I must say I get rather annoyed by the nitpicking on this board when it comes to Gord and Pierre. IMO they're the best play by play tandem going in hockey.
This isn't schmoozing just because Gord has taken the time to join this webboard - I took radio/TV broadcasting (as I'm sure Gord did) in the mid 1980's, but I soon discovered that I pretty much sucked in front of a camera due to a silly afflication commonly known as "self consciousness". I think it was more of a lack of confidence than anything, so I transferred to the journalism program, where my spontaneity could be edited.
Anyway; broadcasting isn't as easy as some would suggest - of course there are going to be slipups - the odd malaprop, misinformation, whatever, but I must say that Pierre and Gord are as informed as any hockey broadcasters going, especially when it comes to researched facts. It's refreshing to hear a pair that quite obviously hang out together at least occasionally away from the microphones. and have some chemistry between them.
That being said, one of my pet peeves since becoming a "journalist" is redundancy, and I must admit that Pierre has a tendency of overstressing his point.
- Pierre - we get it about Montoya - he's underachieving. If he starts breaking his graphite sticks whilst attempting two-line passes, I hope one cancels the other out, and you let it slide, he he.
I used to enjoy Pierre's 20-minute radio gig on The Team Ottawa when the guys tried to stump Pierre with a question "Pierre Knows Everything", usually involving current events. The SOB usually got the answer right. There's no doubt that he lives life to the fullest, and would be an excellent dinnermate anywhere in North America. The SOB knows every good dining joint from Boston Bar City to Bangor.
Let's enjoy these moments fellow Canadians; 20 years from now these guys are going to referred to as broadcasting legends, and many of the present-day nitpickers will wax eloquently about having been a part of the culture.