Confirmed with Link: Joe Bowen and Jim Ralph sign 5 year extension

[Daisy Jane]

Joe Bowen did work for Sportsnet. They could very easily hire him to do the regional games again. TSN has nothing to do with it. They could stick with Cuthbert or Miller for the games they are assigned.

The old set up was;

National Games on TSN/CBC:
TV - Bob Cole or Jim Hughson
Radio - Joe Bowen

Regional Games on Sportsnet:
TV - Joe Bowen
Radio - Dennis Beyak

There's no reason why it couldn't be the same thing again. It's a little bit more complicated as AM640 is no longer the radio broadcaster and it is split between TSN and SN (I believe whoever has the TV broadcast, the other gets the radio broadcast).

Yes, Paul Romanuk is lackluster. I actually like hearing Hughson call games, with the exception of when he and Craig Simpson begin either 1. Trashing the Leafs and praising the opposing team and 2. When they ignore the Leafs and just talk about the opposing teams. When they talk about both teams and are positive they are quiet good. (and no, I'm not talking about them pointing out mistakes by our players as trashing the Leafs).

TSN does have everything to do with it because Bowen said he wanted to call all the Leafs games or none. which means TSN has to choose between Joe (for regional) vs. Miller/Ferraro. If Joe accepted just doing regional on Sportsnet, there wouldn't be an issue. that wasn't good enough for Joe - which is his prerogative, but the constant. "Sportsnet did Joe wrong, bring Joe back" refrain isn't really fair either because that's not the case.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Joe is a great radio guy, I dont think he is a good TV fit for this present/future Leaf team...imo

that's what i said too. I personally believe that Joe's better suited for the radio

 

[White Shadow]

True, why have announcers anyway?
Hell, this team doesn't even need TV coverage to sell the game. Take them off the air.
PHWWWW, who needs radio, we can read about them in the newspapers, no need to sell the game...

I think you're looking for the, "Why do people hate Leaf fans?" thread.

 

[White Shadow]

that's what i said too. I personally believe that Joe's better suited for the radio

He absolutely is. It's a net gain for Rogers to have him on radio and anyone else on TV.

 

[Cor]

TSN does have everything to do with it because Bowen said he wanted to call all the Leafs games or none. which means TSN has to choose between Joe (for regional) vs. Miller/Ferraro. If Joe accepted just doing regional on Sportsnet, there wouldn't be an issue. that wasn't good enough for Joe - which is his prerogative, but the constant. "Sportsnet did Joe wrong, bring Joe back" refrain isn't really fair either because that's not the case.

1. I haven't seen Joe Bowen demand he call all games on TV anywhere. Please provide linkage
2. I would assume (assuming the story is true) that he wanted to also call National and Regional games for Sportsnet, and not games for a different broadcaster, as that is not plausible.
3. Joe Bowen does every Leaf game no matter what like he did previously that Sportsnet has the rights to. Regional on TV, National on the Radio. When it's the TSN regional TV games, he would be on the radio for those as well.

Ultimatley, Joe Bowen seems to love calling games with Jim Ralph, and doesn't seem to miss calling the TV action, that is fine.

However people can voice their want of an improvement of the current product, mainly Paul Romanuk. He isn't good. That improvement may not be in the form of Joe Bowen but I'm not sure how you can blame the people for wanting the guy considered the Voice of the Leafs back on their TV sets.

Bowen is going to end up honored in some way much like Foster Hewitt was. He's called over 3000 Leaf games. He's as much a Legend to Leaf fans as Mats Sundin is.

 

[Daisy Jane]

1. I haven't seen Joe Bowen demand he call all games on TV anywhere. Please provide linkage

That's what countless people have said here. I don't have a link. and since numerous people have said something to that effect everytime this has been brought up, i would in fact persume it was true. I never said demanded, either, Cor. What I said was Joe said he'd like all the games, or none and Sportsnet went, 'none' this was around the time MLSE was being sold and TSN lost the rights so the whole Leafs TV structure was being changed anyway.

2. I would assume (assuming the story is true) that he wanted to also call National and Regional games for Sportsnet, and not games for a different broadcaster, as that is not plausible.

okay fine. i'll concede this point , as I might be wrong, and I'll accept that fact too. it isn't really a hill i want to die on either so there we are.

3. Joe Bowen does every Leaf game no matter what like he did previously that Sportsnet has the rights to. Regional on TV, National on the Radio. When it's the TSN regional TV games, he would be on the radio for those as well.

okay? i know that.

Ultimatley, Joe Bowen seems to love calling games with Jim Ralph, and doesn't seem to miss calling the TV action, that is fine.

However people can voice their want of an improvement of the current product, mainly Paul Romanuk. He isn't good. That improvement may not be in the form of Joe Bowen but I'm not sure how you can blame the people for wanting the guy considered the Voice of the Leafs back on their TV sets.

Bowen is going to end up honored in some way much like Foster Hewitt was. He's called over 3000 Leaf games. He's as much a Legend to Leaf fans as Mats Sundin is.

I don't blame people for wanting a change. I want Bob Cole. I've wanted Bob Cole back for a long time. It's not happening, I've accepted it. I had an issue with George being the host of HNIC. I stated my opinion and I then muted/skipped it, and merely stated when it came up that George while i think he sucked as the host, and it removed him from his strength (which was interviewing) it probably wasn't as bad as I thought it was (because we all hate change let's just admit it) and eventually it would have been fine (and HNIC had a bunch of poo being flung at walls the first two years).

I also respect the fact that people don't like Romanuk. but then if the argument is - because we need a homer - then. I'm sorry. No. that's not a need. It's a want. You want a homer, you want to have the broadcasters have the "us vs. the world." mentality which is fine. And if you want that - turn the radio up and the volume on the television down, and you have the sync issue but it's not that bad that it completely ruins watching the actual game.

I personally don't think Romanuk is as bad as people make it out to be. Would I prefer someone else. Sure. (swap Randorf for him and I'd be happy as a clam) . I don't think though, that Joe's the answer to solving the Romanuk problem, because I feel that Joe isn't as strong for TV as he is on the Radio. I also think it makes more sense to have other options.

I don't know what Joe's legacy (which i agree with you by the way) has anything to do with the fact that Joe isn't on television anymore, nor does it mean that because he's a legend, he should just be on television forever because he's the 'voice of the Leafs'. if it worked like that We'd still have Bob Cole, and that's not happening.

 

[Caroline Says ll]

I love Bowen and wish he was on TV but I do understand why he's not. He's such a huge homer and I imagine Sportsnet wants a more unbiased announcer. It's fine for the announcers to be critical, almost too critical, but homer announcers can come across as unprofessional on TV since they have to appeal to many fans, not just Leaf fans and yes, this includes regional broadcasts too.

Other regional Sportsnet play-by-play guys are extremely biased to their specific team. I understand that they might wish to avoid that with their most lucrative market for TV, but when you replace Bowen with honestly an with someone as incompetent as Romanuk, it's baffling. Romanuk's abilities are suited well for junior hockey and Sportsnet has decided he is the man for their biggest market.