I haven't really noticed anything up there either. Amalie would definitely bring a good angle to the job but I wouldn't think she'd want to leave the Globe.

I was in Philly last week for the Sox games, and I was waiting by the player entrance before the game. All the players got dropped off 20-30 feet or so from where I was standing and as I would call out players names when they got there, none of them would acknowledge me. But when Heidi got there she was nice enough to wave back at me. So she gets a pass in my book (I feel the same way that she knows nothing about baseball and most of her interviews seem awkward to me).

No, Amalie's going nowhere. I'm just talking about an Amalie-type person.

For example: Erin Andrews. She is fantastic at interviews, knows a boatload about a variety of sports... and also happens to be gorgeous. Best of all worlds.

I'd just like to say that Amalie is rather pretty herself -- saying "I'd rather have Amalie than a pretty face" is a false dichotomy. :)

awww, I want to give Heidi a chance. I've stumbled a few times out of the gate with new jobs myself, so I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt. And we all know RS Nation can be a difficult boss to please. let's not immediately discredit her because she's blond!

I think I'm one of the few people that actually liked Tina. She seemed genuinely open and friendly. Heidi sometimes seems like she doesn't want to be there.

I'm blonde. Her hair color has nothing to do with this. I didn't even think to mention it as relevant.

I think the difference between Tina and Heidi is that when Tina was sent to interview the players about something ludicrous (Paps' jig or whatever), she seemed in on the joke and had an unspoken acknowledgment with the players about how ridiculous her questions could be - but she still just had fun playing along. Heidi seems to be like a way too overeager puppy dog - and just seems to annoy the guys (e.g. her Milli Vanilli interview - Paps and MDC can barely even be bothered to look at her). I wonder if age isn't a factor - Heidi is the same age-ish (or younger) than most of the guys.

her interviews are somewhat awkward, but in what ways has she shown so far that she doesnt know anything about baseball? it's not like she has a chance to weigh in on anything - her segments are scripted. Amalie Benjamin is a sportswriter first, not an on-air personality, so naturally she will appear more knowledgable because she writes about it every day. I don't think Heidi should be compared to Amalie.

I do wonder though if Amalie is somewhat resentful of Heidi - I do sense some tension between the two of them in their segments together.

another thing to add - the "not so squeaky clean resume" - I've been fired before from a media job too, and people get fired all the time for all sorts of reasons in the media world, and not usually because they sucked. it could have been a political decision, which is usually why people really get fired.

For Heidi's sake, I was deliberately trying to be vague when I said "not-so-squeaky clean resume". I never said she got fired because she "sucked".

Like I said, Erin Andrews is given the same kind of puff scripted pieces - which she carries off with much more aplomb and credibility. Maybe Heidi will grow into her role, and become more polished and relatable like that.

somebody was def thinking with their dick when they hired heidi watney. if you look at her without drooling all over yourself, it's pretty clear pretty immediately that she doesn't bring any knowledge to the table.

then again, tina c started off rough, too. i'm prepared to give heidi the benefit of the doubt for a little while longer.

I am so happy that people are finally starting to realize how much Heidi the Ho sucks. Why do I call her a ho you ask? If anyone was down in Baltimore at the beginning of June and witnessed her and Varitek together (as I did) in the hotel bar you would know why...you would also know why he was openly complaining about his marriage. I would love to see someone like Amalie in her role...how come they always hire good looking women for the men to look at but women have to look at men like Jerry Remy and TC?

>> how come they always hire good looking women for the men to look at but women have to look at men like Jerry Remy and TC? >>

And Lowell, and Tek, and Ellsbury, and Coco...

Yeah, the women sure get the short end of the stick when it comes to athletic, attractive menbers of the opposite sex onscreen when watching baseball...

kdb

She has a sports background, she is gorgeous, she's doing fine I think ...

I cannot stand having somebody from SoCal covering the Sox. There are enough bandwagoners out there without going and hiring them for the team. Sickening.

Heiditheho - I think you're thinking of Erin Andrews - there was a rumor a year or so ago about THEM in a hotel bar. so I'm sure you "witnessed" it. nice try though.

I don't know why so many women are complaining about her. you just have to accept the fact that looks do play a role when you're going to be in front of a camera. that being said, I see no reason to bash her, and no reason to call her a "ho". I don't think she's done anything wrong. were you expecting her to discuss Bartolo Colon "painting the corners" with the Eck?

I don't know why my opinion should be invalidated, or less valid in any way, because I'm a female. And by my count, there are just as many dudes complaining about her as women.

Also, I'll say it again, like I said twice already in this post, ERIN ANDREWS. She is smart and witty and personable and hot. Men and women adore her. A woman can be both intelligent and pretty- they are not mutually exclusive.

And as a matter of fact, yes - I do want my sportscasters and on-air personalities to actually know what the fuck they're talking about. NESN employs exactly THREE folks assigned to cover the Red Sox - and it is not crazy to want all three of those folks (who are paid well) to actually be able to do their job.

I just still don't see any concrete examples of when she "didn't know what she was talking about". if you give me some, maybe then I can understand where you're coming from, rather than reiterating what sounds like high school gossip.

I never said she "didn't know what she was talking about". I was just responding to your comment asking "were you expecting her to discuss Bartolo Colon "painting the corners" with the Eck?" By your own phrasing, you imply you don't think she could do that.

Also, to each his own - but I wouldn't call David Pinto -- one of the most respected baseball writers around -- someone who'd spread "high school gossip".

Hey Lyndsay...I did witness it and I actually wrote to the Inside Track about it right when I got home from Baltimore, but they wouldn't publish it bc God forbid someone ruin Varitek's reputation. Beckett was there with them (as were Tito and Colon who left early) and Tek ended up turning his friggin back to Beckett while Heidi the Ho proceeded to not give a flying f*ck who was watching. Why don't you shut your mouth until you know what you're talking about, because you don't, just like your idol Heidi the Ho!!!

p.s. I agree with TexasGal all the way!!!

Lyndsay, one more thing...if looks play a role when you're in front of the cameras then someone was wearing beer goggles when they hired TC, Remy, Butch Stearns, Bob Lobel, etc.. They may be ugly but at least they know their shit! If we need looks and knowledge but have to appease the men who want to look at boobs then someone like Wendy Nix should find her way to NESN even though I'm sure she's paid a hell of a lot more now!

Heiditheho, looks only matter when you're hiring a woman. Not to mention the majority of viewers are dominated by men and I don't think the Red Sox could foresee this pink hat invasion when they hired Remy 20 years go.

//were you expecting her to discuss Bartolo Colon "painting the corners" with the Eck?//

well...yes.

here's the bottom line: kdb has a great point that we ladies can drool over the players themselves, so it's only fair the menfolk get a little eye candy.

but i'm sure there are women out there who look good on camera AND can discuss painting the corners. and let's not even get into the fact that the menfolk who are so eye candy deprived by the athletes could very well be watching women's sports, too, but they aren't.

I was in Baltimore too... Tek and Heidi were talking and so was Beckett... so what? I didn't see anything other than a few people talking in a crowded bar. You are just trying to read too much into the situation. Give it a rest.

So much space devoted to so many small minds. You folks need to grow up. Seriously. Just watch the Sox and enjoy the game and leave the gossip to those stupid reality celebrity shows designed for audiences with a collective IQ matching Remy's career HR total. It's embarrassing to think you folks are Sox fans.

If you're talking about the Varitek gossip... I agree.

But if you're talking about the NESN report from David Pinto... you could not be more wrong. Pinto belongs with guys like Posnanski, Law and Neyer -- he knows his shit when it comes to baseball, and is the farthest thing possible from a gossiphound.

I'm talking about all of it, Pinto included. It doesn't matter how much he knows about baseball. If he starts in with the 'ooh Remy doesn't like this person' or 'there's tension in the booth' or some such useless piece of information, then he should get a job with Entertainment Tonight and report on the latest Paris Hilton gossip.

All the NESN people do their job. Remy is the only one I really listen to to learn something I don't know about baseball - he's great. The rest do the job they're hired to do. I Like Orsillo, I liked Tina, I like Heidi. They do what they're hired to do and they don't affect me in my life so why would lower myself to say pointlessly bad stuff about them? It serves no purpose other than to smear someone - and to what end? If you all know so much that you can say for sure that this person or that person doesn't know sh*t about baseball then what's it to you? You already can enjoy the finer points of the game on your own! Or check in with Remy for some more detail.

Why does everyone have to be so meanspirited all the time? Can't you all just enjoy the game without dragging it down to a pro wrestling trash talk level?

I just wish she dressed more like a professional than someone from Forever 21. I wore a hell of a lot more clothing working at an investment firm. A great example would be her outfit from tonight out at Anaheim. Why should she wear that crap and the men all have to wear a suit & tie?! She didn't just decide that she wanted to broadcast in a big city. She came from San Fran, shes got her eye on someone out here. Bring back Hazel Mae, or someone a bit more professional...

PS I forgot to add that I can tell Jerry Remy doesn't care for her, but you can REALLY tell Dennis Eckersley doesn't like her and its funny. There's really a time and a place, and if she covered up more & read up on the Sox it wouldn't be so bad. Don't give me this crap where 'oh well shes new blah blah blah' well if she REALLY covered the SF Giants team she would already KNOW what to do! DUR!! : )