Much has been made this week of the Diamondbacks’ curious decision to remove lead TV play-by-play announcer Daron Sutton from his duties mid-season for what’s being called a “dress code violation” (translation : Sutton prefers a suit and tie to the club’s mandated Snakes logo polo). Sutton might not be returning to the booth anytime soon (at least not for Arizona), with at least one reporter implying the dress code issue is really the tip of the iceburg. Sutton has also been banished from tomorrow’s Fox regional telecast of Arizona’s visit to Milwaukee, where the Journal-Sentinel’s Bob Woolfey recalls the broadcaster’s prior tenure with the Brewers.
In 2002, when Sutton was with the Brewers, this columnist wrote a story about Sutton’s decision not to say the word “damn” when he had to read promos for a Fox Sports Net show, “The Best Damn Sports Show Period.”
When Sutton referred to the show in the promos, he called it “The Best Sports Show Period.”
Sutton said he did read the whole title of the show in the first week or two of the season, but became uncomfortable when he had to read a promo for family day, followed by one for “Best Damn.” That was when he started routinely leaving out damn.
“I think my whole approach on that is we are always trying to sell this game to kids and families,” Sutton said at the time. “I personally don’t see those two going together. I have no problem with the name of the show.”