John Smoltz's Playoff Commentary Draws Groans During Braves vs. Dodgers
Baseball commentator John Smoltz spent 20 years of his playing career with the Atlanta Braves and [...]
John Smoltz is my favorite player ever. I want to tell him to shut up.
— Jeaux Exotic (@jwgynwa) October 19, 2020
John Smoltz is no longer a brave. Pass it on.
— DirtynateATL (@Nathan_Brooks) October 19, 2020
Smoltz spent a very long time in Atlanta while making a name as an All-Star, but many fans have expressed a desire to forget these years. They proclaimed that the player-turned-commentator no longer supports the team. They repeated this message on social media throughout Game 7 of the series while lobbing critical comments toward Smoltz.
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Thank you John Smoltz for explaining the purpose of a changeup I had no idea
— Brendan (@PrimeBrendan) October 19, 2020
John Smoltz is trying to tell me the guy that led the NL in hits last year only tries to hit homeruns?
— CJ (@Syracuse_Bills) October 19, 2020
While several fans criticized Smoltz's comments about the Dodgers, others took issue with his analysis. Many said that the commentator was explaining "obvious" aspects of the game. Others said that Smoltz was incorrect in his statements about specific players or plays.
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I approve the picture, undecided about the tweet... https://t.co/uBG2PbiYA0
— THANK YOU BRAVES (@_TomahawkChop) October 19, 2020
John Smoltz Dodgers manager 2022.
— Matthew Rossi (@RossDog3) October 19, 2020
Did Smoltz play for the Braves? Many casual viewers and fans alike asked this question during the NLCS. Several Twitter users expressed the opinion that the longtime player-turned-commentator was actually a not-so-secret fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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Me listening to John smoltz criticize home run celebrations pic.twitter.com/EK3A75tqGR
— Lex (@araelong3202) October 19, 2020
John Smoltz lecturing about celebrations
— Paul Vieira (@paulvieira) October 19, 2020
There have been many discussions over the years about celebrations in baseball and other unspoken rules. Many old-school fans don't appreciate when a player hits a home run and then dances around the plates. Smoltz spoke about home run celebrations during his time in the booth, and many fans did not appreciate his comments. They said that he was "lecturing them."
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John Smoltz is dead to me https://t.co/MxlaNRqPsF
— Dana Stender (@Danaelisee) October 19, 2020
With the way he’s announcing, you’d think John Smoltz played for the Dodgers his whole career
— Gage (@twiterlessGage) October 19, 2020
Comments about Smoltz's alleged fandom continued throughout the NLCS and after the end of the games as Twitter users argued about his commentary. Several expressed the opinion that he clearly favored the Dodgers while others said that he was walking the line between the two teams. One person simply suggested that the Braves take disciplinary measures based on Smoltz's commentary.
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I could punch John Smoltz in the face and wouldn’t even feel bad about it
— Bamabobble (@bamabobble) October 17, 2020
John Smoltz Greg McElroy
🤝
Making their former teams hate them
— Cody Kirk (@codykirk22) October 16, 2020
Smoltz sparked criticism with his alleged "anti-Braves" commentary during the playoff series, but he is not the only former player to upset a fanbase. Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy is a college football analyst for ABC/ESPN and talks about some of the biggest matchups each week. According to many Alabama fans, he also has a "bias" against his former team.
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Has John Smoltz ever heard of Twitter? pic.twitter.com/8JmhXVa61i
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 16, 2020
Woke up from a dream in which John Smoltz invented Twitter. Too crazy for real life
— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) October 16, 2020
Smoltz sparked critical comments with his analysis of the NLCS, but he also entertained fans with an odd moment. He went off on a rant about people "second-guessing" everything and how someone smart needs to develop an app for this very purpose. He said that he wants a platform where people can post their armchair comments, along with a timestamp, for future reference.
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