Blogging note
(Written by kencraw)
I’m going on vacation this weekend and may not have internet access until Tuesday afternoon. For some reason my Mom doesn’t recognize that it’s football season and I need to watch the game and post my links! I’ll be listening to the game on the radio and then review the CSTV TV broadcast on Tuesday. I’ll post my podcast and blog reviews Tuesday if I can’t get to them sooner although I’ll try to post based on the radio broadcast sooner if I can.
(An aside to all those who think Starkey is horrible: Get a clue. Starkey is awesome and you’re an idiot.)
September 7th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
Ken, are you serious that someone actually thinks Starkey is “horrible??” They’ve gotta be kidding! He’s one of the greatest announcers I’ve ever heard, and I’ve been listening since LONG before “The Play!” Every time he yells, “Touchdown BEARS!” he puts a smile on my face. No doubt whoever said Starkey’s horrible is just trying to be a wise-ass, since they have to know how much Starkey means to all of us True Blue Cal fans! You’re right, anyone who says they don’t like Starkey is a jealous idiot! GO STARKEY!! GO BEARS!!!
September 7th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
For the record, I will be on it in Ken’s absence. We might even do a podcast!
September 8th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Ken-I feel for you about your vacation during the season. It’s my wife’s birthday today and we have a weekend trip planned. I’ll be checking my cell every 5 minutes. Oh well, at least it wasn’t a home game!
Starkey is the best. Sometimes he slips but I wouldn’t trade him for ANYONE.
GO BEARS!
September 8th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Starkey’s a very dramatic announcer. He’s also a guy who forgets what the down and distance are a bit too much. Even his famous Cal call, he doesn’t actually say “lateral” until the play is basically over. “Another one!” he cries — another what, Joe?
I love Joe Starkey on general principle but he’s not really great when it comes to details when you’re listening on the radio and don’t have the game right in front of you.
September 8th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
My only issue with Starkey is his negativism at the slightest downturn in Cal play during a game. To hear him say it, you’d think there is no hope ever again after a bad series, an interception, or whatever. Cal may as well forfeit the game at that point, they’ll never get out of this one! Such doom and gloom, it only adds to the frustration I’m feeling for whatever the bad thing was.
You really can’t blame him, though. He’s been calling the Cal games for, well forever, and he no doubt remembers all those years when a bad play DID translate to a big loss or let down. I’ve just learned to pull the earbuds out after a not-so-good Cal play, wait a few minutes (usually more than enough time for the correction to be made), and then go back to him.
There is something about listening to him before, during and after a Cal game that makes the day complete.
(And he was a heck of a lot better than Trev Alberts and the other guy from today’s Colorado State game on CSTV. I don’t get very good AM reception inside my house and the game wasn’t broadcast on XM [although, that usually is the feed from the home teams broadcast, so I wouldn’t have enjoyed whoever calls for Colorado State anyway], so I had to endure the television commentary.)
September 9th, 2007 at 5:38 am
Starkey definitely has his pros/cons and I’m cool with some criticism of him. But if you go on some Cal message boards there is a vocal group that actively want to see him fired and have for years. They think he is one of the worst announcers out there comparing him negatively to some of the worst in the Bay Area.
Those are the idiots I was referring to.
I agree that sometimes he doesn’t give down and distance as often as he should, although I think it’s a question of how intently one is listening. I find that if I’m in the car, it’s a little bit frustrating, but if I’m sitting in front of the radio at home, I’m always able to keep track of it (as in although he didn’t say it’s 2nd and 4, he did tell me last time it was 1st and 10 and that the play was a run to Forsett for 6 yards).
TrumanHugh’s minor issue with his willingness to go negative is a matter of taste in my opinion, one that I like. I hate the “just a bit outside” (movie reference to Major League) homer announcing that is all too common in home announcers. Starkey manages to give it to you straight even though he is pulling for the team.
Overall, while I think those are valid criticisms, I think they have to be tempered against how well he emotionally calls the games, which is his strength. He’s still one of the Bay Area’s best, if you ask me.