Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - [News] Rob Kerr and Charlie Simmer let go by Sportsnet, Rob Kerr to Return to FAN 960

nexxai · 04-22-2014, 10:18 AM

I have very mixed feelings about this news.

On the one hand, both Kerr and Simmer are human beings and I feel absolutely terrible for them losing their jobs. I'm sure they'll land on their feet but it's a position that no one deserves to be in, even if you've been preparing for that eventuality for years.

On the other hand, I feel like the cupboard is pretty bare in terms of on-air talent for Rogers, both radio and TV-wise and I fear that if history is to be repeated, things are going to get worse before they get better.

As someone posted above, Kerr seemed out of his element as a PBP guy. His skills are in bringing emotion and opinion to the game, something that a PBP announcer by definition can't do. You can raise and lower your voice, you can use a bit of inflection, but at the end of the day, you're just telling people where the puck is. I think he would have been better suited to being the color guy, but as that wasn't the case, I sincerely hope he comes back to the FAN960 to save that sinking ship. Kirsch and Josh "For God sakes blow your nose, kid" Humphries are some of the most dry, boring "personalities" you could possibly find to host a radio program, something that I thing Kerr would reverse almost instantly. Him and Pat have a rapport going back years and whenever he's guest-hosted, it's always been fun, funny and interesting to listen to.

Simmer seems to have gone downhill these last few years, no doubt in part by his lack of consistent PBP partner, but as was mentioned earlier in this thread, you can only use the phrase "move his feet" and "pucks to the net" so many times in one broadcast before the message seems a little canned. Where Kerr obviously spent hours and hours on his prep for every game, Simmer typically sounds like he just rolled out of bed, came to the rink, and has been playing Angry Birds on his phone until the whistle goes at which point he trots out yet another tired cliche, giving us absolutely zero insight into what just happened.

My hopes:
1. Kerr and Steinberg in the afternoon could possibly turn the tide and maybe not make me want to change the station on my drive home. They have the greatest back-and-forth out of any non-current combination/pair and I could see great things happening here.
2. Get rid of Kirsch and Humphries as they simply don't belong on the radio. Kirsch has shown that he has no idea who to hire for what position (see: the revolving door of talent over the past few years) and Humphries sounds like my 4 year old niece with a cold; and then with Kirsch answering for his phone interviewee before he's even finished asking the question, it's time for them to hand over the reigns to someone more qualified.
3. While I think Pinder in the morning is currently the only person that can keep Boomer on topic and can get Warrener out of his pot-high long enough to mumble out a single coherent thought, I think he would make a pretty good PBP guy if the little bit of exposure I've had to him during Heat games is any indication. I'm sure they can find yet another morning guy with little effort (Will Nault maybe?) and put Pinder to better use.
4. Put [UNPOPULAR OPINION AHEAD] Eric Francis in as color guy. I know that he's on Jack and that would make it impossible for him to travel with the team, but I like his sarcasm and I like that he isn't afraid to call a spade a spade. I know a lot of people here dislike him and that's OK, but I'm speaking for myself here.
5. This is completely un-related to the Kerr/Simmer situation, but since this post has turned into a "ROGERS NEEDS TO STOP SUCKING SO BAD", why not one more? Peter Maher is fantastic as the radio PBP voice and I hope he isn't replaced any time soon, but for God's sake Pete, when you're talking to the guys in the morning/afternoon, take a ####ing breath. His answer to a single question can go on for more than 3 minutes; it feels like he forgets that he's not calling a long play and ends up lecturing the interviewer rather than discussing their point. Two or three sentences should be enough to answer the question, and if not then maybe you should work on summarizing your thoughts better. </rant>

This post ended up being way longer than I had originally planned, but in the process of writing it, I've realized major changes are necessary if they want to make things markedly better than they've been.

04-22-2014, 10:18 AM	#222
nexxai Draft Pick Join Date: Aug 2011	I have very mixed feelings about this news. On the one hand, both Kerr and Simmer are human beings and I feel absolutely terrible for them losing their jobs. I'm sure they'll land on their feet but it's a position that no one deserves to be in, even if you've been preparing for that eventuality for years. On the other hand, I feel like the cupboard is pretty bare in terms of on-air talent for Rogers, both radio and TV-wise and I fear that if history is to be repeated, things are going to get worse before they get better. As someone posted above, Kerr seemed out of his element as a PBP guy. His skills are in bringing emotion and opinion to the game, something that a PBP announcer by definition can't do. You can raise and lower your voice, you can use a bit of inflection, but at the end of the day, you're just telling people where the puck is. I think he would have been better suited to being the color guy, but as that wasn't the case, I sincerely hope he comes back to the FAN960 to save that sinking ship. Kirsch and Josh "For God sakes blow your nose, kid" Humphries are some of the most dry, boring "personalities" you could possibly find to host a radio program, something that I thing Kerr would reverse almost instantly. Him and Pat have a rapport going back years and whenever he's guest-hosted, it's always been fun, funny and interesting to listen to. Simmer seems to have gone downhill these last few years, no doubt in part by his lack of consistent PBP partner, but as was mentioned earlier in this thread, you can only use the phrase "move his feet" and "pucks to the net" so many times in one broadcast before the message seems a little canned. Where Kerr obviously spent hours and hours on his prep for every game, Simmer typically sounds like he just rolled out of bed, came to the rink, and has been playing Angry Birds on his phone until the whistle goes at which point he trots out yet another tired cliche, giving us absolutely zero insight into what just happened. My hopes: 1. Kerr and Steinberg in the afternoon could possibly turn the tide and maybe not make me want to change the station on my drive home. They have the greatest back-and-forth out of any non-current combination/pair and I could see great things happening here. 2. Get rid of Kirsch and Humphries as they simply don't belong on the radio. Kirsch has shown that he has no idea who to hire for what position (see: the revolving door of talent over the past few years) and Humphries sounds like my 4 year old niece with a cold; and then with Kirsch answering for his phone interviewee before he's even finished asking the question, it's time for them to hand over the reigns to someone more qualified. 3. While I think Pinder in the morning is currently the only person that can keep Boomer on topic and can get Warrener out of his pot-high long enough to mumble out a single coherent thought, I think he would make a pretty good PBP guy if the little bit of exposure I've had to him during Heat games is any indication. I'm sure they can find yet another morning guy with little effort (Will Nault maybe?) and put Pinder to better use. 4. Put [UNPOPULAR OPINION AHEAD] Eric Francis in as color guy. I know that he's on Jack and that would make it impossible for him to travel with the team, but I like his sarcasm and I like that he isn't afraid to call a spade a spade. I know a lot of people here dislike him and that's OK, but I'm speaking for myself here. 5. This is completely un-related to the Kerr/Simmer situation, but since this post has turned into a "ROGERS NEEDS TO STOP SUCKING SO BAD", why not one more? Peter Maher is fantastic as the radio PBP voice and I hope he isn't replaced any time soon, but for God's sake Pete, when you're talking to the guys in the morning/afternoon, take a ####ing breath. His answer to a single question can go on for more than 3 minutes; it feels like he forgets that he's not calling a long play and ends up lecturing the interviewer rather than discussing their point. Two or three sentences should be enough to answer the question, and if not then maybe you should work on summarizing your thoughts better. </rant> This post ended up being way longer than I had originally planned, but in the process of writing it, I've realized major changes are necessary if they want to make things markedly better than they've been.