Harry Neale "cut" from broadcast team?

[Hephaestus]

Joe Bowen, Maple Leafs commentator tweeted yesterday:

 

@BonsieTweets

"Harry Neale cut from the Sabre broadcast. Class act! #notthesabres #loveharry #HallOfFame"

 

No one really seemed to have picked up on it, but I would have to assume he knows something since Harry Neale was his longtime broadcast partner.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

That would suck. And I agree, if it is a fact, it is pretty classless to do a fly-by-night hit on one of the legends of broadcasting.

[darksabre]

Wasn't it already announced a while ago that Neale wasn't part of the broadcast plans anymore?

[Bullwinkle III]

That would be sad news. I always liked Harry's wit. Too few people in hockey are that sharp.

 

I'll never forget one from a year or two ago...Buf vs. Tor. "Do you think Crabb is pinching on that play?"

[wjag]

Buh bye ...

[TrueBlueGED]

Buh bye ...

 

My sentiments exactly.

[Stoner]

I found something I like about this regime! Now let's get Ray back into the court jester role between the benches and find a top-notch analyst.

[Eleven]

Wasn't it already announced a while ago that Neale wasn't part of the broadcast plans anymore?

 

I seem to remember that.

[Stoner]

Wasn't it already announced a while ago that Neale wasn't part of the broadcast plans anymore?

 

How long ago? You're not talking about before last season when they announced he would only be contributing to the intermission reports?

[That Aud Smell]

I do not recall the Sabres ever announcing that Harry would no longer be part of the broadcast team in any capacity. There were announcements that hinted at his taking steps back, doing less -- but never an outright "he's done/we're done with him."

 

Any suggestion that the Sabres are cold heartless bastages for doing this is laughable. Best I can tell, the Sabres threw Harry a life line when CBC determined that he was done. He's a legend of the game whose time as a broadcaster appears to be done. No shame in that.

 

IMO, either his heart was no longer in it or he had nothing left in the tank -- he was generally tough to watch for much of the past season.

[Eleven]

Acting like this in public probably didn't help his cause:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2367375/Roxanne-Pallett-indulges-passionate-PDA-boyfriend-Harry-Neale--despite-surrounded-friends.html

[Stoner]

I do not recall the Sabres ever announcing that Harry would no longer be part of the broadcast team in any capacity. There were announcements that hinted at his taking steps back, doing less -- but never an outright "he's done/we're done with him."

 

Any suggestion that the Sabres are cold heartless bastages for doing this is laughable. Best I can tell, the Sabres threw Harry a life line when CBC determined that he was done. He's a legend of the game whose time as a broadcaster appears to be done. No shame in that.

 

IMO, either his heart was no longer in it or he had nothing left in the tank -- he was generally tough to watch for much of the past season.

 

I mostly liked his two minute gig. Just the right dose of Harry.

[Doohicksie]

Acting like this in public probably didn't help his cause:

 

http://www.dailymail...ed-friends.html

 

Oh my.

 

Yeah, Harry is pretty well worn out.

 

RJ is next (yeah, I know about the new contract; not sure if he'll make it through it).

[IKnowPhysics]

I mostly liked his two minute gig. Just the right dose of Harry.

 

Agreed. Story time with Harry was pretty good. I thought they had found the perfect role for him.

[Hephaestus]

I do not recall the Sabres ever announcing that Harry would no longer be part of the broadcast team in any capacity. There were announcements that hinted at his taking steps back, doing less -- but never an outright "he's done/we're done with him."

 

Any suggestion that the Sabres are cold heartless bastages for doing this is laughable. Best I can tell, the Sabres threw Harry a life line when CBC determined that he was done. He's a legend of the game whose time as a broadcaster appears to be done. No shame in that.

 

IMO, either his heart was no longer in it or he had nothing left in the tank -- he was generally tough to watch for much of the past season.

 

Occasionally I'll catch a "classic" game on the NHLNetwork where Harry was doing the play by play and it's obvious he's lost a lot with age. Even the final two seasons he was in the booth with Rick, you could tell he was fading and losing touch. Consistently saying the wrong player names, losing his train of though, etc.. I'll never forget the game in San Jose two years ago where during live action he just started rambling on a joke about jogging past a cemetery and being chased by gravediggers.

[That Aud Smell]

I mostly liked his two minute gig. Just the right dose of Harry.

 

My bad -- on further reflection, I'm apparently thinking of when he had a more prominent role. I honestly don't recall much about the story time appearances.

[darksabre]

 

 

How long ago? You're not talking about before last season when they announced he would only be contributing to the intermission reports?

 

Perhaps that is what I was thinking of. Either way it appears the writing was already on the wall for Harry.

[...]

I do not recall the Sabres ever announcing that Harry would no longer be part of the broadcast team in any capacity. There were announcements that hinted at his taking steps back, doing less -- but never an outright "he's done/we're done with him."

 

Any suggestion that the Sabres are cold heartless bastages for doing this is laughable. Best I can tell, the Sabres threw Harry a life line when CBC determined that he was done. He's a legend of the game whose time as a broadcaster appears to be done. No shame in that.

 

IMO, either his heart was no longer in it or he had nothing left in the tank -- he was generally tough to watch for much of the past season.

 

I agree with this. I'm sure there is more to the story and the he wasn't just cut from the staff with no warning. I liked his 2 minute stint, but I sure hope they had someone picking him up from his house for those gigs because the guy is way too old to be driving in Buffalo winter weather just for a 2 minute shot on TV.

[Hephaestus]

I posted this on the Sabres subreddit as well and someone said YNN looked into it, and the team confirmed he has been taken off the broadcast, but still has a role within the organization.

[nobody]

Not much of a surprise given the 2 minutes per home game time he was already reduced to. They had to find some minutes for Dunleavy. I'm sure Harry will get to do pr events where people can walk up and listen to his stories and then walk away when they hear the loop starting over.

[IKnowPhysics]

I'm hoping they compliment the Beyond Blue and Gold digital shorts with a Sabres version of "Punk'd" hosted by Harry.

[Marvelo]

Harry's in the HOF. It's always great to have a HOFer on your side. I'd like to see the Sabres have a kinder, gentler Don Cherry-type of regular spot going with Harry.

[Hephaestus]

Confirmation in the form of an interview with him:

http://www.orilliapa...e-it-up-in-city

 

Neale, who learned he was getting hockey broadcasting’s Holy Grail in June, discovered a few days ago he is officially out of work — and off the air for the first time in more than 25 years.

“Last year, they moved me out of the booth and I was doing the pre-game show and intermission reports,” said Neale, who joined the Buffalo Sabres crew in 2007. “But I didn’t think I would be out completely.”

[That Aud Smell]

Confirmation in the form of an interview with him:

http://www.orilliapa...e-it-up-in-city

 

Orillia - beautiful town. Just a hope and a skip from Bracebridge. Get that far, all you need to do is turn off the main road and you're apt to find a lovely camp where you can rent a rustic cabin and fish and drink to your heart's delight.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Confirmation in the form of an interview with him:

http://www.orilliapa...e-it-up-in-city

 

That's really too bad. With all the patronage stuff going on down there these days, he's probably the only one deserving of a bone-throw to get a gig.