Not everybody hates Joe Buck

Defector

The Fox Sports announcer is frequently hated for his call of sports moments that happened more than a decade ago, says Drew Magary. But the Joe Buck of today is actually a great announcer. "All I know of Joe Buck is what I see of him on my television, and what I see I almost always enjoy," says Magary, adding: "Everyone’s relationship with an announcer is deeply personal. It’s their voice talking to your brain, often when your brain is at its most agitated and/or vulnerable. If you’re watching a game by yourself, and this happens to me quite often, theirs is the only other voice in the room. So, despite appearances, it’s not easy to get into the booth and call a game live, for four straight hours, and leave the average fan pleased with the exchange. F*ck up just once and they never forgive you. “I don’t hate him” has been my ultimate compliment for announcers all throughout my adult lifetime, so much so that it doesn’t even register with me at first if I actually LIKE the person doing the games. But it’s time I gave Joe Buck credit for achieving more than the bare minimum. He’s the most important play-by-play man in sports right now, and that’s because he’s the best one as well."