Kevin Brown

[FlaO'sFan]

10 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Who is Ben Wagner?

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/sportsnet-ben-wagner-toronto-blue-jays-radio-broadcaster-contract-not-renewed.html

[SemperFi]

On 2/11/2024 at 9:05 PM, NashLumber said:

Agree. Huge fans of him here at my house. We all love Ben. My wife is from his home state, so she's kept up with him for some time. 

   

[Philip]

On 2/11/2024 at 9:55 AM, Roll Tide said:

I’m not here to create a back and forth. But many countries offer free college educations to their citizens 

 

“

Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Uruguay, 

 

more

 

https://amberstudent.com/blog/post/countries-with-free-education#strongtop-15-countries-with-free-educationstrong

The education is free, but in order to qualify for it one must take brutally difficult placement tests, and those who pass are placed in a university according to grades.

Those who don’t pass go to a trade school or directly into the workforce. I think in some countries you are allowed to take the test multiple times but I’m not sure.

But to say it is free, although true in a sense, is to ignore the extreme difficulty of obtaining that “free“ education.

It’s definitely not all one way, but there are arguments on both sides.

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, FlaO'sFan said:

https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/sportsnet-ben-wagner-toronto-blue-jays-radio-broadcaster-contract-not-renewed.html

This article is interesting in case you think the O’s are the only team that cuts corners with its media coverage.   
 

“Over the last three years, Wagner has been at the center of controversy through none of his own doing. Back in 2021, the Blue Jays abandoned their radio feed in favor of a television simulcast. After defending the strategy, the team brought back the dedicated radio broadcast in late July. In 2022, Wagner wasn’t allowed to go on the road and was forced to call away games off monitors (before the team, again, pivoted later in the season). The same was true for the 2023 season, though Sportsnet sent Wagner on the road for the team’s playoff run (which ended after two games).”

[foxfield]

On 2/11/2024 at 9:18 AM, Sports Guy said:

There is not one single logical and good reason that players can’t make money off of their NIL. Any other student could do it. Any other student could work. These kids can’t. 
 

Years ago, Tyrelle Pryor was hit by the NCaA because he was selling his own autograph. That’s complete bs. No way that should be a problem.

Now, if you want to cap it or something like that, I think that’s a fair conversation to have. OTOH, would you cap another student if they were some instagram star that made a ton of money influencing products?  Why tell these kids no? Because we don’t like that the sport is worse? 
 

I think people are upset about this for their own selfish reasons.

I think this is correct.   But here is the thing.  ESPN now controls college sports and drives the conference alignment situation. We are headed towards one of two endpoints:

 

1). One super conference for major sports. The rest can play in a different division or go back to the old conferences. 
 

2).  Schools force take over the NCAA, reinstate the old way of student athletes and rid themselves of the worry of money. 
 

The second way might ultimately be better for fans who care about history of conferences and the old rivalries etc. But college presidents are just as drunk on the money as everyone else and I don’t see this path as a viable choice. 
 

The first way is practically here. If you are an ACC fan, for example, you are less than 5 years away from seeing that conference gone. At least according to a friend of mine who is a former AD in the ACC. 

[Sports Guy]

18 minutes ago, foxfield said:

I think this is correct.   But here is the thing.  ESPN now controls college sports and drives the conference alignment situation. We are headed towards one of two endpoints:

 

1). One super conference for major sports. The rest can play in a different division or go back to the old conferences. 
 

2).  Schools force take over the NCAA, reinstate the old way of student athletes and rid themselves of the worry of money. 
 

The second way might ultimately be better for fans who care about history of conferences and the old rivalries etc. But college presidents are just as drunk on the money as everyone else and I don’t see this path as a viable choice. 
 

The first way is practically here. If you are an ACC fan, for example, you are less than 5 years away from seeing that conference gone. At least according to a friend of mine who is a former AD in the ACC. 

Yea I’m afraid that’s going to be correct. There is a $75M fee if you leave the ACc right now, which FSU is trying to fight. Thats the only thing keeping it together.  If FSU wins that fight, the conference is done.

[foxfield]

25 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Yea I’m afraid that’s going to be correct. There is a $75M fee if you leave the ACc right now, which FSU is trying to fight. Thats the only thing keeping it together.  If FSU wins that fight, the conference is done.

I don’t think it’s really a fight. ESPN could pay it and have their way. 

[NedFromYork]

Think NFC and AFC.  B1G (FOX) and SEC (ABC/ESPN). Champions meet in the "Super Bowl".

Edited February 24 by NedFromYork

[Frobby]

So, it looks to me like all of last year’s announcers are back, plus we’re adding Wagner.  Seems kind of like overkill.  

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

So, it looks to me like all of last year’s announcers are back, plus we’re adding Wagner.  Seems kind of like overkill.  

Just hedging their bets in case Kevin needs another trip into time out.

[Moose Milligan]

Does Ben Wagner get cute and full of himself with pop culture references?

[Fiver6565]

12 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

Does Ben Wagner get cute and full of himself with pop culture references?

I’m not sure if you’re implying that KB is full of himself but I couldn’t disagree more if so. Sure he tries a smidge too hard on the occasional pop reference, but it’s a long season he’s gotta try some new stuff here and there. 

Sign me up for several more years of Kevin Brown. Dudes got the goods. 

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, Fiver6565 said:

I’m not sure if you’re implying that KB is full of himself but I couldn’t disagree more if so. Sure he tries a smidge too hard on the occasional pop reference, but it’s a long season he’s gotta try some new stuff here and there. 

Sign me up for several more years of Kevin Brown. Dudes got the goods. 

Can agree to disagree.  While I think what happened to him last year was absolutely wrong and shameful, I wouldn’t miss him if he wasn’t calling games this year. 

[Philip]

1 hour ago, Fiver6565 said:

I’m not sure if you’re implying that KB is full of himself but I couldn’t disagree more if so. Sure he tries a smidge too hard on the occasional pop reference, but it’s a long season he’s gotta try some new stuff here and there. 

Sign me up for several more years of Kevin Brown. Dudes got the goods. 

https://think.kera.org/2019/03/21/behind-the-mic-with-the-voice-of-the-texas-rangers/
 

that’s who you should be rooting for. Never runs out of interesting things to say, and says them all in clever ways. Matt Hicks and Jerrod Sandler are gold too.

Give that a listen.

[Moose Milligan]

21 minutes ago, Philip said:

https://think.kera.org/2019/03/21/behind-the-mic-with-the-voice-of-the-texas-rangers/
 

that’s who you should be rooting for. Never runs out of interesting things to say, and says them all in clever ways. Matt Hicks and Jerrod Sandler are gold too.

Give that a listen.

I was wondering how long it’d take you to remind us of your Eric Nadel love after you returned.