TSN 690 & Other Montreal sports media Thread VII

[angusyoung]

Possibly I tune out when the rant is on but I can appreciate that he is almost a proxy for Saputo. Campbell also can drive me up the walls,literally! He could brown nose a turd!

So not enough other sport fans? Montreal has a population over what now? 4,5 million?That can't bring out 20 thou fans to a soccer game or a football game? kind of pathetic. I hope sincerely that a real study can be conducted as to the cause of that.

True the Expos played out of real pieces of crap in Montreal. Jarry you could get ripped apart by the breeze in spring or fall and the big O, what a joke. Been there when almost no one was there,could hear an echo when me and my friend spoke!.lol. But was privileged to be there for a couple sold out games during heydays,that was choice!.

To be fair,690 is a local sports station,promoting and pushing local coverage. Less now than before,but Bouchard was hot in tennis and you heard about it. Never hear anything about Brooke Henderson,one of the top Canadian gofers of all time,and a cutey to too. lol.

 

[angusyoung]

many people that follow soccer find MLS skill level too low. after watching EPL or La Liga it is hard to watch a bunch of neverwillbees and a few hasbeens trying to push the ball around. tomorrow European Champions League final will be played at 3PM and Impact will be playing at 5PM. I expect another low attendance.

in addition, despite what some people are saying, Saputo stadium itself and atmosphere there is not that great comparing to watching games live in England or Germany. smoking section is great at SS though - no one smokes tobacco there. unreal.

Oh ya,for sure! I grew up on Ajax and tried to watch MLS,better now than before,but back then,wow! even now....ehh.

Atmosphere at Bell center is great,if not one of the best. But if I compare a soccer game at SS to what I see at Johan Cruijff, formerly Ajax arena talk about fog!

 

[lo striver]

I do go to SS to watch a match almost every year, but I go to see some vistiing star like Ibrahimovich. I went twice during Drogba's first year.

I will probably go more often when

1. All seats will be covered by a roof - better atmosphere and stands are protected from the elements
2. Impact will sign some former (preferably French) skilled star

 

[Runner77]

I do go to SS to watch a match almost every year, but I go to see some vistiing star like Ibrahimovich. I went twice during Drogba's first year.

I will probably go more often when

1. All seats will be covered by a roof - better atmosphere and stands are protected from the elements
2. Impact will sign some former (preferably French) skilled star

Quite the buzz when Drogba was signed. He drew a lot of fans all by himself. Maybe Marinaro could spend more time talking about the on-the-field product if they had someone of Drogba's caliber (preferably younger) enter the fold.

 

[JJ68]

And that goes for the CFL as well. I'm just not intersted in football with below avg players that would prefer to play in the NFL and a league where you could be below 500 and still make the Grey Cup.

 

[Runner77]

And that goes for the CFL as well. I'm just not intersted in football with below avg players that would prefer to play in the NFL and a league where you could be below 500 and still make the Grey Cup.

690 will continue to give the Als attention with segments across its shows and off hour spinoff shows since it is the broadcasting rightsholder for the team.

It's a source of revenue so no one can blame them.

Luckily, there are other sources of sports content that one can easily move to when that happens.

 

[JianYang]

And that goes for the CFL as well. I'm just not intersted in football with below avg players that would prefer to play in the NFL and a league where you could be below 500 and still make the Grey Cup.

You mention "below average players". This is where the CFL really needs to change the public mindset.

These players are actually quite talented, but we just look at them as players who can't play in the NFL. That doesn't have to be a negative if they market it effectively.

Many players have come from the NFL to the CFL over the years, expecting it to be a cakewalk, but in reality, they realize its nothing like that.

Now, I'm not a huge NFL or CFL guy, but I think it's possible for football fans to enjoy both leagues.

 

[peate]

You mention "below average players". This is where the CFL really needs to change the public mindset.

These players are actually quite talented, but we just look at them as players who can't play in the NFL. That doesn't have to be a negative if they market it effectively.

Many players have come from the NFL to the CFL over the years, expecting it to be a cakewalk, but in reality, they realize its nothing like that.

Now, I'm not a huge NFL or CFL guy, but I think it's possible for football fans to enjoy both leagues.

Also, some notable NFL stars got their start in the CFL. Joe Theisman, Warren Moon come to mind.

 

[Runner77]

Also, some notable NFL stars got their start in the CFL. Joe Theisman, Warren Moon come to mind.

A long time ago.

I don’t know that the CFL is as relevant in as it used to be in those days.

Back to the thread subject, there is nothing 690 or any other broadcaster can do to change that.

 

[FerrisRox]

You mention "below average players". This is where the CFL really needs to change the public mindset.

It's not for the CFL to change that mindset. I've seen people say this for years and years and it really speaks to their ignorance of the Canadian game moreso than anything else.

In large part, the CFL and the NFL are looking for *different* kinds of players. The CFL game, with the larger field, is a much quicker version of gridiron football than is being played in the States. For the most part, Canadian players are much faster and smaller. In the Canadian game, at every position, you better be able to run. In the NFL and NCAA there are plenty of jobs for guys that are just big slabs of meat meant to simply be difficult to get through. The CFL game values speed and mobility much more. If you can't run and move well, you can't defend in the CFL.

There are plenty of extremely highly skilled players in the CFL that are only here because they aren't big enough to play the American version. Pretending they are "below average" because they are 5'10 rather than 6'3 is just ignorance.

 

[FerrisRox]

Also, some notable NFL stars got their start in the CFL. Joe Theisman, Warren Moon come to mind.

Rocket Ismail, Jeff Garcia, Cameron Wake, Joe Horn, Mike Vanderjat

 

[bsl]

I like sports talk and getting it from the radio is the easiest source. I offer criticism just to see if others experience it in the same way I do. I wonder if I’d have the same reaction to sports media if I lived in a market with a greater availability of sports sources, like NY.

The mispronunciations and altered pronunciations are a staple with Marinaro, so it’s just pointed out as an attempt at levity.

Marinaro is lacking a bit of education.

 

[bsl]

Haven't listened to much TSN690 lately but did tune in today just has Nilan came on. He had knee replacement surgery last Friday and the guys asked him how many surgeries he's had now and he said he's had 34 surgeries and that was the 12th on the knee he just had done. Crazy.

Hence the painkillers.

 

[bsl]

When something is grotesque, it captures your attention even if you want to turn away from it.

There are some funny moments but a lot of times, it's unintended humor which makes it even more hilarious.

Grotesque. Great word. Rarely used but you used it well. Well done man.

 

[Runner77]

Marinaro is lacking a bit of education.

Not just a bit. I believe he only has a H.S. education. Not that it's a secret, he's admitted as much many times over, on air.

 

[Runner77]

Grotesque. Great word. Rarely used but you used it well. Well done man.

Thanks man. I guess there is something salvageable from unintended entertainment.

 

[JianYang]

It's not for the CFL to change that mindset. I've seen people say this for years and years and it really speaks to their ignorance of the Canadian game moreso than anything else.

In large part, the CFL and the NFL are looking for *different* kinds of players. The CFL game, with the larger field, is a much quicker version of gridiron football than is being played in the States. For the most part, Canadian players are much faster and smaller. In the Canadian game, at every position, you better be able to run. In the NFL and NCAA there are plenty of jobs for guys that are just big slabs of meat meant to simply be difficult to get through. The CFL game values speed and mobility much more. If you can't run and move well, you can't defend in the CFL.

There are plenty of extremely highly skilled players in the CFL that are only here because they aren't big enough to play the American version. Pretending they are "below average" because they are 5'10 rather than 6'3 is just ignorance.

I agree with you, but since the public views these athletes as hacks who can't cut it in the NFL, then the CFL should at least attempt to dispel the notion.

We can call it ignorance or whatever, but the reality is that this perception hurts the CFL, and they somehow need to show exactly how talented these guys are. The ignorance is there, and whether or not they are responsible for it is irrelevant. It's only good business to dispel it.

 

[bsl]

I think Marinaro's shortcomings have more to do with his lack of a high formal education than they do with his personal background growing up. I believe he only has a high school education so his shortcomings are going to limit his ability to communicate.

However, gotta give him the fact that he's making a living in a treacherous, low-paying industry and how he tries to keep himself relevant by appearing on multiple media platforms and tapping heavily into social media, as he should. No other way to keep your job long term in a small anglo market like Montreal.

I remember when 690 was not affiliated with TSN, I think it was known as CIQC/CKGM. Marinaro and Simon come from that era. Both of them earned job security when the TSN affiliation kicked in. Not sure the station would have survived without it as it was teetering on being shut down.

I listen to 690 for the conduit it is in attracting pundits and contributors who are far more intelligent and compelling than any of their staffers, save for Melnick. And that's mostly due to their TSN affiliation and their ability to tap into a vast array of TSN broadcasters.

I totally agree about the **** show on 620. I'll occasionally listen in as a reminder of how good we have it in Canada. They are generally one chromosome away from Info Wars territory. Their kooks make ours look like choir boys. And yes, that broadcast team for the Yankees is horrible, as if the Yankees couldn't afford to do much better. As for CJAD, I only really like their Saturday afternoon fare, which is very unlike what they broadcast on weekdays.

Cjad was the staple in the seventies. Used to fall asleep listening to gallivan and Irvin on the radio from what I thought then were far flung places. They were always excellent and very professional. We change. Time moves on. But they were superb.

 

[FerrisRox]

I agree with you, but since the public views these athletes as hacks who can't cut it in the NFL, then the CFL should at least attempt to dispel the notion.

We can call it ignorance or whatever, but the reality is that this perception hurts the CFL, and they somehow need to show exactly how talented these guys are. The ignorance is there, and whether or not they are responsible for it is irrelevant. It's only good business to dispel it.

These people aren't knowledgeable football people so I don't think the CFL should waste too much energy reaching out to them. These are "football fans" who are only interested in gambling and office pools.

Anybody that actually knows football and watches the CFL would be fully aware that talent level is not an issue for the league at all.

 

[JJ68]

Yes yes, the CFL is so much faster...lets ask Bo jackson, Devin Hester, Joey Galloway, Randy Moss, Deion Sanders and so many others. The NFL is flooded with linebackers able to run 4.4 40's on top of d-linemen who can do 4.5 to 4.6...the NFL has freaks for athletes. The CFL game might seem faster because all they do is pass the ball with their 3 downs and their wider and larger field.

It's not ignorance. Yeah the game is different but the fact remains that the better teams, filled with the better players play in the NFL. Its always been that way. And hey, some NHLers try their game playing in lesser leagues and dont do so great either, or dominate as much as you might think. That doesnt mean this league is on par with the NHL.

 

[Miller Time]

It's not for the CFL to change that mindset. I've seen people say this for years and years and it really speaks to their ignorance of the Canadian game moreso than anything else.

In large part, the CFL and the NFL are looking for *different* kinds of players. The CFL game, with the larger field, is a much quicker version of gridiron football than is being played in the States. For the most part, Canadian players are much faster and smaller. In the Canadian game, at every position, you better be able to run. In the NFL and NCAA there are plenty of jobs for guys that are just big slabs of meat meant to simply be difficult to get through. The CFL game values speed and mobility much more. If you can't run and move well, you can't defend in the CFL.

There are plenty of extremely highly skilled players in the CFL that are only here because they aren't big enough to play the American version. Pretending they are "below average" because they are 5'10 rather than 6'3 is just ignorance.

I don't quite get the logic...

If a player can't physically make it in the NFL, that is precisely being "below average" as far as the skills (physical and/or technical) required to play there.

That the games are relatively different and prioritize different playing elements is irrelevant because no player who can succeed in the NFL will choose to play in the CFL (for money & other reasons).

There are plenty of undersized success stories in the NFL on both sides of the ball... They just have to have superior assets in other areas. The 5'10 guys "not big enough" for the NFL are, in reality, simply not good enough.

Pretending there isn't a massive skill/talent gap between the two league's is silly, imo.

Canada is the only "developed" country (as in first world, or whatever term one prefers for economically privileged) that fails to support its own home grown league's in sport... Our proximity to, and reliance on, US league's, sport entertainment & marketing is unique & unfortunate... Most other countries have no issue supporting a league even while recognizing that the talent is 2nd or 3rd or 10th tier.

CFL is a "B" league. Nothing wrong with that, nor should it diminish the appreciation of the athletes and coaches who perform there. But let's not pretend the skill/talent difference is even remotely close.
It is no different than comparing the NHL to the AHL (euro league's may seem a closer comparison, but there, because of cultural reasons & in the khl, at times $ ones, talent good enough for the NHL actively chooses to play there... Not so in the CFL. Like the AHL, any player who can, will gladly make the jump (even for far less playing time or security)

 

[FerrisRox]

I don't quite get the logic...

If a player can't physically make it in the NFL, that is precisely being "below average" as far as the skills (physical and/or technical) required to play there.

That the games are relatively different and prioritize different playing elements is irrelevant because no player who can succeed in the NFL will choose to play in the CFL (for money & other reasons).

There are plenty of undersized success stories in the NFL on both sides of the ball... They just have to have superior assets in other areas. The 5'10 guys "not big enough" for the NFL are, in reality, simply not good enough.

Pretending there isn't a massive skill/talent gap between the two league's is silly, imo.

Canada is the only "developed" country (as in first world, or whatever term one prefers for economically privileged) that fails to support its own home grown league's in sport... Our proximity to, and reliance on, US league's, sport entertainment & marketing is unique & unfortunate... Most other countries have no issue supporting a league even while recognizing that the talent is 2nd or 3rd or 10th tier.

CFL is a "B" league. Nothing wrong with that, nor should it diminish the appreciation of the athletes and coaches who perform there. But let's not pretend the skill/talent difference is even remotely close.
It is no different than comparing the NHL to the AHL (euro league's may seem a closer comparison, but there, because of cultural reasons & in the khl, at times $ ones, talent good enough for the NHL actively chooses to play there... Not so in the CFL. Like the AHL, any player who can, will gladly make the jump (even for far less playing time or security)

The difference in talent between the leagues is marginal at best. That's why every year guys from the NFL end up in the CFL and vice versa. To pretend that height and weight - and how one league makes that an important requirement and in the other league it's not somehow means the athletes in question are less talented because they are smaller and lighter is rather arbitrary and silly.

Take, for example, Diontae Spencer. He is currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers who signed him this off season. He is an excellent receiver with great hands, great speed and elusiveness that allows him to pick up extra yards after the catch. He is also 5'8 and 163 pounds. A small, speedy, skilled receiver can have great success in the CFL but in the NFL, they are unicorns. To suggest that Spencer - who landed an NFL contract despite that size - is "below average" talent wise is plainly and simply ignorant. He is a world class talent that is under-sized for the NFL game but earned a spot an excelled in the CFL game, so much so that he ultimately landed an NFL contract.

That you think the differences in the league are "irrelevant" when it comes to discussing the talent of the players is frankly bizarre. You are dismissing, as irrelevant, the fact that makes your point false. You claim there is a huge talent level difference and you're dismissing the reason that tons of very talented football players are playing in Canada because it doesn't fit your narrative. Then you add that if they were able to play in the NFL, they would, as if that has anything to do with the talent level. They would make the jump, if they could, because there is ten times as much money to be made in the NFL. They attract the best of the best for financial reasons, and the NFL is widely regarded as the best league for gridiron football, but pretending the CFL, which is populated with stars from the NCAA, ex-NFLers and NFL practice squad guys mixed with the top Canadian talent in the world is somehow a huge step down is just silly.

 

[Miller Time]

The difference in talent between the leagues is marginal at best. That's why every year guys from the NFL end up in the CFL and vice versa. To pretend that height and weight - and how one league makes that an important requirement and in the other league it's not somehow means the athletes in question are less talented because they are smaller and lighter is rather arbitrary and silly.

Take, for example, Diontae Spencer. He is currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers who signed him this off season. He is an excellent receiver with great hands, great speed and elusiveness that allows him to pick up extra yards after the catch. He is also 5'8 and 163 pounds. A small, speedy, skilled receiver can have great success in the CFL but in the NFL, they are unicorns. To suggest that Spencer - who landed an NFL contract despite that size - is "below average" talent wise is plainly and simply ignorant. He is a world class talent that is under-sized for the NFL game but earned a spot an excelled in the CFL game, so much so that he ultimately landed an NFL contract.

That you think the differences in the league are "irrelevant" when it comes to discussing the talent of the players is frankly bizarre. You are dismissing, as irrelevant, the fact that makes your point false. You claim there is a huge talent level difference and you're dismissing the reason that tons of very talented football players are playing in Canada because it doesn't fit your narrative. Then you add that if they were able to play in the NFL, they would, as if that has anything to do with the talent level. They would make the jump, if they could, because there is ten times as much money to be made in the NFL. They attract the best of the best for financial reasons, and the NFL is widely regarded as the best league for gridiron football, but pretending the CFL, which is populated with stars from the NCAA, ex-NFLers and NFL practice squad guys mixed with the top Canadian talent in the world is somehow a huge step down is just silly.

The only guys who end up in the CFL are ones that get cut, or who have other issues that preclude them from signing in the NFL...

Your Spencer example only proves my point, not sure how you'd miss that.

He'd rather be a depth guy in the NFL than a star in the CFL.

Like the AHL, players will spend time in the CFL when they can't quite make it in the NFL/NHL. That players go back and forth is not an indicator that there is minimal difference btw the league's... That's what a "B" league is for.

It's not just height/weight, its ability to perform.
NFL is the top football league in the world, the best performers are there. Those who can't make it or need time to improve facets of their performance, go to the CFL... In other words, those that are below the average performance level of the NFL.

Given the nature of football, performance is largely tied to physical skills, but of course there are other components that affect performance.

That doesn't make the CFL "easy", far from it. But it does reflect that one league attracts the top talent, whereas the other makes do with those who don't quite cut it

 

[ahmedou]

The requirements to be an sports animator in Montreal? The studies? The certifications? The schools? The experience? The competencies? The languages? The communication? Which type of human being? The love of sports? What and what...

 

[Inkling]

I like Eric Macramalla, he can bring a lot of good information to the table, but someone needs to tell him that less-is-more when it comes to the "shtick". It used to be that there would be a bit of banter around decent talk about sports law issues but now it seems like his segments are 90% shtick. God help you if you don't know the references. This morning I think they might have been talking about "This is Us" (though pretty sure Eric said "This is That" at one point) but I've never seen it. I mean, fair enough, I don't expect to get everything talked about, but maybe we're not all as enamoured with your self-effacing humour as you seem to be.