They weren't fired, they were layed off. ESPN is in a real bad spot right now, and they were only two of over a hundred staff that they let go.
I prefer to think if it less as ESPN not reporting on hockey, but giving two reporters the chance to cover hockey for establishments that are actually interested in the sport.
yea, to be fair here people were let go across everything they cover. a few of their best NFL guys were also turfed.
I mean, you can argue that they have like a zillion people covering the NFL and only like 5 on hockey, so to get rid of all the hockey people is stupid, but It's not like the hockey side is the only part of ESPN that was hit.
So ESPN fired Scott Burnside and Pierre LeBrun, so they're basically just not reporting on hockey at all anymore. Especially if the rumors about Buccigross' contract not being renewed are true, though that hasn't panned out so far.
I will always be appreciative over the inside USA hockey story ESPN & Burnside did leading up to Sochi. Showed what a sham a lot of the management in the NHL really is, nothing more than an old boys club. I mean for fucks sake, they didn't take Seth Jones because Bryan Burke had a dream he'd cost them a medal. And that's the kind of story that only a big media outlet is really able to support, just because it takes so much time to develope into anything.
ESPN doesn't give two shits about hockey. They seem to be focused more on the NBA than anything else. Hell, it seems they care more about the PGA than the NHL, which just scream "pretentious bastards" in so many ways. Personally, I don't care. I can't remember the last time I actually even paid attention to ESPN, even during the NFL season. I just could care less about that network and get my sports news from other sources.
While I agree that being insensitive is an issue, so is being oversensitive.
I don't care what you guys say, Mike Emrick is a national treasure.
I used to like Pierre but he tries way too hard to get across how much random trivia he knows about hockey. Dude, I don't care that Barry Trotz used to coach where one of the refs lives.
I mean, as a penguins fan, I think it a great idea to move your best shooter to the lowest shooting percentage spot on the ice, but
Not sure what the most recent coaching regimes have done with him, but Boudreau routinely played Ovie and Mike Green at the points on the PP, which led to a ton of goals both for and against.
i should be pointed out that last night. Game 1 of the second round. The Ottawa Senators failed to sell out, by a couple thousand.
I mean, yes, the team is being stupid, and they increased the cost of *parking* by $10, and upper bowl tickets start at $90 in Round 2 there, and the arena is literally almost an hour outside of downtown Ottawa with no public transit options..... but still.
Well… yes? It’s Ottawa. Our attendance usually sucks, but there are also other factors;
- Game 2 and 5 are on Saturday’s, so if you’re going to buy a ticket to a game or two you are more likely to skip the Thursday games.
- The biggest employer in the city is the federal government which means not as many corporate ticket buyers. Oh, and there are still a bunch of people that work for the federal government that are having trouble with their pay. http://www.timescolonist.com/news/national/federal-civil-service-problems-with-phoenix-pay-system-to-linger-for-months-1.11270062
- The arena is at the ass end of the west of the city. Which means that, aside from being a bit of a commute for many people, everyone and their mother is going to be going to and coming from the arena in the same direction. Because of this (and the shitty parking lot layouts), I’ve been home at 12:30 from playoff games that ended at 10:30.
-
I’m sure that Melnyk’s plan of “good enough” mediocrity over the last few years probably doesn’t help things either. People will support a shitty team, but the most dangerous thing you can do to a fan base is take away their hope.
I don't care what you guys say, Mike Emrick is a national treasure.
I used to like Pierre but he tries way too hard to get across how much random trivia he knows about hockey. Dude, I don't care that Barry Trotz used to coach where one of the refs lives.
The only truly bad ones are Keith Jones and Mike milbury.
Remember, Mike milbury assaulted a 13year old during a youth hockey game.
I'm a canadian, so I don't get subjected to Doc Emerick as much as those of you in the US, but I really don't mind him as a play by play guy. He's good. He's not the best I've ever heard, but he's good.
Ed Olchyk (or however it's spelled) is ok, but I think he shows bias too much of the time. Especially if it's Chcago (yes I know he's their regional colour guy too, that's what makes it bad)
Pierre McGuire though. Oh my god I just want someone to hire him to be a GM to get him off TV. He might be the single worst colour guy out there. We were subjected to him for years in Canada before he took on the full time gig at NBC, I hated him back then too.
I do like Brian Boucher as a color guy. He manages to get the "check this out" and "slightly higher but not obscene knowledge" thing just right.
Also, Olczyk is great at Xs-and-Os, which I know a lot of people don't see due to the speed of the game. For example, he was the one who saw -- and pointed out -- Ovie pulling up on a Crosby hit and then Crosby skating the length of the ice for a score. I know I've learned a bunch about what to watch from listening to him. I do agree with the bias, but removing bias completely is nearly impossible (I know you know that).
Rangers unable to take advantage of dominant performance by goalie Henrik Lundqvist
story of the game or story of Lundqvist's career?
I was thinking about this on my drive into work. I don't think I'm overexaggerating that he's as good as Brodeur was in his prime; but he doesn't have the teams around him like Brodeur did.
+2
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ChanusHarbinger of the Spicy Rooster ApocalypseThe Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered Userregular
Rangers unable to take advantage of dominant performance by goalie Henrik Lundqvist
story of the game or story of Lundqvist's career?
I was thinking about this on my drive into work. I don't think I'm overexaggerating that he's as good as Brodeur was in his prime; but he doesn't have the teams around him like Brodeur did.
it's frustrating as hell
the rangers are always just good enough to not be bad these days
I'm glad Brendan Burke, the new isles play by play guy got a chance w/ the west coast series. He's great, after having heard both NBC and a lot of regional announcers, there's a lot of lousy ones.
I'm glad Brendan Burke, the new isles play by play guy got a chance w/ the west coast series. He's great, after having heard both NBC and a lot of regional announcers, there's a lot of lousy ones.
the problem with most of the regional announcers is that they're so pro their team it's sickening. I actually am of the opinion that hurts in the long run, because instead of promoting how good the NHL is overall, they're only promoting their specific team. So then people only get interested in their own team, and not anything else, which then contributes to the big problem in the US (and also a problem in Canada, but not as much) that most fans are not fans of the sport/league. They're just fans of their team. That's bad for the sport overall.
I'm glad Brendan Burke, the new isles play by play guy got a chance w/ the west coast series. He's great, after having heard both NBC and a lot of regional announcers, there's a lot of lousy ones.
the problem with most of the regional announcers is that they're so pro their team it's sickening. I actually am of the opinion that hurts in the long run, because instead of promoting how good the NHL is overall, they're only promoting their specific team. So then people only get interested in their own team, and not anything else, which then contributes to the big problem in the US (and also a problem in Canada, but not as much) that most fans are not fans of the sport/league. They're just fans of their team. That's bad for the sport overall.
some are definitely worse than others
the caps' announcers are unbearable
the rangers' announcers obviously love their team but they seem pretty fair
If they keep playing as hard as they did in game 1 I think they'll win the series. They lost, but they had 14 more shots on goal than the pens. Flower won that game.
I'm glad Brendan Burke, the new isles play by play guy got a chance w/ the west coast series. He's great, after having heard both NBC and a lot of regional announcers, there's a lot of lousy ones.
the problem with most of the regional announcers is that they're so pro their team it's sickening. I actually am of the opinion that hurts in the long run, because instead of promoting how good the NHL is overall, they're only promoting their specific team. So then people only get interested in their own team, and not anything else, which then contributes to the big problem in the US (and also a problem in Canada, but not as much) that most fans are not fans of the sport/league. They're just fans of their team. That's bad for the sport overall.
Brian Heyward. Taught a whole generation of Ducks fans to be homers and want calls for their team all the time. Just plain awful.
Podlyyou unzipped me! it's all coming back! i don't like it!Registered Userregular
two playoff stories from bartending
1) one of my regulars is a die hard blues fan. he was FURIOUS at the PK Subban iffy call. As a Bruins fan and newly out of the closet Subban fan I just laughed and was like MAAANNNN I've been there
2) on the last face off during the rangers game, someone tapped me on my hand to try to order a drink when 95% of the bar was watching the last five seconds. luckily I'm not a rangers fan but as a hockey fan in general I just looked at her and asked her if this person was out of her mind
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I prefer to think if it less as ESPN not reporting on hockey, but giving two reporters the chance to cover hockey for establishments that are actually interested in the sport.
False dichotomy.
I mean, you can argue that they have like a zillion people covering the NFL and only like 5 on hockey, so to get rid of all the hockey people is stupid, but It's not like the hockey side is the only part of ESPN that was hit.
I have 549 Rock Band Drum and 305 Pro Drum FC's
REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS REFS
my money is either on dislocated hip or broken thigh bone. Ugly ugly stuff.
I will always be appreciative over the inside USA hockey story ESPN & Burnside did leading up to Sochi. Showed what a sham a lot of the management in the NHL really is, nothing more than an old boys club. I mean for fucks sake, they didn't take Seth Jones because Bryan Burke had a dream he'd cost them a medal. And that's the kind of story that only a big media outlet is really able to support, just because it takes so much time to develope into anything.
e: Do these not embed anymore? *checks announcements board*
That's riveting stuff, sure makes me want to watch hockey...
Lots of embeds broke this morning.
Steam: Chagrin LoL: Bonhomie
Steam: Chagrin LoL: Bonhomie
I mean, as a penguins fan, I think it a great idea to move your best shooter to the lowest shooting percentage spot on the ice, but
I used to like Pierre but he tries way too hard to get across how much random trivia he knows about hockey. Dude, I don't care that Barry Trotz used to coach where one of the refs lives.
Also, that was a really fun game to watch. I hope someone gave Flower a hug after all that.
Not sure what the most recent coaching regimes have done with him, but Boudreau routinely played Ovie and Mike Green at the points on the PP, which led to a ton of goals both for and against.
story of the game or story of Lundqvist's career?
I mean, yes, the team is being stupid, and they increased the cost of *parking* by $10, and upper bowl tickets start at $90 in Round 2 there, and the arena is literally almost an hour outside of downtown Ottawa with no public transit options..... but still.
Really, Ottawa?
- Game 2 and 5 are on Saturday’s, so if you’re going to buy a ticket to a game or two you are more likely to skip the Thursday games.
- The biggest employer in the city is the federal government which means not as many corporate ticket buyers. Oh, and there are still a bunch of people that work for the federal government that are having trouble with their pay. http://www.timescolonist.com/news/national/federal-civil-service-problems-with-phoenix-pay-system-to-linger-for-months-1.11270062
- The arena is at the ass end of the west of the city. Which means that, aside from being a bit of a commute for many people, everyone and their mother is going to be going to and coming from the arena in the same direction. Because of this (and the shitty parking lot layouts), I’ve been home at 12:30 from playoff games that ended at 10:30.
-
I’m sure that Melnyk’s plan of “good enough” mediocrity over the last few years probably doesn’t help things either. People will support a shitty team, but the most dangerous thing you can do to a fan base is take away their hope.
The only truly bad ones are Keith Jones and Mike milbury.
Remember, Mike milbury assaulted a 13year old during a youth hockey game.
Ed Olchyk (or however it's spelled) is ok, but I think he shows bias too much of the time. Especially if it's Chcago (yes I know he's their regional colour guy too, that's what makes it bad)
Pierre McGuire though. Oh my god I just want someone to hire him to be a GM to get him off TV. He might be the single worst colour guy out there. We were subjected to him for years in Canada before he took on the full time gig at NBC, I hated him back then too.
Also, Olczyk is great at Xs-and-Os, which I know a lot of people don't see due to the speed of the game. For example, he was the one who saw -- and pointed out -- Ovie pulling up on a Crosby hit and then Crosby skating the length of the ice for a score. I know I've learned a bunch about what to watch from listening to him. I do agree with the bias, but removing bias completely is nearly impossible (I know you know that).
I was thinking about this on my drive into work. I don't think I'm overexaggerating that he's as good as Brodeur was in his prime; but he doesn't have the teams around him like Brodeur did.
it's frustrating as hell
the rangers are always just good enough to not be bad these days
the problem with most of the regional announcers is that they're so pro their team it's sickening. I actually am of the opinion that hurts in the long run, because instead of promoting how good the NHL is overall, they're only promoting their specific team. So then people only get interested in their own team, and not anything else, which then contributes to the big problem in the US (and also a problem in Canada, but not as much) that most fans are not fans of the sport/league. They're just fans of their team. That's bad for the sport overall.
some are definitely worse than others
the caps' announcers are unbearable
the rangers' announcers obviously love their team but they seem pretty fair
Brian Heyward. Taught a whole generation of Ducks fans to be homers and want calls for their team all the time. Just plain awful.
1) one of my regulars is a die hard blues fan. he was FURIOUS at the PK Subban iffy call. As a Bruins fan and newly out of the closet Subban fan I just laughed and was like MAAANNNN I've been there
2) on the last face off during the rangers game, someone tapped me on my hand to try to order a drink when 95% of the bar was watching the last five seconds. luckily I'm not a rangers fan but as a hockey fan in general I just looked at her and asked her if this person was out of her mind