[Snapolit1]

Frank, I do believe it is significant and partially explains my occasional apathy for the current game. Putting baseball aside for a moment, let me use the NFL as an example. When I was growing up, NFC coverage was dominated by Pat Summerall and John Madden. They were the #1 crew for CBS for many years and then continued on Fox. I would literally watch any game they were doing, because they added something. Sure it helped that they as the #1 crew had the top teams, but it was more than that. It was the intonation of Summerall that still rings in my ears, as well as the interplay he had with Madden. But Summerall was THE guy (for me at least). He was an anomaly in that he was a former player, and most former players go the route of color commentator. He brought a seriousness and a tact to his games that I can't totally explain. I just know that Joe Buck and anyone else you want to mention fall far short. Kevin Harlan sounds like he is about to try and sell me a used car. FWIW, the AFC guys on NBC in the 80s were amazing as well. Dick Enberg was pretty hard to beat, and Charlie Jones, Todd Christensen, and Merlin Olsen were good as well.

When you are growing up these guys seem magical. And the players seemed magical too. As did countless other things. Then when you are a grown man you realize it really ain't so magical. Just someone sometimes interesting and sometimes annoying.

Last night people were complaining on Twitter that Pete Alonso looked too joyous. He was goofy and acting like a fool. Sure. Give up trying to please people today. Every national announcer you think of is terrible if you listen to what people are saying. I'm no huge fan of Joe Buck, but you'd think the guy was from another planet and knew nothing about sports the way people carry on. Different times.