Vikings Demand Removal of Fox Announcer Joe Buck
Vikings don’t want Fox announcer (ESPN – AP)
Minnesota Vikings owner Red McCombs asked Fox Sports to remove play-by-play announcer Joe Buck from Sunday’s divisional playoff game at Philadelphia because of his sharp criticism of wide receiver Randy Moss. After catching a touchdown pass in last weekend’s win at Green Bay, Moss celebrated in the end zone by pretending to pull down his pants and moon the Packers fans before briefly wiggling his back side against the goalpost. Buck immediately called it a “disgusting act.” That statement, in McCombs’ view, was out of line. A two-sentence news release issued by the team said McCombs felt Buck’s comments “suggested a prejudice that surpassed objective reporting.”
Dan Bell, a Fox spokesman, said the network has “no intention whatsoever” of removing Buck. “We hope Mr. McCombs enjoys Joe’s play-by-play call Sunday, because he’ll be in the booth,” Bell said. McCombs, whose office is in San Antonio, was not immediately available for further comment. Buck, during an interview on Sporting News Radio earlier this week, stood by his criticism. “I have nothing against Randy Moss,” Buck said. “I don’t even know the guy. I just know that with the history that he’s had, and coming off that game at Washington, it was just stunning to see that.”
Moss drew plenty of negative scrutiny the week before for walking off the field in frustration while his teammates lined up for an onside kick with 2 seconds left in a 21-18 loss to the Redskins.
Fox is right to stick by its guns. Buck is a fine announcer and his reaction was shared by many. Giving his honest reaction is his job, after all.
Interestingly, the headline to the story changed three times while I was compiling this. In addition to the one above, they had “Vikings demand removal of Fox announcer” and ” Fox denies Vikings request to pull Buck from booth.”
Why sure. Why wouldn’t ABC/ESPN take the shot at the hated rival, Fox?
Randy Moss is a prima donna and Red McCombs should be fineing and/or suspending him instead of calling for Joe Bucks’s removal from the booth. Obviously, he wont be doing either. This is one more reason the Vikings can look forward to a season ending loss in Philadelphia.
I think it’s all silly. It’s just a game, for entertainment… people are going to act like that. Disgusting? Give me a break.
Sure, FOX shouldn’t fire that guy – I’ll give you that. But to over-react like he did is disturbing. You are watching football. If you enjoy football you like to watch people put their bodies through hell for your enjoyment…
This behavior is expected – it sure makes the whole game more interesting when there is taunting and rivalry.
This isn’t the NCAA! Crybabies.
If “It’s just a game, for entertainment…”, then why are the players paid big money to play? Someone once said it’s because they’re “Professional Athletes”…..Oh….now I get it…That’s what professionals do…..just like all the cops that moon motorists right after giving them a ticket, or all the surgeons who moon their patients after a lengthy operation. Now I understand….from mooning the fans to uncovering a female breast during halftime, it’s just a bunch of “professionals” doing their thing. Indeed. Heh.
I think Randy Moss’ actions were unseemly, but hardly disgusting. On the other hand, that’s my opinion; Joe Buck can call it that if he wants, and that’s his opinion.
Should Moss have been penalized? No; especially since the fine is peanuts. If the NFL really wanted to show their ‘disgust’ at his pant-omime, they could have up’d the fine. They were merely covering their own ass (a couple of euphemisms in that paragraph).
Should Buck be banned? Of course not. What happens if he praised Moss? Would the Eagles have the right to ban him from this weeks game?
What happens if he praised Moss? Would the Eagles have the right to ban him from this weeks game?
Well put.
Moss should be fined for engaging in a clearly French action (miming), not for what the mime actually depicted. (Note that Packers fans routinely line up along the road out of the stadium and moon opposing teams for real, so it’s not like it’s unheard of in Green Bay).
Red McCombs was right to demand Joe Buck be taken away from the brodcast. His job is to call the game not give his opinion. Maybe he should learn to keep his mouth shut. And Randy should not have been fined, he did nothing wrong.
What a relief to know that there is a sportscaster with the courage to call a disgusting act disgusting and a network with the courage to back him up. Mr Buck is a credit to his profession and his parents. The over paid prima donna in question and the owner of the Vikings are not.
I think Joe Buck was right to express his opinion of randy moss’s actions.. after all that is what Joe Buck is paid to do,, and he is a professional at it. Thank God for announcers the calibar of Joe Buck!!!
Ian S – you wrote “(Note that Packers fans routinely line up along the road out of the stadium and moon opposing teams for real, so it’s not like it’s unheard of in Green Bay)” You know this for a fact? You have been witness to this? I have been attending Packer games at Lambeau Field for 30 years. I have stood by the visitors’ bus and watched players board. I have NEVER seen anyone moon the opposing team players – in fact I’ve never seen anyone lower their pants in the parking lot of Lambeau – heck, Packer fans have on way too many layers of clothes to even achieve this feat! The statement about mooning was started by Tony Dungy, it is false, and you – Ian S. are passing false rumours!
Joe Buck overreacted, in my opinion, because the gesture Moss made was a lighthearted tease to Packers fans that moon the Minnesota team bus as it pulls away from Lambeau Field as the Vikings leave. Disgusting? His reaction was disgusting.
Joe Buck is a sissy. Next he’ll say there should be no hitting. If one of your buddies said his comments you would tell him to shut the F*** up!
Buck’s reaction was worse then Randy’s “fake” moon, grow up GrennBay and Philly fans, your all upset that the Vikes have the tallent. Buck over reacted and would not even mention a good thing during the whole game about minnesota, it was all, GB better step it up or GB will come out next qtr and fire up, he just don’t like the vikes, oh ya, he doesn’t make 6 mil a year either, Joe, you should be embarresed, replay the audio and hear yourself, you sound like a kid in the candy store, like a virgin sportscaster, like a jealous Grenn Bay favoring soul my freind, Joe, you made this big in the press, not Randy Moss…. Maybe you will lose your voice before Sunday, I will pray you do !!!!
RG-Moss is one of the most unprofessional players I have ever witnessed to play the game. THANK GOD he is not on our team! The only person Randy is concerned about is himself. He has proved it time and time again. Obviously the only reason he pulls the stunts he does is to receive attention..which is something he must desperately lack in his life. I actually feel sorry for the guy…oh and by the way RG, Grenn Bay is spelled Green Bay…and who was it you were saying has all the talent(tallent?)..prove it by winning 3 Superbowls like the Packers have and until you do stop telling us to grow up! I personally can’t wait until tomorrows game to listen to Joe Buck announce that once again the Vikings have CHOKED!
When Randy appeared to head off the field, I thought he was taking the game ball as a sovenir. It caught me off guard, the move was plain silly. I think Joe Buck over-played what Moss did. And…I think Red McCombs’ comment to want Buck removed from Sunday’s broadcast may have been something to fire up the Vikings!
Joe Buck needs to find another line of work if Randy Moss’s fake moon of Packer fans was so offensive to him!!! What a panty waist. I doubt that he would ever venture into the players locker rooms. Heaven forbid that he would ever hear a naughty word or see someone flip “the bird”. Wonder why he never comments about the players that blow their noses and spit on the sidelines or on the field? NOW THAT’S DISGUSTING!!!!
Why do we assume the Packers are a dynasty when Farve is frequently inconsistent. Hat’s off to showing “any given Sunday” is true and hard work pays off. If you want class, go watch opera or ballet. Make no mistake about it, my blue collar ass wants to see competition and celebrations. Sorry you bet on the wrong team Joe… next time, do your job and stay objective! Stop whinning you racist whimp! You brought this on yourself Joe! The truth comes out, you could only ride the fence for so long.