Baseball on TBS isn't over forever -- after all, they have a solid slate of playoff games coming up this week -- but Braves regular-season broadcasts are gone forever, and plenty of people are unhappy with the decision. After all, TBS' national reach built up lots of Braves fans not from Georgia or the South, and those looking for their team will now have to resort to more expensive methods like MLB's Extra Innings. The dream also ended for Braves broadcaster Skip Caray, and he gave a fond farewell in Atlanta's last TBS game last night:
"The people all over the country who send you Christmas cards every year; the people who when dad passed, 5,000 of them sent notes or condolence cards; when I lost my brother the people all over the country who sent condolence cards as well - how do you thank those people and how do you say goodbye to those people? I don't know, but I'm trying to do it.Somewhere, Mike Wallace (aggressively pictured at right) is cackling with glee, twisting and poking his Ted Turner voodoo doll, looking every bit the tanned-leather evil demon he appears on Sunday nights. And somewhere in Kansas, or South Dakota, or wherever, Braves fans are being welcomed to the life most of us already know: as slaves to MLB.com.
"You all must know how we feel and how I feel about you. You brought me back five years ago when they tried to bury me on television. The executives didn't [bring me back]; you did.
"... To all you people who have watched the Braves for these 30 years ... thank you. We appreciate you more than you will ever know. ... When we first came on the air on TBS, which was then WTCG, the big TV shows were M*A*S*H, Dallas, Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days and Charlie's Angels. We outlasted them all. The only one that beat us was 60 Minutes."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-01-2007 @ 1:26PM
Erica said...
I think it's a shame that I wont be able to watch the Braves on TBS anymore. I am from Syracuse, NY and so TBS was the best I could get.
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10-01-2007 @ 12:41PM
Al Evangelisto said...
I'm not a Braves fan, mostly due to the Braves broadcasters especially (Skip Carey) the guy was hard to take.....
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10-01-2007 @ 1:01PM
charlie said...
as a loyal braves fan,from 1966 till today,i feel let down.I listened on radio and then watched them on TV.I listened to skip caray, earnie johnson, joe simpson,don sutton and even back to milo hamilton.The braves have been a summer tradition to me and now just to satisfy some money hungry tyrant owners i will be without a summer tradition unless i have to pay extra for it.to skip caray, i say thank you, i have gone bald and got gray with you and the braves and will always be a braves fan. GO BRAVES
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10-01-2007 @ 1:51PM
Lynne said...
Moving to Florida in 1980 my husband and I became big Braves fans by watching them play on TBS. We watched them go from worst to first. Even when we got two teams of our own in Florida, we remained faithful Braves fan. We now happen to live in Atlanta area and are fortunate to be able to still see all the Braves games either in person or on other channels. Thank you TBS for making us Braves fans - we have enjoyed every wonderful minute.
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10-01-2007 @ 1:18PM
Leo Swigonski said...
First off, my all-time favorite baseball radio announcers were Erine Harwell & Paul Carey of the Tigers. (I'm not a Tiger fan, by the way)
Skip Carey called a game as if he were in your parlor enjoying a beer or 3. Like Harwell & Carey, (no relation), Skip gave credit to the other ballclub when praise was due. Those are the best for me...call the game first then buddy up with the club you represent.
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10-01-2007 @ 3:02PM
DeeDee said...
I would like to put together a petition of Braves fans from all over the country. I'm serious about this...
If you're interested in becoming a part of this, contact me at deedeelapenna@yahoo.com. Let's change this!!! This IS strength in numbers!
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10-02-2007 @ 8:15PM
Gerald Johnson said...
I have watched the Braves for more than 25 years on TBS and find the news that TBS will no longer be carrying their games is devastating news. What is laughable though, is that TBS plans to carry a gome of the week...FOX doesn't get the ratings they desire, ESPN/ESPN2 get dismal ratings...what are the folks who own TBS thinking?
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10-07-2007 @ 10:12PM
Paula Caray said...
DeeDee has the right idea. It will take an enormous amount of people to bring our guys back. But it can be done. If you hit these big wigs where it hurts, in the pocketbook, you can make a change. I think everyone should boycott the games until they are brought back. Nobody show up for any games until they give in!!!!!!!!!!!! No season tickets bought, no T.V. watched just listen to the radio. That will certainly get their attention.
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