Toucan Sam has been an MSG shill for a very long time. Someone on another site mentioned it, I didn't catch it, but he said something about Zuccarrello sitting once everyone is healthy? Yeah, I think not.
We should be grateful Sam is our PBP guy compared to some of the other clowns.
Ridiculous how much some of you guys hate Sam while he's been the voice of the Rangers for a large part of our lives. When he retires I hope Giannone moves to PBP and Chico moves to color just so you guys can eat your words.
Anybody who is complaining about Sam and Joe has never watched another team's home broadcasts. Boston and Pittsburgh come to mind as being especially bad. I'd say the rangers announcers are actually towards the low end of homerism in the NHL.
Either way, what do you expect? Home network announcers are employees of the teams, why would they be instructed to be completely neutral?
Glad you named Boston man. They are terrible. I remember one game earlier this year when Avery got into a fight with one of their players, i forget who it was but when the guy went down Avery threw one or two punches extra, no more then that and the Boston commentator went ape-**** on him saying "typical Sean Avery fashion hitting the man while he is down". It was really funny watching a Boston game a couple of days later and a Boston player did the same exact thing, yet even worse maybe he got three or four extra shots in when the guy went down but yet there was no "typical Sean Avery fashion" comment after it happened. Boston's commentators are terrible and ridiculous. As far as Sam and Joe go, they won't say anything horribly negative but they will say if the team is off to a bad start in a game or what not. Somebody posted his memory of JD saying the team was skating like molasses, this really goes hand in hand with what Joe would say. Not a great example, but I get what you are trying to say, and JD was much better. I really don't understand why they don't put Maloney with Sam, especially since he is one of our own.
Sam and Joe are no different at all form any other announcer hired by the team. National announcers calling a game on VS or NBC are expected to be 100% neutral, but there's not a team-exclusive announcer in existence in any sport that isn't at least a little biased to the team they work for. Of course Sam and Joe are cheerleaders. I'd wonder what's wrong with them if they weren't.
He is god awful....I cringe every time I hear his voice and every time something happens involving Brodeur because i know the infamous "ohhhhhhhhhhh Maaaartyyyyy" BS is going to start
We should be grateful Sam is our PBP guy compared to some of the other clowns.
Ridiculous how much some of you guys hate Sam while he's been the voice of the Rangers for a large part of our lives. When he retires I hope Giannone moves to PBP and Chico moves to color just so you guys can eat your words.
My ears must be tuned different. Sam & Joe constantly talk about how great others teams players are: Jamie Benn and Byfuglien are two players they talked non stop about recently.
Has anyone else noticed a change in the way the games are called by Sam and Joe this year? Every single play is a "nice pass" or a "solid bodycheck". I mean almost every play! They are either making excuses why something happened or looking for a feel good story in a simple bodycheck or blocked shot!
It is really starting to effect my enjoyment of the game. I mean I couldn't belive that I actually enjoyed the game on Versus the other night more than an MSG covered game. The announcers called out good plays only when it really was a good play. That was certainly a first for me.
Just wondering if anyone else feels the same way.
As a non-NYR fan, I could tolerate it with Sam and JD. They made the homerism entertaining.
Enter Micheletti who's sole goal was to make NYR fans forget JD and endear themsevles to him. As an Isles fan, I've seen Joe cover many a game. He was continually down the middle toeing the line and completely impartial.
I nearly spit my milk during his first NYR broadcast he was so over the top. My opinion is that he was instructed to be a certain way. Doesn't seem to be his style or personality.
This season, however, I fully agree, they've been far worse in terms of trying to raise the excitement of every play. They've made listening to the games nearly intollerable.
But hey, worst case is that you could wrap a really good drinking game around Micheletti every time he starts a sentence with "Wow. What a _____!!!!!"
They are both absolute optimists. Everything the Rangers do is "gold". Same thing with Stan Fischler (the most annoying person to listen to). Then again, I don't know anyone on the MSG broadcast crew that tells it like it is except Dave Maloney. Good radio color guy. Except he studders all the damn time.
If they really told it like it is, they would call out a player on a bad play or a bad decision and they don't do that. I understand why, but sometimes it's necessary.
I agree Micheletti goes overboard in talking about the positive, and Sam joins in. But I also agree that, while not the best play by play guy in the sport, Sam Rosen IS New York Rangers announcing.
Dave Maloney is much more truthful and balanced. I was listening on the radio last night while the score went from 1-0 to 3-1, and Maloney was saying if Lundqvist would have just made one big save on the first Florida goal the other two may not have happened because Hank started fighting the puck. Looking at replays I did not necessarily see it that way, but Maloney knows a lot more about hockey (and Lundqvist) thank I do.
If you want analysts who are not afraid to criticize their own, look at Darren Pang in St Louis, Drew Remenda in San Jose, Brian Hayward in Anaheim, Daryl Reaugh in Dallas, and ALL of the home team announcers for Canadian teams.
Toucan Sam has been an MSG shill for a very long time. Someone on another site mentioned it, I didn't catch it, but he said something about Zuccarrello sitting once everyone is healthy? Yeah, I think not.
Exactly Toucan Sam is a sellout who doesn't know the difference between a Tyler Bozak and a Ryan Bozak.
They need to try and stop educating Ranger fans about the opposing team for the entire first two Periods.
The third period is just Boomer and Carton promos and Foxwood Five ads. Then Game Over.
I want in depth info and analysis on MY team, I could care less if Florida's Marty Reasoner had a daughter.
How bout they they try to explain why Chris Drury was playing the point on the PP last night ?
All these new faces on the team and no in depth backgrounds on them. Just their stats with Connecticut.
But they manage to can get tape of Carolina's Jeff Skinner ice dancing at age 13.
Uh, its kinda like, uh... their job?
I can't stand how they actually believe Drury is snake-bitten though. lol
I agree with ya, and I'd go even further and say they do a better job than most talking positively about other teams players. They are just always positive about the league and the game, they're selling a product.
As for Drury though, could you imagine if they came out one game and were like
Joe - "Man this guy is just terrible now"
Sam- "Totally agree Joe, this guy has fallen so far so fast, he's useless"
Joe- "Amen Sammy, his games a travesty, truly sad to watch"
Propaganda? There's no conspiracy theory here, of course a team's broadcast team is going to sell their players, why the hell wouldn't they? It's not their job to be critical, that's the analyst's job - and Dave Maloney is as honest an analyst gets on their radio broadcasts. Seriously, where are yr heads at? This is what they're paid to do.
Name me one announcer in the NHL that talks **** about their team's players? Please.
Its not that Joe has to be critical in a obvious way but if had any sense he could show situations in the game were a player struggled instead of show Drury win a face-off or a blocked shot dozen times a game. He has no educated input in the games that an average fan cant see. "Nice pass|, |Quick release", never gets deep. Its one thing to be a chicken about not making a comment about anyone but its another to not have any valuable input. Mcguire, Millen, Wash announcers to name a few that are not afraid to comment on reality.
Has anyone else noticed a change in the way the games are called by Sam and Joe this year? Every single play is a "nice pass" or a "solid bodycheck". I mean almost every play! They are either making excuses why something happened or looking for a feel good story in a simple bodycheck or blocked shot!
It is really starting to effect my enjoyment of the game. I mean I couldn't belive that I actually enjoyed the game on Versus the other night more than an MSG covered game. The announcers called out good plays only when it really was a good play. That was certainly a first for me.
Just wondering if anyone else feels the same way.
They've always done it, you're just noticing it. As much as I prefer an MSG broadcast over other broadcasts, I also do like to get variety. I am out of market so I order center ice and the sports pack, this basically gives me access to all sports channels and all hockey games. I DVR them up and watch a ton of hockey. My wife isn't to keen on it, but I love it.
Every network plays up their own players and focuses or avoids certain players that they don't want you to draw attention to. For example, MSG doesn't want you to BOOO the hell out of Chris Drury so they always give him a free ride and portray him positively. Meanwhile it's okay if they mention that Brandon Dubinsky hasn't scored in a few games...he's got a contract coming up for negotiation.
Keep in mind that the coach, the network and the announcers, all work for the same guy.
Anybody who is complaining about Sam and Joe has never watched another team's home broadcasts. Boston and Pittsburgh come to mind as being especially bad. I'd say the rangers announcers are actually towards the low end of homerism in the NHL.
Definitely. Watching Pittsburgh, Boston, Buffalo (Jenerette only), Minnesota, and Washington is like listening to a Russian Olympic judge with a gun to his head.
