The most important part of next season

is Rick Jeanneret. Any news on a new contract? If I recall, his expired after the previous season.

He is retiring. Next year is the last.

He is retiring. Next year is the last.

Is that official? When/where did it get announced?

is Rick Jeanneret. Any news on a new contract? If I recall, his expired after the previous season.

Both RJ's and Neale's contracts ended this summer - I asked Bucky Gleason in TBN's chat last week to look into the status of each, which he said TBN would.

As much as I love RJ, I've had enough of Neale - he's clearly suffering from old age and severe memory lapses where he now can't maintain any attention span during a single game. The majority of his commentary relies on catch-phrases or overstatements of the obvious.

Watching a lot of the CBC/TSN telecasts of past playoff games currently being shown on NHL Network, I've been especially impressed with PxP man Mark Lee, as well as analysis done by Craig Simpson. It'd be nice if the Sabres went a more professional route to replace RJ after he retires by bringing in proven people with respectable experience but it's probably more likely that Quinn will resort to the cheap and convenient way again by promoting Sylvester to PxP and making either Ray or Gare as the color commentary man. That'd make games even more painful to watch.

Watching a lot of the CBC/TSN telecasts of past playoff games currently being shown on NHL Network, I've been especially impressed with PxP man Mark Lee, as well as analysis done by Craig Simpson. It'd be nice if the Sabres went a more professional route to replace RJ after he retires by bringing in proven people with respectable experience but it's probably more likely that Quinn will resort to the cheap and convenient way again by promoting Sylvester to PxP and making either Ray or Gare as the color commentary man. That'd make games even more painful to watch.


They'll probably give RJ's son a shot at it, assuming he'd want the gig.

If worst came to worst, I want Chris Cuthbert, presuming he'd take the job.

I actually liked what I heard when Paul Hamilton did the PxP a few times.

I want no part of RJ's son, as nice a story as it may be. Everything I've heard from him is just awful. It sounds like what non-RJ fans hear when they listen to him probably.

They'll probably give RJ's son a shot at it, assuming he'd want the gig.

:badidea: please god no....

I actually liked what I heard when Paul Hamilton did the PxP a few times.

I want no part of RJ's son, as nice a story as it may be. Everything I've heard from him is just awful. It sounds like what non-RJ fans hear when they listen to him probably.

theyre probably going to promote sylvester, sadly. i really dont want that because, well, he sucks.

theyre probably going to promote sylvester, sadly. i really dont want that because, well, he sucks.

ya know, hes no Jenerette but i thought he did an average job compared to others in the league. I would love the guy who announces for the caps

ya know, hes no Jenerette but i thought he did an average job compared to others in the league. I would love the guy who announces for the caps

Joe Bennatti ?!?



DDDDddrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiieeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!


UGH !

Joe Bennatti ?!?



DDDDddrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiieeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!


UGH !

And we'd hear the word "buzzbomb" about 100 times.

Any of the CBC announcers besides Cole (Hughson or Lee) or the TSN announcers (Miller or Cuthbert) would be great but can't imagine any of them would leave their cushy, well-paid gigs to do PxP on MSG.

Unfortunately, Sylvester seems the most likely candidate, not only because he's already entrenched at MSG, familiar with the organizations and probably costs less than true announcers with experience but equally so because he's clearly a "company man" that paints everything Sabres-related in rosy colors. I don't think it's an accident that he's never said a critical thing about the team, management or ownership since he was hired.

:badidea: please god no....



theyre probably going to promote sylvester, sadly. i really dont want that because, well, he sucks.

I fully agree with that. I can't stand him for the limited minutes he's on as it is.

I think what differentiates RJ from so many others is that he started out doing radio, and did only radio for many, many years. When you do radio you HAVE to describe the action, paint a picture etc.

So many of these ***clowns tell stories and non-sense and rely on the fact that we're watching it on TV.

ya know, hes no Jenerette but i thought he did an average job compared to others in the league. I would love the guy who announces for the caps

There's no announcer more annoying in the league than Benninati in my opinion. Sounds like he's either constipated or trying to announce a NASCAR race every time he speaks. Everything is so overly dramatic.

But that's just me. Hopefully we hear something soon regarding RJ, or at the very least just who is going to be announcing next season.

I would love the guy who announces for the caps

I'd shoot myself.

SABRES ON THE MAN-POWER ADVANTAGE....

SABRES WORKING THE TWO-MAN GAME DOWN LOW....

SABRES ALONG THE DASHER....


Not to mention he announces for the Crapitals, the most annoying bandwagon team out there. Anything associated with that organization I hate.

Watching a lot of the CBC/TSN telecasts of past playoff games currently being shown on NHL Network, I've been especially impressed with PxP man Mark Lee, as well as analysis done by Craig Simpson. It'd be nice if the Sabres went a more professional route to replace RJ after he retires by bringing in proven people with respectable experience but it's probably more likely that Quinn will resort to the cheap and convenient way again by promoting Sylvester to PxP and making either Ray or Gare as the color commentary man. That'd make games even more painful to watch.

I'd take Mark Lee. I remember him fondly from the Oilers series against the Wings, and I think he's from Toronto.

aFbaiMS73Ec

He is retiring. Next year is the last.

:cry::cry::cry:

If anything, we absolutely have to win the cup for RJ.

There's no announcer more annoying in the league than Benninati in my opinion. Sounds like he's either constipated or trying to announce a NASCAR race every time he speaks. Everything is so overly dramatic.

Agreed - Beninati often sounds like a narrator from Shakespeare In The Park. He probably grew up idolizing Don Pardo.

As to "most annoying", he's no more or less painful on the ears than Mike Emrick, Jack Edwards, Dale Arnold or Curt Keilback (the latter two thankfully were fired a few seasons ago).

I'd take Mark Lee. I remember him fondly from the Oilers series against the Wings, and I think he's from Toronto.

aFbaiMS73Ec
I like Lee too, he sort of reminds me of Ted Darling.

I think what differentiates RJ from so many others is that he started out doing radio, and did only radio for many, many years. When you do radio you HAVE to describe the action, paint a picture etc.

So many of these ***clowns tell stories and non-sense and rely on the fact that we're watching it on TV.

I think you're absolutely right. RJ is exciting to listen to and sticks to the game. They had a beautiful work-flow with Jim Lorentz doing the post-commercial replay commentaries and RJ doing PxP. They would rarely step on each others' turfs.

Maybe the Sabres need to look/listen to some NHL or AHL radio voices currently out there once RJ retires.

Any of the CBC announcers besides Cole (Hughson or Lee) or the TSN announcers (Miller or Cuthbert) would be great but can't imagine any of them would leave their cushy, well-paid gigs to do PxP on MSG.

Unfortunately, Sylvester seems the most likely candidate, not only because he's already entrenched at MSG, familiar with the organizations and probably costs less than true announcers with experience but equally so because he's clearly a "company man" that paints everything Sabres-related in rosy colors. I don't think it's an accident that he's never said a critical thing about the team, management or ownership since he was hired.

Last Ive heard Steve Korolous from the Score supplanted Sylvester as the favorite. I liked him when he did the Devils game

Last Ive heard Steve Korolous from the Score supplanted Sylvester as the favorite. I liked him when he did the Devils game


Steve Kouleas??

Last Ive heard Steve Korolous from the Score supplanted Sylvester as the favorite. I liked him when he did the Devils game

Steve Kouleas??

I didn't love Kouleas, but I certainly didn't hate him as much as many did during and after that game. I found his voice to be somewhat grating (ironic, I know, considering the affinity for RJ), and I think he's afflicted with Pierre McGuire Syndrome, which can best be described as the desire to state every player's junior or collegiate team, as well as their hometown, in each game. I know that Patrick Kaleta is a former Peterborough Pete, and Jochen Hecht is a Mannheim, Germany native, you don't have to tell me this all the time. I understand Kouleas only did one game for us, and he likely wanted to sound knowledgeable about our players and the opponent's, but I've caught other games he's done, and he overdoes this aspect of the broadcast.

I'm somewhat indifferent about RJ's successor, so long as it isn't his son. I don't think Sylvester is terrible, and, like some have touched on, he's a company man, which may help his case. Hamilton wasn't bad, but I don't see the organization making him the full-time TV guy. He certainly has a face for radio, and he has an agenda for and against certain players. He's probably ruffled the organization's feathers enough to be beaten out by a candidate who doesn't have that track record. I do wonder, though, if WGR would make Hamilton their full-time radio PxP guy, while MSG had someone do TV only. I also liked the guy they used on that western road trip in 2008-09, though, if I recall, he was a bit older and I'm not sure if he'd want to relocate to Buffalo for a full-time gig. Plus, I think the Sabres would probably be looking for a more long-term solution.

I think they'll end up keeping it in-house with Sylvester. But I do think they'll have no shortage of candidates. Unlike prized free agents, there a tons of broadcasters competing for limited jobs, so there will be talent willing to come to Buffalo.

They'll probably give RJ's son a shot at it, assuming he'd want the gig.

:badidea: please god no....

ugh

Would take Sylvester a million time over RJ's son... I thought he did a pretty good job last year

I'd take Mark Lee. I remember him fondly from the Oilers series against the Wings, and I think he's from Toronto.

aFbaiMS73Ec

That would be a huge coup IMO - Lee is top-notch. He's got a clear, succinct delivery; is objective; is well-prepared and familiar with all of the players on both teams of any game he works; and sets up his color commentary man for analysis at the right times so as to not disrupt the flow of the action.

I just assume that CBC probably pays top dollar for its broadcasters because of the national coverage/status the channel has - far more than what local teams probably pay their own broadcasters.

Last Ive heard Steve Korolous from the Score supplanted Sylvester as the favorite. I liked him when he did the Devils game

Media transactions: Steve Kouleas is out after 13 years of screaming at The Score, but rumblings are he may not be out of work for long.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/columnists/steve_simmons/2010/08/21/15100781.html

As much as I love RJ, I've had enough of Neale - he's clearly suffering from old age and severe memory lapses where he now can't maintain any attention span during a single game. The majority of his commentary relies on catch-phrases or overstatements of the obvious.


RJ isn't as sharp as he once was either and being paired with a dull knife has degraded the quality of his play by play. RJ needs to be with someone who's on top of things. I'd rather see RJ retire than endure another season of him with Neale.

Media transactions: Steve Kouleas is out after 13 years of screaming at The Score, but rumblings are he may not be out of work for long.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/columnists/steve_simmons/2010/08/21/15100781.html

Here's the game he called for the Sabres.

tyaNI8vbXLo

Overall I like him, a couple of times he sounded a little too much like Doc, but once he stopped telling us random facts about the Sabres that we already knew, I liked him.

RJ isn't as sharp as he once was either and being paired with a dull knife has degraded the quality of his play by play. RJ needs to be with someone who's on top of things. I'd rather see RJ retire than endure another season of him with Neale.

True - but there were so many incidents last season where RJ had to politely correct Neale for lapses of attention or misinformation. Sometimes, it almost sounded a bit testy where RJ derided Neale for a comment or remark he thought foolish or nonsensical. Neale clearly seems to have lost his sense of orientation and mental acuity.

The trouble is finding someone that can replicate in part some of the genuine passion RJ has; sometimes, it's worse to listen to someone technically correct in all of the facts and info but who sounds like a Wall Street ticker than to put up with the occasional mistakes or slip-ups by a guy with the heart RJ exudes.

The top 3 guys besides RJ that I've ever heard do hockey PxP with both tons of passion and a solid grasp of the game and stats are Gary Thorne, Pat Foley and Chuck Kaiton. And all 3 are firmly entrenched in their present positions. After that, I can only dream that one of the CBC or TSN announcers is looking for work at the same time that RJ retires.

Here's the game he called for the Sabres.

tyaNI8vbXLo

Overall I like him, a couple of times he sounded a little too much like Doc, but once he stopped telling us random facts about the Sabres that we already knew, I liked him.

I still like Paul Hamilton the best. I keep hoping he gets the gig after RJ.

I still like Paul Hamilton the best. I keep hoping he gets the gig after RJ.

I vote for Hamilton as well.

I dislike Paul Hamilton... hes like... Bucky Gleason plus 40 odd pounds...