[News] Rick Ball leaves Flames broadcasts for Chicago

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Read something on twitter about how they interviewed some ppl and they came up with one but that person took another job elsewhere. Seems they're still hunting.

I guess offering 30k a year and a staff discount on a Rogers phone isn't enticing any type of talent to go after this gig.

Rogers sucks.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I just hope that Greg Millen is doing colour. Hrudey or Miller please. Will be interesting to see who ends up getting the play-by-play, but I really like Millen.

Hrudey is absolutely intolerable, if he is back I will be watching away feeds again.

[Toonage]

Hrudey can go. He brings nothing and quite honestly had gotten progressively worse. And if they do decide to go with Singh, the last thing I want to hear several times a week is him treating Singh like a child. Which he did when they were together.

[ForeverFlameFan]

With Ball gone you can absolutely add me in the mix of watching the away feeds. Should be fun listening their homers.

[Calgary]

Originally Posted by butterfly

Lee and Millen would be a throwback to old HNIC days (in a good way). I wonder if the Flames have any say in the matter or if it's all up to Sportsnet.

This is something I've been thinking about. You would think the Flames would have some say in the matter. Don't these play-by-play guys travel with the team on the road?

[Ferarri]

While Millen is far superior to Kelly, I highly doubt Hrudey will be replaced unless he doesn't want to do it anymore.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

With Ball gone you can absolutely add me in the mix of watching the away feeds. Should be fun listening their homers.

Where are you getting the away feeds? It was a great feature on the NHL app before SN took over and eliminated all Away feeds if SN is broadcasting it.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Where are you getting the away feeds? It was a great feature on the NHL app before SN took over and eliminated all Away feeds if SN is broadcasting it.

Considering i live in the US I will be using ESPN that offers both feeds.

[Johnny Makarov]

the Monotone twins. Cassie Campbell and Charlie Simmer.

[PuckSlap]

Isn’t Singh an oilers fanboy? I mean he actually openly acts like a kid in a candy store whenever he calls their games. The last thing we need is that being the voice of our televised games.

[McG]

honestly I just want someone with an air of neutrality, and not the fanboyism and fangirlism that was force-fed to people from sports net all playoffs.

[Calgary4LIfe]

The whole fandom thing with announcers is always funny to me. In Calgary, I thought Garrett was embarrassingly over the top in his fandom for the Flames. He goes to Vancouver, and he is over the top for his love of the Canucks.



Hrudey, Cassie Campbell-Pascal, Singh - I find it absolutely hilarious how both Oilers and Flames fans feel that these announcers/colour are complete fans of the opposing team.



I am not advocating for Singh (though there are a lot worse, so careful what you wish for!), but him being an "Oilers Homer" is so far down my list as reasons why I wouldn't want him. Nobody remembers how he ripped the Oilers in the past.


Ball came from Vancouver. I am sure there were probably some posts worrying about him being a homer for Vancouver, but if he was (and he probably was inside, at least for a while), it never showed (IMO).


I want a more impartial voice too. There will be no pleasing everyone however. If you are not John Garret levels of homer for your own team, some people will accuse that person of being a homer for the other team. This new announcer may call things straight down the line with no impartiality at all, but some people will still find reason to call him a homer for one side, and the some people will call him a homer for the other side. I can't imagine trying to do play by play and trying to think about how my calls in real time have to be partial enough to make the team I cover happy enough, but seem impartial enough not to be labelled a homer and stomp on my own professionalism.


I just hope that whomever is hired will help make the game more interesting to watch and listen to, not worse. Kerr was a great human being, but I found the games to be intolerable to listen to over time. Loubo wasn't an easy listen at first, but he really grew on me and I was actually sad to see him go. Ball was perfect from the start, and I am really sad to see him go.


I will always like Ball, and I wish him every success in Chicago. I just hope that the Flames hire someone who will not make me miss Ball. I certainly missed Loubourdias an incredible amount after Kerr was hired. Ball was "A-Class" from the start, and those are some ridiculous shoes to fill now, but I really hope it won't be someone that will make me miss Ball so much.


Greg Millen is my #1 choice for colour. I would accept Singh as I don't see him as an Oiler fanboy like others do, and he wouldn't be among the worst that I listened to doing Flames games. However, I do hope for someone really good. As I said, don't make me miss Ball so much that I start looking for illegal streams (when legal ones are not available) just to listen to the opposing team's broadcasts. I am fully anticipating a big step down from Ball. Just don't let it be a complete free-fall into darkness again.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

the Monotone twins. Cassie Campbell and Charlie Simmer.

I'd rather go to hell than listen to those two in a booth.

[MolsonInBothHands]

If it does turn out to be Singh as the play by play voice, Gahdry must be traded immediately. I can't handle the pronunciation.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I'd rather go to hell than listen to those two in a booth.

What do you think plays over the PA in hell?

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

I guess offering 30k a year and a staff discount on a Rogers phone isn't enticing any type of talent to go after this gig.

Rogers sucks.

Serious question what do PBP and colour guys get paid?

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Serious question what do PBP and colour guys get paid?

I honestly do not know. It would vary depending on the market for the regional guys, and the nationally broadcast games have a different rate. I remember Millions complaining that Kerr and Leslie were not members of the NHL Broadcasters association and that the Flames hired them because they were cheap.

So I'd guess the Flames have some say and they might be the ones selling 6 months of work with partially paid road expenses and hoping some sucker takes it for below cost.

[Remember1989]

No issues with shameless homerism. As long as it’s someone with decent skills.

[BigThief]

No desire to be pandered to; bring in a good quality candidate from out of market that calls an intelligent game that isn't Harnarayan Singh.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Singh is a big ew.

Not even because of his pbp chops which are decidedly mid, but because of the way he embarrassed himself calling oilers games. He gave up his Calgary card at that point.

Also "Kahgdree"