Joe Buck

He’s certainly no “Ordinary Joe” and he’s become far more than just the son of a famous broadcasting father.

Joe Buck, the voice of FOX Sports, sits down with host Kraig Kann to talk about the path he’s carved for himself, the love he has for his late father, and the passion he has for what he does.  

Buck addresses criticism he faces today and the scrutiny he faced along the way in following his father into the broadcast booth.  What’s it like to call the big game?  How did he audition to land at FOX? What was it like to host a bass fishing event?  How did hair plugs almost coat him his career? 

Engaging, funny, serious, passionate, real, raw. It’s all here in a fun, wide-open chat that will give you a real sense for the man who says most really don’t know or understand. 

Enjoy Joe’s conversation with Kraig right here on Tracks To Success as Season TWO is underway. 

Transcript

0 (4s):
Welcome to tracks to success brought to you by presentation partners. This is the podcast that brings you inspiring people, and they're inspiring stories. How did they find their way to the top and how can their path help you do the same? Here's your host network, broadcaster, executive and entrepreneur. Craig can

1 (29s):
Right now on this all new edition of tracks to success. He's one of the most recognized voices in sports television, and one of the most polarizing figures as well. A man who got his start at a young age, climbed the ranks to the network and has become a fixture calling big games and big events born in Florida. He is the son of a broadcasting legend and is carried on the name and paid tribute to his late father. On a few memorable occasions with this announcer has done it his way with his style and to those who know him is his fun off the cuff.

1 (1m 10s):
As he is polished, it's setting the scene and handling the big moment. He's had his own shows, written his own book and found family, not once, but twice with four kids, between them giving him his own opportunity to make the same impact his late great father did. So what makes him tick? What ticks him off? Why does he seem to tick off others while being the voice and the face of a network he's so devoted to his name is Joe Buck, his inspiring story. And this season to debut edition of tracks to success starts now.

1 (1m 56s):
Well, Joe, I can't thank you enough. This is the debut of season two on tracks to success. And I try to, I try to stay close to my roots in sports broadcasting. And I want to have somebody that I admire that I think a lot of to help me kick off the new season. And you are it tag? Thank you so much. I appreciate this. Yeah. It's either that or you wanted to have somebody on that said yes. And here I am. So I I'm sure Costa said, you know, maybe later and right on down the line and you got stuck with me. So here we go. I hardly feel stuck. First things. First, you have your own new podcast, which I am a subscriber to, by the way, just, just jumped onto that.

1 (2m 39s):
And the question is daddy issues is the title of it. Why? And also, why did you decide to do one? What was the kind of motivation behind that, man? I can't answer either of those two questions. I really wish I could. No, I'm kidding. I, daddy, I

2 (3m 0s):
Think I wrote a book a handful of years ago. That was one of the best things I've ever done for myself. It was mildly successful. So that was nice. But I told the publisher then with the book agent from CAA sitting there and he probably started to sweat when the words came out of my mouth. But I said in the meeting first meeting, you know, I honestly don't care if one person buys this book or 1 billion people buy this book. I just want to do it for me. Cause I I've been on TV long enough. I've done enough big events where I think people who care about this kind of stuff, I'm not assuming most do, but those who do probably have an opinion on me and they have no idea who I am, what I'm about, excuse me, what I've gone through and how lucky I know I am.

2 (3m 50s):
And part of me being lucky is being born when I was to whom I was, if that makes sense to my dad, Jack Bock, who is a hall of fame announcer in baseball and football did the Cardinals for 50 years was a hall of fame dad in his own way. And my mom who was for short time on Broadway and used to being on a stage and in front of people. And I just soaked all this stuff in when I was a kid and I was, it was with my dad everywhere as a little boy in every national league city. By the time I was 12 and for whatever reason, he and I became best friends.

2 (4m 33s):
He has seven other kids, but I was the one that kind of cut through. And I took every advantage I could from being in basically a master's class with one of the best to ever do it. But I think somewhere inside me, since I started in this business myself, is that little voice that says you didn't earn it. It's that little voice. That's always, you know, when I was doing the world series at 27 saying, you're going to be found out to be a fraud. You're just somebody's kid and you shouldn't be sitting here. And maybe at that age, at that time, I don't know. Maybe you could make that case, but I think I'll always live in my dad's shadow and thank God we were as close as we were, but, but there's always that sense with me.

2 (5m 20s):
And, and so it was kinda it's it's it's daddy issues in the best possible sense. Oliver, Hudson who's the cohost is Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell's son, Kate Hudson's, brother Wyatt Russel's brother. He's got family issues where he's just dealing in the shadow of, of really everybody that he sits at a dinner table with and, and we have fun with it. We enjoy it. And it's, it's been a nice through line for a podcast because everybody good or bad has their own daddy issues. And so we've enjoyed it. And the podcast know, I think it's along the same lines as the book.

2 (5m 60s):
I think people don't really still know who I am. I can't assume everybody bought the book. So this is another way to kind of show my personality and, and really opened the door to my fears, my insecurities and everything else. So it's, it's been a blast. We have fun and I'm glad I'm doing it.

3 (6m 20s):
Well, I will say this now. I know why you're the storyteller you are. Cause you basically just ran through about seven of my questions. So congratulations. Sorry. We can go back over. No, this is good. This is good. This is exactly what I want, Joe. And, and the thing that I think, because I've, I've looked through the book, I've taken some notes on the book. I, I think it's because from what I'm hearing from you, you felt like, alright, this is an opportunity to be less scripted than I have to be when I'm doing MLB or NFL or, or golf even which we'll get into gives you a chance to show some of those things behind the scenes and open up where you can't do that when you're calling a red Sox Yankees game.

2 (7m 1s):
Yeah. Not unless I hide jacket, not unless not, unless I just make it about me. And I think that's kind of been my style and to some people, I don't know that they get that or that they even, I don't even want to say even if they do, if they appreciate it, maybe they don't. But I, I always try to get out of the way. I mean, after all I'm doing TV and it's different than doing radio and it's also very different than doing a specific teams, TV or radio. So when you show up and it's the age old thing that I've dealt with since I was in my mid twenties and I'm 51 now as the national guy at the time of the year, when they're diehard fans care the most under the most emotionally involved, we show up and I have to yell and scream and get excited for a home run that was just hit against you as a fan.

2 (7m 50s):
And it's, it's kind of a weird place to be because I used to do the Cardinals and I used to do the games one sided. And if the Cardinals had a home run, we're all doing hams handsprings. And if the Cardinals gave up a home run, you know, you call it entirely differently. It's almost like a dejected home run called because it just hurt the scoreboard. So that that's, that's really, yeah, you're right. I mean, I don't really feel like I can show who I am in those big events because I it's not appropriate. So I have to find other avenues and whether it's being on Brockmeyer or doing the podcast or going on stern or doing your podcast, whatever it is, I like to have the opportunity to just show who I am.

2 (8m 36s):
Well,

3 (8m 36s):
That's a cool, cool thing. And we're going to talk about some of those games and whatnot in just a little bit. So the book, all right. I'm sure you've talked about it a lot with a lot of people on various platforms. So it's called lucky bastard, my life, my dad, and the things I'm not allowed to say on TV and the title in and of itself. I mean really opens you up to a lot of, okay, please answer this answer that I already got the answer as to why you felt compelled to write it. Let's talk about your dad briefly here. And what I want you to do is I want you to finish these little sentences for me. Okay. So I'm going to leave you an open door for a minute or so on each one.

3 (9m 20s):
Number one for me, Jack Buck was blank. Ego lists,

2 (9m 28s):
Selfless. Somebody who was very emotional in a good way, loved what he did, even when he was at his sickest with Parkinson's and diabetes and pacemaker. Couldn't wait to bust out of the door of our house to get into his Lincoln and drive down and do Cardinal games or get on a plane and go do Monday night football or whatever he was doing that day. He was the best example that I could have for how to broadcast, but more importantly, how to be a man, how to be a dad, how to be a friend and how to appreciate life. And I was really lucky.

2 (10m 10s):
I, I know that. Yeah.

3 (10m 11s):
Yeah. Number two. My relationship with him growing up was blank.

4 (10m 19s):
Mmm.

2 (10m 20s):
I mean, I was all in, you know, I couldn't get enough. It, it, it's not the perfect end of the sentence, but I just, I missed him a lot because he was gone a ton. And when he was gone, I didn't want to act like an idiot kid so that when he was home, I was missing out on things or being disciplined by my mom or him because I was a little punk. So I, I really walk the straight and narrow as a kid. I think everybody in my family and in my friends circle would tell you that. And so I maximize the time I had with him, I idolized the man. And, you know, that's, that's the best I can say.

2 (11m 3s):
You know, whether your dad's a hall of fame announcer or does whatever. Yeah. Many did

3 (11m 9s):
Number three, when it comes to sports casting, I look at my dad as

2 (11m 16s):
The best radio announcer I've ever heard and I'm biased. But as far as him doing radio football, which is not easy to do, I thought he was really underrated. And for me, him doing radio baseball with his description, his sense of humor, his timing, his kinda wacky newness that would get in there every once in awhile, he, he just, he was it. So I realized, you know, everybody bows rightfully so to the VIN Scully statues. And, and, you know, I think a VIN Moore is the TV guy, even though that's not fair to him.

2 (12m 1s):
And I think of my dad as a radio guy that got a chance to do national big time TV toward the end of his career, and really wasn't himself for a couple of years on the air. And it was hard for us as a family to watch and listen to it because you wanted a personality that you heard come out every night on the radio to really shine on national TV. But again, like we talked about, that's not really the time for that, that that's, that's the time to do the game and shut up and enjoy it. And, and so it was frustrating, but as an announcer, I think he had no peers as far as calling radio football or baseball go crazy folks. Go crazy. Yeah. Two more, two more for people who think it was easy being Jackbox dad, a son, sorry.

2 (12m 46s):
I would tell you blank. You're right. I would tell you that the positives far outweigh the negatives. I think the, the negatives were that I was aware as a little kid that a lot of eyes were on us. A lot of eyes were on me in a small town like st. Louis going to a lot of the same restaurants whenever we were all together. The other negative would be what I talked about having that voice in your head and always being compared to a hall of Famer. But, but that's, that can be a positive too, cause that can make you work hard and that can make you really give your best every time out and try and live up to all that.

2 (13m 30s):
So the positives were literally being two seats away from my dad every night of the summer and watching the game, listening to him in a little handheld headset, like a little headphone, almost that I could hold up to my ear and I could watch him. I got to watch his preparation. I could watch his mannerisms. I, I, I saw, I took all of that in from the time I was whatever it able to remember things up until the day he died. So those positives make the negatives almost laughable. You soaked up more than most could ever get from somebody just by being there, which is an amazing opportunity.

2 (14m 15s):
Last one, the greatest thing my dad Jack Buck did for me is blank. Leave me alone when I started broadcasting and not hover and not critique and not overly In a way, not, not overly applaud me, not, not make it like I was making him proud. I think he let me understand as a young guy, when I was 19 and 20 doing AAA baseball. And then when he was my broadcast partner at the age of 21, he, he really held his pride in check.

2 (14m 56s):
When it came to me now, he told everybody else, he told umpires and friends and people in other cities, he'd pop a cassette into his car and play my play by play for them and go listen to this kid, listen to how, how good he is. And he did an interview with a guy, John Carney, who my sister's on the air with every day. And it's from 2000, maybe 2000, 2001 before he went into the hospital and eventually passed away in Oh two where he said, I think, I think my son is the best broadcaster in baseball now. And I think he's the best I've heard, not just as a young guy, but he's the best I've heard.

2 (15m 37s):
And he's a nice guy and people like him now, did he say any of that stuff to me directly? No, he did not make it seem like I was trying to earn his approval. He just let me find my way. And for that, I'm eternally grateful. It helped our relationship. I guarantee you, it made us closer, but it also made me work hard and know that I was starting to stand on my own two feet and I didn't have him daddy to check in with every five seconds sucking my thumb. I, I was a man at a young age doing a big boy job and, and trying to do my best and succeed. See you just

3 (16m 18s):
Right there in me saying, Hey, finish the sentence with a couple of thoughts, how much your dad truly meant. I mean, for those out there, listening to this, that might think, yeah, he was your dad. And he didn't mean as much. They are so far off base. You gave me way more right there than I thought I was going to get with those answers. And it tells me everything. Let's talk about your life as it pertains to your career. Now, based upon the book. And I said, I've, I've scanned through it first off. Does your mom Carol get enough credit? Because we just spent time talking about your father. Does your mom get enough for where you are today?

2 (16m 56s):
Absolutely not. And, and you know, I think those closest to me are aware of all that, but you're asking, so I'm telling ya, I think she not only helped mold me and make me who I am and provided the real critiques at the ends of games, much more so than my dad did, but I think she helped mold him. You know, it's no coincidence in my mind that no, the one part that was, that had nothing to do with my dad or our side of the equation is that Harry Carey was fired by the Cardinals in the late sixties.

2 (17m 37s):
And that all coincided with my arrival, but more importantly for him, his beginning of a relationship with my mom. And I think he was happier. I think he was in a, to really have a partner and somebody who he ran all of his banquet lines with and, and she would punch him up as they say in the business and, and make them funnier. And she she's a performer to this day. I mean, in somewhere in her head, she thinks she's Elizabeth Taylor, and won't tell anybody your age, but she's 80 and still great and funny and with it. And you know, I, she definitely doesn't get enough credit, but that's not really the exciting part of the story.

2 (18m 21s):
It's more, you know, Jack book's son is, is doing X, Y, and Z. Yeah.

3 (18m 26s):
Yeah. Well maybe that's where you get it from. Let's have some fun here. You are not exactly the most fit kid at age seven or eight. Right. I mean, I can relate to that by the way. Yeah. I was a fat

2 (18m 39s):
Kid. I, I don't think I had my first pair of jeans until the Husky section was created by some masochist somewhere. And I could, I could shop in target or wherever the hell we were, and this is in the seventies too. So, I mean, they were bell-bottom. Yeah, it was, I was a thick kid and I always, my grandfather played the NFL, my aforementioned mom's dad played for the Chicago bears and, and he was one of the really great athletes to come out of this city, you know, in his era and was on Hallis his all time bears team and whatever. I get a lot of my athletic ability and I have some from him, but I was too slow to use my arm and football.

2 (19m 24s):
So I became a pitcher in baseball, but as a little boy, yeah. I look back at those pictures and I'm thinking, mom, how about a glass of water in a salad?

3 (19m 35s):
I can relate. You could put this underneath my vertical job. I'm holding up a pen. That's the way I was. But, but I played every sport now in st. Louis. It's a really cool thing to be able to say, I went to this high school or everybody asks you what high school you went to. Same thing in Chicago, where I grew up your high school was what? And were you that kid that everybody knew at that time? Okay. Yeah, he, he's going to be that guy. He's going to have a microphone.

2 (20m 2s):
I think by the time I was a senior, if you go back to my high school yearbook and they do the 25 years, hence mine was hosted Saturday night live, which I think I'm, I'm proud of more so now than I was then. And, and I'm working Lauren Michaels as best I can. I need to send him like a, a Xerox copy of that just because I think it would be funny. But I think when I was littler and kind of in middle school and early part of high school, I certainly didn't feel that way. And I don't think that anybody really looked at me that way. My senior year, I broke my neck playing football and the football was the big sport at high school country day to answer your question, which is, is a prep school through and through coat and tie every day, it was, you know, kind of like a dead poet's society without Robin Williams or anybody standing on their desk.

2 (21m 1s):
And I, so when I broke my neck and we had our pep rally, I am seated as an 18 year old kid standing in front of the school and introducing this guy, this speaker, this teacher, this whatever. And so maybe it was all there. And I wasn't really aware of, of any of that. And, and I'm guaranteed, none of the other kids cared, but it, it was, it was starting to unearth itself back then. But I think it would be revisionist history to say that people said, Oh, you know, someday you're going to be doing the world series on network TV. Okay. But when did you know that you wanted to go that path, that you wanted to make this, your living?

2 (21m 44s):
Was it when you were a bat boy for the Cardinals or running around that field, sitting next to your dad? What, when was that? That I will be a sportscaster. I don't think I can remember ever wanting to be anything else other than a player, a pitcher, you know, I, I, and I was good enough to try out, I guess anybody's good enough to try out, but good enough to try out and have somewhat of a chance at Indiana to try and pitch and play. And I just wasn't good enough. I didn't throw hard enough, but, but I was good in high school. But other than that, I just wanted to be my dad. I didn't want to be a whatever, an astronaut, a lawyer, a fireman or whatever, you know, whatever kids dream about being.

2 (22m 28s):
I, even as a little boy, I just wanted to be with my dad. And I think, you know, he would tell you if he were here, my mom would tell you if she could get on her phone without hitting the wrong buttons, that when I was three, four or five years old, I would sit in my dad's office. And even though I was a rambunctious, typical little boy, I was smart enough to realize that if I wanted to stay in his office while he either did work or while he was on the phone, kind of with his radio voice on, I had to be quiet. And I was quiet because I was just mesmerized by what he did.

2 (23m 8s):
So I think even when I was probably under five something inside me, it was like, that's what I want to be. And, and, you know, I just got lucky to do it. This season tracks to success is proud to have the support of a head. They're true innovators of fine headwear and a head's been supplying the most prestigious events and outfitting the world's top golfers for 25 years. And if you're looking to dress for success ahead is the perfect brand for you. So think ahead and look forward at pro shops and special events around the country. And here's your chance to save big, visit ahead

3 (23m 46s):
USA, shop.com now, and use the code T T S pod that's TTS pod and receive 20% off your purchase ahead, the finest and headwear. And now the official headwear of the tracks to success podcast available@aheadusashop.com. Joe, you were talking about how you call AAA baseball at age 19 started calling Cardinals baseball in the early nineties. And then you were at Fox. By the time you were 25, that was in 94 Fox won the bid for the NFC package out of nowhere. It seemed like I remember that stuff and they obviously needed announcers.

3 (24m 28s):
Maybe you in your head said, Hey, how about me a digit call David Hill, who called David Hill? How did you, how did you do that? How did it end up that all of a sudden you're there. And by the way, I heard you almost did some bass fishing.

2 (24m 41s):
Yeah, no, I, well, I did do bass fishing. I think properly asked. I heard that somebody, I almost caught a bass fish when you did it live on national TV. God, that was horrible. But I digress I to answer your question, I was incensed because I was always a CBS guy through my dad. My dad did CBS TV and you know, he'd used to, he broke Madden and my dad did CBS radio and was doing Monday night football. I mean, it was CVS all over our house. And I remember when Fox got in the game in 94, I was hosting a call in show, what was I, 23, 24 years old on Campbell X radio in st.

2 (25m 23s):
Louis. And then news came across the wire and I was like, Oh my God, what a travesty, this is a joke. Who's going to do the play by play Bart Simpson. And you know, I think the Fox at that time had Joan Rivers and married with children and Homer and Bart Simpson, and that was about it. And so I never thought that I would be on the list to go there. I was just a couple of years into my time in st. Louis with the Cardinals. And the answer to the question is I didn't call David Hill or ed Goren, who was more the hands on guy for people that were going to get hired as play by play announcer. My mom at the Superbowl knew Patty Goran, ed Gordon's wife, ed Goren was a long time CBS guy.

2 (26m 7s):
And my parents knew all those executives at CBS and he jumped ship and went to Fox. He was one of the main reasons why Madden and Summerall went over there. And Matt Millen and Dick Stockton went over there. And then they were looking for a new crop of young announcers. And my mom said it took my videotape, unbeknownst to me, and for sure, unbeknownst to my dad, cause he would have just not even let it happen and gave the videotape to Patty Goran. They were friends and she went back to the room that night and said, we got to listen to Jack and Carol's son, Joe. He's been doing the Cardinals for a few years now and I'd never done football and, and bring him out for an audition.

2 (26m 50s):
And so they did. And I went out during spring training in 94 and I had done some play by play in the living room with my dad off a videotape of football. And I'd been around it enough to know the game. And I played at some, but I had never done it. And I went out, sat in a studio in LA, put a headset on sat next to Tim green, who was my first partner for two years. And he and I did a game off a TV with producers talking in my ear and it went really well. I knew it was, I knew it was going well, five minutes into it. I felt comfortable. And I got up and left the studio and like slug worth and Willy Wonka. Some other executive came up to me and whispered in my ear cause he didn't want Tim to hear it because they weren't sure on Tim.

2 (27m 35s):
He said, you better get an agent because we're going to hire you. And so I flew back to Florida in spring training, knowing that I was going to get hired at Fox. And, and I had never seen my dad so proud when I came home and told him how well it went. And you know, when you talk about lucky, forget the bastard part in my book. I mean the lucky is the timing of everything. Like Fox dropped out of the sky. They get the NFL. I faked my way through that for a couple of years, then they get the rights to cover major league baseball. I've had him ever since. And that's what I came to Fox with as my resume was baseball. So I started doing that and I've done it ever since.

2 (28m 16s):
So the timing of all that stuff just worked out that that's really where the luck is not just not just being my dad, my mom's kid. Yeah.

3 (28m 24s):
I'm thinking Superbowls. I'm thinking world series. And, and, and I'm also thinking Bassmaster classics. Like you, you call in Jimmy Houston and Kevin van dam, like really men fish left right. And center. I mean that w talk about like being in the moment.

2 (28m 42s):
It was horrible. The moment was awful and the show was an hour and a half long from Orlando, Florida on all these different little lakes. I remember one of the Lake was Lake Lulu and we had all these, these bass fishermen on these bass boats bouncing up and down and, and we had a meeting with them and we said, okay, from whatever, four 30 to 6:00 PM tomorrow night, we're going to be on live on TV. So you're going to have to wear a microphone. You're going to have to wear an ear piece. You're going to have to remember to click the microphone on. You're going to have to remember to click the earpiece on. And Joe, this guy right here is going to do ask you questions while you're fishing.

2 (29m 25s):
And about half of them remembered to turn their mics on and the other half forgot to turn their ear pieces on so nobody could hear me. And then the ones that could hear me were talking and we couldn't hear them. Then we screwed up the way in, at the end of this live show. And I think we awarded the prize to wrong winner. And it was just, the show was 90 minutes. And if it had been 91 minutes, it would have been one minute of dead air. Cause I was done after 90 minutes, I had nothing else to say,

3 (29m 52s):
Oh yeah, that's good stuff, man. Everybody's got one of those stories that's ever done this thing for a living. So lead MLB guy, 96 lead NFL guy by 2002. I mean, that's meteoric, that's a rise. You you've already talked about that Ascension and how fast it happened. I know what other people thought. And you've shared a little bit about that. People going, Oh God, is this guy right? Did you feel you were ready for, did you truly believe in you that they hired the right guy? That you could be the guy outside of that

2 (30m 25s):
Little voice that I think everybody has, whether you're announcing golf or more importantly playing golf of like, can I really make this shot? Can I really do this? Am I going to pull the club back? And you know, am I good enough outside of that voice that everybody has, unless you're psychotic?

3 (30m 45s):
Yeah.

2 (30m 46s):
I was not scared. You know, I go back and I listened to the world series in 96 and I was 27 and it was a major stage and it was Yankee stadium and they're returned to glory with Jeter and the core four and all that stuff as we would come to know them. Yeah. I was never intimidated enough to where it affected my performance. And then as you start and you settle in the best thing that happened to me again, was that I was partnered with Tim McCarver. I, I knew that anything that happened on that field, Tim had seen or been a part of himself because he had broadcast forever.

2 (31m 27s):
He played forever, played in four separate decades, which is amazing at, especially at the position of catcher. And so my dad knew my dad had two years that were not a lot of fun with Tim, but more importantly, with the producer in the group at CBS, when he took over, when they fired Musburger in 90 and 91, my dad, it, when it was announced that I was going to do it and Tim was going to be my partner, nobody was happier than my dad because he knew I was going to be protected. And Mike Shannon who broadcast with us in st. Louis and was my dad's partner for thousands of years called Tim and said, it's going to be a different experience with Joe.

2 (32m 12s):
And I think the different experience was that, that I was more of the TV guy. And I think my dad was bringing a lot of radio skills to a new way of doing TV. And it wasn't a great fit. I grew up more in the TV era and I think I really paid attention to, to all the things I knew, strategic strategic wise for about baseball through Mike and my dad and, and I just deferred to Tim. And when he started accepting my viewpoint on national broadcast as a 27 year old and gave me a little bit of a legitimacy, it was the greatest gift that I could have been given by somebody not in my family.

2 (32m 53s):
And so I felt insulated and that allowed me to do my job. And I never felt like I didn't belong.

3 (33m 0s):
Carver Aikman, Smoltz. I mean, you, you, I always feel like I learned something, you know, when I'm watching the telecast, the broadcast. And to me, that's, when you say I had somebody who covered my back, it, it becomes conversational as opposed to reporting. And that's what I feel is, is so great about the best tandems in sports broadcasting. Here's one for you baseball, which is a game of, of minimizing errors, right? Really it boils down to that in some way. Would you say that you've made a lot or just a few in this rise to where you are now?

3 (33m 43s):
I,

2 (33m 44s):
I would say if I had made a lot, I don't think I would have lasted. I don't think that somebody who makes a lot of mistakes on national TV is going to hang in for close to 30 years. I don't think that's possible this, especially now, especially with social media, especially with the transition from really a one man show and Rudy Mart ski doing the Monday morning column and the third page of the sports section in USA today, down that left side. And thankfully he liked me and gave me, you know, the, the all Rudy rookie team and the MVP or whatever he gave me, which, which I took note of.

2 (34m 27s):
I mean, he used to hammer my dad and I don't know if it was done out of guilt or if you legitimately liked me, but he gave me some more legitimacy in the business as weird as that sounds. And now we've gone from that kind of a centralized. Let's see, who's good. Let's see. Who's bad to social media. So I think, you know, it's always these days, it's like a gotcha, Hey, you made a mistake. Gotcha. And I think real mistakes, not, not misspeaking or not, but real mistakes. Don't go on noticed. And a pile up of real mistakes would get you fired. And, and so I think I've made my fair share, but my God I've been on for thousands of hours on live network TV.

2 (35m 13s):
And I think mistake wise, I would put a really, I would put my list up against anybody's 25 years in. Yeah.

3 (35m 23s):
And you'd take back like one moment. You're like, Oh God, you know that you think about all the time.

2 (35m 28s):
Oh God. Yeah, absolutely.

3 (35m 31s):
Give me one.

2 (35m 33s):
Well, I mean the, the one in golf is obviously Brooks kept goes girlfriend's name. I mean, that's, that's as bad as it gets now. You know how this business works. And we had information guys in the back of the studio, that's sitting on a teen and, and the guys a long time, CBS information guy, and he handed me a card that had bad information on it. Now I've never said his name. I never will. Those who were in the business could probably put two and two together, but it doesn't matter. It came out of my mouth. So it's my mistake. And, and so if I'm going to be, you know, divorce myself from the mistake, then I have to divorce myself every time he handed me a great card that made it feel like, or seem like I knew more about the PGA tour than I actually did.

2 (36m 22s):
So it doesn't work that way. So I, yeah, that, that was awful because that was right at the end of really five days of all day coverage on Fox. And we were starting to get our legs under us. And everybody, I think felt good about what happened at Erin Hills. And then you say that, and Brad faxing corrected it going off the air, which was the right thing to do, but that's the last taste in your mouth. And that was, that was hard to take. And then I looked back on the Randy Moss moment and I'm surprised that came out of my mouth. That's just how that hit me, not just the fake mooning, but the ass against the goalpost part.

2 (37m 3s):
And, and I had a real reaction on one hand, it's like, it's a little much on the other hand, I'm proud that I just kind of reacted and, and I, I didn't hold back. I don't think that would ever come out of my mouth even had that not happened. I don't think in today's world with social media, I don't think I would be free in my mind to say something like that. So I, you know, you live and you learn, but, but there, those are the two that jump out in my mind. But if, if the list is less than five things after all these years, I don't, I can't really take myself to the woodshed because it's, it's not an easy job, as you know, and, and things are coming at you fast and furious, and the minute you're going down, one track mentally, something happens in the game or in the broadcast that takes you to track 10 instead of track one.

2 (38m 0s):
And you feel like you always want to get back and you never have time. And, and so, you know, there's a lot of factors that go into it, but those are definitely the two that jump out of my, out of my head. Well, you went there already, so I'm gonna

3 (38m 12s):
Jump ahead and then I'll go backwards. When Fox got the U package and jumped right into golf, was it a Fox saying, Joe, we'd like you to do the golf or B you saying Fox, I'd like to do the golf or maybe was it see you saying a Fox? I love golf. I am doing the golf. Yeah. It's might be D

2 (38m 36s):
It was kinda like, they know, I love golf. They know I'm obsessed with golf. And my family certainly knows I'm obsessed with it. I've got two year old twin boys that if they're following me in the hallway, in my house and I'm pantomiming my swing, or my shoulder turned both Blake and Wyatt will go, daddy golf, daddy's daddy playing golf. And I'm like, yep. In my head boys, right now, I'm on the first tee. So they, they knew Fox knew that, that I was all in as a fan. But then it's a question of, and, and you know, you and I could do seminars on golf coverage and, and how different it is than you think it is when you're sitting on a couch and how much, you know, to me, how much faster it actually is when you're sitting there than any other sport I do, because you're covering, you know, at times 156 players, but even in the, in the heat of the moment, you've got players all over the place, over multiple acres.

2 (39m 36s):
You're not watching it with your own eyes. You're relying on other people's information, what hole you're jumping into, who it is, what they're putting for. And you have to trust a lot of pieces that you're not in control of, which is a really unnerving thing. When you start, and then you've got partners and people on the air with you that, that are nowhere near you, and you have to try to not step on one another. So there there's, there was a lot of, there was a real learning curve there for all of us, especially me. But I, I remember that day, we were at the football seminar and my boss, Eric shank said, we finally kept something quiet at Fox.

2 (40m 16s):
We're going to have an announcement later today. And then I want to talk to you about doing it. And I still didn't know what it was. And they announced it. He called me, would you like to do it? And I thought long and hard about it. I didn't immediately go. Absolutely, absolutely. I want to do it now because I I'm smart enough to know what I don't know. And I'm smart and I've been in this business. And so in some ways, since I was two, and I know that it's, it's not like just flipping a switch and going, okay. You know, you know, the game somewhat because you're a two handicap and you know, that just means you can broadcast it.

2 (40m 56s):
And we both know that's not the case. So I thought about it, wondered who I'd be doing it with, but I said, yes. And then it started to take shape. Did it hurt you personally when, when Fox and, and you and the team got ripped right away for the coverage? Yeah, because I felt like everybody really put their heart and soul into it. And it was at a strange place in chambers Bay, which is phenomenal golf course. You know, the greens were not in great shape and the golf course was browned out. It wasn't the typical look of a us open. I remember Richard Sandomir. Who's the main critic in the New York times ripped the quote unquote Fox camera people for not being able to follow the golf ball.

2 (41m 42s):
They're the same camera people that NBC used. They're there they're there. There's no like full time Fox golf camera people there. They're all independent. Contractors are like, Oh, it's now, now we're a Fox hat instead of an NBC hat. And they were there running the cameras. It was just hard to see. Cause it was so glary out there with the weather is perfect as it was. And then he ripped me for something that I supposedly said that Brad FACS and actually said, and, and that was frustrating. And I called them on it's one of the, one of the, maybe two times I've ever called a critic. And I said, Richard, this is the New York times. I, that didn't come out of my mouth. And he said, Oh, I saw that on Twitter.

2 (42m 23s):
And I just went with it. I was like, what, what? So yeah, that, that, that wasn't a shining moment. But did I take it personally? Absolutely. I pour everything I've got into every time we're on the air. And I was proud of the product for the first time. I think people are not really into giving a grace period. Nobody's interested in that. And I think when it went from NBC where everybody's used to Johnny Miller and Dan Hicks and, and, and obviously they're great and Dan's a good friend of mine and the way they produce telecast to us at a stranger place with a lot of controversy that was going on, it was a lot for the average viewer to digest if they really care about that stuff.

2 (43m 14s):
So I, I take all that stuff personally, and then it inspires you to get better. And I think we progressively have to where last year there were headlines about foxes golf coverage is the best on TV. I saved a screenshot of that on my phone. And it was my background for the longest time, because I was proud of the fact that we did pebble beach the right way. And our production crew did shots and, and had ideas with drones that had never been done before. And people I think saw pebble beach in a different way than they typically see it every year. And CVS, it was terrific. Season two of tracks to success is

3 (43m 56s):
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2 (44m 32s):
Time is now to find your authentic voice and learn your authentic story, presentation partners, creating persuasive story presentations based on something other than just your good looks. Alright, talked about us open you've called 20 MLB all star games, 21 world series that tops anybody at the networks. I didn't even mention a Superbowl's. Do you ever just go for a walk in st. Louis, maybe it's with your kids or whatever, and in your head go, damn. I mean, I've been able to do this. I know I've had, you know, this great upbringing, but, but still, I mean, wow.

2 (45m 16s):
Well, I know my dad would freak out if he were still alive. He's been gone for 18 years now. And I think, you know, we were building a house at a time when he died. And I was at the hospital every day. He was in the hospital for seven months. And in the intensive care unit, I remember a night that I was there and it was just the two of us. And he had a trake. So I mean, the ultimate of ironies and just the saddest part of, of his stay at the hospital was he D he didn't have a voice. This guy who made his living in his had this beautiful gravelly, awesome voice couldn't speak. And so he was mouthing it to me.

2 (45m 57s):
And he said, you know, I, I hope me laying in here in the hospital, as long as I have teaches you that when you're here, it's too late. So build your house, live your life, have fun, be happy, enjoy what you do. And I've really taken that forward. Now, am I a worrywart? Yes. Do I, do I stress about things that I have no control over? Absolutely. Do I worry about my kids every time they walk out of the door? Yes. It, it's not realistic to, to be any other way. At least I don't know any other way, but I think the body of work and the way I've tried to go about it as a person, that's what I'm most proud of.

2 (46m 41s):
I don't think anybody that has worked with me over these years would say I was a jerk, or I wasn't a team player, or I didn't give it my best or whatever it might be. And that's what they always said about my dad, you know, forget 20 world series and Superbowls and all that stuff. It's just, what kind of a person are you and what kind of a dad are you and what kind of a husband are you? And that that's the important stuff. So do I walk around and recount my resume when I'm walking with the kids? Absolutely not. I try to be all in with my kids and my wife when I'm with them. And if my wife were sitting here, she'd throw up right now because she'd go all you are, you're on your phone too much.

2 (47m 23s):
Well, I'm guilty, but I, I just kinda take what I have in front of me, do the best with it.

6 (47m 31s):
And then when it's over, I will have done 10 times more than I ever thought I would. And, and that, that's true now, excuse me. And that's true in five years or 20 years. So I'm content, and I'm smart enough to know that I don't want to do anything else. I don't yearn to call anything else. I'm happy doing what I'm doing. And it's more than enough to this

3 (47m 55s):
Stay. One of the best calls ever, one of his best calls ever. And also now one of your best calls ever. And we'll see you tomorrow night, your dad's call a Kirby pocket's home run, and then you used it. I mean, that, I'm sorry, but of all the tributes, that one is what stands out to me. That's, that's what I think of when I think of the box. One of the reviews of your book, Joe says, quote, with light humor and darker emotion buck, candidly calls the game of his own life. Now, people that know you, and I've had a couple buddies call me when they knew I was going to be talking to you. They're like, you know, the thing about buck is he's really funny.

3 (48m 37s):
He could be a standup comic. I mean, do you think you're pretty funny? Do people really tell you that? Cause in the book you talk, go ahead and kind of an asshole

6 (48m 46s):
All would go. I'm really funny. I mean, just, just you need to be around me. You would be just laughing nonstop. No, I, I mean, I think I've

3 (48m 55s):
Got a quick wit I think however I have

6 (48m 58s):
Have reshaped my brain. I've reshaped my brain to be able to do two things, react in the moment. And, and at least in my head, if I'm not saying it out loud, come up with a funny line to attach to it. Most of the time it's in my head and be remembered names and numbers. And beyond that, I don't retain much. So I'm not that smart. I'm not that well read, but I'm able to do what I do. And, and like, you know, lizard that gets his tail cut off and grows another one. I've reshaped my brain to be able to handle what I need to handle. And then I just sit there like a lump when I'm not on the air,

3 (49m 41s):
When you're talking about this darker side or not, you necessarily, but what they say you talk about in the book. I mean the darker side, are we, are we talking about you almost losing your career and losing your voice over a seriously, Joe, like, like

6 (49m 57s):
Hair transplants? Oh yeah. Yeah. And I, and I don't know. That was so funny to me. You know, when you promote stuff, they're going to take the most sensational line out of the book and that was done. I don't know who did it. I don't, it was sports illustrated. Somebody did it. And it was a line saying, I, Joe Buck became addicted to hair plugs. Now that in the paragraph it was in and in the chapter, it was in, it was all really tongue in cheek. It was not, that was not like, Oh, you know, I'm making light of addiction. Now. It's not saying that I'm actually addicted to something that is more painful than anything I've ever been through.

6 (50m 40s):
Other than this in my life, that'd be psycho. And it was more of a joke. So then I had to answer well, or how do you become addicted to hair plugs? I'm like, I'm not, I'm just trying to fill the top of my huge head with hair so that when I put a headset on and I stand on TV, my fragile ego won't allow me to look totally bald because I, I don't know. I, I think I pin it more on because I'm on TV. I needed hair. I just think it don't matter. What I did like bald is in follicly challenged is in look at Matt with my head, ah, that with my head, McDonough's got a little pea head.

6 (51m 23s):
I have a huge, massive Herman monster had. And if I did, I just did, I did America favor by putting hair on it, to, to conceal some of my massive head. The fact that you're open about it is a, is a real cool thing. People need to give you some props for that. Okay. Well, I mean, who cares really? It doesn't matter. I have my, you know, I don't understand that part of it. Like it's, it's funny. It's probably cause you're next to Aikman and he looks so good. Right, right. I mean, his eyebrows basically are attached to the front of his hairline. That's how that's his hairline.

6 (52m 3s):
So I, that that's annoying in and of itself. But I think the, when you say, you know, for listeners of the podcast, I went through, I did eight of them. Troy Aikman's number, ironically enough, now that I'm thinking about it and the last one I did you go under. So the first five I did, you do it. They did it while I was awake. And it's just excruciating as they cut live hair follicles, literally cut it out of the back of your head and then cut them into the front of your head. That's what hair transplant surgery is. It sucks. So when, so, but the sixth time, the doctor's like, you know, you, you can go under for this operation, but it's another, whatever.

6 (52m 48s):
2,500 bucks, I was like, are you kidding me? Sign me up. So then I went under and when I went under the last time they put the trake tube or whatever, the tube down my throat, and it was overinflated that was going to hold it in place. And it damaged the nerve that fired my left vocal cord. So I came out of the surgery, talking like this, and I did a whole season of baseball and football kind of talking like this, but it progressively got better. But I was told early on you have a paralyzed, vocal cord. It could come back in two weeks, two months, two years or never. And when I went to see a specialist, who's the best in the world that guy's fixed.

6 (53m 29s):
Steven Tyler and Adele, and right on down the line, this guy, Steven Zeitels, he said, you know, pretty much my experience is after three months, what you have is what you have. And after if that was the case, and I was done, I was not going to be able to broadcast for the rest of my life. And fortunately it came back. I was an outlier on that list, but yeah, I was shaken to my core. I was going through a divorce. I was depressed. I was worried about my daughters. And I thought my career was over. So it was a, it was a dark year, 2011. And, and everything is brightened since, and I'm glad I went through it when I did. And I'm, I'm thankful that I came out the other side with the majority of my voice back

3 (54m 12s):
Zilliant you've been through a lot. And a lot of people seem to take shots at Joe Buck. For whatever reason. I'll tell you in a few minutes, I'll give you the compliment that stands out in my head. But, but I don't know if there's anything that you've taken to heart and you've actually gotten, you know what, there, right? I need to do this or that. And what advice would you give others maybe in the business or in any walk of life that are getting cheap shots thrown their way? Why?

6 (54m 41s):
I just don't think that if you're young and starting in this business and you're doing something, that's got a little bit of a viewership or listenership that you should be on Twitter, finding out if you're any good. I think you need to have time to settle in, grow, get better, find two or three people in your life. If it's your mom, it's your best friend. If it's an old professor that has an opinion that you really trust and will be honest with you and listen to those people, listen to your tapes or your whatever files back and hear how you sound and just be able to stand on your own two feet before you stick your wet, thumb up in the air and check which way the wind's blown.

6 (55m 28s):
Cause it'll beat you down. Everybody listening thinks they're smarter than you, everybody, you know, listening. Sometimes it feels like, just thinks you're a moron and it's just not that easy. So I think the one thing I would say is don't try to sound like anybody else. And so when people said, you sound too flat, you sound too dead ass. I think I listened back to when Troy Chris Collins worth. And I took over for Pat and John Pat Summerall and John Madden. I was trying to do a Pat Summerall impersonation, which is ironic because when I started, I really didn't. I made it a point to not be a Jack Buck impersonator, even with the, we'll see you tomorrow night, I didn't try to sound vocally.

6 (56m 12s):
Like my dad. That was basically impossible anyway. But for Pat who was the master of kind of the, the less is more and the, you know, economy of words I tried to do that, you know, he used to do Montana rice touchdown and then Madden would just go off. And so I was kind of doing the straight guy and not really having a ton of enthusiasm or even though I was so thrilled to be there. I didn't let it show. And, and that's, that's a criticism that I think was fair and forced me to be better. And more myself also coming out of the 2011 year from hell.

6 (56m 54s):
When I got my voice back, I was like, I'm going to really just let it fly. And I have vocal strength back. I'm going to use it. And if people think I'm rooting against their teams, so be it, they think that no matter what, so I'm just going to have, I'm going to do it my way. And until somebody taps me on the shoulder and says, get outta here, I'll keep doing it that way. And that's the best thing I can say about a criticism that I took to heart and really forced change among the reputations people have or the things they say about big name, sports casters, you know, everybody's kinda got their brand, if you will, or what people think about them. Jim Nance, I would say classy and a friend of sports to Ricoh, smooth, versatile, a really good storyteller.

6 (57m 40s):
How would you describe you?

7 (57m 44s):
Mm,

6 (57m 46s):
I think I am. I'm kind of a rhythmic guy. I try to, I try to ride the feel of the crowd. I try to lay off if we've got really great audio from the field and you hear Aaron Rogers or Dak Prescott, screaming out the signals for the line of scrimmage. I, I try to, I try to fit myself in and around it. And also I think I'm a good partner. I think I really make an effort to say what I have to say, what needs to be said and get out of the way either to allow for more crowd noise or allow the person I'm working with to have as much room as they possibly can to say and do whatever they want.

6 (58m 33s):
And I'm there to be a teammate I'm there to make them better and, and use them to make me better. So, you know, I hear other people and, and I admire every, you know, Jim and Al and Mike and they're friends of mine, but I, I hear them doing it a different way. I, I just, I, I don't feel compelled to talk that much and it's worked for me, so I'm gonna stick with it. So here's what I actually wrote down, but I know this, I don't even need to read it. Okay. My compliment of you is amazing kind of based on what you just said, aside from an identifiable voice. No question about it.

6 (59m 13s):
You turn on a game, you know, that's Joe Buck an amazingly amazingly good sense for the moment when to talk, when not to talk, when to lay out and a lot of people can't do that. Who taught you that, man? I don't know. I think it's just, it's what feels right. And maybe it comes from being my dad's son and getting into this and almost feeling apologetic at the beginning. Like I, I'm not going to take this thing over nobody's tuning in. And that is one thing my dad said to me, you know, if you get hit by a bus going into the game, they're still going to play the game and people are still going to watch and they're not listening.

6 (59m 56s):
They're not listening or watching to hear you. They want to watch or listen to the game. So realize that and broadcast that way. And to me, that means bring them as close to the experience on their couch or in their car to what is actually happening in the stadium. And that means a lot of crowd noise. That means a lot of natural sound. I put that stuff in my headset up as loud as I can, and still be able to think, because I want to hear it. I want to hear when we've got that audio, some, some play by play guys subdue, all that stuff. And, and I think they ended up talking right over all that. So I think you have to, that's just the way I've gone about it. I, I don't know that it's right or wrong, but I think it's, it's the way I would want to listen to a game.

6 (1h 0m 40s):
If I were sitting at home, I don't need somebody beating me over the head. And if I'm, if I'm a professor in broadcasting, I would say being a play by play guy or being on TV is a study or an exercise in what you don't say as much as what you do. And, you know, I hear other people at other networks, you know, not, not at the level that of the guys that we're talking about. Just, just sound like they're, they're sprinting and they're giving you everything they've ever read about these two teams. And they can't wait to get these bullet points out and they have it written down. So damn it. They're going to say it doesn't matter if it fits or not. And I just, I think it takes confidence to not talk.

6 (1h 1m 23s):
I think it takes confidence because in your head, somebody something's telling you, well, if I don't talk, people at home are gonna think, I don't know what to say right now. And you have to know that you're doing it. You gotta be better than that. You have to know that, that, that doesn't matter. Turn that voice off and just enjoy the experience and let people at home do the same.

0 (1h 1m 45s):
In addition to hosting this podcast, Craig leads the Cannes advisory group focused on elevating communication for companies and individuals, company consulting, and powering team and individual workshops, mind altering webinars. And Craig's inspiring keynotes for your conference or company meeting. They're all on the menu of services. Can advisory helps companies clarify their message helps professionals build and showcase their brand and helps everyone present their best selves. So if you're the of a team or company looking to give your employees a game changing one day experience, or an individual who wants to become a speaker and presenter that gets other people talking visit can advisory.com.

0 (1h 2m 35s):
And when you do connect, make sure to mention the tracks to success podcast, to receive a special discount on any of the can advisory services. That's can advisory.com. Now back to the interview,

6 (1h 2m 52s):
Talking with a great joke buck from Fox sports, a couple of more things before we go, Joe, let's talk about talking. Now I spent a number of years in broadcasting. I've now spent a lot of time, public speaking, being in front of corporate groups, teaching presentation skills, branding, and, and how to sell, not just products, but how to sell yourself because people buy you first. Then they buy the product, which I think you also tie into Warren buffet actually says that the one skill above anything else that anybody could have for the greatest amount of success is communication skills and public speaking. You've obviously got that.

6 (1h 3m 32s):
I'm sure you speak to a lot of groups. What's your message. And how important is it in what you do for a living to connect to an audience? What's my message. I think it's more, I think the message has to be tailored to who you're talking to. Your message is different to a father, son banquet than it is to a group of insurance salesman in Philadelphia. I think if you are open and honest, people can identify that right away. And I think if you're relaxed, I think that translates into people actually accepting what it is that you say a lot more than if you just look hurried or sweaty or, and I think when you're hurried and sweaty, you're not really being yourself.

6 (1h 4m 22s):
Nobody walks, I'm not hurried and sweaty. When I'm talking to my wife, I'm not hurried and sweaty when I'm talking to my kids, I'm not, I try to talk to a group of people, no matter the size of it. Like I'm talking to my best friends in or out of golf carts as we're about to tee off. And I think people like that, I think the message can change, but you can't. And I think you need to be as real as you can be. And so if I'm talking to a group, I talk about a lot of the stuff that you and I have talked about on this podcast. I talk about my insecurities. I talk about where I've messed up.

6 (1h 5m 2s):
I talk about the work I put in. I talk about the satisfaction I take from doing a good job, but I think everybody can relate to that. And I think the more you're prepared, the more relaxed you are. And if you walk into an appearance or you walk into an NFC championship game and you're not ready yet, it's gonna show eventually in the broadcaster and the presentation. And I think my messages outwork everybody around you, it's simple. But I look at all those people. You talked about Jim and Mike and Al and right on down the line. And, and, and I want to not just out work them in the prep, but I want to be so prepared that I can then be myself because there's only one me.

6 (1h 5m 50s):
And there's only one person who thinks like, I think when a broadcast or a game starts just like they all, you know, that's true of anybody. So I'm going to be my most real self and that's going to have to be good enough. And the day it's not is the day that I'll be gone. This podcast is called tracks to success. And we've learned a lot about your track. And I try to give people a glimpse into people. Who've achieved success, no matter what they do, all walks. And you kinda just gave something right there. If somebody wants to be a game changer, is it all about just outworking the other people?

6 (1h 6m 30s):
What else is it? How can people be a game changer, no matter what they do? Well, I honestly believe that that stuff comes along organically. I don't think, and I could be wrong and you've done way more work on this than, than I have. But off the top of my head, I think to be a game changer, you can't go in and go today. I'm going to be a game changer. I think that has to build over time. I don't think you just drop out of the sky. And then all of a sudden, you know, you're, you're a game changer. There've been a few people like that throughout history. I'm not one of them, but I think it comes with the preparation.

6 (1h 7m 12s):
It comes with being relaxed. It comes with, I think, I think volumes sometimes is, is a big part of it. If you come out on stage and you stand behind a microphone or, and, and you're soft, a man or woman, and you, you sound like you can be run over. Nobody's going to listen to you. It's about being confident. It's about being prepared, but it's about being you again. If you're not a game changer, that's fine. Not everybody is, but if you have the potential to be, I think it's only unlocked when you are yourself and you're your most vulnerable. And when you're vulnerable, people identify with that. They, they, they lock in, they compare it to how they feel about themselves.

6 (1h 7m 55s):
And then they they're able to absorb your message better. And then you become a game changer that that's, that's how I look at it. I don't think there's any magic formula. I don't think there's a, you know, a drink that you can drink. Maybe aside from a vodka before you go on stage, that that really makes you a genius. You just have to work your ass off and be yourself and see if people like it. See you. And I could do the same thing. I tell people all the time where they get nervous to go on stage. I go, look, if you're at the cocktail, parties, spend a little time, shake some hands, get to know people, relax.

6 (1h 8m 36s):
Have I say a gin and soda? You could say vodka soda. I said, have one relaxed. I said, just don't have six because it becomes a real problem. Then you're in trouble, right? Oh yeah. Then you're dead. I mean, my dad told a story and I I've never said it before, but it just makes me laugh. And it makes me think of him because he, he said he was hosting a radio show after game one night at Musial and biggies, which was Stan Musial's restaurant in st. Louis. And they get there. He has a couple of drinks. Then he has another, then they're delayed. Then they have one more. And they're about to come on the air.

6 (1h 9m 18s):
And it's in a restaurant setting like a bar type setting. And he said, I saw, I went into the bathroom and all of a sudden I'm drunk and I'm splashing water on my face. And I look in the mirror and I'm trying to welcome people into the broadcast. And I'm like, good evening, good evening, everybody. And welcome to. And he tried it three times and he left. He just, he walked out of the restaurant bar, went wherever the hell he went. And the theme music started. And they said now from Musial and biggies, here's our host Jack Buck and <inaudible> and nobody was there. And then they started the music again, nobody was there and he's like me not being, there was a hell of a lot better than me being there being drunk.

6 (1h 10m 4s):
So yeah. Don't get drunk. No, if you're going to take the edge off, I, I'm not aware professional and I know it can lead to bad things, but I would be less than honest if I said every once in a while, I didn't have something to calm the nerves a little bit. Good. I'm glad. I'm glad that I'm glad to hear that. That's that's a good thing, by the way. That was a little bit of a Harry Carey impersonation. That's what, how long have you, Oh, that kind of breathy. Like, yeah, but those guys never, the perception was, is of Mike Shannon in st. Louis. And I'm sure it definitely was of Harry in the booth.

6 (1h 10m 46s):
Those guys were not drunk. Yeah. You know, I it's, it just was, you know, when they'd go, how about a nice frosty Budweiser to it? Just the way he said it and it made you're at a ball game and ah, Harry Harry's up there drinking again. They didn't drink. I mean, maybe on a hot day, he might've sipped one, but it's no, that just stopped with that. Absolutely. Should have done that during the Cubs world series victory, by the way. Okay. Last thing, Joe, maybe it's the best masters classic. I doubt it. But if your career ended, we're talking about what you would be known for. One thing that stands out to me, you've been at one network. Okay. And loyalty is not a big thing anymore. As we all know, no matter what line of work we're in loyalty is, is sometimes a very one way street.

6 (1h 11m 32s):
But what's the thing you would be most proud of if your career ended right now, if you, if you stopped and said, I'm going to spend time with my kids and whatever else which we know by the way, childhood is a very short season. So we want to spend that time. If it ended. Now, if your career ended, what would a guy who's been the voice of so many great moments already. And so many big games want to be remembered for I'm the curse breaker I show up in Oh four red Sox win their first world series in 86 years up there in 2016, Cubs are in the world series for the first time, since 1945.

6 (1h 12m 14s):
And when it, for the first time, since 1908, 108 years later, I'm there in Oh five. And the white Sox won it for the first time in forever. If the Cleveland Indians win it and they win their first world series, since the forties, I will have hit them all. And so I think, you know, for every fan in Boston, he goes, Oh, he hates the red Sox. See you, blah, blah, blah. I, every time I show up, they win. No, he hates the Patriots. Okay. Well, every time I show up, I've done five super bowls or whatever, then I'm six. I don't even know. And, and they've been in it a few times and they've, I haven't called them losing except once I just kinda lied.

6 (1h 12m 57s):
But for the most part, I'm the curse breaker. And I think I've done it in a fun way that makes me want to come back for more and makes me miss it when we're in a pandemic and we're not working and makes me miss it as a fan, I'm still a huge fan of the sports that I cover. So I think I've, I've tried to go about it the right way. I've tried to be a good person and I've tried to be a good father and husband and I, I, and I've, I've, I'm proud of, of the last part, more than any of the other parts, Joe, congrats on the book. Congrats on the podcast. You've left a great Mark in sports.

6 (1h 13m 38s):
I appreciate it. I know your dad is proud. I'm so thankful to have had you on this podcast and kicking off season two. Thank you so much. All right, Craig. Now tell me, was that better than to Rico in season one or not? And it was pretty damn good. Okay, good, good. That's all I wanted In our conversation. Joe talked about how he's handled this spotlight of calling some of the biggest games in sports while also managing criticism that comes with being front and center on television,

1 (1h 14m 13s):
Which leads me to my one last thing. If you want to be an influencer, stay true to you. Be yourself, continue to devote your time and energy into what allows you to put forth the best you. I once heard that if people aren't critiquing you or talking about you, then you aren't doing something. People are paying attention to our job is to be the best we can be, regardless of what others think. Joe is one of the best we've ever called games. His way might not be for everybody, but is anybody's. I wanted him to kick off season two because I like to stay close to my own broadcasting roots and have my debut guests each season, be someone who has great talent and who I believe does it the right way.

1 (1h 15m 2s):
Like Mike Terico in season one, I'm honored to have had Joe lead the way this season. Joe is a brand. Our brand is what happens once we leave the room. It's how we've made other people feel and what we do to bring value to others. If we become focused on everybody else's opinion, we take away time and energy from getting better and doing more and making the right impact. So figure out what drives you. Not others become the best at it and focus efforts on getting better and better do that. And you'll have others seen you for the good you do.

1 (1h 15m 43s):
And your tracks to success will become a whole lot easier. Do me a favor, please take a moment to rate this podcast and give it a review. We have a great season ahead with amazing guests and they're inspiring stories and you have someone you think you'd like on your show, email me@infoandcanadvisory.com. I'd love to hear from them until next time I'm Craig can. Thanks for listening

0 (1h 16m 14s):
Dumb. It you've been listening to tracks to success, brought to you by presentation partners, visual storytellers, passionate about connecting presenters with their audience. Don't forget to subscribe to the show for more great interviews and thoughts on reaching your highest personal and professional summit. You can follow Craig on Twitter and Instagram using the handle at Craig can and for exclusive tracks to success, content and news about our upcoming guests, you can find tracks to success on Twitter. It's at tracks to success.