Geoff Blum talks all things Astros on the eve of the ALCS. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Apology from Houston Astros broadcaster highlights glaring problem with "standards"

We caught up with Astros TV color analyst Geoff Blum to get his opinion on the American League Championship Series and the possibility of another World Series victory parade in Houston. Also to let him vent his frustration over being shoved out of the broadcast booth in favor of network announcers during the post-season. Trust us, Blummer, Astros fans feel cheated, too. These national announcers ...

SportsMap: How do you rate the Astros chances to win the World Series this year? Does the team have any weaknesses that worry you?

Blum: Oh man, you know what? The answer is no. There’s really nothing that worries me. If we were looking for perfection, for me personally if I was managing the Astros, it would be just the depth on the bench. I would love to have a left-handed power bat on the bench that would be a threat to the opposing manager and maybe force his hand to make a move with his bullpen. This ball club has been built with a strong nucleus. The infield is one of the best in baseball even with Jeremy Pena replacing Carlos Correa. The outfield has done a good enough job. If there was a way to get better in center field at the trade deadline, they would have done it. They felt comfortable enough with Mauricio Dubon, Chas McCormick, with Jake Meyers. The pitching staff, if they go as far as we think they will, may go down as one of the best in Astros history, if not Major League history. That’s why I feel they have a really good possibility of winning this World Series.

SportsMap: We always hear that baseball needs the Dodgers and Yankees in the World Series to pop a rating. Is that really true?

Geoff Blum: I don’t believe so. If you compare what’s happening now in the post-season to what happens in March Madness, sometimes when you have expanded playoffs it’s OK to have an underdog go out there and compete. America likes that. I also think it’s great for baseball to show its parity.

(Note: the 1980 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals is tied for the highest-rated Fall Classic ever. Lowest rated, the 2020 World Series with the Dodgers vs. Rays. So there.)

SportsMap: Are there too many clubhouse celebrations in baseball? We’re constantly watching the Astros pour champagne over each other.

Blum: Having enjoyed several myself, the answer is no. I think they’re great. I know that people think they are excessive, but baseball, like the NBA and NHL, when you’re playing extended seasons, you’re grinding. I love the idea of clubhouse celebrations.

SportsMap: What does it feel like to get champagne in your eyes?

Blum: I’m not sure there’s a way to describe it – maybe putting a Tic Tac in your eyeball. It’s an explosion of pain you never felt before, but it’s also the most refreshing and exciting thing you’ve ever felt. It’s a realization that in order to pop that bottle of champagne and have it wasted on top of your head, you’ve achieved ultimate success.

SportsMap: Is it accurate to call the current Houston Astros a dynasty? They’re competing in their six consecutive American League Championship Series, but they’ve won only one World Series during that stretch.

Blum: I think it does rely on championships. As close as they got in 2019, that would have started talk of this being a dynasty. The ability to sustain the greatness, what they’ve been able to do going to their sixth straight American League Championship Series is a credit to everybody up and down the organization. You need to have an owner who realizes he’s going to have to spend a little bit to get the personnel on the field to go win championships. You need to have a minor league development system that understands you’re nurturing these players to win as a team and not just perform individually. It’s a credit to these players who go out there and wear that Houston logo on their chests and play their hearts out. Right now you could say it’s a legacy, but to call it a dynasty another World Series win might be necessary. But even if they don’t, this is a time in Astros history we will be talking about for decades.

SportsMap: Players want to play for winning teams, do broadcasters want to broadcast winning teams, too? Are other broadcasters jealous of you, Todd Kalas and Julia Morales?

Blum: Yeah, they are. You know, I started my broadcast career with the Astros in 2013 so I have a great appreciation for what is happening now. I understand what it’s like to call games for a team that loses a hundred games. It’s not easy. It’s hard to sell hope. But the fact that we were selling hope and now we’re accomplishing it makes it that much sweeter. Broadcasters from other teams constantly tell us that we’re on a great run. They ask us, what is it like to go into every single game knowing that you have the opportunity to win? That’s what makes this broadcast so much fun for us.

SportsMap: Do you, Todd and Julia feel cheated because you broadcast the entire Astros regular season, 162 games on AT&T SportsNet, but you’re sidelined for the post-season when the networks take over? Is it like you take a woman on a date, you pay for dinner and then she goes home with another guy?

Blum: When you put it that way, oh hell yeah! We talk about that all the time. The players grind it out for 162 games in a long season. Todd, Julia and I feel the same way. We have ups and downs just like the players do, we get to ride on the plane with them, we get to be in their club house. But once Game 162 is over, we’re completely cut off from the opportunity to have our voices and our energy continue in the post-season. Sure it’s frustrating.

SportsMap: After the Astros won the World Series in 2017, George Springer, Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman went on Saturday Night Live for a skit during the Weekend Update segment.

Which current Astros have the comedic talent to go on SNL?

Blum: Who would I want to see on Saturday Night Live? After the clubhouse celebrations this year, Chas McCormick might be one of the leaders with a personality to go on a show like that. It would be Lance McCullers, maybe Ryan Stanek. Actually Bryan Abreu and Hector Neris might be the two guys who lead my picks. They’re highly entertaining.

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Texas hosts Clemson on Dec. 21. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

The winner of the Clemson-Texas first-round game on Dec. 21 will play No. 10 Arizona State in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl in Atlanta in the CFP quarterfinals.

For Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is from Austin, Texas, the game will be a homecoming.

“We recruited him hard," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday, calling Klubnik “a winner. He will do whatever it takes to put his team in position to be successful.”

Added Sarkisian: “When he made the decision to go to Clemson, honestly I wasn’t surprised. Both his parents went to (Texas) A&M.”

Klubnik applauded the announcement of the game at Texas for Clemson's seventh CFP appearance.

“For him to be going to his first playoff in Austin, Texas, where he grew up, you can’t make that up,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Pretty cool opportunity for him and his family to go compete against Texas there in Austin.”

Swinney said his only visit to the Texas stadium was to watch Klubnik play in a high school playoff game.

“We’ve never played Texas or played in that stadium,” Swinney said. “... It’s going to be amazing. It’s one of the best venues in college football.”

The Longhorns (11-2) were seeded No. 5 in the CFP following their 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.

Sarkisian said his players were “really excited” to see Texas land the No. 5 seed and have the opportunity to play in the Longhorns' first game against Clemson.

Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a Clemson transfer. Sarkisian said players already were calling the matchup the “Mukuba Bowl.”

Swinney said: “I love Mukuba. I just love his spirit and love his heart. He was a really neat kid.

“I certainly wish he had been able to finish here. He did everything that was asked of him at Clemson. Made a bunch of big plays.”

Clemson (10-3) beat SMU 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night to land an automatic CFP berth. The Tigers are ranked No. 16 in the CFP but were given the 12th and lowest seed. As the fifth-highest ranked league champion, the Tigers do not get a bye and instead must visit Texas.

Arizona State (11-2) earned a bye by rolling over Iowa State 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The Sun Devils were led by running back Cam Skattebo's 170 rushing yards in their impressive win to cap their first season in the Big 12.

Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan noted the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12.

“You proved them all wrong,” Stokan told Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham.

Arizona State players celebrated the announcement of their No. 4 seed.

Dillingham said he hopes the conference championship and berth in the CFP helps him recruit and continue to build the program.

“Hopefully this stage will help get our branding out there, and show people that we can be one of the newer brands in college football," Dillingham said. "Every 10-15 years a new brand shows up, and a new brand becomes a national brand.”No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.