on October 29, 2005

And that has absolutely nothing to do with their ability to be commentators during a baseball game. Ernie Harwell and Vin Scully have a grand total of zero games of MLB playing experience, and they are/were excellent commentators. Dan Shulman has never played in a MLB game and he's a better choice than McCarver or Morgan. Buck Martinez can't hold a candle to Morgan or McCarver in terms of MLB career accomplishments, but he's a hell of a better person to have talk about the goings-on during a baseball game. another moronic statement where the response completely MISSES THE POINT! Morgan and McCarver were PLAYERS and are now COLOR COMMENTATORS!!! That means, they are there to give INSIGHT to what and why what happens on the field of play! Scully and Buck are PLAY by PLAY analyst..they desribe the actual events taking place on the field. Now go back(grum@work) and read the original post and see how you missed the point! Or go to school!

posted by bluekarma at 11:28 AM on October 29, 2005

I personally watched the series but was disappointed with fox starting so late and having so much pregame. Have the pregame start a 7 and throw the 1st pitch at 8 so maybe we can go to bed by midnight. I missed the ends of the first 3 games because I had to get some sleep. I did enjoy them but really got annoyed with how many commercials fox tried to squeeze in and didn't like the managers interviews. I guess it is all about money and not the love of the game.

posted by skydivemom at 12:23 PM on October 29, 2005

cardinals layed an egg in the nlcs no doubt about it, but throughout the season they were very exciting, and you know they can score runs. plus the ratings would be better. the cardinals are liked and watched from sea to shining sea.

posted by elijahin24 at 12:58 PM on October 29, 2005

I for one would not ever like to see a Red Sox- Yankee set up again. You guy's have played your cards over and over again. Maybe in 20 years or so it could be exciting, but right now it 's like watching rich people spending money and betting on who's going to come up with the winning lotto ticket. Nobody cares anymore. Just like no-one cares about the cubs. They suck just as much now as they did 3 years ago, they had their shot and choked on it.

posted by volfire at 02:45 PM on October 29, 2005

I would have loved them to bring in Hawk Herrelson, who has been the voice of the Sox all season long. The crew and the pregnant lady were just BOOOORIIIINNG.

posted by volfire at 03:42 PM on October 29, 2005

It seems to me Blue, you are the only simpleton here. I for one (and I am sure many others) think Grum is dead on the point. I'm not even sure if you are reading the same thread as everyone else. By the way, commentators "comment" on what they see, whether it is color or play-by-play. I don't believe from what I have read that there was any confusion on anyone's part of which is which. If you can't play nice, don't play at all.

posted by willthrill72 at 07:32 PM on October 29, 2005

I can't help but be a little amused at the fact that baseball just can't seem to win in this department. If the Yankees and/or Bosox were in the Series, it'd be: "Not *those* teams again! East Coast bias! No competitive balance! Baseball sucks!" But without those teams, it's: "Oh, no! Who cares about *these* teams! Flyover country! No national appeal! Baseball sucks!" Maybe the bottom line is that a lot of contemporary Americans would simply rather watch Terrell Owens prance around in front of a goalpost with a Sharpie in hand than watch baseball of *any* sort. Their loss, I say.

posted by Motown Mike at 08:45 PM on October 29, 2005

I thought the world series were amazing. I don't think the teams were a factor to the low ratings. In fact both teams deserved to be there. even though im a die-hard cubs fan i think the white sox were flawless. Yankees.. Red sox... who cares about them anymore. I think if they were in the world series they would've had low ratings as well, why? well because were tired of Yankees being there all the time and nobody cares about the red sox anymore i mean they ended their drougt already and they dont have a solid team anymore. People should watch baseball for the game and talented athletes out there not for "teams that are over used by the media" so their owners can get even more filthy rich.. well anyways CONGRATULATION WHITE SOX!!!!! YOU EARNED IT!!!! AND FOR THE CUBS HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE NEXT YEAR!!!!!

posted by e&j2127 at 11:04 PM on October 29, 2005

People who show up for a celebratory parade aren't necessarily big "fans" of the team being celebrated. Most probably just want to see the spectacle. The vast majority are probably fans who jumped on the often-mentioned "bandwagon" when the team caught fire in the playoffs. For the season, if I'm correct, the White Sox were seventh in the American League in home attendance. That's not horrible, but when you consider they're in one of the biggest markets in the country, it's kind of sad, especially with the kind of year they put together from start to finish. That being said, I'm still glad for them, but remain troubled over that pathetic rendition of the Journey song they sang while on the podium. Hopefully that never happens again. On another subject, I can't help but smile when looking at some of the films of old World Series final games from the late sixties and early seventies, where the teams would clinch the championship and start mauling each other and celebrating, ALL IN BROAD DAYLIGHT!! It was still light outside, not 1 a.m. or so as it becomes these days. Those horrible starting times are the main reason for bad ratings and viewership. How many senior citizens do you think saw and entire game, or ANY of the games? TV schedules and money have completely overtaken common sense in that area.

posted by dyams at 06:16 AM on October 30, 2005

it's all there in black and white..I dont have to be civilized in a public forum. Yes you do, if you want to have an account here.

posted by rcade at 08:17 AM on October 30, 2005