Is Jack Edwards the most entertaining announcer in the league?

[major major]

I'm not a Bruins fan but he's the best in the biz. If you're that entertaining and that good at actually calling games, then the homerism is fine.

 

[habamillions]

He is annoying just like rick jeannate or whatever in buffalo

 

[talkinaway]

Edwards is a homer, but I can't imagine that most RSNs don't have homers do their commentary. Edwards' check is signed by NESN, which is 20% (+/- my faulty memory; I'm sure Fenway knows it by heart) owned by the Bruins. Most of the people tuning in are Bruins fans, with the exception of out-of-towners and Center Ice/NHLN folks. They're going to want their broadcaster to be excited when they are. And, to his credit, Jack loves a good goal, even when it's by the wrong team.

Yeah, some of his fight calls are ridiculous, but y'know what? Who cares? I don't care if Edwards thinks McQuaid is pummeling someone when it's clear he's getting his ass handed to him. It's not part of the game. And, yeah, just like most fans, he'll tend to be on the Bruins side for a penalty call, unless it's really obvious (cf Marchand slewfoot a week or two ago).

The yelling and screaming isn't my style, but others like it, and it doesn't bug me too much. The other thing that annoys me is when he constantly complains about NBC taking away "good" games. We get it, Jack...you'd rather have NBC take the BOS@SJS game, and broadcast the MTL@BOS game. Guess what? Montreal and Boston actually ARE a good fit for rivalry night.

But the one thing you can say about Edwards: He does his homework. Check out his Twitter feed...before every game, he's got the lines for both teams, chock full of stats and tidbits for each player, in a beautifully made image. Do you know how he does that? He literally learned how to CODE. Like, programming. That's impressive.

Plus, as far as I can tell, he gets the basics of the calls right. None of this "he passes to the Toronto forward" crap - he's got the name of every player seared into his brain. And he pronounces the name correctly, because he actually ASKS the players. He's got video proof of some of the names he pronounces. He studies the opposition the day before. He knows what's going on. If there's one criticism you absolutely can't make about Jack Edwards, it's that he's lazy.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Honestly maybe the only guy I'd rather hear call a big hockey game is Gary Thorne, he was/is GOAT

 

[Bob Richards]

His call on the Lucic hit against Jones might actually be the funniest thing I've ever seen/heard in the sport. He sounds like a madman.

 

[Bread and Circuses]

Jack Edwards is the man.

His pure entertainment value along with his intense passion for and knowledge of the game more than outweighs the fact that he can be a bit over the top at times.

Dude is a legend in the making.

 

[FinRuutu]

As a guy that doesn't speak English as a first language its sometimes hard to hear the nyances that I've seen people complain about.

Thats not the case with Edwards though, hes just bad.

 

[olli]

How about the Pens guys on Root Sports, or the CSN Caps guys or the Dallas Fox guys?

 

[Kamina]

I think he's great.

 

[Fenway]

Um, no, if someone on the Bruins does something stupid he calls them out on it. Maybe you don't watch as many games as Bruin fans so your opinion is a little colorful?

Fights he just makes no sense in though, I'll give you that. He's a puppy. Very excitable.

We love him



But he does go off the rails occasionally

 

[hagelin1381]

Is he a homer? Sure, most are but he is by far the most entertaining imo.

The worst broadcast team when it comes to being homers has to be Pittsburgh hands down. Listening to them is a miserable experience. There isn't one redeeming thing about them.

errey occasionally gives some good insight.. but yeah, they're just terrible. Not even Penguins fans like them

 

[fredligh]

Sure he is a entertainer but i can't watch games when every Boston shot on net is a blast or a laser, and every hit is demolish or annihilates, while when the other team does something his totally silent.

 

[Fenway]

We in Boston were blessed to have 2 of the all time greatest play by play announcers on radio and TV for decades - Fred Cusick and Bob Wilson.

 

[Langdon Alger]

In regards to the homerism comments let me ask you a couple questions.

What team does he work for?
What network does he work for?
Who are the fans watching?

Let the nerd enjoy himself. Can be absolutely absurd and hilarious at times. The homer argument would only make sense if he was a national broadcaster. He works for New England Sports Network for christ sakes.

I'm fine with all of that, it's the unprofessional behaviour that gets me. Saying Chris Stewart has 50 less IQ points than Torey Krug after a fight is not professional and not necessary. That's not the only example of his unprofessional behaviour by the way, just one of several examples. I think that's why he gets picked on here. Every guy is a homer. Who cares? I do care about a guy on tv acting like a professional though.

I think it's because he's so emotional and loves the Bruins so much that when the other team does something he doesn't like he has to get a shot in at the opposing player. If your argument is that it's ok to be a homer because he works for the Bruins that's fine, but doesn't his employer want him to act professional while calling games?

That all said, he's a good announcer. When the other team scores he doesn't sound upset, in fact he sounds excited. Listen to him call PK Subban's tying goal in game 7 in 2011.

 

[Fenway]

That all said, he's a good announcer. When the other team scores he doesn't sound upset, in fact he sounds excited. Listen to him call PK Subban's tying goal in game 7 in 2011.

Or Joel Ward eliminating the Bruins in 2012

 

[Langdon Alger]

Or Joel Ward eliminating the Bruins in 2012

Also a good example. I don't know who called games for the Bruins before Edwards, but they used to have a guy that showed no emotion when the other team scored. It was like he calling an offside or an icing.

 

[KCC]

Jack Edwards is actually not as much as a homer as youtube warriors seem to think.

He says the stuff he says every single game for both teams honestly.

Hey man, if you can stomach him all the more power to ya.

 

[MattMartin]

I always loves the guys from Pittsburgh were more entertaining. There bias is so bad
. Also, some really, really, dumb comments.

 

[Terrier]

We in Boston were blessed to have 2 of the all time greatest play by play announcers on radio and TV for decades - Fred Cusick and Bob Wilson.

You beat me to the punch regarding Bob Wilson. I listened to him constantly when I was in prep school in central Mass. in the early 80's and was stuck in my dorm room during weeknight games. What a set of pipes, and just listen to the names in that clip, what an era that was. Can't go wrong with the current radio team of Goucher and Beers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Vs6rqOX_Y

 

[Bob Clarke Fan Club]

I enjoy watching the Bruins, listening to JE...not so much.

 

[Lateralous]

As an out of town Devils fan who has to watch most games on gamecenter, I'll typically watch the away broadcasts. I've always enjoyed Jack Edwards. He may be outwardly rooting for the Bruins, which I don't mind, but he typically calls it like he sees it with regards to penalties and other calls.

Edwards also seems to do his homework on the opponent. Again, I'm only really watching him when the Bruins play the Devils but he always seems up to date on what's going on with NJ, who is playing well, who's having issues, etc. You turn on some of these games and they're just mailing it in from the beginning "trap, boring, trap, trap"

Long story short, I do think Edwards provides one of/if not the most entertaining local broadcasts in the league.

 

[The Missing Piece]

Romanuk is the best in the league

For anyone who reads this thread and doesn't watch the leafs I just wanted to state for the record that this is pure sarcasm.

 

[syc]

He's annoying but I nvever have to watch him so it's all good. But he is the reason so many fair weather bruins fans are delusional. He just adds fuel to the natural bias that come with fanatics.

 

[BruinLVGA]

I remember that time that in a fight during a game vs Dallas, he yelled "...and Niskanen is a pretty boy no more!!!"... Ahahah

 

[KingTux]

Boston have the best announcer/singer duo