DO NOT CHALLENGE ME: Why Marty Brennaman is still a lot of fun

by boobs on May 17, 2011 3:15 PM EDT

So by now I'm assuming most folks have heard about Marty's takedown of Cardinals Joe Pettini, Gerald Laird and "that infantile" Dave Duncan for Sunday's Coco Cordero incident. If not, click that link or check out the audio here.

Now, to me this served as a reminder of something I wanted to do a long time ago: Post an awesome tape of Marty cursing out a Reds staffer ON AIR.

I'm sure this isn't the first time or the last this has happened, given that Marty Brennaman recently anointed himself the No. 2 best curser in the major leagues behind Tommy LaSorda. But I have the audio to prove it.

Dont Challenge Me

This is from a game in 2008, and the story as I remember it is that someone from the Reds' media department (Rob Butcher?) came up to the booth to question whether Marty should have revealed some super classified piece of information, likely related to an injury or Wayne Krivsky's preferred style of underwear. Marty was not all that thrilled about the exchange, and this short conversation is what you heard on the air (make sure your speakers are all the way up.).

Marty Brennaman: One ball, one strike the count, with two outs and the bases empty. (irritated silence). Down and away a ball.

Jeff Brantley: Strike.

Marty: (to Brantley) Take over. (to emerging beneficiary of Marty's ire) Do you think I'm fucking stupid? Dusty Baker called, said use it on the radio.

Cynical beneficiary of Marty's ire: Oh REALLY?

Marty: YES. Don't challenge me anymore. When I use something like that do not challenge me.

Muffled and garbled beneficiary of Marty's ire: No this is what you did (??)

Marty: You heard what I just told you. (back to full volume) Pitch is outside, the count evens at two balls and two strikes.

As far as I know this was some little spat three years ago and has all been forgiven and forgotten by now. I'm just glad Marty gives us these reasons to continue listening to the radio.

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i was listening to this live on radio on my way to lexington

i remember getting a hold of jch immediately after it happened (he worked at the station at the time) & he logged in and got us audio of the incident.

Operation: 'tHan's Awesome Plan is living up to its name.

by 'tHan on May 17, 2011 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

I got the audio from someone completely different and not the same at all as jch

Retractions are for journalists! -Gray

by boobs on May 17, 2011 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I remember this. I ripped the stream of it form gameday

I remember laughing my ass off, playing it again and again.

Please Come Back From Town and find me on twitter

by thevole on May 17, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

er, from gameday

That was when I was recording the radio broadcasts to listen to later.

Please Come Back From Town and find me on twitter

by thevole on May 17, 2011 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I listened to it live

and when i went to listen to it again they had scrubbed that.

I thought Marty was mad at Jeff for correcting his call. It was amazing how he was able to go from screaming lunatic to calm composed play by play announcer.

"If I am a high school teacher preparing to gang bang the senior class."-Johnu1

by Yossarian22 on May 17, 2011 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions

thats exactly what i thought happed ..

it was cowboy’s first season and i thought, wow, welcome to the booth

"And a high fly ball to center field. He hit it a ton. And the 2010 National League Central Division Champs are the Cincinnati Reds!"

by joshuar9476 on May 18, 2011 9:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Even though he wasn't correcting Brantley, that's still a hell of a welcome.

If I’m the Cowboy, I’m terrified.

Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks

by nycredsfan on May 18, 2011 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions

no wonder he only talks about ice cream.

but that was Cowboy’s second year, he and tHom joined the Reds in 2007. I remember listening to Brantley gushing about how great Mike Stanton was in the first week of 2007…

"If I am a high school teacher preparing to gang bang the senior class."-Johnu1

by Yossarian22 on May 18, 2011 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

I loved that!

I hadn’t heard the ’don’t challenge me’ before… classic!

"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handey

by JJ on May 17, 2011 3:38 PM EDT reply actions

does anyone have the clip where the Reds beat the Nationals

on a walkoff and send leatherpants sulking back to the hotel?

I LOVED that! I was in my garage, had just gotten home, and was unloading the car when that classic clip played

"To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no choreography, and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handey

by JJ on May 17, 2011 3:39 PM EDT reply actions

Msrty shold fucking retire and take Clownboy and tHom with him

MADS and ASH - Taking out the Trash - 2012

by Madville on May 17, 2011 3:58 PM EDT reply actions

That would be just fine

by kcgard2 on May 17, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think so... Marty is still great to me.

I’m indifferent about Cowboy but I hate THom with a burning passion. Seriously, fuck that guy.

"I slyde my boehner into sexsalad...."
Sounds like a johnu1 production. --jch24

by GrooveLeg on May 19, 2011 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Thom is an annoying little shit

Brantley would be ok if they didn’t insist on having him do play by play. His play by play is about as bad as it gets.

It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy

@btcoop71

by btcoop71 on May 19, 2011 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed, but his color analysis is good so he's about league average to me.

his xFLIP+ is probably around 100.

"I slyde my boehner into sexsalad...."
Sounds like a johnu1 production. --jch24

by GrooveLeg on May 19, 2011 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Unless there are Asians around.

"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."

by crolfer on May 19, 2011 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

clint eastwood'd

by ritalin on May 22, 2011 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I've been quite a vocal Marty critic

but in situations like this (and with Cub fans) he is invaluable and fun. He’s quite correct about St. Louis being hated by most other clubs because of their awful whining and entitlement. I guess he’s at least being consistent when he talks shit about his own team. I just don’t dig it when he’s down on the Reds.

Wear something sexy to my funeral.

by Pops Daniels on May 17, 2011 5:52 PM EDT reply actions

Absolutely.

At the very least, he provides good theater. I find him much more enjoyable now than during the dark years, when it seemed like he continuously took shots at the team.

by ken on May 17, 2011 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed, but I still can't listen to him when Volquez is pitching. It stresses me out too much.

Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks

by nycredsfan on May 18, 2011 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions

i really think kelch has helped out too ...

… it’s almost like he’s found the closest thing he’s had to joe since he passed … someone that makes him feel comfortable in the booth

"And a high fly ball to center field. He hit it a ton. And the 2010 National League Central Division Champs are the Cincinnati Reds!"

by joshuar9476 on May 18, 2011 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I think the winning helps too

If the Reds hadn’t turned things around in ’10 Marty would have snapped.

by Red Menace on May 18, 2011 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Marty was known to lash out at bad play by the BRM too

It obviously never lasted too long but he made some comments when the guys didn’t do as he thought. He was real hard on George Foster and a few pitcher. The others … hah … it was the question of who needed whom the most.

But his 2007 demeanor was as bad as I remembered it being.

I do a lot of stupid shit, but I'm not an idiot. - JCH24

by johnu1 on May 18, 2011 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

His constant negative chatter interspersed with golf stories and personal opinions have just worn thin on me.

He’s better when Kelch in the booth but Jeff Brantley needs to to go.

Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain

by Madville on May 19, 2011 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions

BTW

if that was Rob Butcher he was chastising in the “Do not challenge me” bit….good. Butcher is widely viewed as a prick with the many people in the media. Ironic enough given his title. I dealt with it first hand last year during the playoffs.

Wear something sexy to my funeral.

by Pops Daniels on May 17, 2011 6:03 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Butcher and PapaSmurfsMarty should just fucking get a room

MADS and ASH - Taking out the Trash - 2012

by Madville on May 18, 2011 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions

That makes sense.

I always wondered how a salty jerk like Jamie Ramsey could have his job, but it makes sense if his boss is also a prick.

Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks

by nycredsfan on May 18, 2011 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions

This particular clip is going to make it around the world 123,983 times

and become so imbedded in Reds culture …

Dave Duncan will probably have to talk to Carp’s son about this one.

I do a lot of stupid shit, but I'm not an idiot. - JCH24

by johnu1 on May 17, 2011 6:45 PM EDT reply actions

Wow, it's hard to believe that Brantley was once a worse announcer than he is now.

by FordhamRam on May 18, 2011 8:50 AM EDT reply actions

he still is much better on tv as just an analyst then play by play ...

… i really wish they’d just stick him on the tv and let welch do radio. i actually enjoy the SSS of play by play that he’s done

"And a high fly ball to center field. He hit it a ton. And the 2010 National League Central Division Champs are the Cincinnati Reds!"

by joshuar9476 on May 18, 2011 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions

oh, god no

i don’t listen to the radio much, but i watch most games on TV, don’t make me have listen to that.

"If I am a high school teacher preparing to gang bang the senior class."-Johnu1

by Yossarian22 on May 18, 2011 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions

hell no I hope that doesnt happen

Welsh is the only thing the Reds TV announcers have going for them

by pack_fan on May 18, 2011 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

i really like cowboy in the tv booth doing color ...

… he really does have some pretty good insight … he’s just god awful at pbp

"And a high fly ball to center field. He hit it a ton. And the 2010 National League Central Division Champs are the Cincinnati Reds!"

by joshuar9476 on May 18, 2011 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm with you there

I dont listen to the radio feed that often, but when I have and cowboy takes over the pbp it makes me want to strangle myself.

by pack_fan on May 18, 2011 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I have never heard anything remotely insightful from Cowboy

unless it was an insight about his personal culinary preferences

by kcgard2 on May 21, 2011 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain

by Madville on May 18, 2011 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm obviously in the minority here

but I think our collective announcing crew is pretty damn good. Ever since Marty got his swagger back midway through last season when he realized that the team was good again, he’s been eminently more listenable. Kelch is great, and Brantley is an OK punching bag for Marty.

I get all the Braves games down here, and Don Sutton and Co. are so damn pleasant all the time that all the excitement gets taken out of the game. A little sarcasm and vitriol isn’t a bad thing now and then.

We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come.

by chesirecat on May 18, 2011 11:48 AM EDT reply actions

They are Ok considering how ridiculous and self agrandizing sports commentators have become over the past 15 years.

But if you compare them to the greats…Waite Hoyt, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, etc – our guys are pretty mediocre. I remember when sMarty actually used the call the game much like Kelch does now…only better. tHom can’t shut up, Clownboy says the same shit over and over and nobody cares, Kelch is decent, Chris Welsh is pretty interesting and keeps his focus on the game…hell it has actually been somewhat refreshing to have GG back for a few games.

The removal of tHom and Clownboy would go a long way towards making the games significantly more interesting from a commentator’s and listener’s point of view.

Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain

by Madville on May 18, 2011 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Maddie, i'll be your wheel man, lets do it.

"If I am a high school teacher preparing to gang bang the senior class."-Johnu1

by Yossarian22 on May 19, 2011 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions

This is what I have in mind...

Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain

by Madville on May 19, 2011 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions

dude

I’ve been offering for years, he’s never taken me up on it

The ends justify the means

by Highlifeman21 on May 20, 2011 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Soon - sooner tha you think...providing the world doesn't end tomorrow

Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain

by Madville on May 20, 2011 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Madville, I've never agreed with you more.

by kcgard2 on May 21, 2011 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

i just heard this on the howard stern show

it’s a pretty good tirade from goose gossage that i was previously unaware of

Operation: 'tHan's Awesome Plan is living up to its name.

by 'tHan on May 18, 2011 2:12 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs

that was fucking beautiful

Nobody listens to Andrew

by nlt-andrew68 on May 18, 2011 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions

the way he says 'fuckin'' is awesome.

there’s an art to the perfect tirade. the emphasis, the inflection, the pause, the intonation, the pacing…all have to be perfect for a good tirade. that was a good tirade. he stumbled a bit though. i give it an 8/10.

"I slyde my boehner into sexsalad...."
Sounds like a johnu1 production. --jch24

by GrooveLeg on May 19, 2011 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions