I like Jim Nantz. That’s a worthy starting point. He does a remarkable job announcing the country’s biggest sporting events and there’s nobody in his generation worth comparing. He stands alone and that’s not up for debate.
That said I just don’t understand the dick riding about something as simple as not talking during the moment. That’s what people were going nuts about yesterday and it’s Baseball 101. When a big moment happens, just sit back and shut up and let the crowd do the work.
But Jim Nantz does it on his 40th Masters and people throw him a parade?
46 words in 7 minutes might even be too much.
My grandfather passed about 10 years ago and he could have broadcasted the final putt yesterday.
Anyone reading this could have sat there on mute.
And the crazy thing is it’s so obvious to shut up during big sports moments. Especially at the Masters when the entire ethos of announcing the event revolves around reserved, understated observations.
The only exception to me is when you’re broadcasting a hometown team. Len Kasper calling Aramis Ramirez against Milwaukee. Any time Hawk got on the mic. Stacey King’s hot sauce and Joniak describing another devastating 3rd and long within the Bears’ own 20 yard line. There’s plenty of examples where you want that sweet juice from your local broadcast booth.
And nowhere on that list will you ever find the Masters.
So while I think Jim Nantz is good at the job, I don’t care to blow him so vigorously for doing it well. If that was the case then I’d sucking my accountant dry for getting me a whopper return this year.
Same thing goes for my mail man, butcher and most of the local bar staff.
There’s a lot of people who positively impact the quality of my life and those people deserve a ton of credit.
Jim Nantz is not one of them and as such I’d appreciate it if we could all take his old wrinkled dick out of our mouths just one time.