TSN 690 & Other Montreal sports media Thread V

[Cobra Commander]

This is the same guy that said that Drouin was the best PP player in the league and that he would easily rack up 70 points this season.

Drouin did look amaizing in pre-season

Marinaro you clown, i remember Pierre McGuire having a chuckle at that statement by Tony.

 

[Inkling]

Looking forward to hearing what Tony has to say about Italy voting for Morocco's bid, rather than Canada's!

 

[Laurentide]

I think a lot of the fans here who act this way would change their tunes if they were paid to discuss things on live radio.

I call Bergevin a ****ing bozo here pretty regularly, but I would never say such things live as a radio host.

You might if you worked in a market with more competition like NYC. The reason why most "shock jocks" came out of New York is because it's a hyper-competitive and oversaturated radio market where you have to be outlandish to get ratings. But who is anyone at TSN690 in competition with? They're the only English language all sports station on the dial and a lot of the stations with other formats with which they might compete (like CJAD for example) are also owned by Bell so the competition isn't real.

Does anyone here believe that any personality on 690 aside from perhaps Melnick would be able to hold down an on-air job if they were in a truly competitive market like New York?

 

[Laurentide]

Looking forward to hearing what Tony has to say about Italy voting for Morocco's bid, rather than Canada's!

Not sure why anyone should care. In the first place, Morocco didn't win the bid and secondly, it isn't like Italy will be playing any of their games in Canada during the tournament. The US is going to get all the prime match-up's and important knock-out games. Canada and Mexico will get the scraps. So the $200 million of your tax money that's going to pay for upgrades to the Big O for the three meaningless games that will be played there isn't going to give you much bang for your buck. You won't be seeing Italy v. Germany, you'll be seeing San Marino v. Andorra or Tonga v. Micronesia.

 

[Kriss E]

You might if you worked in a market with more competition like NYC. The reason why most "shock jocks" came out of New York is because it's a hyper-competitive and oversaturated radio market where you have to be outlandish to get ratings. But who is anyone at TSN690 in competition with? They're the only English language all sports station on the dial and a lot of the stations with other formats with which they might compete (like CJAD for example) are also owned by Bell so the competition isn't real.

Does anyone here believe that any personality on 690 aside from perhaps Melnick would be able to hold down an on-air job if they were in a truly competitive market like New York?

You might if you worked in a market with more competition like NYC. The reason why most "shock jocks" came out of New York is because it's a hyper-competitive and oversaturated radio market where you have to be outlandish to get ratings. But who is anyone at TSN690 in competition with? They're the only English language all sports station on the dial and a lot of the stations with other formats with which they might compete (like CJAD for example) are also owned by Bell so the competition isn't real.

Does anyone here believe that any personality on 690 aside from perhaps Melnick would be able to hold down an on-air job if they were in a truly competitive market like New York?

He competes with his own ratings and his colleagues. If they notice that everytime he makes sensationalist comments, the emails pour in, the phone calls pile up, and his twitter feed jumps, well there's your reason. It doesn't matter what he says, at the end of the day, Tony is not a news reporter. He's a sports radio host with a mandate to be entertaining, which means ratings. So he plays to that.

It's not so much about claiming a 19yo is a bust that's going to get him ratings. It's this attitude he's portraying. So he says crap that plays into this attitude.

I think the majority of what Tony says and how he acts is really just for show.

 

[jackeymoon]

You might if you worked in a market with more competition like NYC. The reason why most "shock jocks" came out of New York is because it's a hyper-competitive and oversaturated radio market where you have to be outlandish to get ratings. But who is anyone at TSN690 in competition with? They're the only English language all sports station on the dial and a lot of the stations with other formats with which they might compete (like CJAD for example) are also owned by Bell so the competition isn't real.

Does anyone here believe that any personality on 690 aside from perhaps Melnick would be able to hold down an on-air job if they were in a truly competitive market like New York?

Pretty sure they work in the same building and share spaces with one another so there's literally zero competition between the two.

They wouldn't hold down an on-air job in bloody Toronto let alone NY. I've literally heard better post game hosts in Buffalo and Pittsburgh than the Montreal guys, which is embarrassing. Tsalikis, Coleman, Flynn(whenever they let her on) and Gallo scream amateur hour. Honestly even Company man Campbell does a better job than those dolts.

 

[Runner77]

Huge Marinaro meltdown this morning, as he predictably wallowed in the news about FIFA awarding the 2026 WC to Canada as co-host.

As he was waxing poetic about what the decision meant for the future of soccer in Canada, he receives a text and reads it on air, as he usually does. The text wasn't kind at all to his loyalties for the game, nor for him spending so much time on soccer with the NHL draft coming up.

That's when he totally lost it. Snapped back by calling the texter out and asking that his number be blocked so that he would never be able to contact him or the station again and screamed out "If you don't like soccer, go suck an egg!". And then Marinaro reprised an expression I used about him here a few days ago -- he said "and yes, I'll continue to shove soccer than your throats."

He continued in his fury by adding how he had planned for two thirds of the show to be about soccer and was going to spend the remaining one third on hockey, but now because of that text he found to be objectionable, he would dedicate the whole show to soccer. Of course, it was a bluff, since at 11 AM, he delved into the Senators's shitfest.

So he predictably continued merrily along trying to sell the WC, how it's going to make money for Montreal.

After this, we were graced with a longish speech featuring Marinaro talking to himself and pontificating about the state of soccer in Canada and in Montreal in particular. He rattled on about how the game is not well structured and organized, dissed parent coaches, put down the methods of all the amateurs and basically made the whole system look like it's crap due to all these volunteers who aren't qualified to dispense soccer knowledge.

And concludes this huge elitist posturing by saying the opposite: "We need to make soccer, fun. As long as it's fun, that's what it's all about." Well Marinaro, if you want it to be ultra competitive cause you have illusions of grandeur, the fun part is not exactly what you're after as a first goal -- why don't you come flat out and say it -- all you're really interested in is for Canada to have a competitive team on the world stage and since your kids are playing competitive soccer, you're dying for them to have a shot at playing at a high level in Canada.

Then he conducted interviews with the usual circle jerk of soccer friends he taps into whenever there is news of some sort. He had on Sandro Grande on, a guy who is not shy to refer to himself in the third person. And who like Marinaro, put down the volunteers who work in the sport with kids, basically using a similar tone as Marinaro, delivering "leave it to the experts" type message. And he hammered away some more about how everyone has a calling in life, how people like him know what they're doing (inferring that those who have other jobs and give their free time to coach and what-not, are not just rank amateurs, they're not doing it right).

The whole approach reeked of excess elitism. Soccer in Canada is great so long as it's being done the way Marinaro says it ought to be done.

He reminded me of an emperor at the Colisseum scoffing roasted game meats and fruits on a silver platter and ready to signal for the lions to be released on anyone who has the misfortune of not being up to his standards or who abhors soccer.

Keep chomping down your grub Marinaro while all of those you dissed, give you a huge thumbs down.

 

[David Suzuki]

I mean Canada getting the world cup is a pretty big deal and worth talking about. Tony is an ass but I have no idea why people would complain about him discussing it.

 

[cap10bfl]

Huge Marinaro meltdown this morning, as he predictably wallowed in the news about FIFA awarding the 2026 WC to Canada as co-host.

As he was waxing poetic about what the decision meant for the future of soccer in Canada, he receives a text and reads it on air, as he usually does. The text wasn't kind at all to his loyalties for the game, nor for him spending so much time on soccer with the NHL draft coming up.

That's when he totally lost it. Snapped back by calling the texter out and asking that his number be blocked so that he would never be able to contact him or the station again and screamed out "If you don't like soccer, go suck an egg!". And then Marinaro reprised an expression I used about him here a few days ago -- he said "and yes, I'll continue to shove soccer than your throats." And then continued merrily along trying to sell the WC, how it's going to make money for Montreal.

After this, we were graced with a longish speech featuring Marinaro talking to himself and pontificating about the state of soccer in Canada and in Montreal in particular. He rattled on about how the game is not well structured and organized, dissed parent coaches, put down the methods of all the amateurs and basically made the whole system look like it's crap due to all these volunteers who aren't qualified to dispense soccer knowledge.

And concludes this huge elitist posturing by saying the opposite: "we need to make soccer, fun. As long as it's fun, that's what it's all about." Well Marinaro, if you want it to be ultra competitive cause you have illusions of grandeur, the fun part is not exactly what you're after as a first goal.

Then he conducted interviews with the usual circle jerk of soccer friends he taps into whenever there is news of some sort. He had on Sandro Grande on, a guy who is not shy to refer to himself in the third person. And who like Marinaro, put down the volunteers who work in the sport with kids, basically using a similar tone as Marinaro, delivering "leave it to the experts" type message. And he hammered away some more about how everyone has a calling in life, how people like him know what they're doing (inferring that those who have other jobs and give their free time to coach and what-not, are not just rank amateurs, they're not doing it right).

The whole approach reeked of excess elitism. Soccer in Canada is great so long as it's being done the way Marinaro says.

He reminded me of an emperor at the Colisseum chomping down roasted game meats and fruits on a silver platter and ready to signal for the lions to be released on anyone who has the misfortune of not being up to his standards.

Keep chomping down your grub Marinaro. And don't choke on it, it would be a shame.

Canada hosting 10 world cup games is fantastic news...

of course Tony and all other sports hosts will tall about it...
I don't see what the problem is here.....

 

[417]

Chris Nilan's grunting on air makes me uncomfortable.

 

[Burke the Legend]

It's gonna cost $500 million to renovate the Olympic Stadium for 2 stupid soccer games. But Valerie Plante is against spending a penny to support the Expos. Can't wait to see her gone.

 

[Laurentide]

It's gonna cost $500 million to renovate the Olympic Stadium for 2 stupid soccer games. But Valerie Plante is against spending a penny to support the Expos. Can't wait to see her gone.

That was my first thought as well. I hope Bronfman and Garber were being sincere when they said that they wouldn't have their hands out looking for government money to build a stadium for the Expos because once the bill for the Olympic Stadium renos comes due (for just 3 games, none of which will feature any countries you've heard of) there won't be a penny left over to give to baseball.

 

[sheed36]

Huge Marinaro meltdown this morning, as he predictably wallowed in the news about FIFA awarding the 2026 WC to Canada as co-host.

As he was waxing poetic about what the decision meant for the future of soccer in Canada, he receives a text and reads it on air, as he usually does. The text wasn't kind at all to his loyalties for the game, nor for him spending so much time on soccer with the NHL draft coming up.

That's when he totally lost it. Snapped back by calling the texter out and asking that his number be blocked so that he would never be able to contact him or the station again and screamed out "If you don't like soccer, go suck an egg!". And then Marinaro reprised an expression I used about him here a few days ago -- he said "and yes, I'll continue to shove soccer than your throats."

He continued in his fury by adding how he had planned for two thirds of the show to be about soccer and was going to spend the remaining one third on hockey, but now because of that text he found to be objectionable, he would dedicate the whole show to soccer. Of course, it was a bluff, since at 11 AM, he delved into the Senators's ****fest.

So he predictably continued merrily along trying to sell the WC, how it's going to make money for Montreal.

After this, we were graced with a longish speech featuring Marinaro talking to himself and pontificating about the state of soccer in Canada and in Montreal in particular. He rattled on about how the game is not well structured and organized, dissed parent coaches, put down the methods of all the amateurs and basically made the whole system look like it's crap due to all these volunteers who aren't qualified to dispense soccer knowledge.

And concludes this huge elitist posturing by saying the opposite: "We need to make soccer, fun. As long as it's fun, that's what it's all about." Well Marinaro, if you want it to be ultra competitive cause you have illusions of grandeur, the fun part is not exactly what you're after as a first goal -- why don't you come flat out and say it -- all you're really interested in is for Canada to have a competitive team on the world stage and since your kids are playing competitive soccer, you're dying for them to have a shot at playing on the international stage or at a high level in Canada.

Then he conducted interviews with the usual circle jerk of soccer friends he taps into whenever there is news of some sort. He had on Sandro Grande on, a guy who is not shy to refer to himself in the third person. And who like Marinaro, put down the volunteers who work in the sport with kids, basically using a similar tone as Marinaro, delivering "leave it to the experts" type message. And he hammered away some more about how everyone has a calling in life, how people like him know what they're doing (inferring that those who have other jobs and give their free time to coach and what-not, are not just rank amateurs, they're not doing it right).

The whole approach reeked of excess elitism. Soccer in Canada is great so long as it's being done the way Marinaro says it ought to be done.

He reminded me of an emperor at the Colisseum chomping down roasted game meats and fruits on a silver platter and ready to signal for the lions to be released on anyone who has the misfortune of not being up to his standards.

Keep chomping down your grub Marinaro. And don't choke on it, it would be a shame.

After he lost it against the texter and said he was gonna continue to shove soccer than our throats I turned him off and will continue to do so for the 1st 2 hours of his show for the next while. I'll only tune in at noon for Habs lunch and if there's any big Habs news that happens.

With the world cup coming up and the announcement today I expected even more soccer talk from Tony and that's understandable since the world cup and today's news was huge for many. Even though I'm not a soccer fan I'm sure he has many people who are and will tune in and enjoy the additional soccer talk so I'll just take a break from his show since I'm just not interested at all.

To all the fans of the world cup. Enjoy the next month.

 

[Laurentide]

Huge Marinaro meltdown this morning, as he predictably wallowed in the news about FIFA awarding the 2026 WC to Canada as co-host.

As he was waxing poetic about what the decision meant for the future of soccer in Canada, he receives a text and reads it on air, as he usually does. The text wasn't kind at all to his loyalties for the game, nor for him spending so much time on soccer with the NHL draft coming up.

That's when he totally lost it. Snapped back by calling the texter out and asking that his number be blocked so that he would never be able to contact him or the station again and screamed out "If you don't like soccer, go suck an egg!". And then Marinaro reprised an expression I used about him here a few days ago -- he said "and yes, I'll continue to shove soccer than your throats."

I listen online and whenever I hear him venturing into soccer talk I shut down the feed for a half an hour. The best way to get him to lay off the soccer talk is to turn the channel whenever he brings it up.

He continued in his fury by adding how he had planned for two thirds of the show to be about soccer and was going to spend the remaining one third on hockey, but now because of that text he found to be objectionable, he would dedicate the whole show to soccer. Of course, it was a bluff, since at 11 AM, he delved into the Senators's ****fest.

So he predictably continued merrily along trying to sell the WC, how it's going to make money for Montreal.

It won't make a dime for Montreal or any other host city. All it's going to be is what the Olympics are: a taxpayer-funded festival for the rich and well-connected. All you and I will ever get out of it is the bill and I'm only talking about the money we know about, not the bribes that had to be paid to FIFA in order to buy the winning bid. I'm glad that the BC government pulled out of Canada's bid so I at least will be spared from having to pay for this non-event.

After this, we were graced with a longish speech featuring Marinaro talking to himself and pontificating about the state of soccer in Canada and in Montreal in particular. He rattled on about how the game is not well structured and organized, dissed parent coaches, put down the methods of all the amateurs and basically made the whole system look like it's crap due to all these volunteers who aren't qualified to dispense soccer knowledge.

And concludes this huge elitist posturing by saying the opposite: "We need to make soccer, fun. As long as it's fun, that's what it's all about."

No, Tony. We need to make soccer go away. If I'm a taxpayer in Montreal I'd much rather have my tax dollars spent on helping to bring 81 baseball games per year to a downtown venue in my city than waste a couple hundred million more dollars on the Big O for a one time tournament featuring 3 lousy soccer games.

 

[Adriatic]

Canada co-hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet is something to talk about. Good job Tony!!

 

[Laurentide]

Canada co-hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet is something to talk about. Good job Tony!!

Yeah nothing better than watching 90+ minutes of scoreless "action".

I guess the Habs front office and coaching staff must be huge soccer fans, what with all those nil-nil and 1-nil games.

 

[Adriatic]

After he lost it against the texter and said he was gonna continue to shove soccer than our throats I turned him off and will continue to do so for the 1st 2 hours of his show for the next while. I'll only tune in at noon for Habs lunch and if there's any big Habs news that happens.

With the world cup coming up and the announcement today I expected even more soccer talk from Tony and that's understandable since the world cup and today's news was huge for many. Even though I'm not a soccer fan I'm sure he has many people who are and will tune in and enjoy the additional soccer talk so I'll just take a break from his show since I'm just not interested at all.

To all the fans of the world cup. Enjoy the next month.

The world cup will be glorious once again

 

[MtlBoxFan]

He reminded me of an emperor at the Colisseum chomping down roasted game meats and fruits on a silver platter and ready to signal for the lions to be released on anyone who has the misfortune of not being up to his standards.

It sometimes can be frustrating listening to him, because, in his little studio, on his little station with his small audience, he is an absolute emperor. Just never lose the sight of the fact that he's amateurish radio announcer with a face made for radio and a voice made for silent movies. His train of thought borders on bizarre and the most important thing he ever did in his life is dance really awkwardly on Live with Kelly.

Never let what a person thinks of themselves impact your assessment of a person.

 

[DXStriker]

Getting the world cup is a big deal and impressive ... but MTL is going to get what like 2 games ? They are going to spend so much money lol
For a Mayor who did not want a MLB Team this is a different approach lol

Also This would be a day to give Tony a pass for talking 90 % soccer but he is still getting crazy . Like he is getting to the point where he is flat out insulting fans who dont like Soccer and to a certain extent basketball . I cant stand him outside of the Friday Scrum where Melnick can control him and its pretty funny sometimes between them lol

 

[Runner77]

I mean Canada getting the world cup is a pretty big deal and worth talking about. Tony is an ass but I have no idea why people would complain about him discussing it.

So was the Stanley Cup a pretty big deal. He chose to pre-empt most of his first show that followed the Caps's conquest, in favor of soccer. See a problem with that?

Second, no one is dissing the world cup. This morning's show was significantly about how he ripped into parents and volunteers doing the best they can to teach and have kids play the game in an enjoyable environment in favor of more structured coaching, more high level play. And then pretended at the end of his admonition that what's most important is that "kids have fun". They're probably having a lot of fun in the manner the game is currently managed and played, but let's not recognize that.

Also, he became defiant and childish by his threat on how he was going to continue to "shove soccer down your throats." And how he snapped at the texter who wanted more hockey coverage and threatened to ban him forever and told him to "go suck an egg".

I believe Marinaro should be called on whatever it is he goes overboard on. And this morning he did. It's not about the wc, but it's how he treats others who don't agree with his elitist views, like a wc.

 

[Runner77]

Canada hosting 10 world cup games is fantastic news...

of course Tony and all other sports hosts will tall about it...
I don't see what the problem is here.....

The issue is with Marinaro, not the wc. Despite a very lengthy and detailed post, you chose to read into it what you wanted.

And I'm not going to try and convince you. Believe what you wish.

 

[Runner77]

Chris Nilan's grunting on air makes me uncomfortable.

I can't stand Noel Butler and we've predictably got a lot of him during the day with the wc news. Don't they have better options?

I can't understand what he says. He swallows every third or fourth consonant, it's too labor intensive to fill the blanks made by him sucking air out of so many words.

 

[Runner77]

It's gonna cost $500 million to renovate the Olympic Stadium for 2 stupid soccer games. But Valerie Plante is against spending a penny to support the Expos. Can't wait to see her gone.

That hasn't been officially confirmed but I don't think you're far off. We'll be lucky to get 3 games and who knows how meaningful these games would be.

Plus, if they're spending money on the Big Owe in anticipation of the wc, it may also mean that they're going to do everything to pigeonhole the Expos back into the Big Owe, whenever it is an MLB franchise will be awarded. Reeks on so many levels. $500 million to renovate the Stadium and yet ... with $700 million, they could take the whole damn thing down.

 

[Runner77]

Other thing I noticed this morning.

They had this guy, John Still, doing the sports news every half hour, during Marinaro's show.

"I'm John Still", he says.

The way I heard it, I imagined a pause: "I'm John, still."

I've always been intrigued by names that are an incomplete thought, especially where the person uses words in a sentence that includes his name.

"I'm John. Still. Next week, I'm going for a name change."

Another non-descript filler guy on 690 -- at least he's not as annoying as Gallo and Campbell. Not yet.

 

[lo striver]

what do you guys expect? there is barely any hockey news this time of the year. they need to fill air time somehow. don't listen to those amatures if you do not want to be dissapointed.