JOE BUCK

I was not broadcasting St. Louis Cardinals baseball because I was accomplished. I was broadcasting baseball at 21 years old because I was Jack Buck's son. I had a billion advantages.

Pat Summerall personified less is more. His play-by-play was so bare bones but so great because he had a great, deep-toned voice.

I've heard, 'You're not your father.' Well, you're right. I'm not. We've had two different careers.

In football, for some reason, I was a Houston Oilers fan.

You're open to minute-by-minute criticism which comes via Twitter, that starts seeping its way into your head, and it's easy to let that affect how you do the game... it was a nice moment when I got to take that off my phone.

I have a casual interest in the NBA.

If Jim Nantz is tweeting at me, 'Go back to baseball, you suck at golf,' then I've got problems. If it's somebody else who's just a voice out there, well, that just comes with the job.

I always try to shine the spotlight on what's happening on the field and not what's coming out of my mouth.

I just consider Boston and New England incredible sports fans. If they give me trouble, think I'm rooting for other side, it's mainly because they're living and dying with every pitch and every play and think I'm rooting for the other side. I'd much rather that than apathy.

People know Troy Aikman as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. That carries tremendous weight. Because he really guards against overexposure, or just saying stuff for effect. When he really says something that's critical, people notice.

Troy Aikman is one of my best friends.

I don't want to keep doing the same thing over and over for the rest of my life.

I got a chance to host the 'Late Late Show' for two nights before they hired Craig Ferguson. I enjoyed it, but nothing can replace the thrill of calling an NFC championship game or a Super Bowl or a World Series.

NBC Sports does a great job with golf.

I do watch sports. How could I not? Just for self-preservation.

Great as my dad was - I would never have gotten my first job announcing if I didn't have the last name Buck - it's my mom, Carole, who has made the biggest difference. She was on Broadway back in the 1960s. She understands entertainment, has incredible instincts.

I never thought I would get remarried, I love golf too much. I wanted the freedom to play whenever I'm not broadcasting. Then I met a woman I couldn't live without.

If you deal in hair loss, you constantly check the hairline of anyone who walks up to you. It's the first thing I look at.

Jack Buck fought through Europe during World War II.

No matter how it started, I grew up with a great American love story. Two parents who didn't fight, enjoyed having parties and being together, and it was a great way to grow up.

I was worried that if I lost my hair, I would lose my job.

My dad used to get to the nastiest letters. But somebody had to take the time to type it, stamp it, send it to him, send it to the radio station. And I mean nasty stuff. It's not like nasty people with nasty opinions just popped up out of nowhere.

You can't let criticism stop you from learning new things.

My dad was not good at saying no. I'm trying to be better at saying no.

People would ask, 'Why is your vocal cord paralyzed?' I said it was a virus. I didn't say it was an elective procedure to add hair to the front of my head. It was embarrassing. There's an embarrassing element to that.