Could Joe Bowen broadcast Leafs national games next season?

[Brewsky]

I want Bowen calling it, simple as that at least he doesn't put me to sleep

 

[achtungbaby]

I think were so used to Leafs bias that when a neutral party calls our games they think theyre biased against us.

Hit the nail on the head. Hughson is one of the best in the business.

 

[Duke Silver]

Hit the nail on the head. Hughson is one of the best in the business.

...at calling a game as if he were delivering a eulogy.

 

[ForSpareParts*]

I like Bowen, but his homerisms are too funny: "No call!" being his worst. That would jive on a national broadcast.

But...I would choose him over that idiot Hughson.

 

[achtungbaby]

...at calling a game as if he were delivering a eulogy.

To each their own. Would you call him biased though? He's too much of a pro to do that. What announcer that depends on their job to make a living would risk their career over something as petty as slagging a team because they didn't like them? Most peoples personal bias go out the window when they get into the biz, regional announcers aside.

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

To each their own. Would you call him biased though? He's too much of a pro to do that. What announcer that depends on their job to make a living would risk their career over something as petty as slagging a team because they didn't like them? Most peoples personal bias go out the window when they get into the biz, regional announcers aside.

See, heres the thing.

Everyone knows Bowen is biased. Without a doubt, and I love it. I love that we have such a passionate fan calling our games. Hes energetic, hes a bit quirky, but most of all, he is real. He is a diehard Leafs fan, like some of us, and a lot of us appreciate that in him.

Hughson I don't see as biased. Hes pretty energetic and hes got the classic NHL99 voice. He, Doc Emerick, and Bob Cole are really the only guys that can go to any two teams and keep it interesting IMO.

 

[KuleminFan41]

Do people realize that Hughson has called a lot of Canuck's games on CBC?

 

[Duke Silver]

To each their own. Would you call him biased though? He's too much of a pro to do that. What announcer that depends on their job to make a living would risk their career over something as petty as slagging a team because they didn't like them? Most peoples personal bias go out the window when they get into the biz, regional announcers aside.

Hughson and Simpson are prone to make snarky comments about the Leafs. They also feed the troll (Healy). I don't think they distort any facts or call for the opposing team but there's a noticeable difference between Hughson calling Canucks games and Hughson calling Leafs games. Just not enough excitement for me.

As for Hughson in general, I don't want my hockey broadcasters to tell me what's happening, I want them to provide additional excitement to the game. That's why I'm a fan of Bob Cole, Chris Cuthbert and Doc Emrick. Now if only Joe Bowen could call a full game without laughing maniacally about things unrelated to the game with creepy Uncle Henny and Greg Millen... sigh.

 

[LeafOfBread]

Hit the nail on the head. Hughson is one of the best in the business.

How did he hit the nail on the head? Again, does anyone ever complain about Chris Cuthbert or Gord Miller? Those guys are about as neutral as it gets. Thing is, they focus on the game and don't make snarky/mocking comments about either team.

Hughson and Simpson are prone to make snarky comments about the Leafs. They also feed the troll (Healy). I don't think they distort any facts or call for the opposing team but there's a noticeable difference between Hughson calling Canucks games and Hughson calling Leafs games. Just not enough excitement for me.

As for Hughson in general, I don't want my hockey broadcasters to tell me what's happening, I want them to provide additional excitement to the game. That's why I'm a fan of Bob Cole, Chris Cuthbert and Doc Emrick. Now if only Joe Bowen could call a full game without laughing maniacally about things unrelated to the game with creepy Uncle Henny and Greg Millen... sigh.

Agreed; another quality post.

 

[LeafsNation75]

I like Bowen, but his homerisms are too funny: "No call!" being his worst. That would jive on a national broadcast.

But...I would choose him over that idiot Hughson.

Back in November when Toronto was playing in Vancouver on the night when Pavel Bure was getting his number retired do you remember who was on the ice doing all the presentations, it was Jim Hughson who later on called that game across Canada. So if that right there doesn't spell biased for team then I don't know what does.

 

[FriedEgg]

I'm no hughson fan but he does not have a biais against Toronto. Its your imagination.

 

[TML FTW*]

I'd love him to call national games. The fans of the other teams would get so mad with his homering

 

[Ratboy]

Dear god (that I dont even believe in) NO!

If so, you might as well make him the only guy on the crew because he never shuts up, always laughs at his own jokes and is pretty annoying to listen to (when you're on TV, you don't have to tell me which side the faceoff is on, you don't have to go on about every little part of the game because I can SEE it with my own eyes). It's like he never figured out the difference between radio and TV.

Cuthbert is way better than Joebow the Hutt.

If the sportsnet crew is going to be doing most of the games the quality of our coverage has taken a nose dive.

 

[Ratboy]

Chances are it will happen. The majority of our Saturday games will be on Sportsnet, instead of CBC, so we will likely get Joe Bowen, Greg Millen, and Paul Hendricks unless Rogers lets them
Go, which I don't see happening

This would be almost unbearable. Going from HNiC to this. If at the very least they don't replace Hendricks with someone who has at least something to say about the game aside from the odd commercial FFS's this will be horrible. I honestly can't think of one thing Hendricks has ever said to justify him being the ice level member of the crew.

I'd take Ferraro, McGuire, Johnson, even take jerk Healy over him, at least he has some idea what's going on out there.

Hendricks is an even bigger joke than Bowen and that says something.

 

[pucky]

Like I said before since CBC already uses Dean Brown who does the Senators Regional games for Sportsnet and they should realize he has a bias for them, how is that any different compared to Joe Bowen doing the Leafs games? I mean didn't Rogers come out and say there would be more then 1 national game on their different networks, so why would non Leafs fans care who does their games?

Let's not forget the new host for HNIC George Stroumboulopoulos is an admitted Montreal Canadiens fan and they have no problem with him about that.

Good point. There's Hughson with his Nucks bias and there's that. Cole is even said to favour the Habs, too. Bowen is much more easy to listen to (even if you're not a Leafs fan - I know fans and non-fans of hockey who say his play-by-play is good) than Hughson, to name one example.

Miller and Cuthbert are better than Hughson, too. Hopefully, those three get time to call games more than Hughson does. They could tell Bowen to be a bit more neutral in his excitement.

 

[therealkoho]

I'm no hughson fan but he does not have a biais against Toronto. Its your imagination.

yes you're correct sir........fair and balanced like Faux News

 

[BonMorrison]

I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't hear it at all except from Healey.

Hughson: "Kadri comes in to take the draw and he actually won it."
Simpson: "-chuckle-"

That's pretty much the definition of condescending mocking on air.

This season, every Saturday it's:

Hughson: "And to nobody's surprise, the Leafs are being outshot."

 

[ACC1224]

Any combination of Cuthbert, Bowen and Cole for me.
The world would be a better place if these were the only 3 to call Leaf games.

 

[achtungbaby]

Hughson: "Kadri comes in to take the draw and he actually won it."
Simpson: "-chuckle-"

That's pretty much the definition of condescending mocking on air.

This season, every Saturday it's:

Hughson: "And to nobody's surprise, the Leafs are being outshot."

How is that wrong when Kadri usually is on the wrong end of faceoffs and we're usually outshot? Maybe I'm not sensitive enough, but isn't that saying how it is? When Oilers games are on they trash that team enough. Even when Nucks games are on, they point out how useless the Sedins are defensively.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Hughson: "Kadri comes in to take the draw and he actually won it."
Simpson: "-chuckle-"

That's pretty much the definition of condescending mocking on air.

This season, every Saturday it's:

Hughson: "And to nobody's surprise, the Leafs are being outshot."

Kadri's been bad at faceoffs and the Leafs get outshot every game.

Being neutral doesn't mean pretending bad things don't happen.

Those are just playful jabs at the elephant in the room. I have no problem with that. Healey digs deep to truly offend, that's what I can't stand.

 

[Vexed]

If you have never heard Hughson mock the Leafs then I don't know what to tell you. I'm not making this up out of thin air man. I don't see why he would be so disliked here if others didn't notice the same thing.

And don't give me the 'Leafs fans think neutral pbp guys are biased because they're not homers' shtick because I don't see anyone complain about Cuthbert or Gord Miller.

I don't hear him bad talk to the Leafs more so than any other team.

He's got a Canuck bias though we don't see them enough for that to matter imo.

 

[ACC1224]

With Hughson it's more the tone of the comments than the content. He comes across a little feminine to me.

 

[Cor]

I've said it before, it's Simpson and Healy I dislike. No issue with Hughson, although I like Miller, Cuthbert, Cole and Bowen more

 

[BonMorrison]

Kadri's been bad at faceoffs and the Leafs get outshot every game.

Being neutral doesn't mean pretending bad things don't happen.

Those are just playful jabs at the elephant in the room. I have no problem with that. Healey digs deep to truly offend, that's what I can't stand.

Of course it's true but it's very easy to say those things without adding an incredibly condescending tone to it.

Personally I'd rather hear Healy tear into our team on a completely no-**** basis then hear Simpson/Hughson take back-handed jabs and masquerade them as small jokes.

 

[The CyNick]

Some guys are meant to be local broadcasters. for me I like Joe as the homer Leafs guy. Wouldn't want to see his enthusiasm cut off as a national broadcaster.