Chad Finn: Underrated

TheDeuce222

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Bunt4aTriple said:
This almost deserves its own thread.  Outstanding.  It seems like a linear story would have been much easier to write, but this definitely required a ton of research and the clips are great.  I hadn't seen the linked piece from Bleacher Report either, with plenty of excellent KG tidbits.
 
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/2015/06/16/how-kevin-garnett-paul-pierce-and-ray-allen-brought-the-celtics-back/UbwIMxwrtCheJFdmdQKdiI/story.html?p1=Must_Reads
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Was just coming here to post this story.  Spectacular stuff, and fittingly concluded with my favorite memory of the era, Garnett's incredible line drive bank shot And-1 in the waning moments of the first half of Game 6 of the '08 Finals.  Chad really hit all the high notes.  In the midst of this Red Sox season, truly a wonderful walk down memory lane.  
 
RIFan

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That article is so relatable to me. I am sure that his daughter will treasure that forever (even if she doesn't acknowledge it much today.)

Not that I'd want to lose Chad from the local scene, but it really is time he was elevated to a national level.
 
thehitcat

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Chad Finn

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Bunt4aTriple

Bunt4aTriple

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This is where Chad and I part ways (it was bound to happen at some point).  I think Merloni is Glenn Geffner bad on the radio broadcast and even worse on the mid-day show.  He may offer insight but his play-by-play is clunky and borderline embarrassing.  Two saturdays ago he was filling in, and Joe was either out of the booth or just silent, but I had to turn it off.  I don't know what the answer is, but I hope it's not Lou, even though I suspect it might be.
 
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/10/08/lou-merloni-should-choice-red-sox-radio-booth/wDDcotnObHu6rtlFIpsoiL/story.html?event=event25
 
Harry Hooper

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Can't disagree. As Finn notes, Merloni was an asset as a third man in the booth in the past, but he's clearly thrashing in the water as a play-by-play guy. The ears of Sox fans deserve better than a guy who will have to do so much learning on the job. Maybe he can do a gazillion simulated games this winter.
 
MyDaughterLovesTomGordon

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The question is whether or not Joe can carry the pbp all by himself. I agree with the above that Lou was awful in the short stints he attempted.

I think the problem is that Joe can't carry the load by himself. Already he does a lot of those slip ups where he says the wrong team by mistake, and I've noticed him simply forgetting that a player has been swapped out.

And that's only doing half the game.

Maybe he could do one season solo, but they need to find the next guy and if Lou ain't it they're setting themselves up for a rough transition.

The ideal scenario is Lou for color and the Joe of 15 years ago. That ain't happening.
 
grimshaw

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Agree with the above sentiments.  I think Lou is a really solid color guy, and deserving of keeping a job in the booth, but going with him as a work-in-progress pbp guy would tempt me to change the station.  He was really bad when I heard him.
 
Maybe not a popular nomination, but what about Mut?  He was a bit grating when he had his own show, but has done a very good job when tasked with the pre and post game stuff.  Without needing an entertaining shtick, he seems capable.
 
Bunt4aTriple

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I agree that Joe has lost his fastball, but I still love him. The only time it's frustrating is when he gets flustered when a play unfolds, usually something uncommon or with simultaneous action on different parts of the field. Use your words Joe!
 
HriniakPosterChild

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MyDaughterLovesTomGordon said:
The question is whether or not Joe can carry the pbp all by himself. I agree with the above that Lou was awful in the short stints he attempted.

I think the problem is that Joe can't carry the load by himself. Already he does a lot of those slip ups where he says the wrong team by mistake, and I've noticed him simply forgetting that a player has been swapped out.

And that's only doing half the game.
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Good points, and I think this makes Vin Scully's career even more remarkable.
 
Harry Hooper

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grimshaw said:
Agree with the above sentiments.  I think Lou is a really solid color guy, and deserving of keeping a job in the booth, but going with him as a work-in-progress pbp guy would tempt me to change the station.  He was really bad when I heard him.
 
Maybe not a popular nomination, but what about Mut?  He was a bit grating when he had his own show, but has done a very good job when tasked with the pre and post game stuff.  Without needing an entertaining shtick, he seems capable.
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Mut would probably be OK. He doesn't have that soporific Geffner effect on listeners at least.
 
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Lou could be decent if he worked at it. Unfortunately, given his exposure on WEEI, he seems just as lazy and unmotivated as the rest of the talk show bozos.
 
grimshaw

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That game felt like our World Series because of how fruitless our runs had been in '88, '90, '95 and the prior year vs Cleveland aside from the whoopin' they routinely laid on Jaret Wright*.  On top of Pedro putting the team on his back, the Red Sox got to face the Yankees which was the obvious dream match up.
 
-The wild card was only a few years old (added in 1995) and some of the old bastards weren't on board yet with expanded playoffs - though the Marlins were a wild card team in 1997 when they won it all.  It wasn't unheard of that the Sox had a shot.
 
-The schedule was balanced, so there wasn't any Sox/Yanks weariness yet - just the occasional Fox or ESPN telecast over 4 total series.  The Red Sox fan base was absolutely starving for more.  Of course Yankees fans still saw them as gnats.  Sort of like Pats/Jets now.
 
Then they got beaten fairly decisively, but the game Roger Clemens got mauled was the most electric I had ever seen the crowd.  The Rog-errr chants were deafening.
 
*OT but Jaret Wright's 4.72 ERA was league average (ERA+ of 101) in 1998 . . . egads.
 
LogansDad

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I would like to echo the thanks, Chad.  That was a great article, and did a really good job of capturing that game both from Pedro's perspective and a fans.
 
Loved this part:
 
 
 
He strode up the bullpen mound nearest to the field, kicked his right cleat at it to do some temporary landscaping, then gripped the baseball in his right hand and looked toward the bullpen catcher. He began to throw just as Thome took a curtain call, the score shifting back into Cleveland’s favor. Little did the delirious crowd realize that it had just witnessed the Indians’ last hit of the season.
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Red(s)HawksFan

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Easily the biggest Red Sox moment of my fandom prior to 2004.  I was in college, in Ohio, surrounded by a whole lot of Indians fans including the guy I ended up watching the game with.  He was pretty cocky through the first three innings with the way Saberhagen and Lowe got knocked around, saying that was the best the Sox had and they couldn't shut down that lineup, so an Indians win was inevitable.  I reminded him that Pedro still loomed but he didn't believe he was healthy enough to do anything.  After all, if he couldn't make the start, what could he really do?  When Pedro entered and the score was tied, I told him it was lights out for the Indians.  I was blustering, of course, but goddamn if Pedro didn't back me up.
 
Having just finished reading Pedro's autobiography a couple weeks ago, I didn't think reading Chad's piece would give me any extra insight.  But there were a couple extra tidbits that Mike Silverman and Pedro left out, such as Lofton getting hurt (I'd forgotten) and Alomar tying his shoes.  That kind of stuff brought me back to the night I was watching the game, which was fun.  Thanks Chad.
 
One Leg at a Time

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Chad - that was a great piece. Thank for reviving that memory.

I was in Pensacola, and my wife had threatened to stop watching the playoffs with me. I actually went and got her to come back and watch when Pedro went in.
 
Buzzkill Pauley

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Chad, I think the acronym you were looking for in your piece on Greinke might be:

Please
Offer
Reasonable
Contract
Extensions,
Leaving
Later
Opportunities
 
Byrdbrain

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The amount of butthurt from not making Chad's list of best twitter follows is thoroughly entertaining.
This is my favorite:


 
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Granite Sox

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Wow... 18 months since the last SoSH-cited bon mot from Chad.

Anyways... I loved this today:
Fox Sports 1, in its helpful quest to round up all of the obnoxious former ESPN personalities in one easily ignored place, has hired Ray Lewis. Lewis, the legendary former Ravens linebacker who was a nonsensical presence on ESPN’s NFL programming before being let go before the 2016 season, will appear on several FS1 shows.

They include the Skip Bayless-led “Undisputed” (ignoring it), “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” (pass), “Speak for Yourself” (I’ll change the channel for myself), and a new show featuring fellow ESPN discard Cris Carter (I’d rather watch a “Say Yes to the Dress” marathon).

In a statement, Lewis expressed surprise that another network gave him a chance after his disastrous ESPN stint. OK, he didn’t say that, but allow a media writer to dream that some of these guys get some self-awareness, will you? Here’s what he actually said, at least after it was run through a filter by a PR flack:

“My relationship with football and love for the game continues to grow,” said Lewis. “This opportunity, to bring my passion for the game of football into homes of NFL fans across the country through Fox Sports, is a gift. I am excited to join this team and can’t wait for the NFL season to start!”

Then he danced, probably.
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JimD

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Bump to promote Chad's appearance as a guest on Richard Deitsch's terrific SI Sports Media podcast.
 
uncannymanny

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Saw Mazz on MLB.TV this past week. Whose idea was this? Talk about a voice made for print. He makes Mad Dog's voice sound soothing.
 
jk333

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Chad Finn said:
On Felger. Have at it, guys.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2017/08/01/sports-talk-host-michael-felger-brash-and-cranky-but-can-stop-listening/Jy4XOVo4KfMWqZnWO7pvtO/story.html?s_campaign=bdc:article:stub
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Nice article, I think it was fair.

I like when Felger's opinion is challenged by another host. The article is correct that even when Felger is presented with facts that are against him, he can still argue back. That's why the best shows are with hosts other than Mazz. Felger gives a hot take, other host gives facts that show it's unreasonable, and they get to have a real debate.
 
IpswichSox

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Chad, is the salary for those jobs good enough to stand alone, or is the assumption like with Joel that he'll still be writing/earning another paycheck from somewhere else, so it's more supplemental?
 
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