Neverett Out at WEEI

NickEsasky

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Never want to see a guy lose his job, but this is great for the fans. Neverett was unlistenable. His anecdotes were terrible his voice bugged me too.
 

Kliq

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I thought Neverett was perfectly fine in his role and thought he took a lot of unjust criticism for simply being an average PBP guy. I have sympathy for anyone that works for the shitshow that is WEEI.
 

tims4wins

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Never liked him, but he had some epic calls during the WS - first one that comes to mind was the bases clearing double by Pearce
 

Merkle's Boner

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So does Merloni get the full-time job? God, I hope not. He never shuts up, always trying to be smart ex-player guy.
 

pedro1918

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Well, I wouldn't want to be associated with WEEI either. I didn't care for Neverett's voice, but I didn't find him offensive or anything. I guess my feelings on this will be determined when Castig's new partner is announced. I hope it isn't Merloni.
 

Laser Show

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From the Globe article:
There were industry rumors about possible changes in WEEI’s Red Sox radio booth all season long. One, which multiple sources have said was a genuine consideration, had WEEI dropping the concept of a conventional radio baseball broadcast to make the call of the game sound more like a sports radio talk show.
Please no. Ugh.
 

joe dokes

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I thought Neverett was perfectly fine in his role and thought he took a lot of unjust criticism for simply being an average PBP guy. I have sympathy for anyone that works for the shitshow that is WEEI.
I really disliked him at first, but I thought he was getting better, especially in the chemistry-with-Joe department. I thought he was really good in the post-season.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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So does Merloni get the full-time job? God, I hope not. He never shuts up, always trying to be smart ex-player guy.
I can't see it being just Merloni full time. That would require Castiglione to call PBP for all nine innings every game. They'll have to hire someone who can do PBP for half the game, the way Neverett, DOB, Trupe, etc have done.

That idea of making it like a sports radio show would be a disaster. The point of the radio broadcast of a game is to describe the action on the field for those that can't see it. All I can picture of the "like a sports radio show" idea is it being the radio equivalent of a guest in the NESN booth where they show the guest instead of the action on the field. Gross.
 

bohous

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From the Globe article:


Please no. Ugh.

No kidding. This makes me think they already have plans for Merloni to step in, which will be disappointing to say the least. I mean, Neverett was "fine". He wasn't great ...or bad. I barely noticed him, which can be a good thing.
 

Rough Carrigan

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BoSoxLady

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Can they please send DOB back to radio.
The reason Don Orsillo was let go is because DOB’s contract with WEEI was up and he wanted a tv position. The Red Sox didn’t want to lose DOB so they cut Orsillo.

I preferred DOB on the radio. Neverett was nothing special.
 

joe dokes

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I can't see it being just Merloni full time. That would require Castiglione to call PBP for all nine innings every game. They'll have to hire someone who can do PBP for half the game, the way Neverett, DOB, Trupe, etc have done.

That idea of making it like a sports radio show would be a disaster. The point of the radio broadcast of a game is to describe the action on the field for those that can't see it. All I can picture of the "like a sports radio show" idea is it being the radio equivalent of a guest in the NESN booth where they show the guest instead of the action on the field. Gross.
I had heard from people in a position to know that the "more like a sports radio show" was first floated by Minihane.
 

NickEsasky

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I had heard from people in a position to know that the "more like a sports radio show" was first floated by Minihane.
This would explain Chad's response to Minihane on Twitter.
 

Ferm Sheller

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From the Globe article:


Please no. Ugh.
What does this mean, though? Are we gonna be hearing things like, “As Mookie looks at ball 4 outside, we go to Steve in Medford...”

And

Person A: “Mookie takes ball 4 outside...”

Person B: “I think he’s been seeing the ball better these last few weeks.”

Person C: “I’m gonna have to disagree with you on that, Person B—I think ever since his collision with the wall in Detroit, his eye at the plate had gotten worse than it was over the first month of the season.”

Person B: “What are you talking about?!?! Since the collision, he has 14 walks and only 4 Ks!”
 
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Never liked him, but he had some epic calls during the WS - first one that comes to mind was the bases clearing double by Pearce
His call of Mookies GS off of Happ was excellent. He didnt have a great voice, but I enjoyed him this past summer on my walks. Maybe I'm misremembering, but I seem to remember a lot of instances where Joe C would ignore questions that Tim would ask. I definitely thought something was up at the time.
 

Ale Xander

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I didn't like his voice/tone, but I thought he was a nice guy. Definitely not that bad that he should lose his job.

I also concur with DrewDawg on DOTB on radio, although that's my 2nd choice job for him. 1st would be OC of the Pats (throw the ball!)

Fake edit: The talk show idea is a worse idea than New Coke.
 

The Gray Eagle

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I was no big fan of Neverett, but he got better as he went along. O'Brien was really good on the radio but annoying on TV.

I listen to the games on the radio frequently. If they mess with the radio broadcast to make it more like talk radio, I will boycott them completely and listen to the other team's broadcast on mlb.com instead.

How would they even do the talk radio idea with Castiglione there? Would Joe be giving his hot takes on off-field drama during the games? Or will they sack him too? Will they be taking calls from loudmouth fans? Hey the announcers could argue about everything that happens and that will provoke even more angry callers!

What a horrendous trainwreck of an idea.
 

Salem's Lot

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Neverett being off the radio broadcast is the best news I’ve heard all day. The guy destroyed baseball on the radio for me since he’s been in the booth. And I love baseball on the radio. I’d rather listen to it than watch on TV.I started watching the game cast on my phone when I couldn’t get to a TV because he drove me nuts. The constant description of nothing before telling me the result of the play was infuriating. Tell me if he’s safe or out, if he caught it or it’s a hit for Christ sake.
 

Blue Monkey

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Neverett being off the radio broadcast is the best news I’ve heard all day. The guy destroyed baseball on the radio for me since he’s been in the booth. And I love baseball on the radio. I’d rather listen to it than watch on TV.I started watching the game cast on my phone when I couldn’t get to a TV because he drove me nuts. The constant description of nothing before telling me the result of the play was infuriating. Tell me if he’s safe or out, if he caught it or it’s a hit for Christ sake.
This is it. Neverett was awful at describing the action. So many times while listening to him I was left wondering, what? Like what just happened. Then 20 seconds later we’d finally get an explanation (hopefully). I don’t have a problem with his anecdotes but his pbp was shockingly awful. Thank god
 
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Was (Not Wasdin)

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I don't wish the guy ill but he wasn't good. Lack of detail about plays, not telling you the score, no rhythm or soul to his general presentation just 4 out of 10 blah.
This is it. Neverett was awful at describing the action. So many times while listening to him I was left wondering, what? Like what just happened. Then 20 seconds later we’d finally get an explanation (hopefully). I don’t have a problem with his anecdotes but his pbp was shockingly awful. Thank god
This is where I am. He was nothing special and (hopefully) won't be missed. He was really bad about about the score, inning, men on base, etc. Anyone listening on the radio needs that context. Jon Miller said he tried to do that every sixty seconds. I dont know why more pbp announcers dont follow that.
 

Rough Carrigan

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This is where I am. He was nothing special and (hopefully) won't be missed. He was really bad about about the score, inning, men on base, etc. Anyone listening on the radio needs that context. Jon Miller said he tried to do that every sixty seconds. I dont know why more pbp announcers dont follow that.
Amen.
It's as though some of these guys never considered that someone might be somewhere and get in the car and tune in the game and want to know what the score is. What, 100% of you haven't been listening to me for 2 hours straight already?
 

NickEsasky

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This is it. Neverett was awful at describing the action. So many times while listening to him I was left wondering, what? Like what just happened. Then 20 seconds later we’d finally get an explanation (hopefully). I don’t have a problem with his anecdotes but his pbp was shockingly awful. Thank god
My problem with his anecdotes was that they took precedence to the PBP. He'd finish some barely tangental story then finally get around to telling you what was happening in the actual game.
 

canderson

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Jul 16, 2005
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What does this mean, though? Are we gonna be hearing things like, “As Mookie looks at ball 4 outside, we go to Steve in Medford...”

And

Person A: “Mookie takes ball 4 outside...”

Person B: “I think he’s been seeing the ball better these last few weeks.”

Person C: “I’m gonna have to disagree with you on that, Person B—I think ever since his collision with the wall in Detroit, his eye at the plate had gotten worse than it was over the first month of the season.”

Person B: “What are you talking about?!?! Since the collision, he has 14 walks and only 4 Ks!”
Sounds like a Jonny Gomes booth to me but he's in Arizona now.
 

jtn46

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You guys have much stronger opinions on this than I do. I think Neverett was fine, and because I hear many different broadcasts on Sirius they could do a lot worse (Sterling and Waldman are probably the worst team in baseball, though Tom Hamilton in Cleveland is probably the worst individually. The Jays broadcast is really good). I see a logic in just getting younger people into radio booths given there is always a push to attract a younger audience, but I agree that I hope they don’t try to better resemble sports talk radio. I would be alright with Merloni if he editorialized a bit less.
 

JCizzle

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I can't see it being just Merloni full time. That would require Castiglione to call PBP for all nine innings every game. They'll have to hire someone who can do PBP for half the game, the way Neverett, DOB, Trupe, etc have done.

That idea of making it like a sports radio show would be a disaster. The point of the radio broadcast of a game is to describe the action on the field for those that can't see it. All I can picture of the "like a sports radio show" idea is it being the radio equivalent of a guest in the NESN booth where they show the guest instead of the action on the field. Gross.
Chris Sale just struck out the side three innings ago and the Sox are now up by five runs that they picked up... Ah who cares, back to more Patriots drama!!!! Does Brady really resent BB? Tune in next inning to find out!
 

Kliq

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You guys are giving the talk radio guys way too much credit by implying that they would be talking about sports at all if they were doing the games.
 

Was (Not Wasdin)

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Amen.
It's as though some of these guys never considered that someone might be somewhere and get in the car and tune in the game and want to know what the score is. What, 100% of you haven't been listening to me for 2 hours straight already?
Exactly. My ride from train station to home is less than 15 minutes. There were times when I would make that ride and have no idea of the score, inning, etc. before i got home, and it was only if the inning ended or someone scored would he update.

is the best radio guy I've ever heard. That's a very high standard.
Of course he is. So why not try to do some of the things that make him the best. I remember watching something on Miller (60 minutes maybe) where he showed the one or two minute sand timer that he kept in front of him in the booth (although he credited another old radio announcer for showing him that). He gave the score, inning, on base situation, whose pitching, etc., every time the timer ran out, if not before. Not all that hard, except when you are focused on blathering on about stupid anecdotes.
 

InsideTheParker

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Exactly. My ride from train station to home is less than 15 minutes. There were times when I would make that ride and have no idea of the score, inning, etc. before i got home, and it was only if the inning ended or someone scored would he update.

Of course he is. So why not try to do some of the things that make him the best. I remember watching something on Miller (60 minutes maybe) where he showed the one or two minute sand timer that he kept in front of him in the booth (although he credited another old radio announcer for showing him that). He gave the score, inning, on base situation, whose pitching, etc., every time the timer ran out, if not before. Not all that hard, except when you are focused on blathering on about stupid anecdotes.
Everything you say is so right that I wish that you would write a note to WEEI saying that no matter who replaces Neverett, you would hope that those things would come back to being primary. I get the impression that only idiots ever get in touch with that station, so they may not know how normal people think anymore.
 

CantKeepmedown

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I had heard from people in a position to know that the "more like a sports radio show" was first floated by Minihane.
This would make sense as K&C used to routinely make fun of the radio guys and talk about what an easy gig it was. Even when people like Bradford and others said how hard it was if you didn't have some experience. They apparently begged Red Sox brass to let them do an inning during spring training, but were denied.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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Exactly. My ride from train station to home is less than 15 minutes. There were times when I would make that ride and have no idea of the score, inning, etc. before i got home, and it was only if the inning ended or someone scored would he update.

Of course he is. So why not try to do some of the things that make him the best. I remember watching something on Miller (60 minutes maybe) where he showed the one or two minute sand timer that he kept in front of him in the booth (although he credited another old radio announcer for showing him that). He gave the score, inning, on base situation, whose pitching, etc., every time the timer ran out, if not before. Not all that hard, except when you are focused on blathering on about stupid anecdotes.
I’m pretty sure Red Barber did that.
 

Dug Cavemanwich

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DOB was a tough act to follow; he and Joe C had fantastic rhythm and chemistry. So Neverett was always going to be a letdown. I often wondered if I disliked him strictly because if that, tried to give him an objective chance, but he never seemed grow on me.

In addition to his poor PBP calling, his over-emphasis on stats drove me nuts. It was like every obscure statistical note was some massively revealing insight that needed to be marveled at.

But I’m definitely scared to see who replaces him.
 

Bunt4aTriple

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Merloni<Geffner. I hate his anecdotes, his takes and his affect. If he had the gig full time, I would listen to significantly less baseball this year.
 

shawnrbu

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EEI is known for being cheap and in love with the concept of rotating guest hosts. I fully expect EEI to use its existing talent pool to fill this position - some combination of Ordway, Merloni, Mut and Callahan to fill this floating position. No chance the Red Sox will allow EEI to use Minihane in this role though.
 

Dummy Hoy

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Neverett does a pretty good job calling hockey, which is not something everyone can do.
I thought he was fine at baseball, but I didn't listen a lot, so I don't have a strong opinion on that.
 

mauidano

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Neverett is saying that this was his choice. Must have something lucrative lined up. He definitely has a face for radio so can’t be a TV gig.
 

Pablo's TB Lover

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I'll miss the hair transplant reads by Neverett. With his Professional Announcer(TM) cadence still intact during his self-reflection I thought he would go full Brockmire:
"I was looking in the mirror and saw I had thinning hair, didn't feel as confident in myself. [Then I found out my wife was cheating on me, and my teenage daughter found drugs. I often laid awake in bed, wondering whether to take my own life...]"
 

joe dokes

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Neverett is saying that this was his choice. Must have something lucrative lined up. He definitely has a face for radio so can’t be a TV gig.
He's been doing UMass basketball when they've been on NESN a couple of times.