One of the most routine claims you'll always hear from sports fans is how a certain announcer is biased against their favorite team. This is usually laughable and speaks to the tribal paranoia that is so often what we most cherish about sports. Living in Columbus, I can attest to the fact that 98% of Ohio State football fans believe the national media is against their team in the rare cases it's actually real (Mark May) or imagined (everyone else).
During last night's TBS broadcast of the Braves-Dodgers NLDS game, Atlanta fans were as angry as Brian McCann when someone cut in line at Golden Corral. They thought the coverage was biased towards the big market, big personality Los Angeles Dodgers. WE'VE GOT TO BE ANGRY WITH SOMEBODY: THE STORY OF THE 2013 ATLANTA &#*%ING BRAVES.
@MLB_TBS how about hiding your LA bias a little bit better for the next game. We get it, you love Puig and want to have his babies.
— Stewart Smithwick (@StewSmithwick) October 7, 2013
F you, @MLB_TBS and your biased effing announcers. TBS used to be the home of the @Braves. What happened?
— Zack Harlan (@zharlan48) October 7, 2013
At the same time, Dodger fans were screaming from the rooftops that TBS's coverage was biased in the Braves' favor. After all, this is the network that aired Atlanta Braves games to the nation for decades. Ted Turner's name is on the station and the Braves' stadium. He used to own the team! Certainly they'd be in the tank for the home side since their studios are in Atlanta… right?
Ok now I'm pissed! ESPN and TBS haven't even given the Dodgers any positive comments. We are one win away… East coast bias sick of it
— laura (@lsor8) October 7, 2013
Pretty damn annoying these Eastern-bias TBS announcers can't pronounce Ryu's name #Dodgers #NLDS
— #SportSpeak (@SportSpeakLA) October 7, 2013
Maybe all this means TBS's baseball coverage is getting something right.