Joe Buck Is Doing Play-By-Play For Twitter Fan Videos During Sports Hiatus

There are millions of Americans facing layoffs, furloughs, reductions in hours, and general work uncertainty right now due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the necessary response of social distancing to try and lessen the impact on the healthcare system and slow the spread. Retail and restaurant employees and most all hourly workers in the service industry are at the top of the list of those at risk right now, and everything should be done by those with the means to assist them in this time.

The sports hiatus has placed those that cover and call games on hiatus as well, and while those that do it on a national level are near the bottom of the list in terms of facing long-term instability or danger, it’s a strange place to be for someone used to being on the road calling games all the time. There is a concern among those that call games that, like players, they can gather some rust on their skills by being out of work for some time.

Even someone with as high a profile as Joe Buck, Fox’s top play-by-play man for NFL, MLB, and golf, this was a concern. As a result, he’s trying to keep that rust away and also do some good in the process. Buck announced on Sunday that he would provide play-by-play for home video highlights as sent to him by his followers, as long as they promise to make a donation to a charity that will assist people affected by the coronavirus outbreak. On Tuesday, he began delivering the goods.

His first video was play-by-play of Mina Kimes’ dog, Lenny, fetching a torn up football toy.

Buck was very much in his element for this video of front yard football, making a joke that the Brady Pats jersey was a throwback jersey.

Fox’s lead play-by-play man showed he’s more than just football and baseball and golf, dialing up some darts trick shot commentary as well as some hoops with a father spiking a shot back into his son’s head.

There’s also golf trick shots from tennis pro Mardy Fish getting the Buck treatment.

It’s a fun way for Buck to keep interacting with fans, give folks a little shine, and also get people to do some good through donations. The hope, of course, is that social distancing protocols are followed seriously for long enough that we can have Buck and the rest of our favorite (or, in some people’s cases, least favorite) announcers back calling games for our entertainment later this year. In the meantime, folks need to stay at home and create their own highlights while social distancing. Joe Buck might just provide commentary for you if you do.