2012 John Sterling Performance Thread

[Hitman23]

Especially with a broadcast team as comically inept as these two, they really do need that monitor. Doesn't excuse whining about it on the air, though. That's a terrible job out of Suzyn.

I'm really glad you added this point to your post because I was getting ready to argue.

They have one of the coolest jobs in the world and even better it's for the Yankees. To be complaining about anything at all seems absurd to me. You get paid to follow your favorite team around and voice your thoughts and knowledge to a huge audience. How you can find anything to complain about is just baffling. This sounds like someone who is just not in touch with reality here. At least Kay admits on the air that he knows how awesome his job is. As bad as he may be, at least he knows.

[ZYanksRule]

I'm really glad you added this point to your post because I was getting ready to argue.

They have one of the coolest jobs in the world and even better it's for the Yankees. To be complaining about anything at all seems absurd to me. You get paid to follow your favorite team around and voice your thoughts and knowledge to a huge audience. How you can find anything to complain about is just baffling. This sounds like someone who is just not in touch with reality here. At least Kay admits on the air that he knows how awesome his job is. As bad as he may be, at least he knows.

It is an awesome job, but it's also a job, and part of that job is describing what's going on to your audience. Not having a monitor wouldn't allow them to do their job to the best of their ability.

And, it's not quite as glamorous as people think it is. They fly on a great plane, stay in a great hotel, but the work is not just, "show up to the booth, call a game, and go out to the bar." There's A LOT of work off the air that goes into every broadcast. Technically, a broadcaster should be spending at least 4-5 hours a day doing preparation before they go on the air. They're at the Stadium every night close to four hours before the game starts, and have to stay well after the game ends.

It's a great job, and it pays well. But it's not like you're just "following your favorite team around," going to all the games, and voicing your opinions. It takes a lot of work to have the knowledge to voice your opinion.

A lot of fans say the same thing about sportswriting: What a glamorous job it must be! It is a great job. But it is nowhere near as glamorous as it seems. And it is just as exhausting, if not moreso, than your job is. Just as an example, the Rangers writers on gamedays have to cover the morning skate at 10am, then go to the Garden and cover a game. Their day ends close to midnight when they walk out of the building after the game, because even though the game ended at 9:30, they still have to interview the players, write their stories, contribute to their blogs.... as much fun as the journalism business is, it's also a ton of work.

[CalYankeeFan]

I was at the game on Sunday and took a bunch of photos of the stadium, and in one of them I happened to get John's and Suzyn's booth... they DID have a monitor..

Attachment 21110

Just a teleprompter for Sterling's calls.

[JL25and3]

You get paid to follow your favorite team around.

Sterling doesn't follow the Yankees around, they follow him around. They're hoping they can keep making guest appearances on his show.

[Hitman23]

It is an awesome job, but it's also a job, and part of that job is describing what's going on to your audience. Not having a monitor wouldn't allow them to do their job to the best of their ability.

And, it's not quite as glamorous as people think it is. They fly on a great plane, stay in a great hotel, but the work is not just, "show up to the booth, call a game, and go out to the bar." There's A LOT of work off the air that goes into every broadcast. Technically, a broadcaster should be spending at least 4-5 hours a day doing preparation before they go on the air. They're at the Stadium every night close to four hours before the game starts, and have to stay well after the game ends.

It's a great job, and it pays well. But it's not like you're just "following your favorite team around," going to all the games, and voicing your opinions. It takes a lot of work to have the knowledge to voice your opinion.

A lot of fans say the same thing about sportswriting: What a glamorous job it must be! It is a great job. But it is nowhere near as glamorous as it seems. And it is just as exhausting, if not moreso, than your job is. Just as an example, the Rangers writers on gamedays have to cover the morning skate at 10am, then go to the Garden and cover a game. Their day ends close to midnight when they walk out of the building after the game, because even though the game ended at 9:30, they still have to interview the players, write their stories, contribute to their blogs.... as much fun as the journalism business is, it's also a ton of work.

Well I didn't mean to sound like I thought it was easy. I'm sure there is a ton of preparation and very little time for yourself, but my point remains, it's an awesome job that they are lucky to have. Especially considering how bad they are.

[BRNXBMRS]

I was at the game on Sunday and took a bunch of photos of the stadium, and in one of them I happened to get John's and Suzyn's booth... they DID have a monitor..

Attachment 21110

EDIT: here's the photo in high resolution. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7093/7...5df5e1ac_o.jpg

Also... here's a view from the seats right next to the press box... basically the height that Sterling was complaining about all weekend. In his defense, it is quite high.. equivalent to the last grandstand rows in Yankee Stadium.

Its three games deal with it, they just need to bitch about something. Last time they were in DC they bitched that RFk was too old. Hopefully the next time the Yanks go down to DC (outside of the WS) they have new announcers.

[knickfan23]

The sight level in the broadcast booth in DC is a legitimate complaint and John and Suzyn had a right to convey that to the audience because that may play a role in their ability (or lack thereof) to describe the action (even if they have a problem doing it as is).

This complaint is not new to DC. In the NFL, all of the visiting radio announcers talk about FedEx Field and how the Redskins owner puts their booth in the end zone at a side angle as opposed to the sideline (where the home team calls the game) where all the other teams have their booth.

Bob Papa talks about it all the time when the Giants play there. Basically, at where they are positioned, you can't see most times if a player got a first down, how many yards are gained on running plays that impair his ability to do his job to tell the listening audience what is going on.

I agree with Ma and Pa on this one.

[JL25and3]

The sight level in the broadcast booth in DC is a legitimate complaint and John and Suzyn had a right to convey that to the audience because that may play a role in their ability (or lack thereof) to describe the action (even if they have a problem doing it as is).

This complaint is not new to DC. In the NFL, all of the visiting radio announcers talk about FedEx Field and how the Redskins owner puts their booth in the end zone at a side angle as opposed to the sideline (where the home team calls the game) where all the other teams have their booth.

Bob Papa talks about it all the time when the Giants play there. Basically, at where they are positioned, you can't see most times if a player got a first down, how many yards are gained on running plays that impair his ability to do his job to tell the listening audience what is going on.

I agree with Ma and Pa on this one.

I could understand if they mentioned the location as a factor when they legimaely couldn't see a play. But they talked about it constantly, as if it were a personal affront.

[Big_E]

It is an awesome job, but it's also a job, and part of that job is describing what's going on to your audience. Not having a monitor wouldn't allow them to do their job to the best of their ability.

And, it's not quite as glamorous as people think it is. They fly on a great plane, stay in a great hotel, but the work is not just, "show up to the booth, call a game, and go out to the bar." There's A LOT of work off the air that goes into every broadcast. Technically, a broadcaster should be spending at least 4-5 hours a day doing preparation before they go on the air. They're at the Stadium every night close to four hours before the game starts, and have to stay well after the game ends.

It's a great job, and it pays well. But it's not like you're just "following your favorite team around," going to all the games, and voicing your opinions. It takes a lot of work to have the knowledge to voice your opinion.

And then they get three months off (four if your team doesn't make the playoffs) before Spring Training starts.

I can't imagine Sterling does 4-5 hours of preparation before a game. Maybe before the first game of a series (what new players might be on a team, who is injured, etc) but for games 2 and 3, I think a lot less prep goes into it. Certainly it seems like it...

[Mr Coffee]

They could give Sterling a chair behind the pitcher's mound and he'd still mess up calls.

[Hitman23]

Probably not a good idea though. He would make the first ten rows behind the plate obstructed view seats with his huge head.

[ZYanksRule]

And then they get three months off (four if your team doesn't make the playoffs) before Spring Training starts.

I can't imagine Sterling does 4-5 hours of preparation before a game. Maybe before the first game of a series (what new players might be on a team, who is injured, etc) but for games 2 and 3, I think a lot less prep goes into it. Certainly it seems like it...

I don't think Sterling does any prep, ever. But, a good broadcaster does.

[knickfan23]

I don't think Sterling does any prep, ever. But, a good broadcaster does.

Seth, I know Sterling says he doesn't look at lineup cards. He actually said that on the air.

[fredgmuggs]

I'm really glad you added this point to your post because I was getting ready to argue.

They have one of the coolest jobs in the world and even better it's for the Yankees. To be complaining about anything at all seems absurd to me. You get paid to follow your favorite team around and voice your thoughts and knowledge to a huge audience. How you can find anything to complain about is just baffling. This sounds like someone who is just not in touch with reality here. At least Kay admits on the air that he knows how awesome his job is. As bad as he may be, at least he knows.

That's his personality but it doesn't indicate anything about the love or lack of love he has for his job. The guy hasn't missed a game since he started broadcasting for the Yankees. I think the speaks to how much he loves what he is doing.

[Hitman23]

That's his personality but it doesn't indicate anything about the love or lack of love he has for his job. The guy hasn't missed a game since he started broadcasting for the Yankees. I think the speaks to how much he loves what he is doing.

True. I suppose that is a good way of looking at it. However unfortunate it is for us to have to bare.

[ZYanksRule]

Seth, I know Sterling says he doesn't look at lineup cards. He actually said that on the air.

I'm sure he does at some point before the game starts so he can give the lineups, but I am sure he's not in there with the rest of the media over three hours before the game when lineups are posted.

[hogwild]

Dear Yankees Management,

Please replace Sterling with a robot voice announcing the MLB GameCast updates. At least then we'd know what is actually taking place on the field.

I'm so tired of hearing, "That ball is hit deep! Oh, it's caught by the second baseman. Ya know Suzyn, I have to chuckle, because the infield dirt here looks exactly like the warning track. Golly, gee!"

me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCApuPQStoM

[Hitman23]

uhhh.... there's going to be a special that shows Sterling's secret to be an ass after the game? I can't wait.

[JL25and3]

uhhh.... there's going to be a special that shows Sterling's secret to be an ass after the game? I can't wait.

I'm passing on that one.

[Hitman23]

Oh I was being completely sarcastic I have no desire to see it.

[-tz]

Oh I was being completely sarcastic I have no desire to see it.

I watched. Nothing new here, except we learned that sometimes players ask him to change the call. For instance, Sterling said, Swisher came to him and asked him not to use "Jolly Old Saint Nick," because it made him sound like a little old fat man. Thus, "Swishalicious" was born.

I wonder what Russell Martin makes of "Monsieur Martin est là!" (in very lame French)?

[bl73]

You know what has been fun so far this weekend? Listening to John and Suzyn complain about how high they were every few minutes.

For the record, this is exactly what he did during his first visit to Comerica Park (back in 2000...12 years ago). I think the complaint was that they were very far from the plate. So on this particular issue it might not be an indication of a decline in quality, but rather remarkable consistency!

[BRNXBMRS]

He butcherd the play last night that Tex got hit in the ankle with the ball and bounced over to Cano. Sterling actually thought Tex caught the ball, then realized what happend he was fumbeling over his words, there was no talking but Suzyn was grunting into the mic. Then he finally described what happened.

[Sparky]

I watched. Nothing new here, except we learned that sometimes players ask him to change the call. For instance, Sterling said, Swisher came to him and asked him not to use "Jolly Old Saint Nick," because it made him sound like a little old fat man. Thus, "Swishalicious" was born.

I wonder what Russell Martin makes of "Monsieur Martin est là!" (in very lame French)?

Not new - but what came across during the segment is there is an impression that the majority of the fans (and players) like his calls and are crying out for more.

[Hitman23]

Not new - but what came across during the segment is there is an impression that the majority of the fans (and players) like his calls and are crying out for more.

Dec 21st can't get here quick enough.