Rick's last call?

[PromoTheRobot]

I think Rob Ray is hilarious. I think Rick needs to retire. I really wish they would separate TV and radio calls because a radio call needs to be more descriptive than TV does. I also predict no one following Rick will be liked because they aren't Rick.

[Curt]

3 hours ago, drnkirishone said:

I don't get it.... am I secretly a troll? I have zero problem with how Marty talks. I would love to hear him working as analyst

I like it, but I’ve also heard people talking like that for pretty much my whole life.

3 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

I'd like Rob more as the guy in-between the glass and not also the color commentator.  

Me too.  I thought he was funnier when I didn’t have to hear him as much.

[Cal Naughton Jr]

Rick is a Buffalo treasure. The calls he gave us throughout the years are timeless. But it’s time. He definitely deserved better. He did what he could with the product on the ice

[JohninMinn.]

It started going south when Rick uttered this final kiss of death..... "This team is very good. This team is scary good."

[gilbert11]

6 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I think Rob Ray is hilarious. I think Rick needs to retire. I really wish they would separate TV and radio calls because a radio call needs to be more descriptive than TV does. I also predict no one following Rick will be liked because they aren't Rick.

I’ll never forget the experience listening to a San Francisco Giants radio broadcast by a Phil Stone, who had previously only done TV broadcasting.  
 

His call was something like this: “Here’s the pitch. Centerfielder’s under it.  Inning over.”

[Kong]

I have an idea: Retire RJ, fire Dunleavy and then bring in a PBP man with absolutely no experience!

[PromoTheRobot]

3 minutes ago, Kong said:

I have an idea: Retire RJ, fire Dunleavy and then bring in a PBP man with absolutely no experience!

All this reminds me of my asking my wife what she'd like for dinner. Says she doesn't know, has me pick, then tells me she hates it.

Edited May 7, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[Thorner]

15 hours ago, JohninMinn. said:

It started going south when Rick uttered this final kiss of death..... "This team is very good. This team is scary good."

No, we won game 1 against Carolina

😋

[Mustache of God]

1 hour ago, Kong said:

I have an idea: Retire RJ, fire Dunleavy and then bring in a PBP man with absolutely no experience!

THE PEGULA PROCESS

[Stoner]

Maybe the broadcasting template was laid down starting in the very early days. You have an understated national broadcaster out of Canada as your television voice; the style is on the bland side, emotion is sparse and saved for the biggest moments, and even then, the moment is allowed to star (quick, do your best Ted Darling goal call in your head). You add a relative unknown on the radio, seemingly an underling to the television voice (and to this day, Rick still considers Ted to be The Voice of the Sabres); the descriptive style is perfect for radio, passion brings a passionate game to life in listeners' imaginations, and the call is the moment.

I'm biting a piece of taffy in half as I type these words, but maybe Dan is our Ted. Our Rick? He (or she) is out there, young and untested, wildly calling games in the OHL or USHL.

The simulcast worked with Rick as the sole voice. It doesn't work with Dan, but you can see why the Sabres wouldn't want a third voice just for the times Dan was on TV. If Rick retires, the simulcast has to go.

[Mustache of God]

I'll forever be pissed that we wasted the last decade of RJ. It's such a shame he went a decade without calling a playoff game.

[Norcal]

 

[Norcal]

Some overlap but the energy comes through the screen 

 

[Norcal]

Holy crap amazing calls and hockey plays in these highlight clips.

I have a suggestion for immortalizing RJ. When a Sabres player puts one in top shelf the PA will forever play:

Buffalo goal "Top shelf, where mama hides the cookies" scored by...

[LabattBlue]

I wish it wasn’t, but my gut feeling is, this is it for RJ.  😞

[Billznut]

If it is, my guess is RJ will announce it sometime today during the broadcast. His retirement won’t be by press release of PSE. He will want to utter the words. Most likely in the next 3 hours or so.  

[Radar]

Just now, LabattBlue said:

I wish it wasn’t, but my gut feeling is, this is it for RJ.  😞

It wouldn't surprise me. Eventually eras end. We have been spoiled by having one of the best of all time. He's to sabres hockey what Vin Scully was to Dodgers Blue.

[Stoner]

Rick said after the game, in so many words, he hopes to return next season. He thanked the crew in the booth, the people in the truck and the camera operators before saying, "...hope that I'll have the opportunity to work with them again."

[dudacek]

Is it possible that PSE is ready to move on, and today was a hint?

[Andrew Amerk]

RJ won’t be done yet, and I pray DD isn’t the replacement.

As someone said earlier in the thread, there has to be a young, exuberant person out there that can eventually replace RJ. I hope the Sabres are searching, and if they aren’t, I hope posters here are to help with suggestions. 

[sabremike]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Is it possible that PSE is ready to move on, and today was a hint?

Me: I couldn't possibly hate Terry Pegula more than I already do.

Terry: Hold my beer...

[Stoner]

9 hours ago, dudacek said:

Is it possible that PSE is ready to move on, and today was a hint?

Hopefully not — although the devil on my left shoulder immediately tells me I can't argue against mediocrity and living in the past and for blowing the stink off a stagnant franchise and still argue for Rick's return.

What I think the RJ50 culmination was all about was a franchise that has so little to celebrate finding something obvious to celebrate. Dev tells me it was PSE going almost over the top so people couldn't say Rick didn't get the proper sendoff.

Based on the VP's recent comment and Rick's comment on hoping to work with the crew again, I honestly think it's up in the air and it's the same scenario of lo these many years: Rick and the Sabres will sit down and try to work something out this summer. Health could be a big factor. Brawndo can chime in, but that bruise under his eye was concerning. And the other night when Rick thumbed his nose at Rob, his hand was all discolored. Maybe just aging skin or maybe he's on blood thinners or something.

 

[dudacek]

42 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Hopefully not — although the devil on my left shoulder immediately tells me I can't argue against mediocrity and living in the past and for blowing the stink off a stagnant franchise and still argue for Rick's return.

What I think the RJ50 culmination was all about was a franchise that has so little to celebrate finding something obvious to celebrate. Dev tells me it was PSE going almost over the top so people couldn't say Rick didn't get the proper sendoff.

Based on the VP's recent comment and Rick's comment on hoping to work with the crew again, I honestly think it's up in the air and it's the same scenario of lo these many years: Rick and the Sabres will sit down and try to work something out this summer. Health could be a big factor. Brawndo can chime in, but that bruise under his eye was concerning. And the other night when Rick thumbed his nose at Rob, his hand was all discolored. Maybe just aging skin or maybe he's on blood thinners or something.

 

There was that incident where he passed out or whatever it was was on the air last season. It was kinda brushed off, but maybe there is growing concern for his health?

My original post suggested a callous motivation, but more likely it’s exactly the opposite: “we love you Gramma, but it’s time to take the keys away before someone gets hurt.”

[Thorner]

9 minutes ago, dudacek said:

There was that incident where he passed out or whatever it was was on the air last season. It was kinda brushed off, but maybe there is growing concern for his health?

My original post suggested a callous motivation, but more likely it’s exactly the opposite: “we love you Gramma, but it’s time to take the keys away before someone gets hurt.”

I feel like being in the booth would be good for him health wise. So much flows from mental health. If we really wants to be there, I'd guess it's probably a benefit. 

[PromoTheRobot]

Sounds like Dunleavy is done. Read the entire thread.