Second Thoughts

Some fans think Buck should stop

Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo celebrates a run for the Cubs against Cleveland in Game 7 of the World Series.
Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo celebrates a run for the Cubs against Cleveland in Game 7 of the World Series.

With the football world's eyes on Arlington, Texas, this afternoon for the NFL playoff matchup between Green Bay and Dallas, some of the pregame conversation is on the man set to announce it -- Joe Buck, who remains one of the most polarizing sports broadcasters on television.

Some fans loathe the Fox play-by-play man so much that they created a petition to ban Buck and on-air partner Troy Aikman from announcing Green Bay Packers games.

"This is a petition to get Joe Buck and Troy Aikman banned from announcing/commentating on the Green Bay Packers," the petition reads. "On behalf of the Green Bay Packers fans across the world, we would like action taken to prohibit them from giving their constant negative input about our team. We are sick of the biased announcing always coming from them."

More than 25,000 people had signed the petition as of Friday afternoon. But the angst toward Buck is nothing new.

A new wave of hate toward Buck arrives as soon as the MLB or NFL playoffs commence. During the Chicago Cubs' World Series run, fans thought Buck had a particular affinity for slugger Kyle Schwarber, so one fan decided to make them a wedding registry.

Buck defended his broadcasting in 2012, highlighting the fact that during the regular season fans are accustomed to hearing their team's regular broadcaster, not an objective national announcer.

"It's easily explainable in the baseball world," Buck said, per SFGate. "Fans are used to hearing their hometown guys. When you come at it objectively, people aren't used to it. It gets frustrating."

With this ring

In November, the Chicago Cubs treated their supporters to their first World Series championship in 108 years. As a token of their appreciation, they are hosting a contest that will allow fans to partake in their official ring ceremony as ring bearers.

Per their official site, 20 winners will participate in their on-field celebration during April 12's home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Along with receiving two tickets, the victors will present a player or coach his World Series ring.

To nominate a fan, one must submit a video (60 seconds or less) on Twitter with the hashtag #CubsRingBearer by Feb. 14. The video must prove why the fan is worthy of crashing a ceremony 108 years in the making.

Overdoing it

Friday's TKO 37 received attention earlier this week when an odd weigh-in photo of Strahinja Gavrilovic placing his mouth on Jo Vallee's mouth hit Twitter. Most fans saw the snapshot as nothing more than an awkward candid, there appeared to be a great deal of bad blood hiding therein.

The fighters pawed at each other for 50 seconds, then Gavrilovic clobbered Vallee with a right hook that scored a clean knockdown, with Gavrilovic going to the mat for the finish. He landed a few more punches before the referee tried to pull him off. Unfortunately, Gavrilovic continued swinging, not stopping until the referee had dragged him across the cage.

The display ended up costing Gavrilovic the fight, with the referee overturning the result to a disqualification win for Vallee at 0:59 of the first round.

Sports on 01/15/2017

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