Hawk Sounds Melancholy

[Thomas_Ventura_Roberts]

Listening to Hawk Harrelson over a number of games, he sounds somewhat melancholy in his speech pattern. Is it just because he is disappointed that the White Sox are in rebuilding mode, or is it a function of his knowing that he is nearing the twilight of his career, or is it something else?

[TheTruth05]

Definitely uninterested in the rebuild.too bad,deal with it.

[ChiSox59]

Definitely uninterested in the rebuild.too bad,deal with it.

 

Been playing some pretty good baseball.

[chitownsportsfan]

Definitely uninterested in the rebuild.too bad,deal with it.

 

If he doesn't want to be there he needs to retire. He's a dead weight on the broadcast, even when they are playing good baseball.

[elrockinMT]

He had lunch with Joe DiMaggio and maybe Babe Ruth. He has just been around a long time

[greg775]

Definitely uninterested in the rebuild.too bad,deal with it.

It's tough on Sox fans who don't care about prospects and want to win now and will care about prospects when they are good big leaguers. I do realize Hawk gets paid a ton however compared to a normal fan who hates the snail's paced so called rebuild.

[LittleHurt05]

I noticed during the 1st inning Abreu triple today that Hawk showed zero emotion when they scored, it was weird.

[bmags]

I think he's just older. My elders got very quiet in their 80s. Vin Scully was incredible for a reason.

[Dick Allen]

He gets excited, people complain. He tones it down, people complain.

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

He gets excited, people complain. He tones it down, people complain.

Exactly, and yet Benetti babbles on about nothing every night and people love the guy. I don't get it.

[Wanne]

I'm more worried about his overall health. I honestly don't think he can see worth a crap anymore...and I'm not sure he's "melancholy"...but it's something. To ensue he doesn't really give a crap about this team is a little ridiculous IMO...

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

He had lunch with Joe DiMaggio and maybe Babe Ruth. He has just been around a long time

Unless Hawk had lunch with Babe Ruth between the age of birth and 6 years old years old I sort of doubt it since Babe died in 1947 and Hawk was born in 1941.

[LittleHurt05]

He gets excited, people complain. He tones it down, people complain.

 

Personally, it wasn't a complaint, it was an observation that makes me wonder if it's on purpose or if he is losing some of his energy.

[bmags]

Personally, it wasn't a complaint, it was an observation that makes me wonder if it's on purpose or if he is losing some of his energy.

 

I think it's the latter.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I think it's the latter.

 

Literally was about to say that word-for-word.

Edited May 1, 2017 by soxfan2014

[Dick Allen]

Literally was about to say that.

Yes, I think his passion is starting to wane. He knows the Sox aren't going to win anything, and he's gone from dying in the booth to working half the games, to maybe being an ambassador. Being home with his family seems to have grown in importance to him. IMO, watching the White Sox doesn't have the appeal it used to have to him. He would rather watch his grandson play little league than Avi Garcia chase down a flyball. Plus he probably realizes father time is catching up. If it weren't for this 8 decades thing, which is an accomplishment, I bet he would be done right now. He's even said when players ask him for his opinion on their swing, etc. , he passes now.

[southsider2k5]

Personally, it wasn't a complaint, it was an observation that makes me wonder if it's on purpose or if he is losing some of his energy.

 

I am guessing it is a combination of everything. The guy is getting pretty old now. He will be 76 years old this year. The guy has spent about 6 solid decades traveling 6 months out of every year. Throw on top of that the untold hours he has spent driving back to Granger Indiana after homes games until last season.

 

He has had eye problems for decades and has had many procedures and surgeries done on them. It is obvious he isn't seeing the game very well at all anymore, and I think that is a large part of the transition he has made from play by play guy to catch phrase guy to cover up for the lack of ability to follow a game closely these days.

 

I also wouldn't be surprised to know that will all of that going on, the rebuild might not fit into the guys timeline for being around to see the end result, and he is quite honestly depressed. Can you imagine putting 60ish years into pro-baseball and then seeing the end in sight? We deal with much smaller changes in our lives getting us down. I can't imagine this. Baseball is the guys life, no matter what he says about family.

[chitownsportsfan]

Yes, I think his passion is starting to wane. He knows the Sox aren't going to win anything, and he's gone from dying in the booth to working half the games, to maybe being an ambassador. Being home with his family seems to have grown in importance to him. IMO, watching the White Sox doesn't have the appeal it used to have to him. He would rather watch his grandson play little league than Avi Garcia chase down a flyball. Plus he probably realizes father time is catching up. If it weren't for this 8 decades thing, which is an accomplishment, I bet he would be done right now. He's even said when players ask him for his opinion on their swing, etc. , he passes now.

 

Then. Go. Home. Nobody is forcing him to call games. He's a selfish old man, that's basically the takeaway from your post, which I guess was trying to defend him.

[chitownsportsfan]

I am guessing it is a combination of everything. The guy is getting pretty old now. He will be 76 years old this year. The guy has spent about 6 solid decades traveling 6 months out of every year. Throw on top of that the untold hours he has spent driving back to Granger Indiana after homes games until last season.

 

He has had eye problems for decades and has had many procedures and surgeries done on them. It is obvious he isn't seeing the game very well at all anymore, and I think that is a large part of the transition he has made from play by play guy to catch phrase guy to cover up for the lack of ability to follow a game closely these days.

 

I also wouldn't be surprised to know that will all of that going on, the rebuild might not fit into the guys timeline for being around to see the end result, and he is quite honestly depressed. Can you imagine putting 60ish years into pro-baseball and then seeing the end in sight? We deal with much smaller changes in our lives getting us down. I can't imagine this. Baseball is the guys life, no matter what he says about family.

 

He's not a family member that is going to the old folks home and misses his "freedom". He's a professional doing a job in this case. There's literally 100 different ways or more he could be involved with the Sox and MLB that don't involve calling games.

 

I'm no huge Jason fan but he's getting a raw deal here.

[southsider2k5]

He's not a family member that is going to the old folks home and misses his "freedom". He's a professional doing a job in this case. There's literally 100 different ways or more he could be involved with the Sox and MLB that don't involve calling games.

 

I'm no huge Jason fan but he's getting a raw deal here.

 

Make something your life for 60 years and then get back to me when you lose it.

[Panerista]

He gets excited, people complain. He tones it down, people complain.

Because he's a garbage broadcaster regardless of his mood.

[chitownsportsfan]

Make something your life for 60 years and then get back to me when you lose it.

 

this is basically the defense of Hawk you and DA are going with? That because he's old and cranky he gets to do what he wants?

 

This is a multi billion dollar business FFS not a church bake sale.

 

As has been noted, there's plenty of way to get involved that don't require calling the game (or eyesight for that matter).

[YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES!]

Because he's a garbage broadcaster regardless of his mood.

and Benetti isn't???

[chitownsportsfan]

Because he's a garbage broadcaster regardless of his mood.

 

And has been for about a 8-10 years. I was a fan of Hawk then, this version is not a professional level broadcaster.

[chitownsportsfan]

and Benetti isn't???

 

Jason might not know baseball but at least he doesn't have existential dread in the booth. Don't know about some of you older posters (maybe it's that old thing about shared misery being better or some s***) but personally I like my baseball as an escape, not a reminder of life's problems.