The Athletic - Boston Athletic poll: Bruins broadcast voted worst in NHL

[JOKER 192]

One man's food is another's poison. IDK I no have problem with Jack and Brick. Just about every PBP anouncer is a homer . Not sure why these guys get singled out. The Habs PBP guys regularly discibe something compete opposite of what you just saw happen yet they are regarded amongst the best. Ezio is the most biased PBP announcer and he doesn't even have a home team.Gimme a break with these opinion polls. They are just opinions and should be seen as such.

 

[RoccoF14]

Panthers broadcast is indeed terrible. Two out of the three are relentless homers.

Still doesn’t make Jack Edwards less of a clown.

Panthers broadcast WAS terrible, when Potvin was doing the games. He's gone now and Randy Moller is really good. That broadcast is much better than Jack and Brick. So much so, that I ended up watching it, instead of NESN the last time the B's played Florida.

Jack was in one of his moods that game and I couldn't take it anymore....

 

[RoccoF14]

One man's food is another's poison. IDK I no have problem with Jack and Brick. Just about every PBP anouncer is a homer . Not sure why these guys get singled out. The Habs PBP guys regularly discibe something compete opposite of what you just saw happen yet they are regarded amongst the best. Ezio is the most biased PBP announcer and he doesn't even have a home team.Gimme a break with these opinion polls. They are just opinions and should be seen as such.

Its not a question of being a homer. I think that is expected and should be fine for any hometown broadcast.

Its the idiotic and contrived comments that spew out of Jack's mouth that most people take issue with.

 

[RoccoF14]

In my opinion, as much as I rag on Jack and Brick, they are nowhere near as bad as the Tampa Bay Lightning Radio broadcast.

Dave Mishkin and Phil Esposito are the absolute WORST duo in any media, for any professional sport.

Rumor has it that they use the Lightning radio broadcasts to interrogate prisoners down in Guantanamo Bay........

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

Panthers broadcast WAS terrible, when Potvin was doing the games. He's gone now and Randy Moller is really good. That broadcast is much better than Jack and Brick. So much so, that I ended up watching it, instead of NESN the last time the B's played Florida.

Jack was in one of his moods that game and I couldn't take it anymore....

Oh Potvin is gone? Yeah, that’s automatic improvement.

 

[GordonHowe]

NESN needs to clear out the graphics and improve the picture quality in general.

I like Jack & Brick. Not a fan of the intermission guys but then I'm not much on talking plus I know what happened in the previous period, I have two eyes and a brain that work fairly well. Maybe if they discussed something else I'd listen. Need to get rid of the in between period "interviews" with the coaches too, they just say the same damn thing over and over again.

I'd love it if one network did an entire game without PBP or commentary, just the sounds of the game. I bet it would rock.

Well, you can't get the sound of the game, but a "Mute" button works fine. Which is, by the way, what I have to use when watching a Canadian feed of a game involving the B's. Homers to infinity.

Jack & Brick? I get all the criticism but I'm okay with both.

Not expert enough to comment on the NESN graphics, though of course "the ticker" is unnecessary. Pre, post and between period analyis is knowledgable.

And, I have -- for a moment or two -- listened to out of market broadcasts, and most of them are predictable, inane, and boring. I'll take NESN.

 

[Jdavidev]

I think there cameras blow, there is a stark difference in quality when NBC/NBC Sports does a game in the visual sense.

I could take or leave Jack and Brick, but would take them any day over Eddie O.

Funny thing about Jack, and everyone calling him a homer is that IMO he’s not even the biggest homer broadcaster in this town. Zolak is easily the worst, and Tommy isn’t the far behind.

I would pay extra to hear a game without commentary too btw

Quality of the picture is mostly dependent on your service provider. As such, with NHL.tv, NESN looks amazing for me. And when I watch NBCSN from Dish, it's blurry and dingy, but local NBC is great.

 

[Over the volcano]

Personally like jack and brick but the rest of it is a shit show - hopefully they take the opportunity to overhaul. Clean up the presentation get some depth in the analysis. Looks like QVC half the time.

 

[UConn126]

I like Jack cause he's ridiculous and entertaining. It's funny to hear how biased he is sometimes. I will admit, with age, Jack seems to be loosing his touch. He's not quite as articulate and eloquent as he's been in the past, but still decent. He had a couple year streak where I felt he dialed back the homerism, I belive post 2011 Cup, but he's back to full swing these days. I feel like regional broadcasts should have a touch of homerism, as it makes them unique.

Brickley to me is one of the best analysts in the game. I think he's better than most of the guys NBC rolls out.

Bottom line, I always enjoy a NESN broadcast.

 

[McGarnagle]

I like Jack cause he's ridiculous and entertaining. It's funny to hear how biased he is sometimes. I will admit, with age, Jack seems to be loosing his touch. He's not quite as articulate and eloquent as he's been in the past, but still decent. He had a couple year streak where I felt he dialed back the homerism, I belive post 2011 Cup, but he's back to full swing these days. I feel like regional broadcasts should have a touch of homerism, as it makes them unique.

Brickley to me is one of the best analysts in the game. I think he's better than most of the guys NBC rolls out.

Bottom line, I always NESN broadcast.

I looked it up for the sake of it, and Jack is currently the same age that Fred Cusick was in 1981.

 

[jgatie]

One man's food is another's poison. IDK I no have problem with Jack and Brick. Just about every PBP anouncer is a homer . Not sure why these guys get singled out. The Habs PBP guys regularly discibe something compete opposite of what you just saw happen yet they are regarded amongst the best. Ezio is the most biased PBP announcer and he doesn't even have a home team.Gimme a break with these opinion polls. They are just opinions and should be seen as such.

I don't care about homerism. I loved Derek and Johnny Most, the biggest homers in the biz. It's the flat out jackass things he says. Spoons, forks, ladles; you'd think the players were using kitchen utensils instead of sticks. The 7 syllable words when normal words will do just fine. Multiple words when less will do; protective netting, tight radius turn. Terms no one in hockey ever used before; penalty bench, leg save. The faux outrage and drama over silly things. The pre-written soliloquies he reads off his app. The not allowing Brick to get a word in because he's too busy yapping about some nonsense.

 

[Bruinsfan98]

I don't care about homerism. I loved Derek and Johnny Most, the biggest homers in the biz. It's the flat out jackass things he says. Spoons, forks, ladles; you'd think the players were using kitchen utensils instead of sticks. The 7 syllable words when normal words will do just fine. Multiple words when less will do; protective netting, tight radius turn. Terms no one in hockey ever used before; penalty bench, leg save. The faux outrage and drama over silly things. The pre-written soliloquies he reads off his app. The not allowing Brick to get a word in because he's too busy yapping about some nonsense.

Funny little anecdote in this video about wack being a pot head. Can’t really picture him being a stoner but maybe it’s medicinal

 

[bbfan419]

The 2020 NHL broadcast rankings: The best and worst markets...

"Brickley’s commentary generally gets positive reviews in and out of market, but otherwise respondents were merciless."

"In market, the most consistent complaint was one of presentation. The screen can be cluttered"

“Camera work, cuts, replays, graphics, etc. are atrocious,” wrote one respondent, summarizing the feelings of many.

"No other figure in NHL broadcasting attracted the same level of vitriol that NESN’s play-by-play man garnered."

"“I would rather get a colonoscopy from Captain Hook than hear Jack Edwards announce a hockey game,” wrote a voter in Columbus in the most memorable of the many, many comments listing him as the worst play-by-play man in the NHL."

"The bottom line: The league’s most biased broadcast is despised outside its local market and doesn’t inspire fans in Boston either.""

The 2020 NHL broadcast rankings: The best and worst markets...

"Brickley’s commentary generally gets positive reviews in and out of market, but otherwise respondents were merciless."

"In market, the most consistent complaint was one of presentation. The screen can be cluttered"

“Camera work, cuts, replays, graphics, etc. are atrocious,” wrote one respondent, summarizing the feelings of many.

"No other figure in NHL broadcasting attracted the same level of vitriol that NESN’s play-by-play man garnered."

"“I would rather get a colonoscopy from Captain Hook than hear Jack Edwards announce a hockey game,” wrote a voter in Columbus in the most memorable of the many, many comments listing him as the worst play-by-play man in the NHL."

"The bottom line: The league’s most biased broadcast is despised outside its local market and doesn’t inspire fans in Boston either.""

Most biased? Guess they have not watched any HNIC broadcast.

 

[dafoomie]

The industry as a whole is stuck in the mindset of 19 inch tube TVs. When the puck goes out to the blue line I shouldn't have to wonder if there's a defenseman there to keep it in. When you see the game live, at least from up high, you see where the puck's going and you see what's happening away from the play and you can anticipate a step or two ahead. No broadcast tries to give you that even with all the technology.

NESN's better than most, apart from the ticker and the ads on the glass. And changing camera angles too much and being slow to cut to fights or scrums that are off screen. And their video quality and audio mix aren't the best either. And they get bumped to NESN+ all the time which no one has. Still, they at least know how hockey is shot and broadcast, NBC still doesn't do it right.

 

[CDJ]

It’s a good thing I couldn’t give a shit about what the rest of the league thinks of our regional broadcasters

 

[Budddy]

Zéro chance it’s the worst. More like one of the best.

Living in Québec city and having to endure opposing teams broadcasters at times with NHL center ice, I can tell you that those having NESN are very lucky.

Jack and Brick are fantastic for this Canadian...havent read all of this thread but Jack is very complimentary toward other players...I think that gets lost many times by observers. Jack is over the top but to me he is great...

Anyone listen to the Avs guy or Bowen for the leafs? Ugg

 

[CDJ]

Does rick Jeanerette or whatever his name is still do games? Because he’s jack but not funny

 

[TheReal13Linseman]

Living in the DC metro area after having grown up with the incomparable Fred Cusick and Johnny Pierson, I now have to watch via NHL Center Ice, so, I am forced to watch the opposing announcers pretty frequently AND...Jack and Brick are FAR from the worst, I can assure you. Brick is without a doubt one of the best color men in the game today and while Jack is often looney, he’s also wildly entertaining. Love the way he gets so excited during fights. Brings energy to the broadcast. Love the guy.

The rest of the country is, understandably, sick of Boston winning. I suspect that’s behind a lot of this.

 

[Alberta_OReilly_Fan]

The 2020 NHL broadcast rankings: The best and worst markets...

"Brickley’s commentary generally gets positive reviews in and out of market, but otherwise respondents were merciless."

"In market, the most consistent complaint was one of presentation. The screen can be cluttered"

“Camera work, cuts, replays, graphics, etc. are atrocious,” wrote one respondent, summarizing the feelings of many.

"No other figure in NHL broadcasting attracted the same level of vitriol that NESN’s play-by-play man garnered."

"“I would rather get a colonoscopy from Captain Hook than hear Jack Edwards announce a hockey game,” wrote a voter in Columbus in the most memorable of the many, many comments listing him as the worst play-by-play man in the NHL."

"The bottom line: The league’s most biased broadcast is despised outside its local market and doesn’t inspire fans in Boston either.""

years ago it was cusek and sanderson doing the games and bruins were kicking ass winning games... I heard the local media guys/fans complain non-stop about the bruin announcers. back in those days wsbk would be on most cable systems so it was just a simple matter that people had access to hear the bruin announcers... bruin team was beating your favorite team... so you criticise. ironically, most the complains were how sleeping our announcers were.

over the year the quality of bruin announcing did go up and down...

and here we are today... and bruins announcing gets seen a lot on the tv so people are farmilar with it... and the team is kicking everyones ass.

honestly, if im rating other team's announcing most of it annoys me... but theres definitely some that annoys me less than others. I just hate the cartoon announcers and the ones that go on and on and on an on and on about the officiating.

id have a hard time pointing to more than 4-5 teams and say I wish I had their broadcast team instead of our own... even the national broadcasts dont wow me

if we are the most hated then wear it as a badge of honor... just shows we are the team they fear and they feel butthurt listening to our side celebrate.

I suspect id feel massively butthurt if I was cheering some other team too... but luckily im smart enough to cheer for the good guys. so im just fine with Edwards/brickly. I think they are probably the best announcers ive seen working for the bruins... and the camera work/graphics work seems as good as its ever been too

sour grapes for those who hate us

 

[Aussie Bruin]

One big plus for me in broadcasts from TD Garden is that the central camera position is just right - not too high that things are too distant and you can't see what's happening, not too low that you lose the puck too often amongst all the bodies on the ice. Can't think of a too high one of the top of my head, but the position in Vegas for example is way too low and it makes the play harder to follow.

One thing I will say about Jack Edwards is that he's very clear about how he views his role and why he calls the game the way he does - New England and Bruins fans are his market and that's what he primarily caters for. He's unapologetic about that. He also takes his job very seriously. I expect a play-by-play person to be knowledgeable about the game, call it clearly and accurately, and know the opposition reasonably well. Jack ticks all those boxes - he occasionally makes a mistake but that's inevitable and they're rare enough to be excusable.

The rest comes down purely to personal taste. Jack's style is obviously divisive but clearly enough people like or at least tolerate it that NESN remains satisfied with it. Brick knows the game extremely well. I agree with some other comments that he's too positive and toes the company line too often, but I believe that directive probably comes from station management rather than being entirely his fault. Ultimately if people outside the NE & Bruins fanbase don't like the product it's irrelevant really.

For me, there's probably on average one time per game when Edwards or even occasionally Brick says something that I find cringe-worthy for various reasons. Some of Jack's really excitable or agenda-driven stuff I could do without. But on the whole I like them. They're a good team who know each other really well and know their respective roles. They're genuinely funny quite a lot, know the game well, distinctive and clearly care deeply about the Bruins. Every network's commentators have their plusses and minuses, but in the end our own house is all that matters, and I'm comfortable with the current team continuing on for a little while yet.

 

[rocketdan9]

Never been a fan of Jack as a play by play. As a passionate Bruins fan, he is great

But his "extreme" emotions, bias (especially when it's incorrect) and lastly his voice/play by play skill is not smooth

Fred Cusick was much better

 

[GabeTravels]

Jack's a pretty good PBP guy...it's his emotional homerism that annoys me.

...Oh and I know everyone repeats stuff...but it gets a bit much when that shot that went intentionally wide puts a dent in the end boards, and the defenseman A-frames before getting caved in... 10 times a game.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I don't care about homerism. I loved Derek and Johnny Most, the biggest homers in the biz. It's the flat out jackass things he says. Spoons, forks, ladles; you'd think the players were using kitchen utensils instead of sticks. The 7 syllable words when normal words will do just fine. Multiple words when less will do; protective netting, tight radius turn. Terms no one in hockey ever used before; penalty bench, leg save. The faux outrage and drama over silly things. The pre-written soliloquies he reads off his app. The not allowing Brick to get a word in because he's too busy yapping about some nonsense.

What do you think about NBC then!?

 

[Fenway]

The 2020 NHL broadcast rankings: The best and worst markets...

31. Boston Bruins
The broadcast: New England Sports Network (NESN) carries Bruins games, with Jack Edwards on play-by-play and Andy Brickley doing colour.

30. Pittsburgh Penguins
The broadcast: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh carries Penguins games, with Steve Mears on play-by-play and Bob Errey doing colour.

29. Minnesota Wild
The broadcast: Fox Sports North (FSN) carries Wild games, with Anthony LaPanta on play-by-play. Colour duties are split between multiple commentators: Mike Greenlay, Lou Nanne, Wes Walz and Ryan Carter.

28. Colorado Avalanche
The broadcast: Altitude Sports carries Avalanche games, with Marc Moser on play-by-play and Peter McNab doing colour.

27. Anaheim Ducks
The broadcast: Prime Ticket/Fox Sports West (FSW) carries Ducks games, with John Ahlers on play-by-play and Brian Hayward doing colour.

26. Edmonton Oilers
The broadcast: Rogers Sportsnet West carries Oilers games, with Kevin Quinn on play-by-play and colour duties split between Louie DeBrusk and Drew Remenda.

25. Calgary Flames
The broadcast: Rogers Sportsnet West carries Flames games, with Rick Ball on play-by-play and either Kelly Hrudey or Cassie Campbell-Pascall doing colour.

24. Florida Panthers
The broadcast: Fox Sports Florida (FSF) carries Panthers games, with Steve Goldstein on play-by-play and Randy Moller doing colour.

23. Detroit Red Wings
The broadcast: Fox Sports Detroit (FSD) carries Red Wings games, with Ken Daniels on play-by-play and Mickey Redmond, Chris Osgood and Larry Murphy rotating duties on colour.

22. Toronto Maple Leafs
The broadcast: It’s complicated. TSN and Sportsnet split the regional broadcast rights, and the Maple Leafs are also a fixture on the Canadian national broadcast schedule. Few hockey fans see as irregular a stream of commentators.

• Sportsnet national (“Hockey Night in Canada”): Jim Hughson on play-by-play, Craig Simpson on colour;
• Sportsnet regional: John Bartlett on play-by-play, Greg Millen on colour;
• TSN regional: Gord Miller/Chris Cuthbert rotate play-by-play, Ray Ferraro on colour.

21. Nashville Predators
The broadcast: Fox Sports Tennessee carries Predators games, with Willy Daunic on play-by-play and Chris Mason doing colour.

20. New Jersey Devils
The broadcast: MSG Plus carries Devils games, with Steve Cangialosi on play-by-play and Ken Daneyko doing colour.

19. Buffalo Sabres
The broadcast: MSG Western New York carries Sabres games, with Rick Jeanneret and Dan Dunleavy on play-by-play and Rob Ray doing colour.

18. Columbus Blue Jackets
The broadcast: Fox Sports Ohio carries Blue Jackets games, with Jeff Rimer on play-by-play and Jody Shelley doing colour.

17. Arizona Coyotes
The broadcast: Fox Sports Arizona carries Coyotes games, with Matt McConnell on play-by-play and Tyson Nash doing colour.

16. Washington Capitals
The broadcast: NBC Sports Washington carries Capitals games, with Joe Beninati on play-by-play and Craig Laughlin doing colour.

15. Winnipeg Jets
The broadcast: TSN carries Jets games, with Dennis Beyak on play-by-play and Kevin Sawyer and Ray Ferraro doing colour.

14. Philadelphia Flyers
The broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia carries Flyers games, with Jim Jackson on play-by-play and Keith Jones and Bill Clement doing colour.

13. New York Rangers
The broadcast: MSG Plus carries Rangers games, with Sam Rosen as the primary play-by-play man and John Giannone filling in as needed. Joe Micheletti does colour.

12. Vancouver Canucks
The broadcast: Rogers Sportsnet Pacific carries Canucks games, with John Shorthouse on play-by-play and John Garrett doing colour.

11. New York Islanders
The broadcast: MSG Plus carries Islanders games, with Brendan Burke on play-by-play and Butch Goring doing colour.

10. Los Angeles Kings
The broadcast: Fox Sports West carries Kings games, with Alex Faust on play-by-play and Jim Fox doing colour.

9. Chicago Blackhawks
The broadcast: NBC Sports Chicago carries Blackhawks games, with Pat Foley on play-by-play and Ed Olczyk and Steve Konroyd doing colour.

8. Tampa Bay Lightning
The broadcast: Fox Sports Sun carries Lightning games, with Rick Peckham on play-by-play and Brian Engblom doing colour.

7. Montreal Canadiens
The broadcast: The concept behind this survey was simple: to try and identify which markets were best-served by their regional broadcasts. It breaks down when a market has multiple productions, and Montreal’s bilingual status makes it most complicated of all.

Here we’re going to confine our look to the English broadcasts, undoubtedly to the disappointment of both Francophones and the various “I watch it in French. I don’t understand French” Anglophones who chimed in. There simply weren’t enough comments on the French broadcasts in this survey to offer a reasonable estimate.

That leaves two productions for consideration:

• TSN regional: Bryan Mudryk and Dan Robertson on play-by-play, Mike Johnson, Dave Poulin and Craig Button rotating on colour;
• Sportsnet national: Dave Randorf or John Bartlett on play-by-play, Garry Galley doing colour.

6. San Jose Sharks
The broadcast: NBC Sports California carries Sharks games, with Randy Hahn on play-by-play and Jamie Baker, Bret Hedican and Kendall Coyne Schofield doing colour.

5. Ottawa Senators
The broadcast: TSN carries Senators regional games, taking the same rotating analysts approach to Ottawa that they do elsewhere. Gord Miller and Chris Cuthbert provide play-by-play, while at least four different analysts have done colour: Ray Ferraro, Jamie McLennan, Mike Johnson and Dave Poulin.

4. St. Louis Blues
The broadcast: Fox Sports Midwest carries Blues games, with John Kelly on play-by-play and Darren Pang doing colour.

3. Vegas Golden Knights
The broadcast: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain carries Golden Knights games, with Dave Goucher on play-by-play and Shane Hnidy doing colour.

2. Dallas Stars
The broadcast: Fox Sports Southwest carries Stars games, with Josh Bogorad on play-by-play and Daryl Reaugh doing colour.

1. Carolina Hurricanes
The broadcast: Fox Sports Carolinas carries Hurricanes games, with John Forslund on play-by-play and Tripp Tracy doing colour.

 

[CDJ]

Didn’t realize Vegas has sheriff Shane Hnidy paired with Goucher. That’s neat