Is Ron Wolfley a whacko?

[TigToad]

His broadcasting partner asked him to explain that one and Wolfley couldn't. He tried, but it was laughably incoherent. His partner finally said "never mind".

Is there such a thing as a list of " Wolfisms :. The Dolphins, for years, had Jim Mandich as their radio color guy and he created some of the most bizarre "isms" in football broadcasting history.

One of Jim Mandich's classics;

Yes. They play the wolfleyisms from the prior game each radio broadcast. I love Wolfley on the radio.

 

[AZ Native]

I'm guessing you talked football. I asked him to please change the blue cheese dressing back to the original recipe. (Haven't been back since then to see if he pays attention to fan requests.)

I have never owned or ran a restaurant, but I don't see how they could possibly change recipes based on one person asking them to. The menu would be a disaster waiting to happen.

He was a most generous host. Yes we talked some football but he also had a great conversation with my wife about her growing up in the bay area. He comes across as a great guy with a heart of gold. I understand someone not liking his broadcasting style, but not the hate.

 

[Dayman]

A lot of Cardinal fans have a soft spot for Wolfley. My friends who have heard Wolfley and aren't Cardinal fans, however, think he's an idiot.

 

[redheat]

"He got lit up like a searchlight over south Phoenix"

 

[RedRob]

Love the guy

Lived in AZ for 7 years. Having grown up in So Ill following the Cards and despising all things Chicago I found (still find) his Kool-Aid, outlandish style, and passion for the Cards refreshing.

As an earlier poster pointed out, it's a stark comparison to the other *******s who sprinkle in some mention of the Bears or God forbid the Cubs. Just last week Bickley refers to the "best NFL team of all time (Bears)" in an article. Made me want to throw up.

So you go Wolf!

The Valley needs an alpha dog, unafraid to bristle his back and reveal his alliance to the home team.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Wolf is pure passion - period. You either appreciate his form of fandom for a team he loves, or you don't.
Does he try too hard at times to leverage his playing days into a conversation? Yea... Is his schtick(s) on the radio overdone and played out? Yea... Personally, I don't need to hear him request more people to join his "Wu Fang club or his 360"... I really don't need to know about Fooshaw anymore.
However, I love the guy and all that he stands for. His is a story of the everyday man. A story of rising above the ashes and overcoming our own personal demons. And I love his unwavering support for the Cards.
Unlike Bickley, Burns and Doug... Who freely take every possible cheap shot at all Phoenix based franchises...

 

[Totally_Red]

Wolfley is colorful, but not especially informative. Maybe I'm used to telecasts where the color analyst sheds light on what happened and explains coverages and such. In that area, Wolfley is not helpful.

 

[WildBB]

A lot of Cardinal fans have a soft spot for Wolfley. My friends who have heard Wolfley and aren't Cardinal fans, however, think he's an idiot.

Sorry, but a lot of fans are imbeciles, especially when they start tankerin up, if you know what I mean.

 

[WildBB]

Unlike Bickley, Burns and Doug... Who freely take every possible cheap shot at all Phoenix based franchises...

Well,it is pretty easy pickings here, especially lately. Besides the Coyotes who went to the Western conference finals two seasons ago, to call the local teams horrid would be a vast understatement.

The NFL and the Cards continue to be the main draw in town despite pretty limited results, save for two seasons in 25 years now in VOS. Even they can't kill that passion.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

I have never owned or ran a restaurant, but I don't see how they could possibly change recipes based on one person asking them to. The menu would be a disaster waiting to happen.

He asked what we thought about the food. That's when I put in my request. I believe a really good blue cheese is essential to any restaurant.

 

[crisper57]

As a color analyst...on the radio...without a telestrator at his disposal, he is okay.

As a radio host, he sucks.
As a TV guy, he sucks.
As a pitchman in ads, he sucks.
As a restaurateur...meh.

 

[crisper57]

Have to give Wolf credit today. Did the game in Denver last night. Got on a plane. Landed in PHX at 2 am. Did his morning show at 6 am today.

So yes, he is a whacko.

 

[Mitch]

Have to give Wolf credit today. Did the game in Denver last night. Got on a plane. Landed in PHX at 2 am. Did his morning show at 6 am today.

So yes, he is a whacko.

I thought it was vintage Wolf last night! Did you (anyone) hear his schtick about The Turk? Classic! Laugh out loud classic Wolf.

That and another variety of comments like: "you want a guy, that's right, you want a guy who is going to punch the other guys' nose all the way over into his right ear."

How about his Edgar Allan Poe comment? Anyone remember that? Who was that he was talining about ..."digging a deep, dark hole" for dropping a pass or maybe it was on DC's second holding penalty.

The comment about players fighting for roster spots having to pull out the wood-chippers! Classic!

I think Wolf is the closest thing to Madden---because he embraces the physicality of the game and relates that in such a way as you understand the punishing aspect of the game as it is unfolding...from a player's perspective....from someone who knows what it's like on the field, in the huddles and in the locker-room, before, during and after games.

 

[AzStevenCal]

When it comes to announcing I'm very much a "less is more" kind of guy. If it were up to me they'd get rid of all the color guys, all the sideline reporters and anyone else that detracts from actually watching the game itself. One announcer and that's it. Having said that, Wolf both annoys and entertains me. I like him better than many of the color commentators I'm forced to listen to.

Steve

 

[crisper57]

When it comes to announcing I'm very much a "less is more" kind of guy. If it were up to me they'd get rid of all the color guys, all the sideline reporters and anyone else that detracts from actually watching the game itself. One announcer and that's it. Having said that, Wolf both annoys and entertains me. I like him better than many of the color commentators I'm forced to listen to.

Steve

And watching the preseason Cardinal games, I get less homerism from him than just about any other color guy that's done a game in the last 4 weeks. He just loves the game, period.

 

[OmahaCardsFan]

Speaking of WolfISMs...

I'm one of those guys that get my thoughts twisted with how I speak.... Maybe Wolfe is cut from a similar piece of cloth? After a while, people begin to understand his language.

For instance, here are some of my DougISMs:
- Let's not go down that road block
- Take off your Rose Colored Blinders
- It's a walk in the cake
- Under the curtains
- This is fruitile
- Fruitation
- Roll up your hands and get to work
- Bone Skinny
- Just when ya thought it was safe to come out of the water
- We should execute a smoke screen (implying smoke test)
- Listening intentively
- Tickling Http sessions
- Don't wanna miss the bus stop
- The sails are taking on water
- Sitting in our Eiffel towers
- Shooting in the wind

 

[JeffGollin]

As a color analyst...on the radio...without a telestrator at his disposal, he is okay.

As a radio host, he sucks.
As a TV guy, he sucks.
As a pitchman in ads, he sucks.
As a restaurateur...meh.

On the telestrator, he was pretty informative. (The Denver crew didn't use it and it was hard to pinpoint key guys on specific plays).

(Note - NFL.com streamed the Cardinal anncrs. DirecTV-NFLN used the Denver broadcast crew).

 

[Phrazbit]

I'm one of those guys that get my thoughts twisted with how I speak.... Maybe Wolfe is cut from a similar piece of cloth? After a while, people begin to understand his language.

For instance, here are some of my DougISMs:
- Let's not go down that road block
- Take off your Rose Colored Blinders
- It's a walk in the cake
- Under the curtains
- This is fruitile
- Fruitation
- Roll up your hands and get to work
- Bone Skinny
- Just when ya thought it was safe to come out of the water
- We should execute a smoke screen (implying smoke test)
- Listening intentively
- Tickling Http sessions
- Don't wanna miss the bus stop
- The sails are taking on water
- Sitting in our Eiffel towers
- Shooting in the wind

Great post Omaha, talk about putting the buckles to the knuckles!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I really like Pasch and hate Wolf. Homerism isn't enough to spare his horrible color commentary.

 

[CardLogic]

I like Wolfley most of the time. But he does have the benefit of working with one of the best play-by-play guys in the business, Dave Pasch.

Pasch did not do the Cards - Broncos game though; he probably had a college game to work. Pasch is pretty busy, usually doing a major college game on Saturday and then the Cardinals on Sunday pretty much every week during the season.

 

[40yearfan]

Of course Wolf is a whacko. He's had more concussions and taken more hits to the head than a "ring the bell" at Coney Island.

He was one heck of a football player however. Players like he and Larry Centers were sometimes the only good thing about a Cardinal game and the only reason to watch. They never played at less than 100%.