TSN: John Bartlett returns to Sportsnet to call Leafs games. Brian Mudryk named replacement

[Leon Lucius Black]

I hated when Montreal played Columbus and the over pronunciation of Vennnn Beargueeee over and over again, it was like he stood in the mirror all afternoon and practised that name about 50 times. Dave Poulin called him several times on this and would laugh at his expense on air. I also remember the game where he lost his voice, I think it was against the Ducks, it had our GDT full of laughter. His former colour guy Jason York was also one of the most awkward I have ever listened to.

I was able to tolerate Bartlett, but I ended up watching games on RDS (even though I can't speak French) because I couldn't handle listening to York.. my goodness he is awful to listen to.

 

[Runner77]

Agreed. I'd go as far to say that Robertson is just a good as Bartlett, so him getting a promotion would please me very much.

You have fine taste in broadcast talent.

Most of these guys toil in the minors for so long before getting an opportunity. Robertson is also a class act. I enjoyed listening to him during the early part of the summer when he was co-hosting noon and afternoon shows on 690.

 

[puckeater]

I hope they force Gino Reda to provide colour for the Habs. He clearly hates them and would fit nicely into the fabric of the upcoming season quite well. Maybe it's a good year to spend teaching myself how to grow cannabis really well in my basement. Jean Guy FTW!

 

[JohnLennon]

You have fine taste in broadcast talent.

Most of these guys toil in the minors for so long before getting an opportunity. Robertson is also a class act. I enjoyed listening to him during the early part of the summer when he was co-hosting noon and afternoon shows on 690.

Dude, I said the same thing. He was an excellent sit-in. The questions he asked Pierre McGuire were so intelligent, and his comments were always level-headed and reasonable.

I'd be thrilled if he was a more regular contributor to the show, or if he got a promotion.

 

[peate]

Irvin had that great line to start a period: "Habs are skating left to right on your radio dial."
Danny Gallivan would describe the game like he was telling a story, always narrating but never the same. Listening to some classic games on Youtube, you really hear how great he was.



His last game.


A short clip with Irvin

 

[Lshap]

I hated when Montreal played Columbus and the over pronunciation of Vennnn Beargueeee over and over again, it was like he stood in the mirror all afternoon and practised that name about 50 times. Dave Poulin called him several times on this and would laugh at his expense on air. I also remember the game where he lost his voice, I think it was against the Ducks, it had our GDT full of laughter. His former colour guy Jason York was also one of the most awkward I have ever listened to.

You just reminded me of another Bartlettism: He would over-pronounce "Desharnais", rolling over the "r" like he was giving it a back-massage. The french accent didn't come naturally to Bartlett; it sounded like he was manually flipping his tongue up and down to approximate a jackhammer going "Desharrrdrdrrdrrdrrrnais".

 

[Laurentide]

Yeah, they should "of" brought back those guys. I saw Dick "Irving" last year at a West Island hotel, he was walking through a corridor adjacent to the room I was in. He was looking a little frail, had a walking stick and was holding on to someone's arm.

"Irving" was pretty scathing in his day. I remember a sportscast he was doing from the Habs's dressing room when they had just won a Cup and there was an individual who was obstructing the camera and "Irving" was none too pleased. So he snapped "who is that mother who is blocking the camera". Only years later did it occur to me that he used the word "mother" as a diminutive.

The stories of Irvin's irascibility are numerous. At the end of the day he's just not a nice person. If you're a colleague it's fine. If he perceives you to be beneath him he will treat you like you're something he discovered on the sole of his shoe.

I have a friend who worked as a parking lot attendant at Alexis Nihon Plaza back in the 70's where Irvin would park his car on his way to the Forum. I also know a guy who worked at the country club on the West Island where Irvin was a member. Both of them have stories about what an a-hole he was. I also have a friend who's mother used to work at the same company as Irvin back in the late 50's before he got into broadcasting. He was really full of himself and never missed an opportunity to pull the "Do you know who my father is?" line. He lorded his reflected celebrity over everyone.

I have only met him once, at an official event for the all star game in Vancouver where he signed my Forum seat. He was pleasant and personable. We talked about the ice storm which had recently occurred and he told me about how long his house was out of power and other bits of small talk. But he was being paid to be there so he was "on". You weren't seeing the real him. I'm sure that had I intercepted him on his way back to his hotel and asked for his autograph he'd have just as likely told me to f-off.

But despite all of this, his voice, along with Danny Gallivan's, was the soundtrack of my young life. And for all his faults as a person when it comes to broadcasting he was just better than anyone out there today.

 

[theghost1]

Logged in just to like this post.

Also, give us Gord Miller dammitt!

Gord Miller is the biggest blowhard know it all who has ever lived....he is terrible.

 

[yianik]

From Irving Oil?

Nah, not those guys. Have not heard him for a bit , but when I last did, which was not too long ago , he sounded good.

 

[Runner77]

Dude, I said the same thing. He was an excellent sit-in. The questions he asked Pierre McGuire were so intelligent, and his comments were always level-headed and reasonable.

I'd be thrilled if he was a more regular contributor to the show, or if he got a promotion.

Dude, I have no idea where you said it. It wasn't in this thread. I couldn't find anything you wrote about Robertson's summer gig as a sit-in on 690 . Forgive me for missing out if you wrote it elsewhere.

Totally agree, he'd be a refreshing addition. Especially given the paltry options taking up way too much space at that station.

 

[Runner77]

Irvin had that great line to start a period: "Habs are skating left to right on your radio dial."
Danny Gallivan would describe the game like he was telling a story, always narrating but never the same. Listening to some classic games on Youtube, you really hear how great he was.

He had the gift of gab. What a motor mouth.

Oh, and it's "Irving" to you, for the purposes of this thread.

 

[habdynasty]

Gord Miller is the biggest blowhard know it all who has ever lived....he is terrible.

He sounds like Kermit the frog.

 

[peate]

He had the gift of gab. What a motor mouth.

Oh, and it's "Irving" to you, for the purposes of this thread.

Funny you should mention that, subconsciously, I spelt it with a G before I corrected it.

 

[Laurentide]

Gord Miller is the biggest blowhard know it all who has ever lived....he is terrible.

But...he is a nominal Habs fan. So there's that.

 

[JohnLennon]

Dude, I have no idea where you said it. It wasn't in this thread. I couldn't find anything you wrote about Robertson's summer gig as a sit-in on 690 . Forgive me for missing out if you wrote it elsewhere.

Totally agree, he'd be a refreshing addition. Especially given the paltry options taking up way too much space at that station.

Sorry, I should've mentioned I didn't say it online. I had been saying it to my hockey buddies when we saw each other. Just funny that I see someone online with the same opinion, though I'm sure most people felt that way when he was on.

Yeah, I think he's definitely one of the bright spots of TSN 690 - which probably means he'll be poached soon. Though to give TSN 690 credit, during the early summer they were killing it with interviews - Lamoriello, Gallant, McLellan, Kotkaniemi, Zadina, Tkachuk, Bergevin, Dudley, Timmins, other NHL team scouts and management, etc. I really enjoyed it. But during the deep offseason it can get pretty painful.

 

[Runner77]

Sorry, I should've mentioned I didn't say it online. I had been saying it to my hockey buddies when we saw each other. Just funny that I see someone online with the same opinion, though I'm sure most people felt that way when he was on.

Yeah, I think he's definitely one of the bright spots of TSN 690 - which probably means he'll be poached soon. Though to give TSN 690 credit, during the early summer they were killing it with interviews - Lamoriello, Gallant, McLellan, Kotkaniemi, Zadina, Tkachuk, Bergevin, Dudley, Timmins, other NHL team scouts and management, etc. I really enjoyed it. But during the deep offseason it can get pretty painful.

No worries. When someone refers to me as "dude", my first reflex is "what did I do wrong", lol.

My second reflex is, "Is Ozymandias involved", cause that's what he resorts to when someone is on a short leash with him.

I agree that Robertson is going to get poached -- he's just too polished and professional for local broadcasts.

 

[JohnLennon]

No worries. When someone refers to me as "dude", my first reflex is "what did I do wrong", lol.

My second reflex is, "Is Ozymandias involved", cause that's what he resorts to when someone is on a short leash with him.

I agree that Robertson is going to get poached -- he's just too polished and professional for local broadcasts.

Oh lmao! I meant dude in a friendly way, like "dude no way! same here braaaaah!!!" I guess I don't get message board culture yet lol!

But hope that if you're right about Robertson that he's poached to do TV Habs, and not poached by another team. I can't take more bad news for the Habs right now. My tender heart!

 

[Adam Michaels]

You have fine taste in broadcast talent.

Most of these guys toil in the minors for so long before getting an opportunity. Robertson is also a class act. I enjoyed listening to him during the early part of the summer when he was co-hosting noon and afternoon shows on 690.

A big fan of Robertson's. And I like Momesso as his colour commentator as well. I like their chemistry. I would love to see them become the broadcast team for the TSN regional games. TSN690 won't need to lose them on radio either as they can air their broadcast. As well as not losing them as contributors on the station.

 

[Laurentide]

A big fan of Robertson's. And I like Momesso as his colour commentator as well. I like their chemistry. I would love to see them become the broadcast team for the TSN regional games. TSN690 won't need to lose them on radio either as they can air their broadcast. As well as not losing them as contributors on the station.

For years out here in Vancouver they used to simulcast the Canucks radio broadcast with Jim Robson on the local TV feed. But that was when the rights were owned by local, over the air TV stations, not nationally-operated cable sports specialty networks like TSN or Sportsnet.

And back when there was no English regional TV package for the Habs I often wondered why the Habs didn't request RDS to have a duplicate English audio feed so that Anglophone viewers could hit the secondary audio or SAP button on their remote (if their TV set was so enabled) to hear English commentary. That's what Fox Sports does in the States when they broadcast football or baseball. They have a Spanish language audio feed that viewers can access via their SAP button. It wouldn't have even cost the Habs any extra money. They could just tap the English radio feed and have RDS put it on a secondary audio track.

But given the sad state of TV and radio in Montreal these days, it's a wonder they can even turn on the equipment in the broadcast studios without electrocuting themselves.

 

[Runner77]

They have a Spanish language audio feed that viewers can access via their SAP button. It wouldn't have even cost the Habs any extra money.

There is no SAP button, only on air saps. The broadcast world is so behind on so many levels in Montreal -- thank goodness for the internets.

 

[NobleSix]

Am I the only one who doesn't really care who's calling the games?

It's just noise for me anyways...

You say you don't care who calls the games, you don't care who coaches the team, you don't care who coaches the minor league team, you don't care who manages the team, you don't care who is captain, and you don't care who the owner is.

Is there anything you do care about...?

 

[OldCraig71]

I was able to tolerate Bartlett, but I ended up watching games on RDS (even though I can't speak French) because I couldn't handle listening to York.. my goodness he is awful to listen to.

Right out of nowhere he would just randomly talk about something that seemed to have no real bearing on the play we all just witnessed. My personal favs for colour commentary are as follows.
1. Ray Ferraro
2. Mike Johnson
3. No one else.
I don't really like any of the others, there has to be some insight from the colour guy, something not mentioned from the announcer, something that takes us deeper into the game if you will and I find most of the guys today are boring with little insight.

 

[Belial]

You say you don't care who calls the games, you don't care who coaches the team, you don't care who coaches the minor league team, you don't care who manages the team, you don't care who is captain, and you don't care who the owner is.

Is there anything you do care about...?

There's always some sort of balance in everything though...

I just don't put as much emphasis on things happening around me...

 

[OldCraig71]

No, but seriously...

Why do you need a guy calling the game?

Are you serious? I have to give you credit Belial, you have found ways to push buttons like no one else I have ever read on this site. Are you a computer trained in the art of trolling? Joke.

 

[Belial]

Are you serious? I have to give you credit Belial, you have found ways to push buttons like no one else I have ever read on this site. Are you a computer trained in the art of trolling? Joke.

I'm extremely flattered but I'm extremely serious at the same time...Those guys are getting it wrong so often that it's embarrassing...