Lousy rotten [adult swim] played Skip Caray's call of Sid Bream's slide last night out of nowhere on a bump and made me cry again

Right between Family Guy and American Dad. And then they played it again. I was able to hold my shit together the first time, but the second time was too much. This isn't the first time they got me either, they zapped me with a bump with a memorial to Harry Goz a few years back.

Rowland's Office found a clip of Skip's call of Otis Nixon's Catch on MLB.com. Go quick, who knows when they'll start charging for it.

For anyone in the Atlanta area who's interested, there will be a memorial service for Skip tomorrow at Turner Field at 10:00AM. It will be insanely difficult for me to go, but I have a feeling I'll regret it if I don't.

Fantastic Skip Caray Photo

Last night was pretty sad and I'm not even talking about Kelly Johnson's defense. If there was a Braves fan alive that didn't lose it when they heard Skip's trademark sign off, "So long, ever'body", on the pregame tribute then they're probably made of stone. Two things helped me maintain composure after that. The comforting voices of Pete Van Wieren and Mark Lemke calling the game on radio, and this awesomely ridiculous photo of Skip and a couple of drunks from Atlanta Braves: The First Twenty Years, A History. I found this obscure book at Book Nook in Marietta last year and it is just one of many great photos inside. This picture is from the 1982 Division Championship celebration and it really needs no explanation. The look on Skip's face as he surveys the scene is priceless.

Skip Caray

The one man who had the skill to make the last couple of months of a losing year entertaining and funny is gone. Skip Caray passed away in his sleep today at age 68. Braves fans are pretty miserable right now, as am I. I always hoped Skip would be able to accept a Ford Frick award in person one day. He never sucked up to the suits enough to get on the national stage though. Of course that's why he was so good. He told it like it was, and was grouchy and caustic and sarcastic and funny as hell the whole time doing it. He had only been doing home radio broadcasts this year and you could tell he was having health problems. I'm going to miss his humor, his knowledge, his grouchyness and that awesome voice.

"That foul ball was caught by a fan from Tucker, Georgia..."

Less Skip

Skip Carey is cutting back on his broadcasts due to illness. He'll only do home games on the radio from now on unless his health improves. I didn't realize he was that sick and I'm pulling for him whether he calls another game or not. Three weeks in intensive care isn't anything to mess with. While I'd like to hear him and Pete do more broadcasts together, I'd rather have him around for a while so he can pick up his Ford Frick award.

Larry Munson had to to the same thing last year for the Bulldog football broadcasts and it was a little jarring. Due to bad commutes and bizarre work schedules I've ended up listening to plenty of games on the radio and the announcers really become a part of the game in that medium. Even though Scott Howard and Eric Zeier are really good calling the games, no one can ever match that blatant home team rooting with pessimistic overtones that Larry mastered. Especially with today's trend of bland 'safe' corporate announcers with no personalities on the air, losing a true character like Skip is a bad blow for broadcasting. Anybody coming up through the ranks today pulling the "our guys" homerisms of Larry or Skip's biting sarcasm on air wouldn't even be allowed to roll up the cables after the broadcasts. I'll appreciate the games he calls from now on a little bit more.