Conference stkhlm::hockey

    The Roy MacGregor book on "fathers & sons" is called "The Home Team."
    
    I like MacGregor, too.  He's a good writer, who has written novels and
    covered national politics besides covering hockey.
    
    On tv I enjoy Bob Cole, whose only bad habit is saying a shot has been
    "blocked" when the goalie stops it.  If I have the tv on but can't see
    the screen, I don't know if the shot was on the net or what.  His
    partner Harry Neale is humourous and knowledgeable but doesn''t always
    seem to see the play clearly, & ends up corrcting himself on the replay
    often.
    
    Can't think offhand of any hockey writer I really dislike.  The Sun's
    Earl McRae is awful, but he doesn't specialize in hockey.  Back to tv,
    Don Cherry can be pretty hard to take, but there's enough good sound
    common sense and the odd grain of interesting insight in his rants.
    
    -Stephen

    If Bertrand Raymond doesn't know his hockey, what's he doing in
    Hockey's Hall-of-Fame ??
    
    I can't say I dislike any sports writer or commentator. Some
    'play-by-play' guys annoye me (Paul Romanuk for example) but because I
    like to watch the game, I'll put up with them...
    
    I like Bertrand Raymond because he goes deeper than the average writer.
    Unlike most writers, Raymond cares about the human being behind the
    athlete and many of his best articles are about the man, not the
    player. He's very well informed, but will always respect an 'off the
    record' comment.
    
    When the Saguenay had their terrible flud last summer, which caused the
    death of two young children, and almost wiped a few cities off the
    Quebec map, a handfull of 'slimeball' reporters wanted interviews w/
    the parents of the dead children. Frustrated by the attitudes of the
    reporters who were trying to turn the story into some king of
    sensational exhibition, the parents refused to talk to any one of them. 
    Four months later, they agreed to give their first interview at one
    condition; they wanted to talk with Bertrand Raymond, because they felt
    he was the only reporters who showed enough care and compassion toward
    them, and the citizens of the Saguenay. 
    
    Ray.
       
    
    

    He's in the Hall of Fame???  You gotta be kidding.  Anyways, being 
    in the Hall of Fame does not mean that you know hockey.  Ziegler is the
    proof of that ;-) 
    
    My biggest problem with him is that he is not in touch with what is
    going on outside of Quebec.   For example, I heard him talk yesterday 
    about the "post Lemieux Penguins".  He went on about how hockey wouldn't 
    be the same and so on.  How quickly he forgets that Lemieux missed a
    whole season.  A season where the Penguins fared quite well.  He
    referred to the "post Lemieux Penguins" as having no offense.  EXCUSE
    ME but what about Jagr, what about Francis, what about Barnes, what
    about Nedved?
    
    If you talk to anyone outside of Quebec or Pittsburg most
    couldn't give a rats 'whatever' about Lemieux leaving.  Two of the worst
    crowds of the year in Ottawa was when Lemieux was in town.  Yet
    Bertrand Raymond makes it out to be a crisis for the NHL. 
    
    He knows very little about other teams than Montreal and it gets
    annoying after a while.
    
    Bernie.
    
    P.S.  Ray, is he a relative or do you just like his last name? ;-)  
    
    

    Bernard, mon ami...
    
    	The reason Bertrand Raymond talks and writes about Lemieux'
    situation is quite simple; Lemieux is a hometown boy..he's from Ville
    Emard, right outside Montreal. People in other NHL cities might not be
    too interested in Lemieux, but the folks who buy Raymond's newspaper
    certainly are!!
    
    	As far as commenting on Lemieux' retirement, I don't know about
    you, but I'm very sad to see such a superstar of his caliber leave the
    sport, and I can tell you that the Pens mgmt are very concerned about
    the post Lemieux era...You don't have to like the guy, but his numbers
    don't lie...In my opinion, Lemieux is the most talented player to ever
    play the game.
    
    p.s.: No relation Bernie, but if I ever have a son, I'd call him
    Bertrand!!:*))
    
    Ray.
    

>    ...In my opinion, Lemieux is the most talented player to ever
>    play the game.
    
   I'm glad to see I found someone that agrees with me on this point.
   Most I talk to keep saying "The Great one" is the best.... I love
   watch Mario play, he's INCREDIBLE !!!



_sbn    

    Neff, I think you misunderstood Ray.
    
    I too agree that Lemieux is the 'most talented' hockey player ever.
    But, in some parts due to injury, he's not the hardest worker nor
    does he have the biggest heart on the ice (something that GreAtzky 
    and Orr seem to have).
    
    Just imagine Lemieux w/ the heart and desire of GreAtzky; 250pts
    seasons wouldn't be impossible.
    
    
    Andy

    Exactly!

    re:  .6, notes clash but what .7 said anyway! 

    Hey HEy HEY!!!   You're straying away from the topic!  I mentioned the
    Lemieux thing just as an example of Bertrand Raymond's homer attitude.
    Comments like "the NHL is worried about the post Lemieux era" is pure
    garbage (to be polite).
    
    Now, lets get back to the topic.  Who's your favorite hockey
    writer/analyst.  Who's full of...garbage (to be polite again).  
    
    Bernie.
    
    P.S.  Ray,  I'm disappointed.  I thought you would have named your first 
    son "Bernard" ;-)
    
    P.S.S.  Crook!  Get an opinion of your own ;-)

    Writers I like: Roy McGregor and Wayne Scallan from the Citizen. The
                    Sun guys aren't bad either - Garrioch, Simmons and 
    		    Wharnsby.
    
    Writers I hate: Earl.. He use to be okay but got stuck on the nick name
    		    crap. I think Liam should stick to Trivia rather than
    		    as an analyst until he is more seasoned.
    
    
    I also love the hockey night in Canada crew which I consider the BEST
    in the world. TSN has problems, but nothing like the boring FOX guys.
    One of the worst was Wilson and Millen on the Sens broadcasts last year.
    Dean Brown has done a good job but I like him more on the radio than
    the T.V. CFRA Sens broadcast is also top notch.
    
    Lemieux - I never liked him.. He is a cry-baby, if he had of played
    with some heart maybe would have surpassed the Great One and The
    Greatest one ever to play the game. I have seen play twice, and he was
    a blue line hog/floater.
    
    Sean
    

    what .-1 said except your being too nice to Mcrae, he doesn't know sh!t
    from shinola about any sport, leave him in the entertainment section.
    
    I also like the guy who has an acticle in the Ottawa Citizen today
    (back page), what he said too.
    
    (leury, I agree with your statement that I should get an opinion of
    mine own) 

I don't get to read much from this side of the water, and the only
telecasts I see regularly are the Rangers' on videotape.  That said,
Sam Rosen and John Davidson are a very strong announcing team, though
I enjoy Davidson more on Fox, where he has to maintain a semblance of
objectivity.  I've heard Bob Cole and Harry Neale (just recently got
videotapes of the World Cup Final), and enjoyed them very much.  Most
of the CBC telecasts I've seen are superb, but Don Cherry is a disgrace.

I get to read the LA Times' Helene Elliott in the Stars and Stripes now
and again, and she is excellent.  I enjoy the Damian Cox stuff from the
Star that Stephen does us the favor of posting.  I subscribe to The
Hockey News, and especially enjoy Jay Greenberg and Eric Duhatschek.
About 70% of what Stan Fischler writes is crap.

The best books on hockey I've read are Ken Dryden's, nobody else is
even close.

Steve

>    I too agree that Lemieux is the 'most talented' hockey player ever.
>    But, in some parts due to injury, he's not the hardest worker nor
>    does he have the biggest heart on the ice (something that GreAtzky 
>    and Orr seem to have).
    
   Understood - and I concur


_sbn

    Steve,
    
    I have to agree about Dryden's books.  There is one hockey book that I
    read that I would classify as being as good as anything that Dryden
    has published.  I forget the title but it was written by Peter Gzowski 
    who's not a "hockey" writer.  He spent a year with the Edmonton Oilers 
    to prepare for this book which I believe was to focus on Wayne Gretzky.   
    I think that it turned out to be the first year that the Oilers won the 
    cup and the book did not focus on Gretzky but rather on the group
    dynamics of the team.  It's a great book.
    
    Bernie.    

    	Being that I'm in the Boston area I don't really have a favorite
    hockey writer. We have Kevin Paul DuPont and while he seems to be the
    media's hockey expert (in my opinion it's a self appointed title in his
    case) he's not exactly a great writer. He has his opinions, like we all
    do and sometimes he's right, and sometimes he's wrong, again like us
    all.
    
    	My least favorite hockey writer, that's easy, Stan Fischler. He's a
    twit. 
    
    	My favorite commentator (well, actually announcer) was Bob Wilson.
    He was, IMHO the best I've ever heard at calling a hockey game. He also
    used to interview Red Fisher a lot whenever the B's and the Habs
    played. Fisher was always very entertaining as well, even if he was/is
    from the "enemy" city. 8-)
    
    	Fred Cusick used to be among my favorites but he's getting so old
    and senile now that he's always getting mixed up about what's happening
    on the ice. It's almost tedious to listen to him and the Turk do the 
    UPN38 broadcasts. Of course these days just watching a Bruins game is a 
    tedious enough task anway, no matter who's doing the call.
    
    Barry
    
    
     

    My comments are dangerously close to Barry's. The hockey writers in St.
    Louis are pretty pathetic. The only one that seems to know the game is
    Dave Luecking and he's decent. At least he writes about hockey and
    doesn't try to make every article into tabloid sensationalism.
    
    I don't receive the Hockey News anymore because they couldn't get it
    to my door for 3 weeks after publication (Go figure???) but I always
    despised Stan Fischler. He picks the Rangers to win the Cup every year
    and he's been right once in the last 43 years. Not a very good average.
    
    Favorite announcer. Dan Kelly was simply the best I've ever heard. I also 
    like Joe Micheletti as a color commentator.  
     

    
    I agree with Barry about Wilson being the best. I really liked
    him with the Chief very knowledgable tandem and they didn't run
    off at the mouth to fill airtime. Fred was senile when Johnny
    Pearson worked with him 10-15 yrs ago but he's an institution 8-)
    
    The Worcester Telegram has Bill Ballou who covers the Icecats
    games and he's really good but he doesn't cover the NHL
    
    Toby

>   Favorite announcer. Dan Kelly was simply the best I've ever heard. I also 
>   like Joe Micheletti as a color commentator.  
     
Yeah, Kelly was wonderful.  One of the reasons I treasure the videos of the
1987 Canada Cup is his call.  And he pronounced a higher percentage of the
Soviets' names correctly than any other announcer I've ever heard.  That's
called "doing your homework".

I heard Joe Micheletti for the first two times in my life recently.  For a
change, the Rangers weren't the primary Fox telecast for two weeks in a
row in mid-May or so, so instead of Emrick and Davidson, we got Sam Rosen
and Micheletti.  If you hadn't known Rosen was the Rangers' regular
play-by-play man, you wouldn't have figured it out from these telecasts.
And Micheletti was excellent, though he's not quite as good with the
telestrator as Davidson.

Is he the Blues' regular color man?

Steve

PS - Another advantage of not being the primary Fox game:  no technopuck!

PPS - There is a surprisingly high level of agreement here.  Wouldn't it
be more fun to disagree and start calling names and throwing things around?
Doesn't anyone want to come to the defense of Stan Fischler ("a New York
writer who doesn't know much about hockey"--Wayne Gretzky in his ghosted
autobiography)?

    slightly releated to this, Dale Tallon is a commentator for some team,
    might be the Black Hawks but I'm not sure. Has anyone seen/heard him?
    I think he's just on radio? Tallon is a former 1rst rounder and played
    for the Hawks until his retirement quite a few years ago.
    
    brian
    (p.s. I agree that there is too much agreement in this topic, someone
          bring an opinion so we jump on all over you...)

    Out of the office for a week and you guys start jumping on Mario
    again for being talented but heartless...  Jeez!
    
    Oh well, I'm tired of defending that one.
    
    As far as my views of the Hockey Media, we didn't have "hockey writers"
    in Pittsburgh and there doesn't seem to be any in D.C.  Only football
    or baseball writers doing a little on the side.  I used to subscribe to
    the Hockey News as well, but also couldn't get it in time.  I thought
    Stan Fischler was a jerk as well, but I did read his column every time...
    
    As far as announcers go, Mike Lange of the Pens, is, of course, the best. 
    Between his colorful phrases, enthusiam, love of the game, and insight,
    he has been a great help in starting the hockey craze in Pittsburgh.
    
    My only complaint on Lange, is that he fawns over Mario a little too much,
    (but I'd never admit it in this conference.)  But all hockey announcers 
    seem too - on the Fox game a few weeks ago, John Davidson wanted to start a
    petition to keep Mario.  All that does is spawn resentment in the fans
    whose teams Mario beats. :-)  They do the same with Jagr too.  It's
    embarrassing.  If one makes a great play it's like God game down to the ice.
    
    As far as the ESPN and Fox announcers I see, they're pretty much the
    same in my book.  None of then p*ss me off, none of them are memorable.
    
    But, just to start some disagreement...  I think John Davidson is a
    know-it-all who finds a point and pounds it death.  He's proably my
    least favorite national announcer.    And I miss Tom Mees, he was fun...
    
    Warren

    
    > My only complaint on Lange, is that he fawns over Mario a little
    > too much,
    
    Wait a minute, my Dad used to say ... let me remember.. something about
    the pot calling the kettle black... :-)))
    
    Dave
    

    > Is he the Blues' regular color man?
    
    Yes, Micheletti is the Blues regular TV color man. They're regular
    radio color man is a real bozo.
    
    Dave

    Tallon was a 1st round pick, 2nd overall(?) in the very early years
    of the Canucks.
    He's also famous for leaving Team Canada '72 in the midst of the the
    Super Series.
    
    Lastly, he's most famous for being my Dad's cousin. :*)
    
    andy

    Watters, now I'm worried because Tallon is MY cousin! ARG.....
    (his grandmother (Florence Tallon) is my grandmothers sister (Viola
    Berrigan). this probably means you can put me in your will!
    Maybe we're twice-removed by marriage?
    
    of all the relations I have, I like my sexual ones the best...

    I thought Tallon was drafted by MTL originally, same year as Gilbert
    Perreault got drafted? MTL traded him somehow to Vancouver and he went
    from there to Chicago to end his playing days? After that, he took up
    broadcasting (which is why this dribble is in this topic...)

    Dale Tallon was the first ever draft pick by the Canucks in 1970. He
    went second overall when the Buffalo Sabres picked Gilbert Perreault
    1st overall, after winning the " coin toss " of their entry draft.
    
    Ray.
    

    Dale Tallon should not be confused with Dave Ballon who did play for
    Montreal.  Dave is the one that was involved in the Ted Green incident.
    
    Bernie.

    Was it not Wayne Maki (or his brother Chico) that was involved in the
    Ted Green incident???
    
    Ray.
    

    	Yes, it was Wayne Maki that was involved in the Ted Green incident,
    unless of course the author was referring to a different Ted Green
    incident. 8-)
    
    Barry
    

    Barry,
    
    	Maybe Bernie was thinking of...Red Green!!:*))
    
    Ray.
    

    Yep, you're right.  I'll have to look it up but I know that Ballon was
    involved in either the same incident or a similar incident (vicious 
    slash to the head, no helmet of course).
    
    Bernie.

    I believe Chico Maki got whacked to the head too (or was it Wayne).
    Maybe Ballon did it. ????
    
    Brian, let's keep boring these poor chaps w/ our Irish families.
    My grandmother's name(maiden) was Beatrice Hayes and I believe she
    had a sister name Flo. Could this notesfile be the place where I find
    my 5th or 6th Cousin????? sniff!!! Forget the milk boxes, ::hockey is
    the way to go for missing family links. :*)))))))))
    
    
    Andy

    Re. .30
    
    Ray,
    	Ha! Red Green, I love his show. What a scream. I sit there and
    laugh like a fool and my wife just kinda looks at me like I've lost my
    mind. Hey, cut me some slack, it's been a looooonnnnnnnng hockey season
    this year for us Bruins fans.
    
    Barry
    
    

    I think Bernie has his colours mixed up, Red/Green etc.
    
    The famous Ted Green/Chico Maki incident took place at the Ottawa Civic
    Centre.
    
    Andy, Aunt Florence was reffered to as "Flo" or "Flit" (i have no idea
    why). She was married to Hector Tallon, he was a funny dude. They had
    a red convertable when they were 'senior citizens' and made quite a
    sight. What did you get for Christmas?
    

    Brian...it couldn't have been that famous to you......
    
    Once again, it was Wayne Maki...not Chico.
    
    regards
    pete

    > my wife just kinda looks at me like I've lost my mind.
    
    Hey Barry, 
    
    I know that look. I get the same look everytime I start a sentance with
    "Andy said...." :-)))
    
    Dave