04/23/24
April 07, 2009
HAHAHAHAHAHA!: and part 2 of an interview with former ESPN personality and current Boston Bruins' TV announcer Jack Edwards. Edwards is perhaps the most polarizing announcer in hockey for his homerism (8 minute youtube clip) and his . . . lack of sympathy for the Flyers. It sounds like Jack will be returning to ESPN just as soon as hockey does:
So, for those of you that hope that hockey gets back on ESPN, that’s what you’re gonna’ get. That’s where it belongs in ESPN’s hierarchy, because there are some bozos sitting in the accounting department in a bunker in Burbank, California running Disney, who look at the numbers and completely ignore the passion of hockey fans. They say “Poker gets better ratings because we can attract more compulsive gamblers to the screen than we can passionate hockey fans, so just for the sake of that number, we’re gonna’ run poker instead of hockey. We’re gonna run women’s basketball instead of hockey.”
Man, from the photo that guy hasn't aged a bit. He used to be on Boston area network TV in the 80's.
Still looks like he has a paper route before school in the am.
posted by beaverboard at 05:06 PM on April 07, 2009
I'm a Rangers fan and I've got no problem with Edwards. He's a homer, but he's a good hockey announcer and that's something hockey could use more of at the moment.
posted by 86 at 05:09 PM on April 07, 2009
Three Thoughts:
1) Ference's hit was brutal
2) The last 15 seconds of the clip were hilarious
3) Avery is an idiot
posted by brainofdtrain at 05:18 PM on April 07, 2009
So, for those of you that hope that hockey gets back on ESPN, that's what you're gonna' get. That's where it belongs in ESPN's hierarchy, because there are some bozos sitting in the accounting department in a bunker in Burbank, California running Disney, who look at the numbers and completely ignore the passion of hockey fans. They say "Poker gets better ratings because we can attract more compulsive gamblers to the screen than we can passionate hockey fans, so just for the sake of that number, we're gonna' run poker instead of hockey. We're gonna run women's basketball instead of hockey."
So, wait. We're supposed to accept the numbers argument against a women's sport when a men's sport (by some method) can show better numbers...but we're supposed to think that same argument is bullshit when it comes out in favor of a women's sport? Knuckledraggers to the left, knuckledraggers to the doggone right.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:20 PM on April 08, 2009
I took his comment as, "Here are a number of things ESPN runs instead of one of the Big Four sports", as opposed to "I hate broads." I thought what he was driving at was that hockey, if given a reasonable amount of attention from ESPN, would pull larger numbers. That is certainly open to debate.
posted by yerfatma at 04:25 PM on April 08, 2009
Jack Edwards takes some getting used to. While most of the time he is right on top of the action, once in a while he seems to get a step or two behind what's going on. His repertoire of stock phrases can be tiresome until one realizes that he throws them out there on purpose. (The link to "Jack Edwards Bingo" on the NESN web site comes up empty now, unfortunately.) He is a homer from the Johnny Most school, but having Brickley there as an analyst keeps the broadcast from going too far from reality. I go back to the days of Fred Cusick (mid 1950s), so I've been rather spoiled by some very good Bruins announcers, but I have to agree that Jack Edwards is not even close to the worst.
posted by Howard_T at 05:54 PM on April 08, 2009
I'm with you: it'll never be Fred & Derrick again (with John Can't Remember His Name as the fantastic between-periods analyst), but Edwards & Brickley are enjoyable. I just wish Jack would drop the "Gretzky's Office" phrase. As an aside, I can't believe Versus employs Brickley: I love the guy, but they must have to put an English broadcast on the SAP channel for people outside of New England.
posted by yerfatma at 06:36 PM on April 08, 2009
Does he use the phrase "Wicked Hahd Slappah"?
posted by tahoemoj at 01:57 AM on April 09, 2009
I took his comment as, "Here are a number of things ESPN runs instead of one of the Big Four sports", as opposed to "I hate broads." I thought what he was driving at was that hockey, if given a reasonable amount of attention from ESPN, would pull larger numbers. That is certainly open to debate.
Yeah, fair 'nuff. He's also got a fair point that the criteria for what gets coverage seem to be short-sighted, or perhaps overly simplistic in their analysis of what inspires sports fans.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:26 AM on April 09, 2009
with John Can't Remember His Name as the fantastic between-periods analyst
It was John Pearson, ex Bruins forward, who took to the booth after an injury (and age) ended his career.
posted by Howard_T at 06:24 PM on April 09, 2009
I did remember his name, just assumed I had the wrong one. Damn creeping old age.
posted by yerfatma at 08:42 PM on April 09, 2009
Full disclosure: I'm a Bruins fan and love Edwards (especially in comparison to the milquetoast Dale Arnold). I think Edwards broadcasts hockey as a morality play and it gives the games an "Old Time Hockey" feel. If I were a fan of any other team, I'm sure he would drive me up a wall.