danderson400
Registered User
- May 21, 2015
- 166
- 8
Back in 2001, however, CBC management talked publicly about reducing playoff content that may interfere with news programming. So TSN comes in, and gets more games.
TSN basically forced CBC's hand terms of doubleheaders. But the TSN deal in 2002 was more or less a concession by CBC to Mansbridge and CBC News, they argued that if you're going to play havoc with the schedule, you should at least make sure that The National is aired as soon as possible. So TSN carried more games. But it also meant that CBC lost games to TSN. I remember the furor over TSN airing *2* US based playoff games- Dallas-Anaheim in the West and New Jersey-Tampa in the East, that would have never happened these days. But it was a concession by CBC to Mansbridge and CBC News, otherwise CBC would have had one of the games.
During those pre-internet days during the playoffs, you'd have to watch the entire show to hear the out-of-town scores. Then after the game you'd sit by the radio, waiting for the scores to be mentioned. And you liked it!
I remember when the local paper started printing game summaries. Luxury!When I was about 7 I would watch the sports scores in the morning and copy all of them down on a piece of paper which I'd bring to school. All the other kids really wanted to know who won what. Of course it was probably also in the newspaper but that didn't occur to any of us.
Interesting. It never felt to me that cbc reduced their playoff load. I thought their load the same as usual.
I thought there was a void because cbc could never air all the games, and in the 90s, I think tsn was only able to show non Canadian first round action.
Over the years, TSN just seemed like it was able to fill the void more and more. What was interesting to me was when tsn started getting Canadian team assignments in the first round. I think that started happening a decade ago, and it actually took some time to get used to, as cbc plus Canadian playoff hockey was joined at the hip since I can remember.
Interesting. It never felt to me that cbc reduced their playoff load. I thought their load the same as usual.
I thought there was a void because cbc could never air all the games, and in the 90s, I think tsn was only able to show non Canadian first round action.
Over the years, TSN just seemed like it was able to fill the void more and more. What was interesting to me was when tsn started getting Canadian team assignments in the first round. I think that started happening a decade ago, and it actually took some time to get used to, as cbc plus Canadian playoff hockey was joined at the hip since I can remember.
What happened in 1985 that the Cup Finals was broadcast in Canada by CTV (called by the late Dan Kelly)?
It seems odd because, as far as I know, Hockey Night in Canada covered every other Cup Final for years prior and every year after.
I think Dick did just about everything, over the years.I've wondered about Dick Irvin's role. was he always the 3rd man in the booth, or did he call play-by-play sometimes?
I think Dick did just about everything, over the years.
Both tv and radio.
He was colour commentator for many years, with Danny Gallivan doing play-by-play. I also remember Dick doing play-by-play some, although I don't remember the years....must've been during the '80s. He was the 3rd man. He was studio host for Montreal games on HNIC. And then he was kind of the grand old man of HNIC.
Dick Irvin was my all time favorite colour guy. No one today even comes close.
Irvin was a great color guy. I remember after the 89 final, he said "Well, I don't think there's any reason for tears in Montreal.."
The late Don Wittman was a good play-by-play guy, and i remember many of those Calgary or Vancouver games during with the playoffs because he did those.
I don't think there was much profound in what he was saying, but there's something about his voice, and delivery that seemed super professional and smooth.
Aside from Bob Cole, I think Don Wittman was the best ever play-by-play guy. All class, super-professional voice, and made things seem important. How I wish there were more like him nowadays...
Dick Irvin (Jr.) was clearly a very nice and affable gentleman, and also a real professional. He was a little too close to the Canadiens for his own good sometimes. He tried so hard to be non-biased that he would excessively criticize the Canadiens. I remember watching one game in about 1990 when he suddenly blurted: "It was GIVEAWAY TIME in the Montreal zone!!" He was nerdy, but in a really good way, overall.
Wittman was one of my favourites, and he was multi talented. He called cfl games too, and he was real good at it. He has legendary calls especially in track for the Olympics as well.
He normally called the western games, but in 02, he got assigned the Boston/Montreal series along with John Davidson. That was a really good team, albeit a brief alliance.
This clip suggests to me that they've come a very long way indeed.