[Rumour] Bob Cole close to signing a deal with Rogers *UPDATE* Will stay with HNIC for now

[jg13]

According to Sportsnet’s Damien Cox, the iconic commentator is close to signing a deal with Rogers. In November, Rogers struck a 12-year national broadcast deal with the NHL that begins next season. The deal includes editorial control over CBC’s weekly Hockey Night in Canada programming. The telecom company also owns Sportsnet.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/05/31...al-with-rogers

UPDATE: Will stay with HNIC for at least one more year.

[codynw]

Good news. Very good news.

[Erick Estrada]

Smart move by Rogers. Not sure how many years he has left calling games but at least he's a credible name for them to start off.

[OutOfTheCube]

As much as we all love and get nostalgic for that voice, the man is 80 years old. Time to ride off in to the sunset.

[GreenLantern2814]

Excellent news. I offer the end of last night's Hawks/Kings game as evidence that Mr Cole is still the preeminent hockey broadcaster in the world. And I can only say that if you think you're as good at your job at eighty as Bob is at his, you're lying to yourself.

Hope he works another decade.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

As much as we all love and get nostalgic for that voice, the man is 80 years old. Time to ride off in to the sunset.

Still calls a great game and in fact has been better with a reduced workload

[ComixZone]

He has been amazing in these playoffs. Glad to hear he'll (likely) be back next year. What a voice.

What a voice.

[CampbellsTransgressions]

Whoa baby!

[dammage79]

I hope they keep him in Cryogenic freezing until playoff time and then release the epicness.

He is 80, but I cannot fathom a better voice to call these great games, (in this case the L.A/CHI series) Hughson and simpson would've killed it for me.

[StrykerSteve]

He really is fantastic. Is he good enough to save the crapfest that is the Sportsnet hockey broadcast though?

Here's hoping it is dramatically different next season.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by StrykerSteve

He really is fantastic. Is he good enough to save the crapfest that is the Sportsnet hockey broadcast though?

Here's hoping it is dramatically different next season.

Probably not.

They're scrambling because I'm sure they felt all the PBP guy would be flocking to them.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

As much as we all love and get nostalgic for that voice, the man is 80 years old. Time to ride off in to the sunset.

Why? He seems to have more energy than the 40 year old punks on sportsnet now.

[FireGilbert]

Bob Cole has been an amazing commentator but it is time for him to pull a Peter Maher and retire while still on top. He should be remembered for his great voice and calls, not final years messing up player's names on a bad Sportsnet broadcast.

[Mightyfire89]

I feel the same way about him as I do about Peter, these guys should be able to go out how they want after all the spine tingling calls I've heard from them over the years. If he wants to keep going, he should be able to. If he gets to the point where it's no longer a viable thing for him to do, things will happen and he won't be doing it anymore.

Good for him and good for us (me?). Screw all the haters. Still love hearing Bob call a hockey game.

[Mike F]

Chalk me up as one of the (probably minority) of people who find his stream-of-consciousness PBP disjointed and rambling.

I find he often get into the middle of a sentence with no plan for how to finish it, so he takes a long pause then throws in some non-sequitur.

[Ashasx]

This twitter account does a pretty good job poking fun at Bob's current shortcomings: https://twitter.com/BobColeBaby

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

Bob Cole has been an amazing commentator but it is time for him to pull a Peter Maher and retire while still on top. He should be remembered for his great voice and calls, not final years messing up player's names on a bad Sportsnet broadcast.

If getting players names right was the most important thing for a PBP man to do.... The end of this sentence just involves disparaging a random broadcaster who doesn't deserve it. The point is, Bob Cole's voice adds to the atmosphere and theatre of the game. Much like Gord Miller, much like Chris Cutherbert, these are men whose contributions enhance the viewing experience of the audience.

OR we can watch Jim Hughson observe five remarkable plays without so much as raising his voice, talk about the play of 'Frankie Boullion' and then lose his #### when Tokarski gets shot in the chest.

The broadcast team of Cole, Gary Galley, even Greg Millen has really been excellent the past few seasons. I agree, a lesser workload is best for Bob at this point, but he can do a national game a week and call a playoff series or two. He's got that much in him, for sure. Oh baby, for sure.

[Badgers Nose]

That would make me watch, until he retires at least.

I was lamenting what next season would be like without him and Peter on the radio. His call of the last two LAK-CHI games were pretty amazing.

[Northendzone]

Given cox's role at SNet one would have to think this is pretty much a done deal.....

[fatso]

All respect to Cole and his accomplishments. Truly a legend.

But... 80? How much longer does he need to do this job for? This is like those doctors and lawyers who hang on into their final years pulling down good pay but contributing little more than being a barrier that keeps hungry young talent from entering the market.

I agree a guy like Cole has earned the right to go out how he wants, but you'd think by 80 he'd be thinking about the profession generally and those up-and-comers who are what he once was.