Kevin Brown absence explained?

[Sports Guy]

I hate that this team is getting overshadowed by all of this but I love that ownership is getting crushed. It’s beautiful. 
 

I just wish the media would stop saying the Orioles and say Angelos. At least Kay did that.

[Tony-OH]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I get that…but there are no depths, no level of stupidity that this ownership group won’t sink to. Thats the thing. I can see thinking there has to be more here but I saw so many bashing Matt and defending JA over this (I’m not talking about here).

It’s just amazing to me how little this fan base seems to know about this family. It’s almost as if we are already seeing the bandwagon loaded up and people are just now paying attention to anything Os related.

We forgot how long ago that Peter Angelos fired Jon Miller and there's entire generation of fans that really weren't around or too young to remember. Then, the Orioles stunk for so long that many of this generation really didn't start following the Orioles until about 2012 or so, and then the embarrassing 2018 that brought on the complete rebuild that resulted in awful records. Then you add in how good things have gone this year, and some fans don't want anything negative to come out so they defend the "Orioles" no matter what.

So when you think about it, the Twiiter/X crowd, which is mostly millennials, really don't have a grasp on how bad this family is at ownership.  

It will not surprise me that the Orioles will deny suspending him over the comments, bring Brown back, call it a scheduling decision, and give everyone a gag order on the situation and allow the winning on the field to change the conversation.

None of us want to be talking about this. This probably will be largely forgotten in about a week, though that still doesn't mean this doesn't let fans know exactly who JA is as an owner and person.

[Moose Milligan]

2 hours ago, LA2 said:

Frankly, I hope KB does leave. Though not as obtuse and stumbling as Newman, he's histrionic, spews more weak puns than YES's John Sterling, and is deluded to think his pop cultural trivia somehow earns him a place beside those with true baseball perception and wisdom.

KB is not so perfectly mediocre that he can't be replaced. He as much as anyone else--including the pathetic JA--has allowed this to become something that the national media centers can use to take easy pot shots at the Orioles with one eye shut. I would be surprised if there hasn't been a lot of back-channel chit-chat between Brown and his professional "colleagues" working for other teams or networks. Their moral outrage comes off a bit self-serving to their own field.

Dismayed that so many fans here are fine w gloating along with broadcasters for the Yankees, Mets, Angels, White Sox, etc., over their success at distracting from our team's fantastic achievements--and away from those blindly over-financed LOSER teams' miserable failures. Rather convenient that they can weep over the suspension--not even a firing!--of a kid (relatively speaking) announcer rather than face the dismal realities of their own stupidly-run teams: Severino's hopeless collapse, Germán's violent drunkenness, the Rodón and Rizzo health fiascos, the jettisoning of the Mets' outrageous contracts to pitchers at the end of their careers, the Angels wasting of the two of the greatest talents in the history of the game, and Tim Anderson turning second base into a boxing ring.

Funny how suddenly none of that is as important as a squeaky-clean announcer who, I admit, could be making a fortune on Jeopardy.

Like I've been saying, I'm not a huge fan of his.  I think he's pretty average...and while the Orioles have had better (Gary Thorne, Mel Proctor) they've certainly had worse (Jim Hunter, Michael Reghi).  So Kevin Brown leaving doesn't automatically mean an upgrade...it could very well mean a downgrade.  I slot Kevin Brown right in the middle of those two groups.  

That said, I do share your critique of him...the ironic, nerdy tone in his voice from time to time, the pop culture references, the weak puns, constant stretching to make connections ("2019's number one overall pick gets a hit off of 2019's eleventh overall pick!" and then reminding everyone at every given turn that Rutschman and Manoah were taken in the same round of the same draft).  All of that adds up to me finding him irritating at times.  

But I'm not following how he's allowed this to become something the national media has seized upon and can take shots at the Orioles on.  That blame lands squarely on JA for the terrible decision making and being thin-skinned.  Brown hasn't done anything wrong the entire time...from saying what he said, to keeping perfectly quiet about the whole thing.  Brown shoulders no blame for any of this.  And even if he's back-channeling and talking to colleagues in the field, so what?  That's no different than anyone in any profession anywhere if they were disciplined by a manager or business owner for something they felt was unfair.

In regards to the colleagues moral outrage, I get it.  Baseball announcers are a bit like reporters, they feel a certain responsibility to present the truth.  And while they're clearly pulling for the home team, they also feel that they shouldn't be censored when they point out how things are going poorly as long as their critique isn't over the top.  And I think everyone here (including me) is fine with his colleagues taking shots at the Orioles and JA on practically every single broadcast last night because it's a shot at JA.  And an enemy of my enemy can be a friend. 

I don't think this episode takes away from anything at all.  Anyone outside of this fanbase will have forgotten about this in a few weeks time...we'll remember it because it's an Angelos making a terrible decision about an announcer and we've been down this path before with PGA and Jon Miller.  

But like I said, I don't think this takes away from any of the success this year.  Let's not what forget that what ultimately matters is that the Orioles are in first place in August, three games up on Tampa Bay, who, as recently as two months ago, no one thought could be caught.  

[2001OriolesFan]

19 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

I can confirm this is true. 

Lets hear it.

 

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

We forgot how long ago that Peter Angelos fired Jon Miller and there's entire generation of fans that really weren't around or too young to remember. Then, the Orioles stunk for so long that many of this generation really didn't start following the Orioles until about 2012 or so, and then the embarrassing 2018 that brought on the complete rebuild that resulted in awful records. Then you add in how good things have gone this year, and some fans don't want anything negative to come out so they defend the "Orioles" no matter what.

So when you think about it, the Twiiter/X crowd, which is mostly millennials, really don't have a grasp on how bad this family is at ownership.  

It will not surprise me that the Orioles will deny suspending him over the comments, bring Brown back, call it a scheduling decision, and give everyone a gag order on the situation and allow the winning on the field to change the conversation.

None of us want to be talking about this. This probably will be largely forgotten in about a week, though that still doesn't mean this doesn't let fans know exactly who JA is as an owner and person.

The worst part, he’s not going to learn anything from this. He’s not going to change. In fact, all of this bashing of him And his character will just make things worse.  He will probably double down on his ineptitude, whether it’s with Brown or some other topic.

[CallMeBrooksie]

2 hours ago, LA2 said:

Frankly, I hope KB does leave. Though not as obtuse and stumbling as Newman, he's histrionic, spews more weak puns than YES's John Sterling, and is deluded to think his pop cultural trivia somehow earns him a place beside those with true baseball perception and wisdom.

KB is not so perfectly mediocre that he can't be replaced. He as much as anyone else--including the pathetic JA--has allowed this to become something that the national media centers can use to take easy pot shots at the Orioles with one eye shut. I would be surprised if there hasn't been a lot of back-channel chit-chat between Brown and his professional "colleagues" working for other teams or networks. Their moral outrage comes off a bit self-serving to their own field.

Dismayed that so many fans here are fine w gloating along with broadcasters for the Yankees, Mets, Angels, White Sox, etc., over their success at distracting from our team's fantastic achievements--and away from those blindly over-financed LOSER teams' miserable failures. Rather convenient that they can weep over the suspension--not even a firing!--of a kid (relatively speaking) announcer rather than face the dismal realities of their own stupidly-run teams: Severino's hopeless collapse, Germán's violent drunkenness, the Rodón and Rizzo health fiascos, the jettisoning of the Mets' outrageous contracts to pitchers at the end of their careers, the Angels wasting of the two of the greatest talents in the history of the game, and Tim Anderson turning second base into a boxing ring.

Funny how suddenly none of that is as important as a squeaky-clean announcer who, I admit, could be making a fortune on Jeopardy.

Putting aside whether you think Kevin Brown is easily replaceable (you're wrong.. he's not)...

As an Orioles fan, what is being reported should anger you. It's a slap in the face to the fans, not just KB.  It means that John Angelos thinks you're dumb, and in doing his bidding you're doing everything in your power to prove him right.

I also hope he leaves, because I think very highly of him. I'd like to think he has more self respect than to stick around working for an insecure narcissist when he clearly has options on the table. 

[Baltimorecuse]

26 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

They talked about it.

Rob Long said he has never been giving talking points about what or what not to say while on the air.

Said he had no knowledge of Brown being suspended; learned it all while it was coming out yesterday.

Confirmed that the piece in question was a pre-production piece and multiple people would have been involved.  Makes no sense to suspend Brown and Brown alone.

I maintain my stance that there's more to this story and this will be yet another lesson in "sources".

If I'm wrong, so be it, but I don't think I am.

Since no one actually knows why Brown was suspended, and if it was for what it might be, Angelos may actually be protecting Brown with a slap on the wrist.  Like everyone here I'm just guessing.  

[Etch]

NY Post has a front page article on this. Big picture of Kevin Brown with an article entitled: "Laughingstock ... broadcasters blast Orioles over play-by-play controversy."

[Etch]

All those years when the O's sucked I would still listen to the games for one reason: Jon Miller. GOAT in my opinion. It was awesome hearing him again when we played the Giants. Kevin is no Jon Miller but then who is? Still, he is very good. Unfortunately this means more Melanie. And that makes me sad.

[2001OriolesFan]

What a bunch of people getting their panties upset !!   I have not seen ANY proof of a fact in this entire thread.  Third hand rumors by people who have no way of knowing anything are repeated and taken as facts. ............. As for that announcer, he was poor in my opinion. I don't think he added to the game- rather he was trying to interject his style and personality into it. He might have been asked to change his style, and caused an issue or pushbacked.  He does NOT have a entitled right to someone elses money and a paycheck.

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by 2001OriolesFan

[baltfan]

Britt Ghiroli is saying he will be back 8/11 which I believe will be on the road.  I am afraid though Angelos has stirred up a hornets nest that will lead to an embarrassing scene on national TV tonight.  I also very much fear a fierce fan reaction is going to cause him to want to take his ball and go home. I really hope he can grow from this, but people like this seem to not do so.  You see it in public life all of the time.  Look at how angry Musk gets at any humiliation e.g. the reaction to the Cybertruck. 

[seak05]

Millennial here who remembers the Johnny Miller firing, and the really good 90’s O’s teams….bc we’re 40.

Millennials, older then you think

I also love Kevin brown, probably in part because his references make sense to me 

[baltfan]

1 minute ago, 2001OriolesFan said:

What a bunch of people getting their panties upset !!   I have not seen ANY proof of a fact in this entire thread.  Third hand rumors by people who have no way of knowing anything are repeated and taken as facts. 

It’s been reported in multiple outlets. The Orioles could have shot it down and they just said he wasn’t suspended and they won’t comment on personnel matters.  I hate it, but it happened. 

[CallMeBrooksie]

8 minutes ago, Baltimorecuse said:

Since no one actually knows why Brown was suspended, and if it was for what it might be, Angelos may actually be protecting Brown with a slap on the wrist.  Like everyone here I'm just guessing.  

Just because Rob Long (not a MASN employee, btw) doesn't have first-hand knowledge, doesn't mean we're all just guessing.

You're ignoring an overwhelming amount of reliable reporting to make a statement like this.

[CallMeBrooksie]

3 minutes ago, 2001OriolesFan said:

What a bunch of people getting their panties upset !!   I have not seen ANY proof of a fact in this entire thread.  Third hand rumors by people who have no way of knowing anything are repeated and taken as facts. 

Imagine shilling for the Angelos family in 2023