Dunleavy "expected" to return next season on new contract

[Stoner]

PSE executive vice president tells TBN.

Dunleavy has few fans on this board. What are we missing?

And of the few fans he has on this board, how many think he's the right guy moving forward with a young and potentially exciting team? I dread that flat voice, dull personality and unimaginative style being associated with the team — and oh those Dunleavy Non Goal Call Goal Calls.

[nucci]

whole broadcast team needs to be replaced. Amazing that Rob Ray has that job

[Stoner]

1 minute ago, nucci said:

whole broadcast team needs to be replaced. Amazing that Rob Ray has that job

He's also at the end of his contract — and also "expected" to return.

[Doohicksie]

[Mustache of God]

I like Ray. 

Dunleavy on the other hand....I'd prefer he'd be done and leave the booth for good. 

[Doohicksie]

3 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

I like Ray. 

Dunleavy on the other hand....I'd prefer he'd be done and leave the booth for good. 

Agreed.  Ray is a buffoon but he makes it fun.

[LGR4GM]

Duff and Biron are my favorites in between periods. Ray is meh. Dunleavy I have no real opinion on. 

[Buffalonill]

Hate to say it but i watch the away team broadcast 

[Stoner]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Duff and Biron are my favorites in between periods. Ray is meh. Dunleavy I have no real opinion on. 

You will when Tage Thompson scores an overtime goal in the playoffs and Dan comes up with, "Tage rages in the game-winner!"

[Taro T]

Is there any possibility that the Sabres are playing "3D chess" knowing that ANYONE who follows Jeanneret will be unliked, so they're putting Dunleavy in the Gurtler role & will continue him there for 1-2 seasons after THE retirement?

Or is it simply a case of ownership being comfortable with him and liking him so they see no reason for a change?

[LGR4GM]

3 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Is there any possibility that the Sabres are playing "3D chess" knowing that ANYONE who follows Jeanneret will be unliked, so they're putting Dunleavy in the Gurtler role & will continue him there for 1-2 seasons after THE retirement?

Or is it simply a case of ownership being comfortable with him and liking him so they see no reason for a change?

Come on now, you now it is the 2nd option here. This organization is all about doing the easy and comfortable thing. 

[nucci]

41 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

He's also at the end of his contract — and also "expected" to return.

wonderful. I would miss his "keys to the game"

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, nucci said:

wonderful. I would miss his "keys to the game"

Score more goals

Get to the dirty areas

Limit chances

[bob_sauve28]

When Ray begins to talk I literally reach for the remote to hit mute. I'll watch with no sound most games 

[JoeSchmoe]

46 minutes ago, nucci said:

Amazing that Rob Ray has that job

I really like Ray too. So what if hes not the most articulate guy. Its entertainment, and I think hes good at what he does. I say that too as someone that didnt like him as a player.

[nucci]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Score more goals

Get to the dirty areas

Limit chances

One time he listed only one key - Win

1 minute ago, JoeSchmoe said:

I really like Ray too. So what if hes not the most articulate guy. Its entertainment, and I think hes good at what he does. I say that too as someone that didnt like him as a player.

but he's not good at what he does. He talks during the play and if people are listening on the radio they don't know what's happening in the game

[Stoner]

The obvious setup would be pxp, analyst, color commentator/comic relief between the benches. Rutherford (Chris, currently doing games in Muskegon), Drury (Matt, former ECHL star and hockey podcaster) — and Ray. (Some names made up for comic relief.)

[dudacek]

50 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

PSE executive vice president tells TBN.

Dunleavy has few fans on this board. What are we missing?

And of the few fans he has on this board, how many think he's the right guy moving forward with a young and potentially exciting team? I dread that flat voice, dull personality and unimaginative style being associated with the team — and oh those Dunleavy Non Goal Call Goal Calls.

I am so happy I don't listen on radio.

A small part of me says "let's see what he can do with a team worth calling." A bigger part says he just doesn't have "it." I don't dislike him, and I understand we've been spoiled with Rick, but we still deserve better.

Marty and Duffer are very capable. Marty is very likable, Brian less so, but they work well together and provide good content.

Ray is great when he is allowed to be himself — needling the others, going of on weird tangents, making self-deprecating jokes, and taking potshots based on what he is hearing and seeing ice-level. He sucks as an analyst. I wish they would add another voice to dissect the game and just let Rob do his beloved teammate thing so I never have to hear "the Sabres need to slow things down" again.

 

[Thorner]

It always feels like Ray is pushing some sort of narrative coming from the top down, when he isn't joking around.

Dunleavy is milquetoast as a play by play guy. Really don't like how he doesn't say "scores"

[nucci]

2 minutes ago, Thorny said:

It always feels like Ray is pushing some sort of narrative coming from the top down, when he isn't joking around.

Dunleavy is milquetoast as a play by play guy. Really don't like how he doesn't say "scores"

" and it's in". Spoiled by Ted Darling and RJ along with old Hockey Night in Canada guys

[That Aud Smell]

25 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

I really like Ray too. So what if hes not the most articulate guy. Its entertainment, and I think hes good at what he does. I say that too as someone that didnt like him as a player.

I agree with this, mostly. There are plenty of times when Ray is just being himself, and it's frequently golden.

The problem is ... he's not much of an analyst.

20 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Ray is great when he is allowed to be himself — needling the others, going of on weird tangents, making self-deprecating jokes, and taking potshots based on what he is hearing and seeing ice-level. He sucks as an analyst. I wish they would add another voice to dissect the game and just let Rob do his beloved teammate thing so I never have to hear "the Sabres need to slow things down" again.

Hear, hear.

[Thorner]

Just now, nucci said:

" and it's in". Spoiled by Ted Darling and RJ along with old Hockey Night in Canada guys

Even the average play by play guy will say it, too. 

I have to stream the games a lot and the quality isn't always perfect - I can't actually see the puck hit the netting or whatever every time, so him not calling the goal in a timely fashion is actually quite annoying. 

I could live with him if he changed that up 

[Radar]

49 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Is there any possibility that the Sabres are playing "3D chess" knowing that ANYONE who follows Jeanneret will be unliked, so they're putting Dunleavy in the Gurtler role & will continue him there for 1-2 seasons after THE retirement?

Or is it simply a case of ownership being comfortable with him and liking him so they see no reason for a change?

Or they get him cheap. They should because he's terrible.

 

[Stoner]

10 minutes ago, nucci said:

" and it's in". Spoiled by Ted Darling and RJ along with old Hockey Night in Canada guys

It's about respect. Not clearly stating that the opponent has scored is disrespectful (not to mention confusing to the listener). The height of homerism. Amateurish.

[JoeSchmoe]

9 minutes ago, Radar said:

Or they get him cheap. They should because he's terrible.

 

My number 1 concern is he really doesnt call a good game for the radio (TV wise he's adequate). You just can't follow the play with him. Maybe its a being spoiled by Rick thing. 

Number 2 is he lacks passion for the team. Dunleavy honed his craft as a network guy where he had to be impartial. As a local broadcast play-by-play guy, its his job to be excited by the home team. He seems equally excited when the opposition scores or makes a great play. Maybe he's staying that way as he's got an eye on doing national broadcasts again.

Voice wise, I don't mind him and i think he could do a decent job doing TV back at TSN.

Edited May 6, 2021 by JoeSchmoe