This isn’t great.
Rick Manning is the analyst on Bally Sports who helps call Cleveland Guardians games, and when he saw Chicago Cubs pitcher Drew Smyly throw a breaking ball that didn’t break to Jhonkensy Noel for a dinger, he said something inappropriate.
“Oh, Smyly,” Manning said. “He wants to kill himself. He hung him a breaking ball and boy, Noel took advantage of it.”
Obviously, you can’t say that. Not great phrasing at all. As of publishing this, we haven’t heard anything from Manning, but we’d think he’d want that call back.
Here it is, along with some reaction:
"BIG CHRISTMAS AND A ONE HORSE OPEN SLEIGH, ROUNDING THE BASES AFTER AN ABSOLUTE MISSILE OF A HOME RUN."
"Oh, Smyly. He wants to kill himself. He hung him a breaking ball and boy, Noel took advantage of it."
Matt Underwood and Rick Manning on the spirited call. pic.twitter.com/2EJVMVzREX
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 14, 2024
Rick Manning has no chill.
Never heard a broadcaster say this before. pic.twitter.com/IVEfJ44Exi
— BTH (@BeyondTheHalo) August 14, 2024
I’m crying dude this is an all time call by the announcer pic.twitter.com/T8lhPD0vic
— IcyVert (@IcyVert) August 14, 2024
I’m sorry what did he just say to Drew Smyly? “He wants to kill himself”???????
Can’t do that. Not a good look pic.twitter.com/jgZ8xLJIVM
— Jacob Zanolla (@jacobzanolla) August 14, 2024
