ST. LOUIS — There are certain things in life that don't make sense.
Fruit on a pizza. A hamburger surrounded by doughnut halves. How merging correctly or a four-way stop can singlehandedly break down a driver's IQ.
One of the things I don't understand is the hate for Joe Buck.
Yesterday, he threw out a great idea for the pandemic-challenged sports crowd: Send him a video of what you are doing and he would broadcast it in a tweet. The only cost was a donation to a charity, even a dollar. Wow, what a commitment from a guy who supposedly hates your home team and only cares about himself.
Here's the thing. Buck is a national treasure. He is homegrown, talented, candid as ever, and never forgets about home. A few years ago, Buck took part in a very entertaining and enlightening Q&A about his life and career with local broadcast hero, Tim McKernan. He wrote probably one of the best autobiographies of any celebrity, detailing the good old days of traveling with his father, Jack, on road trips as a kid and having the old man pull all-nighters gambling while he slept.
Nobody takes bigger shots at Joe than himself. Self-deprecation is part of his personality and it never ceases to elicit laughter and respect. One of the things he tackled full steam ahead in the book was his hair and how hair plugs nearly cost him his voice... right around the 2011 World Series. Whether it's the video where he's creating havoc around his living room practicing play-by-play reps or his famous spot on "Family Guy," Buck has fun with his persona.
Yet, local fans are still mad at him for leaving the Cardinals broadcast many years ago to pursue National sports work. Yep, someone offers you a huge promotion and you take it, bringing on disdain from people across the country.
Others will say he loves to pour salt into the wound of the team losing in one of those Fox Sports games.
I still don't get it. If Buck is doing a nationally televised game, I won't expect him to give favor to either team, whether it's the Cardinals or Cubs. He has to remain neutral and does so very effectively. Buck, and this is no surprise, has a great in-game voice that never lets a viewer down. He does his homework and is prepared. Buck flourishes no matter who is sitting in the booth with him. It could be Troy Aikman during an NFL game, Tim McCarver from all those years of doing Saturday day games and playoff action or more recently, John Smoltz. Buck's teammate can be anyone and he still makes it work.
I find it impressive that he can do baseball and football, full schedules and playoffs included, and perform notably in each sport. Two different games with different tempos, and in football, the rosters for an active game are twice as long as baseball. Yet there he is, making it look easy every single year.
Please don't forget his absolute body slam of Stan Kroenke back in 2015 when the Rams owner was setting up to move the football team out of St. Louis. When the time was most dire and a big voice was needed, Buck stepped up for his hometown, even if that meant going against what the NFL and the majority of owners would have wanted him to do. When St. Louis needed him, Buck was there.
I find it odd that many of the people who don't like Buck are from or live around St. Louis, a place where the Buck family dedicated so many years of their lives to and that includes local charity work.
Maybe people have their reasons. I simply don't understand them, and that's completely fine. To me, Buck has carried on the family name very well, making his dad proud. Every popular sports personality or entertainment celebrity has their detractors, but when it comes to Buck, I just see too much of it.
Last night, he introduced a fabulous idea to entertain people while keeping his play-calling skills sharp, that could help several charities out who could suffering from a lack of events and activities. That's like hating on Guy Fieri, the Food Network chef with the flame hairdo who happens to do a TON of charity work and is hilarious.
I think it's fine to dislike someone or say they aren't good at what they do, but hating is something I simply don't get. If you need proof, check the comments on Buck's tweet.
Now, here are the top 5 things I want to see Buck narrate or call:
1) A wicked cat fight. I sent him one of those between two of my cats.
2) An adult folding a fitted sheet.
3) A couple who never cook together ... finally cooking together.
4) A young child throwing a fit and the reaction from his or her parents.
5) Anyone watching a reality show.
Seriously, I can think of so many things for Buck to narrate or call. That's because he's very good at what he does. And he's a good guy who can poke fun at himself.
Don't hate. The world doesn't need that right now.
Thanks for reading.
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