Deadspin: The Lightning won the Cup, but we all won, because there’s no more Pierre McGuire

[SDS]

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As for NBC losing the coverage, I didn’t hate it as much as some. Emerick was always a treasure, and they seemed to try to pivot in later years to younger analysts who had played today’s game, not the game that hockey can’t stop romanticizing, but actually was ass. I doubt ESPN will put much more effort into it than NBC did, and TNT is a wild-card. But it’ll at least be new, and with new comes hope that it could be better. Let’s live there for now.

https://deadspin.com/the-lightning-won-the-cup-but-we-all-won-because-ther-1847250782

[WildCard]

ESPN is a shell of its former self. I'll be amazed if they can pull off a competent broadcasting crew/coverage. They ***** suck now

[Hawerchuk]

Good article. I agree with all the points. I couldn't stand Pierre and I don't even care for Doc Emerick all that much either. I thought Kenny Albert did a way better job doing the play by play this season than Doc ever did. So long NBC!

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, Hawerchuk said:

Doc Emerick

I don't dislike him, but I think he is way overrated.

[Randall Flagg]

Kenny Albert is excellent and adds to the excitement of the game he calls

 

[FogBat]

Now if only they would add Grapes to their broadcast team since he no longer works for HNIC.

[That Aud Smell]

2 hours ago, Randall Flagg said:

Kenny Albert is excellent and adds to the excitement of the game he calls

 

He's a pro.

[Torpedo Forecheck]

The announcers (Emerick, Albert and Forslund) were all enjoyable. No problem with them. The analysts drove me nuts especially the aforementioned Pierre, but Olzcyk was awful IMO. I think of him as a terrible coach posing as an expert, I disagreed with much of what he tried to BS us with. Stuff like 6 minutes to go and down 2 goals, "its way to early to start pinching your Dmen".....uh Eddy... nah forget it -you'd never get it.

BYE BYE Pierre and Eddy

[nucci]

Hockey broadcasts have gone downhill. You have a play by play guy and 2 analysts. No need for a 2nd and its mostly just conversation. The analysts talk during the action and it's annoying. Used to be analyst spoke only during stoppages. 

[Stoner]

18 hours ago, That Aud Smell said:

He's a pro.

I guess. Maybe. I can't get beyond the voice. I'd have to suspect he learned early to imitate his dad. Would he be where he is without the name? My bigger beef is that he's about 1.5 seconds behind on his goal calls. Even behind the crowd reaction. But he does end up calling the goal, unlike Dan, who goes all deer in the headlights.

4 hours ago, nucci said:

Hockey broadcasts have gone downhill. You have a play by play guy and 2 analysts. No need for a 2nd and its mostly just conversation. The analysts talk during the action and it's annoying. Used to be analyst spoke only during stoppages. 

Right on. I'll look to see if ESPN takes another approach. They need to tailor the show to hardcore fans. I mean, that's whose watching, I think. Lots of casual viewers tune into NFL games. I can't imagine lots of Mr. and Mrs. Americans who don't follow hockey put an NHL game on for shits and giggles and nachos. Talking about how so and so is Craig Mactavish's godson and played the juice harp at Bemidji State doesn't sell hockey, because it tells the viewer the action isn't exciting or important enough to actually be describing.

[Hawerchuk]

7 hours ago, nucci said:

Hockey broadcasts have gone downhill. You have a play by play guy and 2 analysts. No need for a 2nd and its mostly just conversation. The analysts talk during the action and it's annoying. Used to be analyst spoke only during stoppages. 

THIS! The rule of thumb was never talk while the play is going on. I never heard Jim Lorentz interrupt Rick anytime during the play by play. Now, its talk over the play by play guy to get your tidbit in there. So annoying.

[IKnowPhysics]

It's the difference between a radio play-by-play (or a television/radio simulcast play-by-play) and a television-only play-by-play.  The radio play-by-play must describe the action at all times as the listeners can't see the game, whereas the television play-by-play theoretically doesn't have to do this, allowing chatter during play.

The radio style, unfortunately, will probably die out.

[Pimlach]

On 7/9/2021 at 2:36 PM, Crosschecking said:

Now if only they would add Grapes to their broadcast team since he no longer works for HNIC.

Grapes in today’s politically charged world?  Now that is a lightning rod!  

As a kid I met him in the Aud and got his autograph when he was the player coach of the Rochester Americans.  He was funny.  I later loved to boo him as the Bruins head coach.   In the Aud you could call at him from the Reds and he would turn, look, listen.  I think he liked the fan engagement.  What a character.  I would love to drink a few beers with him  

in his HNIC career, he started out ok but then turned into a cartoon character.  Like a professional wrestling manager or something.  Crazy suits and crazy comments.  

[FogBat]

19 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Grapes in today’s politically charged world?  Now that is a lightning rod!  

As a kid I met him in the Aud and got his autograph when he was the player coach of the Rochester Americans.  He was funny.  I later loved to boo him as the Bruins head coach.   In the Aud you could call at him from the Reds and he would turn, look, listen.  I think he liked the fan engagement.  What a character.  I would love to drink a few beers with him  

in his HNIC career, he started out ok but then turned into a cartoon character.  Like a professional wrestling manager or something.  Crazy suits and crazy comments.  

See, that's what would add to the dimension of the broadcasts. He made things interesting instead of mundane and boring - especially those suits that would put a certain ZZTop song to shame.

ATST, for a man that's in his late 80s, he is not going to change with the times. He is clearly set in his ways (which isn't necessarily a bad thing); but given the trigger-happy attitude of those with fragile minds, he would have to f@rt in a precise way that would please them without any knowledge of what the rules are in advance or be put in a really dicey situation like the "Coin Toss" scene in No Country For Old Men.

[Claude Balls]

On 7/9/2021 at 9:46 PM, Torpedo Forecheck said:

The announcers (Emerick, Albert and Forslund) were all enjoyable. No problem with them. The analysts drove me nuts especially the aforementioned Pierre, but Olzcyk was awful IMO. I think of him as a terrible coach posing as an expert, I disagreed with much of what he tried to BS us with. Stuff like 6 minutes to go and down 2 goals, "its way to early to start pinching your Dmen".....uh Eddy... nah forget it -you'd never get it.

BYE BYE Pierre and Eddy

Pierre was bad, Edso was worse and Brian Boucher was following right in their footsteps. Will def be interesting to see what ESPN comes up with. 

[SwampD]

No matter who is on the air, there will be someone who doesn’t like them. They usually squawk the loudest.

Whatever.

I didn’t hate Pierre.

And until the Sabres end up ahead of the Sens in the standings, I will say nothing of his hockey acumen.

[sabremike]

On 7/9/2021 at 3:36 PM, Crosschecking said:

Now if only they would add Grapes to their broadcast team since he no longer works for HNIC.

There is literally nobody who is better at telling old hockey stories than Don. If they did segments based around that it would be fantastic.

[FogBat]

2 hours ago, Claude Balls said:

Pierre was bad, Edso was worse and Brian Boucher was following right in their footsteps. Will def be interesting to see what ESPN comes up with. 

Who knows? Maybe the NHL equivalent to John Madden?

[Claude Balls]

9 hours ago, Crosschecking said:

Who knows? Maybe the NHL equivalent to John Madden?

They should just hire Frank Caliendo. Let him imitate whoever he feels like on any given broadcast. 

 

[Hoss]

12 hours ago, Claude Balls said:

Pierre was bad, Edso was worse and Brian Boucher was following right in their footsteps. Will def be interesting to see what ESPN comes up with. 

Brian Boucher is good and has already been hired by ESPN

On 7/9/2021 at 12:54 PM, Eleven said:

I don't dislike him, but I think he is way overrated.

I don’t know what more you can expect from a broadcaster than what Doc offered. A very unique voice that helped sell a game he called with excitement and consistency.

[Hoss]

On 7/9/2021 at 3:36 PM, Crosschecking said:

Now if only they would add Grapes to their broadcast team since he no longer works for HNIC.

***** that guy.

[FogBat]

4 hours ago, Hoss said:

***** that guy.

@Pimlachdid say something about Grapes being a lightning rod. Your response proved him right.

[nucci]

On 7/11/2021 at 1:34 PM, IKnowPhysics said:

It's the difference between a radio play-by-play (or a television/radio simulcast play-by-play) and a television-only play-by-play.  The radio play-by-play must describe the action at all times as the listeners can't see the game, whereas the television play-by-play theoretically doesn't have to do this, allowing chatter during play.

The radio style, unfortunately, will probably die out.

but don't Sabres and most teams do simulcast? Rob Ray is talking while play is going on and if you're listening instead of watching you have no idea what's is happening