Bob Cole appreciation thread (retiring on April 6th)

[Jim MacDonald]

I like that one too, although I can admit a bit of bias being a Leaf fan and can understand that at this time Detroit was in the stages of "Should we or shouldn't we trade Yzerman?" But I love that goal call because it wraps up Cole's emotion in a nutshell.

Something about that play call in general. Leafs/Red Wings, Game 7 overtime, some random fan (probably a girl by the sounds of it) lets out a scream in either disbelief or elation as the goal goes in. All a nice combination.

I can't disagree with any of that my good man. Mr. Cole's call of Yzerman's goal to sink the Blues in 96 is pretty cool too

 

[wetcoast]

I get why people like him but frankly I'm going to appreciate when he is done, some guys just hang on too long.

 

[Big Phil]

I get why people like him but frankly I'm going to appreciate when he is done, some guys just hang on too long.

On the NFL network they were counting down the most bitter departures that left a bad taste in people's mouths. One of them was Tom Landry being fired after three decades as soon as Jerry Jones stepped in and bought the Cowboys. Part of the idea was that you never treat an all-time great coach that way, the other thought was sometimes the game passes even the best ones by. I can see both sides with Cole here. I mean, he's 85. My grandfather lived to 76 and had Parkinson's. No way did he even recognize me at the end let alone be able to call a professional hockey game. Cole being alive that long and healthy enough that long is amazing. So I get it, but I am saddened by it. Maybe Cole is truly losing his memory at times, but man, the guy epitomizes hockey in a nutshell.

 

[wetcoast]

Pretty much disagree with all this.

It's true that Cole hasn't been at his best since the end of the 90s or so, but I'd much rather listen to him getting the odd thing wrong than listen to, say, Jim Hughson over-analyse every minute aspect of the game and put me to sleep.

I don't need the broadcaster to explain everything -- just make it sound exciting!

I like Jim Hughson, he is carrying the torch for Jim Robson who is my all time favorite.

Both guys aren't so homerish and announce like fan of the game IMO.

 

[thegoldenyear]

I'm a sound guy, from my schooling to the way I hear the world, so my bag is the way a PBP guy eases up or coasts or pushes certain words or events - Bob Miller had a lovely way of saying "scores" and Danny Gallivan's tonal fragility was a perfect compliment to the effortlessly superior play of prime Habs; Doc Emrick is practically foaming at the mouth at the end of sentences and Gary Thorne's astonishingly dense shout-speaking voice has me reaching for the Dolby button, etc etc etc - and Bob Cole's great gift (and no one I've heard can match him) is he could be speaking another language while still delivering The Moment Or Something Close To It, and you'd be limp waiting on the denouement. Never mind his goal calls - I think Cole has been at his best when the puck's rattling around and still in play.

I think the following is the best Cole passage available, and if you want to save yourself a few minutes (and why would you; it's a history forum), scrub to 6:40 and watch for 60 seconds, from the "Bossy...Bossy!...BOSSY!!" bit to the aftermath of Ken Morrow's goal. He's barely speaking sentences. He has none of Gallivan's word command or, in another sport - which immediately makes this unfair to both of them, but what the heck - Vin Scully's congenial grace, but it's hockey and hell's breaking loose and only 15,850 fans are there and you're not one of them, but by golly, you feel as though you were. No one else has ever done this with such intensely ramshackle spirit.

That he's paired in this broadcast with Dick Irvin, as the Islanders try to keep their Drive For Five alive, playing the Rangers for the fourth time in as many years, is gravy.

 

[Big Phil]

I'm a sound guy, from my schooling to the way I hear the world, so my bag is the way a PBP guy eases up or coasts or pushes certain words or events - Bob Miller had a lovely way of saying "scores" and Danny Gallivan's tonal fragility was a perfect compliment to the effortlessly superior play of prime Habs; Doc Emrick is practically foaming at the mouth at the end of sentences and Gary Thorne's astonishingly dense shout-speaking voice has me reaching for the Dolby button, etc etc etc - and Bob Cole's great gift (and no one I've heard can match him) is he could be speaking another language while still delivering The Moment Or Something Close To It, and you'd be limp waiting on the denouement. Never mind his goal calls - I think Cole has been at his best when the puck's rattling around and still in play.

I think the following is the best Cole passage available, and if you want to save yourself a few minutes (and why would you; it's a history forum), scrub to 6:40 and watch for 60 seconds, from the "Bossy...Bossy!...BOSSY!!" bit to the aftermath of Ken Morrow's goal. He's barely speaking sentences. He has none of Gallivan's word command or, in another sport - which immediately makes this unfair to both of them, but what the heck - Vin Scully's congenial grace, but it's hockey and hell's breaking loose and only 15,850 fans are there and you're not one of them, but by golly, you feel as though you were. No one else has ever done this with such intensely ramshackle spirit.

That he's paired in this broadcast with Dick Irvin, as the Islanders try to keep their Drive For Five alive, playing the Rangers for the fourth time in as many years, is gravy.

This is so true. Cole was quite often at his best when there was exciting end to end action. Watch the overtime between Ottawa and Toronto in Game 5 of the 2000 playoffs. End to end exciting action. I remember watching it in a sports bar that night. Then the goal call with Berezin doing the unthinkable..........he passed. Cole nailed it down.

I also love that "Bossy, Bossy, Bossy!" call he made. I thought no one else was as obsessed with hockey as I am that they actually memorize play calls that had nothing to do with the goal. For starters, that was just classic anticipation of a great play that Cole was so good at doing. I mean, it is Mike Bossy breaking down the right wing on a 3-on-1 in overtime. There is no way they won't score right? Bossy does an uncharacteristic thing and doesn't even get a shot away and looks ugly while doing it. Nevertheless, I love Cole's call on the Morrow goal.

"Into the corner Patey........lost it..........SUTTERRRRRRRR..........kicked out by Glen Hanlon! The shot............scores! The Islanders.......have DONE it!"

That just sums up the way he brought you into a game. Sutter is about to tee the shot up and Cole's calls flow perfectly with what he is doing. Morrow scores and it is almost as if Cole is exhausted when the goal goes in. He just made you feel a part of the game. Here you are watching the Islanders and their legendary drive for 5 stay alive with arguably the best game in NHL history and none other than Bob Cole brings it to you.

Yeah, he'll be missed.

 

[Big Phil]

Here is another one of Cole at his best. I just stumbled on this one today. I remember HNIC showing this back in the 1990s. Remember when they had those Overtime Magic segments prior to overtime in the playoffs? I used to love them and taped them on my VCR. One of them showed some Oiler goals from back in the day. The first one in this video is Gretzky vs. the Kings in 1982. Funny considering we know how that series turned out, but again just another great goal call from the man. An expert at keeping the viewer at the edge of their seat in anticipation.

 

[RandyBobandi]

It's sad to see Bob Cole go by far my favorite PBP guy. So many great memories listening to him, the Petr Klima OT winner against Boston still gives me goose bumps thinking about it and the Marchant goal, the Habs cup run those were great basically all the playoffs in the 90s I remember fondly because of him and when Canada won gold in Salt Lake "JOOOOOEEE SAKIC!!!!"" He inspired me to become a PBP announcer and when people say he sucks and bash him and say he should have retired long ago don't have a clue at how hard it is to call a hockey game and he's 85 years old and still doing it. Sure he forgets stuff but what PBP guy doesn't mess up (I know I did lol) I get it he does it more than others now but I think he still does a great job. I will watch any game he calls just to hear him I love his voice. I would still choose him over any PBP guy today. He has had a wonderful career and I hope he can catch on somewhere else and if not it has truly been a pleasure listening to him all these years.

( Maybe he can take over the Oilers games for the awful Kevin Quinn )

 

[crobro]

Last of the play by play guys from the Bill Hewitt Danny Gallivan era

 

[Fenway]

 

[Thenameless]

The best.

His voice, his delivery, his tempo are all better than perfect if that's possible. What I remember the most is how he alone could get me hyped up at the start of important playoff or international games. You'd have Ron MacLean setting things up, you'd hear the roar of the crowd, maybe some kind of stadium music in the background, but once Bob Cole took over, oh man, you were in business. I am truly sad to see him go. I've given the new guys a chance, thinking maybe I was just too nostalgic, but no, they're not the same.

 

[c9777666]

 

[Big Phil]

The best.

His voice, his delivery, his tempo are all better than perfect if that's possible. What I remember the most is how he alone could get me hyped up at the start of important playoff or international games. You'd have Ron MacLean setting things up, you'd hear the roar of the crowd, maybe some kind of stadium music in the background, but once Bob Cole took over, oh man, you were in business. I am truly sad to see him go. I've given the new guys a chance, thinking maybe I was just too nostalgic, but no, they're not the same.

He'd often start out the intro with "Good evening ladies and gentlemen............." or once in a while throw in Foster Hewitt's old school "Hello Canada............" introduction.

Yeah, no one is the same. You just can't compare. I know I always have tried to sound like him when calling a game, but no one can. I really hope in some way that TSN picks him up and still sees the value in him. And no, you aren't just being nostalgic, Cole just epitomizes hockey and probably the thing about him is being effortless. This is what we think of with the greats, we watch Lemieux and part of what made him so great was it looked so effortless to him and Cole has this magic too. I'll miss him.

 

[thegoldenyear]

On his radio talk show, Bob McCown just put ex-HNIC producer John Shannon on the spot.

McCown: “Would you keep him? Is Bob Cole a good enough broadcaster today to still be doing NHL games, in your opinion?”

Shannon: <arms crossed, stern look at McCown, long pause> “Not answering that question. I’m not. Because as my friend, yes he would.”

McCown: “Is he still good enough?”

Shannon: “Good question. And I think that’s the measure management here has had to figure out.”

Sigh. Time gets everyone.

I’ve got a Cole calls clip on in the background while I type, and as I’ve noted here before, the thrill factor is off the damn charts. If Gallivan was the poet laureate, Cole’s the greatest instrumentalist of them all.

 

[JackSlater]

Jeeeeyoh... Sakic... Scores! And that makes it FIVE.. TWO.. CANADA. Surely, that's gottabeit.

I'll miss Cole. Probably my second favourite announcer.

 

[Big Phil]

Jeeeeyoh... Sakic... Scores! And that makes it FIVE.. TWO.. CANADA. Surely, that's gottabeit.

I'll miss Cole. Probably my second favourite announcer.

Who is the first?

 

[Big Phil]

On his radio talk show, Bob McCown just put ex-HNIC producer John Shannon on the spot.

McCown: “Would you keep him? Is Bob Cole a good enough broadcaster today to still be doing NHL games, in your opinion?”

Shannon: <arms crossed, stern look at McCown, long pause> “Not answering that question. I’m not. Because as my friend, yes he would.”

McCown: “Is he still good enough?”

Shannon: “Good question. And I think that’s the measure management here has had to figure out.”

Sigh. Time gets everyone.

I’ve got a Cole calls clip on in the background while I type, and as I’ve noted here before, the thrill factor is off the damn charts. If Gallivan was the poet laureate, Cole’s the greatest instrumentalist of them all.

Oh man, grow a pair Shannon! Just tell the truth, either way.

 

[JackSlater]

Who is the first?

Danny G.

 

[Staniowski]

Danny G.

Gallivan was my favourite too, followed by Cuthbert and Cole.

Bob Cole was great, and had a wonderful partnership with Harry Neale.

 

[The Panther]

That was a great little feature (above) where Ian Hanomansing talks to him. I love how Cole says he hopes his legacy will be that the viewer just "enjoy(s) the game!", and pays no attention to who the broadcaster is, and that the viewer will understand how much he (Cole) is enjoying the game. That is absolutely correct. He knows -- probably from his radio background -- that his job is to make it sound exciting and communicate the passion, the highs, and the lows. I wish more of today's broadcasters would do that instead of thinking they're impressing us with their knowledge of obscure details, which no one cares about.

 

[McGuillicuddy]

I don't like the way Bob Cole is being shown the door. He is an absolute legend and if you need the play-by-play guy to be factually perfect in his call then you're watching hockey wrong . Cole is providing the soundtrack not the credits list . I am very sad to see him go.

 

[The Panther]

I don't like the way Bob Cole is being shown the door.

I know what you mean, but there is a point when people should retire. I think the CBC should be commended for allowing him to keep broadcasting for 20 years past the normal retirement age!

 

[McGuillicuddy]

I know what you mean, but there is a point when people should retire. I think the CBC should be commended for allowing him to keep broadcasting for 20 years past the normal retirement age!

Fair enough, but I can't help but think there was a better way than this. He is very much going out with a whisper in that he's calling meaningless games. Why not let him do some of the playoffs? Cole still has one or two great overtime calls left in him which is when he is at his finest. It's a shame they will never happen.

 

[thegoldenyear]

Today's Toronto Star, getting it right. In fact, it's right there in the headline:

What made Bob Cole the defining sound of hockey? It wasn’t so much the things he said | The Star

 

[EpochLink]

Bob Cole in game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993.
One of my all time favorites...