I make no bones about my disdain for Joe Buck, and I was certainly prepared for him to verbally fellate Brett Favre yesterday, but I had to chuckle when he was calling Favre's interception late in the third quarter. As Favre went back to throw a second down pass, Joe Buck decided it was a good time to say that the quarterback, "was still smiling". The pass was immediately picked off and Brett Favre was on the ground writhing in pain....

Just hilarious timing for Buck to praise Favre there. Even more curious was the fact that the camera wasn't even on Favre at the time, as Dan Levy pointed out on The Sporting Blog....

"And what was most interesting about that call is that the camera was on the wide shot, preparing for the snap, when Buck mentioned Favre was still smiling. Does Buck have his own "Favre Face" camera? How did he know? What if it was nothing more than an uncomfortable grimace?"

It wouldn't surprise me if there actually was a camera that Buck had that showed Favre the entire game. We all know John Madden had one, so he could of just borrowed it from him.

However, Buck wasn't nearly as sad and angry as Paul Allen and Pete Bercich, the Vikings announcers yesterday (Via Hot Clicks)....



Press Coverage (The Sporting Blog)

Well thank god that crazy Pack-Cardinals game saved a rather boring Wild Card Weekend. I don't know if I've ever seen more missed field goals in my life. Anyway, now the real fun starts as we get a quartet of stellar matchups for next weekend. Here's your announcing schedule....

Saturday, January 16th

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints (FOX, 4:30pm) - Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts (CBS, 8:15pm) - Greg Gumbel Dan Dierdorf

Sunday, January 17th

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings (FOX, 1pm) - Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
NY Jets at San Diego Chargers (CBS, 4:30pm) - Jim Nantz, Phil Simms

Why they decide to push back these Series every year, and have the World Series end in frickin' Novemeber is beoyond me, but here is your full MLB LCS announcing schedule. I never thought I'd say this, but after Chip Caray's showing in the LDS, I'm almost glad to have Buck and McCarver back....almost....

Thu, 10/15: Philadelphia Phillies @ LA Dodgers, Game One (TBS, 8:07pm)- Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager
Fri, 10/16: LA Angels @ NY Yankees, Game One (FOX, 7:57pm)- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Myers
Fri, 10/16: Philadelphia Phillies @ LA Dodgers, Game Two (TBS, 4:07pm)- Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager
Sat, 10/17: LA Angels @ NY Yankees, Game Two (FOX, 7:57pm)- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Myers
Sun, 10/18: LA Dodgers @ Philadelphia Phillies, Game Three (TBS, 8:07pm)- Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager
Mon, 10/19: NY Yankees @ LA Angels, Game Three (FOX, 4:13pm)- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Myers
Mon, 10/19: LA Dodgers @ Philadelphia Phillies, Game Four (TBS, 8:07pm)- Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager
Tue, 10/20: NY Yankees @ LA Angels, Game Four (FOX, 7:57pm)- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Myers
Wed, 10/21: LA Dodgers @ Philadelphia Phillies, Game Five* (TBS, 8:07pm)- Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager
Thu, 10/22: NY Yankees @ LA Angels, Game Five* (FOX, 7:57pm)- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Myers
Fri, 10/23: Philadelphia Phillies @ LA Dodgers, Game Six* (TBS, 8:07pm)- Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager
Sat, 10/24: LA Angels @ NY Yankees, Game Six* (FOX, 4:13pm)- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Myers
Sat, 10/24: Philadelphia Phillies @ LA Dodgers, Game Seven* (TBS, 8:07pm)- Chip Caray, Ron Darling, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager
Sun, 10/25: LA Angels @ NY Yankees, Game Seven* (FOX, 8:20pm)- Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Ken Rosenthal and Chris Myers

Peyton Manning probably has the mantra that most older brothers have....only I can make fun of my little brother. Which is why his interview with Bob Costas Sunday night was so funny. Costas asked Peyton if he can watch Eli play at all, and this was his response. Via Watchdog....

"I get so into it. I get so worked up. I remember last year they were playing Philly, or maybe it was two years ago. They beat them and he drove them down there late and I remember standing on top of the bed, yelling at Toomer or one of his receivers because they ran a wrong route, and Joe Buck is just ripping Eli, just because that's what he seems to enjoy doing.

So I'm yelling at Joe Buck, 'Just call the play-by-play, Joe! Let Aikman do the commentary.' I said to myself, 'Peyton, what are you doing? Why are you on top of the bed yelling at the TV?' I've got a game here in four hours against New England or something . . . But you know what, I love watching him play. That's the first thing I do after a game when I get to the locker room. I'm asking for the Giants score."

Wait, so you're telling me Joe Buck doesn't know anything about Football? I am shocked! You can check out the clip below, right at the 10 minute mark....

Peyton Manning prefers Troy Aikman's analysis to Joe Buck's (Watchdog)

The first go around was eventful, to say the very least, and I'm sure HBO learned a lot about the direction that they want the show to go. Artie Lange was rumored to be a return guest for the second show, but it appears that Buck and HBO will try and pretend that blow up never even happened. Your guests for the September 22nd taping will be a slew of great NFL QBs, political hopeful Curt Schilling, and Owners Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones. They even want you to attend!

The second edition of Joe Buck Live features NFL Greats Joe Namath, Dan Marino and John Elway, Pitching Star Curt Schilling as well as Mark Cuban, Owner of the Dallas Mavericks and Jerry Jones, Owner of The Dallas Cowboys. All our guests are scheduled to appear live on the stage of the Equitable Center with Joe Buck. Filming in front of our live studio audience in New York City, this new hour-long edition of the Joe Buck Live show will include live interviews, panel discussions and pre-recorded features. You won't want to miss what promises to be an engaging, informative and entertaining evening of TV.

To attend this exclusive JOE BUCK LIVE show on TUESDAY, SEPT. 22nd, YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE BETWEEN 8:30PM and 11:30PM. It will air on HBO simultaneously with repeat broadcasts at later dates. RSVP quickly as there are limited tickets for this event. YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO ATTEND THE SHOW AND YOU MUST LIVE IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TICKETS OR BE IN NYC DURING THE TAPING WEEK. TICKETS ARE COMPLIMENTARY.

If you are interested in being part of the JOE BUCK LIVE SHOW, please email us at joebucklive@broadwayvideo.com with the following information in both the subject line and body of your email:

1. Your full name
2. Your email addressOne which will not put our reply to you in your trash
folder and one which you check frequently.
PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK YOUR TRASH FOLDER JUST IN CASE!3. Your phone number(s)
4. Your age range (35-40, 18-25, 50-55 etc.)
5. Number of tickets — 2 tickets is the maximum number we can allow per
request. SINCE THIS IS A LIVE EVENT WE EXPECT THAT IF YOU ASK FOR TICKETS
YOU WILL BE USING THEM. Thanks.6. Do you consider yourself a big sports fan
— which sports (you can put this inthe body of the email)

If anyone wants to go, and be an on-site reporter for AA, let me know. I'm pretty sure that it's not going to be half as exciting as the first time though.

Joe Buck Live Lives (Deadspin)

Obviously this isn't serious, and it's rare that Joe Buck makes me chuckle, but here is his latest tweet about the guests on his September 22nd show. Via the JBL Twitter feed....



Pretty darn funny, but there's no way that Buck would subject players of that magnitude to that kind of comedy. Michael Irvin and Chad Johnson, yes....but not Elway and Montana.

(FYI- Buck is also hinting at an appearance from Vin Sculley as well)

I spent most of the night not paying attention to the All Star Game, but I made sure to record/watch Barack Obama's appearance in the booth, with Buck and McCarver. I honestly thought that the two Fox announcers would find a way to ruin it, but they and the Pres, actually made it enjoyable. The talk was loose and light, and focused on the game of Baseball, which is a welcome change from all the Politics that have crept into Sports as of late. Here's the appearance if you missed it....

Good stuff....now about that first pitch. Albert Pujols swears it didn't touch the ground, and there's talk of a Fox camera conspiracy, but I'm pretty sure he bounced it up there. The thing that everyone has to remember though, is that he threw it from the mound, which most people don't do. To throw it down the middle, and barely bounce it, is actually not THAT bad. In fact, I almost guarantee that half of the Nationals would have swung at that sinker.

As everyone knows by now, President Obama will be on hand to throw out the first pitch at the All Star Game tonight, and eventually make his way up to the Fox booth. USA Today talked with Joe Buck about what he plans to talk about, and here was the play-by-players response....

Joe Buck hopes the bottom of the second inning of Tuesday night's MLB All-Star Game drags on. That's when President Obama is expected to drop by the Fox TV booth for a half-inning cameo with Buck and analyst Tim McCarver.

And if the three outs happen fast? "Maybe he'd stick around for more," says Buck. "But I don't know if I'd put him on the spot without clearing it."

Buck says "the last thing I'd ever do" is go into politics between calling balls and strikes. Instead, Buck might ask the First Fan — in banter he hopes will be "light and fun" and "respectful" — who he rooted for while growing up in Hawaii, or ask for his favorite sports memories.

Buck last month debuted his HBO show, and comedian Artie Lange got out of control and essentially hijacked the program. Buck chuckled when asked if he's afraid of the president asserting such unchecked power: "I'm confident that won't happen."

Whew! I was worried about that for a second there. Personally, I'm more worried about our President pulling a "Mayor of Cincinnati", and bouncing his opening pitch on the way to the plate. Hopefully they'll let him have a few warmup throws beforehand.

Fox All-Star Game booth readies for visit from South Sider Obama (USA Today)

Saturday, July 11th:

New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels (FOX, 4:10, 71%) - Dick Stockton & Eric Karros
St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs (FOX, 4:10, 29%) - Joe Buck & Tim McCarver

Sunday, July 12th:

Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers (TBS, 2:00pm) - Chip Caray & Buck Martinez
St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs (ESPN, 8pm)- Jon Miller, Joe Morgan & Steve Phillips

Monday, July 13th:

Home Run Derby (ESPN, 8pm) - Chris Berman, Joe Morgan & Steve Phillips
2009 Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game (ESPN, 10pm)- Gary Thorne, Rick Sutcliffe & Erin Andrews

Tuesday, July 14th:

2009 MLB All Star Game (FOX, 9:05pm)- Joe Buck & Tim McCarver

You know those weekend movie blocks, which usually feature a couple of comedians promoting their latest crappy movie? Well FX has come up with the ingenious idea to have the FOX team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver host one of their very own! The duo will be hosting a set of movies that will air on the FOX network before the All Star Game on Sunday, July 12th. From the WSJ via Sportress of Blogitude....

Fox Sports spokesman Lou D'Ermilio confirmed network executives will head to Milwaukee next week to strategize with Commissioner Bud Selig about reversing the downward trends. "The purpose of the meeting is to find a way to boost the ratings for the All-Star Game and the World Series," he said. Plans include showing baseball movies on Sunday afternoons on Fox's sister channel FX, and promotional ads with broadcasters Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Fox says it is less concerned with the shrinking Saturday audience, since the regular season games represent about 10% of the value of the $255 million annual rights fee the network pays.

I guess it's as good an idea as any when it comes to promoting the dreadful All-Star Game, but I'm for one going to be tuning that one out. Actually I take that back....with a lineup like Mr. 3000, Fever Pitch and The Benchwarmers....I'm 100% in!!!

Baseball Mired in a Mysterious Ratings Slump (Wall Street Journal)
Who Are The Ad Wizards Who Came Up With This One? Buck And McCarver To Host A Movie Marathon On FX (Sportress of Blogitude)
Buck and McCarver to host All-Star movie marathon (Sports Media Watch)

It's been well over two weeks since Artie Lange's tirade on "Joe Buck Live", and the story just will not die. Lange went on Michael Irvin's radio show today in what was supposed to be a discussion about the program, but quickly turned into another awkward appearance for the Stern sidekick. Not only did Artie Lange defend himself , but he also challenged Irvin's co-host to a fight at one point, and bragged about book sales following the show. Oh and there was this moment, in which Irvin brough up the news that Lange might be going back on the show. Here is some of the audio via SRI....

I think we all know that Lange is going to be on the second show, black-listed from HBO or not, and that Buck will be making the right move by doing so. In its first airing, JBL almost tripled the ratings of the final "Costas Now" show, and a return visit from Lange would certainly improve on that. Who cares if Joe Buck is uncomfortable? HBO is in the business of making money, and that's how they're going to get people to tune in.

Artie Lange Talks To Michael Irvin About His Appearance on Joe Buck Live (Sports Radio Interviews)

Yesterday, there was more fallout from the whole Joe Buck/Artie Lange exchange on Monday night, and while HBO was issuing apologies, Lange was trying to defend himself. Lange went on Chris Russo's Sirius Show yesterday, and the two station mates battled about his "set" on Joe Buck Live....

I could have done without all of the yelling, but both parties had good points. Russo was just trying to state that it wasn't funny, and while I tend to agree with him for the most part, some people are obviously going to disagree. The more I think about this, the more I think it's HBO's fault. They knew what they were getting when they asked Lange to come on, and even moreso, when they directed him to "spice it up". Plus, you can't expect to get what you want, when you don't set any guidelines. Lesson learned, I guess.

Tell me something I don't know, HBO. That's what HBO is staying today after one of the most awkward exchanges in television history, SI's Richard Deitsch was on hand to witness the whole thing. Deitsch got to talk with both Joe Buck and HBO President Ross Greenburg, and here were their thoughts....

Buck said after the show that he was aware of Lange's comedy "but I didn't think it would go to that degree. But I don't want it to ruin what I think was a really good show. For whatever happened [with Lange], live is live. There were things said at the end that I am not fan of but people can judge what Artie said however they want."

Before Lange left the stage, Buck said he asked him, 'Was I good? Was that great?' "That's his M.O.," Buck said. "That's what he believed he was brought here to do. And, you know, he can. He's a guest and it's live TV. At some point short of hitting a trap door, what are you going to do?...He came out and did his thing. I can't blame him for that but I wish it was a notch lower. I was thinking, 'How much longer do we have in the segment?' I thought that spending time on a treadmill felt long, but that [segment] was eight or nine minutes turned into an eternity."

Lange walked off the stage to mostly applause. As he departed the stage, he said, "Waaagggh. I'll never be on here again." Prior to show in talking with a reporter who asked him about throwing out a first pitch at a minor league game in Trenton soon, Lange cracked, "I'm going to be thrown out the first minute here."

HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said Lange "bordered on bad taste" and had a "mean-spirited" tone. Greenburg said the segment made him uncomfortable at times, but he hoped that the Favre interview (which Buck handled very well) would be the story that carried the day. "This feels like they are not going to be too complementary to his [Lange's] appearance, just judging from the reaction of the crowd. But it really is the public's judgment. Live television is all about risk-reward and we knew who Artie Lange was when he was booked. There was a certain degree of a risk factor where he would go and where he would take us."

For all that Buck went through last night, he certainly has a calm viewpoint following the venom. Obviously you don't know what you're getting with Lange, but I'm sure that was above and beyond what anyone was imagining beforehand. Lange, on the other hand, is saying that Greenburg told him to go there if Rudd and Sudeikis "were boring", and had some choice words for him on the Stern Show this morning.

While the event was certainly shocking, the best take I've heard on the situation comes from The Big Lead, who posed the question, "If Artie Lange Hadn’t Appeared on Joe Buck’s Show, Would There Be Any Buzz About the Debut?" The answer.....probably not.

Joe Buck, HBO respond to wild Artie Lange appearance (SI)

Well if you thought that the on-air segment with Artie Lange was uncomfortable, you ain't seen nothin' yet. The comedic panel stuck around for "Joe Buck Show Overtime", and the insults just kept on a flyin'. The video is a bit choppy, but you'll be able to make it out....

Ummm....yeah. I don't even have words really. I'm hearing word that none of that was planned, or was it appreciated by Buck himself. So very uncomfortable. During the live segment it was kind of funny, but that was just downright uncalled for. By the end, it just seemed forced and venomous. Thank god for Paul Rudd's comedic timing. Good lord.

I hope HBO doesn't mind me sharing some of the highlights from last night's debut of "Joe Buck Live", but honestly I'm doing them a favor. I don't know why for the life of me I thought that Favre would provide something interesting, but it was really 20+ minutes of nothing. That wasn't Joe Buck's fault in the least, but Favre was a waste of time. Well, outside of Favre cursing halfway through the interview.

The rest of the show was pretty entertaining though. Buck had dinner with David Wright, talked celebrity with Ocho Cinco and Michael Irvin, did a piece on "The Smoking Gun", and then brought the funneh with Artie Lange and High School buddy Paul Rudd, bringing the funneh. In fact, Lange might have stole the show with his takedown of Buck in the last segment. I warn you not to be taking a sip of something when Lange is speaking. Here are the highlights and beware of some NSFW language....

Wow....just wow. Hearing someone hint that Joe Buck "sucks c**k", has to be one of the greatest moments on this site. As far as the show....it was a bit hit and miss. Buck did a great job asking questions, wasn't overly smug and even cracked a few good jokes now and then. And while I think the format is spot on, and the fact that the show is a quarterly program gives the producers time to set the show up with some great guests, it's a little bit scattered. The theme was supposed to do with Sports and Celebrity, but none of the panelists touched on that at all.

Two quick suggestions and then I'm done....1) Get rid of the cheesy telescope bits. Not funny. 2) Keep the panels to two guests. With three, someone always gets left out (See: Sudeikis, Jason).

It certainly wasn't a bad first show, but definitely needs to be tightened up. Oh and for those of you who want to see the whole Artie Lange segment, complete with jokes about Jack Buck, here ya go!

HBO has nabbed Brett Lorenzo Favre as the first guest on Joe Buck Live, and the interview will serve as his first interview since the Vikings rumors began. Not only will Favre be appearing on the debut show, but the network has also lined up David Wright, Michael Irvin and comedian Artie Lange. Wait really?

Primed to be entertaining, informative and lively, the premiere of Joe Buck Live will offer a diverse collection of interviews, opinions and humor as the topic of Sports & Celebrity is addressed. The show will originate from midtown Manhattan and a live studio audience will get to participate.

Segment One: One- on-One live interview with former Green Bay and New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre.

Segment Two: The Glare of Celebrity with former Dallas Cowboy wide receiver and radio personality Michael Irvin and Cincinnati Bengals newsmaker and wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. David Wright of the New York Mets will appear in a taped piece on living in the hot New York media spotlight.

Segment Three: A comedy panel featuring Paul Rudd, Artie Lange and Jason Sudeikis, offering their unrehearsed take on sports and celebrity.C

I honestly thought that the first episode was going to just be a lame panel discussion about athletes and celebrities, but this lineup is pretty impressive. The show will also be airing a few taped segments, including one from the Will Ferrell comedy site, "Funny or Die". I'll try to have clips up later tonight, or tomorrow morning.

So details about the first episode of Joe Buck Live airs this Monday, and I know the excitement is palpable. The topics appear to be almost exactly the same as the infamous Buzz Bissinger HBO dust-up, but with more witty commentary (courtesy of Buck, obviously). Oh and get this, you might even be able to attend! Via Deadspin....

The first edition of Joe Buck Live focuses on "Sports and Celebrity." Combine the 24-hour news cycle with internet reporting, bloggers, gossip columns, sports talk radio, commercial endorsements and the glare of continuous television coverage, and today's superstar athlete is constantly in play.

Utilizing a live studio audience in New York City, the hour-long show will include live interviews, panel discussions, pre-recorded features and a few surprises. We are keeping the great guests a secret and waiting for the big reveal on June 15th when Joe Buck Live will be filmed in front of our exclusive audience. You won't want to miss what promises to be an engaging, informative and entertaining evening of TV.

To attend this exclusive JOE BUCK LIVE show on MONDAY, JUNE 15th YOU MUST BE AVAILABLE BETWEEN 7:30PM and 10:30PM. It will be shown live on HBO simultaneously with repeat broadcasts at later dates. RSVP quickly as there are limited tickets for this event. YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO ATTEND THE SHOW AND YOU MUST LIVE IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TICKETS OR BE IN NYC DURING THE TAPING WEEK. TICKETS ARE COMPLIMENTARY.

If you are interested in being part of the JOE BUCK LIVE SHOW, please email us at joebucklive@broadwayvideo.com with the following information in both the subject line and body of your email:

1. Your full name
2. Your email address (one which will not put our reply to you in your garbage folder and one which you check frequently.)
PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK YOUR GARBAGE FOLDER JUST IN CASE!
3. Your phone number(s)
4. Your age range (35-40, 18-25, 50-55 etc.)
5. 2 tickets is the maximum number we can allow per request.
(SINCE THIS IS A LIVE EVENT WE EXPECT THAT IF YOU ASK FOR TICKETS YOU WILL BE USING THEM. Thanks)
6. Do you consider yourself a big sports fan — which sports (you can put this in the body of the email)

You can't just show up at the Joe Buck Show! No way, no how! You have to write an essay on why you are a Sports fan, email it in triplicate and then wait by the mother f**king phone, if you want to get into this rodeo!!!

Joe Buck Will Slay You (Deadspin)

There was one point in time when Joe Buck made me laugh. I think I was 12 at the time, but that's besides the point. In his first commercial for his now show, Joe Buck Live, the Buckster has once again made me chuckle. Here's your first look at the spot for the show which debuts on June 15th at 9pm....

While I'm certainly not a fan, I'm not writing off his show entirely....yet. Part of the reason Buck became so annoying, was because he decided to move away from the "everyman" approach, and let his ego takeover the broadcasts. Hopefully this new venue will give him some much needed "AA" (attitude adjustment).

It's been a good while since HBO announced Joe Buck would be replacing Bob Costas on his vacant talk show, and we now have a first air date, and a name for said show. According to Broadcasting & Cable, the quarterly program will be called "Joe Buck Live" and will be airing on June 15th. Oh and get this, the first episode will include a segment on bloggers!

New quarterly sports series Joe Buck Live is set to kick off June 15 at 9 p.m. EST on HBO. The show, produced by HBO Sports' Peabody and Emmy-winning production department, will include a live studio audience, interviews, panel discussions, and pre-recorded features.

The first episode explores sports and celebrity, delving into the 24-hour news cycle, bloggers, gossip columnists, sports talk radio, commercial endorsements, and today's multimillionaire superstar athletes.

"I am just going to be myself," Buck said of his new show. "We will cover serious topics, but we will also have a lot of fun. With the combination of live television, sports and entertainment, I am excited to see what happens. It's a new avenue for me and I am going to give it all I've got. I hope I am as funny as my mom says I am."

Great....just great. Not only do we have to deal with Buck himself, we have to deal with his first show being about a medium he knows nothing about. At least give the guy something he's knowlegable for his first airing. You know....fake moonings and Desperate Housewives.

‘Joe Buck Live' To Debut On HBO In Mid-June (Broadcasting & Cable)
Joe Buck's Talk Show Is Set To Air June 15th (With Leather)

So the details surrounding Joe Buck's new show on HBO are slowly starting to take shape, and Sports Business Daily has a few of the more interesting angles and ideas. According to SBD, the show will be 90 minutes in length, air quarterly and take on the town hall format that people responded to so well. Not only that, but Buck is even suggesting that they keep the name "Costas Now"....

HBO Sports Thursday announced the hiring of Fox' Joe Buck in the wake of Bob Costas' departure to MLB Network. Buck will host a sports talk show starting this May that will air on a quarterly basis and likely will utilize a town-hall format. HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg: "We will build a show around Joe that will showcase his personality and his talent and … there will be some comedic elements as well.” Buck added the show "will be different," but admitted some of the details were still undetermined. Buck: "We don't even have a name for it. I suggested to Ross that we keep 'Costas Now.'" Buck also said he "would like to bring in other elements" outside of just sports. Buck: "I don't think that keeping it straight sports all the time is something that really suits me best. ... This is going to be a unique look"

The biggest question, I have about the show, is if they are going to go straight Sports or make it more of a late night talk show format. Both could actually work, and while I think Joe Buck isn't the greatest PbPer, people might respond to him in as a talk show host. Obviously you have to find a balance between non-Sports and Sports, but I'm not totally discounting HBO and Buck actually pulling it off. I'll be sure to keep you updated as things progress.

HBO Sports Hires Buck To Host Show In Wake Of Costas Exit (Sports Business Daily - $)