Joe Buck Is Stoked For Bucs-Chiefs, Just Not The Game
November 1st, 2024
Joe Buck will call Monday night’s Bucs-Chiefs game.
Joe is passing this along to Bucs fans as a peek through a window at how TV network suits and advertising execs look at the NFL, and what they think football fans want.
And, these guys are armed with data that backs them up — at least backs up their talking points.
Perhaps it’s because Joe lives, eats, sleeps, drinks in the world of football and lives in Florida, far, far away from the Upper East side of Manhattan; but every subject that seems to get the guy who will call the Bucs-Chiefs game fired up for Monday night, Joe has never, ever heard one fan say these subjects draw them to a screen to watch football.
Now Joe has a hunch this somehow will get back to St. Petersburg-born Joe Buck, the fantastic play-by-play man and voice of Monday Night Football on BSPN. Joe is a fan of Buck. Bought his damn book, even. Grew up listening to his dad.
When the younger Buck sets his mind to be a broadcaster and not a warmup act at your local Chucklehut, few are better.
(Joe cannot stand screamers. If anything makes Joe want to shut a game off or certainly mute it, it’s some dude hollering like a woman giving birth. Buck seems to be influenced by Pat Summerall, a minimalist, thankfully. And, of course, his dad.)
So this week Buck appeared on the “SI Media Podcast” with Jimmy Traina (or as Chris “Mad Dog” Russo would say, “Jimmy Trainer”). There, Buck confessed why he is geeked for Monday night’s game between the Bucs and Chiefs.
“That’s why for [BSPN] to get two Chiefs home games … it’s big,” Buck began. “But that atmosphere [at Arrowhead Stadium], I think there’s a lot going on with the Chiefs.
“Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are in every ad. Andy Reid is now a TV star. … You’ve got a great atmosphere in Kansas City. You’ve got the Taylor Swift factor. And you’ve got success.”
Notice what’s missing in that build-up? You got it: Buck didn’t say one friggin’ word about the game. His words were all about nonsense surrounding it.
(If Buck had added that he can’t wait to gawk at Gracie Hunt as she prances, preens and poses on the Chiefs sideline before kickoff, Joe would have applauded. Buck dropped the ball there.)
Have you ever heard of anyone who watches a football game because a couple of players are in ads? Forget the “Taylor Swift factor,” that subject has been hacked to death.
Joe could sort of understand Buck’s angle if he was on some yenta show talking up the, um, broadcast. But he was on a podcast geared to hardcore sports fans!
It sort of reminded Joe when Buck was on the very same podcast just before the 2020 season and he talked about how much he looked forward to calling Bucs games because of Tom Brady. No mention of Bruce Arians, Mike Evans, Lavonte David, Ndamukong Suh or Shaq Barrett.
If Joe didn’t know better, Joe would think Buck didn’t know jack about the Bucs. But alas, he called the Crows-Bucs game just two weeks ago.
Buck’s statement about why he’s excited for Monday is exactly the mindset of the Madison Avenue ad buyers and network higher-ups: You should not be excited for the Chiefs defense or Bucky Irving or for Antoine Winfield, oh no.
Be stoked because a pop singer might be in her luxury box and because the Chiefs’ quarterback sells insurance or Chunky Soup or dog biscuits or some sh*t.
We football fans, we’re just the dregs of society. You know, garbage.
November 1st, 2024 at 12:10 am
Shaq knows how to sack Mahomes
November 1st, 2024 at 12:17 am
I mean we’ve heard him call Bucs games recently… Aikman is far more dialed into the details of our team.
But that’s just how it is for this franchise. Outside of diehards, fantasy football guys, and ex-players, the Bucs are an after thought in most people’s minds.
November 1st, 2024 at 12:53 am
I’m “stoked” for the upset we’re going to pull on MNF !
LFG Bucs !
November 1st, 2024 at 2:21 am
joe the chiefs are now america’s team…
when we had tommy b, for a moment there, we were america’s team…a moment…
and previously it was the cowboy’s and they sorta still hold the tag, but only in name…it’s now kc
and in reality, tommy b and the pats were america’s team for a long time beforehand too…
dallas hasn’t been america’s team for almost like 20 years now
November 1st, 2024 at 4:46 am
It will be fun watching the Bucs D go into full scale slack attack mode with its front 7, and then that famous Tampa 2 lawn chair on the back end under the national lights, where the corners are playing so far off, that one gets lost in the tunnel only to be found the next day after the APB is issued. ‘Smitty’ will be so proud somewhere. For me the entire game will be a 5:00 blur of what once was.
Of course the highlight will be when Tampa finally gets the first call they’ve had in a game since the superbowl by the esteemed refs going their way . That’s gonna be huge, as the cannons could thunder but not in KC. I figure mahomes for 56 on this night, and perhaps a Taylor swift tuddie for good measure. I can visualize swift in those pink tights of hers already crossing the goal line. I hope Travis doesn’t mind sharing the glory.
November 1st, 2024 at 6:08 am
Bucs will probably lose by at least 20. The defense can’t stop anyone and Mahomes will have time to order takeout in the pocket. The Chiefs are definitely the best run team in the league, and is why they will win Lombardi trophy for 3rd straight time.
November 1st, 2024 at 6:59 am
I’ll watch the Manning Cast instead of these chumps.
November 1st, 2024 at 7:08 am
Chiefs have been WINNING, but not blowing people out. Their biggest win was 13 over the lowly Saints. They aren’t putting up big points, we can actually win this game
November 1st, 2024 at 7:46 am
I’ll be at the game, hope the defense shows up
November 1st, 2024 at 7:58 am
Anyone else remember when the Bucs blew up the 49ers and ended Steve Young’s season? Just sayin’
November 1st, 2024 at 8:21 am
Although I also like the minimalist approach, I’ve never been a Joe Buck fan for this exact reason. He had a short-lived HBO gig a while ago that was similar to a variety show. The things he talked about and what interested him are the same as what we’re seeing here. Schmarmy celebretity gossip and whimpy g rated jokes (on HBO!). He does call the game in a decent way, but I just can’t respect the guy for this exact reason. But let’s look on the bright side, we have a top-30 defense, so the game should be exciting enough to cut through the side show nonsense.
November 1st, 2024 at 8:46 am
Then he’d pause, stare into the camera with the cheesy look on his face, “Hey, I’m a funny guy, aren’t I?”
November 1st, 2024 at 8:56 am
Joe Buck is the worst commentator, he only got the job because of his father. I will never forget how he ruined that 54 yard run by Blount against the packers. Stick to baseball.
November 1st, 2024 at 9:44 am
With the state of disarray the defense is in , with K.J Britta lack of coverage skills in the middle, not enough pass rush leading to sacks and significant injuries all up and down this roster. Not confident at all about the Bucs chances of upsetting the Chiefs at home and on MNF. Hope Im wrong! Go Bucs!!
November 1st, 2024 at 10:26 am
He’s not entirely wrong. All of that, what he said, just adds to the hype… Even, to hardcore football fans. You might not necessarily notice it, but it does subconsciously. It just makes for a much larger stage and bigger event. And, not everyone (cough, women), cares much about the game itself, or who wins. They are NOT hardcore football fans, & are there more for the overall event. It all plays a huge part. It just adds to the whole conversation and gives people something extra to talk (bich) about. Also (though I’m not a fan), T-Swift and all that, has obviously added LOTS of eyeballs and discussion to the event. It’s just entertainment. And, it is ALL about the ratings.
November 1st, 2024 at 10:29 am
Fear here – the sideshow is all we’re gonna get. The game, at this point, is a
mismatch. In KC’s favor!
November 1st, 2024 at 10:34 am
He is SO RIGHT about all of the screaming and hollering by these new announcers. It’s making the games unwatchable. Especially, the college game. I used to like Joe Tess (especially on the radio), but he is now, HORRIBLE. Just RUINS the game. You hit the nail on the head with your “giving birth” statement, Joe. Read Phil Mushnick’s articles about this recently, on NYPost. It’s gotten SO RIDICULOUS. They are all wannabe Gus Johnson’s now… It’s Pathetic.
November 1st, 2024 at 10:36 am
Joe,
Just get a garbage truck wrapped with Bucs logo. That’ll teach ’em. 🙂
November 1st, 2024 at 10:49 am
It’s time for us Garbage to Rise Up!!!
November 1st, 2024 at 12:16 pm
This should be a great JTS game. His lack of rush skills could have Mahomes running into him for sacks. Then I woke up
November 1st, 2024 at 12:56 pm
“The degradation of sport, then, consists not in its being taken too seriously but in its trivialization. Games derive their power from the investment of seemingly trivial activity with serious intent. By submitting without reservation to the rules and conventions of the game, the players (and the spectators too) cooperate in creating an illusion of reality. In this way the game becomes a representation of life, and play takes on the character of play-acting as well. In our time, games – sports in particular – are rapidly losing the quality of illusion, our age seems to have resolved on the destruction of the harmless substitute gratifications that formerly provided charm and consolation. In the case of sports, the attack on illusion comes from players, promoters, and spectators alike. The players, eager to present themselves as entertainers (partly in order to justify their inflated salaries), deny the seriousness of sport. Promoters urge fans to become rabid partisans, even in sports formerly ruled by decorum, such as tennis. Television creates a new audience at home and makes “live” spectators into participants who mug for the camera and try to attract its attention by waving banners commenting on the action not on the field but in the press box. Sometimes fans interject themselves into the game more aggressively, by dashing onto the field or tearing up the stadium after an important victory…The merging of players and spectators, here as in the theater, prevents the suspension of disbelief and thus destroys the representational value of organized athletics.”
-Christopher Lasch, The Culture of Narcissim, 1979