Joe Buck likes to use NFL rules analysts for their purpose, telling fans whether the official got a call right or wrong. Apparently, that’s not how Fox wanted it.
Buck and his longtime broadcast partner Troy Aikman joined the latest episode of Jimmy Traina’s Sports Illustrated Media Podcast. During the conversation, Buck discussed the importance of having and giving an opinion in the booth. Buck added that he welcomes debate in the booth, even if that comes from the rules analyst.
Currently, the rules analyst paired with Buck and Aikman at ESPN is former NFL referee John Parry, but for years, they worked with Mike Pereira at Fox. And somewhat offhandedly, Buck revealed Fox did not always like the way he used Pereira.
“I remember our former boss not liking the way that I would bring Mike Pereira in,” Buck told Traina. “And I just was trying to get it in because there was a limited amount of time, I would say, ‘Mike, do you like that call?’ That’s pretty much why you’re there. Did they do that right or are we not seeing this right? And the answer is yes or no. Do you like that call, you used to be their boss, was that a good call? I don’t know any other way to do it any quicker.”
After Buck’s mild disclosure, Traina asked the former Fox employee why the network didn’t like the way he brought Pereira onto a broadcast.
“I don’t know,” Buck claimed. “I guess because it’s making him take a stand on a call that’s made by an official that’s employed by the NFL. And now he’s got to say, ‘That was a good call, that was a bad call, the NFL will like that, the NFL won’t like that.’ I don’t know. I have no idea.”
And apparently, Fox didn’t think the NFL would like the way Buck led Pereira into taking a stance on a call, subsequently giving an opinion on the performance of an official.
From a viewer’s perspective, however, Buck does it right. If we’re going to be subjected to a rules analyst in every booth, they need to take a quick stance. The audience is less concerned about a detailed breakdown of the call and much more interested in whether the it was right or wrong, the NFL and referees’ feelings be damned.
[Sports Illustrated Media Podcast]
