Wild Thought: A Different Kay
By now, I’m sure that most of you know the Michael Kay story: Local guy, went to Fordham, got a job with SportsPhone. Later, he went to work for the Post and then the Daily News. From there, he was able to get a gig doing Yankees games on the radio – as well as doing some post-game stuff on TV for the team. This led to him becoming a TV play-by-play man for the Yankees – as well as him getting his own show, CenterStage, on YES. In addition, Kay eventually got his own radio show on ESPN Radio in NYC (which is also picked up, nationally, on X-M Radio).
I think that’s the Kay story. Maybe I missed or got something mixed up? In any event, that’s basically it.
It’s quite a success story. It’s one that many of us have probably dreamed about happening to ourselves. Personally, next to getting to play for the Yankees, such a career path would most likely be number two on my vocation path wish list.
However, this all said, many Yankees fans do not enjoy Kay’s work.
So, this leads to today’s wild thought: If you could go back in time, and insert someone else – say, a different member of the media or some celebrity/personality, etc. – into the Michael Kay career path, where they would then become the voice/face of the Yankees television network as well as having a major radio show, who would you pick and why?
Basically, what I’m asking here is: If you could replace Michael Kay with anyone and let them have his current gigs, who would you choose and why? Would it be someone like Joel Sherman? Tom Verducci? Jon Heyman? Sweeny Murti? Keith Olbermann? Matt Lauer? Ed Randall? I’m just throwing these names out there as some examples – and not implying that I would take one of them.
I’m not sure on who I would pick, to be candid. That’s why I’m interested in your opinion…
I’m actually in the minority of the ones who enjoy Michael Kay. I’ve done a good deal of broadcast work so I really appreciate the guys who are being heard all day, and that’s exactly what Michael does. Four hour ESPN radio show, Yankees pre-game, three hour Yankee game, post game then do it all again the next day and five days a week…then weekend games.
I know a lot of people dislike his views and he repeats himself a lot, but I think he does a good job. It’s good to know, as unbiased as he needs to appear at times, that he is a true, lifelong Yankee fan behind the microphone for Yankee games…and i’m cool with that.
Ironically, I like Kay’s radio show a lot BUT feel that Mike at the FAN better knows his audience better. The Miked Up show is paced better than Kay’s show in terms of who comes on and Mike Francesa has a better handle on the pulse of the audience. That being said, Kay and Donnie Pucks do a damn fine sports show. Kay’s show ultimately has more juice to me and yes, Beadle and Joey’s repartee’ with the hosts is not that enjoyable but sometimes MIke F bores me! As for the broadcast part, he’s not as bad as he’s made out to be. He’s not Gary Cohen BUT Gary Cohen is not as great as people make him out to be either. I preferred Kay’s pairing with Sterling on the radio, that was a good duo. He’s OK on TV and works his butt off so I’m not the most anti-Kay guy in the world.
I don’t know. I think it’s impossible to say really. I don’t see how this guy gets consistently negative reviews from fans and manages not only to keep his job, but to get so many promotions.
I don’t know. I think it’s impossible to say really. I don’t see how this guy gets consistently negative reviews from fans and manages not only to keep his job, but to get so many promotions.
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Very much the same way everybody on the Yankees gets negative reviews and seem to keep their jobs. From top the bottom, Steinbrenner, Cashman, A-Rod to Jeter…everybody hates on them because that’s the thing to do in NY. You don’t praise people when they win two MVPs in five years, and you don’t praise them when they reload the team with youthful, exciting talent.
What I don’t like about Kay on Yankee broadcasts is that he (like many other announcers) seems more interested in showing off himself rather than primarily enhancing the viewer’s experience of the game.
I remember years (and years) ago during either the US Open (tennis) or Wilmbledon the US network broadcast used the UK audio feed for one set. I think that there was one, or perhaps two words spoken the entire time.
We’ll never get that here on any broadcast, but especially from a play by play guy, I want less, not more. I really don’t care if Kay predicts the strategy before we see it.
Either give me straight, quality play by play (Mike Emerick comes to mind) or complete shtick (Rizzuto).