Sabres Broadcast Survey

[Paxon]

The hate on Ray is weird. He's the only one on the broadcast with any personality. Sure he trips on his words sometimes. But if you'd rather have someone smooth, but with nothing interesting to say, we're just not on the same wave length.

Let's not say he trips words "sometimes". Every phrase or sentence has something goofy going on. Personally, he's grown back on me a bit. I thought he was alright when he was the third man of the broadcast then couldn't stand when he became the sole color guy. He's improved a lot since then but I still would prefer he be the third commentator alongside someone else. He's not good enough to carry the broadcast.

 

[Jame]

I like Brad May... at least in the intermission segments.

As for the in game commentary, I've never really had a problem with Ray, but I think that's because I don't really pay attention to the in game commentary. Do people like Dan Dunleavy? Is he good? I don't really know... I catch Jeanarette's histrionics on a goal, save, big hit, etc... but other than that, I really don't pay attention enough.

 

[Djp]

Just know that if you get Rob Ray fired...they will probably bring in Andrew Peters...

What about Barnaby?

 

[sabrebuild]

Ray and his gaffes are the best part of the broadcast.

 

[Chad Thundercock]

Dunleavy's fine with calling a game and describing play, but he lacks that flair for an NHL job. His goal calls frankly suck. He has a lower voice that struggles to sound 'excited'. I think he'd be better used as a studio guy, but they already have a great one with Duff.

Ray absolutely needs to be no more than the 3rd guy on the ice giving updates and the occasional blurb. He's embarrassing.

RJ should have hung it up years ago, but he's in the legendary category that can retire when he wants, so whatever.

 

[vcv]

I don't care about Ray's 'smoothness'. I care that he provides the level of insight you would expect from a 4th line enforcer. He was fine as a here and there guy, but as primary analyst/color guy he's dreadfully uninformed.

Partially disagree. In some regards, he's behind the teams with some of the hockey world in regards to advanced statistics and "honor" of the game. He's not very good at capturing the pulse of a period or a game. He thinks the team had a good or bad period when it's exactly the opposite. He's still too stuck on the idea of grinders being more important than they really are.

But when it comes to fundamentals and noticing the details, I think he's actually quite good. He just doesn't know how to speak worth a damn.

Which makes him a perfect between the benches guy. He's great there, he notices the little things other people sometimes miss.

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Brian Duff is great (though sometimes a bit homerish). Brad May is good.

Andrew Peters and Sylvester need to go, fast.

I'm still fine with RJ, even though he's clearly a shell of his former self. Even the shell is better than the other options right now.

 

[LongWayDown37]

They need to ditch cable altogether. Live streaming and a la carte is an absolute must. Don't invest in a regional cable network, cable won't exist as we know it in five year, would be a total waste. I have no need for 24 hrs of programming. Just make the games available live and fill content regularly on-demand. The beyond Blue and Gold are great prototypes for content.

 

[Myllz]

They need to ditch cable altogether. Live streaming and a la carte is an absolute must. Don't invest in a regional cable network, cable won't exist as we know it in five year, would be a total waste. I have no need for 24 hrs of programming. Just make the games available live and fill content regularly on-demand. The beyond Blue and Gold are great prototypes for content.

Yes it will. People in large(r) cities underestimate how behind some of the US is in terms of technology in places like the middle of the country. A large portion of the US doesn't have the infrastructure for anything higher than cable. It's why dialup still exists...people still use it.

 

[Paxon]

They need to ditch cable altogether. Live streaming and a la carte is an absolute must. Don't invest in a regional cable network, cable won't exist as we know it in five year, would be a total waste. I have no need for 24 hrs of programming. Just make the games available live and fill content regularly on-demand. The beyond Blue and Gold are great prototypes for content.

You're way too optimistic if you think cable won't exist as we know it in 5 years. 15 years, sure. As for live-streaming, I'm not sure it's allowed by the NHL right now. Either way, if Sabres games aren't on cable/satellite then a majority of their fan base is no longer able/willing to watch.

 

[Bearbait]

The simple solution to Ray's in game color is to add another person to the mix.....Tie Domi, please join Ray between the benches, now that would be entertaining...

 

[MacOfNiagara]

As someone who has to listen to the games on radio fairly often due to work...

Rob Ray is horrible when simulcasted on radio.

"As you can seen here, and right here he makes a play"

No Rob, I cannot see it...it's a ****ing radio!

Why I pray to god that after RJ hangs it up (because I don't see it happening before then) they get separate radio and TV teams.

Fixed that to be a more accurate quote

 

[MacOfNiagara]

I don't care about Ray's 'smoothness'. I care that he provides the level of insight you would expect from a 4th line enforcer. He was fine as a here and there guy, but as primary analyst/color guy he's dreadfully uninformed.

My opinion as well. The grammar is just annoying, and a headscratcher as to why they haven't helped him clean it up. Buy the actual insight and analysis is awful.