The HD Corner - Stanley Cup Final Preview

Due to the overwhelming success of my recent preview, the editors at Illegal Curve thought it was only fitting that I do another preview, this time of the two networks broadcasting the Stanley Cup final. The following is a comparison of CBC’s broadcast team against NBC’s (Versus has games 1 and 2, while NBC will cover the rest using predominantly the same personalities). Now let’s get this party started.

Play by Play
Bob Cole vs. Doc Emrick
Bob Cole will call the action for CBC, and Doc Emrick will man the mike for NBC. Great Scott!!!...Doc wins this battle. Emrick’s calling duties are always dead-on, and he never seems to play favorites, unlike Cole's fetish with the Maple Leafs. Look for Cole to be rooting for fellow Maritimer Sid the Kid and the Pens during this matchup.
Edge: Dock Emrick of NBC

Colour Commentary
Greg Millen vs. Eddie Olczyk
Annoying Greg Millen goes up against Eddie Olczyk here. Although Eddie O does NBC and Versus studio work, he also takes part in colour duties periodically. The former productive NHLer and Pens coach brings a tremendous amount of enthusiasm, but will sway his vote towards the Pens. Millen on the other hand was a terrible NHL goalie, but does bring some interesting insight from seeing so many pucks go in through is five-hole. If this was any other series, Eddie O would get the nod, but due to his penchant for cheering for the Pens, I regrettably give this category to Millen.
Edge: Greg Millen of CBC

Best Jewish Personality
Elliotte Friedman vs. Pierre McGuire
Rumoured to be partially of the Jewish faith, I’m hard pressed to admit that there is a possibility Pierre and I could share a bowl of borscht at a downtown Montreal deli someday. He is so annoying and pompous, that he makes it an easy decision to tune into CBC. Elliotte Friedman on the other hand is a real mench, with great sideline reports throughout the series, and a history of asking the tough questions. And no, I don’t mean him asking “why is this night different from any other night?” twice a year.
Edge: Elliotte Friedman of CBC

Most Colourful
Don Cherry vs. John Vanbiesbrouck
Donald S’s crazy suits give him the edge in this category alone, not to mention his brief run-in with the 10 second audio delay on Coach’s Corner back in the day. His wit, coaching insight, and love of all things Canadian makes him a must see every night of the playoffs. Now onto the Beezer….The editors at Illegal Curve will have a conniption if I make this next joke about his colourfulness. Let’s just give the edge to Grapes and be done with it.
Edge: Don Cherry of CBC

Most Likely to have your Back in a Brawl
Scott Oake vs. Christine Simpson
You don’t want to mess with Scott Oake and his towering 6’9” frame, the Zdeno Chara of the CBC broadcasting team. Despite his hair plugs being quite obvious when seen in HD, his mammoth hands alone would crush anyone that tried to tell him that the Jets aren’t someday coming back to his hometown. For NBC, the ever-so manly Christine Simpson could definitely drink NBC studio host Bill Clement under the table, and also uses less hair spray than her cocky brother and CBC competitor, Craig. Scott Oak wins for his custom tailored Moore’s suits.
Edge: Scott Oake of CBC

Final Verdict:
CBC gets the nod. Let the games begin!

The HD Corner - First Round Report Card

With the first round coming to a dramatic close, I thought it was time to unveil my first round report card for the Canadian broadcasters. Now, without further adieu:

Bob Cole and Greg Millen: C+
Montreal vs. Boston

Cole and Millen’s first round work was nothing spectacular, with Cole making his usual blunders every so often. Their game seven work was fine, however one large omission did occur during game six. An interesting storyline developed when Tim Thomas’ mask broke, which required him to go to the Bruins’ bench twice during TV timeouts. Apparently the strap on his mask couldn’t be repaired and he had to hold it in between his teeth for the remainder of the period until the intermission. Obviously viewers weren’t aware of his troubles since they occurred during TV timeouts, and it would have been nice if Millen had made a comment or two instead of focusing on “Big” Zdeno Chara.

Further, Kessel’s first goal in game six was no doubt outstanding, and CBC missed the boat without directly comparing it to the similar goal he scored at the World Juniors. A few years ago at the World Junior tournament in Grand Forks, Kessel pulled almost the identical move putting the puck past a defender’s legs, jumping around him, and going five-hole.

Jim Hughson and Garry Galley A-
Pittsburgh vs. Ottawa

For those viewers that don’t recall, yes, the Sens were in the playoffs, although not much longer than Alexei Kaigorodov’s career in a Sens uniform. Once the Pens quickly dispatched the Sens, Hughson was seen calling the Colorado-Minnesota series that the CBC sporadically picked up. Galley’s work over the year has improved exponentially, and he deserves to be solidified as the number two colour man. Harry Neale’s time has come. At this point, Neale is more washed up than Fedor Fedorov. Speaking of Neale…

Dean Brown and Harry Neale: B
Nashville vs. Detroit

It’s really a shame that Dean Brown was relegated to this series, as it definitely did not receive the same amount of hype as the Canadian matchups. Sure, the Preds did make it interesting, but game six was possibly the worst game I’ve seen since Kevin Constantine stopped coaching. Brown is usually very accurate with his play calling, although I heard rumours he was hitting it up pretty hard in Music City with Jordin’s pop Barney Tootoo, after game three.

Mark Lee and Craig Simpson: A
Calgary vs. San Jose

Lee and Simpson definitely get the best grade, partly due to the exciting nature of this seven game series. Even when J.R. scored his second goal in game seven and essentially clinched the series, Lee did not show any bias towards cheering for the Flames. One annoying factor with this series was that the Flames home games weren’t in HD – quite ridiculous for the playoffs. Further, CBC’s feed did cut out for a brief period during game seven, but they were quick to pick up the Versus feed starring Lighting play-by-play man and former Whalers broadcaster Rick Peckham at the mic.

Gord Miller/Rod Black and Pierre McGuire: B
Colorado vs. Minnesota Jose and Washington vs. Philadelphia

I’m not sure what has been the more obscure story line so far: Guy Carbonneau’s tie or Gord Miller’s throat. In case anyone thought they were having a mild hallucination during game two of the Colly-Minni series, don’t fret: Rod Black was indeed calling the game. Black was summoned to call the game on a last minute request due to Gord Miller contracting a throat infection and unable to call the game (that’s just too easy to make a joke here). Overall, Black’s work was quite impressive considering his lack of hockey calling experience, and only mentioned the Jays amicably parting ways with the Big Hurt twice during the broadcast. TSN’s patented “between the glass” calling technique with Pierre in the box at ice level always keeps things interesting, although I’d much rather see Pierre locked in a trunk for three hours instead.

Chris Cuthbert and Glen Healy: B+
Colorado vs. Minnesota

This duo was also seen calling the Colly series for TSN, and it is apparent Cuthbert needs to be TSN’s go to guy. Why not try pairing him with Pierre for a game, and leaving Healy to call the Women’s World Broomball Championships?

Things will likely get interesting with the World Hockey Championships starting in Halifax next week, on TSN. With Randorf finishing his duties for the Under 18 Championship, he could get the call, although bringing Vic Rauter out of the woodwork would be highly appreciated!

Enjoy the second round everyone.

The HD Corner - Sens/Pens Thoughts

Just as I was sitting down to watch game #1 between Ottawa and Pittsburgh, CBC’s HD feed caught my eye – all for the wrong reasons. Lo and behold, although the game was shown in widescreen and with 5.1 Dolby surround sound, it was in fact being shown in standard definition. Was this some kind of sick joke? Would CBC really not show its opening playoff game in true high-def? Apparently so. According to the Globe and Mail, CBC only has a limited amount of HD trucks at its disposal, and therefore opted to show the Calgary-San Jose game in true HD. The CBC only has two HD trucks; one will be used for the Calgary series, and one split in between the Ottawa and Montreal series. Once the series shifts to Ottawa, the HD truck will follow, meaning the Habs’ road games will be seen as if you were watching the game on a TV with rabbit ears and tinfoil, in your grandma’s kitchen. Instead of showing Venture or the Royal Canadian Air Farce in HD, maybe the CBC will come to realize that no one else cares about their other programming. I take that back – I actually quite enjoy a good episode of The Nature of Things from time to time.

Great work yesterday by Hughson and Garry Galley during the Sens game. Besides Hughson mixing up Meszaros with Commodore a couple of times (Meszaros wears 14 and Commodore wears 44), it was an impressive effort. More impressive than the Sens’ effort that’s forsure. I started to hyperventilate when Hughson called Commodore’s name during a Sens’ 5 on 3. If the CBC shows all the scratched and injured Sens sulking in the press box one more time I might snap. Why can’t they just show us a fat Mario Lemieux eating poutine in his private box like the good old days. I’d even take an interview with Ryan Malone’s father, talking about his son growing up in Pittsburgh and playing the role of hometown hero, than seeing another shot of Luke Richardson drinking a Bud Lite.

On a completely unrelated note, TSN revamped its entire website to correspond with the start of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. No word yet if Bob McKenzie put some liposuction or at least a couple botox injections on the TSN corporate account, to coincide with TSN.ca’s new look.

The HD Corner - Playoff Preview

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs just around the corner, I thought the time was right to have a write-up on each of the National networks and their broadcasting permutations and combinations.

CBC:

Obviously Bob Cole and Harry Neale are the two head honchos here. However, with Bob slowly being pushed out and with Harry having Buffalo Sabres duty, there could be shakeups amongst broadcasting tandems. Look for Bob and Harry to still call the Stanley Cup Finals, with Jim Hughson having more of a prominent role leading up to the grand finale. As it stands Bob will probably take the Habs first round match-up, which will be CBC’s bread and butter in the playoffs due to the Canadiens’ strong following throughout Canada. If the Sens still make the playoffs (I can’t believe that sentence needed to be written), either Mark Lee or Dean Brown would likely man the mike. As for the West, Hughson will probably call the Flames’ first round match-up. If the Canucks or the surging Oilers make it, maybe Cassie Campbell can pinch hit (in other words: Let’s Go Preds!). As far as colour goes, Harry, Craig Simpson, Greg Millen, or the underrated Garry Galley will be available to team up with any of the aforementioned play-by-play personnel. As with past post season series and a common occurrence this year, Bob and Harry will be split up at least for the first round.

NBC and Versus:

The above two networks have been grouped together since they feature more or less the same broadcasting team. Versus will likely handle the weekday games, while coverage switches to NBC on weekends until the finals start. Lead man and local New Jersey Devils announcer Doc Emrick will handle play-by-play duties, with anyone from Eddie Olczyk, Keith Jones, John Vanbiesbrouck, Pierre McGuire, and the ever-so masculine Christine Simpson handling the colour. Too bad “Pub Night: Snooker and Darts” is also in its playoffs, as U.S. viewers will be drawn to the latter’s coverage.

TSN:

TSN’s schtick includes its patented “between the glass” broadcasting style with the colour guy stuck in between the two benches, Maggie The Monkey providing her playoff pick analysis, McGuire’s Monster, and Glenn Healy’s Loch Ness Monster. Unfortunately TSN doesn’t have the rights to cover any Canadian match-ups until next season, so look for them to cover the Pens first round series or the Sharks’ match-up, providing they don’t play a Canadian opponent. Both provide intriguing story lines, with the possibility of Crosby/Malkin vs. Ovechkin being a huge draw. Combos will include Gord Miller and Pierre McGuire, Chris Cuthbert and Glenn Healy, with Dave Randorf waiting in the bull-pen. The NHL Network’s Dave Reid will also likely be available should the apocalypse occur.

The HD Corner - Jim Hughson's Decision

Jim Hughson has finally made his decision that we were all waiting for, and it wasn’t to put John Garrett in a straight jacket for the next Canucks Sportsnet Broadcast. Hughson has made the choice to stick with Hockey Night in Canada, and say good-bye to his Sportsnet Pacific duties.

A barometer by which all play-by-play broadcasters should be measured, Hughson has signed a six year deal with the CBC, and will be Bob Cole’s successor as soon as Cole dies, checks into Shady Acres Mental Institution, or decides to retire. In all likelihood, Hughson will be knighted as the main voice of HNIC within the next season or two.

Hughson’s current deal has him only working the first three rounds of the playoffs, with Cole calling the Cup finals. Obviously this will change once he is the lead man, and will also see him call Jays games on CBC this summer. The extensive travel schedule was a main concern for Hughson, with HNIC being on Saturdays and the Canucks frequently playing on Fridays and Sundays. Lucky for us, Hughson will still be calling a lot of Canucks games on CBC.

Rumoured to fill the void on Sportsnet are John (Shorty) Shorthouse, Kevin Quinn, Don Taylor, and Dan Murphy. Shorthouse is the only non-Sportsnet candidate and currently calls Canucks games on the radio. To say he is a homer is a huge understatement. Next time you catch a Canucks game on Pay Per View (they are simulcasted with the radio) – you’ll be asking for a refund within five minutes. He’s the only one that thought Mattias Ohlund’s slash on Mikko Koivu was a friendly love tap. Quinn is ok, but can get on your nerves quite easily. If I have to hear “Andrew Cogliano…OVERTIME WINNER!” one more time I may move out of Sportsnet West’s broadcast region just to avoid hearing him. As you all know Don Taylor does the late Pacific broadcasts of Sportsnet Connected, and tries to be funny, sometimes too hard. I can’t see him landing this gig. Finally, could Dan Murphy pull a Roger Millions and turn his reporting career into a play-by-play job? Don’t count on it. My biggest thought is will John Garrett, Hughson’s longtime Sportsnet sidekick and colour guy, be involved in the interview process? Now that I would need to see. Somehow I highly doubt that the interview will be as rigorous as one for Med School. Just a hunch. Guaranteed if I showed up with a 6-pack of MGD and a box of Timbits I could get the job.

While were on the topic of broadcasters, check out Illegal Curve’s poll on the right side of this page. If Pierre McGuire gets over three votes, I’m sending our editor a Trojan Horse Virus.

The HD Corner - Trade Deadline Preview

With the Super Bowl coming to a dramatic finish, it can only mean that the NHL Trade Deadline is around the corner (February 26th, 3pm ET). With Illegal Curve’s Richard Pollock already getting ready with bags of Doritos and his favourite sweatpants (complete with an elastic waist), I thought I would break down what to expect from each of the big three sports networks’ upcoming broadcasts.

Network:
Rogers Sportsnet

Probable Cast:
Host: Darren Millard
Insiders: Bill Watters, Nick Kypreos, Gord Stellick
Other Analyst: Eklund

The Good:
Sportsnet Connected’s laid-back approach will be quite evident during their trade deadline show. This informal broadcast often makes the viewer feel as if they are watching the show with their buddies and joking around; which is how Sportsnet wanted to differentiate itself from TSN when they reformatted Sportsnetnews to Sportsnet Connected last year. Darren Millard’s faux hawk is enough evidence of this casual mentality. Here’s hoping that Bill Watters shows up with a keg, while wearing flip-flops and a Hawaiian shirt.

The Bad:
I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I always find it kind of awkward when Kypreos’ cell rings on air with breaking trade news, and he then briefly leaves the set to go talk to his inside source. Similar to how Dan Marino’s phone was going off two weeks ago during the NFL playoffs, I’m sure viewers are hoping Kypreos has a custom ring tone this year. (Notable ESPN columnist Bill Simmons thinks the funniest scenario for Marino’s ring tone would be either Gangsta’s Paradise or the Titanic theme). Either the Hockey Night in Canada theme or The Thong Song are my bets for Kypreos’ ring tone this year.

The Ugly:
When there is no trade activity, the show is incredibly boring. I guess this is the case with all trade deadline shows, but I recall Bill Watters giving an extensive analysis of a meaningless trade for at least five hours at last season’s deadline to kill time. Watching “Gone With the Wind” for that length of time would have been more entertaining.

Sportsnet could also do without expert insider/FBI agent “Eklund”. First off, enough with the secret identity, Eklund. We all know that you probably live in your parents’ basement and play XBOX 360 online against other nerds. Second of all, come back when you can actually break a story. I don’t need to have to have a secret identity to tell you that teams will be after Mats Sundin this deadline.

The X-Factor:
Pierre LeBrun has been a welcome addition to the Sportsnet crew this year, and will no doubt show up with a mustard stain on his blazer.

The Token Sports Chick:
Martine Gaillard will hopefully be present for the broadcast as her on-air charisma is second to none. That, and she may be having an ongoing fling with Roger Millions.

Network:
TSN

Probable Cast:
Host: James Duthie
Insiders: Darren Dreger, Pierre McGuire, Gord Miller, Bob McKenzie
Other Analysts: Darren Dutchyshen, Jay Onrait

The Good:
TSN and Sportsnet usually go toe to toe in terms of breaking trades each year, with TSN more often than not prevailing by the end of day. Luckily, TSN will also broadcast its deadline show on TSN broadband throughout the day. This feature will sure make work go by that much quicker on February 26 (and by work I do mean playing Minesweeper for 4+ hours).

The Bad:
TSN just has too many personalities. The cast listed above did not include other possible personalities that could make appearances, such as: Gino Reda, Tie Domi, Keith Jones, James Cybulski, Glenn Healy, Dave Hodge, Holly Horton, Dan O Toole, Rod Smith, and Cory Woron. Maybe Jock Climie will even stop by! While many of these individuals normally do quality work, there isn’t a studio large enough to contain this many people, or Glenn Healy’s ego.

The Ugly:
Bob McKenzie in high definition.

The X-Factor:
Maggie the Monkey is likely to make a guest appearance. Her guess is as good as mine in terms of who will win the Peter Forsberg sweepstakes. I think the San Diego Zoo may be the leading candidate at this point.

The Token Sports Chick:
J-Hedge is sure to ruffle a few feathers with a SportsCentre update periodically. I on the other hand will be looking out for any elements of trade deadline collusion between Hedger and her husband (Sportsnet broadcaster Sean McCormick).

Network:
The Score

Probable Cast:
Host: Steve Kouleas
Insiders: Mark Osborne, Steve Ludzik, Dennis Beyak
Other Analyst: Al Strachan

The Good:
How can you not love The Score’s 24 hour ticker? Unlike TSN and Sportsnet, The Score’s ticker never sleeps and goes strong during commercials. Watching that brainless Bowflex commercial suddenly became slightly more entertaining.

The Bad:
Unfortunately, The Score is usually the last of the three big sports networks to break stories. Steve Kouleas’ big time information source (ie: Cabbie), will have to step it up a notch this year.

The Ugly:
Having a panel member that can’t speak English and that has previously sworn on-air isn’t the best choice to have on a live panel, adlibbing for five consecutive hours. Sorry Steve Ludzik, you’re cut.

The X-Factor:
Sid Seixeiro and Tim Micallef are the two wildcards here. The Score Tonight is arguably The Score’s bread and butter, so what better than a little cross promotion when there is time to kill after the only trade is Jon Klemm for a fourth round pick?

The Token Sports Chick:
With Vancouver correspondent Sarah Orlesky flying the coup to TSN, Caroline Frolic is probably everyone’s favourite female analyst these days on The Score. Now if she will only add me on Facebook.


Enjoy the deadline everyone, and make sure to check out Illegal Curve’s live blog throughout the day on February 26.

The HD Corner - 2008 All-Star Game

CBC’s coverage of this year’s All-Star game included Jim Hughson doing the play-by-play, with Craig Simpson and Greg Millen crammed into the booth. As usual, Hughson called a flawless game, Simpson provided some insight, and Millen was more annoying than a Carrot Top stand-up routine. There was an increase of in-booth banter due to the friendly nature of the game as expected; however, the folks at Versus seemed to have taken this to a new level. As much criticism as Versus receives for its lack of viewers, they deserve credit for usually providing entertaining broadcasts for their target – something that CBC has been criticized for in the past. Specifically, at one point of the All-Star game telecast, Gary Bettman was invited into the booth and was joking with Blues goalie Manny Legace about large goalie equipment while he was in the process of playing. CBC can learn a thing or two, and ease up on the boring Mike Babcock interview next time around.

Unfortunately my HD-PVR let me down and I was unable to watch the Skills Competition live (according to Illegal Curve’s Cold Hard Rant section, I didn’t miss much). Needless to say I was still able to watch most of it on CBC.ca’s streaming video section, which I highly recommend to anyone wanting to see the incredible Obstacle Course Relay that closely resembled the 1980’s board game Mouse Trap (click here for a trip down memory lane).

Now on to some other random All-Star game thoughts…

Was there anything more awkward then the Elliote Friedman and Samantha Micelli - I mean Alyssa Milano - interview. Wow Alyssa, you have a new NHL clothing line? Will it be available at Stitches, Winners, or Giant Tiger? These are things that I need to know. Speaking of Who’s the Boss, did anyone know that little Jonathan has come out of the closet? The only thing less predictable was Tony Danza’s career going into a downward spiral after playing a male housekeeper for eight years (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

So you’re telling me that Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas is an all-star? What, was Jim Carey not available? It’s important to note that Thomas’ goalie coach on the Bruins is non other than Bob Essensa. Yes, a goalie with the nickname “Flipper” has trained and produced an all-star calibre goalie. Further, the same man who once traded Teemu Selanne for Chad Kilger and Oleg Tverdovsky is the head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars. Next I’ll find out that Doug Smail is Alex Ovechkin’s power skating coach.

All-Star game MVP? Forget Eric Staal, what about The Hives? Past All-Star Game bands have included the Barenaked Ladies, The Trews, and probably The Harlots, so The Hives were quite the pleasant surprise. The only disappointing fact was that they didn’t play during the 2nd intermission. Instead, we were treated to the funky beats of “Ne-Yo” (whoever that is). Wow they sure now how to party south of the Dixie line!

Although this year’s All-Star Game wasn’t the most entertaining, it did conclude in dramatic fashion and featured an interesting subplot with Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov and fan favourite Ilya Kovalchuk of the Thrashers. Click here to see a clip of a few Nabokov-Kovalchuk highlights.

The HD Corner - The Cliff Fletcher Saga

I’m writing this article today with a heavy heart, as legendary broadcaster Don Wittman has passed away. Always a staple on the treadmill at a local Winnipeg gym, Wittman will be best remembered in my mind for calling Jets playoffs games for CBC. For more details on Wittman and his illustrious career, please click on this link.

In other breaking news CLIFF FLETCHER HAS BOARDED A PLANE TO THE MAYAN RIVIERA!!!

How is this news? I actually wanted to throw my remote at Bob McKenzie’s head when he dropped this bombshell. While we’re on the subject, I would like to dedicate this column to some TSN personalities. In no particular order…

Pierre McGuire: the Sean Avery award for most annoying TSN personality
-Is there anyone else more annoying on TV than Pierre McGuire, let alone on TSN? The former Habs radio colour guy (I refuse to acknowledge his prior NHL coaching duties) is just too intense. Yes, he brings tremendous insight to the game, but at a cost of blowing out my subwoofer. Tone it down a notch Pierre.

Jay Onrait: the Brett Hull award for funniest TSN personality
-Onrait has been my favourite ever since I ran into him one fateful summer afternoon at a restaurant in Winnipeg. You’ll often find Onrait and his 6’5” towering frame cracking jokes at his SportsCentre co-host or making fun of his own suits. His column on tsn.ca is also worth checking out for a chuckle.

Michael Landsberg: the Mike Cammalleri award for best Jewish TSN personality
-The duo of Michael Landsberg and Brendan Connor will go down in TSN history as one of the all-time greats. Thelma and Louise. Sonny and Cher. Bonnie and Clyde. Peter Bondra and Michal Pivonka. Landsberg was one of the best TSN Sports Desk (RIP) hosts, but Off The Record doesn’t really cut it. There’s only so much analysis a WWE wrestler can give regarding the Argonauts off-season acquisitions. Just when you thought Landsberg made the wrong career move, please remember that Brendan Connor was last seen covering women’s volleyball on CBC. I rest my case.

Dave Hodge: the Chris Chelios award for most senile TSN personality
-Dave Hodge has got to be pushing seventy but still manages to toss out a good one-liner once in awhile. Gone are the days of TSN Inside Sports (thankfully), and now Hodge can usually be seen hosting TSN’s The Reporters on Sunday mornings. Sorry, 100 Huntley Street fans, this may create a scheduling conflict.

Rod Smith: the Rod Brind’Amour award for most multi-dimensional TSN personality
-Although Rod “The Bod” Smith can hold his own in the weight room, his versatility is best personified in how he closely resembles Brind’Amour. Whether it is hosting SportsCentre, doing TSN voiceovers, or calling CFL football, Rodsky always brings his best. Speaking of weight…

Bob McKenzie: the Teemu Selanne award for largest cranium at TSN
-Selanne’s signature Jofa helmet has reached a cult following simply because of the large melon which it protects. Bobby Mac was the obvious candidate for this prestigious title, as his oversized skull is chalk full of vital hockey information. Bob’s skills are best exemplified during the NHL Entry Draft each year when he always accurately predicts where every player will be drafted. That, and he could tell you where the best “all you can eat buffets” are located in the Greater Toronto Area.

Gord Miller: the Wade Redden award for most overrated TSN personality
-Since Pierre was already awarded the most annoying personality, I didn’t think it would be fair to have a TSN column without ripping into Miller and several of his chins. Having the opportunity to see Miller tape a segment of That’s Hockey! years ago, I can attest to the fact that he is definitely over hyped (it actually took him about 25 takes to record a proper intro to his “ground breaking” Ryan Smyth interview). How Miller is still viewed as the #1 play-by-play guy over Chris Cuthbert is beyond me. It may have something to do with Cuthbert snubbing Illegal Curve’s own Richard Pollock at a downtown Minneapolis hotel in 2003, but details are still to be confirmed.

Darren Dutchyshen: the Martin LaPointe award for best TSN bodybuilder
-My highlight of high school definitely has to be coming to school with a newspaper clipping outlining the details of Dutchie’s brawl with the groom at a wedding. No one in their right mind would want to start “chucking knuckles” with this guy. Martin LaPointe may be able to bench 300+ pounds, but I can guarantee he doesn’t look as good as Dutchie does in ruby red lipstick.

As much flack as TSN and SportCentre get for having annoying personalities, I’m thankful they still focus on actual sports and haven’t followed the path of ESPN which essential has an hour long infomercial called “SportsCenter” (note the American spelling). I’ll take Jennifer Hedger over ESPN’s Rachel Nichols any day.

The HD Corner - Random Notes

I would like to open with a brilliant quote from legendary broadcaster Bob Cole during the opening moments of last night's Leafs-Bruins game:

“…and to all of our Jewish friends, happy Channukah!”

Here are some random notes/links:

Check out William Houston’s recent article from the Globe and Mail regarding some behind the scenes insight about Coach’s Corner. And yes, this includes information on how grade 9 drop-out Don Cherry prepares for each week’s segment. For some reason it didn't shock me that his preparation doesn’t include any in-depth NHL statistical analysis.

Grapes’ rant from last week’s Coach’s Corner concerning the recent minor hockey league brawl is also worth looking at. He also goes on to rip Steve Ludzik of The Score, or of Sportsnet has Cherry says (skip to the 5:30 mark of the clip).

Did anyone else catch Lisa Bowes’ triumphant return to TSN? To my surprise, she was featured as a Calgary correspondent on SportsCentre earlier this week. The last time I saw her name was on Illegal Curve’s own Ari Baum-Cohen’s sign at the 1999 World Jr. Championships, asking for her hand in marriage.

The HD Corner - Unique FSN Game

As first reported in The HD Corner, a Kings – Ducks game on FSN West was broadcasted without any play-by-play or colour commentary earlier this week. The unique broadcast was in HD, with special low camera angles that provided a unique perspective of the game. FSN Prime Ticket was also showing the game with the usual play calling, so it was interesting to go back and forth in between the two feeds. At first the distinct broadcast seemed like a great idea, but I found it hard to follow without the commentary. Watching a game live in person without commentary, and having the ability to focus on a certain area of the rink was a completely different experience than what was shown during this broadcast. Often at times, the camera would zoom-in on a particular player during a play stoppage, and it felt slightly uncomfortable tying to figure out what the purpose was for the iso shot.

The Score HD made its triumphant debut this weekend on Express Vu in Western Canada to little fanfare. Don’t get me wrong – the ticker’s Arial font in HD is breathtaking; however, the majority of the highlights are still in poor quality standard definition. And no, I don’t care if WWE’s Thursday Night Smackdown! will be in HD.

It looks like Mike Toth’s work on Sportsnetnews will be drastically decreasing, and he has apparently opted for more work on the FAN 590 in Toronto. Earlier this year Toth roughed up a Sportsnet producer over a minor difference in opinion, but according to sources, Toth’s decreasing workload wasn’t a result of this previous confrontation. It is however, arguably the funniest breaking news since Dutchie from TSN got in a brawl at his buddy’s wedding. Although Toth was quite cocky behind the desk, his Bob Cole impression will surely be missed. In other Sportsnet gossip, Greg Ross has flown the coup. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this doesn’t mean more Jim Lange air time.

For those with XM Satelite Radio, you’ll be happy to know that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will debut his new talk show called “NHL Hour” on November 27th. Bill Clement will co-host, who is apparently so desperate for work that he thought it would be a good career move to be involved in a business opportunity with Bettman. Bob Goodenow will probably call into the show to tell Clement “I told you so”.

The HD Corner - The Hotstove Returns!

To quote Jesse Katsopolis’ band ‘Jesse and the Rippers’ covering Thin Lizzy: “The boys are back in town….The boys are back in towwwwwwwn!” That’s right, the HNIC Hotstove this week featured the old crew with host Ron MacLean and columnists Al Strachan, Eric Duhatschek, and Scott Morrison (they are together in Toronto for the Hockey Hall of Fame festivities this weekend). Props to Illegal Curve’s own Richard Pollock for recently obtaining two of these three well known columnists for extensive interviews. Personally, I’m glad to especially see Strachan back in the fold. Since he no longer writes for the Sun (and subsequently slam.ca) I’m in dire need of some Gary Bettman bashing. Apparently the old format of actually having a hotstove with multiple out of town guests was aborted due to logistical problems and the inability to squeeze in Pierre LeBrun’s oversized head into a quadrant of the screen. Luckily both of these previous issues won’t be problems tonight.

The following is a live blog of the Hotstove for our readers who missed the segment, and unlike me, likely have lives and go out on Saturday nights:

45 seconds in: Al proclaims that the next GM of the Leafs is going to be Glen Healey. Nothing like firing an inexperienced GM and replacing him with a former backup goaltender with no GM experience whatsoever. What kind of franchise would be so dumb to make that kind of move? Oh…hello Garth Snow.

4 minutes in: Al is really stealing the show and showcasing himself. I guess his bi-monthly column on foxsports.com isn’t getting enough hits as he hoped. His next rumour is regarding the Sens goaltending situation, and that the Sens are shopping Emery and don’t want to trade Gerber. According to Scott, the rumour of Emery to the Kings isn’t true.

6 minutes in: Al takes his first shot at Bettman. Yes! This time it’s pertaining to the fact that the NHL scheduled five games the night of the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Al is just ruthless (no wonder he now works in his underwear out of his parents’ basement).

6 minutes, 30 seconds in: The usual Canucks acquiring a washed-up defenceman rumour surfaces. Last year they acquired Keith Carney, this year it’s a rumour about Richard Matvichuk. Harold Snepsts, are you available?

7 minutes in: Eric has a juicy rumour of the ’09 All-Star Game in Montreal being played outdoors! This could be cool. As long as it’s held within walking distance of Schwartz’s, I’m in!

8 minutes in: Scott ends the show with a Forsberg update, basically saying how Forsberg is still in conversation with his doctor to determine if there is a way to fix his wonky ankle. Doesn’t seem too promising for Foppa. Too bad for all of the 30 teams that have expressed possible interest in him. Let the Jason Allison sweepstakes begin!

And that concludes another great edition of the “real” Hotstove. And with no commercial break this time (Moores. Well Made. Well Priced. Well Dressed.)

I’ll leave you with some other notable observations and info that I stumbled upon tonight:

I hope everyone caught Bob Cole referencing Shanahan’s failed shootout goal in the ’98 Nagano Olympics, during the Leafs-Rangers shootout. Let it go Bob. Next you’re going to tell me your take on Rob Zamuner being included on the team.

True or false: Ken Hitchcock selected Adam Foote to be the third shooter for the Blue Jackets in their shootout loss to the Preds. Just as an FYI, the following players were available to shoot: Rick Nash, David Vyborny, Nikolai Zherdev, Sergei Fedorov, Danny Gare, and Espen Knutsen. Have another burger there Hitch!

According to the Kings play-by-play guru Bob Miller, the Kings Tuesday broadcast against the Ducks will not feature any play-by-play or colour commentary. The broadcast will use a special low camera angle, and will be shot in HD, of course. No word yet where Bob Miller will be during the broadcast. Is there a Jewish holiday I’m not aware of? Brisket dinner at the Miller’s perhaps?

The HD Corner - HNIC Numbers

The numbers are in for HNIC, and they aren’t too pretty as far as the Oilers are concerned. According to the Globe and mail, 409,000 viewers tuned in for the Oilers – LA Kings late game this past Saturday night. As the Globe notes, this likely could be attributed to the World Series being shown that night. More accurately, it could be due to the fact that the Oilers were one of the teams “competing” in this game. It’s not too often that a team’s go-to defenseman is Steve Staois. Ouch. It could be a long season Mac-T and friends. Or maybe this late game drew so poorly simply because P.J. Stock was conducting studio analysis along with Ron and Sean Burke. Burke was actually quite good, making some interesting points of how as a former goalie, he never judged his teammates by their salaries and only focussed on what they bring to the table each and every game. Stock on the other hand was so incoherent that he must have been on some kind of hallucinogen. I’m pretty sure there is an ECHL team out there that can use 7 assists and 150 PIMS for their team this season. As if the Wheeling Nailers can't use him. Please take him off our hands.

Finally, William Houston has written an excellent article about the one and only Bob Cole that I suggest everyone check out for a good laugh. Apparently, Ralph Mellanby has some dirt on the legendary broadcaster in his new book. Mellanby is of course the former executive director of HNIC (and father of Scott Mellanby). In 1987, Mellanby fired Dave Hodge for throwing his pen up in the air, while on camera no less, in protest that the CBC wouldn’t cut to an in-progress playoff OT game instead of The National. Dave Hodge is officially my idol. Mellanby’s book supposedly details how Bob Cole once actually said “don’t ever touch me again” to John Davidson in the broadcast booth years ago. If that can’t convince you to check out this article and buy Mellanby’s book, I don’t know what will. Caution: the co-author for Mellanby’s HNIC book is the one and only Mike Brophy. If you have seen Brophy’s work on Sportsnet you’ll know what I’m talking about. He has made Nick Kypreos look like a Rhodes Scholar in past broadcasts. And yes, this is the same Kypreos who made that racist Vincent Lecavalier – Michael Jordan remark years ago.

The HD Corner - Saturday Ramblings

Finally, our prayers have been answered! ExpressVu has added a second Sportsnet HD feed to its channel lineup. Although out of market games will be blacked out as per the norm with the regular digital feeds (eg: west viewers still won’t be able to view a regional Canucks game), the hope was that more regional HD NHL games would be aired. Tonight the Calgary Flames are taking on the San Jose sharks on Sportsnet West, and it marks the first time the west region can to see a regional HD game. Suddenly my Monday night plans were put on hold for Roger Millions. I never thought I’d ever say that statement.

One other topic that needs to be addressed is the new Hockey Night in Canada format this year. HNIC has been written about ad nauseum on Illegal Curve so far this season, but I’m slowly reaching the point of having a nervous breakdown. Primarily, the pre-game show has always been pretty terrible, so HNIC’s tweaking this year hasn’t really caused me any more grief this year. I still prefer to watch Sportsnet’s Hockey Central prior to HNIC’s puckdrop anyways. Speaking of which, does anyone remember ESSO NHL Saturday Night from back in the day (insert flattering Gary Green compliment here)? Coach’s Corner is still produced in the typical format, with Grapes going on his rants with Ron putting him in-line every once in a while. This past Saturday’s edition featured an enthralling clip of Yanic Perreault winning a faceoff against Joe Sakic, with Grapes going on and on about how the Leafs let him go FOR THE THIRD TIME. You’d think he was talking about Gilbert Perreault with all the compliments Grapes was giving him. Finally, as for the Hotstove this year…wow. That’s seven minutes of my life I’d like to have back. Does anyone actually care what Sean Burke and Scott Mellanby have to say about the cross-check Ryan Kessler received? The Hotstove used to be my number one place for insider information about upcoming trades, rumours, injuries, and all the behind the scenes action (see Illegal Curve’s interview with Eric Duhatschek for more on his take). Now I can easily find out what Sean Burke ate for lunch and why Scott Mellanby retired (because he was terrible), but that’s all.

Other Saturday ramblings:

-HNIC’s new scoreboard ticker is top-notch. With its scrolling out of town scores always keeping the viewer up to date, it as efficient as watching a CBS NFL game with all the constant updates. I keep thinking a 6 TD Tom Brady line will be the next stat to come up.
- Did anyone catch the “whiteout” attempt in Washington? I wish I was joking. Its failure probably had something to due with all the Pens fans that made the trek to D.C. This “whiteout” actually made the Coyotes’ playoff “whiteout” years ago seem legit. On second thought, maybe not.

The HD Corner - HD Frustrations

I’m currently in the process of trying to watch a Caps – Sabres game only available in standard def on Bell (sidenote: viewers may have noticed the lack Harry Neale on HNIC tonight due to his Sabres MSG duties). Of course, the MSG broadcast keeps reminding me how the feed is available in HD (locally). So why doesn’t Bell pick up the feed and show it on one of their four HD Centre Ice channels? I have no clue. Instead I’m being tempted by a Lightning – Panthers matchup presented in crystal clear HD and 5.1 Dolby sound. I’d rather watch a Devil Rays – Marlins regular season game. I’m not certain as to how Bell’s HD selection process works, but it really doesn’t make sense when there are several open Centre Ice HD channels not showing anything.

Another point of frustration stems from the fact that the regional Flames and Oilers games (shown in the West region on Sportsnet West) are not available in HD. Instead, West viewers will get treated to an HD rodeo bullfight or other quality programming. Of course the Leafs are the only team that broadcasts select regional games in HD. Click here to find out more about this interesting phenomenon. Luckily, as Houston notes, Canucks games are soon to follow. For our readers on the West coast, I’m dying to know how Dan Murphy’s frosted tips look in HD. Please keep me posted.

On a completely unrelated topic, is Cassie Campbell arguably the worst “sideline” reporter? If anyone caught her interview with Mike Myers during the Leafs game tonight, you’ll know what I mean. Talk about awkward. It made the Suzy Kolber – Joe Namath interview seem normal. At one point she asked Myers around four questions all at once – I practically needed a pad of paper just to keep track of all the questions. Then when Myers asked “…and what was the last question?”, Cassie’s brilliant response was “back to you Bob”. After having the pleasure to meet Cassie at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino in Vegas last year, I can attest to the fact that she is an excellent craps player. She just needs to brush up on her work in front of the camera, that’s all.

The HD Corner - Random Thoughts

Some random HD thoughts:

CBC’s ratings pretty much sucked for the Thursday opening night games. William Houston notes that strict competition from Thursday night’s Prime Time lineup, such as Grey’s Anatomy and Survivor, were likely were mitigating factors for the viewership numbers. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dr. Meredith Grey as much as the next guy (she looked way better five years ago in Old School by the way), but how can you not tune in to watch the Battle of Ontario? I’m sure tonight’s numbers will be back to normal for a classic Habs – Leafs matchup. Let’s hope so, or the media buyer for the Tim Hortons account might pull the plug on airing the new “brother - goalie” commercial if ratings don’t improve quickly.

This being my first year of hockey watching with a Bell ExpressVu HD receiver, I was hoping to be able to watch the random games shown on HDNet this season. Unfortunately this was not the case, at least for Wednesday’s Panthers - Rangers barn burner, which wasn’t available to regular HD subscribers. Chances are it was only shown on HDNet in the U.S. It appears this is a similar case to how Versus (aka OLN) games are only available in the U.S., unless of course you have forked over the 200 bones for the Centre Ice Package. If HDNet does eventually show games in Canada, as opposed to HD Josh Tesh concerts, you will be the first to know.

The aforementioned Panthers – Rangers game was in fact shown on one of the four Centre Ice HD channels available on ExpressVu, so it wasn’t a total loss. And yes, Ville Peltonen does scare me in HD. To my knowledge Centre Ice HD channels are not offered to Shaw subscribers, so chalk another one up in the ExpressVu column.

Finally, I caught Harry Neale’s Buffalo Sabres debut last night during MSG’s broadcast of the Sabres home opener against Mr. Hillary Duff’s Isles. It was a foregone conclusion that Neale would do his usual schtick of “he’s really trying to bleed to get that extra two minutes added to that high-sticking penalty”. It’s OK Harry, I still love you.

The HD Corner - HNIC News

I have two important pieces of information that I'd like to pass onto our readers:

First thing's first. It was announced today that Harry Neale will be Jim Lorentz's replacement on Sabres broadcasts this season. Neale's new position means that he will be leaving his post on Maple Leafs regional broadcasts (he'll still be on HNIC). Little do people know that Neale actually lives in Buffalo, and drives up to Toronto for every Leafs game, so maybe it's not that surprising after all. Despite his age, Neale still is entertaining for the most part as a colour commentator. Although he's usually good for a couple mistakes per game (how many Connolly-Pominville mixups will he make?), he's still quite witty with some good one-liners. And who's filling the void for the Leafs games? Why Greg Millen of course! I'm pretty sure I've mentioned Greg Millen in every HD Corner column so far, and I refuse to mention him again. It's getting kind of stalker-ish. The only person I feel more sorry for is Joe Bowen. Holy Mackinaw! Joe is going to need a heavy dose of Advil to get through this season.

The Globe and Mail is reporting that Ron MacLean has signed a new seven year deal to remain on CBC and HNIC. After initially signing an offer sheet tendered by Kevin Lowe to take over for Gene Principe for Oilers Sportsnet West regional broadcasts, the CBC matched, and have now secured their man. That didn't actually happen - but somewhat plausible, right? All kidding aside, MacLean has in fact signed a seven year contract extension with HNIC. Is there anyone better at his analyst job than MacLean? He knows every possible fact about the game, and is never afraid to ruffle a few feathers with hard-hitting questions. Besides Channukah, my favourite time of year is definitely the All-Star Game, just to see MacLean interview that little weasel Gary Bettman during the first intermission.

The HD Corner - Season Opener in London

Thoughts from the O2 Arena in London (aka my TV in my living room)...

The 07-08 hockey seaon is now officially upon us. Although it was a bit of an early wake up Saturday morning (11am central) to catch the first game from London, it was still thoroughly enjoyable. As usual, CBC's coverage was second to none with its crisp HD feed, along with the always solid Jim Hughson manning the mike. Although he looooooves the Canucks, which is always quite evident on his Sporstnet Pacific broadcasts, Hughson always brings his best effort to the table (I think it has something to with a comfort level from all the years being the play-by-play on EA Sport's NHL series). Greg Millen is OK too, just sometimes really annoying as I've eluded to in previous posts. After a half hour delay due to poor lighting at the O2 Arena, and Ron MacLean, Craig Simpson, and Cassy Campbell painfully killing time, the game finally got underway without a hitch.

After searching around for Sunday's game, and nearly having a conniption that it possibly wasn't being shown, I finally discovered it being broadcast on the NHL Network. Although the sound was brutal and the standard-def picture looked so bad that I thought my contacts were in backwards, strategically, it was a good idea to air the second game on the NHL Network. There is a free preview of the NHL Network until November for digital subscribers, and it's a great way to create some hype and viewership. The only drawback is that it obviously doesn't have the same reach as CBC, but it still seems like a great plan to create urgency for viewers to order the channel for the season if people like what they see. And how could they not - the icing on the cake is that Paul Rominuk and Gary Green were at the helm for the game! Yes! The hockey Gods have spoken.

The HD Corner - Gord Miller calling Baseball?!

Guess what hockey fans? If you’re having Gord Miller withdrawal this off-season, fret not. Miller has been calling the current Jays – Orioles series on TSN to pinch hit for Rod Black. Ironically enough, the Orioles announcer is none other than NHL announcer Gary Thorne. What are the odds that Bill Clement shows up for a second inning analysis? Let’s hope slim to none. I never thought I’d say this, but Rod Black better come back soon. Actually, does it matter? Who’s going to watch the Jays at this point of the season anyways?

Speaking of Clement, he is the latest addition to the Sportsnet hockey crew. He will provide analysis via satellite as well as in-studio appearances. Sidebar: has anyone seen that ridiculous bug spray commercial with Bill Clement shirtless? Bill, do as all a favour and do a couple push-ups. Maybe hit the bench press now and then. Please! You can check out the youtube clip here, but you have been warned.

In other Sabres news, it appears that TV and radio colour guy Jim Lorentz has decided to hang ‘em up. Maybe he read the last edition of The HD Corner, which included my criticism of his work. Now I’m starting to wish he’d stay on considering Matthew Barnaby, John Tucker and Mike Robitaille will each work beside Rick Jeanerette this week for Sabres exhibition games. No word yet for Lorentz’s full-time replacement, but you’d have to think Rob Ray would get a crack at the job, or at least an interview, since he does have some experience on Sabres MSG telecasts.

Finally, tonight The Score is airing its annual round table discussion (actually on air now as I write this column) about the state of hockey and potential rule changes. Guests include Marty, Turco, Jason Spezza, Colin Campbell, JFJ, Ken Holland, and Stephen Walkom. The panel will be run by Steve Kouleas, who although is quite annoying, usually asks good questions. For some hilghights, check out William Houston’s article here.

The HD Corner - Best Duos

News comes out of Florida today that former NHLer Randy Moller is taking the plunge into the broadcast booth for Panthers radio broadcasts this season (Check out his career stats here). What's unique about Moller's move is that he will be taking on the role of play-by-play announcer, as opposed to colour commentator - the first for an ex-NHLer. Moller's Pat Sumerall-like transition is unheard of in sports broadcasting (Summerall is an ex-NFL placekicker), with a rare number of players having the ability to call a game in a professional manner. Something tells me he'll easily surpass the skills of long time announcer Gary Thorne (shot....save....rebound.....score!).

The above topic provides a nice segue into my next discussion. With the season less than a week away, I thought it would be an appropriate time to break down some of the best TV play-by-play and colour commentator combos. Centre Ice package, here we come!

1) Randy Hahn (play-by-play) and Drew Remenda (colour) - Sharks. This season signals Drew Remenda's return to the Fox Sportsnet Bay Area broadcast booth, after a one year stint on HNIC. Although the two are quite the big pair of homers and are very Shark-biased, their on-air chemistry together resembles that of a young Jamie Baker and Link Gaetz in their primes.

2) Paul Steigerwald (play-by-play) and Bob Errey (colour) - Penguins. Last year marked Steigerwald's first year of TV work, after taking over from long-time Pens TV announcer and Hall of Famer Mike Lange. Although I was initially sanded with the thought of missing Lange's famous calls ("he beat him like a rented mule", "scratch my back with hacksaw", "Elvis has left the building", etc...), Steigerwald has shown a tremendous amount enthusiasm and accuracy when calling games. Bob Errey is not only hilarious, but provides insightful information while not overtly rooting for Sid the Kid. Errey works sporadically on The Score as well, so if you can, check him out. Maybe the next time Yom Kippur falls in October, Lange could fill in for old times sake for Steigerwald.

3) Dean Brown (play-by-play) and Garry Galley (colour) - Sens. When not eating "beaver tails" at the canal of our nation's capital, Dean Brown can be seen doing a bang-up job for Sens broadcasts. Whether it be Sportsnet East, A-Channel, or even HNIC, Brown brings a certain amount of respectability to each and every game. I truly do believe his calls are so objective, that it's hard to tell he is in fact employed by the Sens. The sleeper pick here is of course Galley, the long time NHLer. Usually Greg Millen is Brown's partner; however, when Galley fills in his commentary skills are second to none. Although still a bit raw (much how Dean Brown likes his steak), Galley is quickly shooting up the ranks. Watch for him randomly on HNIC this year as well.

4) Finally, Rick Jeanerette (play-by-play) and Jim Lorentz (colour) - Sabres. First of all Jim Lorentz sucks. Yes I went there. I would take to much heat from our readers and Illegal Curve contributors if I didn't mention Jeanerette, so I had to give him props. "La La Lafontaine", "May Day, May Day, May Day", "top shelf where mama hides the cookies". If you've never heard a Jeanerette call live you haven't lived (man I need a life). Jeanerette always has fun while broadcasting, and can even be seen dressed up in costume for Halloween and in a tux for New Year's Eve.

For Illegal Curve, I'm Neil Rockman

The HD Corner - HNIC's The Headliner

Well, it’s official. The Headliner on HNIC has been terminated. Tragic, I know. *Tear. No more riveting Scott Oake interviews with Steve Moore about how his NHL career is basically over after that fateful Vancouver evening (Steve Moore had an NHL career? Could have fooled me). No more features with Lou Lamorello showing his office with a chart of every NHL team’s roster. No more stories about Gary Bettman’s failed attempt for hockey to become popular in the U.S. Sunbelt. How on Earth will I be able to survive the hockey season without these informative segments? In all seriousness, The Headliner will be replaced by two new segments called “Inside Hockey” and “Viewpoint”. Both of these new additions sound like they will be pretty much composed of the same content as The Headliner (ie: complete crap).

The biggest news of the day appears to be the fact that The Satellite Hotstove is staying on the air during the 2nd intermission for another season, after some off season rumours that it might be removed from the lineup. Definitely a smart move. Nothing is better on a Saturday night than seeing Pierre LeBrun’s pudgy face crammed into a small quadrant of my TV screen. Unfortunately, CBC will be adding some new personalities in the form of former players and league execs, in addition to the usual journalists normally featured. The best part of the Hot Stove was hearing the latest rumours from all the journalists’ hockey connections. I find it hard to believe that a former player such as Brett Hull would know of any insightful rumours, other than where a new Krispy Kreme franchise is possibly opening.

Finally, William Houston raises an interesting point from his most recent article about analogue vs. digital TV feeds on HDTV’s. NERD ALERT! Basically, what it comes down to is analogue signals on HDTV’s aren’t the greatest but do come out cleaner than digital signals on HDTV’s (I thought this would be the opposite, but what do I know. Sorry…I don’t work at Speaker City). Now that explains why Joe Bowen’s face looked like an old catchers mitt the other night. I knew there had to be some plausible explanation.