Quote:
Originally Posted by Sabretip
If nothing else, the fan responses that the Sabres gave to that survey the team put out about the broadcast were clearly listened to and respected by the Sabres - which is a very encouraging, promising thing. As I recall at the time when the survey results were reported, almost everyone wanted to diminish Neale's and Sylvester's roles while increasing Duff's - and the team acted accordingly.
Not only is that deeply satisfying but that is a HUGE departure from the days of Quinn, when the opinions of the fans didn't mean a hill of beans to the Sabres.
A few years ago, Ray was an incoherent babbler who just spouted off the usual cliches that ex-players use - he didn't offer anything insightful at all. While he's not a polished analyst of the caliber that Craig Simpson, Garry Galley, Daryl Reaugh or Keith Jones are, I think Ray will be much better alongside RJ, who he's openly acknowledged as someone who's taught him everything he knows about the broadcasting gig.
My interpretation from the TBN blog by Vogl is that Neale and Roby will be teamed up during intermissions for some commentary. I think both will be eventually phased out since neither really contributes to the content of the broadcast.
If Dunleavy is indeed the sub for all of the games that RJ doesn't call, I'll be ecstatic because that was another suggestion that I and many others lobbied for.
Two of the best PxP men in the game IMO have been handling the action solo without a sidekick for years on the radio - Chuck Kaiton (HFD / CAR) and in recent years, Mike Lange (PIT). I think it will free up RJ to add more thoughtful commentary during breaks in the action, rather than defer to storytelling time that Neale and Lorentz used to do.
I sure did - but I wonder if maybe the Sabres offered the chance to do so and Duff declined. Many fans wondered if he prefers the hosting role he's done with NHLN and MSG - but I would love to see him get a tryout alongside RJ.
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Did you just compliment Lange? And with a very good compliment at that?
/barf.