I would like to officially recant my previous "not a big Matty V. fan" statement. Very cool of him to take the time to email you guys.

Most excellent. I actually like Matt's work, and look forward to his future appearances on the Rock Paper Scissors Tournament, the World Series Of Hackysack, and Idaho's Strongest Man competitions.

(but seriously, I think he's good.)

Gotta say this for Matt: he's got a sense of humor about the whole thing.

Am I the only one who doesn't believe a word of this?

Nope.

Yeah, lame attempt there AA.

Ok, the problem I'm still having is this. You're on the air. You don't say things like that. Imus got fired for what was a stupid comment that had race and gender stereotypes. Opie and Anthony got fired for making a crack about Condie. Joking or not, people who can't keep off handed remarks to themselves shouldn't be on the air.

I'm confused at this "lame attempt" stuff? What do you mean???

Not that I need to prove myself, but I promise you those are his words. Take them or leave them.

Don't doubt they're his words, kid.

But they're a "lame attempt" on Vasgersian's part to avert blame for saying what he obviously thinks.

The Padres' TV channel (4SD) has recently started broadcasting every game in HD, as opposed to only the home games and everything south of Seattle and west of Colorado, and Matt's made references to "their helpful local crew" a few times at the end of games (their recent roadtrip in Houston, for example). The fact that the email mentions a local crew lends credence to the legitimacy of it.

Who gives a fuck? This isn't like Imus. Let it go.

Gotcha, thought you were referring me.

Well I guess it's up for interpretation. He has said some things in the past, but so have I about Boston, NY, and the whole state of Ohio.

Thanks for all of the comments everyone, and keep the opinions coming.

Im with Bruce, I don't buy it. he didn't mention the crew in the original comments and it came across as bashing STL and Cards fans. He's back peddling and you let him off.

He's a good dude.

And if you're still mad, St. Louis, take a deep breath and count to ten. Is it really THAT big of a deal to you? If it is, seek help immediately.

Joe Morgan '08

when i had to endure the san diego announcers, when the sox were there..they turned out to be 2nd in "awful announcing" to the braves...both announcers were annoying said outrageous statements about the sox. didn't even call the game and got upset because there were so many sox fans at the game...so matt here it is... st louis has owned your ass in the playoffs get over it..i'm not a cards fan but those comments are not cool and stupid

Wow, all these anonymous commenters are really hammering Matty V. Not sure why - he's known for off-the-cuff remarks and clearly made these comments in jest. Lighten up, guys.

In any event, Matt is 10X better than the ESPN baseball announcers, who can't stop talking about Bonds for ten seconds. Atleast Matt does some research and provides information about what is actually going on, instead of pontificating about their personal views on whether Bud Selig should attend Bonds's games.

As a method to make my point, during Friday's Padres/Giants game, the announcers interviewed Sandy Alderson of the Padres. After making a passing remark about the numerous trades the Padres have recently made, the remainder of the interview (that spanned several half innings, by the way) focused entirely on Bonds, the Padres' reaction to Bonds, what would happen if Bonds broke the record in San Diego, and, last but not least, ESPN's own production "The Bronx is Burning."

I posted this in the original story, but this seems to be where the action's at, so I'll post it again:

As a born and raised St. Louisan who's now a San Diego transplant, I've got to say: Lighten up. Matt's known for his off-the-cuff comments, which are for the most part pretty damn funny. During Saturday's game versus the Giants where Bonds hit #755 he made another comment that I'm sure got Giants fans riled up. A long ball was hit out to left by the Pads which Bonds failed to pull in twice because he couldn't hustle. After seeing that, Matt commented on Bonds history as a golden glover, qualifying it with the fact that it had been over ten years or so since he last won the award, attributing that to his, er, "bigger body."

He also made those comments after getting slammed by the Cards in a 10 run inning! It's clear that stung him a bit. I heard the comments myself, and while surprised I let 'em go knowing his history and understanding the context. In fact, it's pretty hard not to smile to yourself after seeing what I saw in the fifth.

Seriously, there's a reason that we (Cardinals fans) are considered the best fans in baseball, and it's not because we get riled up over stuff like this. Let it go. Come on guys, we're better than this.

Stay classy St. Louis.

Vasgersian sucks. I haven't spent a single minute in a press box, and I can call a better game than him.

Dear Anyone who got offended by anything Matt said,

Who Cares? really, honestly.. who cares? On one hand, he's right.. we DO beat the Padres every year... and there are a lot of ozark hoosier's around the stadium... but so what? on the other hand, it wasnt a local broadcast, so let the san diego announcer say anything he wants to his san diego listeners..

lastly STL fans, be glad you have Mike Shannon and John Rooney and dont worry about what any other announcer says...

oh, and one more thing.. if all of that doesnt help, just remember STL won the World Series last year and San Diego didnt... enough said..

I've always loved Matty V. and I'm proud of the fact that he's the play by play guy for my Padres and a USC grad. I've met him a few times socially and he's a really great guy. Funny as hell in person too, he's definitely not a stiff, stuck up broadcaster and I think his response to this situation shows that. Honestly, guys like him are a rarity these days. He has fun with the broadcasts and he doesn't take himself too seriously on or off the air and that's refreshing. Keep it up Matty.

"he's known for off-the-cuff remarks and clearly made these comments in jest."

You have no way of knowing if he made them in jest or not. Unless you're him. Regardless, the remarks he made when he thought he was not audible prove what he really thinks.

"In any event, Matt is 10X better than the ESPN baseball announcers, who can't stop talking about Bonds for ten seconds."

Way to deflect. I'm sure he's kind to animals, too. That doesn't excuse boorish behavior on the air.

"Seriously, there's a reason that we (Cardinals fans) are considered the best fans in baseball, "

By whom? By yourselves, I'm sure.

brad77:"Vasgersian sucks. I haven't spent a single minute in a press box, and I can call a better game than him."

Fairly sure you couldn't. Let me guess, you could referee better than Ed Hochuli and out-coach Tom Coughlin, too, right?

It's harder than you think. Put you in a booth tomorrow, you'd sound like an idiot. If your head didn't explode.

i spend a lot of time in the press box at petco and matty is breath of fresh air in a room full of tight asses! lighten up boys!

That's some funny shit. Much respect.

brad77:"Vasgersian sucks. I haven't spent a single minute in a press box, and I can call a better game than him."

Actually, I didn't say that. I made the comment above that. This comment system is kinda screwy. It puts the "some guy said..." bit below the comment it's referring to.

I knew someone would chime in about the best fans in baseball comment. I should have qualified it...among the best fans in baseball.

Now I know that every city says this, but I'm referring to the fact that St. Louis fans are well known for being a classy bunch. Bob Costas and Tim McCarver have some nice things to say. It's something that St. Louisan's are pretty proud of. They're a crowd that gave Ken Griffey, Jr., while playing on the Reds, a several minute long standing ovation when he hit his 500th home run at Busch. By and large, they're fans that appreciate the game, no matter who is playing it.

From the USA Today article:
"There's very little ugliness," Costas says. "This is a place where, when the team plays poorly and the fans occasionally boo, it's like they feel like the parent who says to a kid, 'This is going to hurt me more than you.' "

---brad77

Hey, everybody knows that Cardinals fans are the creepiest of the lot. I don't even know what Vasgersian said but I'll bet it's true.

Sorry for the commenting thing....still trying to work out the bugs of the new layout.

Steve- Sorry to disappoint, but he offered up the response to me. I think he probably isn't a fan of the city, and I can see him ribbing some of the guys he worked with.

I have no evidence of the contrary and haven't even seen the tape, so I will reserve judgement.

I think he's a good sport, and do you really think he would contact a blog to "clear his name" if it was that big of a deal?

That's really fucking cool.

Are you guys for real? You're ragging on fucking Matt Varsgersian for cracking on St. Louie fans about being from the Ozarks and driving El caminos?

And people have the nerve to call Red Sox fans myopic!?

Hahahahahahahhaha-losers.

Watch out, Matt!

McCarver and Dan Dierdorf are going to be pissed! According to them, it's Shangri-La there.

I wonder what Joe Morgan would say about all of this?

Vasgersian just talked about his comments last night, albeit briefly, and they showed some statistics about the Ozarks. He goes "it was meant in good fun, folks, certainly not to rip anybody down, but we thought it appropriate just to put some factual information up, about the Ozarks...I'm told there's no finer place to be in the month of September in all the midwest."

It was basic stuff like average temps, and square acreage of the national park, that sort of thing. That was it.

Reading his reply made me chuckle, Don Denkinger, nice... Who cares what he thinks, until today odds are most people didn't know who the hell he was, all it did was give him recognition

Cards will get it done on the field, Peavy is a good pitcher, but struggles against the Birds on the Bat.....

I'm going to go turn my AC down some more, it's still in the 90's...

Unless your the hoosier riding down highway 70, in your El Camino, back to Kansas City, looking to see what real baseball looks like give a rest. When San Diego has ten world championships under their belts they can start bragging.

"Vasgersian sucks. I haven't spent a single minute in a press box, and I can call a better game than him."

The Angry Rant sucks. I haven't spent a single minute in a crack house, and I can make more outlandish, ridiculous, stupid statements than him

Someone said it earlier, but i'll reiterate:

St. Louis sells out because there is NOTHING else to do there! You guys are boring!!

Stay classy, Matt.

"there's a celebrity pull-my-finger tournament looking for a play-by-play guy"! Still laughing! How can you be mad at this guy?

-St. Louis/Cards gal

That was pretty funny. But he did swear on live tv in the first place, which sorta made it look like he was becoming unhinged in a Howard Beale/Johnny Most sort of way...

Next time you talk to him, ask him if he's working NFL with Bill Maas this year.

Damn that was rough Matt V. Maybe you should go back to announcing 989 video games on TV commercials where everything is scripted.

Hey Matty, Great work. I'm in San Diego and when I fly to the east coast, I don't even want to "fly" over St. Louis. Maybe a stray bullet or sompin'. We love you and you straight forwardness in San Diego. My only fear is that you'll leave someday and be part of a bigger city.
You tell it like it is. Hey St' Louis ,up yours!

Matty V is a great anouncer who's talents are wasted on the likes of small time Channel 4 San Diego. Run!!! Matty RUN!!!!
All these bone heads must have forgotten Mel Proctor. Now that guy was a world class ASSHOLE!

It is no different than when back in 82' Time magazine put in thier article, about St. Louis in the World Series, "The biggest thrill in this cowtown is a buckboard wagon ride in the city streets". Of course they never recanted those remarks. Coastal cities are just jealous of our fan loyalty and do not understand the excitement our teams bring to us, regardless of how they are doing in the race for the title.

Vasgersain is a LOSER, an official purebread from the land of "Fruits and Nuts", he is just as good as an MLB announcer as he was a child actor. He should really complain about how the PAdres suck all the time to the team management (maybe he just did?)

I'm from STL and it's clear the guy was kidding around - I'm pretty sure he's emabarassed because he's actually a pretty decent announcer. We all need to relax and move on to some other irrelevant item to piss us off.

I agree, we all need to relax. I find it funny because there are plenty of hoosiers at the ballgame. You can go anywhere and find that out. Ever been to Yankee Stadium?? are you serious with the tails and the tight jean shorts??? come on, get over it.

San Diego sucks by the way...baseball and town. English as a second language????

As a loyaly Cardinal fan I must say, Matt was right....., every time the Padres are in St. Louis, they DO get their asses kicked AND it IS hotter than shit! What's the problem?

Matty V took a little while to grow on me, but he is a damn good announcer. I've seen him do everything from Toughman to Poker to the Olympics to the UFC and, of course, the Padres on Channel 4.

He (and Mud Grant, of course) brings a lot of fun and excitement to what would otherwise be a WEAK channel 4 broadcast (no offense, Chiron Bob).

And St. Louis SHOULD beat SD, having almost double their payroll. But there is no getting past the fact that there is simply an overwhelming white trash element in St. Louis.

Matty V is a good guy and I would prefer to listen to him then many of the other guys. He has done a great job in San Diego for a few years. He keeps things loose and has fun!