The Good News Cubbies

chequita guevara · October 8, 2003, 09:59

Okay, so we lost last night, but what a game. Back and forth all night. Wow!

First let me say, I hate FoxSports. They must have the worst coverage of any major network. The first game they had all these stupid noises (swish, woosh, pop) going on). The announcers hardly know crap and kept changing when the last time the Cubs won or didn't win in the post-season or when the last time they'd been. It's called research guys.

And then they jinxed us with that goat.

I wish the various sports leagues would take quality into consideration when deciding to whom to award television contracts.

Anyway, everyone loves the Cubs and Red Sox. They're saving baseball.

edit: fixed some spelling errors

Baseball TV ratings up 21 percent

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Oct. 7, 2003 | NEW YORK (AP) -- Buoyed by the presence of the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox, baseball's division series was the highest-rated on network television in eight years.

Fox Sports averaged a 7.5 rating for its five national broadcasts, a 21 percent increase from last season's 6.2. It was the highest rating since 1995, when the first-round playoff games were regionalized on the Baseball Network and got a 10.4.

Despite the high ratings, baseball was still beaten by the NFL on Monday night. Game 5 of the Boston-Oakland series got an 8.5 rating compared to a season-low 10.2 for ABC's coverage of Indianapolis at Tampa Bay.

Since 1996, no baseball playoff game in the first two rounds has beaten "Monday Night Football'' in ratings.

However, this year's 20 percent edge for the NFL was considerably lower than last year, when the Green Bay-Chicago football game (10.6) was 54 percent higher than Game 5 between San Francisco and Atlanta. This year's baseball game increased 23 percent from last year.

Fox's five-game average in the division series was also higher than the 6.5 for the NBA Finals and the 7.0 for NASCAR's five highest-rated races on NBC or Fox.

The 21 percent increase is the highest for any sport the past year, beating a 14 percent jump for the Bowl Championship Series college football games on ABC.

Three of Fox's games involved the Cubs, including the highest-rated national afternoon division series game ever on Saturday (6.0) and the second highest-rated game ever (9.8) for Game 5 on Sunday.

A ratings point on Fox represents 1,067,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 106.7 million TV homes. Fox is in the third year of a $2.5 billion, six-year contract with baseball.

Baseball's playoff ratings on ESPN also were much higher than last year.

The nine games on ESPN averaged a 3.9 rating (3,411,000 households) and the four games on ESPN2 averaged a 2.8 (2,388,000 households).

The combined average of 3,047,000 homes was up 52 percent from last year when the games were shown on ABC Family.

Game 3 between Chicago and Atlanta on Friday night got a 6.7 rating on ESPN, the highest-rated division series game ever on cable. The game the next night between Oakland and Boston got a 3.6 on ESPN2, that network's highest-rated show ever.

Q Classic · October 8, 2003, 10:16

this is why you listen to the game on radio.

nothing beats a good radio announcer chatting the game away like an ol' buddy.

chequita guevara · October 8, 2003, 10:19

I don't get WGN in Jacksonville, otherwise I'd never have heard the stupid announcers. ESPN's coverage was so much better. I really liked them showing the strike zone and where the ball crossed (or didn't). Plus ESPN did our seventh inning stretch, Fox just used it for commericals. It was great standing up in the bar and singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Almost felt like home.

There sure are a lotta ex-pat Chicagoans down here in Jax.

Imran Siddiqui · October 8, 2003, 10:46

I really liked the announcers last night. And having Leiter in the booth was good fun as well.

Theben · October 8, 2003, 13:07

Did anyone else notice that the noises ESPN used (when displaying stats) were the same as the noise in X-COM when you open a screen?

And the decline between NFL Monday nights from 2002 to 2003 might have more to do with the teams playing. Packer-Bear rivalry is well-known (as you know, bro).

chequita guevara · October 8, 2003, 13:12

Quote:

Originally posted by Theben
Did anyone else notice that the noises ESPN used (when displaying stats) were the same as the noise in X-COM when you open a screen?

Funny, that's what I thought about Fox.

Anyway, dude, it's an article. Your big brother didn't write it.

Arrian · October 8, 2003, 13:46

The spin I heard on ESPN radio this morning was that the Marlins had to win game 1 or they were screwed, because they're going to get generous helpings of Prior and Wood later on. Which makes a certain amount of sense, although I'm sure the Cubs don't feel that way (you score 8 runs and LOSE? Reminds me of Yanks-Angels last year in the Division series. I was livid at the pitching staff).

-Arrian

The Emperor Fabulous · October 8, 2003, 13:55

Baseball's rating will SOAR if its Cubbies/BoSox.

I mean, who wants to see the Yankees win AGAIN?

And why should we care about the Marlins? OOO, a team with heritage that dates all the way back to 1995!

chequita guevara · October 8, 2003, 14:23

I want the Cubbies to take the next four games. I wanna be there when they win the penent.

Ned · October 8, 2003, 14:59

May the baseball gods raise the Cubs to victory! Perhaps Chicagoans ought to sacrifice that goat.

Ned · October 8, 2003, 15:18

I just noticed that Fox has both broadcasts on at the same time, with FOX east broadcasting the Red Sox and Fox west broadcasting the Cub game.

This is a travesty, of course, since I will not be able to see the Red Sox game!

BTW, I have ESPN high definition thru DirectTV. The service just started. But, I can tell you that this is the ultimate! It is just like being there.

DinoDoc · October 8, 2003, 15:22

The Cubs lost? Does that mean the apocalypse isn't at hand?

Arrian · October 8, 2003, 15:26

Let's-go-Yankees!

*ducks*

-Arrian

uh Clem · October 8, 2003, 16:20

The Cubs are meddling with the space-time continuum.

BustaMike · October 8, 2003, 16:22

About the announcers on Fox...

Thom Brennaman is a ****ing idiot. I hate having to listen to him. At least most of you only have to suffer through it with nationally televised games. He announces every Diamondbacks game here. The man is a complete moron. He calls every pitch ever thrown a 'breaking ball' whether it's a slider, curve, change up, fastball, cutter, whatever. Anyone who isn't little always gets the word 'big' inserted before their name every time it's mentioned. Big Manny Ramirez, big Ruby Durazo, big Todd Walsh (local correspondant who just about whispers when he talks). Only tiny players like Paul LoDuca and Quinton McCracken are exempt.

Sava · October 8, 2003, 17:41

Thom Brennaman is an idiot... so is Steve Lyons... Tim McCarver is an asshat, and Joe Buck is a Cardinalphile... ESPN has the best national announcers in Joe Morgan and Jon Miller (no not our Jon Miller

). I'd usually turn down the TV and play the radio broadcast like when I watch Bears games, but Pat Hughes and Dave Otto (now that Santo is sick) are terrible too.

The most fun I have is making fun of the stupid announcers.

Imran Siddiqui · October 8, 2003, 18:00

Quote:

why should we care about the Marlins?

Because of Jack McKeon, that's why

.

FrustratedPoet · October 8, 2003, 18:26

Quote:

Originally posted by Arrian
Let's-go-Yankees!

*ducks*

-Arrian

Yeah you'd better duck, buster.

FrustratedPoet · October 8, 2003, 18:27

Quote:

Thom Brennaman is an idiot... so is Steve Lyons... Tim McCarver is an asshat, and Joe Buck is a Cardinalphile... ESPN has the best national announcers in Joe Morgan and Jon Miller

I like Gary Thorne and Rick Sutcliffe too. Chris Berman is OK, but oh by the way is like a parody of himself. Buck Martinez usually talk sense, but has such an annoying voice I find it hard to listen to him call a game.

Joe Morgan and Jon Miller are the best announcers I've heard for any sport (not heard any of the great old baseball radio announcers, though). Miller is so funny, he really cracks me up, and you can tell the pair of them are having a great time in the booth.

(possibly spelt a name or two wrong there)

Q Classic · October 9, 2003, 07:40

i've become a northern fan. when i was watching the braves play, and saw a game where ortiz was sucking it up, i yelled: "hey ortiz! you suck! the dugout's that way!"

jon miller

Drake Tungsten · October 9, 2003, 07:45

There's nothing wrong with Joe Buck.

-Jrabbit · October 9, 2003, 08:26

What's up with no 7th-inning stretch on the telecast? They don't show it, they don't even mention it. On national broadcasts during the regular season, they showed it on both Fox and ESPN.

Are they afraid of appearing somehow biased? Or is this just about ad dollars?

Pet Peeve --
Lyons and Brennaman constantly, unfailingly referring to the Cubs as "the Cubbies."

Just once in awhile, it would be nice if they used their actual team name instead of the cute diminuitive form. After all, they're supposed to be objective reporters. (Yeah, I know that's a joke, but wtf, it's my pet peeve.)

Zkribbler · October 9, 2003, 09:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Theben
Did anyone else notice that the noises ESPN used (when displaying stats) were the same as the noise in X-COM when you open a screen?

Uh oh.

Can you spell lawsoot...er...lawsuut...er lawsute...d'oh

Adam Smith · October 9, 2003, 10:35

Quote:

Originally posted by FrustratedPoet
Joe Morgan and Jon Miller are the best announcers I've heard for any sport (not heard any of the great old baseball radio announcers, though). Miller is so funny, he really cracks me up, and you can tell the pair of them are having a great time in the booth.

The Orioles let Jon Miller go because he wouldn't constantly shill for the team. Another in a string of brilliant decisions by owner Peter Angelos. (Did you know that "Angelos" is Greek for "Steinbrenner"?)

At one time I was driving back and forth between Chicago and Washington on a regular basis. On a good day you could hear Harry Caray (Cubs), Ernie Harwell (Detroit), Jack Buck (St. Louis), and Jon Miller (Orioles) all on the same trip. Made the drive a lot shorter.

Theben · October 12, 2003, 00:13

At least we still have Wayne Laramee(bee? I never remember!). I heard him on ESPN radio last night announcing the game. He always gets excited for Chicago teams and it's great to hear him again (used to announce Bears games in 80's-90's).

LoneWolf · October 12, 2003, 00:17

So two BIG MARKET clubs finally overcome their pathetic under-achieving, and suddenly they're "saving baseball"? Please, only their own fans think so. Saving baseball would be a Twins-Brewers Series.

Imran Siddiqui · October 12, 2003, 01:59

Quote:

There's nothing wrong with Joe Buck.

He's horrible. He's nothing compared to his dad, but acts like a know it all (kinda like Bob Costas... another bad announcer).

Drake Tungsten · October 12, 2003, 02:23

Quote:

He's nothing compared to his dad

Setting the bar a little high, aren't we?

Quote:

kinda like Bob Costas... another bad announcer

I just lost a lot of respect for you...

badams52 · October 12, 2003, 03:13

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
I want the Cubbies to take the next four games. I wanna be there when they win the penent.

You may just be one of the luckiest men on earth if the Cubbies pull through tomorrow.

Theben · October 12, 2003, 07:29

Nah...I want them to lose tommorrow so game 6 will be in Chicago. Then I can drive north and watch the game in the city (or maybe suburbs, since most of my friends don't live in the city anymore...).