What do you think of the playoffs so far? Not what is happening on the ice but the way the game is being brought into your living room. TSN has been taking some heat for picking up American feeds for the Columbus-Detroit and New Jersey-Carolina series but I say why not. Its likely cheaper to produce and the quality of the broadcast is still the same. Bottom line is we are still getting series that otherwise we might not get so stop bitching about it.
I actually don't have much of a problem with either TSN or Hockey Night in Canada during these playoffs. I find it interesting that the Gord Miller-Pierre McGuire combo has been broken up with Miller doing the Washington-Rangers series with Ray Ferraro while Chris Cuthbert gets paired with Pierre McGuire. Could this be a sign that there is a changing of the guard at TSN and Cuthbert is now the number one guy. I hope so. Nothing against Miller but in my mind, there is no better than Cuthbert. Whether it be football or hockey, Cuthbert gets the job done. He is the best and many (including myself) can only strive to be close to where he's at. Jim Hughson also belongs in that stratosphere as far as I'm concerned. If one of those two guys are doing a game, I'll sit down and watch because they are Canada's elite.
The studio shows are basically the same. Yes, HNIC brings us Don Cherry which is always entertaining and Ron McLean is Ron McLean, but James Duthie and the crew are also good, they are entertaining and they are informative. Yes, Darren Dreger gets on my nerves for some unknown reason and the PJ Stock segments on Hockey Night give me a reason to go to the fridge but you can't have perfection can you? I just think its great that Canadians can sit down and watch their game night after night after night and have two networks committed to bringing you their best delivering on that night after night.
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Looking at the action from last night, the Ducks just dominated San Jose winning Game 4 by a score of 4-0. Anaheim wants this series and San Jose wants to go home. I don't know why Joe Thornton goes from one of the game's elite players in the regular season to being one of the most disinterested come playoff time but he just looks like he's out for a skate. It was even suggested last nite that coach Todd McLellan bench his superstar for the 3rd period because of the effort he had given in the first two periods. That was supported by video evidence of his lackadaiscal play. Thornton then was guilty on a giveaway in his own zone resulting in the Ducks 3rd goal of the game. If San Jose loses this series, and it looks like they now will, I think its time to blow this team up. It doesn't matter if Ron Wilson is coaching them or if Todd McLellan is, the roster has stayed the same for too long with core guys like Thornton, Marleau, Cheechoo and Nabokov being around for playoff failure after playoff failure. Its time for GM Doug Wilson to take a good hard look at his team and make some big time changes. Its now clearly obvious they aren't a team willing to do what is needed come playoff time. By the way, why pull the goalie when you are down 3. It makes no sense and just makes the final look worse.
Marty Brodeur was pissed off when he left the ice after Game 4 of the Devils-Carolina series when the Hurricanes scored with .2 seconds left to win. Brodeur was hot as he left the ice thinking he had been interfered with. He may have taken that "you won't score on me again" attitude into Game 5. Brodeur showed why he is considered the world's best goalie with a 44 save performance in a 1-0 win leaving New Jersey with a 3-2 advantage.
Detroit is moving on but not after a hard fought 6-5 win over Columbus to finish the Jackets off in 4. Columbus had a terrible too many men on the ice penalty late in the game and it cost them as Johan Franzen scored with just less than a minute to play in regulation.
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The Kelowna Rockets have evened the WHL West final at two after a 3-0 win over Vancouver. The Rockets holding the powerful Giants offence to just 14 shots on goal. Meanwhile, Humboldt let the Portage Terriers know they weren't going to skate around the Elgar Petersen arena with the Anavet Cup. The Broncos smoked Portage 12-2 in Game 5. Humboldt still trails 3-2 and faces the unenviable task of winning twice in Portage to go to the RBC Cup.
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Those that make the commercials for Sharp Aquos have to get that guy hawking the TV's off the air. That guy just creeps me out. Is he related to the Man From Glad??? I realize the guy is a muckety muck for Sharp but get someone else to do the ads.
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My wife has started to watch Harpers Island. It looks like a show I'd be interested in but oh yeah, the playoffs are on. Its hard enough to watch "24" these days. Thank god for the PVR. I still can't believe Tony Almeida is one of the bad guys. I also find it hard to believe Jack will die. JACK CAN"T DIE!!!!
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My good friend Keith Colhoun (Perhaps Regina's only Atlanta Falcons fan---something he proudly admits to being) must be a happy man this morning. This after the Falcons get perhaps the NFL' s best tight end--Tony Gonzalez--in a trade with Kansas City. It gives 2nd year quarterback Matt Ryan another weapon to throw to. The NFC South may be the best division in the NFL in 2009.
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That's all for now. Have a good Friday! Thanks for reading!
6 comments:
I recall reading in one of William Houston's last columns before he left the Globe & Mail that the McGuire-Cuthbert tandem has been put together through the playoffs because they will be the lead broadcast team for the 2010 Olympics.
TSN is giving them this playoff run as an opportunity to work with one another prior to the games.
How can you get angry with Darren Dreger...local Saskatchewanite from MacNutt?
Thorton's play in the playoffs proves why he will NOT be on the 2010 Olympic Team.
There is none better then Gord Miller. HIs Hky IQ is through the roof. Cuthbert is good but voice only goes so far. I do like CC. TSN has them seperated beacause they dont want their eggs in one basket. This is something they have beed doing all year not just the playoffs. Piere and Gord did some games together but not all.
Mitch:
Shame on you, the guy from the Aquos ads could be a relative of the man from glad but if you think about it, you know a creepier guy with white hair. He sometimes patrols the hallways here.
I would go with CBC hands down. At least they give you the option of watching a streaming version of the game online, where TSN forces you to have cable in your house.
TSN Playoff castors wannabees , CBC Rules all the Way and have been around way before TSN was a Broadcastor.
i AGREE TSN IS UP FOR CABLE PROMOTION.
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