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NHL commentary teams


dlbalr

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They need to dump Damien cox. Most of the original sportsnet crew that work the weekly games also suck. The only decent guy on the crew is Elliotte Freidman.

Strombo is on a five-year deal so it makes sense financially for him to stay around. Agreed that his interview skills are top notch and they should work that into the show in some way. The second intermission in my opinion is something that needs work. Maybe give him a slot there. Wish they never got rid of the hot stove as I quite enjoyed it.

The interviews that MacLean made quite interesting were when he would interview Gary Bettman. MacLean was great at getting under his skin and actually led to Bettman boycotting CBC. Could be a reason behind MacLean being replaced in the first place.

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I'm not a huge Ron MacLean fan - I actually preferred Strombo, who was quite a pleasant surprise in my books. It's shockingly rare to have someone who actually has (as others have said) interview skills. Despite his going toe-to-toe with Bettman, Ron has always come off as too cozy with the players to me. Strombo is anything but antagonistic, but you get a sense of guy who isn't having beers with the players on a regular basis and is more interested in asking honest questions, reflective of what fans want asked, than protecting his relationship with the people being interviewed. There's also a slightly mealy-mouthed style Ron has that bugs me. Finally, Ron is strongly associated with that hackneyed and moronic 'Hockey = Small Town Canadian Decency' narrative that gives me a huge pain in the ass.

All that said, it's not that I hate his guts or anything...and I agree that he was shoddily treated by Sportsnet. All I'm really saying is that I'd rather see Strombo than MacLean on any given broadcast.

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I liked Strombo over Ron Maclean- never liked Maclean or cherry.

I think sprtsnet is missing the boat with their issues. Other than Freidman, they have weak commentators/insiders. The tsn staff blew away the Doug Maclean/kypreos/watters/cox sportsnet guys. It doesn't help by adding CBC buffoons like pj stock and glen Healey. Handing the reigns to Ron Maclean isn't going to solve their problems. They may get lucky if the leafs help boast their ratings along with canadien teams back in the playoffs - which will undeservedly be credit given to the return of Ron Maclean.

I'm not a huge Ron MacLean fan - I actually preferred Strombo, who was quite a pleasant surprise in my books. It's shockingly rare to have someone who actually has (as others have said) interview skills. Despite his going toe-to-toe with Bettman, Ron has always come off as too cozy with the players to me. Strombo is anything but antagonistic, but you get a sense of guy who isn't having beers with the players on a regular basis and is more interested in asking honest questions, reflective of what fans want asked, than protecting his relationship with the people being interviewed. There's also a slightly mealy-mouthed style Ron has that bugs me. Finally, Ron is strongly associated with that hackneyed and moronic 'Hockey = Small Town Canadian Decency' narrative that gives me a huge pain in the ass.

All that said, it's not that I hate his guts or anything...and I agree that he was shoddily treated by Sportsnet. All I'm really saying is that I'd rather see Strombo than MacLean on any given broadcast.

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Ron McLean is 10x the better host for that show guys, c'mon. The guy lives, breathes and bleeds hockey, has more knowledge of the game than Georgio ever will.

Strombo and his Xbox hockey fan act just plain sucks, as well as lip licking, his metro sexual skinny jeans and turning to Kypreos and Hrudey to kiss their ass because they are "legends in their own mind." See ya Georgie.

Add in people like Damien Cox, and you have the absolute worst hockey broadcast team in the history of Canada.

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I liked Strombo over Ron Maclean- never liked Maclean or cherry.

I think sprtsnet is missing the boat with their issues. Other than Freidman, they have weak commentators/insiders. The tsn staff blew away the Doug Maclean/kypreos/watters/cox sportsnet guys. It doesn't help by adding CBC buffoons like pj stock and glen Healey. Handing the reigns to Ron Maclean isn't going to solve their problems. They may get lucky if the leafs help boast their ratings along with canadien teams back in the playoffs - which will undeservedly be credit given to the return of Ron Maclean.

I don't understand broadcasters' choices for commentators. They seem to long for 'characters' (Don Cherry being the gold standard) rather than focusing on people who combine articulacy with insight. I get that you need some flair and charisma, but it seems to me that what most fans actually want is insight, not dumb-asses. Yet 90% of the guys they throw at us are dumb-asses.

Incidentally, I'll bet you that Brandon Prust pops up on these broadcasts sooner or later. I don't know whether he'd bring analytical acumen - probably not - but he's quite the media slut and of course looks great on camera.

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MacLean is awful. People are familiar with him. That's it.

If they want to replace the studio segments with someone, go with Jeff Marek.

OR simply have TSN do the intermissions, .

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I like Ron, he has had to put up with Cherry for too many years. Strombo I like but not as a hockey guy. But he is a Habs fan so we have to give him that.

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...and the commentary, the analysis, the production. That'd make it a whole lot better.

It's true, the TSN guys are the best overall in the business.

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I like Ron, he has had to put up with Cherry for too many years. Strombo I like but not as a hockey guy. But he is a Habs fan so we have to give him that.

Strangely enough I agree

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Healy got the axe on Sportsnet , along with 5 others?

Damian Cox is going to be fully on radio, I wonder who else they canned?

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Healy got the axe on Sportsnet , along with 5 others?

Damian Cox is going to be fully on radio, I wonder who else they canned?

PJ Stock, Chantel ..., Cory Hirsh and couple others

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A whole lot of blood on the floor there.

I'd really hope we could get a lean, focused, highly professional show that neither tries to be the players' pals (CBC model) or aims for loudmouth 'characters' spewing ignorant opinions (the old SN model). In other words, something like what TSN came close to approaching. :angry2:

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A whole lot of blood on the floor there.

I'd really hope we could get a lean, focused, highly professional show that neither tries to be the players' pals (CBC model) or aims for loudmouth 'characters' spewing ignorant opinions (the old SN model). In other words, something like what TSN came close to approaching. :angry2:

I love how many games i can watch in English. I love rogers gamecenter live. But some of their personnel decisions are questionable. Tsn set the standard IMO.

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Speaking of Healy, not everyone knows he nearly was a Hab at one point. Here's a blurb from Healy himself about it:

“I grew up in Toronto a big Leafs fan and I wound up taking a million dollars less to sign with the club as a free agent,” he recalled. “I still remember being in the Montreal Canadiens dressing room at the Bell Centre with Rejean Houle, Dave King and other members of their executive and coaching staff. It was pretty much locked in I was going to join the Habs. But, my agent [the late Larry Rauch] called my cellphone and said ‘get the hell out of there, you’re signing with the Leafs.’ It wasn’t the most graceful departure I’ve ever made from a group of hockey people. But, yeah, I took a million dollars less to go home (after four years with the New York Rangers). And, I never had a moment’s regret. Montreal wound up signing Andy Moog.”

http://betweentheposts.ca/2016/06/healy-left-mark-on-hockey-night/

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Stroumboulopoulos is like that superskilled rookie who management thinks should be in The Show yet isn't quite ready because he lacks either hockey IQ or experience .

He was shoved into the preeminent position by Roger's because he had other great skills but ultimately lacked the superior hockey knowledge of a guy like Ron.

It's Roger's fault not George's.

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Stroumboulopoulos is like that superskilled rookie who management thinks should be in The Show yet isn't quite ready because he lacks either hockey IQ or experience .

He was shoved into the preeminent position by Roger's because he had other great skills but ultimately lacked the superior hockey knowledge of a guy like Ron.

It's Roger's fault not George's.

Ron Maclean has superior hockey knowledge??? Than who - a chimpanzee??? Ok you have now lost all credibility.
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Ron Maclean has superior hockey knowledge??? Than who - a chimpanzee??? Ok you have now lost all credibility.

Bahahahahahahahaha

Ron Maclean knows and is respected by every hockey person in Canada and beyond. Hes played the game, officiated the game, grown the game, and in all likelyhood has forgotten more about hockey then you and Stroumboloupolus ever knew, or think you knew.

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Bahahahahahahahaha

Ron Maclean knows and is respected by every hockey person in Canada and beyond. Hes played the game, officiated the game, grown the game, and in all likelyhood has forgotten more about hockey then you and Stroumboloupolus ever knew, or think you knew.

You're right. He has forgotten everything about hockey.

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