[News] Rob Kerr and Charlie Simmer let go by Sportsnet, Rob Kerr to Return to FAN 960

[T@T]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Wow does Spector drink the Kool-Aid. Unbelievable

Yipe, he keeps mentioning the Flames were 27th in the league and only one spot better than the Oilers. He thinks us Flames fans must be drinking Kool-Aid being happy with the team this year.

What he fails to mention is the Flames have 6 more wins,10 more points,more goals for and less goals against than his absolute crap of a team.

[Iggy Snipe]

Originally Posted by T@T

Yipe, he keeps mentioning the Flames were 27th in the league and only one spot better than the Oilers. He thinks us Flames fans must be drinking Kool-Aid being happy with the team this year.

What he fails to mention is the Flames have 6 more wins,10 more points,more goals for and less goals against than his absolute crap of a team.

And whens the last time we have had top 5 pick in the draft? Oh, never.

The Oilers? Once a year.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by HamptonIce

If this is true, I would like to share my experience with Rob Kerr and Charlie Simmer:

- As part of a birthday present to me, I went to the March 14, 2014 match vs Dallas Stars, and as part of my bucket list to see the Flames play in every away building. I am at 14 of 29 FWIW.
- I bought my seats from StubHub and was in the centre ice club right in front of the broadcast booth. Usually the broadcast booth’s are in the bleeds’ but not in Dallas.
- While exiting my seats during the first intermission, I saw Charlie Simmer and asked him for a picture and he graciously accepted. Rob Kerr took our picture, and then Charlie Simmer took a pic with Rob Kerr and myself.
- I offered to buy them both a both a beer, since I had a Blue Moon(great beer) in my hand, but for obvious reasons, they both declined.
- Mr. Simmer visited the facilities , but Kerr and I chatted during the whole intermission.
- He(Kerr) is like “one of the boys”. I told him my story of why I was there, and we chatted about his favourite arenas, Feaster firing, the return on the Berra trade, draft pics, and life etc.. etc…
- Second intermission, Kerr and I chatted further, and then I asked for a memento of the game and without hesitation, he ran to broadcast booth and brought me his game notes from Sportsnet and the Dallas Stars. He had an extra copy, nonetheless, a kind gesture.
- Kerr and I both came to the conclusion, that the Flames would make it a one-goal affair during the second intermission because of their fight this season.
- After the game, and our comeback shootout win, I was taking pics of the arena and ice surface. Kerr threw a paper ball at my head to get my attention, and to celebrate the win. He then assisted to take a few pics of me with the arena/ice surface in the background.

If Rob Kerr and Charlie Simmer are replaced that is the decision of their superiors, but it is not because they have control over production quality, and more importantly, it is not because they do not care.

I don't doubt these stories. Kerr seems like a great asset on the radio. He just wasn't a fit for TV pbp. The manager who put him in that position to fail made an idiot move. I have to let go of someone at work over the next two weeks that I hired. It was my mistake to put him/her in that position in that first place. I blame myself more than the employee for this not working out. I hope that manager that decided to put Kerr in that seat knows what a cluster that was for everyone.

[browna]

Not watching a lot of early games this year in Saturdays, who were the Cbc crews? Hughson Simpson, Ball Hrudey, Cole (who won't be doing regional games). Mark Lee still around? Dean Brown, or is he now with Ottawa' regional broadcasts?

I can see Hrudey being the color guy. If Ball comes with him that would be fantastic but he would likely be the second national game as he is now...unless they scoop Cuthbert away from the CFL, then Ball would get pushed down.

Did Gord Miller sign on like Ferraro, Duthie and McKenzie did?

[mikeecho]

I felt bad for Kerr doing PBP as it was his dream job, but he had to change who he was and force a phoney/nerdy persona that never seemed to reflect who we knew as a radio personality with real educated opinions on a lot of stuff. Even the tone of his voice was more muted and passive (except for when things got crazy on the ice) which came across as almost acting.

Kerr deserves to be himself and have opinions that really matter. It's where he excels and where we as the listener get the most benefit. Making himself over into a PBP guy just didn't suit him and as much as I'm sure he loved the job, I'm sure he had to sacrifice a little bit of his own dignity to fit the mould Sportsnet wanted. He will recover from this and move on to something that respects who he is as a person and let him be real.

[Hank Hill]

When Mike Richards did the mornings at 960, I remember him saying the listeners were lucky to have someone as talented as Rob Kerr hosting the afternoons. I hope Kerr is willing to come back to radio where he excels, to replace the garbage that's been on in the afternoon show lately.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by T@T

Yipe, he keeps mentioning the Flames were 27th in the league and only one spot better than the Oilers. He thinks us Flames fans must be drinking Kool-Aid being happy with the team this year.

What he fails to mention is the Flames have 6 more wins,10 more points,more goals for and less goals against than his absolute crap of a team.

did Mark mention where he predicted the teams to finish at the start of the season? he had Oilers in a wild card spot and Calgary last in the NHL with about 50 points.

So based on his pre-season rankings the Flames had a great season and the Oilers well...

[ForeverFlameFan]

I like Kerr, didn't mind him, I just think there are by far better PBP people.

The only thing that really bothered me was him and Simmer making comments while the game was going on.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

The only thing that really bothered me was him and Simmer making comments while the game was going on.

Every duo does this. Gord Miller and Ray Ferraro always have stories that they say during play. It adds to the PBP if done right.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Joborule

Every duo does this. Gord Miller and Ray Ferraro always have stories that they say during play. It adds to the PBP if done right.

That's the thing... Sometimes Kerr and Simmer wouldn't be adding to the PBP

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by dino7c

did Mark mention where he predicted the teams to finish at the start of the season? he had Oilers in a wild card spot and Calgary last in the NHL with about 50 points.

So based on his pre-season rankings the Flames had a great season and the Oilers well...

Mark Spector is at the bottom of the RSN totem pole which is as low as you can go in Canadian broadcasting. He's an Oilers fanboy masquerading as a hockey insider and like all Oilers media pretty clueless about hockey and the differences between a good team and a bad team. Every year he predicts big improvement in the Oilers and every year at this time he has to bring out his book of excuses to why they were do bad. This year according to him it was all Dubnyk's fault. The same goaltender he was praising a few years back when the Oilers gave him that overpaid contract.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

That's the thing... Sometimes Kerr and Simmer wouldn't be adding to the PBP

Simmer isnt easy, the play by play guy has to pull every comment out of him by force and when you have someone who isnt a strong PBP guy to begin with it just spells disaster.

[kehatch]

If Simmer would have just moved his feet this never would have happened.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by HamptonIce

If this is true, I would like to share my experience with Rob Kerr and Charlie Simmer:

- As part of a birthday present to me, I went to the March 14, 2014 match vs Dallas Stars, and as part of my bucket list to see the Flames play in every away building. I am at 14 of 29 FWIW.
- I bought my seats from StubHub and was in the centre ice club right in front of the broadcast booth. Usually the broadcast booth’s are in the bleeds’ but not in Dallas.
- While exiting my seats during the first intermission, I saw Charlie Simmer and asked him for a picture and he graciously accepted. Rob Kerr took our picture, and then Charlie Simmer took a pic with Rob Kerr and myself.
- I offered to buy them both a both a beer, since I had a Blue Moon(great beer) in my hand, but for obvious reasons, they both declined.
- Mr. Simmer visited the facilities , but Kerr and I chatted during the whole intermission.
- He(Kerr) is like “one of the boys”. I told him my story of why I was there, and we chatted about his favourite arenas, Feaster firing, the return on the Berra trade, draft pics, and life etc.. etc…
- Second intermission, Kerr and I chatted further, and then I asked for a memento of the game and without hesitation, he ran to broadcast booth and brought me his game notes from Sportsnet and the Dallas Stars. He had an extra copy, nonetheless, a kind gesture.
- Kerr and I both came to the conclusion, that the Flames would make it a one-goal affair during the second intermission because of their fight this season.
- After the game, and our comeback shootout win, I was taking pics of the arena and ice surface. Kerr threw a paper ball at my head to get my attention, and to celebrate the win. He then assisted to take a few pics of me with the arena/ice surface in the background.

If Rob Kerr and Charlie Simmer are replaced that is the decision of their superiors, but it is not because they have control over production quality, and more importantly, it is not because they do not care.

Its the internet, where we forget that people are human. From everything I have heard both Simmer and Kerr are really good people and great advocates and fans of the game. They are working a really tough job and they aren't getting the celebrity pay that hockey players and other media personalities get. To do this job they have to leave their families, stick their neck out publicly, and live with the near certainty that it is just a matter of time until the axe falls.

I support the decision to move on. As a regular viewer I want a change. But I also wish both the best. Plus, I really hope Kerr ends up back on the Fan. He is great there.

[Locke]

Go find those guys that were calling the Frozen Four and sign them up. They were awesome.

[burn_this_city]

I'll miss their call, I liked both Kerr and Simmer, they were pretty good for a local broadcast.

[hurtin_albertan]

Originally Posted by pylon

If only Don Whitman was still around. Outside of Ed Whalen, nobody sounded better calling Flames games on the tube. IIRC, he called most of our games through the '04 run as well, except for the final.

Cuthbert called the first round series vs. Vancouver as well as the WCF vs. SJ, Whitman called round 2 against Detroit, and Bob Cole did the SCF.

Whitman was one of the best, I loved his call.

[Table 5]

Whatever you do, don't Google image-search Don Whitman.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Whatever you do, don't Google image-search Don Whitman.

I hate you for saying this.

[Vulcan]

It's like target fixation. You're riding your bicycle and you see a fresh dog turd in front of you. You try to turn to avoid it but you're so fixated looking at it that you go where you're looking and you ride right through it.