"Take that Calgary Puck!" — SN960 and Calgary sports media discussion

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

Or any of the really talented radio personalities laid off by TSN and sportsnet. I completely tune out to 960 after the 9. Unlistenable at this point, wonder how long it lasts

Surman is from TSN although I don't know anything about what she was doing.

[Northendzone]

i find that rintoul/surman show fine; however, i am not hanging on every word they say.

[Johnhitbox]

Surman sound like she's been reading AM news and traffic, from what I hear in her voice. When radio station were independent, they were at their highest quality. When it came to personalities. Keep in mind, radio is dying a slow death. Company's like Rogers came into the rescue, but with that came more regulations and rules. Days of Howard Stern are long gone. Even personalities like Mike Richards are too risky.

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[Tailgator]

I think Rintoul and Surman would be good for a couple hours, but 4 hours doesn’t seem to work. Given the 2 major markets are Calgary and Vancouver, is there that much appetite for “Connor” this and “Connor” that, or listening to Principe’s weird takes? I prefer more local content, personally.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Surman is from TSN although I don't know anything about what she was doing.

Oh I know, but there was a group of really talented well respected radio personalities available. Surman was not one of these.

It's a double edged knife here in Victoria as 1040 was such a better station in general than 650

[olli jokinen]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Steve Armitage impressions absolutely slayed me.

"Edmonton. Urine". Don't know why that line from Steve Armitage always stuck with me.

[GreenLantern2814]

Wills’ introduction to the game this afternoon is exactly why he doesn’t belong in the NHL.

It’s THE game of the season, and his tone does absolutely nothing to convey the gravity or excitement of the moment. Instead, he’s reading a phone book, spouting off stats as though they matter, instead of setting the stage.

And that’s not acceptable from an NHL broadcast. I don’t care if he’s cheap - Harnaryan isn’t showing up to the dome in a Rolls Royce either, he still knows how to get excited to call a hockey game on Saturday night.

In fact. I’ll put this out into the world - Harnaryan Singh would be an absolutely fantastic full time radio play by play man for this team. I’ve enjoyed every game he’s called on HNIC, and I think he’s only getting better.

Wills literally sounds more excited to be a friend of whatever Toyota store gave him his Highlander than he does to call NHL hockey.

[powderjunkie]

I would hope that a guy who calls national TV games would be an upgrade on a local radio pbp...


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[GioforPM]

Singh just isn’t very good. I keep thinking it’s because he’s green, but then I remember he’s been calling games in Punjabi for years.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

I would hope that a guy who calls national TV games would be an upgrade on a local radio pbp...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’s not the CFL or the Dub.

It’s the National Hockey League. Wills has the lead role on the flagship program of a station that only exists to cover this team in this league, and he sounds like a computer’s interpretation of what play by play is.

The whole point of pro sports is that you can always be replaced by someone better - beyond the human concern of not wanting to see anyone lose their job, would anyone be upset if this happened? Losing a PBP guy with exactly zero signature calls?

Wills isn’t an NHLer.

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Singh just isn’t very good. I keep thinking it’s because he’s green, but then I remember he’s been calling games in Punjabi for years.

He’s better than Wills, and at least he isn’t bored by the experience of presenting NHL hockey to the masses.

[Strange Brew]

I like Singh's game calls. Great voice and his enthusiasm comes across.

I like how Wills does actual PBP (his goal calls aren't great though). It's everything in between that's lacking IMO.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I like Singh's game calls. Great voice and his enthusiasm comes across.

I like how Wills does actual PBP (his goal calls aren't great though). It's everything in between that's lacking IMO.

Wills and Lou spend soooo much time during the broadcasts having conversations instead of calling the games.

[Madman]

I attempted to stomach my way through the 9 today with Pinder away and couldn't do it.

Kelly Kirsch, Eric Francis and Logan Gordon - 3 humans have never said the phrase "You know" more times in a hour than those morons...it may have been a world record. I mean, your job is to talk on the radio, you think there'd be a sliver of effort to get better at it by all 3 of them.

And holy **** Logan, he kept calling Francis, "Franchise" - nobody else calls him that for a reason Logan, its a stupid forced nickname that makes zero sense.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by Madman

I attempted to stomach my way through the 9 today with Pinder away and couldn't do it.

Kelly Kirsch, Eric Francis and Logan Gordon - 3 humans have never said the phrase "You know" more times in a hour than those morons...it may have been a world record. I mean, your job is to talk on the radio, you think there'd be a sliver of effort to get better at it by all 3 of them.

And holy **** Logan, he kept calling Francis, "Franchise" - nobody else calls him that for a reason Logan, its a stupid forced nickname that makes zero sense.

I’m don’t know. I’m sure Eric’s Mom helped him at least look at buying a franchise of one kind or another.

Kuhdy Hardos to you for putting in the effort to listen to that goon salad. I’m finally taking Neaults advice on the text line and stopped listening.

“I Will Neault listen in a boat,
I Will Neault listen with a goat...
I Will Neault listen here or there...
I Will Neault listen anywhere...”

[CliffFletcher]

I know Francis can be an annoying contrarian. But can we move past this notion that he has this gig due to his mom? He’s been a journalist for over 25 years. Whatever doors were opened by his mom’s connections when he was first hired, once he had the job his longevity in the profession is his own. Journalism is a famously ruthless field, which has endured wave after wave of layoffs. Francis has worked for multiple news and sports organiztions. If Francis’ bosses don’t think he’s doing the job they hire him to do, he would have been turfed long ago.

[McG]

Originally Posted by Boreal

I’m don’t know. I’m sure Eric’s Mom helped him at least look at buying a franchise of one kind or another.

Kuhdy Hardos to you for putting in the effort to listen to that goon salad. I’m finally taking Neaults advice on the text line and stopped listening.

“I Will Neault listen in a boat,
I Will Neault listen with a goat...
I Will Neault listen here or there...
I Will Neault listen anywhere...”

Thanked for Kuhdy Hardos.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

He’s better than Wills, and at least he isn’t bored by the experience of presenting NHL hockey to the masses.

Wills at least knows the names of the players. I can't count how many times Singh has to say "his teammate" or "a Flame", or just plain gets it wrong (Valimaki v. Hanifin).

I'm not a Wills fan either.

[Boreal]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I know Francis can be an annoying contrarian. But can we move past this notion that he has this gig due to his mom? He’s been a journalist for over 25 years. Whatever doors were opened by his mom’s connections when he was first hired, once he had the job his longevity in the profession is his own. Journalism is a famously ruthless field, which has endured wave after wave of layoffs. Francis has worked for multiple news and sports organiztions. If Francis’ bosses don’t think he’s doing the job they hire him to do, he would have been turfed long ago.

Wait so his mom didn’t help him get his career either?

Journalism is also famous for its cronyism, especially sports journalism. Just read Hunter S. Thompson’s description of the profession.

A general rule of thumb in any line ofwork, especially in sports journalism, is you can be an A-hole or you can be wrong, but you can’t be both.

I think Francis is a decent human being and a team player in a professional work setting who provides value, is enjoyable to work with, and likely helps and works well with everyone around him. He also is on good terms with most athletes because he has learned (probably from his mother) how to build relationships with players because they are his source for content. He knows when and when not to go on the record. He also understands who he can criticize and how.

He states a point of view and reports on events.

There are innumerable examples that his accuracy and insight on both fronts are lacking.

When he walks that line of being an incorrect A-hole he loses a great deal of trust in his work. Generally he just dips his toes in the A-Hole pool by exuding arrogant smugness. Arrogant smugness is also what made me lose interest in almost anything Kent Wilson writes

His status as a journalist columnist could easily viewed as a result of cronyism (and nepotism) as much as any actual talent. There are better writers with a lower profile and better insight.

His mother didn’t simplistically and relentlessly lobby to get him gigs and jobs. She taught him the etiquette of cronyism and he was competent enough to maximize her insight.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Wills’ introduction to the game this afternoon is exactly why he doesn’t belong in the NHL.

It’s a THE game of the season, and his tone does absolutely nothing to convey the gravity or excitement of the moment. Instead, he’s reading a phone book, spouting off stats as though they matter, instead of setting the stage.

And that’s not acceptable from an NHL broadcast. I don’t care if he’s cheap - Harnaryan isn’t showing up to the dome in a Rolls Royce either, he still knows how to get excited to call a hockey game on Saturday night.

In fact. I’ll put this out into the world - Harnaryan Singh would be an absolutely fantastic full time radio play by play man for this team. I’ve enjoyed every game he’s called on HNIC, and I think he’s only getting better.

Wills literally sounds more excited to be a friend of whatever Toyota store gave him his Highlander than he does to call NHL hockey.

I really miss the way the way Peter Maher used to open every broadcast: "Live! From the ScotiaBank Saddledome, it's the Calgary Flames versus the Vancouver Canucks."

He always managed to make every game seem like a big deal.
Plus his goal calls were fantastic. Maher added so much respectability to the Fan 960 and the Flames' media in general.

We were spoiled for a long time.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Boreal

Wait so his mom didn’t help him get his career either?

Journalism is also famous for its cronyism, especially sports journalism. Just read Hunter S. Thompson’s description of the profession.

A general rule of thumb in any line ofwork, especially in sports journalism, is you can be an A-hole or you can be wrong, but you can’t be both.

I think Francis is a decent human being and a team player in a professional work setting who provides value, is enjoyable to work with, and likely helps and works well with everyone around him. He also is on good terms with most athletes because he has learned (probably from his mother) how to build relationships with players because they are his source for content. He knows when and when not to go on the record. He also understands who he can criticize and how.

He states a point of view and reports on events.

There are innumerable examples that his accuracy and insight on both fronts are lacking.

When he walks that line of being an incorrect A-hole he loses a great deal of trust in his work. Generally he just dips his toes in the A-Hole pool by exuding arrogant smugness. Arrogant smugness is also what made me lose interest in almost anything Kent Wilson writes

His status as a journalist columnist could easily viewed as a result of cronyism (and nepotism) as much as any actual talent. There are better writers with a lower profile and better insight.

His mother didn’t simplistically and relentlessly lobby to get him gigs and jobs. She taught him the etiquette of cronyism and he was competent enough to maximize her insight.

I suggest you stop giving him clicks and maybe it would sort itself out.