After seeing the backlash directed on the St. Louis Blues for shifting on from veteran announcer John Kelly, Joe Buck believes the criticism is warranted.
Earlier this month, the Blues left their fanbase shocked by saying the determination to half methods with Kelly, who joined their TV broadcast in 2005. The Blues and FanDuel Sports activities Community will choose to simulcast their video games starting within the 2025-26 NHL season, utilizing radio play-by-play voice Chris Kerber and analyst Joey Vitale on TV and radio.
Just lately, Buck appeared on 101 ESPN’s morning present in St. Louis the place he was requested in regards to the Blues letting Kelly go, and the present voice of Monday Evening Soccer didn’t disguise his disappointment.
“They deserve the criticism. It is senseless,” Buck mentioned whereas admitting he has no data in regards to the internal workings of the Blues. He additionally made certain to emphasise the gripe has nothing to do with Kerber and Vitale.
“They’re phenomenal, “Buck mentioned of the Blues present broadcast workforce. “Kerber blows me away with how good he’s on radio hockey play-by-play, I can’t think about doing something harder than radio hockey play-by-play.”
Regardless of having an excellent workforce of announcers in ready, Joe Buck was nonetheless confused by the organizational determination to maneuver on from a broadcaster with the form of legacy and connection to the Blues that Kelly has. His father, Dan Kelly is within the Blues Corridor of Fame after serving as their play-by-play voice for 21 seasons, starting in 1968. Moreover, the Blues named their broadcast sales space in Dan Kelly’s reminiscence in 2006.
“How will you make this transfer with a trusted voice and someone who’s acquired the legacy there,” Buck continued. “And someone who’s simply been all in and is a comforting individual to hearken to?”
Buck then reiterated one thing he’s mentioned earlier than. As a Blues fan, he needs to listen to native announcers within the playoffs as an alternative of the nationwide broadcast, which apparently, was a grievance many baseball followers used to have when Buck was calling the World Sequence.
And Joe Buck admits he can relate.
“You need the voices telling you in regards to the recreation that you simply really feel like they’re in your facet,” Buck informed the 101 ESPN morning present. “And also you all the time knew the place John stood. You all the time knew the place his coronary heart was. I don’t get it. I’m certain there are causes for it. I haven’t learn a ton in regards to the causes for it. However I don’t perceive it and it’s disappointing.”
“It feels such as you threw a man out that all of us knew the place he stood. We knew his dedication to the group, we knew what it means to his household,” Buck continued. “However John Kelly on his personal, who he’s, what he’s, how nice he’s on the air, what he believes in with the group, it doesn’t have something to do with Dan Kelly. It’s about John Kelly. And that was stunning to me.”
Joe Buck mentioned he was on the American Century Celeb Golf Match in Tahoe when the information was introduced. Additional, he was having dinner with NHL stars Matthew Tkachuk and T.J. Oshie. Tkachuk grew up in a St. Louis suburb, Oshie started his profession with the Blues, and each gamers know what Kelly meant to the group.
“They have been each shocked, past shocked,” Buck mentioned of their reactions. “I can’t say it 17 other ways. It’s simply beautiful and disappointing to me. I’m certain there’s causes…however that is one which I simply don’t perceive in any respect.
