More Embittered Criticism of Broadcasters

I posted on Facebook during the BCS championship game a pet peeve of mine, being committed by color analyst Kirk Herbstreit, when he said "excaped" twice in the game.

That shouldn't even be a pet peeve. Pet peeves are the little things that bug you. A national network broadcaster doing a championship game doing that is a disgrace. But then, as you may recall, I'm hypercritical of broadcasters, having been one for five years, and leaving the business despite it forever remaining in my blood.

Anyway, I have another gripe, aimed at local sportscaster Mark Rosen, as well as many others who have committed the same blunder. He said Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff "pushed" his missed field goal (and said it twice, which is important to note, since I generally excuse mistakes when done only once, as possibly just moments of misspeaking).

The rule: It's just like in golf. When a right-footed kicker misses left, that's pulling it. When he misses right, that's pushing it.

I really need to see a therapist.

Let's Leave the Sportscasting to Sportscasters

I wasn't at the long-awaited Twins home opener at Target Field today, but I did get goosebumps watching it on TV. I loved the throwback uniforms, too.

You know what I didn't like? The air-headed banter on WCCO news tonight about the game. Like many others I suppose, I hate pretty much all of the news desk chatter cliches:

- The bad segue ("Speaking of baseball, this weather sure hit a home run today!")
- Ending the newscast with stupid remarks and fake laughter
- Non-sports people acting like they're really into it, and hip to sports as well

There's so many more, but let's try a case in point from tonight's broadcast on that third item. Early in the broadcast, Amelia Santaniello remarked, "Professional baseball was played outdoors in Minnesota for the first time since 1982." Or words to that effect. The key words I know I did not get wrong were "Professional baseball," and no, Amelia, this was not the first time since 1982 or in 28 years or however you put it. This was the first time for Major League Baseball outdoors in Minnesota.

OK, fine, that's a minor point. But I can't let this one go: cheaper-than-Paul-Douglas weather guy Chris Shaffer compared this opening day with the last outdoor home opener for the Twins in 1981. The weather was similar, so nothing much to report there (I was waiting for him to say it snowed in 1981). But then Shaffer dropped this beauty (again, I paraphrase): "You might remember a couple guys on the team that opening day: Gary Gaetti and Kent Hrbek."

Wrong again. Gaetti and Hrbek weren't on the 1981 Twins roster until September call-ups. A more interesting tidbit, not to mention accurate, would have been that Sal Butera, father of current Twin Drew Butera, was on the roster that day. Also, Twins bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek's first year as Twins' coach was...wait for it...1981.

There was also a really bad segue tonight, but I got too worked up to remember it.