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Saturday, November 17, 2012

Watch The Super Awkward Presenter Of Baseball’s Individual Awards - Jack O’Connell

Ooof! I haven’t seen an O’Connell look this uncomfortable…since Charlie O’Connell was draped over the railing with a PowerDyne Revenge-generated gash to his head!

But this year’s awards also made a bit of history in that they were televised for the first time. And just in case you didn’t make it to the MLB Network to watch the big reveals, here are all eight for you. This wouldn’t be of any significance, except for the fact that BBWAA secretary/treasurer Jack O’Connell, the man who presented the awards, is the most painstakingly awkward human on the face of the planet. You have more charisma than him, and most likely, you have very little charisma.

O’Connell looked so desperately like he needed a teleprompter or a script, but sadly, did not have one. Shifty eyes, and weird starts and stops marked his performance. He is also uncharacteristically sullen for such a joyous event, so I don’t really know what gives. And with no audience to picture in their underpants except for Billy Ripken, he was doomed from the start. Without further ado, Mr. O’Connell:

Repoz Posted: November 17, 2012 at 08:35 AM | 11 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: awards, media

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1. Bob Tufts Posted: November 17, 2012 at 01:40 PM (#4304926)

Is Jack BBWAA leader for life like Mugabe, Franco or Qaddafi?

2. Tripon Posted: November 17, 2012 at 01:53 PM (#4304929)

Its a paid position, I think. He won't leave until he's fired or retired.

3. Howie Menckel Posted: November 17, 2012 at 02:06 PM (#4304935)

This sucks.

Jack is a former colleague and a wonderful guy - just ask his fellow BBWAA guys. A funny guy, too, in the press box. And actually, he has more charisma than you.

He spent the bulk on his baseball-writing career at the Hartford Courant, and wound up at mlb.com before I think semi-retiring.

His role at BBWAA is to inform winners, which in the old days meant calling up guys and saying, "Yes, you are a Hall of Famer."

They switched things up this year to make it "a show," but MLB, the network, and BBWAA should have recognized that there was one challenge here - Jack doesn't like dance like a puppet when the red light goes on.

Clearly a mistake by all involved in the TV production, but crappy to have Jack the object of the ridicule. Bad casting, among other things.

4. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: November 17, 2012 at 02:36 PM (#4304952)

Too bad MLB Network couldn't zazz up the excitement, like the must-see television every October when Captain Charisma Bud Selig congratulates a team owner and says they've got a great organization.

5. Jesse Barfield's Right Arm Posted: November 17, 2012 at 03:27 PM (#4304969)

This is basically what everyone should like in a studio on TV. It's the people that look natural in such a bizarre setting that are the real weirdos.

6. Tripon Posted: November 17, 2012 at 03:46 PM (#4304990)

I'm not sure why MLB decided to have Jack present the awards since they have a great stable of broadcasters like Brian Kenney that would be great for this type of stuff.

7. OsunaSakata Posted: November 17, 2012 at 04:12 PM (#4305011)

It's not like the Oscars are presented by the guys from PwC.

8. Ray (RDP)

Posted: November 17, 2012 at 05:08 PM (#4305061)

Is Bill Conlin still a member in good standing?

9. GGC don't think it can get longer than a novella Posted: November 17, 2012 at 07:04 PM (#4305167)

I'm a Connecticut native and I don't remember much of his writing at the Courant. Did he cover Boston or New York? The nnames I mainly remember are the sports op-ed guys like Jeff Jacobs, Owen Canfield, Bob Sudyk, and Bill Lee. They had headshots. Lee was the columnist back when I was in grade school. His column was titled "With Malice Towards None." I had no idea it was a Lincoln reference.

10. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: November 17, 2012 at 07:09 PM (#4305170)

I feel like in earlier generations people would not be made fun of for not having the skillset of Matt Vasgersian.

Nowadays being a smooth-talking grinning glad-hander is something you go to college to learn as a career, instead of something you learn by joining Toastmasters at age 35. So I guess it looks strange when any normal person is asked to do a job like this instead of hiring a professional glad-hander.

11. Howie Menckel Posted: November 17, 2012 at 11:02 PM (#4305304)

Jack covered the Mets for the Bergen Record through the 1980s, then covered the Yankees for the Courant in the 1990s. Became the overall baseball columnist for them at some point, then off the mlb.com.

mainly an in-the-trenches beat guy by trade

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

Watch The Super Awkward Presenter Of Baseball’s Individual Awards - Jack O’Connell

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