Joe Buck Says His Favorite And Most Regrettable Calls Came During Minnesota Vikings Games

Joe Buck is an interesting figure in sports play-by-play. The guy is undeniably one of the most iconic voices in the industry and has been for many years. Being at the top, though, does bring with it plenty of haters.

I know plenty of people who just can't stand Joe, sometimes even opting for radio play-by-play during a local game if Joe is on the call for a football or baseball game over the years.

During an appearance on the "This Is Football" podcast, Joe Buck addressed that very subject, admitting "you just can't flat out can't" please everyone. He said he knows some people don't like his voice, tempo, or "perceived biases", but he just tries to go into each game doing the best he can and ignoring the noise or trying to make everyone happy.

During the course of the conversation, he was asked about a play call he wishes he could have back, which just like his favorite play call, interestingly involves the Minnesota Vikings.

Joe Buck's favorite play call of all time

While he didn't address his favorite play calls of all time during the podcast appearance, Buck did recount his favorite calls over the years in a 2019 interview with The Washington Post.

Buck reminisced about moments like calling Mark McGwire's 62nd home run in 1998 and a Plaxico Burress touchdown in Super Bowl XLII against the Patriots, but the moment he called his most thrilling was the Stefon Diggs walkoff touchdown catch against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs.

While the heart of the call was just a couple of words, it was pure electricity. The words "Pass is caught. Diggs! Sideline! Touchdown!" not only stand out in the minds of Vikings fans everywhere, but also as a favorite for the guy that has so many calls in huge sports moments to his name.

Joe Buck's most regrettable play-by-play call of all time

I still know Vikings fans that are sour about this moment, and Joe admitted he kind of wishes he could take this one back.

When asked during the recent "This Is Football" podcast appearance, Buck was asked if there were any play calls he wish he could redo. Without hesitating, Buck said "the Randy Moss call, with the 'that's disgusting'".

The moment came during a 2005 playoff game where the Vikings were visiting Lambeau to play the Green Bay Packers. Daunte Culpepper had just thrown a touchdown pass to Randy Moss, who proceeded to pretend to pull his pants down and moon the crowd.

His partner at the time, Cris Collinsworth, pointed out Randy was "shooting the moon" while Buck commented saying "That is a disgusting act by Randy Moss", going on to apologize to viewers that it was even broadcast on TV.

Buck walked back from the moment, which has tormented him in the years since, during the podcast appearance, going on to comment on how he has gotten to know Randy working with him briefly at FOX, and now at ESPN.

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Joe now calls Randy "the nicest human being" and commented how he "can't even believe that even came out of my mouth" as time has gone on.

Buck says he doesn't live in the "I wish I could have that back" mentality, saying he can't live that way. Even then, Joe says "when I hear that call, I'm like 'that was too far'".

He went on to explain that now that he has a greater understanding of the context of the situation with the team bus and Packers fans as well as Randy as a person, he says "It's not anything that keeps me up at night, but I think knowing more information now, that was one that I would probably pull back a little bit on."

Not exactly an apology, but maybe a "Joe Buck" version of an apology.