Favorite/Unfavorite TV Commentator/Analyst

[icarus]

Does anyone remember Mike Toth's one or two game foray into PBP? That was about as bad as you could get.

[timbit]

The incessant and incoherent homer whining of Mickey Redmond ( Red Wings) makes him the worst analyst by a fair bit.

[savemedrzaius]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that hates Romanuk. Romanuk and Millen always do Leaf games when they aren't playing on Saturday night and TSN doesn't have the local rights. Those two can make the most exciting game boring. They did the Matthews 4-goal game and completely ruined it.

I used to like when the Leafs had Harry Neale and Joe Bowen. Both were huge Leaf homers but they made the game fun.

My current favourite duo is Gord Miller and Ferraro. Miller calls a great game and Ferraro's comments are always interesting. They have good banter and Ferraro is one of the few broadcasters who was actually a really good hockey player which is kind of cool.

[Enoch Root]

Loved Danny Gallivan and Dick Irvin.

I am surprised at now much I agree with so many of the posts in here - personal opinion can vary widely and I expected things to be all over the map, but there is a lot of consensus, and a lot I agree with.

Coverage I enjoy:
Dallas, St Louis NYR, SJ, Chicago and the old Nashville crew (haven't heard the new guys)

Really like Emerick and NBC, shame that PM ruins the telecast.

Coverage I dislike:
Colorado (the worst), Boston, LA, Edmonton, and Detroit (Redmond is insufferable)

Hughson is great if it isn't Vancouver. Really like Gord Miller. Used to like Romanuk but can't stand him since he's come back from Europe.

Don't like Johnson at all. Simpson is good, as long as it isn't Edm or Calgary playing (his personal bias gets in the way).

Agree that DeBrusk has come a long way and is getting better. Edmonton switching him out for Remenda was an incredibly bad decision.

For those saying commentators aren't biased - that's just silly. Of course they are, everyone is. The difference is that some control it and keep things balanced, while a few (Altitude, Redmond, Boston, Remenda) make no attempt to reign it in and go off like fans sitting in a pub, watching their beloved.

Finally, I cannot believe that the one and only Gene Principe has not been mentioned. The man singlehandedly makes Edmonton even more no good than they already were - and that is really saying something!

[Young_Guns]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Finally, I cannot believe that the one and only Gene Principe has not been mentioned. The man singlehandedly makes Edmonton even more no good than they already were - and that is really saying something!

At least Gene Principe is much better than Roger Millions.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I would take Darryl Reaugh over any opponent color analyst out there. By far the best current guy, IMO. The duo lost a little bit when Strangis retired, but Dave Strader is a decent replacement.

For PBP, Bob Miller, Randy Hahn, Mike Lange, Rick Jeanerette

If you could extract the Canucks apologist aspect of Jim Hughson, I think he would be right near the top of the list of PBP guys. I think he calls great games when the Canucks aren't involved.

Terrible color homers:

Brian Hayward
Bernie Federko
Mickey Redmond
Drew Remenda
John Garrett

Bad PBP guys:

Mike Haynes (Colorado)
Jack Edwards (Boston) HOMER

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I've always loved Loubardias's call.

Your taste is real bad in a lot of things. loubardias is awful.

[getbak]

Remenda was horrible when he was the colour guy for the Sharks who occasionally filled in on HNIC. He's horrible now as the full-time Oilers colour guy. Not only are his comments often delusionally homerific, he also has an annoying habit of mumbling stuff under his breath. It's like he wants to make a comment but doesn't want to interrupt Quinn, so he just sort of mumbles his comments to himself.


Quinn is a decent PBP guy, but he does the awful "my dog just died" delivery whenever the other team scores and the euphoric "my dog just had puppies" calls when the Oilers score.


Principe is just a frickin' clown. My favourite thing about Principe is when he's interviewing a player from the other team and spends the whole interview trying to get them to compliment the Oilers.


I used to like Romanuk before he moved to England, but since he's come back, he's just been awful.


Debrusk has actually developed into a decent colour guy.


Ball and Hrudey are such a good regional team that I actually get mad when I turn on a Flames game and find out it's a national broadcast.

[mikeecho]

Originally Posted by getbak

Principe is just a frickin' clown. My favourite thing about Principe is when he's interviewing a player from the other team and spends the whole interview trying to get them to compliment the Oilers.

This is bang on. Now every interview he does includes the question "so what's it like to play with/against Connor McDavid?"

Asking players about other players is lazy.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Not a big fan of overly quirky signature phrases or delivery.

Joe Bowen can be bearable until he inevitably yells "Holy Mackinaw." Ugh. But he works for Toronto.
Jeanneret is also tough to listen to once a goal is scored. He is good for Buffalo.
And Gene Principe is a perfect fit for Edmonton.


Anybody mention Steinberg in his preseason service? I have never heard somebody say "Johnny on the spot" so many times.

Completely agree that Calgary fans are fortunate to have Ball and Hrudey

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Your taste is real bad in a lot of things. loubardias is awful.

Your taste is bad on a lot of things - Loubardias is great!

[GirlySports]

watching this Wild broadcast now, it's super biased.

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Your taste is real bad in a lot of things. loubardias is awful.

How is he awful? His knowledge of the game is elite, he understands the plays at the level of an NHL coach. He sleeps, eats and breathes hockey.

Sure he's a little dry but makes up for it with professionalism and knowledge of the game. The maybe this is what's happening incite he gives are generally pretty accurate and logical. I've never noticed him being a homer. What's there not to like?

[Rejean31]

Millions is not great but at least he doesn't act like an ass clown on broadcasts like Principe does.

[1qqaaz]

I respect Millions for having covered the Flames for so long

Plus, doesn't he post here once in a while?

[thefoss1957]

Someone mentioned Rosen, and I agree, but, I hear him more for his NFL calls...does all the Bear pre-season games, and is on Fox's #4 crew for the season...Thorne was good on his ESPN games, long ago...

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by AcGold

How is he awful? His knowledge of the game is elite, he understands the plays at the level of an NHL coach. He sleeps, eats and breathes hockey.

Sure he's a little dry but makes up for it with professionalism and knowledge of the game. The maybe this is what's happening incite he gives are generally pretty accurate and logical. I've never noticed him being a homer. What's there not to like?

His voice grates, and he sometimes takes a little too long to make a point, but otherwise I agree with you

[HarryH93]

I know Jim Hughson is a Canucks homer, but he really is a great commentator. Plus, I'll always appreciate "Heeere's Johnny"

[Sylvanfan]

Gene Principle is awful. One day an opposing player will ask him if he's bleeping kidding him. That lap dogs act is more embarrassing than his stupid hair. If I was an Oiler fan he'd make me hate myself.

[Northendzone]

I sure hope that don wittman's name is mentioned previously in this thread.

Don made some great calls during the 2004 run, and he was very versatile as he was great at hockey, football, track and field (Donovan bailey running for gold in 2004) and curling.