Can we replace Eric Francis on Sportsnet? Please?

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I can see why you would think that. You are right that Hrudey does not really add any insight to the game, and for me that's okay—I have been watching hockey long enough that I don't really need it. But what I do like about Hrudey is his chemistry with Rick Ball. It's outstanding, and I suspect that I would not appreciate him nearly as much with another play-by-play caller.

Yeah, it’s mostly about entertainment for me, not technical insight. Hrudey can talk about life on the road, etc or his experiences in a slump, so that’s cool. But technical stuff is either too basic because of lowest common denominator catering or wrong (the Debrusk call on goalie interference) or not something to do with the game (Cassie falls into this sometimes - prepping something she thinks will happen and insisting on using it even if it doesn’t happen).

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

It’s definitely got to be tough for road games to get the normal insight as they are calling games off of the TV, and not sitting above the rink, seeing things the cameras don’t capture

Here is something I have been wondering

Does anybody know exactly what Ball and Hrudey have to look at while they are working? Do they have multiple camera views with the main one being broadcast highlighted? Or just the broadcast view?

One thing about COVID - colour commentators used to visit pregame and get info from players about stuff going on - they can’t now.

I’ve noticed Ball gets a few more details wrong these days and looking at video only has to explain it because I’ve always said he has the best vision for details (like deflections, etc.) in the business.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Who is that?

Flamenspiel has a lisp.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

I guess it’s not that important to me, and calling him out for lying(who knows if it’s true, it could be that he did not want to reveal the source)is interesting...

We know for certain that this is not true. When Pinder pressed Francis he admitted that he was exaggerating his opinion as a fact.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

By the way I liked Dowbiggin, a journalist who got the scoop on what a scumbag Eagleson was.

He did do good work exposing Eaglesons transgressions and thievery. Cannot take that away from him.

However, he had some really egregious journalistic violations as well being shown as flat out wrong on some of his published claims.

There was a pretty public sparring over one of his claims about 15 or more years ago. He was shown to be dead wrong on something and then turned around and went with it again in his column the following week. There was a half hearted retraction the following week IIRC.

But more unforgiveable was the cardinal sin of the 5th estate...plagiarism.

When that whole thing went down his already weakening credibility was tarnished forever.

He was more than just the sparring partner of conventional media guys opinions, he really was a dishonest journalist.

[shadowlord]

Another gem from Francis on repeatedly drilling Rittich on Francis' perceived lack of confidence following tonight's 2-1 OT loss to Toronto. Seems like Rittich is sick of Francis by the end when BSD calls him out for asking the same question a few games ago.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1364785176237076480

[TheRealPepman]

Will admit I don't flaunt about this much - but Eric Francis kind of rubs me the wrong way. I just don't like flaunting it (especially on Twitter) because that's not my personality. It's not that I tolerate his presence. I just kinda dislike him and move on to the next thing. I am clearly aware why, but I'd rather put my energy on more important things.

I got another confession though. I was one of the fans that waited for Iggy on the day he announced his retirement. I got selfies from all the famous hockey guys inside the Dome except for Francis. LOL. I did greet him out of respect and that was about it.

[Nage Waza]

I think we need an announcer playoff bracket vote if someone can it it up please.

[Yamer]

I'm mostly indifferent to the guy, but I gotta admit, seeing the TSN group take the piss out of Eric Francis for his hyperbolic nonsense this morning was kinda funny.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1366773408701243394

https://twitter.com/user/status/1366772734391377922

[ForeverFlameFan]

Add him to the “to be fired” list

[dustygoon]

Dreger vs Francis twitter battles. It's like watching Burrows vs Stortini.

[ComixZone]

Nothing is hyperbolic about what Francis wrote.

The Flames are a bottom dwelling team, and it isn't by design like the Senators.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1366777972930215936

We have the worst record against the Sens.

[Erick Estrada]

I love how the hockey media community likes Francis as much as we do.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Nothing is hyperbolic about what Francis wrote.

The Flames are a bottom dwelling team, and it isn't by design like the Senators.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1366777972930215936

We have the worst record against the Sens.

Toronto at 3-1-1 and Montreal at 1-1-2 isn't near a "free space". It's lazy hyperbole.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Yamer

Toronto at 3-1-1 and Montreal at 1-1-2 isn't near a "free space". It's lazy hyperbole.

Toronto got 7 of a possible 10 points. .700. That's dominating.

Montreal fired their head coach after losing to the Senators in OT twice. We just got blown out by the Sens 5-1 and 6-1...and we, as an organization, are just going to take it without responding? It's hyperbolic to want to shine a light on this incompetence?

I'm no Eric Francis fan, but I'm all for the local media being tough on this team. They deserve it, and clearly aren't holding themselves accountable internally because nothing has changed despite years upon years of incompetence. It's time the Flames organization as a whole get taken to task by the media. They get a pass when compared to other "hot" hockey markets, and that should stop.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Given where the Flames are in the standings, I don't think it's unfair to say that losing 2 out of 3 to the Sens, is a massive failure.
We want the local media to be more critical of the team but when they are - people object?
Who cares what the other teams have done. Most those teams are ahead of the Flames in the standings. This was a chance to make up ground. And they didn't lose because of bad bounces. They lost because they were outright terrible.
What are we defending here?

[Erick Estrada]

I agree they are being hard on Francis but that's because they probably don't like him and when you act like Francis does you deserve what you get.

[Yamer]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Toronto got 7 of a possible 10 points. .700. That's dominating.

Montreal fired their head coach after losing to the Senators in OT twice. We just got blown out by the Sens 5-1 and 6-1...and we, as an organization, are just going to take it without responding? It's hyperbolic to want to shine a light on this incompetence?

I'm no Eric Francis fan, but I'm all for the local media being tough on this team. They deserve it, and clearly aren't holding themselves accountable internally because nothing has changed despite years upon years of incompetence. It's time the Flames organization as a whole get taken to task by the media. They get a pass when compare it to other "hot" hockey markets.

Hey, you're not going to get an argument from me against holding this team accountable across all spheres. However, the way Francis sold this article with a definitive statement, when that statement is false, got the attention of his peers and he was rightfully called out. His rebuttal proved Miller and Dreger's point more than his own.

It was funny.

[1_Flames_Fan]

I finally agree with something Francis had to say. He said in an interview that whoever told Matthew Tkachuk to tone it down and pick his spots should be traded yesterday and if Sutter finds out he will be.

[931228]

This is something we will probably never find out, but my guess is either Gio or Backlund

[bzoo02]

Originally Posted by 1_Flames_Fan

I finally agree with something Francis had to say. He said in an interview that whoever told Matthew Tkachuk to tone it down and pick his spots should be traded yesterday and if Sutter finds out he will be.

I've heard this a few times, and Oilers fans always bring it up, but was it actually something that happened or something that Francis "speculated" for clicks?