Yashin as a commentator

CH

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Jul 30, 2003
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Alexei Yashin is one of the hockey commentators on CBC for the Olympics. I see this as a bad move. He doesn't speak English well. His sentences are often ungrammatical and have a Russian accent. Couldn't CBC find a hockey guy who speaks proper English? After his NHL/KHL career he was the GM of the Russian women's hockey team in 2014. This was the Sochi Olympics where the Russians have been punished this year for their systematic doping. This is the reason they are the Olympic Athletes from Russia and are competing under the Olympic flag. His insight on this situation would be the most interesting thing he can offer about international hockey. As women's GM it is hard to imagine that he knows nothing - although that has been his claim. My unfounded guess is that he is under pressure from some Russian goons to not spill the beans.

Can't CBC do better than hiring a hockey guy who doesn't speak great English for commentary and further a guy who is part of a significant conspiracy that he cannot or will not discuss. Thus he is on TV and that part of his past is not even mentioned.
 

Deadpool8812

Registered User
Feb 10, 2018
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Yeah, he looks really awkward up there. I think he would do a much better job if he was on a Russian channel at first to build his confidence before he moves on to an English channel

CBC didn't hire him either. It's Bell and Rogers running the Olympic coverage in Canada
 

Firsov99

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
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Alexei Yashin is one of the hockey commentators on CBC for the Olympics. I see this as a bad move. He doesn't speak English well. His sentences are often ungrammatical and have a Russian accent. Couldn't CBC find a hockey guy who speaks proper English? After his NHL/KHL career he was the GM of the Russian women's hockey team in 2014. This was the Sochi Olympics where the Russians have been punished this year for their systematic doping. This is the reason they are the Olympic Athletes from Russia and are competing under the Olympic flag. His insight on this situation would be the most interesting thing he can offer about international hockey. As women's GM it is hard to imagine that he knows nothing - although that has been his claim. My unfounded guess is that he is under pressure from some Russian goons to not spill the beans.

Can't CBC do better than hiring a hockey guy who doesn't speak great English for commentary and further a guy who is part of a significant conspiracy that he cannot or will not discuss. Thus he is on TV and that part of his past is not even mentioned.

While I agree with you that CBC probably should have picked a native speaker for this role (I am sure that the xenophobic part of Canada would rave about this), I think that you could be objectively incorrect that Alexey Yashin "is part of a significant conspiracy." Unless, of course, you have a court decision about his involvement, and you could share it with the rest of the posters.
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
18,042
12,665
Alexei Yashin is one of the hockey commentators on CBC for the Olympics. I see this as a bad move. He doesn't speak English well. His sentences are often ungrammatical and have a Russian accent. Couldn't CBC find a hockey guy who speaks proper English? After his NHL/KHL career he was the GM of the Russian women's hockey team in 2014. This was the Sochi Olympics where the Russians have been punished this year for their systematic doping. This is the reason they are the Olympic Athletes from Russia and are competing under the Olympic flag. His insight on this situation would be the most interesting thing he can offer about international hockey. As women's GM it is hard to imagine that he knows nothing - although that has been his claim. My unfounded guess is that he is under pressure from some Russian goons to not spill the beans.

Can't CBC do better than hiring a hockey guy who doesn't speak great English for commentary and further a guy who is part of a significant conspiracy that he cannot or will not discuss. Thus he is on TV and that part of his past is not even mentioned.

I saw two segments with Yashin, he isn't great but he's adequate. Russian to English is quite difficult and it isn't like he's out there with nothing to say. I'm more interested though in what "significant conspiracy" Yashin is a part of. He was GM of the Russian women's team and some of those players were banned, but I don't know that Yashin happened to be involved in any wrongdoing.
 

jj cale

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
14,768
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Nova Scotia
He adds little to nothing to the broadcast and his English is only passable. He gives no insight at all and even if he did he would not be able to convey it in English very effectively.

A strange hire.

Having said all that, he isn't any worse then P.J. Stock.
 

Baxterman

Registered User
Aug 27, 2017
6,939
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I only watched two segments with him but I did struggle to understand what he said. It is a very odd hire because it isn't like there is a lack of Canadians to fill the role or that Yashin brings some sort of unique perspective to the panel.

I maybe could understand if it were say a German in the Luge or Norwegian in Cross Country skiing, sports where they are clearly dominant and Canada doesn't have a huge pool of commentators to choose from, but with hockey that obviously that case at all.

I am sure some out there will complain about Xenophobia or some other BS but if your english is so bad that it makes it hard to understand your point on an English broadcast then I think you are doing a bad job.
 

Paxton Fettel

Registered User
Mar 3, 2006
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Even when he speaks Russian, you can tell that he dropped out of school early or never went to school or grew up in the streets.
 
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Fantomas

Registered User
Aug 7, 2012
13,244
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Alexei Yashin is one of the hockey commentators on CBC for the Olympics. I see this as a bad move. He doesn't speak English well. His sentences are often ungrammatical and have a Russian accent. Couldn't CBC find a hockey guy who speaks proper English? After his NHL/KHL career he was the GM of the Russian women's hockey team in 2014. This was the Sochi Olympics where the Russians have been punished this year for their systematic doping. This is the reason they are the Olympic Athletes from Russia and are competing under the Olympic flag. His insight on this situation would be the most interesting thing he can offer about international hockey. As women's GM it is hard to imagine that he knows nothing - although that has been his claim. My unfounded guess is that he is under pressure from some Russian goons to not spill the beans.

Can't CBC do better than hiring a hockey guy who doesn't speak great English for commentary and further a guy who is part of a significant conspiracy that he cannot or will not discuss. Thus he is on TV and that part of his past is not even mentioned.

This is unhinged.

I'm okay with criticism that say that a commentator lacks insight or is boring. But criticizing him for not speaking "proper English"? You're a bigot.
 

Jacob

as seen on TV
Feb 27, 2002
49,342
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I'm okay with criticism that say that a commentator lacks insight or is boring. But criticizing him for not speaking "proper English"? You're a bigot.
He's criticizing the hire, obviously.
 

jj cale

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
14,768
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Nova Scotia
This is unhinged.

I'm okay with criticism that say that a commentator lacks insight or is boring. But criticizing him for not speaking "proper English"? You're a bigot.

Oh please, it's a valid criticism, if a guy cannot speak capable English it's a strange thing to have a guy like that on a broadcast that is in english for english speakers, there is nothing bigoted about questioning that decision. I am sure people over there wouldn't be questioning some guy who was hired for russian broadcasts and only has a barely passable ability in russian.

And for you of all people to call anyone a bigot, the guy that is always wailing about how no young russian hockey players should even set foot in north America because it is sure to ruin their development, thats really rich. And thats just one aspect of your posting here that is xenophobic,there is lot's more.

You should be the last guy to take anyone to task for bigotry and xenophobic views.
 
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Fantomas

Registered User
Aug 7, 2012
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Oh please, it's a valid criticism, if a guy cannot speak capable English

But his English is capable. The poster just doesn't like listening to someone with an accent and to make an effort to understand him.

And for you of all people to call anyone a bigot, the guy that is always wailing about how no young russian hockey players should even set foot in north America because it is sure to ruin their development, thats really rich. And thats just one aspect of your posting here that is xenophobic,there is lot's more.

Actually I don't do that. I think it's amusing that the one to deflect my criticism about bigotry is a guy who can't tell different Russian posters from one another.

You should be the last guy to take anyone to task for bigotry and xenophobic views.

LOL wat. Do tell.
 

jj cale

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
14,768
8,324
Nova Scotia
But his English is capable. The poster just doesn't like listening to someone with an accent and to make an effort to understand him.



Actually I don't do that. I think it's amusing that the one to deflect my criticism about bigotry is a guy who can't tell different Russian posters from one another.



LOL wat. Do tell.
You know exactly what i talking about so I am not going to waste my time with it.
 

Jacob

as seen on TV
Feb 27, 2002
49,342
24,741
I'm a "capable" hockey player, that doesn't mean I should be in the NHL.
 

Fantomas

Registered User
Aug 7, 2012
13,244
6,560
You know exactly what i talking about so I am not going to waste my time with it.

No I am freaking serious. Stay true to your word and quote a) posts of mine that say that Russians who go to the CHL are ruined, b) anything I've ever said that was xenophobic.

Maybe admit that you see all Russian posters here as a homogenous mass.

Just reflect for a moment on the fact that you've come to this thread to defend an unhinged poster who has attacked a commentator for speaking with an accent and made nonsensical comments about a conspiracy. Give your head a shake.
 

jj cale

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
14,768
8,324
Nova Scotia
No I am freaking serious. Stay true to your word and quote a) posts of mine that say that Russians who go to the CHL are ruined, b) anything I've ever said that was xenophobic.

Maybe admit that you see all Russian posters here as a homogenous mass.

Just reflect for a moment on the fact that you've come to this thread to defend an unhinged poster who has attacked a commentator for speaking with an accent and made nonsensical comments about a conspiracy. Give your head a shake.

Again,Not going to waste my time.
 

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