Not ready for prime-time: More thoughts on the weekend that was
Aren't you glad that TSN2-Rogers thing is over? Maybe now we can focus our attention on the battle between TSN2 and Mountain Cable.
I'll have to plead guilty on this one, but never was so much written about a channel that shows 90 per cent repeats. But you do have to wonder how two dozen Toronto Raptors games didn't have the power of three Blue Jays games in settling this deal. Oh wait, Rogers doesn't own the Raptors ...
ON THE ICE: What is this obsession Hockey Night In Canada has with guys in suits? And I don't mean loud, floral-print ones. To illustrate, here's how the network that invented hockey coverage handles goals: The guy scores, the cameras show the on-ice celebration before instantly going to the private boxes to show some rich guy in a suit (the owner) or another guy in a suit (the GM) reacting to the goal. How many viewers are sitting at home thinking, ``Geez, I wonder how Dale Tallon is going to react to that goal?" The answer: Mrs. Tallon and about 10 relatives. ... Why Bob Cole's time has come: In his last game he credited a goaltender with a great save even though he never moved as the puck hit him in the chest and later identified a shot that just missed the net as a pass in front. Maybe it's the glasses. ... NBC hockey analyst Ed Olczyk is one of the best, but got caught nattering during Sunday's Detroit-Chicago game. He was rambling about Detroit forward Mikael Samuelsson's contract situation as the Wings scored their fourth goal. It's the playoffs, Ed. What's happening on the ice is a lot more important than post-season contract talks.
ON THE PITCH: Toronto FC announcer Nigel Reed continues to forget which side of the Atlantic Ocean -- or maybe which planet -- he's on. As the teams entered the stadium before Saturday's game on CBC, Reed referred to Dwayne De Rosario ``bringing up the twale." Or was it twail? Neither word appears in my dictionary. ... There was a nice feature by Brenda Irving on TFC strength and fitness guy Paul Winsper during Saturday's game. It was a good look behind the scenes.
ON THE FIELD: During Sunday's Blue Jays game on Rogers Sportsnet, Chicago pitcher Gavin Floyd appeared as ``Gavon Floyd" in a graphic. Moments later, another graphic referred to ``yesterdays (sic) line." Spell checker not working? ... Good line by Sportsnet's Jamie Campbell after Alex Rios hit a line-drive homerun on Alex Rios bobblehead day: ``That probably broke a few bobbleheads." ... Don't you love those Sportsnet in-game interviews with Buffalo Bills players? Neither do I.
Chris why is TSN2 just picking up the Red Sox broadcasts? Why can't they send their crew down? It's a little ridiculous after all that hubub about getting the deal done and they can't even send their own broadcasters.
Posted by: Simon S-G | 05/19/2009 at 07:09 PM
I'm with Simon - pretty embarrassing for TSN2 to be picking up the NESN broadcasts.
Posted by: Josh | 05/19/2009 at 09:14 PM
One of my worst sports nightmares has come true. TSN2 is not yet available in Newfoundland for some mysterious reason, and the Blue Jay-Red Sox game was blacked out on MLB Extra Innings. I scolded the people at Rogers for this ineptitude, and I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE SAME SITUATION doesn't hold true for the other two games of the big series in Boston.
Posted by: Lloyd Bonnell | 05/19/2009 at 11:15 PM
Someone must be holding the pursestrings pretty tight... ditto to them picking up NBC's feed on Sunday's Detroit/Chicago hockey game. Conference final and we're stuck with a simulcast???
Posted by: marcb | 05/20/2009 at 08:03 AM
Give Nigel a break. Him and Derek Rae are the best on this side of the Atlantic, we all know that he meant "trail".
Posted by: Josh O'Donnell | 05/20/2009 at 05:22 PM