Although the Houston Astros' infamous sign-stealing scandal happened over six years ago, that didn't stop Al Michaels from cracking a joke about it on Thursday Night Football.
During the second quarter of last night's game between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns (which the Browns won 37-20), there was a sound that could be heard on the Amazon Prime broadcast which seemed to be someone in the stands banging on a trash can. That prompted play-by-play announcer Al Michaels to say, "Somebody's pounding on that trash can, I think the Astros must be in town."
"Pounding on that trash can, you would think the Astros are in town" - Al Michaels
Houston catching strays ??? pic.twitter.com/VpjsHNZHoT
— Thomas Carrieri (@Thomas_Carrieri) December 29, 2023
Roasted.
Of course, Michaels is referring to how, in the 2017 and 2018 MLB seasons (most notably in the 2017 World Series), the Houston Astros were caught using a video camera in the centerfield seats to observe the opposing team's catcher signs, then players or members of the Astros coaching staff would watch the camera feed behind the dugout and use various audio cues — namely, banging on a trash can — to signal to the batter at the plate which pitch was coming.
The scandal was certainly not a laughing matter when it was exposed in November 2019. Not only did it result in the most severe sanctions for in-game misconduct in baseball history, but players on the Astros were also receiving death threats in the scandal's aftermath.
Yet, now enough time has passed that jokes about the trash can scandal are fair game. At least Al Michaels clearly thinks so. And although Kirk Herbstreit, Michaels' partner in the broadcast booth, either didn't understand the joke or didn't find it funny, social media had a field day with what Michaels said; proven by reactions online.
Al Michaels takes shots at the Houston Astros
?POUNDING ON THAT TRASH CANS, YOU WOULD THINK THE ASTROS ARE IN TOWN.?
That?s actually a good one ? ? pic.twitter.com/U1qZ3YgRTB
— Seattle Mariners ON Tap (@MarinersONTap) December 29, 2023
?Somebody?s pounding on that trash can. I think the Astros might be in town.?
Al Michaels from DEEP? pic.twitter.com/PGehHGu8Pb
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) December 29, 2023
Perhaps all of this positive coverage will convince NBC that they need to keep Al Michaels around for longer, as it was reported earlier this month that Michaels — who might be the greatest NFL TV play-by-play commentator of all-time, and who is tied for the most Super Bowls called on television (11) — will not be covering any of the four NFL Playoff games that NBC is broadcasting in January.
Even if NBC does decide to part ways with Michaels after this year, he's still signed with Amazon to work at least one more season of Thursday Night Football games, which is great news, because, if last night is any indication, Michaels still has a lot more to offer football fans.
