Tim Kennedy

[jpgr909]

sorry again, very much enjoy jack edwards as an announcer, and NESN is way better than MSG..

All opinions here in this "Tim Kennedy" thread, so I'll say that while I agree that the NESN coverage is superb (along with their HD picture and their full stable of uber-babes), Jack Edwards, while seemingly a really good guy, is simply awful as a hockey announcer. He doesn't have the voice or the flow, though I will say he's still much, much better than the ridiculously atrocious...Dale Arnold I believe his name was. They got rid of that buffoon none too soon. The guy wouldn't even call an opponent's goal. He would just start talking about something--the mistake(s) the (B)ruins made, what the score is, who will be taking the face-off at center ice, the best place for Chowdah!--right over the other team's celebration. It was almost like he was going to cry tears of anger whenever the (B)ruins were scored on. He just seemed disgusted...not in the B's, but in the other team. How dare they score on Boston??? Like when you were 8 and the big bully stole your nerf football. Where Edwards and Brickley are homers, Arnold went beyond homer into Gomer!

 

As long as we're giving opinions on non-Sabre announcers, I like Mike Emrick. He calls a solid game and he blends in some good humor and a few decent stories. He's no Vin Scully, and he doesn't have a great voice, but his flow is excellent. Joe Beninati is solid. My favorite non-Sabre NHL announcer is John Forslund for the 'Canes. He calls a fair game (no homerism), has a great voice, great flow, and is fun to listen to, even when the 'Canes are getting spanked. He stays even throughout, whereas Dale Arnold would've wet himself.

 

But as I've seen elsewhere, everyone has very particular tastes when it comes to announcers, so opinions vary widely. Anyway, what's the deal with Tim Kennedy?

[nobody]

Anyway, what's the deal with Tim Kennedy?

 

 

His agent and/or he didn't want a 2-way contract so they went to arbitration and won. Darcy said screw that - they planned to send him down to the minors for most of the season. Now he and his agent are probably hoping for any one way contract of a KHL contract. They will eventually settle for a two way deal probably.

[SwampD]

I;m very sorry but Doc Emeric is just as good if not better than RJ. The thing is when I watch a sabre game if I have the choice between TSN and MSG it's always TSN... It's like picking CBS over ESPN for football games, obviously ESPN is better.

Next season when you are watching a replay show, when the Devils highlights come on just listen to how many of Doc's goal calls are actually him being interupted. He gets bored with the game way too easily and just starts talking about other stuff. RJ is better. He just calls the game.

[nfreeman]

I like Emrick OK but I think he talks a bit too much. Sometimes less is more.

[will]

the guys in dallas have a superb thing going on in their telecasts. top notch. but my favorites have to be the east coast HNIC guys. perfect. the west coast broadcasts are a close second.

[shrader]

My favorite non-Sabre NHL announcer is John Forslund for the 'Canes. He calls a fair game (no homerism), has a great voice, great flow, and is fun to listen to, even when the 'Canes are getting spanked.

 

Forslund confuses me. He sounds like a completely different person when he calls a goal. It sounds so incredibly fake.

[jpgr909]

I like Emrick OK but I think he talks a bit too much. Sometimes less is more.

I can't disagree with this, but it's his style and I don't mind it. That said, often the real culprit on the Devils telecasts is Chico Resch.

 

the guys in dallas have a superb thing going on in their telecasts. top notch. but my favorites have to be the east coast HNIC guys. perfect. the west coast broadcasts are a close second.

In Dallas I don't recall the PBP man, who I agree is good, but it's Daryl Reaugh who is the star of their telecasts, pardon the pun. On HNIC I actually prefer the west coast guys, led by the Canucks announcer Jim Hughson. Bob Cole still has the classic voice, but I think Hughson calls a great game. Thanks for reminding me.

 

Forslund confuses me. He sounds like a completely different person when he calls a goal. It sounds so incredibly fake.

Religion, politics, and sports announcers. It's hard to argue with opinions on this topic, so it's up to personal tastes. For me, Forslund calls a great game, he's exciting, and he doesn't suffer from unabashed homerism.

[shrader]

Religion, politics, and sports announcers. It's hard to argue with opinions on this topic, so it's up to personal tastes. For me, Forslund calls a great game, he's exciting, and he doesn't suffer from unabashed homerism.

 

You know, it's funny. I can't remember a thing about the way he calls a game. All that sticks out is that fake voice change on goals.

[jpgr909]

You know, it's funny. I can't remember a thing about the way he calls a game. All that sticks out is that fake voice change on goals.

Don't get me wrong, I know exactly what you're referring to. I don't have a problem with it or really even notice it, at least not negatively.

[thesportsbuff]

I guess my big problem with Emrick is how he throws in these random, meaningless tidbits and sometimes elaborates forever about them rather than just calling the game. It's like Harry Neale's trademark estimating of distances on the ice, only much more annoying. And since when is a shot a "drive?" This isn't golf. He just has his own language that most people wouldn't even associate with hockey. During the Olympics I was half tempted to play a drinking game based around him -- things like, take a shot or drink a beer every time Doc reminds us that Bobby Ryan is a Cherry Hill, NJ native...

 

I'm not saying RJ is the best hockey announcer in the world -- I honestly couldn't even name most broadcasters outside of RJ and the national broadcast ones, so it wouldn't be fair for me to say that. But I hate how people criticize him for being a "homer." Big deal. For one, he's a local announcer.. he doesn't have to appeal to both audiences. Why wouldn't you want someone who gets excited when the team he is employed by scores? And his extra excitement is especially useful on the radio, because no matter who is doing the play-by-play, there will be moments on a radio broadcast that you're not exactly sure where play is at-- could be in the Sabres end, neutral zone, or the opponents end; so when you hear him yell "SCOOOOOOOOOREEEE" it's pretty easy to figure out that the Sabres scored the goal, not the other team.

[jpgr909]

I'm not saying RJ is the best hockey announcer in the world -- I honestly couldn't even name most broadcasters outside of RJ and the national broadcast ones, so it wouldn't be fair for me to say that. But I hate how people criticize him for being a "homer." Big deal. For one, he's a local announcer.. he doesn't have to appeal to both audiences. Why wouldn't you want someone who gets excited when the team he is employed by scores?

To me, RJ is on the Mt. Rushmore of announcers, so I recuse myself from discussing him.

 

But generally speaking, I really don't think anybody out there is saying that a home team announcer shouldn't or can't side with the home team. That's not why somebody is decried as a "homer." The way I see it, you evolve into a "homer" by being so completely one-sided, so blindly devoted to your team, that your description of what's happening on the ice can't be trusted (just off the top of my head, maybe the worst I've heard on that score, minus the ice part, are the Chicago White Sox announcers, who are positively un-listen-to-able). Granted, it's a fine line and it's one that is crossed quite often, even by announcers you wouldn't characterize as homers, but in many cases it's plainly obvious who is a homer and who isn't. To loosely quote Potter Stewart, I can't completely describe a homer, but I know it when I see (hear) it.

[thesportsbuff]

To me, RJ is on the Mt. Rushmore of announcers, so I recuse myself from discussing him.

 

But generally speaking, I really don't think anybody out there is saying that a home team announcer shouldn't or can't side with the home team. That's not why somebody is decried as a "homer." The way I see it, you evolve into a "homer" by being so completely one-sided, so blindly devoted to your team, that your description of what's happening on the ice can't be trusted (just off the top of my head, maybe the worst I've heard on that score, minus the ice part, are the Chicago White Sox announcers, who are positively un-listen-to-able). Granted, it's a fine line and it's one that is crossed quite often, even by announcers you wouldn't characterize as homers, but in many cases it's plainly obvious who is a homer and who isn't. To loosely quote Potter Stewart, I can't completely describe a homer, but I know it when I see (hear) it.

 

To me RJ seems pretty unbiased. He calls it like he sees it for the most part. I'm sure there's been times he feels differently about a call a ref made or whether a hit was clean or dirty, but he's had his fair share of moments where Sabres' players were on the wrong end of what RJ thinks is the right call.

[nobody]

You know, it's funny. I can't remember a thing about the way he calls a game. All that sticks out is that fake voice change on goals.

 

 

He probably calls a natural game but then when someone scores he knows that part of the game will be rebroadcast all over so he needs to put on a show.

[Taro T]

To me RJ seems pretty unbiased. He calls it like he sees it for the most part. I'm sure there's been times he feels differently about a call a ref made or whether a hit was clean or dirty, but he's had his fair share of moments where Sabres' players were on the wrong end of what RJ thinks is the right call.

RJ is very balanced in that if the Sabres get away w/ a call, he'll mention it, and he'll mention it if the other team got seriously rooked. He also actually LEARNS how the opposing players pronounce their own names, and he uses that pronunciation during the game. Which is shockingly rare for a local announcer. (These guys get paid serious $'s to watch hockey games, how hard is it to spend 30 minutes before a game learning how to say 'Tall-een-der' and a handful of others?)

 

But, the reason that most non-Sabres fans have an issue w/ him is, he is clearly rooting for the Sabres. The things that Sabres fans love about him, that he feels the same joy (and pain) that the rest of us feel throughout the game, is what other fans hate about him. His obvious taking pleasure from their pain and and pain from their pleasure outweighs (for many, not all, but many) the evenhandedness that he displays towards the actual call of the game.

 

When watching the game, you feel like RJ could be sitting next to you and that he'd high five you when Vanek puts one in or that he'd be out of his seat even before you get up when Miller robs Alfie on a breakaway. Ohhhh mmyyy indeed.

[Stoner]

RJ is very balanced in that if the Sabres get away w/ a call, he'll mention it, and he'll mention it if the other team got seriously rooked. He also actually LEARNS how the opposing players pronounce their own names, and he uses that pronunciation during the game.

Maybe, but he also got Dom's name wrong all those years, one of his own.

[shrader]

He probably calls a natural game but then when someone scores he knows that part of the game will be rebroadcast all over so he needs to put on a show.

 

Like, say, Randy Moller?

[carpandean]

so when you hear him yell "SCOOOOOOOOOREEEE" it's pretty easy to figure out that the Sabres scored the goal, not the other team.

And when the other team scores, it sounds like he posing a question, rather than stating a fact. "Tallinder fails to get out ... down to Malkin in the corner ... he centers to Crosby ... and they score?" I can't quite express it online, but there's a definite "really?" feel to how he says "score" for the opponent.

[nobody]

Like, say, Randy Moller?

 

 

He's the one who does movie bits; right? Horrible.

[JoDo]

Having XM, I am afforded the pleasure (or displeasure) of the leagues best and worst announcers. RJ is the best in my opinion. While Emerick is horrible, Dave Mishkin of Tampa Bay has got to be the worst.

[shrader]

For some reason, after seeing the picture in Bucky's column today about Kennedy, I'm kind of glad that they got rid of him.

[Stoner]

For some reason, after seeing the picture in Bucky's column today about Kennedy, I'm kind of glad that they got rid of him.

 

Maybe if they made the photo a little larger, it wouldn't be so bad.

[That Aud Smell]

And when the other team scores, it sounds like he posing a question, rather than stating a fact. "Tallinder fails to get out ... down to Malkin in the corner ... he centers to Crosby ... and they score?" I can't quite express it online, but there's a definite "really?" feel to how he says "score" for the opponent.

you're quite right. i would characterize it as a tone of concerned dismay.

[carpandean]

The ultimate anti-homer goal discussion:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDYARsNlvfQ&feature=search

 

"We can't see this enough. I mean, we can, because it's against the Phoenix Coyotes, but ..."

[Stoner]

And when the other team scores, it sounds like he posing a question, rather than stating a fact. "Tallinder fails to get out ... down to Malkin in the corner ... he centers to Crosby ... and they score?" I can't quite express it online, but there's a definite "really?" feel to how he says "score" for the opponent.

 

You're pretty close, I think. He just sounds shocked, or at least very surprised.

 

I really wish he'd lose the scooooooooooooooooooooooooore call at home. He doesn't do it all the time on the road, and the calls are so much better. More spontaneous.

 

You know who's underrated and not often talked about in these discussions? Sam Rosen of the Rangers, and Versus. Understated style, great voice for hockey.

 

Fry me like jumbo, but I also think Paul Steigerwald of the Pens is excellent. But I don't really care for the banter with Bob Errey -- these guys are fairly large tools when they get going.

 

Then there was the guy who did the RJ impression in San Jose. MIght have been my personal favorite moment of last season. "And there goes the population of Pominville!" Edit: "You can add one more to the population of Pominville!" Could provide a link, but nah..

 

OK...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaS2Fj_FALs

[thesportsbuff]

RJ is very balanced in that if the Sabres get away w/ a call, he'll mention it, and he'll mention it if the other team got seriously rooked. He also actually LEARNS how the opposing players pronounce their own names, and he uses that pronunciation during the game. Which is shockingly rare for a local announcer. (These guys get paid serious $'s to watch hockey games, how hard is it to spend 30 minutes before a game learning how to say 'Tall-een-der' and a handful of others?)

 

But, the reason that most non-Sabres fans have an issue w/ him is, he is clearly rooting for the Sabres. The things that Sabres fans love about him, that he feels the same joy (and pain) that the rest of us feel throughout the game, is what other fans hate about him. His obvious taking pleasure from their pain and and pain from their pleasure outweighs (for many, not all, but many) the evenhandedness that he displays towards the actual call of the game.

 

When watching the game, you feel like RJ could be sitting next to you and that he'd high five you when Vanek puts one in or that he'd be out of his seat even before you get up when Miller robs Alfie on a breakaway. Ohhhh mmyyy indeed.

 

This is all true, but it goes back to my previous post (two posts ago actually) -- who cares that he's rooting for the Sabres? He's a local area broadcaster and 90% of the people hearing him are also rooting for the Sabres. He helps make the game a little more exciting for us, and at the very least it gives the idea that somebody in the organization besides the players wants the team to win. ;)

 

Excellent point about how he learns the names of players, it is really cool when you think about it. I remember about midway through 05/06 when he switched from Tall-IN-der to Tall-EEN-der, and "Lidman" to "Luuuudman" (I have no idea how to type out pronunciations on here), it threw me for a loop the first few games but it seems like an honorable show of respect from RJ -- how would you like it if someone pronounced your name wrong a hundred times on a television broadcast? At least he makes a good effort.