On this week's episode Eddie does the show solo and talks about what caught his eye in the first full week of action in the NHL including a big gaff by the Oilers new goalie and an announcer's reaction to it. Doug has a special interview with NHL writer Craig Custance of the Sporting News. All that and more on this week's Puck Podcast.
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Talking about great announcers, for my money there has never been anyone as good as Danny Gallivan. His mastery of the English language allowed him to make up new words and phrases such as the Savardian spinarama and cannonading drives. The Canadiens became mythical because of his ability to describe them.
Besides Gallivan, I also miss Howie Meeker and Ted Darling, the original voice of the Sabres.
Eddie,
First off I want to say that your wife did an excellent job on the show and to also thank her for supporting your work on the show. The Puck Podcast is one of the few things that I look forward to when I come into work on a Monday morning. So thank you once again Doug and Eddie for what you do.
My wife doesn’t watch sports with me but I do have a story along the same lines. I am a Pens fan living in Minnesota. Two years ago when the team came to town I fought for weeks to secure tickets for me and my buddy. At the end of the day I got the tickets, put on my Malkin jersey, and went to the game planning to cheer until my throat was soar. When I got to the game I ended up sitting directly in front of a father who had brought his son to his first NHL game. When the Pens scored their first goal I cheered of course and when I sat back down I saw that the boy was very upset that the Wild were losing. I felt terrible. After that I lightly cheered when the Pens scored but for the most part I kept my emotions under wrap. The father and I talked throughout the game and we both expressed how we would have given almost anything to see Gretsky or Mario back in the day and that is why he brought his son to see Sidney and Malkin. So while the game was something that I had looked forward to going to for quite some time I kept my behavior in check so the father and son could enjoy their first game without some ass jumping around in front of them.
Rod Phillips (630 CHED) is the man! What makes him such a great announcer is the passion he has for the game and his job. I’m glad he called out Khabibulin for such a boneheaded move — when your player makes a mistake of that magnitude, you’re damn right he should hear about it!
First time listening to your podcast. I liked it! I’ll keep tuning in from here on.
Eddie – A big DITTO to what Mathew said about your wife’s performance on, and support of the show; and to your and Doug’s dedication to producing a great product. Karen is indeed a keeper if she tolerates and welcomes your involvement with sports, on so many levels, in your life and career.
My new wife was not much of a hockey fan, growing up in Kansas, but became a rabid NHL fan in a very short time after we met. I grew up in Detroit, and she has happily adopted the Wings as ‘her’ team, and has learned the game quickly, met several players and started her puck and autograph collection. It feels weird, and good, to get home from work and the TV is already on a hockey game.
As for other sports loyalties, we both had our favorite NASCAR drivers when we met but that has not caused any difficulties in our love of the sport. She is a long-time Jr. fan and I have been a fan of Kasey Kahne since he took over Bill Elliot’s No. 9. They race each other every week, but it’s not the same as watching two teams play each other direcetly, like in football or baseball. I will say, however that, had I been a Jeff Gordon fan, I would surely still be single – she was never gonna cross that line.
While Rod Phillips may have been okay describing Habby’s play as “atrocious,” labeling it as “despicable,” and questioning why a veteran would make that play crossed the line. By the tone, inflection and vocabulary, it CAN be inferred that Phillips almost believed Habby made the play on purpose, or at the very least just didn’t care about his new team or something along those lines. It reminds me of the call years ago with the NO Saints, in which the kicker missed a PAT and lost the game; the radio announcer screamed: “WHY WOULD HE DO THAT?!!?” As if he was TRYING to lose the game? He missed! One of the great things about professional sports is that it is not easy. People make mistakes and sometimes it costs their teams the game. If it was easy, we would all be playing.
For me and my girl, as long as we don’t root for our team’s rivals, we are good. As an Avs, Kings, Braves and Chargers fan, liking the Wings, Ducks, Mets and Raiders, even a little bit, is the deal breaker. Luckily for me, my girl has now adopted my extreme hatred of the **** Wings! In the same vein, she is a die-hard Dodgers fan, so I cannot even pretend to like the SF Giants. It’s even tough to talk about how awesome AT&T Park is!!
I also find it interesting when you start to root for your significant other’s team. I was a boyhood fan of the Dodgers. Then “Steve Garvey Is Not My Padre” left and, not understanding the details, I started to hate the Blue Crew. Years later, understanding that when the Dodgers succeed, my Baby is happy; I started to root for the Dodgers.
I like the Angels, too (I know, I am breaking Puck Podcast rules by liking more than one team) and if the World Series comes down to the Freeway Series… hmmmm…
And as far as missing announcers, listening to the fantastic Gary Thorne do baseball playoff play-by-play just reminds me of all the good times watching hockey on ESPN and loving it….
Dave,
I can honestly say that I do not understand NASCAR at all, but then again I have friends that don’t understand Hockey at all. I am so friggin sick of the joke from those people, “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.”
I wanted to leave this comment last week, but it applies to this week as well.
Doug, you are doing an AMAZING job on these interviews. Your interview of Paul Maurice was one of the best hockey-related interviews I’ve heard in a year, at least.
Eddie, I can totally relate with your story with your wife. My family and I are born-and-bred Red Wings fans (since the 70’s for me) and my wife and her family have been fans of the Sharks since their inception. We try to keep a sense of humor about the rivalry. The first time I went to meet her father at his home, he hit play on the Tivo when I walked in and I was confronted with Jamie Baker’s Game 7 goal from the 1994 playoffs. Later that year, my wife traveled to Detroit to meet my parents and they took me and my wife to a Wings game on the day she arrived. As we settled into our seats, my dad pointed up and said, “Jenn, those are Stanley Cup banners. I know you haven’t seen any before.” Things get tense sometimes when they play each other, but we are both good about being good winners when we get the opportunity.
You both do a great job and the best compliment I can give is that I give you guys 2 hours of my time every week. I work full time and have 3 kids under 4 years old, so I don’t have a lot of time to spare. 🙂
I’m with Kris from SoCal on this one, Gary Thorne was awesome. Never been more excited watching a game than we he had the call.
Get back on ESPN you NHL morons!!! Gary is wasting away in baseball-land. Yes Bettman, I blame YOU.
Well, I blame ESPN and it’s insatiable NEED for the “Urban Dollar” by hooking up with the NBA. Remember, Bettman only went with WhoreCast after ESPN made absolutely NO offer to carry the League anymore…
I find it funny because the NHL seems to be a growing sport, actually gaining fans; and the NBA seems to be bleeding fans outside of LA, BOS and NY. I don’t have numbers in front of me, so I may be wrong, but aren’t NBA telecast ratings not involving the aforementioned teams way down?
Of course, they are STILL way higher than the NHL’s TV audience, but it seems the “buzz” rests with the NHL.
Well, I admit I’m biased…
About the NHL on ESPN thing, ESPN is not big enough for the sports programming it airs on its channel. I still remember ESPN getting the NBA contract in 2002 and saying to myself that it’s the beginning of the end, that the NBA would not only cut into the NHL’s time, but end up putting hockey on the backburner. And that’s exactly what happened. Now, you have ESPN essentially boycotting hockey on its networks and giving it the most basic of coverage on its website. The only positive thing that would come out of a return to ESPN would be increased coverage on SportsCenter. To be honest, I’ll take Versus putting hockey on a pedestal and showing virtually every playoff game over the table scraps ESPN offered hockey back in the day.It would be nice to see the post lockout NHL on ESPN with stars like Crosby and Ovechkin but it needs to be fair to the NHL.
The NHL has been gaining more fans in the last few years. It only takes one game to catch someone’s attention. The Blackhawks Vs. Flames game, what a comeback, what a game! Too bad for those with DirecTV. Whoever or whatever is doing it, they need to get their stuff together, only the great sport of Hockey will suffer because of it.
If the NHL were to go back to ESPN I believe their games would be shown on ESPN2 because the higher profile events like the MLB, NFL, NBA, College Basketball and College Football would be put on ESPN. I read recently that Versus has 1/3 the exposure (# of homes) as ESPN2. That’s not great, but it’s not terrible, either. ESPN2 isn’t in many hotel rooms and it’s literally a second-tier network.
I am fine with the NHL being on Versus as long as Versus is available to people with both cable and satellite television.
I’d be happy if they put the NHL on any network that refuses to hire Pierre McGuire. This is the most knowledgeable and exciting commentator NBC could find? Honestly? The man is awful but not as awful as the Penguin’s TV announcers. Something is wrong when I turn on a Pens game on Center Ice and think, “Oh good it is the other team’s announcers.” Rod Phillips might cross the line sometimes but at least he calls players by their right name.
Harsh is not the word I would use to decribe the call in the Oilers game
You know when I look at it. The fans in Edmonton really do not have much in there world. The city is not easy to get into. The much hated Calgarians have hosted a Winter Games and have the world famous stampeads and the weather sucks 9 months a year.
When you tear it all down the Oiler fans are insane. there are reasons why that top tier free agents will not sign there. Why would you when you can go to Chicago or New York or live a quiet life of having nobody know who you are in public here in Los Angeles or anaheim
Now you have ur radio play by play guy telling you that you pretty much suck. Remember Mr Phillips when the team goes on the road I do beleve you ride the team charter. Make sure you sit next to the Bulin wall I am sure he would love to have a chat with you. Remember also who signs your paychecks.
It is ok for announcers to say hey that guy screwd up or even say what is that player or coach thinking but insulting the team you announce for? I am sure that will be mentoned durin the time your trying to get a new contract
Al the have is there Oilers
Mathew – yeah, I get a lot of from various people for liking Nascar, and some for liking hockey; from people who don’t share the interest. It has helped to keep me from bagging on other people’s interests when I know little about them and don’t care to… well, most of the time!
i am sending you this excerpt from hockeyjournal.com and i was wondering if you agree that the lack of fighting means a lack of passion, energy, and intensity.
“Yet another game without a fight for the Bruins, who have not dropped the gloves in three straight. Fighting doesn’t equate to winning by any means, but the lack of fighting is symptomatic of the team’s overall lack of passion, energy and intensity. The Bruins need an upgrade in all three areas , whether that ends up with more fights or not, if they what to snap out of this current skid and get back to playing Bruins hockey. Shawn Thornton did appear to ask Colorado enforcer David Koci to go after Koci ran Steve Begin in the first, but Koci, not wanting to give the Bruins a lift with the Avs up 2-0, declined the invitation.”
By the way I love what you guys do to the spread of hockey and the great sport it is.
Thanks,
Devin form Haverhill, Massachusetts
I just want to take a second to say how much I appreciate the great comments we get on here each week. From guys who post pretty much every week, like Kris, to new listeners, like Mike S, we almost always get sincere and intellegent comments. You don’t get that on most message boards. Thanks guys.