Much of the attention so far regarding the Royals' new broadcasting lineup has focused on colorful analyst Rex “Wonder Dog” Hudler.
Sitting somewhat quietly in the background has been the other addition to the Royals' broadcasting team – play-by-play man Steve Physioc.
And that's all just fine with Physioc.
“Rex should be getting the attention,” Physioc told me by phone. “Television is the stage for the color commentator. That's what makes the broadcast.
“I told him very early on when we were with the Angels that 'Hey, I'm going to make you a star.' What I meant was that I was going to set things up so he could be himself and be as enthusiastic as he wanted to be.”
Physioc will do 50 games of play by play in the FOXSportsKansasCity television booth, as well as an undetermined number of radio broadcasts. Ryan Lefebvre will work the other 90 games as the television play-by-play man, and also switch over to the radio side.
Hudler is scheduled to work 140 games on television.
“There are very few people as enthusiastic as Rex,” Physioc said. “I think Royals fans will love it once they hear it.”
Hudler does have a reputation for, shall we say, going a bit over the top at times with that enthusiasm. Does that mean Physioc and Lefebvre will be putting a leash on the Wonder Dog on occasion?
“Absolutely not,” Physioc said, laughing. “That excitement is sincere and you don't want to tone it down. It is what makes the broadcast.
“In fact, I don't think we'll need a leash on Opening Day -- I think we'll need a seat belt. A seat belt is the only thing that will keep Rex in his chair that day.”
Truth be told, though, Physioc is equally excited about his new gig. This is a coming-home party for Physioc, a Shawnee Mission North graduate who went on to Kansas State and eventually became the voice of the K-State Wildcats.
Physioc's mother still lives in Overland Park and he has a sister who resides in Olathe.
“Everyone dreams of coming back home and working,” Physioc said. “That's what makes this so special for my wife and I.”
Physioc grew up listening to Royals games on the radio, and fell in love with the broadcasting techniques of Fred White and Denny Matthews.
“Back then, you could listen to games all around the Midwest, too,” Physioc recalled. “At night, when stations changed their bandwidth, I could pick up the stations in St. Louis, Detroit, Minnesota – what a great education that was. I could listen to Fred and Denny, I could get Jack Buck some nights, Ernie Harwell other nights.
“Sometimes you had to turn your radio a certain way or put it in a certain part of the room. But listening to those legends is was what made me fall in love with broadcasting.”
Physioc also made it a point to listen to White's broadcasts of the Wildcats' football and basketball games.
“He was just so good at painting a picture of what was on the field or on the arena floor,” Physioc said.
Later, when Physioc went to K-State, White and Physioc became acquainted.
“I was doing some junior-varsity games for a small station,” Physioc said, “and Fred actually mentioned to me once that he heard my broadcast and liked it. Then, after I graduated, he was instrumental in helping me get my first job in Hastings, Neb., and then also in Topeka.
“He's simply been great to me.”
And did White have anything to do with helping Physioc get this job with the Royals?
“Who knows? Maybe,” Physioc said. “I know that (Royals senior vice president of business operations) Kevin Uhlich was the first one to call me back in the fall and he asked me if I had any interest in returning to Kansas City. He said there wasn't any opening at the time but he just wanted to know if I had any interest.
“Then, December came, and he called again. Then things began to pick up a little.”
Hudler and Physioc appear to be somewhat of a package deal, though Physioc said the dual hiring is mostly coincidental. The two worked 11 years together with the Angels, when Uhlich also worked for the Angels.
“I didn't even know Rex was in the picture at first,” Physioc said. “I remember hearing some things in December about Rex and the Royals, so I called Rex. We were both supposed to be quiet about it, and we were, but I asked Rex, 'Do we both know something we're not supposed to know?' We just kind of laughed and left it at that.
“But I will say this: We might be the first broadcasting team to ever get re-hired with another team. I'm guessing it's happened before but I can't remember it.”
