World Series Roundup: McCarver's Buckner Moment

We don't mean to shrink last night's Amazing Scott Podsednik Moment into a moment of media criticism, but you're all going to be talking about it this morning, so we might as well lead off with it. Right before — like, a split-second before — Podsednik homered off Astros closer Brad Lidge, Fox broadcaster Joe Buck "asked" color man Tim McCarver if he thought it was a mistake for the Astros not to give Lidge an inning in Game 6 against the Cardinals in the NLCS to get "the taste" of Albert Pujols' Game 5 homer out of his mouth. McCarver, who actually had to rush his statement to get it out before the next pitch, responded with, "I don't think that taste is there." Then, Podsednik's homer. Needless to say, McCarver was quiet for a while after that.

We're wondering what's the worst mistake a broadcaster could make in a postseason situation like that, a Buckner Moment. Could you do worse than McCarver's gaffe? The best we could come up with this morning was, say, Buck announcing Keith Foulke's final out last season by accidentally saying, "And the NEW YORK YANKEES have won the World Series!" Save John Madden throwing down his headset and yelling, "I hate this bullshit, honestly, I always have," that's about the only thing to top McCarver last evening.

Other World Series tidbits:

• We know the umpiring has been suspect this series, but, honestly, calls that aren't even that "controversial" are being blown up into another Denkinger moment. (For the record, there will never be another Denkinger moment, because God loves the world too much.) That pitch where Jermaine Dye was hit (or wasn't) last night was a call that was impossible for the naked eye to see. You could barely tell from the replay. But Buck acted like the umps had been paid off or something. • Yes, yes, Podsednik is dating Playmate Lisa Dergan. We hate our lives enough already, thank you, please stop bringing this up. • Is it just me, or were agents actually chasing soon-to-be-free-agent Paul Konerko around the bases after he hit that grand slam? • We're always hesitant to call a team "lucky." Every game, every moment, has luck in it. But boy, haven't things lined up for the White Sox perfectly, like, all year?