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Habs, Sportsnet sign 3 year deal for regional games


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Like those who think they're the only ones that like Jack Edwards, I think I'm the only one who doesn't hate Healy. I've never really found him to play favourites - he hates everything and everyone for the most part. He's consistent in that regard. He also knows his role as someone between the benches - chime in here and there but don't talk more than the rest of the PBP team (Pierre McGuire is bad for that). I may also be biased a bit as I did like him on the Hotstove where he provided some useful information on the business side of things - often with a PA skew, mind you - but it was stuff that generally wasn't out there already. There are quite a few people I'd rather see gone from Sportsnet's broadcasts before it comes to Healy.

Geez Brian, he your cousin or somethin'?

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Glenn has a huge foot in mouth problem I find.

I also can't take him serious because 2004-2005 for me was spent watching him and Brian Burke debate and Burke absolutely destroy him in every single confrontation, even though I supported the players. He got reduced to a rambling fool each time on points that anyone with a little more intelligence could have debated Burke on.

When it came to CBC I preferred Kevin Weekes over him 100%.

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Idiots McGuire-Healy-Milbury are bout as entertaining as buffoons Doug Maclean and Cherry (all must of went to the Chris Berman school of blowhards).

But, mute button seems to fix em all real good.

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I find it shocking how mediocre most of the 'expert' TV commentators are. A good portion of them are just blowhards, and many of those that aren't come in with some kind of axe to grind (they hate the Habs, they love the Habs, whatever; MacLean's knee-jerk siding with refs; etc.). Every now and again you get a good talking head, like an Elliot Friedman or Ferraro when he manages to get his thoughts out efficiently, or - back in the day - John Davidson, who actually bring thoughtful insights to the table, but for the most part they're just there to fill up blank sonic space and hopefully be 'lively' while doing it. They are, by and large, completely useless in terms of enhancing your understand of what's going on out there.

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I think Ron MacLean gets a raw deal around here, because we associate him with Cherry.

I find him one of the better commentators in general.

Then again, I actually am entertained by Cherry sometimes... but the entertainment has nothing to do with assuming he's got particularly good insight into hockey. He's entertaining because he's absurd. "You don't do that! You don't want to poke the bear!" Why, is the bear sleeping? Shouldn't they already be awake? It's playoff time. We're not going to poke your damn bear, moron. We're going to beat the shit out of it.

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I find it shocking how mediocre most of the 'expert' TV commentators are. A good portion of them are just blowhards, and many of those that aren't come in with some kind of axe to grind (they hate the Habs, they love the Habs, whatever; MacLean's knee-jerk siding with refs; etc.). Every now and again you get a good talking head, like an Elliot Friedman or Ferraro when he manages to get his thoughts out efficiently, or - back in the day - John Davidson, who actually bring thoughtful insights to the table, but for the most part they're just there to fill up blank sonic space and hopefully be 'lively' while doing it. They are, by and large, completely useless in terms of enhancing your understand of what's going on out there.

Ferraro i like also.

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Nobody has mentioned the greatest PBP guy of them all: the Great Bob Cole! I don't care how old he is, he's probably my favorite PBP guy. As an American, it's always a treat to see HNIC and watch the Canadian coverage. It's miles ahead of NBC. ESPN years ago had awesome coverage.

As far as HNIC goes, I have to call BS regarding Cherry. Many people on this board and other places claim to hate Grapes, but if you check the threads during the Saturday night games here, on HIO and EOTP almost nobody posts during Coach's Corner. Say what you want about his viewpoints (I imagine his opinions are regurgitated by idiots everywhere in Canada) but the man is entertainment personified.

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I think Ron MacLean gets a raw deal around here, because we associate him with Cherry.

I find him one of the better commentators in general.

Then again, I actually am entertained by Cherry sometimes... but the entertainment has nothing to do with assuming he's got particularly good insight into hockey. He's entertaining because he's absurd. "You don't do that! You don't want to poke the bear!" Why, is the bear sleeping? Shouldn't they already be awake? It's playoff time. We're not going to poke your damn bear, moron. We're going to beat the shit out of it.

Hahaha.

Cherry's finest moment might have been during the early 90's when Kelly Hrudey was wearing a scarf in his hair. Cherry came out dressed as a dandy with an earring in the other ear.

RM-"Don, I see you have an earring tonight?"

DC-"Why yes Ron, in fact that means I'm available!"

That kind of thing can't happen these days.

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Bob Cole has a voice for play by play. You can't teach that. You have to be born with it. He can mess up as many names as he wants to. I want him announcing the Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup for the 25th time. Anyone else would be a little less sweeter.

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Dick Irvin was a sharp cookie. He had a lot of good, often stinging insights to bring to the table, and we could use more like him (even if his voice would never get him near a mic nowadays!)

I notice Cole getting a lot more love now that he is the #2 guy being eased out to pasture. The guy bungles a lot of calls, but I'll hand it to him, his flair for the dramatic is unique. A perfect fit for a Toronto-based show like HNIC where he has to somehow make the Leafs seem electrifying.

Ferraro is fabulous on radio - he's on Team 1040 in Vancouver all the time, and it's must-listen every time. On TV, I find he's got too little time and has trouble expressing himself with the speed and quickness needed, but he's still pretty good.

Cherry, I got bored of about 20 years ago. I respect him as an icon, but if I'm not posting during Coach's Corner it's probably because I'm out taking a leak.

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Dick Irvin was a sharp cookie. He had a lot of good, often stinging insights to bring to the table, and we could use more like him (even if his voice would never get him near a mic nowadays!)

I notice Cole getting a lot more love now that he is the #2 guy being eased out to pasture. The guy bungles a lot of calls, but I'll hand it to him, his flair for the dramatic is unique. A perfect fit for a Toronto-based show like HNIC where he has to somehow make the Leafs seem electrifying.

Ferraro is fabulous on radio - he's on Team 1040 in Vancouver all the time, and it's must-listen every time. On TV, I find he's got too little time and has trouble expressing himself with the speed and quickness needed, but he's still pretty good.

Cherry, I got bored of about 20 years ago. I respect him as an icon, but if I'm not posting during Coach's Corner it's probably because I'm out taking a leak.

Yeah that is about right, Bob Cole is finished, time to hang em up. Of course Cherry is there for entertainment, of the goofy kind. Every time he opens his mouth he sticks his foot in. Rose would have had him quit quite a while ago. Go play with the new Blue, Don.

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Ron reminds me that he's not just a straight-man foil to the buffoon during the second intermission when they have him on a panel.

He was the only one that understood the goaltender interference "Incidental Contact" rule that Carey Price took advantage of by bumping Alex Killorn during the Tampa Bay series this year, and the only one on the panelist that understood that the call to disallow Callahan's goal was correct. I believe he generally demonstrates an impartial and solid understanding of the rules that doesn't get influenced by his personal biases or opinions.

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I agree that Ron Maclean is a very sharp guy on the rules and regulations of hockey, and is very insightful of all things hockey, a true pro at what he does. Only beef I have with him is he is a bit too much for "the man" at times, but overall I think he is ok...

I like how Cuthbert calls games, Jim Hughson's voice irritates me, Randorf is cool too, Cole is a classic Harry Carey of the NHL, and I like Friedman, and Weeks....

Bob MacKenzie is also very cool....

That's all I got! :nuts:

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Ron reminds me that he's not just a straight-man foil to the buffoon during the second intermission when they have him on a panel.

He was the only one that understood the goaltender interference "Incidental Contact" rule that Carey Price took advantage of by bumping Alex Killorn during the Tampa Bay series this year, and the only one on the panelist that understood that the call to disallow Callahan's goal was correct. I believe he generally demonstrates an impartial and solid understanding of the rules that doesn't get influenced by his personal biases or opinions.

MacLean is an idiot. This was the same guy who questioned the use of a French Ref for a habs playoff game. The only decent guy left on the CBC was Freidman. The old HotStove with Lebrun and Freidman would have been great minus MacLean. Healy is a fool. PJ Stock is too dumb to even be considered a clown. The fact that our tax dollars were used to pay Cherry and Milbery makes my blood boil. I'm indifferent to Weekes.

The sad thing is that it will get worse next year. I liked TSN's coverage. I shudder to think of Sportsnet taking on the CBC clowns and adding guys like Lawton, the Sportsnet's McLean and Kypreos (although he is light years ahead of Stock, Healy and Milbury).

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I like Jim Hughson, too. (Now Grimson's gotten loose and now he's gone crazy! This is a man gone mad...)

John Bartlett is awesome. I've only listened to him a few times on the radio besides his calls and he does an excellent job.

Randy Moeller is the funniest PBP radio guy in the business for the Cats, but Goldie and Bill Lindsay are the quintessential terrible Fox Sports duo. If you have Center Ice, you know what i'm talking about. The hockey coverage on Fox Sports is an embarrasment. It looks like some kids from Television Prodcution at the local High School work the cameras and build the sets. The whole picture has this grayish dim hue that detracts from the game.

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MacLean is an idiot. This was the same guy who questioned the use of a French Ref for a habs playoff game. The only decent guy left on the CBC was Freidman. The old HotStove with Lebrun and Freidman would have been great minus MacLean. Healy is a fool. PJ Stock is too dumb to even be considered a clown. The fact that our tax dollars were used to pay Cherry and Milbery makes my blood boil. I'm indifferent to Weekes.

The sad thing is that it will get worse next year. I liked TSN's coverage. I shudder to think of Sportsnet taking on the CBC clowns and adding guys like Lawton, the Sportsnet's McLean and Kypreos (although he is light years ahead of Stock, Healy and Milbury).

I agree 100%. TSN at least represented an effort to provide serious, professional coverage and analysis. CBC (and Sportsnet) chronically go in the other direction, hiring 'personalities' who are generally blinkered, biased, and/or just plain stupid. I think it shows a sort of unstated contempt for hockey fans - that we won't watch serious people providing genuine analysis, we just want blustering buffoons and cheerleaders.

MacLean knows the rules, yes; he's a referee. But he is too contaminated by the 'insider' culture of the NHL and its idiotic self-protectiveness. It's that whole 'Chara had good intentions,' 'so-and-so is a good Canadian kid' stuff that gets in the way of straightforward critical insight. He's the hockey equivalent of an embedded CNN journalist - simply incapable of stepping back from personal relationships and ANALYZING and critiquing what is going on objectively. That whole 'insider' culture is a fundamental problem that journalists need to dismantle, not reinforce.

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MacLean took huge heat for the comments internally. It's why George is taking his place on Hockey Night in Canada and Ron is merely employed for Coaches Corner. George might not be a francophone but he is a Habs fan.

Oh sure, and George Snuffalupagus is obviously a GREAT choice :bonk: That's kind of the point, really...while I'd rather have a cheerleader for the Habs than a cheerleader for the Leafs and/or Prunes, the bottom line is that I don't want a cheerleader at all. Nor do I want some softball-pitching lightweight like Snuffalupagus fawning all over whomever he's interviewing and going, 'golly, aren't you awesome? Yo, isn't it NEAT that I'm on HNIC?' What I want are serious sports journalists doing serious sports journalism. Unfortunately, the powers that be think that we are all too dumb to have that.

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Oh sure, and George Snuffalupagus is obviously a GREAT choice :bonk: That's kind of the point, really...while I'd rather have a cheerleader for the Habs than a cheerleader for the Leafs and/or Prunes, the bottom line is that I don't want a cheerleader at all. Nor do I want some softball-pitching lightweight like Snuffalupagus fawning all over whomever he's interviewing and going, 'golly, aren't you awesome? Yo, isn't it NEAT that I'm on HNIC?' What I want are serious sports journalists doing serious sports journalism. Unfortunately, the powers that be think that we are all too dumb to have that.

Who do you have in mind?

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Well the Don and Ron show is winding down after a really long run. Time for new blood. I hope strombo can do the job but this is a really different gig from what he did before. It is nice to finally have someone who might actually say a couple of good things about the habs. It's been a lot of years since we had that.

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