Joe Buck
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Buck is a national treasure. He is homegrown, talented, candid as ever, and never forgets about home. A few years ago, Buck took part in a very entertaining and enlightening Q&A about his life and career with local broadcast hero, Tim McKernan. He wrote probably one of the best autobiographies of any celebrity, detailing the good old days of traveling with his father, Jack, on road trips as a kid and having the old man pull all-nighters gambling while he slept.
Nobody takes bigger shots at Joe than himself. Self-deprecation is part of his personality and it never ceases to elicit laughter and respect. One of the things he tackled full steam ahead in the book was his hair and how hair plugs nearly cost him his voice... right around the 2011 World Series. Whether it's the video where he's creating havoc around his living room practicing play-by-play reps or his famous spot on "Family Guy," Buck has fun with his persona.
If Buck is doing a nationally televised game, I won't expect him to give favor to either team, whether it's the Cardinals or Cubs. He has to remain neutral and does so very effectively. Buck, and this is no surprise, has a great in-game voice that never lets a viewer down. He does his homework and is prepared. Buck flourishes no matter who is sitting in the booth with him. It could be Troy Aikman during an NFL game, Tim McCarver from all those years of doing Saturday day games and playoff action or more recently, John Smoltz. Buck's teammate can be anyone and he still makes it work.
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(Dan Buffa, March 2020)
