Sep
30

Grading Sterling

By

When the Yanks clinched the AL East Sunday evening, John Sterling let out his usual “Thaaaaaaaa Yankees Win!” warble, with an added twist to include the division race. It was arguably his most … um … enthusiastic call of the season, and Joe DeLessio of The New Yorker graded it out. Despite the lack of buildup leading up to the moment (everyone knew they’d clinch, eventually), Sterling still walks away with a sterling 26.5 pts out of 35, pun intended. Give it a listen and a read, nice laugh to end the workday.

Categories : Asides

32 Comments»

  1. The sad thing is, the night before we clinched, he gave that same call, thinking that THAT win was the clincher.

    BALLGAME OVER! AL EAST OVER! DIVISION CLINCHED! YANKEES WIN! THAAAAAAAAAAAAA YANKEES, WI–

    NO! No, it’s not till tomorrow night! It looked like we had it, but I guess not.

  2. wilcymoore says:

    Why am I not surprised?

  3. JMK aka The Overshare says:

    More likely to happen: Suzyn and Sterling shag OR Kay and Jones shag?

  4. Nels says:

    I know this isn’t from it, but It is high, it is far is a hilarious blog.

  5. Joseph M says:

    The Yankees are the top shelf franchise in sports. How they wounnd up with such a poor excuse for a play by play man I’ll never know.

  6. Januz says:

    I can’t stand John Sterling, or Suzan Waldman (Who is even worse). The reality of the matter, is that the Mets have much better announcers (Howie Rose is a solid professional, and Darling is excellent on TV). Everything the Yankees do is first class, and they spare no expense in doing it, so I never understood why the Yankees have had for years, such bad announcers on radio and TV (Michael Kay in particular). I would be very happy if they brought in announcers such as Krukow and Keiper who do Giants games (They may be the best this side of Vin Scully).

    • yankeegirl49 says:

      I agree with ALL of that including the last line about the Giants announcers who I heard last season for the first time on XM and thought they were great.

    • pat says:

      I love our yankee mentality.. Lets just go buy some other team’s broadcasters.

      Sorry, doesn’t work that way.

    • Yankees: good. Yankee announcers: bad.
      Mets: bad. Mets announcers: good.
      Giants: bad. Giants announcers: good.

      I think my above theory may have some validity.

      • Januz says:

        What about Rex Hudler for the Angels? Dick Bremmer and Bert Blyleven (Twins)? And of course, Vin Scully. All of those announcers are quality.

      • Renny Baseball says:

        Does anyone remember that when the Yankees were a terrible team, pre-1996 dynasty, that they had some pretty good broadcasters? DeWayne Staats (ok tacky name) did cable tv games (he now does Tampa Bay); Tom Seaver also broadcast tv games for awhile too (up to mid-90s maybe?). Also in the late ’80s the Yanks had a radio duo named Tommy Hutton and Hank Greenwald who were outstanding.

        I will say that the ex-players doing the games now are all mostly pretty good, Leiter being my favorite.

    • Esteban says:

      Co-sign.

  7. jsbrendog says:

    john sterling = grade f. there, and i didn’t even have to go read the article. let me go do that now (although i’m pretty sure you can’t get lower than an f)

  8. Ross says:

    The New York Magazine blog is simply ripping off It Is High, It Is Far, It Is Caught. Those guys put out HILARIOUS Yankees content every day. I think they deserve the link over the crappy New York Magazine rip off.

  9. JohnnyC says:

    At least Sterling and Waldman don’t discuss Drew Barrymore films for half an inning…as the Mets announcers just did today. Darling and Cohen were more than a little enthusiastic in their discussion. Hee hee.

    • Januz says:

      I can’t say I heard the Broadcast where they discussed Drew Barrymore films. But, I wonder if it had anything to do with the fact, the Mets stink, the season is ending, and they are playing the Nationals? Actually having to work that game must be worse than working radio for a late season Chiefs/Raiders game.

  10. Lanny says:

    Look at it this way. Whats the teams record with him in the booth these past 20 yrs?

  11. JackISBACK says:

    I honestly can’t stand Waldman. She has like nothing to add IMO. I speed when I’m driving partly because I can’t stand listening to them. Atleast you can mute the TV.

  12. Tank Foster says:

    My brothers and I sit at the stadium and do a three hour parody of Sterling and Waldman. It’s a wonder the others in our terrace section (310) haven’t tarred and feathered us, but I guess that’s because we are so fucking funny.

    Seriously–they are a comedy duo. Sterling is marginal as an announcer technically (listen to the radio and hear how seldom he gives the score), and the stupid cliche’d statements (“you can’t predict baseball…” or the “Troika” of Nelson, Rivera, Wetteland….there are others) drive you crazy.

    But he is memorable. Most would say memorable in a negative way, and this may be so. But I’ll bet you there are a few little kids who will have fond memories of him when they grow up.

    There are better things to do with our time than excoriate John Sterling. It’s fun, I know, but there is a line.

    • But he is memorable. Most would say memorable in a negative way, and this may be so. But I’ll bet you there are a few little kids who will have fond memories of him when they grow up.

      John Sterling = Hanna Barbera Cartoons

      • PinstripesForeverDougie says:

        “I’m smarter than the average broad-caster!!”

        / John Sterlinng as Yogi Bear’d

        “O, my darling Clemens- time!!”

        / Suzyn Waldman as Huckleberry Hound’d

        P.S. Say what you will about my taste in cartoons, Tsjc, but I love Hanna Barbara cartoons. So, please don’t compare their general quality work to John and Suzyn…….

        Well, maybe scooby-doo…

  13. Ellis says:

    I really like Sterling and Waldman. I don’t mind that their homers, I like that. Anyone with me? All you silent Sterling suporters, give me some +1s!

    • Ellis says:

      …*they’re* homers…

    • Sam P. says:

      “OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS!”

    • Jerry R says:

      I agree Ellis,I moved out of town and a local station broadcasts all of the Yankee games. John and Suzyn are like a touch of home and even if I do agree that they are caricatures of themselves, the Yankees would seem like something were missing without them

      I also like Michael Kay, even if he doesn’t know that balls hit this side of the warning track are not deep. He is a perfect anchor for all of the ex players. My ratings for them and they are all good……Singleton, Flaherty, Leiter, Cone, O’ Neil.
      Kaat when he was there, was the best and Bobby M, rest his soul was a great one.

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