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Fox Sports
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox Sports
'Gibby, meet Freddie' revisited: Joe Davis on broadcasting and calling an epic World Series
Joe Davis isn't sure if it will ever fully sink in that his voice, much like Vin Scully's on Kirk Gibson's iconic blast, will forever be the soundtrack to one of the biggest moments in World Series history. Even seven months later, it still does not feel real. "I'm still the kid from Potterville, Michigan, who dreamt of doing this," the MLB on FOX broadcaster said earlier this week. But the more time that passes, the more Davis recognizes the magnitude of what transpired in Los Angeles on the evening of Oct. 25, 2024, when Freddie Freeman — 36 years after Gibson made the impossible happen — wrote a new chapter in Dodgers lore with his Game 1 walk-off grand slam. When people see Davis now, Freeman's hit and his call — "Gibby, meet Freddie" — are what they want to talk about. The same way that Freeman grew up dreaming of coming through in a moment like that, Davis grew up dreaming of narrating it. "The more distance I get from it, the greater appreciation I have for where the moment — and forget what I said or the call or anything — just where the moment stands in baseball history," Davis said. "It was impossible to fully appreciate that in the immediate aftermath, but the more distance I get from it, the more mind-blowing it is that I got to be in the chair for that moment. I'm, more and more, appreciating what that moment was." With the Dodgers and Yankees reuniting this weekend for the first time since the Fall Classic, and with FOX Sports celebrating its 30th season of MLB coverage this year, Davis discussed the call, the aftermath, Gibson's reaction, how he critiques and learns from his broadcasts, why a picture in his office reminds him that every night could be the one people talk about forever and much more. (Note: Some questions and answers may be edited for brevity and clarity.) Has it hit you yet that the same way we associate Vin's call on the Gibson homer, your voice and your call now will forever be linked to one of the biggest moments in World Series history? JD: "I don't know if it ever will. I swear, man. And I think that that's a good thing. That's kind of how I want it. I never want, and I talk to my kids about this all the time, too, let's never take for granted how cool it is to have the things we have and to do the things we do. I think that's a great example of that, where I can kind of practice what I preach to my kids. I'm still the kid from Potterville, Michigan, who dreamt of doing this. "In the same way Freddie stepped into the box and might not have thought to himself, 'This is the moment I've prepared my whole life for,' but you ask him now, yeah, that's the moment every baseball player dreams of having. I even said that right before he stepped in, on the broadcast, in the same way that that was the moment that he grew up dreaming of, as he stepped into the box, that's the moment I grew up dreaming of, too. So I don't lose that perspective. Because of that, it's hard to really wrap my mind around logically where that moment stands and what it means to be tied to that moment. I don't allow any of it to feel real. It's too crazy, too preposterous, for me to really allow it to feel real, even with the distance that we have." You mentioned using this moment kind of as a life lesson for your kids. As they get older, do they have an understanding for how big that moment was and an appreciation for what their dad got to do? JD: "Well they have the T-shirt, the 'Gibby, meet Freddie' T-shirt. Charlotte turns 9 in a couple weeks. Blake is 6, and Theo turns 4 on July 1. I think they see me get recognized a little bit more, and still it's often followed by the question, 'You know him?' More and more, they're like, 'Wait, no, they know you, don't they, Dad?' So, I think they see a little bit more of that. My daughter, she's always been mature for her age, so even when I got the World Series job in the first place, she seemed to have an appreciation — she was in like kindergarten at this point — she seemed to grasp what it meant to daddy to live his life dream. My son, the 6-year-old, is baseball obsessed. So, he gets what a big deal it is that I get to do the World Series. He gets it from that perspective. But I always tell them, too, 'Hey guys, this stuff's cool, but I'm just your dad. This is something I do, but this is not who I am. This stuff is amazing, we're so lucky that we have it, but I'm just your goofy daddy, right?' And the other thing is, they get it with their friends at school, 'I saw your dad on TV," and Blake's Little League teammates and things like that. But it's possible to embrace it and love it and realize how fortunate we are while at the same time be like, 'It's no big deal.' That's what we try to do." Everyone remembers the "Gibby, meet Freddie" part. I don't know if everyone caught the "she is gone" nod to Vin before it as well. It seemed like a pretty perfect call, but as someone who I'm sure is a perfectionist with this sort of thing, and now with months to reflect, is there anything you would have done differently? JD: "It's a great question. I stayed up, not through the night but lost a little sleep laying there asking myself that question —and this got blown out of proportion a little bit I think in the immediate aftermath when I did an interview talking about this — going back and critiquing it in my head. I'm always going to do that. That didn't mean I went back and was like, 'You stink, that wasn't good.' I just, I'm always going back trying to think about how maybe it could have been a little bit better. In the immediate aftermath, the one thing I had thought to myself was I know on Vin's call of the Gibby home run, his line that everybody talks about — 'In a year that has been so improbable' — that came after Gibby had rounded the bases. It was just, 'She is gone," and then a long layoff while he rounded the bases and even began the celebration at home, and then came Vin's line. So I thought to myself for a bit, went back and rewatched it, rewatched it, rewatched it, should 'Gibby, meet Freddie' have waited? Did I talk over the crowd? Did I talk over the moment? But that's just how I always am on my calls, whether it's that or something that happens this time of year. I go back and have fun looking at it that way, kind of picking it apart. I think what I decided is that having it right there, having the 'Gibby meet Freddie' line follow the 'She is gone,' it probably worked that way. Not that it wouldn't have worked otherwise." So, do you go back often then to listen and learn from your calls? Or, with so many games in a baseball season, do you prefer to kind of put it away afterward? JD: "Every night I watch the highlights, just to calibrate where I'm at energy level on them. I may, just to see, 'OK, I felt like I was really getting to the level I needed to be on Ohtani's home run today.' So, let's play the highlight while I still have that feeling fresh and let's see if it matched up. Let's see if the way I felt making that call translated, and if I was maybe a little flat or over the top, I take the memory of that feeling and try to apply it the next day. So I do the highlights each day, and I try to — once every week to 10 days — go back and do a deeper critique of myself and go back and listen to several innings of a game and take notes down, and I'll bring that piece of paper with those notes on what I want to work on, what I want to focus on and have that sit right in front of me for the next week up until I do the next critique." Freddie talked about this right after it happened. You have this big moment, but you need to win three more games or no one's going to care anymore. For you, you have this big moment, you mention you're laying in bed thinking about it, how do you unwind after something like that? And how odd is it to then immediately have to turn the page to another game? JD: "Yeah, so it was unique because it came in L.A., which is where I live. And I went back to my house, whereas usually in this business we're going back to the hotel. I went back to my house, and in my office there's one piece of artwork, and it is a picture of the moment Kirk Gibson leaves the on-deck circle to head up for his game-winning home run in '88. And you can see in the backdrop the umpire reaching into his shirt to pull out the line-up card and make the change, and the bigger backdrop is just the wall of people at Dodger Stadium. I've had it in my office as long as I've had my office, because it represents everything I love about the job. The next moment could be the moment. Big crowd in the background, thinking about the noise they make. So, I love that picture, and it's always been there. But to come back home and walk into my office, thinking like, 'Wow what just happened?' I hadn't thought about it on the drive home, what I was going to see when I sat down in my home office. But I sat down and looked up and was like, 'Oh man, that's right. Holy cow, that just happened again… I was there when it happened.' I didn't sleep great that night just because of the energy of having done that game. And then to your point, I'm up early the next day, 'OK, let's get ready for Game 2. This is amazing, but now let's go get ready for Game 2, and what's going to happen tonight?' But that's the core of what I love about this job, getting ready for the next game not knowing what you're going to see, knowing tonight could be the night you talk about forever each time." Do you know what Gibson thought about the call? Or what's the coolest feedback you've gotten since that moment? JD: "Oh, man, people have been so nice. Texted with Freddie that night, just the kind of guy he is, he probably had 9,000 text messages but he thought to text me. I talked to [Gibby on] Opening Day when he was there, and I actually had a couple people who had talked to him to do stories on the connection who had talked to him who then reached out to me and said, 'Hey, you should know, Gibby really thought your call was cool.' That's up there as far as the most special things I heard coming out of that, the fact that Gibby appreciated the call and took some enjoyment out of it. That was really neat." What are the difficulties that come with calling a World Series when you've been the broadcaster all year for one of the teams involved? JD: "The hardest part is kind of unlearning, or at least rewiring, everything I know about the team I cover every day. Because the way of presenting that team is totally different when you get to the national audience, especially in the postseason and the World Series, than it would be covering a regular season game. So reframing in my mind how I know that information and present that information takes time. Yeah, it's not a fun thing that everybody thinks you hate their team, but it's part of the territory. Then it gets amplified when one of the teams you cover on an everyday basis. So, I think that part of it, it stinks, but it's as big of a deal as you allow it to become, and I think the only way I know how to handle it is sort of bury my head in the sand on it. I know no matter who the teams are, it comes with the territory that half the audience is going to think you don't like their team and half the audience is going to think you don't like their team, and that's OK, right? These are the biggest games, where emotions are heightened. And it's what makes sports great, that people care that much. And, you know what, fine, if that's the tax you gotta pay to do this gig, I'm totally fine with it." I've gone too long without congratulating you on winning a sports Emmy for your play-by-play work. Now I've got to ask, winning an Emmy or having that World Series moment, what's the bigger accomplishment? JD: "Ooo, I don't know. I don't know if I win that Emmy if that moment doesn't happen. That's something in this business, specific to play-by-play announcing, there's a certain amount of luck in it in that the moment has to happen in front of you. I can't create that moment. I just have to be the lucky son of a gun that's sitting there when it happens to happen. Like we said earlier, what is going to go down as one of the great moments in sports history, I just happened to be the guy lucky enough to be sitting there." Lastly, I know calling a World Series was a dream of yours. You've obviously accomplished that. Is there anything left now on the Joe Davis bucket list? JD: "I'm doing everything I dreamt of doing and more. For me, it's just been some soul searching for how to keep pushing and growing within what I'm doing. For so much of my life, it's been these big dreams and striving to get there. Now that I've gotten to where I've always dreamt of going, how do I, within the confines of those jobs, bring people joy? How do I make each night something that people look forward to tuning into? Baseball's such a wonderful thing because it's every day, and it's something people can count on. I just spend a lot of time thinking about how I can, in my role, look at that as a responsibility to make people smile and bring them some joy, bring them a distraction if they need it, give them something to look forward to. Whatever little role I can play in their lives like that, I think that's a pretty special gift that my job has in it for me. That's something that, no matter how long I do this, I can keep leaning into and can give meaning to this job. So, no, there is nothing else I want to do. I just want to keep doing what I'm doing right now and be the best I can be at it." Experience the excitement of the Los Angeles Dodgers' unforgettable 2024 postseason journey. From their intense showdown with the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, to their clash with the New York Mets in the NLCS, and culminating in their epic World Series battle against the New York Yankees, the Dodgers' run is etched in history as one of the most legendary in MLB playoff lore. Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on Twitter at @RowanKavner . recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Colorado Parks and Wildlife kills grey wolf in Pitkin County after attacks on livestock
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife killed a gray wolf in Pitkin County following recent attacks on livestock, according to a press release on Friday. CPW said that the wolf was identified as wolf 2405, a member of the Copper Creek Pack. The decision came after reports of chronic depredation, even after livestock producers had utilized all reasonable non-lethal methods to deter the wolves from their animals. Orangutan escapes exhibit after a 'malfunction' at Denver Zoo Between May 17-25, four depredation incidents occurred, which included three by clear and convincing evidence, according to CPW. The agency will monitor the Copper Creek Pack to see whether the lethal removal affects the behavior of the remaining pack members. 'The decision to take lethal management action was very difficult,' said CPW Director Jeff Davis. 'Our wildlife biologists and officers constructed a timeline of recent events that shows the depredation behavior met the conditions for chronic depredation that were defined earlier this year. We have great respect for these animals and take the removal of a wolf very seriously. Removal of problem animals is unfortunate and rare, but consistent with the Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan.' Although the removal occurred, CPW said it is still determined to find a balance between supporting the wolves and the livestock producers symbiotically. 'We remain committed to both wolf restoration and to Colorado's livestock producers,' Davis said. 'We have been focused on improving our communication and coordination with the agricultural community. The producers in this area have been working constructively with CPW on deployment of multiple non-lethal conflict mitigation efforts. The intent of this management action is to discourage other pack members from unnaturally shifting to livestock as their primary source of food. This action will help ensure that wolves and packs that are targeting natural prey serve as the foundation for a sustainable population. Most of the wolves in the state are sticking to natural food sources and avoiding livestock conflicts.' Not the first preferred choice when dealing with the wolves, CPW said that the events from the May incidents matched the criteria for chronic depredation in the CPW Wolf-Livestock Conflict Minimization Guide. Chronic depredation is defined as three or more depredation events within a 30-day period. The incidents occurred during times, including: May 17 Injury to one calf May 23 One calf deceased May 24 One calf deceased, one calf injured May 25 One cow injured, one calf injured 18 abandoned rabbits found by dumpster in Golden CPW staff immediately began to investigate whether the incidents met the definition of chronic depredation and came to a conclusion on May 25. Plans were then made with a landowner to remove the wolf as soon as possible. Livestock producers can receive the fair market value of the animal lost in the depredation events if a claim is submitted. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
New UFC antitrust lawsuit alleges all fighters harmed by 'UFC's scheme' to control MMA
New UFC antitrust lawsuit alleges all fighters harmed by 'UFC's scheme' to control MMA Phil Davis, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, said he's "proud to stand up for professional MMA fighters to unlock the UFC's stranglehold on the entire sport." The UFC is facing a new antitrust class-action lawsuit that argues the promotion's monosopsony powers financially harm all professional MMA fighters – not just those under contract with the UFC – and calls for an end to "the UFC's scheme." Berger Montague, the lawfirm that secured a $375 million settlement against the UFC in February, filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, with former UFC and current PFL fighter Phil Davis named as the plaintiff. Zuffa LLC, TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC, and Endeavor Group Holdings are listed as the defendants. Unlike the Le v. Zuffa lawsuit that was settled in February, the Davis lawsuit seeks to be certified with all-non UFC fighters represented and does not seek monetary damages. In a written statement, Berger Montague said it seeks an injunction to prevent the UFC "from continuing its allegedly illegal scheme" and aims to "create conditions for free and fair competition among professional MMA promotions which, in turn, would bolster their careers and pay of professional MMA fighters across the sport." "I am proud to stand up for professional MMA fighters to unlock the UFC's stranglehold on the entire sport," Davis said in a statement. According to the lawsuit, "the UFC's scheme impairs professional MMA promotions like PFL in their ability to attract a critical mass of top-level MMA fighters necessary to compete with the UFC at the top tier of the sport of professional MMA, and otherwise substanstially forecloses competition in the markets relevant to this case. The UFC's scheme further restrains top-level fighters such as Mr. Davis from applying their trade by preventing these fighters from competing for titles in a free and unfettered market. As a result of the UFC's scheme, rival MMA promotions have been foreclosed and, as a result, would-be top-level MMA fighters at PFL and other non-UFC MMA promotions have had their careers impaired and their pay suppressed below the compensation that would prevail in a more competitive market." The lawsuit seeks to eliminate an array of restrictive clauses from UFC contracts and requests that fighters have the ability to terminate their contracts without penalty after one year. "The suit alleges that the UFC impairs the ability of would-be UFC competitors to attract a critical mass of top-level MMA fighters necessary to compete with the UFC at the top tier of the sport," Eric Cramer, lead attorney for Berger Montague, said in a statement. "We intend to prove that the UFC engaged in a predatory scheme to undermine would-be competitors to the UFC, which the suit claims had the effect of maintaining and enhancing the UFC's dominance, and thereby impairing the careers and pay not just of the UFC's own fighters, but also of professional MMA fighters like Mr. Davis competing for MMA promotions across the MMA industry." The Le v. Zuffa case covered UFC fighters who competed between 2010 to 2017. While that was still unfolding another lawsuit, Johnson v. Zuffa, representing fighters from 2017 to present day was filed and is still ongoing. The Davis lawsuit comes on the heels of another filed by former UFC light heavyweight Misha Cirkunov to represent fighters who have signed the most recent and restrictive UFC contracts.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Family favorite restaurant in Berkeley to close after 36 years
Rick & Ann's Restaurant in Berkeley, which has been serving 'solid American classics' for 36 years, announced Friday that it would be permanently closing this summer. 'It is time for me to hang up my apron! ,' Ann Lauer, owner and co-founder of the restaurant, wrote on its website. The restaurant, on Domingo Avenue, will close on Aug. 3, Lauer wrote. Rick & Ann's was opened in November 1989, aimed at 'serving the dishes we relished in our childhood,' Lauer wrote, which they felt had been missing in Berkeley. Lauer said the freshness and variety of ingredients, as well as the 'cooking talents that the Bay Area has to offer' helped the restaurant design menus for breakfast, brunch and lunch with 'simple, comforting foods with universal appeal.' The restaurant offers sit-down dining everyday except Wednesdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well as operating Ann's Market, which sells changing products daily. In August 1997, Chronicle critic Robin Davis said Rick & Ann's Restaurant 'maintains the feeling of someone's home.' 'While many restaurants are trying fusion cuisine, Rick & Ann's in Berkeley continues to crank out solid American classics,' Davis wrote. Davis commended the restaurant's 'Mom's' macaroni and cheese — 'as good as you'll get anywhere' — and the pie offerings for dessert. 'It has been so wonderful to be a part of this community and to experience all of your lives throughout the years. From the joyous celebrations such as birthdays, holidays, rites of passage, and family get together, to the more difficult life cycle events,' Lauer wrote. 'I've enjoyed seeing customers that I held as children, now with their families and some as grandparents.' Lauer's other business, Ann's Catering, will continue operations, moving to a different location 'without any break in service and I will still be involved there for a couple of years as some of my employees take it over,' Lauer wrote. Lauer said she planned to remain involved in the Berkeley community after the restaurant's closure and to travel.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Elite LB Reveals Final Five Schools As Recruiting Race Heats Up
Elite LB Reveals Final Five Schools As Recruiting Race Heats Up originally appeared on Athlon Sports. One of the top linebackers in the country has narrowed his list down to five schools before taking multiple summer visits. Advertisement Four-star linebacker Anthony Davis Jr. helped lead Grayson High School (Loganville, Georgia) to a 14-1 season and a GHSA 6A state championship as a junior last season. Despite sharing the field with Tyler Atkinson, the No. 1 linebacker in the country, Davis was extremely productive. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound defender racked up 105 tackles with 15 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups and an interception. Davis ranks as the No. 14 linebacker and the No. 24 player in the talent-rich state of Georgia in the class of 2026 (Rivals). He holds 48 offers entering his senior year. Sherrone Moore, Kalen Deboer after ReliaQuest Bowl.© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Davis revealed his top five schools on Friday, including four SEC programs and one from the Big 10. Advertisement The list includes Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss and Michigan. All five of Davis' top schools hauled in top-20 recruiting classes in the 2025 cycle, including Alabama, Auburn, Michigan and Florida within the top 10. Visit season will be a key part of Davis' recruitment as he takes official trips to his top contenders. Auburn is slated to get the first crack this weekend before Davis travels to Ole Miss (June 6) and Alabama (June 20). There is plenty of time for the Wolverines and Gators to schedule visits. The Under Armour All-American has amassed 172 tackles (21 for loss) with 6.5 sacks, six pass breakups and two interceptions over the last two seasons at high school powerhouse Grayson. Advertisement Related: Nation's No. 1 Linebacker Responds To Georgia's Major Recruiting Win Related: Nation's No. 1 EDGE Decommits From Oregon After Viral Video With Dan Lanning Related: Minkah Fitzpatrick's 4-Star Brother Makes Key Recruiting Update on Thursday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
