SomeInternetGuy wrote:
When Wimpy was doing part time broadcasting work for the Tigers several years back, he was interviewed on The Score. The host (I forget who it was) asked him to elaborate about his break up from the Sox and asked him point blank if it was regarding any friction with Hawk. Wimpy replied that Hawk had nothing to do with it and it was "someone within the organization's marketing department" (I assume Rob Gallas) who wanted him to change his broadcasting style drastically for the upcoming 2000 season. Paciorek was pretty miffed about the whole thing and pretty much told them that he broadcasted the same way for years and he wasn't about to change his style now. He told them that if they weren't happy with his style then they should make a change which is what they ended up doing and adding DJ to replace Wimpy for the 2000 season. This is what Paciorek said in an interview I heard. Take it however you want it.
AnotherInternetGuy wrote:
As someone who was very close to the situation when it happened, I can confirm that Hawk did, indeed have Paciorek fired. While it is true that TP "resigned", he was forced to do so by Rob Gallas. Reinsdorf insultingly offered to keep Tom on if he were to make radical changes in his approach, upon which Tom kindly told him to go scratch, in a friendly way.
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I never saw the previously referenced Tribune article that supposedly said Paciorek made disparaging remarks about Michael Jordan, but there was in fact an incident in the booth late in Tom's final season with the team. During the inning, Hawk was rambling on about what a great golfer Jordan was..and during a commercial break Tom called Hawk on being an ass-kisser, as well as full of ****. MJ, apparently, is not a great golfer. The short argument was really a result of season-long animosity, and not really the result of anyone's views on MJ's golf game..that was just the trigger.
Hawk felt he was working too hard, and Tommy wasn't talking enough during the games. He wanted someone else. Ironically, the Sox hired a guy who had even less to contribute in Darrin Jackson, who spent most of his first season just trying not to step on the Hawk's toes.