If you've ever rolled your eyes at the cheerleading blowhards who handle many local NHL broadcasts, here's a peek inside their world:
One current NHL play-by-play man was told to "stop talking so much about the other team." I heard of another situation where a relevant replay never made air because it made a hometown player look bad. On-air people are expected to gloss over ugly losses or controversial plays. The smallest critiques become big issues.
And, if you're not on-board, you can be replaced.
- Elliotte Friedman, CBC.ca
Friedman writes in the wake of news that a butt-kisser - sorry, producer - at FSN Pittsburgh failed to supply video evidence during the review of a possible goal against the Penguins.
Many viewers probably don't even know that their local TV crew works for the home team, not the network.
After all, the boys in the booth look like real broadcasters. They talk like real broadcasters.
And in all the games I've watched, I've never heard any of them clarify their cozy relationship with the team.
There's an irony in this for those who write online.
In the early days of hockey blogging, a common complaint from the mainstream media was that bloggers are nothing more than fans with keyboards, puffing up their favorite team.
Well, at least the bloggers are honest about it.
Comments
Glad to hear you make this statement, Jamie…and I laughed at your calling these guys “cheerleading blowhards”. Bang on!
I’ve been used to the CBC HNIC crews sucking up to the the Toronto Maple Losers for years now and am used to it, but the crews who announce the Oilers & Flames games on Sportsnet West TV broadcasts are the freaking worst!
They’ve drank so much of their team’s koolaid they’re little more than paid PR men. Even with both teams sucking now, they make excuses for them and frequently refer to the star players by first names. -BARF-
Well, what else is NOT new? At least you guys get to watch hockey. When I do get a chance (like once a month) I just turn the sound down or off. What I miss is the quality regardless of being a ‘homie’. Some of the old- time, all-time great announcers, like Foster Hewitt (who btw never stopped talking about skills of Davey Keon) have to be icons of hockey play-by-play. Hopefully the newly minted announcers will take a page from them and improve. Thanks for listening.
Talk about homers, my home town team, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL, doesn’t show the replays of the opposition team’s goals on the arena’s big screen.
Is this the norm elsewhere?