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Originally Posted by GS Skier
My wife doesn't like Cassie Campbell however I actually do.
The men's NHL has dozens of great knowledgeable, articulate and hopefully humorous broadcasters. Still 99% of players suck at it and don't attempt a TV Radio career.
High level women's Hockey really only became a thing when Hayley Wickenheiser came on the scene. There are lots of star female players who really know the game and Campbells one of them. However precious few women's Hockey stars are also articulate and confident enough to hang with the men on HNIC. Campbell can. And at least she laughs when Bieksa speaks or makes fun of her so even if she's not "witty" herself she does have a sense of humor.
BTW Wickenheiser? IMHO the only "generational" women's player to date? Could be wrong but when she showed up the Canadian and US standards had to get better to keep up with her.
I suspect ESPN being US waved a heck of a lot of money at her to get her to jump. I know not everyone likes her but she's among the very few women who can hold her own.
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I agree she can be really good on the intermission and pre-game panels. No question. Articulate and breaks the game down well when she has time to prepare. Certainly knows more about the game than 99% of her audience.
But for so long they were getting her to do color on broadcasts and that could best be described as square peg/round hole. Terrible timing as to when to speak and when to stay silent and was constantly talking over the pbp (Rick Ball normally) guy. Good color requires to be able to instantly vocalize whats happening and in few words. She does not have that capability. It was a clusterfata.
Those two things are entirely different skill sets and good for SN in figuring that out and getting her on the national stage between periods.
I expect her to blossom on ESPN as well as she gets more and more experience and confidence. This is a woman used to achieving great things. No reason this will be any different.