Save Harry!
The Harry-gate scandal which original broke last September has just been taken to a new level with the announcement of the new broadcasting schedule. With this news, I would like to introduce a guest post by our friend Robbie Cowie. Robbie currently serves as commissioner of the Delaware Division of the Phillies Nation fantasy league and also thankfully maintains the exploding Phillies Nation page on MySpace. So without further ado, here is his take on the Harry Kalas news:
Since 1971, the Phillies have played 5,346 regular season games and 48 playoff games. They’ve had 14 coaches, 6 different uniform variations and played in two stadiums. Who was there to broadcast, see and be at each game the Fightin’ Phils have played? Harry Kalas. Harry Kalas is Phillies Baseball. After I read the article by Paul Hagen in yesterday’s Inquirer it made me sick to my stomach. I immediately rose out of my chair and jumped in front of the computer to formally complain to every columnist I could email about this horrific change in the landscape of Phillies broadcasting.
In case you missed it, this is how it boils down, "The tentative plan is to pair Hall of Famer Harry Kalas and Chris Wheeler in the first three and last three innings on television, with Wheeler and Scott Graham working the middle three. Larry Andersen will move to radio exclusively." In 2004 when Kalas signed a 3-year contract extension, (which ends after this season) the rift between Kalas and Wheeler became public. I’m not really a big Wheeler fan. I find him to be a know-it-all type and I grew tired of his reassurance to me all season that Bobby Abreu is hussling for fly balls in shallow right field. Despite my feelings for Wheeler, and even Harry, he will not be going anywhere.
My problem is that the Phillies should accommodate Harry with whomever he wants to be partnered. Kalas loves Andersen in the booth with him on television. Their chemistry behind the microphones has grown on me and most fans; and I can say I enjoy their perspective and delivery style of the games on TV. Why mess with a good thing? Apparently I’m not the only person who feels this way. If you check out the Phillies Message Boards you will see hundreds of similar complaints to the mistreatment of Harry K. Come on, the guy has part of the stadium named after him. Do you see a Wheeler’s Whiskey House anywhere in Ashburn Alley? Hopefully Scott Palmer can get on this and start "bridging the gap" that he was talking about between the Phillies, the fans and the media.
Thanks Robbie, and for those wondering, if Scott Palmer’s email address follows the traditional taxonomy, it would be: spalmer@phillies.com.
