Hockey in the USA

[Triumph36]

Emrick is the best is the business - this year I've noticed he's had a tough time with names unlike in years past, but he's miles ahead of Thorne who was terrible with names and made ridiculous statements (his 'For the CUP!' call in Cup Finals Overtime still grates on me). Emrick and JD were great for the Olympics.

I've never heard Jeanerret for long stretches but he seems way over the top - hometown fans are going to love that, but I won't. I've also heard the Colorado guy says 'Thank You!' after Colorado goals - that sounds like the worst thing in the world.

[lozen]

I al;ways thought ESPN did a very good job. CBC has many regional brodacasts so it depends which broadcast you get

[MyTurn2Raise]

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I don't agree with the Canadian bias statements, the announcers are so politically correct all the time it angers me. When the referee screws up, call it, don't just agree with him everytime(Bob Cole).

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I never was in the bias camp either until I watched this year's Edmonton and Calgary games with CBC announcers....wow...it's ugly.

I used to root for Canadian teams, but no more.

[bigt2k4]

I really don't understand how a biased announcer will change which team you cheer for.

[MicroBob]

the TB guy annoyed me long before his stanley cup winning call.
I just don't think he's very good, nor very professional.


Boot, I've called several games on the radio in all 4 major sports.
For some reason I think hockey really isn't that hard once you get some sort of rhythm down.
There's always something happening. If you want something to get excited about then it's right there.
If you call a few games with a team then you start to recognize the lines and the players' mannerisms.


However, this was college hockey where you're usually not THAT far away from the action. I've also called college games from NHL arensa...such as the top of the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. That was rude awakening for me. You're so high up and so far away you can't see the numbers sometimes.

How some of those 60 and 70 year-old NHL announcers can do that every game is beyond me (although they do have the video-monitors with the replays, etc now).
For me, it was pretty tough to get used to.


In hoops, you're courtside and have the best seat in the house pretty much. No trouble identifying the players there.


Baseball can still be the toughest imo.
It's my favorite sport. But it can get REALLY damn slow sometimes.

10-1 in the 3rd inning in game 1 of a DH and you're somehow supposed to keep the broadcast interesting??? Yeah, that'll happen. Toss in sutff like it being 99 degrees in the press-box, you're doing the broadcast solo, and it's your teams 43rd game in 39 days. yiiikes.

In hockey, if it's 7-1 in the 3rd period you can at least count on some decent checks or a couple fights or SOMETHING to provide excitement.


FWIW - I think most people think that hockey is the toughest sport to call. For some reason I have to take the contrary view (yet again).

[MyTurn2Raise]

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I really don't understand how a biased announcer will change which team you cheer for.

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because I had very little opinion otherwise

I suppported Canadian teams because of their large, devoted fanbases. The announcers made me hate the teams in question. It's not that uncommon of a psychological phenomenon. For example, it's quite common for people attending any sporting event who only wants to see a good game to end up hating the team with the fans that they sit by because on the partialness of their viewpoint.

[irvman21]

You could bring the greatest hockey announcers in the world in to work the broadcasts in the US and it's not going to matter in the slightest. Hockey is and will always be a niche sport in the US, like soccer, or F1. It has a small but passionate following, but will never compete with the NBA, NFL, MLB or NASCAR.

[Gamblor]

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the CBC guys suck

of all my complaints about ESPN, they actually had some good hockey announcers and commentators

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I can agree with you somewhat with Harry Neale or is it Bob Cole? The play by play guy, not the analyst I hate. They have a great voice and knack for making the game better than usual, and I would take them over an American broadcast every time, but I don't like them nearly as much as any other duo. Chris Cuthbert, who is now part of TSN is far and away the best play by play announcer in my opinion.

On average, the Canadian broadcasts are so much better than the American ones

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Bob Cole does the play by play. I spent most of the first 25 years of my life listening to them call Leafs games on HNIC. I [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] bob cole and harry neale.

Aside: i bumped into harry neale one night at the madison, he was sitting there with agent Don Meehan (who represents like 50 players) and he was hammered. guy was saying things that would make a navy cadet blush.

I would imagine the reason everyone hates CBC announcers so much is because they assume a high degree of knowledge. Like following the game as your number one favourite sport your whole life knowledge. Having lived and played in the hockey world for 15 odd years, it's rare I read or hear something about the world of hockey, strategy, lifestyle, etc that is new and interesting (outside news, of course) but these guys always discuss the minute points of the game and i always find their banter interesting.

plus, glenn healy has been really really good in the playoffs. new thing, CBC's put him in the little area between the benches for a few games and he's been giving updates from there.

following from that, i absolutely hate almost all american announcers. to me, they're just stating the obvious, all the time. using lingo that was cool in hockey a decade ago (i.e. the biscuit... nobody's used "putting the biscuit in the basket" since i was like 15).

[Gamblor]

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Here's a classic by Rick Jeanneret, the best in the business.

http://www.sabres.com/components/files/May_Day.mp3

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i always thought the may day was so obnoxious and annoying.

on the other hand, what with all the cups the sabres have won, i can see why one big playoff goal is worth a heart attack.

the proper announcement of a goal is:

"shoots... he SCORRRESSS!"

not "SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEESSSSSS S MAYDAYMAYDAYMDAYDAYOMFGWTFBBQ" or other retarded american calls (i.e. pittsburg) "HE PUT IT UP THERE WITH THE PEANUT BUTTER ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING CALL GRANDMA TELL HER IM NOT COMING HOME TONIGHT DADDY'S GOT A NEW GOLF BAG" or all that crap.

EDIT Wow, MicroBob knew exactly who i was talking about before i even posted it. MicroBob is good.

[rJ_]

The absolute worst is Pierre Mcguire. He almost makes watching the world juniours impossible without mute.

rJ_