Joe Buck, Troy Aikman
 

Disclaimer: This is not a total reckless shredding of Joe Buck. Sorry if that's what you clicked for. Buck is a somewhere-between-good-and-great announcer, who deserves our respect. Hopefully, that makes sense. Anyway ...

Joe Buck will call his fifth Super Bowl, which means we have a healthy sample size. He's broadcast a classic (XLII: Patriots-Giants), a blowout (XLVIII: Seahawks-Broncos) and two pretty average games (XXXIX: Patriots-Eagles, XLV: Packers-Steelers). Fact: Buck is not the flashiest of announcers, but he knows his stuff and he will get the job done come Super Bowl Sunday. Will he always maintain a high energy level? Probably not. Will you assume he is biased against your team? Of course. But will he know players' names, deliver stats and recognize referees' signals on the field? Yes, he certainly will.

So appreciate Joe Buck for what he is: A really smart announcer who is even keel, but doesn't take that many risks. Not convinced? Join us on a journey through Joe Buck Super Bowl Memory Lane.

Super Bowl XXXIX

With the retirement of Pat Summerall, Buck was promoted to Fox's No. 1 broadcast team in time for the Patriots-Eagles Super Bowl in Jacksonville. He was 35, and although he already had seven World Series under his belt, Buck showed the Super Bowl is a totally different beast. He settled in by the end of the game, but early on, he showed some jitters.

Donovan McNabb's Fumble

Buck was tested one minute into his Super Bowl career. After Buck calls a catch by Terrell Owens (who was playing with two screws and a metal plate in his ankle), McNabb is sacked and fumbles. Buck recognizes the Patriots' recovery but remains conservative on this call. Perhaps he could have put more emotion into an opening-minute turnover.

Rodney Harrison's First Interception


Later in the first quarter, Buck again had a chance to call a Patriots' takeaway. Again, there is a lack of emotion in the midst of a pivotal momentum swing. Buck is quick to recognize the interception was Harrison's third of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Aikman and Cris Collinsworth (Collinsworth called a Super Bowl on Fox?) seem to have the exact same analysis while breaking down the play. That's not Buck's fault.

L.J. Smith's Touchdown


Buck finally got a chance to call a score in the second quarter when McNabb hit Smith on third down. Buck does a great job with the "Up the middle!" call. And he's off!

Mike Vrabel's Touchdown


Buck was all over this Vrabel touchdown. The linebacker had a touchdown in the previous Super Bowl, and Buck was ready for Vrabel to check in as a tight end. He saw the play coming even if the Eagles did not. And instead of going crazy right away, Buck waits to hear the penalty call before getting hyped.

Rodney Harrison's Game-Ending Interception


When Buck looks back at this call, even he must scratch his head. Harrison makes another interception to clinch the game and third title in four years for the Patriots. Buck's "And the pass is picked off by Harrison" makes it sound like an interception in a Week 3 Browns-Jaguars matchup. Buck had a lot to learn from his first Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XLII

Super Bowl XXXIX was relatively boring. The Patriots seemed to have the game under control for most of the second half and the Eagles' last-gasp comeback was anticlimactic. But in Super Bowl XLII, Buck had to jump into one of the most historic quarters in football history. Let's skip the first three quarters and go right to the Giants' burying the dagger in the 18-0 Patriots' season.

David Tyree's Catch

I was born and raised a Giants fan and this is the greatest sports moment of my life. Actually, it's tied with the Aaron Boone home run. I have some friends who will never forgive Buck for this call. When Giants fans talk about Buck being anti-Giants, this is the play they turn to. They say he seems genuinely disappointed that Tyree made arguably the greatest play in Super Bowl history. "It is ... caught by Tyree," doesn't do justice for them on this helmet catch.

I think Buck did fine. I think he does a good job with the, "Eli Manning ... stays on his feet," portion of this and I credit him for immediately recognizing that Tyree did catch the ball. Can you imagine if Buck called this moment and said, "Looks like that ball hit the ground." That would be grounds for criticism. This was not an easy moment to call and at least Buck got everything right. He can be more emotional the next time a once-in-a-lifetime catch happens at the Super Bowl.

Plaxico Burress's Touchdown

Maybe Buck was just waiting for the big touchdown call. A few plays after the Tyree catch, Manning hit Burress in the end zone to put the Giants ahead for good. "Manning lobs it. Burress, alone. Touchdown New York!" is really good. Even if Giants fans think Buck hates them (us), he delivered a great moment here for a team about to end the Patriots' run at perfection.

"Brady Goes Down"

This is not the last play of the Super Bowl, but when Giants fans think back to the Patriots' final attempt at a comeback, it's rookie lineman Jay Alford sacking Tom Brady. "Brady goes down" is no "Down goes Frazier," but it is an organic moment for Buck.

Super Bowl XLV

By his third Super Bowl, Buck had his reps and was ready for a high-powered Aaron Rodgers-Ben Roethlisberger matchup. Like Super Bowl XXXIX, this game had a lot of scoring, but not a lot of drama.

Jordy Nelson's Touchdown

This is a classic Joe Buck extra-inflection on the last name call. You know, "Jordy Nelson!"

Nick Collins' Interception

Fresh off Nelson's touchdown, Buck got to call this junk throw by Roethlisberger that Collins ran for a pick-six. Buck got pretty hyped about the leap.

Mike Wallace's Touchdown

Another big last-name inflection here. With 7:34 left in the fourth quarter, Wallace made this a two-score game with a touchdown for the Steelers. Buck recognizes the magnitude of this play in keeping Pittsburgh in the game, and he gets the "What a throw" down. Of course, the Packers tacked on a field goal and the Steelers did not score the rest of the way. But if Pittsburgh had rallied to win, this would have been a much more call, particularly for Steelers fans.

Super Bowl XLVIII

Buck and Aikman really got ripped off on this Super Bowl. The guys wait three years for their turn, and they get a blowout. (Seahawks fans may enjoy listening to some of these calls on loop.)

Peyton Manning's Safety

On the first play from scrimmage, the Broncos broke down and took a safety. Buck gets hyped off the bat and doesn't give Manning any special veteran treatment. Also, calling out the corporate crowd is a nice touch.

Malcolm Smith's Interception


Smith went on to win the game's MVP award, and Buck recognizes this is the moment the Seahawks broke the game wide open. "Malcolm Smith, all alone, no flags, touchdown Seattle!" is clean and Buck's voice lets even the most novice football fan realize Seattle is ending this game early.

Percy Harvin's Kick Return

Kick return touchdown calls are a football announcer's dream, but the Seahawks had already turned this game into a rout. Putting the score aside, Buck's "Percy Harvin ... gets free!" call is timed perfectly. Also, for some reason, "Touchdown Seattle" seems to roll off the tongue for Buck.

Demaryius Thomas's Touchdown


The Broncos avoid the shutout on Manning's touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas at the end of the third quarter. Considering the lopsided score of the game, Buck does a service to Denver fans, putting some juice on the touchdown call, while not ignoring the fact the game is well out of reach.

Super Bowl LI

TBD. But this will be Buck's third Patriots' call, so he better know that team by now.

-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.