September 28, 2015

NESN Defends Its Refusal To Show In-Park Tribute To Orsillo

It wasn't an accident. NESN refused to show any of the Fenway Park tribute to play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo during Sunday's game against the Orioles. ESPN's Gordon Edes reports:
Multiple NESN sources told ESPN.com that they were instructed not to show the tribute or the fans chanting Orsillo's name after a prolonged ovation.
On Monday, the network defended its decision:
Yesterday's Don Orsillo tribute by the Red Sox was designed to be an in-ballpark celebration for the fans in attendance.

NESN already had separate plans underway to recognize Don during our last telecast of the season this Sunday (Oct 4).

We look forward to celebrating Don's career at NESN throughout that game.
There are reports that the anger towards NESN by huge numbers of fans over how the network bungled (and is still bungling) the entire Orsillo affair took management completely by surprise. Which is absolutely stunning, if true. How clueless and tone deaf must these people be?

And now, after refusing to show Sunday's tribute, NESN is likely scrambling to cover its tracks, claiming a tribute is in the works for Game 162. However, it has not been explained why, even if NESN is preparing its own tribute to Orsillo after his 15 years of service, it had to deliberately not show fans at home what was happening at Fenway Park.

ESPN's Gordon Edes raised the same point last night in a series of tweets:
It's fine NESN plans to honor Orsillo on Sunday--it would be appalling if they didn't--but doesn't begin to explain no-show of Fens ovation

NESN prides itself on having an eye for everything at ballpark--pizza slices flying in stands--but doesn't show Sox standing O for Donny O?

I don't doubt NESN plans to do something this Sunday. But why offer lame defense of ignoring what happened at Fenway Sunday?

Here's what NESN showed: Come out of break, cameras show Sox clapping, DO on board patting heart. DO: Wow, that was something." (more)

Remy: "That was very nice. A little video tribute to Don between innings and a great reception from the crowd....Chanting your name, Don."

No further mention, and nothing of video tribute was shown.
In you missed it, Edes had a wonderful story about Orsillo's final day at Fenway.

Also: If, as Edes wrote, NESN "prides itself on having an eye for everything at [the] ballpark", then why does it regularly miss pitches to the batter, plays at all the bases, players throwing the ball in the field, various baserunning action, pitchers' throws to first, the flight of the baseball either in the air or on the ground, etc.?

NESN should thank the heavens every day that it has a monopoly on broadcasting Red Sox games. Because just about any competitor could come in and do a better job. Simply showing the entire game would be an improvement.

6 comments:

allan said...

If there is a wrong way to do it, NESN is sure to find it.

Maxwell Horse said...

You already pointed out the things I was going to: How full of crap NESN sounds when they pretend like they were going to pay tribute to Orsillo all along. That really doesn't jibe with their behavior so far, quashing any acknowledgment of the fanbase's support of him.

I've gotten the impression that from Orsillo's end, there *are* hard feelings towards Sox/NESN management. (Notice how in the Edes quotes he goes out of his way to specify that the *fans* are great.) And that is why when NESN does their little tribute (that they were probably forced into) during the final game, I bet it will actually piss Don off. Because now the people that unceremoniously cut ties with him will then get to act like they love him. And then he's put in an awkward position where he has to pretend to be touched and grateful to these fools.

allan said...

John Tomase, WEEI: "Don Orsillo Keeps Taking High Road, And NESN Keeps Insulting Him"

commenter said...
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hrstrat57 said...

" I bet it will actually piss Don off. Because now the people that unceremoniously cut ties with him will then get to act like they love him. And then he's put in an awkward position where he has to pretend to be touched and grateful to these fools."

It appears he has the Padres booth locked up?

D.O. might make some noise and not go quietly. Looks like mandatory viewing. I am confident he will make his point while remaining classy.

Clem said...

I was hoping he and Remy would figure out a fun, subtle way to screw with NESN on the way out.