As reported tonight, Rex Hudler is one of the finalists in Fox Sports KC's/whoever makes this decision to join Ryan Lefebvre in the booth next season.
My initial reaction to this news was that Hudler-Lefebvre would be a very strange pairing. Hudler's well... hard to describe. I may be inaccurate in this, but when I think about his style the following words come to mind: fast, loud, aggressive, crazy, former jock, etc. Back when I used to listen to Hudler when he was a frequent guest on the Jim Rome show I was convinced I was listening to someone who was not all there, but was somehow weirdly cogent. It was entertaining. Of course, gasp, that was actually quite a long time ago, and I'm not sure what the value of a mellow Hudler would be.
Nevertheless, the more I think about it, this could be a good partner for Ryan. I previously thought that Ryan's best partner was with Denny on the radio, which was kind of a low-key fest, with the two trying to our-wry each other. With Hudler, Ryan could mostly be the straight man, setup Hudler to talk about old-school type things, and pick his spots. It could be really good.
Or, it could be AWFUL. That's a real possibility. Ryan could be drowned out, could end up sounding small and more bitter than wry. It's the line between being an odd couple and just being two dudes who are really different and don't fit together.
That risk aside, I hope they try it. Swing for the fences, FSKC.
0 recs | 57 comments
Makes a perfect match when you think about it
RoyalsRetro - February 2, 2012
!
“I’m a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are!”
OnixConcepcion - February 2, 2012
davekemp - February 3, 2012
Rex Hudler = Randy "Macho Man" Savage
johnny4 - February 2, 2012
OHHHH YEAHHHH!
Step into a SLIM JIM!
OnixConcepcion - February 2, 2012
You sure he's not Ultimate Warrior?
NotAHippie - February 2, 2012
I was reading that Hudler did work on the Show for the PS3... I've never played it, how bad was he on it?
Oh and there is this
averagegatsby - February 2, 2012
i dont even smoke and i have no problem with it....
from the clips ive heard, it seems like it may actually be a PED for his broadcasting…a little mellowing may not be a bad idea
billybeingbilly - February 2, 2012
Oh I don't care...
I just find it interesting that it happened at the KC airport.
averagegatsby - February 2, 2012
Back to the glory land of KC.
mazoboom - February 3, 2012
WIKIPEDIA
Rex Hudler quotes:
“Wax your car today, Mr. Moreno?”
“You could put more than a slice of cheese under that one!”
“Ham and eggs, roll em’ over.”
“Pilot to Bombardier!”
“Be a fountain, not a drain”
“Be a tool, and useless!”
“a walk, a steal and a lousy single”
“I wish I could have had a lousy single”
“He got to go!”
“How did I EVER get a job on television??”
“Cheese on my knees, broke the dish in two. Blew the pitch on by, wouldn’t wanna be you!”
“He’s getting Figgy with it”
"[Zito pitched well] though he has a chance not to win this game."
“Kingfish Salmon went upstream!”
“I am such a tool!”
“Get ’em on, get ’em over, get ’em in!”
“He just keeps fouling them off, waiting for that cookie!”
“Another big fly for Big Daddy Vladdy!”
“You gotta hack or they’ll send you back!”
“Vlad’s motto is: From his nose to his toes, that’s how Vladdy Goes, East and West, Vlad’s the best!”
“The Angels run and gun and slash and dash.”
“That there was a worm burner” (In reference to a particularly nasty ground ball)
“Boy, did he drop a huge deuce in the stands!” (About a two-run homer)
“That’s a Screaming Meemie!” (In reference to a fast line drive.)
“That bat snapped in two, but it died an Angel hero.”
“Be patient, young Jedi!”
“I used to ride the pine for nine.”
“That hit was a chop knock”
“Man, that ball was Tattered and Battered!”
“He definitely could’ve gotten a slice of cheese under that hop!” (on Lyle Overbay attempting to snag a ball over his head.)
“Right through the wickets!” (on a groundball between the legs)
“You better pick up your pencils ’cuz these Angels are going to be laying down the lead today!”
“These new kids are young, they’ve got energy – just give them a PBJ sandwich and they’re good to go!”
“Light up that Halo!”
“All’s we need is a knock, a walk, a bloop, and a blast.” (when the Angels are more than three runs down in the score)
“I love the smell of grass in the Spring!”
OnixConcepcion - February 2, 2012
RoyalsRetro - February 2, 2012
"How did I ever get a job in televison?"
What?
NotAHippie - February 2, 2012
I can't wait for
"Boy, did he drop a huge deuce in the stands!" (About a two-run homer)
averagegatsby - February 2, 2012
or when Melky jumps the fence
buddyball - February 3, 2012
I actually like some of those.
I mute the game anyway unless it is late and close, so I don’t really care.
BeauJackson - February 2, 2012
Vlad's Motto...lol
"Vlad’s motto is: From his nose to his toes, that’s how Vladdy Goes, East and West, Vlad’s the best!"
This is a really crap motto, but it is very indicative of his batting style.
Yodazilla - February 3, 2012
Sounds A Lot
Like Eric Byrnes, and that’s not good.
philofthenorth - February 3, 2012
Why not....it would be a big change from the staid and laid back Frank/Splitty approach
Nighthawk at the Diner - February 2, 2012
staid and laid back is fine....
if there’s some real quality analysis going on (splitt) but when there’s not (frank) and all i hear is giggling and jumbled words…not so much
billybeingbilly - February 2, 2012
I'm not shitting y'all when I say this,
but I believe Rex Hudler to be absolutely the worst color man in baseball. Worse than Hawk. Seriously.
Old Man Duggan - February 2, 2012
Worse than Hawk?
That can’t be true.
NotAHippie - February 3, 2012
He was godawful on Angels games.
He once insisted that Darin Erstad and Adam Kennedy were the best defensive right side of the infield to play the game. Seriously.
Old Man Duggan - February 3, 2012
uhh...judging by uzr...they were pretty fucking good...
for their careers combined, +20 uzr/150….how many better duos were there?
what do you think of the borgias?
billybeingbilly - February 3, 2012
He was talking in the history of the game.
Seriously, no broadcaster should ever be making asinine, hyperbolic, unprovable claims like that. I’m OK with putting someone in the conversation of the “best _ ever” if absolutely warranted, but to speak in such absolutes as that is irresponsible and, frankly, dumb.
The Borgias is awful. Only watchable for the nudity. It’s like Showtime making their best run at doing Rome. No bueno (and no Emmanuelle Chriqui nudity if that’s what you were hoping for). I would put it on while I was dicking around on the internet to not miss any naughty bits.
Old Man Duggan - February 3, 2012
hmm...halfway through the first episode...
havent seen rome…worth watching instead of borgias?
billybeingbilly - February 3, 2012
Rome bored me.
Never bothered past the first or second episode. It at least has a reputation for being slightly all right.
I’d find something else. Anything else, really.
Old Man Duggan - February 3, 2012
I'm a cable series junkie and I really liked Rome.
Ended up picking up a book on that period of Roman history after watching the first season, and found the show was surprisingly accurate (other than who was boning whom). I think it’s the best two-season series that’s been produced…shot outside of Rome, with actual Romans as extras, Polly Walker nude, Ray Stevenson and Kevin McKidd as Centurion best friends…Jame Purefoy, as Antony, Cirian Hinds as Caesar, Max Pirkis as young Augustus are all excellent performances/portrayals…lavish production and sets…pretty good stuff
Haven’t seen the Borgia’s, yet, but if it’s anything like the Tudor’s then it’s a probabably a cheesier version of its HBO predessors.
setupunchtag - February 3, 2012
Yeah
the Borgias was up agaisnt Game of Thrones last year, um, it didn’t win. But Homeland kicked the crap out of Boardwalk Empire.
labbadabba - February 3, 2012
Agreed on Borgias
I kept on thinking it coulddn’t possible be as bad as it seemed. But I watched the entire season, and yep, bad.
Rome was solid until they had to rush through the end.
big matt - February 3, 2012
I guess the story is that is was just too expensive to keep producing.
you’re right: it would have been better if they had more time to wrap it up, but I thought uniting Pullo with his son the way they did was a pretty cool way to end.
I may pass on the Borgia’s until I hear someone say something really good about it. How were you on the Tudors?
setupunchtag - February 3, 2012
Definitely liked the Tudors
Burned through it on Netflix in like 2 weeks.
big matt - February 4, 2012
Hawk isn't a color man.
hawkinscm87 - February 3, 2012
Thought you meant Hawk Harrleson
hawkinscm87 - February 3, 2012
he did
labbadabba - February 3, 2012
Yeah,
Never really thought about the relationship between Hawk and his more professional “color” men. Weird.
Old Man Duggan - February 4, 2012
I wish we'd hire Jim Ross.
Games with the Mariners would be “slobberknockers” … When Hosmer steps to the plate, “business is about to pick up” … When the Royals are losing 12-1 to the Tigers but there is no mercy rule, we’d get “My gawd, somebody ring the damn bell.”
KyleM - February 2, 2012
BAHGAWD
NotAHippie - February 3, 2012
perfect
averagegatsby - February 3, 2012
Gotta defend Rex here
He is infectious for fans of the team he is calling the game for. He was paired with the terrible and cloying play-by-play man Steve Physioc who goaded Rex’s worst personality traits (jock ego and enthusiasm overdrive). Paired with a sincere alpha play-by-play man Rex actually offers decent insight into the player’s mind and some of the physical realities players deal with in employing different strategies. He is annoying when you are not rooting for the team he is broadcasting for and he is given a long leash. In an era of corporate safe sameness he is a breath of fresh air with personality and passion.
Rev Halofan - February 3, 2012
I played some MLB The Show
Rex Hudler was pretty goofy. It got annoying since it was a video game and repeated itself too much, I hope he’s less of a machine.
mazoboom - February 3, 2012
I cannot stand Hudler
I really hope it is not him
AlexGordonHRmagnet - February 3, 2012
The people commenting on the KC star page are really hung up about the whole pot thing.
I saw several comments like: “OF COURSE THEY GO OUT AND GET A POTHEAD.” Yeah, he got caught with pot one time.
Jack Marsh - February 3, 2012
One of them said something like:
“THEY SHOULD JUST MOVE THE TEAM ALREADY IF WE’RE GETTING A DRUG USER TO REPLACE FRANK.”
Jack Marsh - February 3, 2012
Taking KC Star comments seriously
Is a bit like earnestly arguing whether God exists or not in the comments of some youtube video. So just let idiots be idiots.
Yodazilla - February 3, 2012
whatever, potheadSagehenMacGyver47 - February 3, 2012
lame
If you don’t like pot, you won’t like the future. How short sighted to complain about him immediately because of that — past or present use. It’s far safer than alcohol or smoking tobacco.
RoyalsFanInMarinerTown - February 4, 2012 via iPhone app
For better or for worse
I see Royals fans being very unwelcoming to someone outside the Royals “circle of trust.” It will take awhile for Rex or Frazier to warm up to them.
RoyalsRetro - February 3, 2012
I hear that he was recommended
by Jeremy Jeffress.
cmkeller - February 3, 2012
If he's a major homer type, that will get on my nerves.
I’ve enjoyed seeing Frank and Ryan call it objectively. I have to put up with enough homerism watching NBA broadcasts, where it’s spread like a disease. Call the game and don’t make it about you.
KeepItCopacetic - February 3, 2012
I'm with you on that.
Part of the reason why I despise Bob Davis. That and he’s a terrible broadcaster.
hawkinscm87 - February 3, 2012
I live in Anaheim and had to hear Hudler a lot.
He’s bad, but at least he’s hilariously bad
Bicycle Rider - February 3, 2012
Rex As A
Player was like Bloomers on acid, with a little more pop and less patience. He’s famous for stealing 2B and proceeding to drop his pants to clean the dirt out.
philofthenorth - February 3, 2012
I say we go for guts and grits
Lee Judge and Ryan - old-time baseballbuddyball - February 3, 2012
I watched every Angels and Dodgers televised game for a year
back in High School (lived in L.A. then… just moved back coincidentally… sorry stream of consciousness)
Anyway, I strongly disapprove. Rex Hudler was irritating as all hell. He might be entertaining in small doses, but he REALLY grates on you after a few dozen games.
dubPeacock - February 4, 2012
most of the viewing audience doesnt watch dozens of games though
i wouldnt think…and us idiots are going to watch regardless, so, it probably makes sense from the royals perspective
billybeingbilly - February 4, 2012
Hudler will not giggle at Ryan's jokes
Nor will he tow the company line. Plus, he’s likely to show up to games stoned. The 84th time this season that Ryan mentions he went to the “worldly renowned academic and athletic institution known as the University of Minnesota”, Hudler will throw him out the window.
I fully approve.
Kim DeJesus - February 5, 2012
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