04/16/24
October 09, 2007
Yankees Broadcaster Suzyn Waldman Cries on the Air: There's no crying in baseball? The Yankees radio broadcaster fought through tears during the postgame show after the series- and potentially era-ending loss. "This is rough," said Waldman, describing Manager Joe Torre's press conference. "I was OK actually 'til I went into the clubhouse -- and the coaches are sitting in Torre's office and they are watching this. The tears you hear in my voice are coming down the faces of the coaches." Hear the audio.
Harsh, guy, harsh. I just think that a lot of the Yankee folk really seem to like Torre and don't want to see him fired by a certain senile Floridian. Not that I have a lot of sympathy, but I'd be more upset with Suzyn over the Clemens love-in that this. Plus, I'm not so sure that there is such a thing as truly objective sports announcing. No one that I've seen/heard out there seems to have it, and what's more, all the great ones (Scully, Rizzuto, My boy Tom Cheek) seem to have the opposite. Or if they're not supporters, there often blowhards who think that their criticism sells papers/ad revenue/etc. Kind of, if Joe Buck is right, then I don't want to be right.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:10 PM on October 09, 2007
Wasn't she also the same person that pretty much anointed the Yankees this year's World Series championship when they showed Roger Clemens sitting in Stienbrenner's box this past summer? "OH MY GOD! IT'S ROGER CLEMENS SITTING IN MR. STEINBRENNER'S BOX!!" Or was it some other Yankee's chump doing that?
posted by NoMich at 03:12 PM on October 09, 2007
No, same chump.
posted by yerfatma at 04:22 PM on October 09, 2007
This is the problem with journalists/commentators getting too close to those they cover. Allowing personal feelings into what should otherwise be objective reporting shows a lack of professionalism that results in much bigger problems than crying in a post-game report.
posted by holden at 04:32 PM on October 09, 2007
There are a lot of people out there who don't like Suzyn. I think this is an example of being a great team broadcaster. Suzyn will never work with any other baseball team - she has spent her whole life working with and on the Yankees. In today's age of free agency, it is nice to have a real dedicated fan be a part of the experience. So what if she shows her preference when one of the greatest coaches of this storied franchise gets (presumably)fired? Her knowledge of the team and its history is encyclopedic and her love for the Yankees comes out in big situations - both good and bad. That emotion is infectious and should be applauded.
posted by Mondak at 04:50 PM on October 09, 2007
"So what if she shows her preference when one of the greatest coaches of this storied franchise gets (presumably)fired? Her knowledge of the team and its history is encyclopedic and her love for the Yankees comes out in big situations..." That's all fine if she only wants to work for the Yankees for the rest of her career. I am not sure how I feel about this. I love Vin Scully's (no relation of which I am aware) approach when it comes to baseball, but I must say there are times I do like homers in the booth. I miss Myron Cope, even though he is one of the most annoying radio guys ever to have a microphone. Now that I live in Vermont I frequently find myself listening to the Yankees' radio team ... only because my favorite radio station up here cuts to the games. I am not sure I can decide whether I dislike them because it is the Yankees or if there is something in their delivery/style that puts me off. I mean, really, "it's high, it's far, it's gone"? *yawn*
posted by scully at 05:20 PM on October 09, 2007
I'm all in favor of people being emotionally connected and transparent (I read a ton of Sox blogs, after all) but I don't want it to get in the way of their telling me something interesting and/or entertaining, and this seems to maybe cross the line.
posted by tieguy at 05:22 PM on October 09, 2007
I've enjoyed Waldman's work when I catch games occasionally on mlb.com, but I have low threshold for homers. If her crying means she holds the current team in reverent awe and is always looking for positive spin, that would drive me nuts as a listener.
posted by rcade at 05:24 PM on October 09, 2007
Waldman's crying is fine; it's her growl that I dislike.
posted by Hugh Janus at 05:29 PM on October 09, 2007
Well if we are dissecting her, I don't like her snorty laugh.
posted by jerseygirl at 05:42 PM on October 09, 2007
As much as I dislike Susan Waldman, I think her partner John Sterling is 10 times worse. Is it me, or when you listen to a Yankee game on the radio, it takes Sterling about 15 minutes to spit out what should take 10 seconds. The Yankees have one of the best announcing teams in Michael Kay and Ken Singleton on TV, They can certainly do a little better hiring job on the radio end. Tthhheeeeeee Yankees win, thheeeeee Yankees win,...SSSSHHHHHAAAADUP!!!!!!
posted by MGDADDYO at 05:57 PM on October 09, 2007
I like the Tourette's "Yankees win!" thing. It's amazing no fan of an opposing team has hunted him down for that.
posted by rcade at 06:01 PM on October 09, 2007
Don't know her. Don't mind homer announcers, although when Rick Rizz (sp) wets himself during M's broadcasts, it's friggin annoying. But you may not cry. Seems way unprofessional to me. I couldn't listen for very long as I started to taste my lunch coming up. Is anyone going to say it?
posted by THX-1138 at 06:07 PM on October 09, 2007
Waldman's cloying and unlistenable while Sterling's pompous and unlistenable; across town, the Mets radio team makes it fun again. Listening to Jon Miller's Orioles (and earlier, Diplomats) radio broadcasts when I was a kid set the bar pretty high, though. I generally root against the Yankees, but that's not my motivation for saying I don't like the current style of their radio broadcasts.
posted by Hugh Janus at 06:22 PM on October 09, 2007
I care nothing for the Yankees, but Joe Torre is a class human being like few that I have seen in my life to this point. He will be alright, he is a classy, strong person that good will always find. Torre took a Yankee team that had not won a world series for a decade and a half and helped make it the envy of any sport. I have watched as justifiably great teams in other sports beside baseball have been compared to the modern Yankees. Steinbrenner has the controlling interest in the team, he can do what he wants. If I was him, I would fire Cashman and bring back Watson and class players like Paul O'Neill. The Boston Red Sox will be insane to allow players such as Curt Shilling and Mike Lowell to walk after this season, because if the Yankees pick them up, the Yankees will have the Paul O'Neill type players that can lead them to more world series championships.
posted by Cave_Man at 06:26 PM on October 09, 2007
If by "Paul O'Neill" you mean "old and better suited to the broadcast booth", then I would agree with you about Schilling. If he wants a multi-year deal at $13-14 million per, he can go wherever he likes to get it. Lowell's a risky long-term deal, but I'd say whether he should buy a home in Mass or not is based mainly on what A-Rod decides to do.
posted by yerfatma at 07:21 PM on October 09, 2007
I know most people don't care about details like this, but if Torre is not back with the Yankees it will not be because he was fired. His contract is up. He is no longer employed by the Yankees. He is a free agent. Steinbrenner just has to decide if he wants to re-sign Torre to another deal or not. And, of course, Torre has to agree to terms.
posted by BlueCarp at 09:46 PM on October 09, 2007
class players like Paul O'Neill I'm sorry, have I fallen into some alternate reality where Paul O'Neill is considered "classy"? The man was the biggest f*cking whiner I have ever seen in MLB. He complained about every single thing that didn't go his way. And not in a classy way (under his breath while passing the ump), but in a showy and demonstrative manner. Did he strike out? He'll complain that the dead-red fastball he didn't swing at was off the plate, while pointing to some imaginary spot in the opposite batters box. Was he out by two steps at first base? He'll complain while stomping on the base and smacking his hands together in some bizarre hillbilly-esque pantomime of some imaginary play in his head. Do people think Kevin Youkilis is bad right now? That's kindergarten level whining compared to Paul O'Neill, PhD in Whineology.
posted by grum@work at 10:13 PM on October 09, 2007
What grum said times two.
posted by holden at 11:03 PM on October 09, 2007
Do people think Kevin Youkilis is bad right now? That's kindergarten level whining compared to Paul O'Neill, PhD in Whineology. Interesting comment. Youkilis isn't popular among yankee fans and not too long ago he defended himself by comparing himself to Paul O'Neill. There was no cable package back then for me so I didn't see enough of O'Neill to form my own opinion.
posted by justgary at 12:36 AM on October 10, 2007
I'm sorry, have I fallen into some alternate reality where Paul O'Neill is considered "classy"? Well, the reality I live in has Paul O'Neill showing up in the late 1990s or early this decade at a complex in Mount Zion, IL, where I was working with my youth baseball team. He was there to see one of his relatives, but I saw him take time to sign autographs and show his swing to a bunch of youngsters who stood around in awe. What a dick.
posted by wfrazerjr at 01:35 AM on October 10, 2007
What a dick. Well, in fairness I believe grum was referring to O'Neill on the baseball diamond. (though I did hear that O'Neill once promised to hit not 1, but 2 home runs for a sick child and almost came through)
posted by justgary at 01:57 AM on October 10, 2007
What a dick. I don't know as grum was referring to O'Neill's worth as a human being as much as he was his conduct on the field, where he was, indeed, a dick. It was nice of you to stand up for the guy, though, and nice to hear he showed a different side in person than the whiny, argumentative prick I watched on TV for years.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:46 AM on October 10, 2007
I think this is an example of being a great team broadcaster Actually, that was a classic example of what not to do as a on-air personality. Total lack of professionalism and over-the-top drama. But then again, we are talking about Suzyn Waldman. "OH MY GOD! IT'S ROGER CLEMENS SITTING IN MR. STEINBRENNER'S BOX!!" Thanks, NoMich. (though I did hear that O'Neill once promised to hit not 1, but 2 home runs for a sick child and almost came through) Wasn't that the episode on "Seinfeld" where Kramer wanted a card that was signed by the entire Yankees team that was in possession of said 'sick child' and Kramer told the kid that Paul O'Neill would hit 2 homers for him?
posted by BornIcon at 06:01 AM on October 10, 2007
i cant stand listening to her. besides her cackeling...she makes some of the most obnoxious points.
posted by flaunted at 06:32 AM on October 10, 2007
Kevin Youkilis is a whiner?
posted by jerseygirl at 07:05 AM on October 10, 2007
Yes, Youkilis is pretty bad. He has one of those faces that's over-demonstrative. Every called strike three looks like he's experiencing the worst bowel movement of his life. And everything grum said about O'Neill. He might be a great guy off the field, but anyone who needs to take a bat to a Gatorade bucket because he struck out in the third inning of a regular-season game is a douche.
posted by yerfatma at 07:17 AM on October 10, 2007
Every called strike three looks like he's experiencing the worst bowel movement of his life. I thought that was just his face.
posted by jerseygirl at 07:46 AM on October 10, 2007
You're half-correct, JG. That's Youkilis' bowel-movement face.
posted by BornIcon at 08:11 AM on October 10, 2007
Not a big fan of Waldman, but the best Waldman story is when The Boss called Irabu a "fat, pusy toad" way back when and Waldman said, on air, after everybody else chimed in about the comment: "What I'm wondering is how the Daily News is going to spell "pusy" on the front page of the paper tomorrow."
posted by Maillard55 at 08:44 AM on October 10, 2007
As I recall, only the "Fat Toad" part was used. "What I'm wondering is how the Daily News is going to spell "pusy" on the front page of the paper tomorrow." I always thought there was an extra "S" in there.
posted by BornIcon at 08:54 AM on October 10, 2007
As I recall, only the "Fat Toad" part was used.
posted by BornIcon at 08:54 AM on October 10, 2007
You recall correctly. A pussy move on the Daily News part.
posted by Maillard55 at 09:36 AM on October 10, 2007
Well, in fairness I believe grum was referring to O'Neill on the baseball diamond. Great. I'm introducing another "alternate" reality to those who view O'Neill as a tool. Also, I can tell what a compete jackass he must have been by the number of teams that ditched him in his 17-year career.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:42 AM on October 10, 2007
fraze, seriously: you're the only one of us who met the guy. The rest of us are going by what we saw on teevee. What's the over/ under on Total # of Coolers Destroyed by Paul O'Neill, Career?
posted by yerfatma at 10:12 AM on October 10, 2007
Did Kevin Brown and Paul O'Neill play for the Yankees at the same time? They'd be 1 and 2 on my All-Time Sulking Team.
posted by rcade at 10:37 AM on October 10, 2007
Not to pick a nit, but Ty Cobb once climbed into the stands and beat up a guy in a wheelchair for a screamed insult. That's all-time behavior.
posted by yerfatma at 10:52 AM on October 10, 2007
I understand Yankee haters dislike Paul O'Neill, but to Yankee fans he is beloved. (The chanting of his name during his last game at Yankee stadium Game 5? 2001 world series as a perfect example) I know I loved him as a player because he seemed to care about winning more then any fan and like a fan he showed his emotions. I like the comparison to Youkalis and as a Yankee fan I would like to have some emotional players like that on the 2007 Yankees. I think you need players like that over a long season. As far a Susan Waldman she is a homer and that is what you should expect from a homer. She has been part of the organization for 20 years and she will not work for any other team. That said the crying was a little much.
posted by LIU at 10:54 AM on October 10, 2007
This is the problem with journalists/commentators getting too close to those they cover. Allowing personal feelings into what should otherwise be objective reporting shows a lack of professionalism that results in much bigger problems than crying in a post-game report. I don't know this woman so I can't defend her, but commentators and play-by-play voices are employed by the team. They fly on the team planes, stay in the team hotels, and often ride on the team buses. They're supposed to allow their personal feelings to a point. It's the reporters on TV (wearing a team's jersey waving a rally towel) that are supposed to be impartial that piss me off.
posted by SummersEve at 10:58 AM on October 10, 2007
i think a lot of people would have done similar things given the circumstances, joe torres a great guy and one of top yankees managers of all time, and to see a greedy senile moron in florida give him the bs that hes giving him--torres better than that. and nobody wants to see him go. i cant knock her for crying over that but i heard it live on the radio and thought it was comical. i never liked her as a clubhouse reporter and cant stand her on the radio. john sterling can get annoying and over the top a lot of times but hes better than the guys on YES because he really gets into the team and makes games more exciting to listen to. YES is only fun to watch when bobby murcers in the booth and hes gradually getting phased out for the likes of michael equally arrogant kay and john flaherty and joe girardi and kim im just happy to be in the clubhouse when guys are changing jones. the wfan mets guys are the best active baseball broadcasters ive heard.
posted by nyfan at 11:10 AM on October 10, 2007
I don't know this woman so I can't defend her, but commentators and play-by-play voices are employed by the team. They fly on the team planes, stay in the team hotels, and often ride on the team buses. They're supposed to allow their personal feelings to a point. Some commentators and play-by-play voices are employed by the team, some are employed by the radio station or TV station for whom they work. In many cases, the team owns or has an ownership stake in the relevant radio or TV station, so the team in those cases is in still the ultimate employer. I'm not sure what the case is here. I suppose on the sliding scale of things, homerism is more acceptable coming from radio and TV personalities that cover the team than, say, print journalists. I just prefer more objective coverage, even for my favorite teams.
posted by holden at 12:10 PM on October 10, 2007
Have I just entered some sort of alternate reality where sportswriters and sports broadcasters are journalists? Or that we expect them to be impartial? We can't even find impartial journalists when it comes to the real news of the day. Why we would expect it from these wretches, I don't understand. Those that think they are "journalists" usually have egos so big and puffy, it is a wonder they don't float away when the wind comes up.
posted by thetakeoverbeast at 03:43 PM on October 10, 2007
As far a Susan Waldman she is a homer and that is what you should expect from a homer. So is Jerry Remy, but he wasn't crying on air after a heartbreaking loss in 2003 and the Grady Little era was coming to an end. ...and I can't believe I'm about to say this, but Sterling can hold his head up with how he handled that situation. Sure he had the kid gloves on, but he at least tried to be professional and bring it back. As yerfatma said... I think i's just been a bad year. She has been part of the organization for 20 years and she will not work for any other team. Can I get a fact-check on this please? I seem to remember Waldman working for WFAN previously and not for the New York Yankees.
posted by YukonGold at 09:01 PM on October 10, 2007
Let me see, now... We have Paul O'Neill, who is said to be a "dick". We have the New York Daily News making a "pussy" move. Now I equate that to having a dick, a pussy, and Susan Waldman in the same thread. Hey, guys, we're X-RATED!!!
posted by Howard_T at 09:55 PM on October 10, 2007
The only thing that makes the end of a Red's season worth listening to is the fact that Marty Brennaman is the greatest living sportscaster. And he's no homer.
posted by mick at 09:56 PM on October 10, 2007
Can I get a fact-check on this please? I seem to remember Waldman working for WFAN previously and not for the New York Yankees. when she started with WFAN she worked the Yankee (and Knick) beat. that's not really "part of the organization" but she started covering the team in 1987. in the mid-90s she did play-by-play on TV so that probably brought her a little closer to the team than she would have been as a radio beat reporter.
posted by goddam at 10:13 PM on October 10, 2007
I find it hard to get worked up over this. While I don't want to hear Remy crying on air, local/home broadcasting is altogether a different animal today. I found her 'clemens returning' fawning much more annoying, and she's not even close to the tragedy that is the white sox announcers.
posted by justgary at 07:02 AM on October 11, 2007
Some commentators and play-by-play voices are employed by the team, some are employed by the radio station or TV station for whom they work. Not to beat a dead horse, but you'd be hard pressed to find a broadcast team that isn't employed by the team these days. Years ago, the broadcasters may have worked for the local stations, but not anymore. Teams know that that's the best way to brand and present their team so they're going to make sure they control it. Here's Waldman's bio on Yankees.com. I'm with justgary on this one, though I do find it amusing to hear her sobs in the background. However, there is a part of me that cringes, thinking "way to perpetuate the stereotype."
posted by SummersEve at 09:09 AM on October 11, 2007
She has been part of the organization for 20 years and she will not work for any other team Yukon, I agree this is a generalization, but as has been confirmed she has been a covering the Yankees closely for 20 years. So is Jerry Remy, but he wasn't crying on air after a heartbreaking loss in 2003 and the Grady Little era was coming to an end. Are you actually comparing the Grady Little era to Joe Torre’s run as a Yankee manager or are you just trolling?
posted by LIU at 09:18 AM on October 11, 2007
Wow, talk about taking something out of context, LIU.
posted by jerseygirl at 09:21 AM on October 11, 2007
I apologize to all I may have offended, but it seemed to bizarre comparison. I will take it from you Jerseygirl that I was way off. Waldman is the ultimate homer, and seems to have an extremely close relationship to the team.
posted by LIU at 09:31 AM on October 11, 2007
However, there is a part of me that cringes, thinking "way to perpetuate the stereotype." That's exactly my reaction to this story.
posted by bperk at 10:36 AM on October 11, 2007
It's the reporters on TV (wearing a team's jersey waving a rally towel) that are supposed to be impartial that piss me off. So crying over the possibility that the Joe Torre-era is over for the Yankees isn't over the top? I can understand a person being around an organization for many years and getting a little emotional when things may change but like the great Tom Hanks once said, "There's no crying in baseball!!"
posted by BornIcon at 11:09 AM on October 11, 2007
No one has the balls to say it so I will. I hate listening to any woman talk about sports whether live, on tv or the radio. Feminists want to be equal to men and be one of the boys yet when they get criticized the first thing they do is play the sexist card and whine that the "boys are being mean to me". The absolute biggest slam you can put on a feminist is to question her professionalism and the Yankee girl proved that she was nothing more than a groupie. So much for being a professional. Just pathetic if you ask me.
posted by Brahdakine at 11:34 AM on October 11, 2007
LIU, you can accuse me of trolling when you eclipse 5 comments. They don't even have to be valuable ones.
posted by YukonGold at 12:04 PM on October 11, 2007
Brahdakine, you do realize we have some very intelligent female sports fans on this site, right? You have been responding to their comments. Welcome to the internet.
posted by hawkguy at 12:16 PM on October 11, 2007
I hate listening to any woman talk about sports whether live, on tv or the radio. You're in the wrong place, Brahdakine. We don't check genitalia when handing out SportsFilter accounts.
posted by rcade at 12:47 PM on October 11, 2007
You're in the wrong place, Brahdakine. We don't check genitalia when handing out SportsFilter accounts. We don't? Then who was it that fondled me when I signed up?
posted by BornIcon at 12:56 PM on October 11, 2007
Tom Hanks once said, "There's no crying in baseball!!" Thank you, BI, I can't believe that it took this long to get to it. No effing crying in baseball. I mean, did Lou Gehrig cry? NO! Did Curt Schilling cry? Well I don't know, actually. How about Paul O'Neill? Hmm, he didn't cry, really, but he did piss and moan a lot. The absolute biggest slam you can put on a feminist is to question her professionalism and the Yankee girl proved that she was nothing more than a groupie. So much for being a professional. Just pathetic if you ask me. Your watch appears to be a bit slow, Brahdakine. Please reset for late 2007.
posted by THX-1138 at 12:59 PM on October 11, 2007
I hate listening to any woman talk about sports whether live, on tv or the radio. Damn right. Its INSANE! Next thing you know they'll be wanting to vote and have equal rights. Dem broads are lucky that Benjamin Franklin (thats right LADEEZ, a MAN) even invented tampons. Seriously. End of Story. ;p
posted by lilnemo at 01:38 PM on October 11, 2007
Then who was it that fondled me when I signed up? Never too early for a prostate check, BornIcon.
posted by rcade at 02:19 PM on October 11, 2007
No one has the balls to say it so I will. You're touching them right now, aren't you?
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:18 PM on October 11, 2007
Waldman cries foul at the reaction she's received. "This one's getting me angry, because I don't play this card a lot, but this is as sexist as it gets," she said.
posted by rcade at 06:45 PM on October 11, 2007
Is it sexist to say bitches cry too much? Damnit.
posted by yerfatma at 07:36 PM on October 11, 2007
I'm not so sure that there is such a thing as truly objective sports announcing. Oh, come on. Perhaps in a country where announcers are so tightly wrapped up with teams, but sporting commentary isn't limited to the US. 6-0-6 listeners may debate Alan Green's leanings, but if you have the chance to listen to national BBC commentary, you generally find commentators with no stake in the result. (Local radio in the UK? Oh yes. But my home town's local station lost its rights to cover the team, in part because it was considered too passionate, and gave fans too much space to criticise.) I understand Yankee haters dislike Paul O'Neill, but to Yankee fans he is beloved. I like him more in Scrubs.
posted by etagloh at 07:41 PM on October 11, 2007
Sexist? I would think a male reporter would get much more press if they were in the same situation.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:41 PM on October 11, 2007
Sexist? I would think a male reporter would get much more press if they were in the same situation. Nah, he would just get laughed at and ridiculed.
posted by BornIcon at 12:00 PM on October 12, 2007
Nah, he would just get laughed at and ridiculed. Because if there's one thing Suzyn Waldman isn't getting it's "laughed at and ridiculed"! Seriously, do you have a dedicated team of writers working on this stuff for you?
posted by YukonGold at 12:40 PM on October 12, 2007
Sterling can hold his head up with how he handled that situation. Yeah, I'm retracting that statement. On review he's an asshat too, just a professional asshat.
posted by YukonGold at 12:42 PM on October 12, 2007
Executive asshat.
posted by jerseygirl at 12:59 PM on October 12, 2007
Everybody's wearing them!
posted by YukonGold at 02:11 PM on October 12, 2007
Il est un asshat executif. Il est un asshat de action.
posted by lilnemo at 04:37 PM on October 12, 2007
Please! If i was in that room with every man having tears swelling in his eyes, i would've been on the verge too. She did noithing "unprofessional." She communicated the situation to her audience - very vividly- and all the tears did were add to her broadcast. I'm chill with that and there's no reason not to be.
posted by Jzsteinm at 09:24 AM on October 25, 2007
Not a real good season for Suzyn.