World Series Q & A with Joe Buck of Fox Sports

Baseball, Media Gossip/Musings, Video Jason McIntyre October 24th. 2012, 11:44am

Joe Buck will be announcing the World Series beginning on Fox tonight. Fox, promoting a Taco Bell campaign, offered him up for an interview. We last spoke with him in 2009, just before the Artie Lange thing happened.

Q: Overwhelmingly, the most popular question from readers – why did you stop tweeting in May? Was there an incident?

A: There was nothing, really. Nothing specifically. Except that I found I was spending a lot of my time on it, and I found it was not as productive as I wanted it to be. I would engage the haters more than I would the complimenters – if that’s the right phrase – and I finally just gave up on trying to turn the tide, one hater at a time. I think twitter is a great tool for information … I wasn’t interested in the stuff I was sending out, so I can’t imagine other people were.

When I would engage people, they’d turn in one second. On some level, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing, I think people just want to be heard. You understand that going in … but it started to seep into my performance and it started to affect how I was doing games because I would have it open as I was doing the games. Then you find yourself letting it seep and … and that wasn’t good for me. I don’t think it’d be good for anybody. I think you have to do your games how you want to do them, and let people like it or not like it. That’s how I think you perform the best. When you’re chasing down everything … you’re chasing your tail and trying to put our fires that just don’t go out.

Q: So you had a computer open with twitter as you were announcing games?

A: It was on my phone. It’s easy. On some level, you start becoming obsessed with it – maybe obsessed is too strong a word – but you start going to the well too often, and that wasn’t productive.

Q: Are the San Francisco Giants a tough sell to the casual baseball fan? Between the Melky Cabrera suspension, their most popular pitcher now coming out of the bullpen, and a faceless offense besides Buster Posey …

A: I think the casual baseball fan latches onto a series … I think if there’s one thing we’ve learned doing this 17 years now, you need games and storylines to develop and you need to get to game six and seven. Then it doesn’t matter who is playing, people really want to see the outcome. It has to build. You can get the best matchup you think – city, market size, lineup, stars – and then you get a 4-game sweep, and it was over before it began. I liked last year, Texas-St. Louis … you get to games six and seven and you’re doing games in front of 35 million people.

Q: How important are ratings to you? Do you care or not?

A: I don’t worry about ratings at all, personally. But I’m a fan of my network, and the executives at my network being happy, and ratings has a part in that. I get both sides of it.

Q: Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers or Mike Trout of the Angels for MVP?

A: I don’t get a vote, but I’d go with Cabrera. That’s such a rare thing, obviously. Hasn’t happened since ’67. This guy dominated a really good hitting league. He’s moved to the top of the list as far as dangerous, who-do-you-want-up, can’t-pitch-to guys in baseball.

Q: When I asked readers for questions, Tim McCarver’s name came up a lot, and not in a positive way. Twitter seems to light up with McCarver during baseball games. He seems to be very polarizing. When you see fans in public, do they say anything about him?

A: No, that doesn’t happen. I just think that’s the nature of sports on TV. That’s just the open thread, people are going to have their comments. I was a kid in 1996, and got to sit next to him … and having his experience with me when I was in New York doing that World Series … I’ll never forget the impact he’s had on my career. I still think there is nobody better at not being scared to criticize or scared to 1st guess. I think he’s the best in the business at that. People are going to complain about their breakfast, let alone what they’re watching on TV. That’s just the way it is.

Q: You were at Indiana University at the same time as Bob Knight. Any good Knight stories from your time in Bloomington?

A: I was always taken with how, when someone would make a mistake on the court, he would pull that player out, and everyone’s attention would go to the bench. It was crazy. I’d never seen anything like that. Game’s going on, but people are watching what he’s doing on the bench, lighting up a player, while baskets were happening. He was a larger than life figure there. I’m a fan. I’ve gotten to know him because of his time and friendship with LaRussa, and I like him a lot.

Q: Do you still get asked about the Randy Moss moment from the game in 2005?

A: No. Every once in a while someone will bring it up. I said it then and I’d say it again. The one thing that people forget – and it’s silly to even talk about – I didn’t care about the beginning part, but how that whole thing ended, him up against he goalpost, I thought that was too much, and that’s what got my attention. It’s such ancient history, I don’t even know what year that was.

Q: Alex Rodriguez. Do you see any A-Rod craziness happening during the World Series. During a World Series, his agent once dropped the bomb that he was opting out of his contract.

A: I just i don’t see how this can continue. Where this is right now, there has to be a lot of fence-mending for him to go back to the Yankees. It may be best for all parties involved if they could move him. It may be best for him. I could see his career taking off again out of the spotlight in NY.

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167 Responses to “World Series Q & A with Joe Buck of Fox Sports”

1
Tim Ryan Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:46 AM

You understand that going in … but it started to seep into my performance and it started to affect how I was doing games because I would have it open as I was doing the games. Then you find yourself letting it seep and … and that wasn’t good for me.
This is pretty interesting. Can’t imagine having Twitter open while calling a live sporting event.
2
NDub Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:46 AM

You just had to pick the douchiest picture possible of him, didn’t you?
3
cracker jack Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:47 AM

That picture is so Joe Buck
4
NDub Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:47 AM

I do, however, imagine that’s what Joe Buck does in the mirror every morning before saying “Go get ‘em today, tiger” and simultaneously winking and pointing.
5
sousedbergin Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:47 AM

Mr Buck, approximately how many volumes erotic fan fiction of Troy Aikman pounding your ass into submission during half-time have you written?
6
Grizz Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:48 AM

You guys should have talked about your mutual hatred for Artie Lange.
7
KC Resident Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:48 AM

Are the San Francisco Giants a tough sell to the casual baseball fan?
I laughed.
8
cracker jack Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:49 AM

You understand that going in … but it started to seep into my performance and it started to affect how I was doing games because I would have it open as I was doing the games
Jesus dude, it’s just Twitter.
9
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:50 AM

This is pretty interesting. Can’t imagine having Twitter open while calling a live sporting event.
I’m not sure how many people Buck followed, but if you’re a grade-a narcissistic tool like Bilas and don’t follow anyone, I would imagine it’s not terribly distracting.
10
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:50 AM

Or rather, it would at least be different.
11
arkbadger Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:52 AM

and a faceless offense besides Buster Posey
Panda has a face, and it is huge and has half a can of Skoal in his lip.
12
Nada Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:53 AM

Roundup callback:
Discussion of Eva Amurri/Susan Sarandon in Roundup made me wonder about Geena Davis. Someone apparently gave her some bad cosmetic surgery advice.
Saw Cutthroat Island for the firs time not long ago. It’s entertaining; don’t know why it got saddled with a reputation as a total bomb, aside from its massive production budget.
13
scripty Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:53 AM

People are going to complain about their breakfast, let alone what they’re watching on TV. That’s just the way it is.
I’ll say this. I am not a Buck fan but I dont despite him either. He seems to get the big picture and makes a lot of sense here in the interview.
14
Tim Ryan Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:53 AM

I’m not sure how many people Buck followed, but if you’re a grade-a narcissistic tool like Bilas and don’t follow anyone, I would imagine it’s not terribly distracting.
A lot of people writing to him though. Sounded like was checking his mentions and allowing it to affect what he was doing.
15
Watsonian Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:54 AM

Panda has a face, and it is huge and has half a can of Skoal in his lip.
Hunter Pence also has a face. And THE CRAZY EYES.
16
s1rweeze Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:54 AM

Q: So you had a computer open with twitter as you were announcing games?
A: It was on my phone. It’s easy.
Whaaaaaaaaaaat?? Wow. Probably not the best idea.
Perusing old NFL games on YouTube, I ran into a 1994 Joe Buck broadcast. He sounded completely different, both his voice and delivery have totally changed. Granted, you’d guess/hope that’d be the case after nearly 20 years, but the fact that he actually listens to criticism and makes some changes is admirable. I still think he absolutely nailed the DeSean Jackson punt return TD and I don’t think there’s anyone else outside of Al Michaels that could’ve called it better.
17
Jason McIntyre Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:54 AM

You guys should have talked about your mutual hatred for Artie Lange.
Love Lange. Had only 15 mins, ran out of time.
18
Al Czervik Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:54 AM

Gotta say, that I like Joe Buck on baseball games. I wouldn’t mind seeing a change with the color commentator. Tim McCarver was great back in the day, but he seems to ramble on various points (in the Joe Morgan mold). Bobby V in the booth with Buck could be interesting.
19
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:55 AM

A lot of people writing to him though. Sounded like was checking his mentions and allowing it to affect what he was doing.
Oh yeah good call, didn’t think of that. In his case then, I would imagine that would be rather deflating.
20
cracker jack Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:55 AM

Are the San Francisco Giants a tough sell to the casual baseball fan? Between the Melky Cabrera suspension, their most popular pitcher now coming out of the bullpen, and a faceless offense besides Buster Posey …
J-Mac, I implore you to check out the World Series. They are a fun group to watch, even for a casual fan such as yourself.
21
Liquor Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:55 AM

Overwhelmingly, the most popular question from readers – why did you stop tweeting in May?
I knew there was something I hated about all of you.
22
YYSA Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:55 AM

I would engage the haters more than I would the complimenters
“Eat Shit @Buck” – You can only read that so many times during a baseball game and not screw up on a 3-2 count.
23
Cowboy Mike's Old Original Red Hot Ricochet Barbeque Sauce Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:56 AM

I knew there was something I hated about all of you.
Those questions are from his twitter sycophant cadre, to be fair.
24
Nada Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:57 AM

Edited out of the Joe Buck Q&A:
Q: So, Joe … you got any dong pix of Troy Aikman?
A: *click*
25
scripty Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:57 AM

Joe Buck will be one of the very best broadcasters who wasn’t great. He’s like the Keith Hernandez/Fred McGriff/Harold Baines of broadcasters.
26
Al Czervik Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:57 AM

J-Mac, I implore you to check out the World Series. They are a fun group to watch, even for a casual fan such as yourself.
They are west of the mighty Mississippi, so no chance JMac tunes in
27
cracker jack Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:57 AM

Also I really wish I had known beforehand that Buck was checking his Twitter mentions live on air.. couldve had some fun with that.
28
NDub Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:58 AM

Love Lange. Had only 15 mins, ran out of time.
Artie’s 15 minutes on this site were… cut short, amiright?
/veal
29
#pettycowards Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:58 AM

I would have it open as I was doing the games.
don’t tweet and broadcast!
i’d be pissed if I was Fox, unless they were encouraging him to be on social media in-game
30
KC Resident Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:58 AM

You guys should have talked about your mutual hatred for Artie Lange.
McIntyre loves that guy. He even gave Lange’s intern coke mule a weekly NFL picks column here.
31
ms621 Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:59 AM

Artie’s 15 minutes on this site were… cut short, amiright?
/veal
Some of his football picks were so odd that they basically amounted to a stab in the dark.
/try the fish too
32
St. Bear Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 11:59 AM

A lot of people writing to him though. Sounded like was checking his mentions and allowing it to affect what he was doing.
Oh yeah good call, didn’t think of that. In his case then, I would imagine that would be rather deflating.
Rich Eisen does it all the time.
33
KC Resident Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 12:00 PM

I knew there was something I hated about all of you. Liquor
Leave me out of this. I had no idea he was soliciting questions from readers to ask Buck.
34
sousedbergin Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 12:00 PM

Overwhelmingly, the most popular question from readers – why did you stop tweeting in May?
Mr Buck ms621 wants to know where you found that shirtless Troy Aikman quilt he saw on your pinterest?
35
ms621 Says:
October 24th, 2012 at 12:00 PM

Mr Buck ms621 wants to know where you found that shirtless Troy Aikman quilt he saw on your pinterest?
Thank God that didn’t turn into a meme.
36