It's official: Rick is back!!!!

[LTS]

Indeed.  RJ makes mistakes. He's not what he was in his prime but not many are...

 

I happened to catch another game on TV a few days ago.  I'd tell you who it was but i was so damned bored listening to the conversation that was happening while play was live that I turned it off.  Honestly, the two announcers were talking about non-hockey items during the live play.  It was horrible.

 

So, even half an RJ works for me.  I can also live with Dunleavy but RJ will be RJ and that voice still sounds close to what it has been the mistakes aside.  For me?  That's all I need, especially if I am watching the game and don't need the perfect description.

[Stoner]

Indeed.  RJ makes mistakes. He's not what he was in his prime but not many are...

 

I happened to catch another game on TV a few days ago.  I'd tell you who it was but i was so damned bored listening to the conversation that was happening while play was live that I turned it off.  Honestly, the two announcers were talking about non-hockey items during the live play.  It was horrible.

 

So, even half an RJ works for me.  I can also live with Dunleavy but RJ will be RJ and that voice still sounds close to what it has been the mistakes aside.  For me?  That's all I need, especially if I am watching the game and don't need the perfect description.

The bolded is just it. Rick has never been that descriptive. He's probably never said "here's a slapshot from the left point... (goalie) makes a blocker save" in his life. A lot has always been left to the imagination. The move to TV fit his style perfectly. Guys like Emrick just make your brain hurt. Rick provides the color and the texture to what we're seeing. Radio listeners who know Rick and know hockey and have a good imagination will be fine. The others... I do feel for them.

[darksabre]

The bolded is just it. Rick has never been that descriptive. He's probably never said "here's a slapshot from the left point... (goalie) makes a blocker save" in his life. A lot has always been left to the imagination. The move to TV fit his style perfectly. Guys like Emrick just make your brain hurt. Rick provides the color and the texture to what we're seeing. Radio listeners who know Rick and know hockey and have a good imagination will be fine. The others... I do feel for them.

The thing Rick does best is tell you where the puck is going and how it's getting there. The most important part of the game after all is the puck. I wish more pbp guys would tell me what the puck is doing. 

[That Aud Smell]

Rick has sounded terrific of late. He hasn't sounded like 2005 Rick, but there's no shame in that. But he certainly sounds a lot better than he did a couple months ago, or even last season.

It occurs to me: The knowledge that he was in line for an extended break probably helped his energy level of late.

[darksabre]

I really appreciate that the Sabres are willing to let him phase himself out slowly. I can picture ol Sugar Packets telling Rick to shove off. 

[SarasotaSabre]

I never get tired of RJ's goal calls as well as his knowledge of the game. However, he is showing signs of being a half-step behind. The only knock I have on him is his use of nondescript "filler" language: my biggest pet peeve is "insert player name tries to get away" - overused ad nauseum and this one does not accurately describe the play - at all.

[pastajoe]

I don't mind any mistakes Rick makes. It's worth it for the excitement he brings when a goal is scored.

[That Aud Smell]

I don't mind any mistakes Rick makes. It's worth it for the excitement he brings when a goal is scored.

 

Same. And for the genuine comfort the sound of his call brings to me. Listening to him, sometimes I truly catch myself feeling like a kid again.

[Patty16]

I never get tired of RJ's goal calls as well as his knowledge of the game. However, he is showing signs of being a half-step behind. The only knock I have on him is his use of nondescript "filler" language: my biggest pet peeve is "insert player name tries to get away" - overused ad nauseum and this one does not accurately describe the play - at all.

 

 

I hear you, but as anyone with Centre Ice can attest, it's pretty much an industry-wide thing.  

 

Rick may be a little slower than his prime, but i'll take him over the cookie cutty PbP guys most teams suffer

[SarasotaSabre]

I hear you, but as anyone with Centre Ice can attest, it's pretty much an industry-wide thing.  

 

Rick may be a little slower than his prime, but i'll take him over the cookie cutty PbP guys most teams s

 

I do agree with this; my point wasn't to nitpick. Despite his imperfections, he's OUR RJ .............what's funny is how much other fan boards can't stand his goal call. Oh well.

[Patty16]

I do agree with this; my point wasn't to nitpick. Despite his imperfections, he's OUR RJ .............what's funny is how much other fan boards can't stand his goal call. Oh well.

 

 

Yea i think fans get used to the generic smooth pbp guys who sound like theyre straight out of central casting.... so when they hear an unusual voice with a lot of personality they don't like it ESP his goal calls bc that means they're being scored on.  

 

With that said, DD is ok just way too vanilla to follow RJ 

[Stoner]

Same. And for the genuine comfort the sound of his call brings to me. Listening to him, sometimes I truly catch myself feeling like a kid again.

Perfectly said.

[MattPie]

Yea i think fans get used to the generic smooth pbp guys who sound like theyre straight out of central casting.... so when they hear an unusual voice with a lot of personality they don't like it ESP his goal calls bc that means they're being scored on.  

 

With that said, DD is ok just way too vanilla to follow RJ 

 

It think it's more that to them, he's that crazy soccer guy that screams GOOOOAAAALLLLLLL for 25 minutes.

[LTS]

I thought about it more (and it's not the middle of the night).

 

RJ has become the soundtrack to Sabres hockey for me.  Most of the time I don't even know that I am listening to him while watching what is happening on the screen.  I hear him.  His voice pulls the proper emotion from me while I am visually taking in the game and hearing the skates, sticks, pucks, and chatter on the ice.  Take away the soundtrack from a movie and it's dull and lifeless.  That's how I feel about RJ calling Sabres games.  Without him there's something missing.

[DirtDart]

If you don't think he's still got something.........listen to Dunleavy do a game.

If he doesn't drop that stupid Soccer Scoooorrrrrrreeeee thing.  I can not stand it.

[qwksndmonster]

There are people that don't like "ScoooOOOOOOOOOoores?" What, are you just not that into "Shaaaaauuuggggghhht" as well?

[Kristian]

I honestly think the only reason he gets players wrong, is that he's having trouble reading the numbers, which is to be expected.

[dudacek]

I honestly think the only reason he gets players wrong, is that he's having trouble reading the numbers, which is to be expected.

I've noticed this.

McCabe/Moulson/Girgensons is one example.

[Stoner]

Ever sit in the 300s? It's hard to read the numbers sometimes, and I have 20-20 (20-15 on a good day) vision. And the press box is higher than that.

 

Early in the season, they showed Rick's spot, and I'm pretty sure it was closer to one end than the other. Maybe he moved toward the end the Sabres shoot at twice to help with goal calls. Why can't they put him in a suite?

There are people that don't like "ScoooOOOOOOOOOoores?" What, are you just not that into "Shaaaaauuuggggghhht" as well?

Rick pulled out an oldie but a goodie the other night. Maybe this is what got me thinking the Rick of old is back. "You could toss a hat over all the players on the ice, with the exception of the two goaltenders." I remember that from the mid 70s. I had no idea what it meant for the longest time. (And "right on" confused me at first as well.)

 

Other Rickisms........?

[Randall Flagg]

Ever sit in the 300s? It's hard to read the numbers sometimes, and I have 20-20 (20-15 on a good day) vision. And the press box is higher than that.

 

Early in the season, they showed Rick's spot, and I'm pretty sure it was closer to one end than the other. Maybe he moved toward the end the Sabres shoot at twice to help with goal calls. Why can't they put him in a suite?

Rick pulled out an oldie but a goodie the other night. Maybe this is what got me thinking the Rick of old is back. "You could toss a hat over all the players on the ice, with the exception of the two goaltenders." I remember that from the mid 70s. I had no idea what it meant for the longest time. (And "right on" confused me at first as well.)

 

Other Rickisms........?

I loved hearing the bolded.

 

It really is tough to read the numbers from up high sometimes, I rely on handedness and skating style just as much as what the numbers appear to be.

[Kristian]

I loved hearing the bolded.

 

It really is tough to read the numbers from up high sometimes, I rely on handedness and skating style just as much as what the numbers appear to be.

 

Me too, and I often get guys mixed up anyway.

[Hoss]

I've never heard Rick get players mixed up as much as he does now. I don't want to drive behind this point too much because I love Rick and am fine with him sticking around until he's ready to leave the booth. But JAGs sitting around saying "have you ever sat up in the 300s? It's hard" means nothing. We're not paid handsomely to know who does what on the ice.

[Stoner]

I've never heard Rick get players mixed up as much as he does now. I don't want to drive behind this point too much because I love Rick and am fine with him sticking around until he's ready to leave the booth. But JAGs sitting around saying "have you ever sat up in the 300s? It's hard" means nothing. We're not paid handsomely to know who does what on the ice.

You're making it sound like he's mixing up players a lot. It's a rarity. The only one I noticed against the Caps was Legwand for Bogosian. There are no spotters in hockey. Maybe there should be.

[Randall Flagg]

One I heard recently that seemed glaring was Rick thinking that Eichel was Reinhart. Those two look nothing alike on the ice.

[darksabre]

You're making it sound like he's mixing up players a lot. It's a rarity. The only one I noticed against the Caps was Legwand for Bogosian. There are no spotters in hockey. Maybe there should be.

He's been doing it a lot lately, although to be fair, I can usually tell right away which player he's got wrong and it doesn't bother me. And if you're listening on the radio then who cares anyway, right?