Legendary broadcaster Bob Cole passes away at 90

[BCNate]

The best there has ever been. RIP Bob Cole.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

One of the best.
RIP

 

[Blue Shakehead]

Soundtrack of my youth. RIP to the best who ever did it.

 

[Strangelove]

Thanks for the memories Bob!

 

[Beau Knows]

I always associated his voice with big games: game 7's, Olympics. He had a knack for making those games feel even bigger than they were.

For whatever reason, I felt like he was especially great when Lemieux had the puck on his stick. Like he was reading Mario better than the defensemen that were covering him:

 

[Bounces R Way]

Not many announcers could give you the same feel, like we were all watching a hockey game together.

When I was a kid daydreaming in science class or whatever about scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal it was always Bob Cole's voice announcing it.

RIP to a true legend, the best to ever do it IMO.

 

[Henry Miller]

RIP. I always got him and Bob Dole mixed up name wise

 

[spiny norman]

RIP

The NHIC Triple Crown: Forster Hewitt, Danny Gallivan and Bob Cole.

 

[SUX2BU]

Clark - Mcsorely fight


Thomas OT winner against Ottawa.

 

[BobCole]

Truly the best to ever do it (see my screen name). We'll miss you, Bob.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I feel like none of the calls will be the same.

It doesn't help the quality of hockey isn't as good as it was in terms of intense situations, but still...

 

[NyQuil]

Ron MacLean reveals that Sidney Crosby called Bob Cole on the 1st day of the season every year to wish him well.

Every story that comes out about Crosby shows what a class act he is, and they never seem to come out until much later.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

My dad spent a lot of his time growing up in Canada, so he had a soft spot for HNIC. I grew up in Flint, Michigan and we watched HNIC every Saturday night on the CBC. Spent a lot of time hearing Bob call games. Rest in peace.

 

[Strangle]

Rest in peace, legend

This was the voice of leafs hockey I fell in love with as a child. A true legend who entertained millions and generations of fans

 

[The Kingslayer]

This is so sad man. Bob Cole in his prime was the best. He was the voice of my childhood and the guy that taught my immigrant father all the hockey terms when we first arrived to Canada. Really felt like he would live forever. This really sucks.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Thanks for the hockey memories Mr. Cole. One of the best calls I remember was Russ Courtnall's OT goal against the Whalers and he had many epic calls, especially in the playoffs. RIP sir and God Bless your family and condolences to them.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

RIP Legend

 

[thegazelle]

I was just thinking of him last night when watching the Oilers game. Miss his voice, his passion and his mannerisms. No one - not Hughson, not Singh, not Cuthbert can hold a candle to Cole. It is a shame Rogers reduced his broadcasts when Sportsnet took over Saturday night hockey. He will, for me, be the best I will ever hear in my lifetime. So many great memories of his warm voice lighting up our Saturday nights. My Dad picked up a lot of English that he learned when he was new in Canada by listening to Cole call games. May this icon of Canadian broadcasting rest in peace.

Thank you Mr Cole for all the great memories.

 

[Koivu11]

 

[GOilers88]

The voice of multiple generations of fans. The hockey world lost one of the greats.

RIP Mr. Cole

 

[kingsholygrail]

RIP to the legend!

 

[TNT87]

Truly an iconic voice of the game. Loved his call of Mario's goal against the North Stars in the SCF. May he rest in peace.

 

[GG96]

As an American just over the border, he was the voice of Saturday night.

RIP

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

a true legend and THE voice of my childhood watching HNIC...him and Harry Neale

I'll never forget the Lemieux goal in '91 against the North Stars "what a goal! what a move! ooooh baby!"
Desjardins OT goal in '93 "Des! jar! din!"
Cujo's save in '97 "oh my goodness!" and "Marchhhannnt!!!! sccoorres!"

and of course "JOOOOOE SAAAAKIC!"

hearing his voice brings back so many memories

 

[Swervin81]

This one hurts. Hard to really overstate how much of a legend he is. He had so many great calls, yet always knew when to let the moment speak for itself. For all the constant chatter and TikTok moments modern broadcasters try to have, and for all the back and forth banter you see in broadcasts these days, he and Harry Neale never had that. They just kept it extremely simple and never stepped on each others' toes -- Bob Cole would be all you heard from puck drop till the whistle, and Harry Neale was all you heard from whistle till puck drop.

It was a privilege and an honor getting to hear Bob's voice every Saturday night during the season in my childhood. The best to ever be behind the mic in this sport, and for my money, him and Vin Scully are definitely two of the faces on the Mt Rushmore of pro sports broadcasting.