A goodbye from Kevin Burkhardt

[Gwreck]

Nice way to go out. I think tonight is his last game at Citi Field.

It's gratifying to see him move on to big things elsewhere, particularly as there were just no openings for upward movement with the Mets. I always used to say that one day we'd see him leave because of his obvious talent. Sad to see that day come.

[Centerfield]

That is great. Good guy. Happy for him that he is moving on to better things, but I will miss him during the broadcasts.

I had no idea how hard his job was until I started seeing Steve Gelbs fill in for him. (And be awkward and strange.)

I have run into him a few times while at CitiField. He is an extremely friendly guy and his off-camera personality is as engaging as it is when the tape is rolling. One time he was trying to line up a shot and figure out where to have the cameraman. I asked him what he was doing, he explained it, then actually listened to my feedback. (Or at least pretended to in a convincing enough way to make it seem like he did.)

Lots of luck Kevin.

Hope the new guy doesn't suck.

[Edgy MD]

I imagine 80% of sideline reporters aren't guys at all.

[Ceetar]

I look forward to one day telling the younger generation how good Burkhardt was back in the day and he wasn't always this old crotchety guy like people tell me about McCarver and others.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Saw him on a couple of the football games last year.
He's very good and a rising star.

Best of luck, Kevin.

[Theoldmole]

Nice goodbye, but aren't twitter posts supposed to be short?

[Edgy MD]

That's why you cheat, and tweet and image of a longer thought.

[Frayed Knot]

Unfortunately I think the era of sideline/in the stands reporters are here to stay and we're going to get a Burkhardt replacement whether he/she is any good or not. Football uses them because they hire so many people to cover a game that they had to go inventing jobs for the ones they were already paying anyway. And now baseball feels they must copy the lead so everyone must have one even though Burkhardt's the first one I ever thought added anything to a game aside from distraction.
Be nice if SNY decided to buck the trend and go without but I think we have better odds of finding a rapper who uses his given name when he performs.


I'd like to see KB take over for Joe Buck on MLB's GotW (assuming FOX holds on to the package) but if he rises that high it'll mean they're going to want him on NFL games even more and we know which one will rule.

[Guest themetfairy]

I think that KB's greatest asset is the ability to break away from his sideline reporting to tell us when something is happening on the field. Most sideline guys can't seem to manage that.

We've been lucky to have him as long as we have - he'll be missed!

[Ceetar]

themetfairy wrote: I think that KB's greatest asset is the ability to break away from his sideline reporting to tell us when something is happening on the field. Most sideline guys can't seem to manage that.

And it's the attention to the action I think that keeps what he's doing from being too detracting from the actual game.

[Zvon]

Yea, Kevin is smooth. And you're right about how he can cover everything when he's on the mic. That new guy, the first time he was on and a play went down that demanded attention he froze up like a deer in the headlights. Silence. After the play had almost concluded he panicked & tried to defer to the booth to take up the play by play. By then the play was over. But he's learning, he doesn't panic anymore.

Kevin was so good I feel for this new guy. Tough act to follow.

I just made the second (I think, could be the 1st) tweet of my life to tell Burkhardt how much he will be missed.

Have a great career Kevin!

[ashie62]

I felt like Kevin was a friend.

[TransMonk]

I think Kevin's got the goods to be doing primetime football games for the NFL someday. Good luck, KB!

[Theoldmole]

Kendrick Lamar comes pretty close.

[G-Fafif]

TransMonk wrote: I think Kevin's got the goods to be doing primetime football games for the NFL someday. Good luck, KB!

He's already proven himself adept at the highest of callings: Being part of the broadcasting team that brings us New York Mets baseball. Everything else (except for the money and attention) is downhill from here.

Could never watch Lindsey Nelson do football without seeing him as on hiatus from the Mets. Will probably view Burkhardt the same way.

[Zvon]

G-Fafif wrote: I think Kevin's got the goods to be doing primetime football games for the NFL someday. Good luck, KB! He's already proven himself adept at the highest of callings: Being part of the broadcasting team that brings us New York Mets baseball. Everything else (except for the money and attention) is downhill from here. Could never watch Lindsey Nelson do football without seeing him as on hiatus from the Mets. Will probably view Burkhardt the same way.

12 yr old me actually held it against Nelson that he would work in other sports. Like he was a traitor or something.