TSN 690 & Other Montreal sports media Thread V

[Adriatic]

Good on tsn690 for embracing the beautiful game as they should.

 

[habaholic]

17 or 18. Mostly U18 and U20 games where I wasn't specifically watching just for him obviously, but I did watch 3 or 4 BU games between December and February when it was clear that the Habs were a total tire fire and that Tkachuk would be picked in the top 10.

It's not enough to know the player inside out, but I think it's enough to formulate a solid opinion.

I only saw him 5-6 times on TV, basically all his game at the WJC, focused a bunch on Poelhing, but he continuously stood out where I had no choice but to notice him and my eyes always riveted to him. I'm in the minority here but I love his game. He's so much more than what people are considering him to be, a grinder. I saw good speed, great hands in tight, good playmaking ability, obviously his size. He's a tenacious little bugger and if he's as good a kid as everyone says he is, don't see why we wouldn't pick him. I even heard some people say he could probably play center, at the very least, spot duty there.

If I have to make a comparison, Tkatchuk is a Shanahan type player and Zadina a Bondra type player. Gotta say, I go with the Shanahan type player.

 

[Laurentide]

He said the same thing on tsn1200.

He think Tkachuk will have a long career. 10-12 years maybe longer.

He said Tkachuk is a "hockey player".. what does it even mean. They all have the potential to become very good hockey player.. maybe he meant a very complete player. That's all i can think of.

To me, this sounds like the Don Cherry,old school, dinosaur mindset of what the definition of a "real" hockey player is or isn't that the Habs need to get rid of. My concept of a pro hockey player is someone who plays the game at an elite level and who is highly skilled. It doesn't mean a guy who skates on his ankles and has no scoring ability but who plays with "grit", displays "ka-RACK-ter", shows "rispeck", and possesses the proper "attitude". None of those things win championships for you unless there's talent and skill to go with them. Nobody has ever "charactered" a puck into the top corner of the net or used "attitude" to block a shot. Every year there are at least a couple of guys who's names get engraved on the Cup who have no character, guts or heart whatsoever. But what they lack in intangibles they make up for in actual hockey-playing ability and skill and that's all that truly matters.

So on draft day if the choice is between taking a guy with intangibles like "attitude" and "bloodlines" or a gutless wimp who's a lock to score 40 goals per year, take the gutless wimp and draft a bodyguard for him in the later rounds.

 

[Laurentide]

With respect to insiders, I feel like they are all hurting for info these days. I think front offices have gone into a much tighter style of operations, and info is not traded or leaked the way it once was. It may be a backlash to social media, it may be the influence of younger decision makers. Bob M sounds tired.

As for Marinaro, I will reiterate what I’ve said before. I’m 47. I have a fully formed opinion on soccer.

I know it is the most popular sport in the world. That is irrelevant to my personal enjoyment. I don’t care whether a book/song/food has wide acceptance. I either like it or I don’t. Telling me I am missing out doesn’t matter. I will watch high school rugby over World Cup soccer any day of the week.

Soccer is the worst British export since they brought smallpox to the New World. Fortunately and unlike smallpox, soccer didn't take hold on this side of the Atlantic. I will never understand how people can watch cricket matches that last 3 days or soccer games which seem to last 3 days. I guess soccer is called "the beautiful game" because it's like a vacuous super-model. Sure, she looks great, but she has absolutely nothing on her mind and the only type of person who could relate to them is someone similarly empty-headed.

As for Marinaro, someone should remind him about how radios work. He may think he has a bully pulpit because there's a microphone in front of him (I'm surprised he hasn't tried to eat it yet. Most objects which get that close to his mouth seem to wind up in his belly) but it's the listeners who have the final say. You can't shove anything down anyone's throat if nobody is listening to you. And if enough people stop listening to you for long enough, you wind up talking to yourself on the unemployment line. Tony's best bet to hold on to his job is to talk Habs every day for the entire duration of his show. That's what people in Montreal want to talk about. Not soccer, not basketball. Da Habs, baby, Da Habs.

 

[Runner77]

Soccer is the worst British export since they brought smallpox to the New World. Fortunately and unlike smallpox, soccer didn't take hold on this side of the Atlantic. I will never understand how people can watch cricket matches that last 3 days or soccer games which seem to last 3 days. I guess soccer is called "the beautiful game" because it's like a vacuous super-model. Sure, she looks great, but she has absolutely nothing on her mind and the only type of person who could relate to them is someone similarly empty-headed.

As for Marinaro, someone should remind him about how radios work. He may think he has a bully pulpit because there's a microphone in front of him (I'm surprised he hasn't tried to eat it yet. Most objects which get that close to his mouth seem to wind up in his belly) but it's the listeners who have the final say. You can't shove anything down anyone's throat if nobody is listening to you. And if enough people stop listening to you for long enough, you wind up talking to yourself on the unemployment line. Tony's best bet to hold on to his job is to talk Habs every day for the entire duration of his show. That's what people in Montreal want to talk about. Not soccer, not basketball. Da Habs, baby, Da Habs.

I'm not a soccer fan but have watched the odd game in past world cup championships. I don't care about the Limp Act and the MLS, but when it comes to international caliber competitions, I'll dabble in most sports. TSN690 will not be a friendly NHL draft source during the wc with the likes of Marinaro, Butler and wc game broadcasts taking over, but hockey coverage is not exactly difficult to find elsewhere if you live in Canada.

Meh, it doesn't even matter where you live anymore, plenty of sources on the net. Maybe a good time to explore other media outlets. It's all good.

 

[Habs]

To me, this sounds like the Don Cherry,old school, dinosaur mindset of what the definition of a "real" hockey player is or isn't that the Habs need to get rid of. My concept of a pro hockey player is someone who plays the game at an elite level and who is highly skilled. It doesn't mean a guy who skates on his ankles and has no scoring ability but who plays with "grit", displays "ka-RACK-ter", shows "rispeck", and possesses the proper "attitude". None of those things win championships for you unless there's talent and skill to go with them. Nobody has ever "charactered" a puck into the top corner of the net or used "attitude" to block a shot. Every year there are at least a couple of guys who's names get engraved on the Cup who have no character, guts or heart whatsoever. But what they lack in intangibles they make up for in actual hockey-playing ability and skill and that's all that truly matters.

So on draft day if the choice is between taking a guy with intangibles like "attitude" and "bloodlines" or a gutless wimp who's a lock to score 40 goals per year, take the gutless wimp and draft a bodyguard for him in the later rounds.

I know what you are saying, but I'd take Gallagher over the gutless wimp, any day of the week if it was playoff time. The gutless guys disappear when the regular season ends. Just the pressure playing here etc.. draft a guy who can handle that shit as well

 

[sheed36]

Just turned TSN690 and no Habs lunch today. Is TSN690 gonna broadcast all the world cup games?

 

[Runner77]

Just turned TSN690 and no Habs lunch today. Is TSN690 gonna broadcast all the world cup games?

I'm afraid for the first time in 4 years, sheed36 will remove his intravenous connection to 690 in order to survive a massive overdose of soccer broadcasts.

 

[Adriatic]

Not a surprise Tony is embracing the beautiful game, world cup talk equals ratings. Nobody wants to listen to Habs problems during world cup.

 

[417]

Not a surprise Tony is embracing the beautiful game, world cup talk equals ratings. Nobody wants to listen to Habs problems during world cup.

It's a nice break...at least until draft day.

 

[sheed36]

I'm afraid for the first time in 4 years, sheed36 will remove his intravenous connection to 690 in order to survive a massive overdose of soccer broadcasts.

I listened to about 5 minutes of the match and for the first time ever I turned 690 off and have tuned into Hockey Central on the Fan which I believe is based out of Leafland. Need to get my hockey fix from somewhere. I'll try 690 again @ 3EDT hoping Melnick's show will still be on.

I've listened to many Habs games on TSN690 and on other radio broadcasts throughout the years but does anyone really listen to a soccer match on the radio?

 

[Runner77]

Tony, did you eat your microphone yet? Laurentide wants to know.

 

[Runner77]

I've listened to many Habs games on TSN690 and on other radio broadcasts throughout the years but does anyone really listen to a soccer match on the radio?

Yeah, linguists and people in the acting profession looking to perfect foreign accents.

Those Noel Butler clones are going to be a joy to listen to.

 

[sheed36]

Tony, did you eat your microphone yet? Laurentide wants to know.

Even though he no longer posts on this board I wonder if he still reads this thread?

 

[Runner77]

Even though he no longer posts on this board I wonder if he still reads this thread?

Who knows. It's not like we've been wearing white gloves on his account. I like that our comments remain unfiltered, we call it as we see it. We're not pandering to anyone, at least for the most part.

 

[sheed36]

Yeah, linguists and people in the acting profession looking to perfect foreign accents.

Those Noel Butler clones are going to be a joy to listen to.

If Tony didn't go on his little childish "I'm gonna continue to shove soccer down everyone's throat" hissy fit yesterday I might've even listened to 10 minutes instead of 5.

Bloody hell... Don't mind me. I'm just practicing my British accent.

 

[Runner77]

If Tony didn't go on his little childish "I'm gonna continue to shove soccer down everyone's throat" hissy fit yesterday I might've even listened to 10 minutes instead of 5.

Bloody hell... Don't mind me. I'm just practicing my British accent.

Don't forget his other classic comebacker: "Go suck an egg!" Food, Tony. Food. Always think food.

Tony is in this gig for free food, no question about it. That and he's an attention whore.

 

[Laurentide]

Yeah, linguists and people in the acting profession looking to perfect foreign accents.

Those Noel Butler clones are going to be a joy to listen to.

They used to have a so-called soccer "insider" on TSN1040 in Vancouver a few years back named Steven Cohen who was very entertaining and bombastic. Even a non-soccer fan like myself enjoyed his schtick. But he was a hard-core Chelsea fan who had a vendetta against Liverpool and he went over the line in his comments about the Hillsborough tragedy which essentially ended his broadcasting career. On a couple of occasions after he was first sacked, he was set to be hired at another media outlet and as soon as Liverpool fans found out they organized boycotts which caused his would-be employers to reconsider.

This should serve as an object lesson to Marinaro about the pitfalls of baiting your audience. The profit margins at TSN690 are razor thin as it is. It wouldn't take much of a boycott to get rid of Tony altogether and the more emboldened he feels, the more likely it is that he will lose his temper one day and cross the line. Then he will just be another out-of-work blowhard from La Salle.

 

[sheed36]

Who knows. It's not like we've been wearing white gloves on his account. I like that our comments remain unfiltered, we call it as we see it. We're not pandering to anyone, at least for the most part.

We're mostly only discussing what he says publicly on air which should be open to praise or criticism if warranted. In the past I've seen some posts taking personal shots at the guy which I don't care for and has no place here or anywhere.

I mostly only bring his or other TSN690 on air comments here if I think it warrants a possible discussion. As long as people are respectful and only discuss what gets said on air, which should be fair game, and leaves any personal shots or insults out of it we should be able to give our opinions on his on air comments both good and bad. If Tony wants to stir the **** pot on air he should also have to lick the spoon.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Even though he no longer posts on this board I wonder if he still reads this thread?

He absolutely still reads this thread. Wouldn’t doubt if he posts under an alias. The random people of the internet make him look dumb every time he posts here so it’s probably smart he doesn’t use his real name anymore.

 

[Runner77]

We're mostly only discussing what he says publicly on air which should be open to praise or criticism if warranted. In the past I've seen some posts taking personal shots at the guy which I don't care for and has no place here or anywhere.

I mostly only bring his or other TSN690 on air comments here if I think it warrants a possible discussion. As long as people are respectful and only discuss what gets said on air, which should be fair game, and leaves any personal shots or insults out of it we should be able to give our opinions on his on air comments both good and bad. If Tony wants to stir the **** pot on air he should also have to lick the spoon.

Food. Even analogies about what he does, involve food.

Lick the spoon? More like scraping the bottom of pots and pans.

But yeah, I hear what you're saying. Better to keep it about what he does. I don't have anything personal against the guy, however, he is using the public airways to convey his diatribe and should be kept honest. If he does something worthwhile, then give him his due.

But, to me, he remains a soccer afficionado who needs an edible microphone and whose bread and butter is trying too hard to sound entertaining and goes into excesses on account of it. I just hate it when he takes advantage of weak-minded callers who he uses as lab rats for his sad experiments.

 

[sheed36]

Food. Even analogies about what he does, involve food.

Lick the spoon? More like scraping the bottom of pots and pans.

But yeah, I hear what you're saying. Better to keep it about what he does. I don't have anything personal against the guy, however, he is using the public airways to convey his diatribe and should be kept honest. If he does something worthwhile, then give him his due.

But, to me, he remains a soccer afficionado who needs an edible microphone and whose bread and butter is trying too hard to sound entertaining and goes into excesses on account of it. I just hate it when he takes advantage of weak-minded callers who he uses as lab rats for his sad experiments.

It's no secret the man loves his food since he always tells everyone this. Even the other guys at TSN690 sometimes have a chuckle at Tony's expense when someone brings food into the studio or when they all go out to eat together.

Just keep the discussion civil and about something he says on air and there should be no problems here I don't think.

 

[Runner77]

It's no secret the man loves his food since he always tells everyone this. Even the other guys at TSN690 sometimes have a chuckle at Tony's expense when someone brings food into the studio or when they all go out to eat together.

Just keep the discussion civil and about something he says on air and there should be no problems here I don't think.

He provides material for our discussions. When he'll be replaced on his time slot, someone else will do the same and we'll do the same. As much as he likes to think the segment is about him, well he's going to find out that he won't have the same level of attention when he moves on. It's the nature of the beast.

 

[sheed36]

Melnick opening his show today with "My Back Pages" from the 1992 Bob Dylan 30th anniversary concert. One of my favorites from that great concert. Good start to his show today.

 

[Runner77]

Melnick opening his show today with "My Back Pages" from the 1992 Bob Dylan 30th anniversary concert. One of my favorites from that great concert. Good start to his show today.

Intravenous 690 line, plugged right back in, I see. Our resident virtual librarian taking stock of new material.