The Home Run Derby: Bring Back Steroids, a Zillion Erin Andrews Links, and Twitter Hates Chris Berman
Baseball, ESPN, Erin Andrews, Media Gossip/Musings July 14th. 2009, 9:00am
Even though Nelson Cruz put on a surprising show en route to a runner-up finish in the home run derby, and a skeletal and bruised Erin Andrews returned to the sideline from injury, by far the biggest story at last night’s All-Star Festivities: The universal dislike for once-loved announcer Chris Berman. An email, an intern recap, and the twitterarti sound off after the jump.
From an emailer:
Berman doesn’t care, Morgan just keeps talking and Phillips apparently is not allowed to talk. The interviews are during players at-bats, so there’s no play-by-play of the homers (albeit one was during Inge’s zero output performance), the worthless “ball tracker” that is as useful as the glow-puck in the NHL (except that the glow-puck actually STAYED with the object) and erin andrews ugly yellow dress have made this almost unwatchable.
If you did a twitter search for Chris Berman last night, you jaw might have dropped. It’s no surprise that some bloggers and baseball fans have grown tired of Berman’s act, but the response on twitter was overwhelmingly negative. Intern Stephen Montemayor collected some of the bile:
sajhawk Joe Morgan and Chris Berman could ruin a birth.
SocialNudist: Back, Back, Back, I wish Chris Berman were GONE!!!
JohnnyAgs: Go away home run derby. You are too long. And Chris Berman makes watching you like having strep. Jenna Fischer in celeb softball? Sold.
beastinboston: “…He really just needs to fade back, back, back, back into Bolivian.€
MrStelth: Chris Berman stopped being funny about 8 years ago…or I wised up 8 yrs ago.
Those last sentiments may not be the most humorous but they certainly seem an honest assessment of the cliché-generating lady killer. It seems like Berman, when he first started spouting catchphrases heavy on the cheese and high in volume, was a fresh act for his time that resonated for awhile but grew staler as time passed.
Is Berman still a viable commodity for ESPN? Or is the sample size of disgruntled bloggers and tweeters so small that Berman will exit on his own time? Or does Berman’s shtick work with football and just not baseball?
Berman’s effort didn’t deserve the whole of our ire last night. Anyone else who watched the derby have a problem with the mid-swing interviews? (Not that it mattered during Brandon Inge’s 0-fer).
97 Responses to “The Home Run Derby: Bring Back Steroids, a Zillion Erin Andrews Links, and Twitter Hates Chris Berman”
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July 14th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Question: When has ESPN cared about anything about anything people tell them?
Answer: There’s your answer
July 14th, 2009 at 9:04 am
When has ESPN cared about or listened to what their viewers, or, for that matter, their ombudsman, told them?
July 14th, 2009 at 9:05 am
Erin is approaching Ann Coulter skeletor-ness.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Besides, Berman has some new golf shots to insert into his “Swami” package this year.
I know, because when ESPN showed Pebble Beach Pro-Am highlights this year, they just showed his shots. That tells you that they’re not interested in putting him out to pasture any time soon.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Totally agree with everything. I didn’t like the interviews during the at bats, and Berman calling the back-back, especially during Pujols first round was ridiculous. Most of his homeruns barely landed in the first five rows. They also all but ignored Pena.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Did she vacation at Auschwitz?
July 14th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Erin Andrews looks more fragile than a blowup doll.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:09 am
+1
July 14th, 2009 at 9:09 am
prince fielder’s obesity makes me sad.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:11 am
What the Hell Happened to Anna Kournikova? (230614 Views)
What the Hell Happened to Erin Andrews?
July 14th, 2009 at 9:11 am
it doesn’t work at all, in any form, whatsoever. he used up all his good nicknames in the late 90’s. never seen someone try so hard to be chessy and rest on their laurels like he does.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:13 am
I wonder how many of the kids today hate Chris Berman because they’ve been told not to like him and how many of the kids today hate Chris Berman because they’ve reached a point where they’re capable of forming independent judgments.
He’s fine. Give me one million Chris Bermans before you give me a single dope from ESPNRadio.
Except for Bob Valvano. I heart Bob Valvano.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Erin Andrews: not that hot.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I didn’t watch (and I’m actually proud of myself for that), but tell me, did he start naming random suburbs when a home run went 5 feet over the fence, like he did in Boston?
If ESPN ignored him, I will assume he is not represented by Scott Boras.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Lay off Inge – he was just happy to be there.
The thing that saddens me the most is Joe Morgan. He was my hero growing up. I played second base, wore number 8, and even pumped my arm like him when I batted (for a short time). He is absolutely unlistenable as an announcer. As much as I dislike Phillips, he’s 100% better. I need to stop watching Sunday Night Baseball.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Chris Berman is the man
July 14th, 2009 at 9:17 am
I think they have no fucking idea what he’s saying half the time.
You have to know who Herman’s Hermits and Dion and the Belmonts are to get his nicknames. I’m old, and I barely know who they are.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:18 am
if the camera ‘adds 15 pounds’ then what does …
duffy and merk +2 each
July 14th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Everyone is like “Hes a Vegetarian, why is he that fat?” When you replace Red meat with snickers and Poultry with Doritos this is what happens.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:19 am
i don’t give a shit what it is: if chris berman is announcing, i’m out.
the home run derby is boring to begin with. throw in berman and it’s unwatchable.
that slob single-handedly ruined that nfl highlights show bspn used to have. thank god for nfl network!
July 14th, 2009 at 9:20 am
i think the people who independently hate berman can remember the moment when he realized he was a hack with no ability to call live games.
he needs a script, highlights, and a venue to make his funny noises. baseball games are not that venue.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:21 am
If it’s any consolation, since he is INDUCTING Ralph Wilson into the Football Hall of Fame, Berman will not be the emcee this year, so while you have to listen to a 5 minute cringe-inducing speech where Wilson has told him Berman has to say “Nobody circles the wagons….”, that’s it for him…for this year.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:21 am
My guess is his vegetables are battered with an unhealthy amount of ranchdressing.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Berman, Vitale, they have just become parodies of themselves.
Berman is like some old comedian who just hangs on by playing the 1pm show at the Riveria in Vegas.
As far as a baseball analyst is concerned, no on can touch Steve Stone on the White Sox broadcast, of course you have to put up with the Hawk.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:23 am
interesting.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Are you sure? I don’t have to hear him say “RAAAAAAADUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHSSSSSS,” “New York Football Giants,” and “Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field” every time he introduces a Raider, Giant, and Packer?
July 14th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Ernest Givins … from!
July 14th, 2009 at 9:25 am
I’m afraid the only way we can Berman off the air is if he accidentally calls Chris Johnson a monkey during the highlights.
/Cosell’d
July 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Everyone hates the Hawk. The Hawk is awesome.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
i have a feeling he honestly believes he sounds like the original NFL Films voice over when he practices those phrases in the shower every sunday morning.
although, his raiders schtick sounds more like my dog wretching on something she shouldn’t have eaten.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
.
Great point, Im older than dirt, and would never think in a million years that anyone in their 20s or 30s would know who Paul Revere and the Raiders are.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
that’s the main problem i had with berman from day one. you know, the most basic function of any announcers is to, you know, communicate. i used to be able to recite teh starting lineup for every friggin baseball team (yes, at that point i really had no life). i’d watch that idiot berman and when he started forcing those awful nicknames — that poeple faxed into him — i had no friggin clue who he was talking about.
if i didn’t know who he was talking about, then how about joe six-pack who wasn’t as much of a dork as i?
if a guy needs subtitles and he’s not trying to speak a foreign language, he has zero business being on the telecast.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Berman is the single reason that I stopped watching this event a number of years ago. Missed Josh Hamilton’s amazingness last year because of him. He is a disgusting, obnoxious, stupid, over-the-top asshole with nothing intelligent to offer and hasn’t had an insightful remark in 15 years…on any sport.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Actual Joe Morgan quotes from last night just off the top of me head:
“Great players step up in big situations.”
“It’s unlikely to hit more HR in the second half of the season than the first half. You get tired, and it just wears on you.”
“That’s why I didn’t pick Prince [Fielder] to win. He tries to hit a HR on every swing, and that’s going to get him in trouble” (mind you this is during a HR hitting contest).
That’s just off the cuff, there are obviously many more.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Tampa – that is a stretch…stretch…stretch…stretch.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:29 am
that’s it for him…for this year.
Are you sure? I don’t have to hear him say “RAAAAAAADUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHSSSSSS,†“New York Football Giants,†and “Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field†every time he introduces a Raider, Giant, and Packer?
Jay: just for emceeing the HOF “extravaganza”. I don’t know who’s going to replace him (Eisen maybe?). The article said the HOF hires him directly, on a year to year basis, and that, hopefully (for him), he’ll be back to hosting it next year.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Louisville!
July 14th, 2009 at 9:33 am
How old do you have to be, and what part of the country do you have to come from to get the “NFC Norris Division” reference?
/I get it
//don’t jmorris me
July 14th, 2009 at 9:34 am
Everyone hates the Hawk. The Hawk is awesome
Hawk always has nice things to say about Minnesota, but I still just hate listening to him.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:34 am
NFL Primetime was the shit
July 14th, 2009 at 9:35 am
anyone remember that other home run competition they would do, where two players would alternate hitting with three outs each inning? would be a much better format than what they have now.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:36 am
i watched the derby at a bar, so obviously no sound (although from what it sounds like that seems like a good thing even though i don’t hate berman). Anyway, a few thoughts…
1) the whole thing took forever…FOREVER 2) what the fuck is up with the swing off, at first i thought the round of four included two from the AL and two from the NL, so when Pena was up in the swing off i got real fired up (had money on pena)…until pujols came up and did his swing off and i realized that this meant nothing 3) brandon inge fuckin blows, i would have rather seen charles barkley swing a golf club ten times then that shit and 4) that thing took absolutely forever, way to drag it out guys
July 14th, 2009 at 9:36 am
And that is why you play the game
July 14th, 2009 at 9:37 am
You talking about the old school one with Mantle, Mays, Hank Aaron, Harmon Killibrew, Enos Slaughter, etc.? That show was the shit.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:37 am
The NHL’s Norris Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division moved to the Clarence Campbell Conference in 1981. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. The division was named in honor of James E. Norris. It is the fore-runner of the NHL’s Central Division. It was often referred to as the “Chuck” Norris Division because of the intense rivalries between it constituent teams, especially the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings, led to many games becoming bloodbaths- fights, bench-clearing brawls and stick fouls.
ESPN’s Chris Berman often refers to the National Football League’s NFC North division (previously the NFC Central division) as the Norris Division or “NFC Norris” since the two divisions included teams from three of the same cities: Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. The Tampa Bay Area was also briefly represented in both divisions simultaneously, during the 1992-93 NHL Season.
/jmorris’d
/sorry, couldn’t help myself
July 14th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Boston was 10 years ago – he’s been doing it since then and probably before. I believe we got a Hannibal, MO and then some last night. He’s probably getting out his Orange County/LA atlas right now.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Primetime was ESPN’s bread and butter, starting the day with Countdown and ending it with Berman and TJ was awesome
July 14th, 2009 at 9:39 am
EA is looking sickly in those photos. I didn’t get the chance to see her live last night, but a buddy texted me saying she looked like she is on a 3 grape a day diet.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I watched House Hunters on HGTV last night, glad I didn’t miss anything. Besides, if those homers don’t count in my fantasy stats, who cares?
July 14th, 2009 at 9:41 am
And the final scores of their divisional games often were 6-3 and 3-2.
/added truth’d
July 14th, 2009 at 9:41 am
it was pretty similar, i think they did it right before spring training about 6 or 7 years ago and it lasted for a few years. it at least kept the action going and guys never seemed to get cold.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:42 am
I thought Berman or Phillips were going to kill Morgan last night, I hate berman but the shots they took at him at the end were great, “and thanks to the doppler radar” in reference to Morgan talking about the non exsistant wind.
Also, that exchange when they didn’t know they were on the air when the foul ball came back at him and Joe Morgan responding I got you, usually a ball with that kind of spin moves that way, I could just imagine him in berman’s lap.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:42 am
You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.
/you have been warned
July 14th, 2009 at 9:43 am
EA looks like she’s on the Bobby Sands Diet.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:44 am
I’d still give Erin
152 minutes of heaven.July 14th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Speaking of ombudsman, when will ESPN hire another? It has been almost four months since Schreiber’s last column…Or was she simply the last straw for them, her telling them what they don’t want to hear?
July 14th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Don Ohlmeyer will be the next ESPN ombudsman (per @richarddeitsch)
July 14th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Watched it last night instead of going to work on my glutes. Should have worked on my glutes.
God this thing was BORING!
As for Berman, I liked him…when I was in 6th grade! I’ve grown up now and find him to be a bore. Morgan otoh is a source of endless comedy. I’m going to be recommending everyone “widen their hips” for the next week.
Oh and Erin, sweetie, eat a damn sandwich. Just because the scary Rey Maualuga ground against you doesn’t mean you let yourself fade to Bolivian.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:47 am
i’ll tell you what you i’ll give you some advice MLJ guys, a good way to keep readers away is posting a giant picture of prince fielder making out with queen latifah on the front of your site….oh wait….
July 14th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Wasn’t there talk that they were going to hire Don Ohlmeyer?
a.k.a. A TV guy who once publicly bitched about the World Series interfering with the NBC primetime lineup?
/will tell them exactly what they want to hear.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:49 am
Just reading Wikipedia about the classic HR Derby show mentioned earlier:
July 14th, 2009 at 9:49 am
al michaels will do the same thing on occasion but he will actually use a suburb, not a town half a state away.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Yes, Ohlmeyer would be an awful choice, for reasons Jay state.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:50 am
talk is fact. done deal.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:51 am
@wilhelmreems:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Run_Derby_(TV_series)#ESPN_revival
July 14th, 2009 at 9:53 am
ding… ding… ding… ding…
the disney mice got too many headaches from schrieber. no need for that. gotta keep the littles in their place.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:54 am
Not that surprising, it’s batting practice. He’s known to be a beast when in BP.
But Fatty Fielder II has one nasty swing… I could see him winning a couple more then Griffey, Jr.
And did the yellow/green/whateverthefuck color trail that followed the line of the ball piss anyone else off? All it did was get in the way of seeing the actual ball and made a pop up to short right look like it went into the second deck. Don’t they remember how shitty it looked/worked in hockey games?
/just remembered no one watches hockey
July 14th, 2009 at 9:56 am
unless that viewer is paul tagliabue.
i’m told he has a personal DVD collector’s edition of “playmakers.”
July 14th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Yup. And Simmons and Cowherd are the two lone soccer viewers in the US.
July 14th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I just got a visual of Berman at next year’s AS game, a Sportscenter coming back from a commercial, then some sort of “pink champagne on ice”/”prisoners of our own device” voice-over, and my stomach tightened a little.
Also, do you think he’s sad that the Pro Bowl is in South Beach and not Honolulu this coming Feb. and he doesn’t get to wear a Hawaiian shirt?
July 14th, 2009 at 9:59 am
he’ll still wear the flowered shirts
July 14th, 2009 at 10:04 am
How many times did Berman say “He hit it to the confluence!” in Pittsburgh a couple of years ago? This guy can make anything unwatchable. I can’t put into words how glad I am that he’s not a part of their Masters coverage. Also, Prince Fielder puts in super man size dips.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:06 am
he’ll still wear the flowered shirts
with a HAT!!
July 14th, 2009 at 10:08 am
That was bacon concentrate.
What I hated about Burman last night is that he obviously paid no attention to the contest until he would shout a random Burman gem. “That ball’s got a chance”. And then the kid behind second base snags it..
July 14th, 2009 at 10:40 am
+1
It’s not a surprise they regulate him to the past midnight slot since he’s, ya know, good.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:44 am
I have to disagree about Phillips vs. Joe only because Joe clearly stopped caring about the players about twenty years ago and hasn’t been involved in the game for even longer. He sticks with knowing who Gary Sheffield is and that makes him happy. Steve Phillips was involve just five or six years ago and he already doesn’t know anything. Imagine what he’s gonna be like a few years down the road. Plus I get the distinct impression he thinks I want to fuck him.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:45 am
False. Bo, be honest, if he didn’t broadcast for your favorite team you’d hate his fucking guts.
Also, I’m with like 98% of you on Berman. The guy is awful. Just awful. He ruins everything he broadcasts with jokes about shit from the 1940s, his incessant yelling, and his inability to make himself likeable. Go away.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:46 am
The Hawk is like an extremely biased Steve Phillips.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Jimmy Valvano >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bob Valvano
July 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Two minutes? Good luck Superman.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Hawk should pull a (fill in celebrity from the past couple weeks) and take a dirt nap.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am
My hatred for Berman began after the Vikes-Packers game at Lambeau field when Moss pretended to pull his pants down and rub his ass on the goal post. Berman was almost inconsolable. He couldn’t believe that Moss would desecrate Lambeau field that way. It was almost as if Moss had peed in the holy water at the Vatican. Coincidently, I started hating Joe “that was a disgusting act!†Buck at exactly the same time.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:55 am
TBL Godfather, quit the Manhattanesque media postulating as you are sounding too much like the aloof Duffy lately. Switch from your current brand to Occam’s razor (the rest of you look it up, and thanks to the reader who righted TBL Godfather to the most obvious explanation of common sense with regard to McNair’s death based on this easy concept).
July 14th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Mixed feelings about Berman, he’s mildly annoying but harmless. I stopped watching ESPN’s NFL pregame show years ago, although not because of Berman.
I really don’t know how last night went for him because Joe Morgan = MUTE button. Literally cannot stand hearing him talk anymore.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:55 am
+1 Jay thanks!
July 14th, 2009 at 11:00 am
You assume no one has taken a 100 level philosophy course?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:06 am
The simplest explanation is probably the correct one. Right?
/learned this in a Simpson’s episode
July 14th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Yes, and Taguchi, that was not for you but for the complaints folks make who are too lazy ass to look it up even on Google or YouTube or Wikipedia instead of charging any one of us of being “incomprehensible.”
For the more curious set only (others please fuck off on this one lest you have something to add with some game in it):
Occam’s razor works wonders by the way for example when you view magic or people talk to you about experiences with ghosts and so on.
You might not enjoy horror movies any more either, and many folks will be too terrified of your truthfulness on other observations of what passes for “conventional wisdom” but is really the production of glorified douchebags lest you can couch it in humour.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:25 am
I didn’t know anybody else liked Bob Valvano except me. That guy has the best laugh ever.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:30 am
@Paolo: I can’t figure out whether or not to take you seriously… ever. You really toe the line between crazy and scary… no offense though dude.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:34 am
@Phatjohnson- How bout those Bills?
July 14th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Welcome Phat to the first level of understanding of the mission. Congratulations.
For the next level, answer for yourself the riddle of where is the best place to hide anything, including the truth?
No discussion of that here, because after all much of the mission is classified, but keep reading and thanks.
Scary? Puh-lease! I am just a regular dude calling it plainly and mercilessly like I see it, which usually happens to be an opinion not considered in that (loser) mainstream of “experts” especially out of …ah you’ve heard the rest by now.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:52 am
@irish: how about them bud?
My take: T.O. is a crazy asshole. I think he will help them for the one year he is here although not to the extent that delirious Buffalo fans think (i.e. Super Bowl). I’d say the playoffs are in consideration but it depends on three things, by order of importance:
A) Offensive line. Almost completely new set of guys, many without a proven track records. Should be interesting to see if they gel and play well.
B) Coaching. Jauron is crappy and if he continues to mismanage games they can’t be successful.
C) Defensive line. They are going to need pressure and maybe Aaron Maybin can give them that in a hurry, but the run stopping game will be key in late games where they are behind.
I honestly think Edwards and TO only matter a small portion in the teams chances at winning. I’ve always been a firm believer in football games being won and lost at the line of scrimmage and the Bills will need to really prove something there this year.
Also I think losing Fred Jackson, I don’t know if hes signed yet or not so excuse my not knowing, would be pretty painful even w signing Dom Rhodes. Rhodes and Lynch are too similar whereas Jackson’s different style really helped their running game.
Just one guy’s take.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Sad whatever is happening to EA. She is melting away.
I would rather sit through an entire game with the tv on mute than listen to the ramblings of Berman. He ruins anything he is on now. Can’t stand him!
July 14th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Sure was. Not the same now that they don’t have the Sunday night game.
July 14th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
@phatjohnshon- playoffs this year. thanks for the response
July 14th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
I’m at work, so I’m late to the party, but someone needs to restart “FireJoeMorgan.com”.