Get Dunleavy for the games RJ isn't doing. Please. Push Sylvester into hosting the post-game show with Roby as his only gig, kick Duff upstairs full time. Please.
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Get Dunleavy for the games RJ isn't doing. Please. Push Sylvester into hosting the post-game show with Roby as his only gig, kick Duff upstairs full time. Please.
In the words of Lloyd Christmas, "Mmm. That sounds good. I'll have that."
Has ANYONE heard Ted Black filed a question about the backup PxP guy?
All those times I heard him on WGR, I was hoping to hear a caller say something along the lines of "Hi Ted, any chance Kevin Sylvester is just a stop-gap guy until you find a real PxP guy to replace RJ?"
HOME GAMES:
PxP: RJ
Color: Brian Duff
Intermission host: Adam Benigni
Between the benches: Rob Ray
AWAY GAMES:
PxP: RJ or Dan Dunleavy of FAN 590
Color: Duff
Intermission host: Kevin Sylvester (assuming Benigni has to stay in town for Ch. 2 news)
Retire Neale, Robitaille and Gare ASAP.
If Brian Koziol were willing to leave WGR, I'd rather have him than Sylvester.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chainshot
Get Dunleavy for the games RJ isn't doing. Please. Push Sylvester into hosting the post-game show with Roby as his only gig, kick Duff upstairs full time. Please.
My sentiments exactly - and hypothetically, there's no reason to think the individuals wouldn't agree. Dunleavy could keep the radio gig with FAN590 part-time for the 40 homes games + the 10-15 road games that RJ does. And Duff can still tape the occasional show for NHL On The Fly in between Sabre home games - it's not like he hasn't been delegated to second or third string on the NHL Network since they hired Katherine Tappan and David Amber to host most of their broadcasts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Squantosawuss
Has ANYONE heard Ted Black filed a question about the backup PxP guy?
All those times I heard him on WGR, I was hoping to hear a caller say something along the lines of "Hi Ted, any chance Kevin Sylvester is just a stop-gap guy until you find a real PxP guy to replace RJ?"
Actually, yes - it was just last week or the week before where I did hear not only a caller ask the question but the studio hosts prolong the discussion about who might handle the games RJ doesn't want to do. Black stayed diplomatic and wouldn't address Sylvester but the caller pointed him out by name as someone who had "no passion or energy".
If you go to WGR's audio vault, you can probably find it in one of the last 2 weeks' interviews.
Put me in the group that says Duff is PHENOMENAL BUT DOES NOT BELONG IN THE BROADCAST BOOTH. He needs to host. He needs to be the face of the TV broadcasts, with the PxP and colorman simply being voices. He needs to be doing what Sylvester does now when RJ and Neale are doing broadcasts, but in a much more enhanced role.
My colorman should be a former player or coach with good in-game insight. Duff, while a phenomenal on-air personality and someone I vehemently want involved in our television broadcasts, doesn't fit the mold of color man or play by play analyst.
Retaining and further involving Duff is indeed a mandate. Not as PxP or colorman, though.
The number of times RJ needs to correct himself during games these days is unreal. He has no clue what he's watching anymore. And his schtick is worn out.
The number of times RJ needs to correct himself during games these days is unreal. He has no clue what he's watching anymore. And his schtick is worn out.
To each their own !
I agree that RJ makes mistakes (atleast he corrects himself, unlike others that don't). He is 10x better than 98% of all other NHL broadcasters.
Put me in the group that says Duff is PHENOMENAL BUT DOES NOT BELONG IN THE BROADCAST BOOTH. He needs to host. He needs to be the face of the TV broadcasts, with the PxP and colorman simply being voices. He needs to be doing what Sylvester does now when RJ and Neale are doing broadcasts, but in a much more enhanced role.
My colorman should be a former player or coach with good in-game insight. Duff, while a phenomenal on-air personality and someone I vehemently want involved in our television broadcasts, doesn't fit the mold of color man or play by play analyst.
Retaining and further involving Duff is indeed a mandate. Not as PxP or colorman, though.
I don't get how you get that interpretation - if you watched any of the road games where Duff was involved this season, he wasn't just an emcee that set up softball questions for the others to comment or speak about. He very much offered great insight and commentary on certain plays in the game or on a player that he thought stood out. Likewise, he'd offer views on what the other team did well. By contrast, Sylvester was clearly willing to defer to whomever he was teamed - be it Ray, Neale, Gare or Robitaille. Any comments he makes as the host definitely come off as scripted and bland - which probably fits the role he has.
While Duff may have been slotted as the moderator or host on both the NHL Network highlight shows and the MSG telecasts, he was neither content to sit neutrally by and let others do the analysis nor disengaged from the discussion. I think he fits exactly what you want in a color commentator - someone who breaks down the plays, does their homework on both teams and balances the passionate playcalling of his booth partner with technical and analytical commentary.
The problem with too many color commentators IMO is that they're former players / coaches that prefer to expound on their own experiences and resort to storytelling. Neale has made a living off that approach for years, as did Lorentz, Robitaille and Gare. Other teams have the same dilemma. Having an astute observer of the game who's both eloquent, objective and confident without being a homer or pretentious, like Duff, is a rarity and something the Sabres would definitely be wise to snatch up before some other team does.
The number of times RJ needs to correct himself during games these days is unreal. He has no clue what he's watching anymore. And his schtick is worn out.
I thought he was actually much improved this year over last few. Especially when it came to calls. He didn't try to force the calls as much.
